After Mon. meeting, Parks & Rec subcommittee seeks email comments
Walking the dog, Fisher Farm park (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net photo)
DavidsonNews.net
An audience of dog owners at a Davidson Parks & Recreation Advisory Board subcommittee meeting Monday night described Fisher Farm as “dog heaven.” Several spoke in favor of unleashed access to the park, though neither county ordinances or town rules allow dogs to be off their leashes on the acres of the former farm off Shearer Road.
The comments came at a meeting about how to deal with off-leash complaints, but none of the 14 speakers who went to the microphone were opposed to letting dogs run free at Fisher Farm.
“It’s a perfect place to take a long walk with your dog,” said Dennis Currier, who lives off Shearer Road.
Lynn Henderson, chair of the subcommittee formed to deal with off-leash dogs, told the audience that complaints at Fisher Farm have increased in recent years. She said park visitors have described incidents of dogs out of control, dogs chasing bikers and joggers, dogs jumping on people, and groups of dogs surrounding animals on leashes.
“Many people are afraid of dogs,” Ms. Henderson said. “Many people are allergic to dogs. Many people do not want to be approached by an off-leash dog.”
Her subcommittee was formed to seek ideas from the community and prepare recommendations for the Feb. 23 meeting of the Town Board of Commissioners.
Ideas being considered by the subcommittee include:
- Setting specific and regular times when dogs would be allowed to be off their leashes in specific places.
- Starting a campaign to educate the public about leash laws and why they are necessary in terms of protecting the environment, wildlife and public safety.
- Organizing a “user group” of dog owners to oversee development of a new dog park at Fisher Farm.
PLANS FOR FISHER FARM
Parks and Recreation Director Steve Fraher told the gathering that Fisher Farm is not part of the Town of Davidson and so is governed by Mecklenburg County ordinances.
The 200-acre property was purchased by the town and county in 2002 from the Fisher family, who had owned the land since before the Civil War. The park today includes five miles of mountain bike trails, which have been made by volunteer efforts.
Mr. Fraher said 10 Eagle Scout projects have added benches, a foot bridge, info kiosks and other amenities to the site. Fisher Farm is used by the Tar Heels Trailblazer Club, area scouting groups, schools and other groups (for cross-country races), and by the Town parks department for summer youth activities (including archery) and for dog obedience classes. Davidson College has expressed an interest in using the site for hosting a Southern Conference championship cross country meet.
A long-term master plan for the park calls for possibly adding a disc golf course, setting up a museum about farm life, and adding a fenced-in dog park.
“I envision something of about six or seven acres, divided into thirds,” Mr. Fraher said, explaining that one of the rotating thirds would be reserved for small dogs, one for large dogs, and one-third kept empty to restore turf.
The park may soon expand. The town recently acquired 74 acres directly north of the park, which would connect with the 38-acre Allison Farm tract that the county has already purchased. This could allow more space for a dog park.
ORDINANCES REQUIRE LEASHES
Though several in the audience at Monday’s meeting said they have let their dogs off their leashes during visits to Fisher Farm, Police Chief Jeanne Miller said that is against the law.
“Two sets of rules govern that park,” said Chief Miller, noting that she herself is a dog owner. “Anybody who takes their dog off leash is violating the county ordinance and town park rules. You would be individually liable if something happened.”
DOG OWNERS ‘HARASSED’ BY BIKERS, LACKING OPTIONS
Dog owners at Monday’s meeting did not express enthusiasm for adding a fenced-in dog area at Fisher Farm, describing the attraction of the park as being the open meadows and natural setting.
“I won’t go to a fenced-in place,” said Kirsten Beals. “I want to walk with my dog.”
Another speaker compared fencing in a dog park as akin to asking mountain bikers to push their bikes along trails rather than be allowed to ride them.
Dog owners also complained of being harassed by mountain bikers and of having no other place to take their dogs.
The Town of Davidson currently has one off-leash park, a one-acre site on O. Henry Avenue in the St. Alban’s neighborhood. Several speakers Monday complained about the inadequacy of the O. Henry site.
“It’s a mudhole,” said Richard Fraund, a Davidson resident and retired veterinarian. “The town should be ashamed.”
