Jesse,

 

Thanks for your response. I am glad to hear that DPR is in the final stages of developing regulations for Dog Exercise Areas in the DC. Unfortunately after the initial draft we have heard nothing regarding the potential places or when the next community briefing will be. Since the rules and regulations in the first draft left nearly the entirely district out of scope for such areas, we the owners of dogs were left very worried about the future of dog parks.

 

Regarding the Upshur park, Evelyn Woods (CC’ed in your email) responded to a fellow resident that (textual from email below) ‘As such this defunct playground at Allison and Arkansas has been contracted out to be demolished and fence removed in the next few weeks.’

 

The big concern we have is why the code is being enforced so harsh against dog owners and not against other residents. An example is church parking, where the issue exists and DC decided to not enforce parking laws to these residents (and many times suburb residents).

 

Also inside your parks drug traffic, sex and alcohol consumption takes place.  Following your reasoning shouldn’t you have those parks ‘..be closed as we could not control use there..’?

 

So why enforce some laws and not others? Probably because there are more church goers than responsible dog owners…

 

This makes me personally feel as a second class resident of the district, especially when we were using a park where we did not displace anybody or bother anybody. As said by Ms Woods below, ‘dog walkers were using the playground there as a de facto dog park’. So why should we be penalized? Shouldn’t DPR go after dog walkers instead? They are running a business in DPR property after all.

 

I wish that DC will have the same flexibility with us than with other groups in our community, you tolerate drugs, alcohol and sex in DC parks, but you do not tolerate off leash dogs in a fence area.

 

Some flexibility should be there at least such parks are established.

 

Sincerely,

 

Franco Primavesi

 

-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: < customerservice.dpr@dc.gov>
To: <>
Subject: Re: Webform.DPR.atd
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 13:30:34 +0000


Dear Mr. ,

The department received several phone calls from the citizens who reside at
Allison and Arkansas, that contrary to the regulations, dog walkers were using
the playground there as a de facto dog park – creating among other things, a
disturbance. This playground was once used by the Sharpe school, but seems to
have gone into disuse when they erected their own on the hill. DPR policy 2.103
clearly states that no dogs are allowed on or near playgrounds, athletic fields,
picnic areas or community gardens – with or without a leash. Dog owners, and
especially dog-walkers have been flouting these rules for years and creating
unautho! rized d og-parks throughout the city. The current debate regarding the
creation of legal dog-parks seems to have drawn the attention of citizens who
have hitherto been silent regarding this flouting of the rules, and like you
they too have been in touch with the Mayor's office, their respective Council
members and their ANC's. As you may know, the criteria for the creation of dog
parks are currently under review with input from community groups from every
Ward, the Council, DOH, MPD, etc. Until this is finalized and a decision is
taken as to where dog parks will be situated, DPR will follow the current rules.
As such this defunct playground at Allison and Arkansas has been contracted out
to be demolished and fence removed in the next few weeks.

Thank you for your interest in the DC Department of Parks and Recreation.

Sincerely,



Evelyn Woods
Customer Service Manager

 

Mr. Primavesi,

Thank you for your concern about dogs and dog exercise areas in DC Parks.  As you may or may not know the Department of Parks and Recreation is now in the final stages of developing regulations for Dog Exercise Areas in the District of Columbia.

 

We felt it was important to move forward cautiously.  Since we started the process, a counter-response to dog-owners need for dog exercise areas has arisen.  It is important that we allay the fears of this portion of the community by making considered decisions.  A lot of the very negative response to dogs off leash in recent months have come as a result of this.  When we are asked to respond to a call of “dogs off-leash” and we find dogs off-leash we are bound to respond based on the rules and regulations found in DC code. 

 

Unfortunately, the fenced area within Upshur Park needed to be closed as we could not control use there.  It’s use as an off-leash dog area was popular with the community but was illegal under DC law.  We are crafting the Dog Exercise Area regulations to address this need.  Until these regulations are complete we must continue to regulate and remove the temptation to undermine DC law. 

 

I was not party to any communication stating that this fenced in area would be taken down.  If this was an official communication from DPR, I apologize for the confusion.  Two members of the Planning and Design staff have examined the space and come to the conclusion that the fence should remain for the time-being.  We are exploring options for this space and I assure you that any and all decisions will be subject to public meetings and comments. 

 

Finally, I’d like to address a concern that seems to have started early in the Dog Exercise Area process.  Residents seem very sure that DPR and the District in general are against dogs and dog owners.  I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth.  Simply from the management standpoint DPR has been pressing for dog parks for some years.  In parks, particularly urban parks, uses do not always mix well.  Thus, we have sought ways to accommodate dog parks to reduce pressure on open spaces that are regularly used by children.  From a community building standpoint, as you note, dog parks have proven to be great facilitators.  Thus we have a strong impetus to move forward. 

 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

 

Thanks,

 

Jesse

 

 

 

Jesse Rounds

Community Planner

D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation

(o)  202/671-0416

(f)  202/671-2796