Borough Council says park for kids, not dogs

MILFORD - Milford Borough officials plan to introduce an ordinance that would ban dog owners from bringing their pets onto the West Ann Street Park or the borough’s East Ann Street ball field. Admitting it was a tough topic as he introduced it Monday, Councilman Bo Fean said, “Personally, I don’t believe dogs should be allowed in a park for kids. Dogs are for the backyard and the woods.” Council President Matthew Osterberg agreed. He said the recent music festival, where many in the audience brought their dogs to the outdoor concert in the park, brought the problem to his attention. Many people don’t police after their pets and some park users are afraid of dogs, he said. More recently, the Sunday concerts in the park have been disturbed by dogs’ “yipping and yapping,” Fean added. “Walking is one thing and urinating is another ... We all love dogs, but this is also a park where kids play,” Osterberg said. Councilman James Price agreed in part. “It’s not fair to say that parks are not for dogs. Lots of parks are, but these are playgrounds,” he said. The council directed Solicitor John Klemeyer to draft an ordinance to prohibit dogs, other than service dogs, from the two park/playground areas. The borough already has a “pooper-scooper” ordinance in place, but Osterberg insisted his concern was urine, rather than that owners didn’t police behind their pets, “I think it’s really important,” Osterberg added. Osterberg said the council would discuss the measure further at its August meeting. In other business, the council approved conditional zoning use, multi-use site permits for Karen and Don Quick at 508 West Harford Street, and for Debbie and William Rosado at 304 Broad Street.