Others asked about alternatives.
“We need to find a balanced approach,” said John Cunningham, a frequent early-morning dog walker in Fisher Farm. “A fenced-in area of even six acres does not allow people to walk their dogs like they want to.”
He advised having the Davidson Town Board ask the county for an amendment to the leash laws, to apply narrowly to Fisher Farm only.
This led to a discussion about bringing the park into the town’s jurisdiction, which would allow more flexibility for setting rules for users. However, Mr. Fraher said the park does not border the town line, and so annexing it would require state approval through the cumbersome “satellite annexation” process.
FORMING A USER GROUP, SEEKING COMMENTS
Several speakers said they would like to see a new user group formed of dog owners, who would then have a voice in town board actions and be involved in planning for any future dog park at Fisher Farm.
Mr. Fraher also said public comments about how to use the park can still be made by emailing him through the Town of Davidson website (click here to reach the Parks and Recreation page, which has a comment link and more information on Fisher Farm, or email Mr. Fraher at sfraher@ci.davidson.nc.us).
“We will take what we have learned tonight and try to craft some recommendations to the town board,” said Ms. Henderson. “We will try to reflect what citizens have been experiencing and what they want.”
Hi Laurie:
Thanks for providing coverage regarding topics discussed during last nights Town Meeting. I did attend the meeting and commented on what a productive forum it was. I wish to clarify that this was a well publicized meeting which was open to the public, not just Dog Owners. The outpouring of support represented by those who spoke & attended yesterday’s meeting seems to be in stark contrast to the stated concerns which eventually led to the creation of a “sub-committee” and the necessity of a focused Town Meeting. Although there were no official statistics presented to the group last night regarding the volume and frequency of complaints towards Off-Leash Dog Walkers (or Mountain Bikers for that matter), it appears, based upon the tone of support represented last night that these negative interactions are infrequent and may be perpetuated by few rather than many. We have a voice in our community and last night was an unbiased opportunity for all affected to voice the pros and con’s from both sides, so that objective decision making can prevail. Seeing that this Town asset has not developed too much in the 8-years since I participated in the initial tour of the land, I believe many additional options (beyond those you’ve highlighted) were presented last night which adequately address the issues and continue to support the ability of an owner to enjoy the vastness of Fisher Farm Park without the confines of leashing their best friend for the entire walk.
Thanks,
BJ Lyman
BJ
I agree that Laurie’s article did a wonderful job of capturing the event. I hope that others will provide additional comments as directed in the article. In the meantime, please remember that all Davidson residents need to register their pets. As of today, only 77 pets are registered. The cost is only $10 and if you are over 62 years old, there is no fee. Please remember to bring proof of all rabies vaccinations to Town Hall. As to Fisher Farm, I think we all agree that the park is an incredible resource for many user groups. The ‘off leash’ experience is wonderful; however, we need to work together in a positive way to make sure that this privilege becomes a legal one. In addition, we can join forces to improve conditions at the O. Henry Dog Park and expand the generous efforts of Doug Boone. If you are a facebook user, please consider becoming a fan of ‘Friends of Fisher Farm Park’ in order to share ideas.
Thanks
Kathy Tyson
Two problems with loose dogs in the park:
1) They frequently run up to walkers, and you don’t know whether they will bite, or not. Sorry folks, but I’ve been bitten by a strange loose dog, and have had friends bitten too. It does happen. These dogs are strangers to the walkers, so it is un-nerving, at the very least. Much more frequently, dogs do jump up on people. One cracked a lens on my camera in Fisher Farm Park, by jumping up on my side, where the camera was hung.
2) Dogs defecate regularly on the trails and open areas in Fisher Farm Park. Kids roll on the ground, people fly kites, and play catch, etc. in the open areas. You really have to dodge doggie business in some places, despite the availability of free business bags.
If these two problems can be solved, few would have a problem with loose dogs in the park, but the leash law applies to a public park for the same reasons it does in town. Some dogs are a nuisance, and some dog owners are irresponsible. This is the root problem that needs to be solved, but as all the leash laws attest, there is no easy solution– except a leash law and serious enforcement of it.
