Rye Brook Sets Public Hearing to Amend Dog in Parks Law

Dogs owners in Rye Brook will have to be extra prudent about where they walk their pets, as the village is set to hold a public hearing in March to amend its local law concerning dogs in public parks.

At its meeting Tuesday, the Village Board scheduled a public hearing on the issue for March 9. The hearing comes after months of discussion about the inconsistencies in Rye Brook's animal code and signage at its local parks.

The village is following the recommendations of its Recreation Council to amend its code. The proposed local law would allow dogs in parks on leashes of up to five feet. Dogs also would have to be leashed at all times, which is already part of the village's code. Owners would have to pick up after their dogs or face a fine, which the village code states is typically $25, but is also up to the discretion of a judge.

At its Feb. 10, meeting the Village Board said the local law needs to be amended because of sanitary and safety issues with letting dogs use the park.

"Part of the problem is not just defecation, we've also heard about dogs loose and the hazard to people," Trustee Dean Santon said at the meeting. "They might not defecate but they still could potentially bite somebody."

"I also think that if you start letting dogs off leash, then that's a de facto dog park," Santon added.

Trustee Paul Rosenberg also echoed those sentiments. He said dogs shouldn't be running around in Pine Ridge Park and other parks in the village.

"I see kids diving for balls in there and I agree. I think it's not the most sanitary of situations."

The amended local law would also prohibit dogs from active recreational areas, including playgrounds, ball field areas and sport court areas. The village would also install signs that designate which areas of the park allow dogs. The board said the current signs at parks are confusing and seem to allow activities which should be prohibited.

 "If anyone saw the signs, they're pretty bad. One of them seems to permit alcohol, golf, dogs and rollerblading in the park," Trustee Michael Brown said during the village's Feb. 10 meeting. Brown said a second sign looks like someone wrote the word no on it, while a third sign has the word no worn off, so owners can't clearly determine where their pets are allowed.

The March 9 public hearing may elicit responses from some dog owners who think their pets should be allowed to roam freely at public parks, as long as owners are responsible.

Allison Thresher, a Port Chester resident who frequently walks her dog at Crawford Park and Rye Hills Park, said at the village's Feb. meeting that dogs aren't solely responsible for the sanitation issues at these parks. Many wildlife also defecate and leave residue, she said.

Thresher also suggested a permit system to allow dogs to be unleashed, so that local authorities can determine which dogs are licensed and have all their shots and don't pose a threat to other residents using the park.

"If the owner is responsible in controlling their animal, then there should be a recourse for some kind of alternative," Thresher said.

Mayor Joan Feinstein told Patch this week that the permit system would be too cumbersome for local authorities to enforce. There is also no guarantee that unleashed dogs who are licensed would not bite or harm other parkgoers.

Other local parks have created designated areas for dogs to run freely, at least on a trial basis. In December, the Rye Town Park Commission approved a dog run at Oakland Beach. The run, which is at the north end of the beach, is separated from the rest of the beach by a snow fence that extends from the low tide area to the wall gate by the beach's entrance.

The beach run is only temporary and will close on March 31, so that the commission can determine how well the initiative worked and whether it should be implemented on an annual basis.