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Council approves expanded off‑leash areas, including Pratt Field morning hours
Summary
After hours of public comment, Boulder City Council narrowly approved Resolution 8129 to add off‑leash dog areas in the desert west of Veterans Memorial Park, portions of Linear Park South, and limited morning hours at Pratt Field and common ball‑field areas; the measure passed 3–2 amid debate over waste and child‑safety enforcement.
Boulder City’s City Council voted 3–2 on May 12 to adopt Resolution 8129, authorizing new off‑leash dog recreation locations and adjusted hours at several parks.
The resolution adds the desert area west of Veterans Memorial Park and a defined segment of Linear Park South as off‑leash at all park hours, and permits off‑leash activity at Pratt Field and the common practice areas around Veterans Memorial Park’s ball fields between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. It also shifts Wilbur Square’s afternoon off‑leash hours to account for daylight‑saving time: November–March from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and April–October from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Parks and Recreation Director Julie Callaway explained staff’s outreach and the user‑group recommendations behind the plan, and noted staff will install signage and pick up waste in advance of major events. Supporters during the public‑comment period said designated spaces and times would restore community cohesion and give elderly and disabled residents safe options for exercise. “Expanded off‑leash areas mean more opportunities for exercise, for fresh air, and for the kind of neighborly connection that happens when people share open space,” resident Terry Adamic said.
Opponents and some council members warned that opening Pratt Field, which is used for youth sports, even for limited morning hours could increase dog waste on child play surfaces and made enforcement difficult because visitors from neighboring jurisdictions also use the field. “I just can’t reconcile dogs on surfaces where kids are participating in sports,” a council member said during debate.
Council discussion centered on balancing resident access for dog owners with the need to protect organized youth activities. Supporters pointed to staff commitments — regular pickup before events and new signage — and to research cited by staff that showed higher compliance with waste pickup in some jurisdictions. The council also directed staff to update signage and publicize hours.
The resolution passed by the narrow margin after members weighed competing concerns about public safety, enforceability and recreational access. The council indicated it will monitor the sites and adjust enforcement or hours if problems emerge.