Finally, because 40-50 passionate people attend a single town meeting, that does not mean they speak for the majority. Thousands of people use Fisher Farm Park, and there are many other opportunities to express opinions on town issues. I trust that town officials will consider all input channels.
Dear Dogowners: Combine your assets, buy a field, fence it, pick up your own poo and deal with your dog’s freedom on your terms.
You do not need a leash on private property. Create a Co-Op.
We’re all products of our past. We live near Fisher Park and recently a lost dog appeared in my yard with no ID on the collar. I spent considerable time and effort securing the dog, putting up signs, calling animal control in Davidson and Cornelius to see if anyone had reported a dog of his description as lost. Finally, at my wife’s suggestion, I called David at davidsonnews.net who posted a notice which some kind and attentive Fisher Park hiker read and called me with enough information that I could locate and call the owner who had been looking for the dog.
The owners came and gladly claimed their dog but admitted letting him run free in Fisher Park the evening before. Incidentally they told me they live in Mooresville off Highway 150.
Obviously, if we grant free roaming for pets at Fisher Park, the possibility is great that it would generate even more interest in dog owners bringing their pets in for an unfettered runaround. Our beloved Fisher Park could soon become known as “Dog Park”…..
While walking at Fisher Farm I had an off leash dog jump up on me when I was seven months pregnant. Instead of the owner apologizing they argued with me about how it was their right to have their dog off leash. Dogs jumping up on people, especially pregnant women and children is a danger. Leash laws have been enacted to protect the public! I find it uncomprehendable that for the joy of some dog owners people are willing to forego the safety of children and others who may have medical conditions that compromise their balance or safety if they are jumped on by a dog, especially one that is running up to them. If people want dogs off leash then it needs to be in a safe area confined so that others are not potentially hurt by off leash dogs…..which is illegal.
Hi all,
I am one of the people that has complained about the off leash dogs at Fisher Farm for years, talking with Steve from Parks & Rec and Chief Miller.
I previously used Fisher Farm for mtn biking and hiking, and my wife ran there. Now I have a child, so you can add hiking with him in a carrier or off road jog stroller.
I am a dog owner and I lost my patience with off leash dog owners at the park long ago.
I can’t take my dog to Fisher Farm because of off leash dogs. He doesn’t do well with unknown dogs just coming up to him, but is fine if they are on a leash.
My wife had problems while she was pregnant, some ladies were walking labs off leash and they jumped up on her and she got really upset about it. The dog owners were not nice.
We had an encounter with our son, I was putting him in a carrier in the grass area and an off-leash dog rushed up and wanted to investigate. A friend was standing there with her dog, on leash, and her dog went into protective mode and it almost got ugly with my child right there at dog level. The dog owner smarted off to my wife and said something like “make sure you get my license plate number” as she drove off, no apologies at all. Other dog owners standing there were shocked at that owner’s behavior. It’s about the 5-6th time I’ve seen a dog owner be rude after having an off leash dog and someone says something to them.
So for me, the leash law is about safety and respect. If you want to let your dog run free, buy some land, use an off-leash dog park, etc. You can’t get away with this in parks anywhere else around here like Jetton, Lake Norman State Park, etc, Fisher Farm should be no different. People go to the park not expecting to encounter off leash dogs, as they would expect at any park. You are being selfish by thinking everyone loves your off-leash dog.
I am sadly one of the people who no longer frequent FFP because of the tremendous numbers out-of-control off-lead dogs. I prefer to walk my giant breed dog on lead and I find it totally intolerable to have a gang of up to 5 dogs rush up to us and get right in my dog’s face to “play” or “growl” or whatever may happen. If my dog were aggressive, thankfully she is not at all, this would be very dangerous. If these owners had one iota of off-lead voice control over their pets and were respectful of someone actually obeying the lay, I would not have any complaints. But sadly, this has never been the case. I have had bird watchers, hikers, etc actually come up to me and THANK me for walking my dog on lead and tell me how much they appreciate it. There are so many rude people that feel that their dogs are entitled to run around totally out of control. If you have no control over your dog off-lead, then go to a fenced in dog park. If you must disobey the law, then do not subject me and my dog to your rude dog’s behavior and do whatever it takes to train your dog for off-lead control.