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Provo council splits over time-limited off-leash hours; votes to seek neighborhood feedback
Summary
After hours of debate, the Provo City Council voted 4–3 to send a proposal to allow limited off-leash hours in some parks to neighborhood district meetings for local feedback, rather than adopt citywide off-leash hours now.
Provo City Councilors voted 4–3 on March 11 to send a proposal for time-limited off-leash hours in city parks to the five neighborhood-district meetings for further neighborhood-level feedback.
The matter arose from a request by Councilors Craig Christiansen and Hanley to allow two one-hour off-leash periods (6–8 a.m. and 6–8 p.m.) in city parks to provide an interim option while a formal dog-park master plan is carried out. Parks and Recreation staff opposed the change and urged the council to wait for the department’s dog-park master plan. City police shared five years of incident data and said enforcement is difficult when off‑leash rules vary by time and place.
Supporters said limited hours would create a predictable place and time for dog owners who lack other options and could reduce unlawful off-leash activity by concentrating it in designated windows or locations. Opponents, including several council members and resident speakers, said even limited off-leash periods pose public-safety and quality-of-life risks—particularly around playgrounds, splash pads and areas used by children and older adults—and urged investment in fenced, dedicated off-leash parks instead.
After an initial motion by Councilor McKay to prohibit off-leash hours and allow Parks & Rec to continue its master-plan process, the council adopted a substitute motion to take the topic to district neighborhood meetings and ask each neighborhood whether it would support designated parks and morning-hour windows (6–8 a.m.) as a pilot. The substitute motion passed 4–3. Council members asked staff to bring a clear outreach plan and timeline to the next work session; staff said results would be compiled and returned to the council for follow-up.
The council’s action does not change current park rules; dogs remain required to be leashed outside of designated dog-park areas. Parks and Recreation told the council it is developing a multi-site dog-park plan with public outreach, and staff emphasized the city’s preference for fenced dog-park amenities over time-limited off-leash hours. Council members and staff agreed to ask neighborhood boards for input and to coordinate outreach timing with Parks & Rec’s ongoing survey.
The council recorded the votes as 4 in favor of neighborhood-level outreach (yes: Councilors Hambley, Christie, Booger, Garrett) and 3 opposed (no: Councilors Bogdan, McKay, Fogan).
