George Wallace wrote a detailed comment to the “Homeowners still angry over cities dog park decision” post. Here is George’s comment copied to a regular post.

by George Wallace

At the meeting The Mayor effectively demonstrated his ability to do what he thinks is best for our community irrespective of public input.

The 2-3 hours of discussion by about 50 residents at the special council meeting in January was shown to be a complete waste of the residents’ time. The underlying assumption of that meeting was clearly that once a suitable new location was found for the dog park, the existing park would be closed. Any assertion to the contrary is misleading at best (although there was also considerable discussion of the option to leave the park as it is). At no time was the need for two dog parks ever discussed. In fact, serious consideration was given at that time to closing the existing park at a set date to coincide with the report detailing the possibility for the new park location.

In spite of that, The Mayor led the discussion at the city council meeting in a way that attempted to preclude discussion on the real question at hand (when and how to close the existing park) and in fact moved on to the next agenda item in a hurried manner. Moreover, he had to be called upon to re-open the old business of the dog park to continue the discussion. He was reluctant to make what discussion did take place part of the public record in the form of a motion that reflected his actions.

By his actions, The Mayor effectively disenfranchised all the residents who had input into the previous special session and demonstrated a typical political maneuver: wait until the opposition to your plan is not present to act in your interests.

Anyone reading this should not be nearly as concerned about the specific issue of the dog park as they should be about the manner in which The Mayor proceeded to do what he wanted in spite of the substantial public input to the contrary.

Take a look around at any green space you may have near your home and realize that he could just as easily decide to put a city facility there. We do need more lighted tennis courts here, don’t we? Or maybe a basket ball park?

Kerry Arnold who lives on Newberry Lane near the dog park wrote a detailed comment to my post titled “Does Tega Cay Need 2 Dog Parks?”  I thought her comment was worth a post rather than just a comment to another post. Here is what Kerry wrote.

Thank you Scott for your take on the meeting. I think we are all still in disbelief and shock from what came out of the meeting last night. It has always been everyones understanding that the Dog Park would be moved/relocated, never a second one added? Hopefully the residents of Tega Cay/Newberry Lane have been put off for the last time . (more info to come)

First some members of council said the current park couldn’t close bc there was no place to move the park-locations were researched and presented bringing on the “not in my backyard meeting”.

The next meeting was started with “there is no money to move the park” (do note that that was not ever mentioned before-just the opposite and I quote “you find a place and we’ll move it”.

Now after 14 months of talking about this, City Council is presented with a WIN WIN plan: a park in a non residential area, NO COST to the city to be moved/installed-road, parking and fenced in park, and we find ourself still w/o a closing date for the park on Newberry Ln. What happened here?

I expect an even stronger turn out at the next meeting and actions to take place long before before that date even arrives.

Big town politics just hit us in small town Tega Cay. What is left to believe in when the dogs are more important then the safety of our children and the quality of life of the city residents? Thanks for listening.

Kerry Arnold

Your comments are welcomed below.

Tega Cay Newberry Lane residents that have been fighting to move the Lookout Park Dog Park named the Central Bark (ironic isn’t it?) away from their homes were dealt a crushing blow last night at the Tega Cay’s City Council meeting. It was announced last night that a new dog park will be built near the new Catawba Park. It could take 30 plus days to complete. Good news for Newberry Lane resident’s right?

The council voted unanimously to wait 60 days, maintain the operating hours of the current location, then reevaluate the current dog park status after 60 days even after the new dog park opens in Catawba Park. Kerry Arnold during the public discussion portion of the motion quickly got to the point and asked whether the Look Out Park Dog Park will ever close. Mayor Runde’s said the council was not sure at this time or they may reduce the hours of operation dramatically.

Council Member Larry Harper was quick to throw a second motion on the table to close the current dog park once the new Catawba Park dog park opens. Council Member Les Connor 2nd the motion. The motion was quickly killed by Mayor Runde, George Sheppard, and John Dervay.

So, what happened? In my observation the council seemed to have agreed in past meetings to move the dog park. Most agreed the dog park should not be located near a residential location. Why did George, John, and Mayor Runde hesitate to commit to close the current park once the new park is operational? Did a few people who complained about the new Catawba location being too far change their opinion? Does Tega Cay need 2 dog parks? Should Tega Cay tax payers pay for the operation and maintenance of 2 dog parks?

I was taken back by the council’s actions last night. Here are my comments about the current dog park:

• The dog park in its current location near homes is an eye sore and a nuisance.
• It affects the resale value of the Newberry resident’s homes. The park may have been on the plans to build before the homes on Newberry were built but the fact is the homes were built before the dog park was built. So most of the Newberry Lane home owners never knew the park would be built when they purchased their homes.
• The dog park user’s claim the surrounding homes dogs make all of the noise. The local dogs bark because they see and smell visiting dogs at the park. The local dogs would have one less reason to bark without the dog park located where it is.
• The park breeds and attracts traffic and potential safety problems.
• Two thirds of the residents that took part in the January public discussions said I like having a dog park in Tega Cay but not next to me. I remember several of the dog park users agreed with this discussion point too.

By the way I found this forum on city-data.com. It’s about someone suggesting to an area newbie taking their dogs to swim next to the Tega Cay dog park. The next response is from a dog owner who has taken his 2 dogs swimming at the dog park but complained his dog’s paws were cut on the Asiatic clams near the shore. Ironically I heard one the dog park users say in the council public discussion session last month dogs are always kept in the fenced dog park area and they never see dogs off the leash outside of the dog park except for the dogs that live on Newberry lane.

No one seems to be promoting to get rid of the dog park but just relocate it away from homes. The council has spent several days and hours on this issue and I predict several more based on the decisions they made last night. Would you want a “Central Bark” dog park next to or near your home? Your comments are always welcome in the post comment section below. What are your observations and opinions?

