Committee adopts citywide dog regulations after public debate over Cranberry and Oyster Shell parks

The Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee voted to adopt a resolution regulating dogs in Norwalk city parks after extended public comment and staff explanation.

The resolution, approved by the committee during its meeting, clarifies that dogs may be off leash in designated dog-park areas and that dogs on the trails at Cranberry Park may be off leash if under voice command or otherwise under owner control; dogs are to be prohibited from the great lawn and playground areas. Robert Stowers, Recreation and Parks Director, told the committee the language in the posted resolution permits dogs on Cranberry Park trails “while on leash or under voice control.”

The item prompted numerous public comments from regular park users. Rich Bonifant, identifying himself as a local resident of 17 Park Hill Avenue, said he supported enforcing existing rules and asked who would carry out enforcement. “Ihave the grandfather of 4 little ones. Im asking you to enforce your rules,” Bonifant said during public participation.

Greg Helms, who said he serves as chair of the Friends of Cranberry Park, told the committee that many park users value the current ability to let dogs run on certain trails. “There are hundreds hundreds of people at Cranberry Park who would be affected by this change that requires leashing dogs while hiking on the trails,” Helms said.

Other speakers echoed Helmsand Bonifant. Martha Coleman, who said she drives from Monroe to walk in Cranberry Park, told the committee she rarely encounters children on the back trails and supported keeping the off-leash trail experience. Catherine (Price) Snedeker, representing Friends of Norwalk Dogs, said the organization “fully supports dogs being off leash at Cranberry Park outside of the Great Lawn and the playground area.”

Committee members and staff emphasized the resolution is intended to clarify existing practice rather than enact an abrupt change. Stowers said signage at Cranberry already instructs that “all dogs shall be kept under voice command or leash control by their owners at all times,” and he told the committee the posted resolution aligns with that guidance. He also said the city attorney had advised the director can issue a temporary rule change that the Common Council must later ratify, and that the committee would seek ratification.

On enforcement, the committee said enforcement responsibility would involve the Norwalk dog warden and the police department when appropriate. A committee member asked how enforcement would work at parks without gates or simple ways to restrict access; staff said officers and the dog warden would continue to patrol and respond to complaints.

The committee approved the resolution by voice vote; the item passed unanimously as recorded in the meeting minutes. The approved language allows off-leash use in designated dog-park areas and specifies that Cranberry Park trails may be used by dogs on leash or off leash under voice command, while restricting dogs from playgrounds and the great lawn.

Committee members and staff said the city will post the clarified rules and follow up with the Common Council for ratification of the temporary change.

The action was taken after the committee closed a lengthy public-participation segment focused largely on Cranberry Park and Oyster Shell Park.