The Westminster City Council voted 5-2 on Monday to leave a 440-acre off-leash dog park the same size, but with a stipulation that it could shrink by 20 acres with future zoning amendments.
Since 2009, the 470-acre Westminster Hills Open Space has simultaneously served as a dog park and a place for hikers and bicyclists. It’s so enormous that all 48 metro Denver area parks combined could easily fit into the space.
A proposal considered by the council would’ve reduced the off-leash dog area to 33 acres.
The council last month delayed a vote on the matter, citing the need to flesh out results of an ecology study of the 39-year-old site.
Results of the study show the open space site has affected ecological growth, ranging from preventing wildlife habitation to an increase in nitrogen and E. coli from dog waste.
“There’s wear and tear on the landscape, invasive plants are taking over and we have a poop problem,” Parks, Recreation and Libraries Director Tomas Herrera-Mishler previously said. “Yes, I said poop.”
Many residents opposed the proposal to reduce the off-leash area. A Change.org petition garnered more than 10,400 signatures to “keep Westminster Hills Dog Park off-leash!”
More than 750,000 people annually visit the site.
Hundreds of residents had packed into previous dog park discussions at Westminster City Council meetings, during which Herrera-Mishler said the park has become so overrun with dog feces that workers annually haul 3,500 pounds of fecal matter from underground vault receptacles.
Residents who support the dog park promised to keep the site clean.
“We are loving the park to death, but we are willing to love the park back to life,” Westminster resident Beth McBride previously said. “Of course, there have problems, but people are looking forward to pitching in.”
Residents, on both sides of the argument, made four recommendations:
- Little or no change from its current size
- 200 acres
- 110 acres
- 33 acres
In 1985, Westminster became the second city in Colorado to establish a dedicated municipal open space preservation program, providing “green” buffers between developments. Often seen in the Westminster Hills Open Space are bald eagles, burrowing owls and endangered frogs.
The area acts as a vital link in a 13,000-acre network of protected short grass prairie, which is located in one of most threatened ecosystems in the state, according to the park’s website.
During public comment on Monday, residents offered different viewpoints of the matter.
Those in favor of shrinking the off-leash area argued it doesn’t protect animals and puts other dogs in danger of each other. Supporters of the proposal alluded to potential future developments, and dangers to other people.
Residents neutral to the issue suggested a compromise approach. Many suggested changing the rules, times or days of when dogs can roam free or to split the open space in half.
Those against the proposal claimed Westminster’s reasoning of ground contamination isn’t accurate. They also mentioned economic benefits, such as the large out-of-town population the off-leash area draws, and the amount of love for it by residents.
Many of the speakers Monday were from the off-leash park activist group, the “Westy Dog Park Guardians.”
Cindy Staudt, co-organizer of the group, said “we’ve provided an objective approach to managing the land. They’ve had one goal in mind and that is to cut the off-leash part of the park to 33 acres. I don’t trust the parks department but I do have confidence in city council.”
In the middle of Monday night’s meeting, during the city manager’s report, Councillor Obi Ezeadi asked city staff what the reasoning was for the proposal.
In response, Herrera-Mishler said, “we’re trying to correct something that’s been going on a long time on that particular piece of property.”
He added: “It’s quite clear what it does and does not allow and it’s specific to passive recreation and very much about preserving the short grass prairie that has gone on that site and the natural environment.”
In response to concerns about the extent of the land designation, City Manager Mike Freitag insisted “this is not about making decisions about positions, making decisions about where the fences go or trails go, that comes next.”
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