I was looking over the agenda for next Tuesdays Tega Cay City Council meeting. The meeting is heavy with 2nd reading ordinances and new business. It maybe a long night.

The Dog Park issue is on the agenda again. The Council’s 30 day wait (reprieve) to get more information about moving the dog park to the future Catawba Park area time is up. It will be interesting to hear an update and how long the process may take.

So in thinking about the past dog park meets and discussions, two individuals that were significant “voices” or advocates in moving the dog park away from their residential area on Newberry Lane were appointed to city committees last month. Jerry Hires was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission and Jim Arnold was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Committee. So the old saying if you can’t beat them join them started ringing in my mind. Of course I am not sure one can say they couldn’t beat “them”. There is a good chance the park will move soon. If the park does moves quickly, Newberry residents will party all night long and even invite the dogs to the party!

Here is a link to Tuesdays Tega Cay City Council Meeting Agenda if you are interested. Tega Cay City Council Agenda

The special Tega Cay council meeting held on Monday January 14th was a standing room only crowd. Many residents came to the meeting to voice their opinion of the dog park location.

First a presentation was given by Parks and Recreation’s Charlie Funderburk on a study done for a dog park location criteria and possible city relocation sites.

Then the floor was open for public comments. The crowd was split almost in thirds. A third wanted the dog park relocated. A third wanted the dog park to stay where it is and another third did not want the dog park relocated next to their back yard.

After approximately 31 residents voiced their opinion, it was understood the current dog park was too close to a residential area. It was clear that several residents that lived near the possible relocation sites did not want the dog park relocated in their back yard. And the people who use the dog park had a good showing and understandable reasons to keep the dog park.

The council managed to create two motions out of the 3 way split. The first motion that passed was to dismiss the proposed sites that where next to residential areas.

The second motion was to limit the hours of the current dog park and have the city study the feasibility of using land next to the Gardendale development project (the other side of the river near Wal-Mart and Stonecrest) and report back to the council in 30 days for a possible quick relocation.

Larry Harper suggested before the vote to add to the second motion closing the current dog park if it could not be relocated quickly after the 30 days. But the second motion was passed without his suggestion.

So it is almost official the dog park will relocate but it will have to wait another 30 days to maybe find out when and where.

As I listened to the public’s and council’s discussions, I found it interesting that the genesis of the Tega Cay dog park was not just because dog walkers wanted a place to let their dogs run free without a lease but to have a designated place for dogs to do their thing and to try and reduce the amount of “droppings” on the walking trails and ball park fields. The council plans to pass in a second reading soon, a ban on dogs allowed on the baseball and soccer fields in the city.

(Aerial from Microsoft Virtual Earth)

A reprint of an email from Kerry Arnold

Subject: Dog Park Meeting !! Monday, 1/14/08

Hello Neighbors,

It is that time again to show your support for the RELOCATION/REMOVAL of the dog park off of Newberry Lane. Thanks you so much for you support at the
last meeting, but this one is just as important if not more!

From what we have heard at this point the Parks and Rec Com has giving a proposal to City Council on several possible new locations for the park to be moved. Some of those may be considered residential areas (ex. Turner
Field) and those residents have already made it known that they will be there to object to that move (understandably so). I believe we all know that it should not be in a residential area! We definitely do not want to pass the problem onto someone else.

Although it does seem that City Council has heard and understands our concerns of why it needs moved off of Newberry Lane they may not be on the
same page with us on this needing to happen now.

Some of you may not be aware that we first approached Grant and Charlie a year ago December! If they continue to put this off we will be going through another soccer season (at Lookout Park which was to be a passive part with no organized sports) where people drop their dogs in the dog park and go enjoy their soccer games, along with the traffic jams on our once
quiet cul-de-sac street.

We have identified the problem. It is now time to fix it.

If there is not another suitable location in a nonresidential area for the park at this time then it needs to close. We can not continue to have this issue “tabled” while they continue to search for an appropriate location.
There has been more then enough time given to everyone involved and if a location has not been found then the park must close.

The key question from the meeting that has yet to be answered…Who approved the location on Newberry Lane to begin with?

Please do your best to attend the meeting on Monday, Jan 14,2008 at 7:00 in City Hall. Please bring your friends and neighbors bc you never know how or what might turn up on your street someday.

Thanks for your support,
Kerry Arnold & the many residents of Newberry Lane

Proposed dog park locations are listed below and on the attached document: Tega Dog Park Proposed Site Presentation

Turner Field
Niven’s Creek Landing
Archery Range
Trail Head Park
Police Department (Vacant lot to the right) Koala Park Linerieux Nature Trail

Please forward this e-mail to neighbors that would not want a dog park located near their home and ask them to attend the City Council Meeting at City hall on Monday, January 14th at 7:00 PM.

For those of you that are following the Tega Cay Dog Park discussion and possible relocation, the city’s website has posted the agenda for the special council meeting scheduled for 7pm on January 14, 2008. Below is the agenda.

City of Tega Cay
Monday, January 14, 2008
Tega Cay City Hall
~ 7:00 p.m. ~
Special City Council Meeting
~~ AGENDA ~~
1. Call to Order Mayor Bob Runde
2. Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Bob Runde
New Business
3. Oath of Office of Councilmember Larry S. Harper Judge David Wood
4. Oath of Office of Councilmember George Sheppard Judge David Wood
4. Appoint Mayor Pro Tempore Mayor Bob Runde
5. Open Forum Discussion of Dog Park Mayor Bob Runde
6. Public Comments
7. Executive Session (if requested)
8. Council Comments
9. Adjournment

Link to city PDF file