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3.Pet Exercise Meeting Minutes 8-20-09 PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES PALMER PARK PET EXERCISE TRAINING AREA USERS TH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009, 6:30PM PALMER PARK Two parks employees as well as Councilmember George Brunner were in attendance along with 29 residents. This meeting was scheduled to hear input from the users of the 37 acre Pet Exercise Training Area (PETA) located in Palmer Park, 164 acres in size. The meeting was brought about by contacts from users after PETA posts and signs were inadvertently placed outside the PETA area. A parks employee with good intentions, but without direction, also started mowing the area near the tennis courts to assist PETA users. Users felt the signs and mowing sent conflicting messages as to what the boundaries were. Some dog owners have been using the abandoned tennis court area as a dog run area. A portion of the tennis court fencing was removed to accommodate a Janesville Tennis Association request and the remainder was removed and recycled due to its age and unsightliness. Following brief introductions, Tom Edwards, spokesperson for the PETA users, addressed the group as to why the meeting was taking place and what could be done in the future. The 3 points were: the City ordinances dictate where the PETA is currently located; the group is interested in having an open place for their dogs to run; and in order to do this the ordinance would have to be re-written or an area cleared in the current PETA. Tom Edwards suggested the users form a friends group and look at the abandoned tennis court area on an annual basis, if the needs of the City change, then that area could be removed from the PETA. Tom Presny handed out a previously written ordinance memo. This area was formed in 1989, is non-fee based, so very little services are provided, except occasional trail mowing. Staff responds to needs on a complaint basis. The following is a list of comments and suggestions made by users with comments by staff in italics: 1. How does a friends group work? Typically has a cause and the group meets in order to achieve goals. 2. If a group works to clear an area, would City staff dispose of it? Parks would work with the volunteers if they wanted to do this. 3. Dogs need room to run, what would be advantage of not using tennis area? This area is currently not part of the designated PETA area and would need council consideration to change it. 4. There is a lot of wildlife in the wooded area and users would hate to see trees and brush cleared. It would also cost money to do the work. If the needs of the City change in the future, then the tennis court area could be removed from the PETA and used for this new need. 5. Use the tennis court area until needs change. 6. Could there be more access points? The ordinance would have to be changed to accommodate this request. 7. Why was it necessary to put up signs? Employees did it with good intentions but without direction and caused some confusion to users. 8. What kind of start-up costs would there be to make the area by the tennis courts into PETA? Costs for signage and anything else designated by Council. 9. Problem with parking lot getting plowed in the winter, it does get used a lot in the winter. It is among the last areas to get plowed, due to the priorities of removing snow from the streets. 10. Would like to see trail area stay, would also like to see everything east of the creek be designated for dogs. 11. A citizen commented he loves his own dog, but doesn’t necessarily love everyone else’s dogs, so having a combined multiuse picnic and dog use area may not work. 12. Has there ever been complaint of dogs in the current area? Yes, sometimes people complain who have rented the picnic grove that others let their dogs run in the area. 13. Could there be an off leash area east of the creek in the winter? Not without City Council approval. 14. The volleyball courts get used frequently on weeknights, so the parking lot gets full. 15. Is the area south of Palmer Dr. part of the PETA? No, not under the current ordinance. 16. The current area has been there for 20 years without much being done to it, usage has increased, so not much needs to be done. 17. Will the area by the tennis courts still be mowed this year? If not can volunteers do it? It will continue to be mowed until Council gives a directive. Tom Presny summarized the meeting by saying there currently is no funding for the PETA area and that any changes would have to come by way of an ordinance change by the City Council. Councilmember Brunner advised that the users should create a group to come forward at a council meeting and have one voice. Plans could be discussed for the area such as workdays. He also reiterated that everything takes time. Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm.