What about creating the same kind of areas in part of Scotty Park in Linda Vista, or in White Pine Park off Scott Street and other parks?
How about a fenced dog training area in Playfair Park?
During last fall's public discussion with Missoula City Council members, most people agreed that Missoula needs more places where dogs and people can socialize and exercise without leashes - and without disturbing people who want to enjoy city open spaces without dogs.
And, most people said, the rules about dogs in different public settings were not clear.
Parks and Rec staff has clarified what's what in 12 pages that are up for public perusal.
“The main thing we want to stress here is the public comment,” said Becky Goodrich, communications specialist at Parks and Rec. “It's a working document. We're prepared to change it to reflect the public needs.”
Now, Missoula has two enclosed dog parks: the six-acre Jacobs Island Dog Park, called the Bark Park, and the Fort Missoula Canine Campus. The new ones suggested would be a fenced-off 10.4 acres of High Park; a fenced-off 2.4 acres in Linda Vista's Scotty Park; part of Jefferson Park, which is not now in the city park system and would depend on an agreement between the city and Missoula County Public Schools; a fenced-off 2.6 acres at White Pine Park off Scott Street; and some area of the Big Sky Equestrian Park.
All these suggestions depend on neighborhood and community approval and budget approval, Goodrich said. People are welcome to suggest other areas, too.
Missoula has one enclosed dog training area, the Fort Missoula Canine Campus Training Area, one-third of an acre at Fort Missoula established in 2005. A new one suggested would be the Playfair Dog Park, one-third of an acre fenced on all sides.
Parks and Rec staff will stay open to proposals for new dog exercise areas from residents. New areas would have at least one neighborhood meeting and a public comment period that will also include Missoula Animal Control and the Missoula City Council.
Parks and Rec is also proposing a new Trailhead Leash Program for conservation lands, existing and proposed. That would mean that dogs' human companions would be required to leash dogs from the trailhead or parking area for 200 yards or as posted. After that, dogs can be off leashes and managed by voice and sight. The areas would be:
The Tower-Simon Complex, 120 acres at Tower Street off South Third Street West.
City-owned parts of Mount Sentinel (leashes are required on the University of Montana-owned M trail).
Mount Jumbo, seasonally.
The Kim Williams Nature Trail.
The North Hills, with seasonal or intermittent closures possible.
The Old Duncan Drive Trail, at Mountain View and Old Duncan Drive along Rattlesnake Creek.
The undeveloped land south of the Garden City Harvest Gardens at that corner is a proposed new voice and sight control area, which wouldn't be fenced or enclosed.
Rattlesnake Park North, the portion of the Rattlesnake Greenway that begins at Fox Hollow and Timberlane roads and has a trail that runs 3.4 miles of the greenway to Sawmill Gulch, has been an off-leash area in practice. But in their review of dog areas, Parks and Rec staff members found that the 1991 conservation easement agreement with landowners specified that dogs would be on leashes. The agreement is to protect wildlife, plants and water quality in the riparian area along the creek.
Missoula Animal Control director Ed Franceschina is in favor of the plan and the suggested areas, and he gathered positive comments from his staff. Having multiple choices around town for off-leash dog exercise might draw people away from violating leash laws in leash-required areas, such as city parks and the riverfront trail system, he said.
“They're going to spread it out in different areas,” he said. “That's going to make a place where people can go and legally turn their dogs loose. We're sure hopeful this will make a difference.”
In last fall's discussions with City Council members, both Animal Control and Missoula Police Department officials said they don't have enough officers to enforce leash laws consistently throughout the city. At least one council member promised to explore adding money for more officers in the next year's city budget.
Reporter Ginny Merriam can be reached at 523-5251 or at gmerriam@missoulian.com
Take a look
The working draft of Dog Regulations in City Parks and on City Conservation Lands is online at http://www.missoulaparks.org and available in hard copy, with maps, at the Missoula Parks and Recreation office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through March 3. Send public comment by e-mail to parksrec@ci.missoula.mt.us or by postal service to Missoula Parks and Recreation, 100 Hickory St., Missoula, MT 59801, through March 3.
The Park Board and the Animal Control Board will consider the proposals during the week of March 14. The Missoula City Council's Conservation Committee will consider them the week of March 20. New regulations will go into effect April 1.
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