Published: October 27, 2009 11:44 pm      

Beckley council receives petition in favor of new dog park

Petitions with nearly 2,000 signatures of citizens in favor of an off-leash dog park were presented to Beckley Common Council Tuesday evening by members of the Beckley Area Recreation for Canines Planning and Advisory Committee (BARC PAC). at the regular meeting Tuesday.

BARC PAC founder Eva Morales of Beckley, who produced the signed petitions, brought the issue before council at the last meeting, and she and other canine park supporters formed BARC PAC at the suggestion of council.

Morales said tourists, local people and many elderly people signed the petition and that a dog park would benefit tourists and local businesses.

She said the 25 members of the group had voted the size of the proposed park should be at least two acres.

“They’re not really worried about the cost of fencing or cost of the park,” said Morales. “What they are doing is envisioning how it will be in the future.”

The park cannot be in a residential area.

Councilman-at-large Cedric Robertson asked Morales about potential threats to the safety of park users.

“At this park, if someone brings in a Rottweiler or a pit bull, what’s going to stop that dog from attacking another dog, or even a person?” Robertson asked.

Morales said that some type of policing would have to be worked out by members to ensure the safety of all dogs at the park.

She said BARC PAC is currently doing online research on safety by examining dog parks in other cities.

“Actually, pit bulls and ‘robbies’...are very good breeds if they’ve been brought up properly,” she added. “You can’t really look at the breed.

“I have a chihuahua that will chew your leg off.”

Councilman A. Lee Leftwich said dog parks are becoming popular and exist in Charleston and Morgantown.

A representative of one of the parks told Leftwich that his park has two sections of fencing — one for aggressive dogs and one for more compliant pets.

Councilwoman Ann Worley pointed out that park maintenance and clean-up of “debris” left behind by dogs would become issues.

BARC PAC member Sherry Hampton told council that owners would be responsible for “pooper-scooping” after their own dogs.

Her group has heard from tax representatives and an attorney and has discussed ways of creating a safe environment at the park, she added.

“I think we can do this,” said Hampton. “I think it will work, and we appreciate any help you can give us, or suggestions on who to go to to discuss this.”

Mayor Emmett Pugh noted that most council members thought the park was “a good idea.”

He advised BARC PAC to ask Raleigh County Commission to find a place in the county for the park since more space is available in the county and many supporters of the off-leash park live outside of city limits and pay taxes only to the county.

“It benefits the area,” said Pugh. “It’s not just about the City of Beckley.

“We have a good working relationship with the county commission, and I think they would be very interested in this.”

Agnes Keatley of Shady Spring said prior to the meeting that an off-leash park would benefit the city by offering dog-loving tourists a place to take their pets and by reducing the amount of public nuisance barking by keeping dogs well-socialized and well-exercised.

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In another matter, Elsie McCray of Ninth Street asked if Bair Street could be open to traffic.

An existing alleyway already allows motorcycle access to Bair Street, and other vehicles could also access it if the city opens the area, McCray said.

Pugh promised to look into the matter.

McCray made her request after Stanley and Eugenia Brown of Massey Street, a street that is classified as a “dead end” street, told council that alleyways in the area of Massey and Bair streets have created a loop that allows a neighbor to disturb their family continuously.

The Browns have already brought the issue before the board of zoning appeals, said Pugh.

The alleyways are not recognized by the city as legitimate streets, but the Browns have been told by city officials that they may not close an alley that allows the neighbor to use the dead-end on Massey to access his Bair Street property.

“Dead end means dead end,” Stanley Brown said.

If Bair Street is opened, the neighbor will not need to use the Massey alley to access his property.

Leftwich pointed out the Stanleys “inherited” the problem from the previous owner of their property.

The issue was not resolved at the meeting.