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Proposal to ban dogs at Carol Fox Park fails to get second after council debate
Summary
A proposal to prohibit dogs and other animals at Carol Fox Park was introduced Nov. 17 citing hygiene and small‑child safety concerns, but the motion received no second and died after council heard enforcement and incident data from staff.
Councilmember (Speaker 16) introduced an ordinance to prohibit dogs and other animals at Carol Fox Park, arguing that the playground primarily serves small children and that removing dogs would reduce hygiene and safety risks.
During the discussion council members raised objections that an outright ban would penalize responsible dog owners and that leash laws and signage already exist. Staff said leash laws apply and the dog park is the designated off‑leash area. Police staff reported seven calls to Carol Fox Park since 2022, several listed as dogs at large, and said they had not found a pattern of dog bite incidents. Council discussed alternatives such as better signage, public communications about leash laws and enforcement of existing ordinances.
Because the motion to adopt the ordinance received no second, it did not proceed to a vote and no ordinance was adopted. Council instructed staff to pursue communications and signage options and to clarify enforcement procedures for pet waste and leash compliance.
What was said: “I pulled our day‑to‑day based off of this… my findings show that we had 7 calls there at Carol Fox since 2022,” said a staff responder during the discussion; council members also noted the presence of existing bag stations for pet waste and encouraged better outreach to inform park users of leash and cleanup rules.
Next steps: Staff will review signage and communications to reinforce leash laws and pet cleanup procedures and return to council if further policy action is recommended.
