[BCNnet] Update re:Cook County dog parks
judymellin
judymellin@netzero.net
Wed, 7 Jan 2004 20:12:58 -0800
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I would disagree with this advice. We just received this e-mail in =
response to our concerns:
FPD General Superintendent Steven Bylina would welcome your comments on =
this or any similar issue. May I suggest writing him directly at: =
Steven M. Bylina, General Superintendent, Forest Preserve District of =
Cook County, 536 N. Harlem Ave., River Forest, IL 60305.
So I would suggest we write early- and often!
Judy Mellin
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Rbdoeker@aol.com=20
To: BCNnet@ece.iit.edu=20
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 4:59 PM
Subject: Re: [BCNnet] Update re:Cook County dog parks
Here is my main point of advice: Don't write letters, etc., until =
May. If you send them earlier, the letters will just be stuck in a =
file. (And possibly lost as they shuffle things around while dealing =
with the offices closed by the fire.)
Second: don't assume they are clueless dolts. Not only is the chief =
legal officer for the FP a respected former judge, 7 of the =
commissioners are attorneys. Liability is an issue they deal with on a =
continuing basis. (And they appear very sensitive to it but if they =
took a conservative approach, no one would be allowed on any FP land.)
Supt. Bylina will need letters with reasonable arguments and personal =
experiences when the time comes to discuss the Beck Lake DFA pilot. =
We've basically been told that cost is not an issue and liability is as =
under control as a landowner can make it.
There is probably a good issue regarding the fence being needed =
because of liability and we don't support fenced areas, thus no DFA. =
(Unfortunately there are successful DFAs that don't have fences - but =
the staff may not share that with the Commissioners because....)
Bylina himself does not like fencing off any land for exclusive use. =
And he may not like DFAs but he is not in a position to state that. =20
It will be very useful if some of the letters [sent in May :> ] =
include comments about first-hand experiences at Beck Lake. So far =
there have been no reports of any problems with dogs.
For those of you who do visit that area, please look for damage done =
by the dogs to the habitat and by any signs of dog poop. I've been told =
that there has been a problem in other FP-type DFAs with the poop =
attracting rats.
Randi Doeker
In a message dated 1/7/2004 6:30:28 PM Central Standard Time, =
judymellin@netzero.net writes:
Many of us feel that this issue goes far beyond the dog runs. We =
are extremely concerned about the allocation of public land to ANY =
private use, whether it is dog runs or horse training areas or garden =
clubs. The Forest Preserve 68,000 acres belong to the taxpayers, not to =
any special interest group.
While the dog runs are the current "hot button" topic, I feel we =
need to stress the core mission of
the FPD which is to "preserve, protect and restore the natural land" =
and allocating any land with fences and fees does not meet this core =
mission statement. =20
By the same token, if the FPD is to permit any more dog runs (and =
I'm hoping everyone will oppose that), these are the very issues that =
need to be dealt with. Far beyond the initial cost of a fence is the =
maintenance (and those of us involved in restoration work know that =
EVERY fence comes down) and the liability issues. What has to be looked =
at is not only what happens if a dog gets loose and attacks someone but =
what happens if one dog attacks another- or attacks an owner or one =
owner attacks another- within the fenced area? =20
This is a huge issue and must be dealt with in full knowledge of all =
the "what ifs". I have been writing to the commissioners about the =
whole issue of allocating land to individual groups but, if that concept =
does not fly, then all of these outside issues have to be addressed.
For those of you who may not have seen it, the Pioneer Press carried =
a story in its issue near River Forest. This is from that article:
"Realistically, we'd like 25 acres," said Linda Funk of Elmwood =
Park, who has been scouting sites for the group. "They'd like to put us =
by a freeway and we don't want an undesirable location or a site with a =
small acreage of land. Out of 68,000 acres of forest preserve land, we =
should be able to find something."
Nearby parking is important, Funk said. The group also wants a site =
with water, shelter and a rest room or portable toilet."
Unfortunately, Chicago Ornithological Society has drawn up a =
proposal advocating the granting of land for dog parks. This is from =
their plan:
The CCFPD has within its land management guidelines specified that =
no more than 12% of its holdings (currently at about 68,000 acres) be =
developed for recreation, COS recommends that no more than 0.5% or 340 =
acres of CCFPD be designated as DFAs.
B. Individual DFAs should not exceed five acres.
This would allow 68 of these or one per 1000 acres of FPD land. =20
Judy Mellin
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Gill Sans MT" size=3D3>I would disagree with this =
advice. =20
We just received this e-mail in response to our concerns:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Gill Sans MT" size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>FPD General Superintendent Steven Bylina would welcome your =
comments on=20
this or any similar issue. May I suggest writing him directly at: =
Steven=20
M. Bylina, General Superintendent, Forest Preserve District of Cook =
County, 536=20
N. Harlem Ave., River Forest, IL 60305.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Gill Sans MT" size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Gill Sans MT" size=3D3>So I would suggest we write =
early- and=20
often!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Gill Sans MT" size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Gill Sans MT" size=3D3>Judy Mellin</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3DRbdoeker@aol.com =
href=3D"mailto:Rbdoeker@aol.com">Rbdoeker@aol.com</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3DBCNnet@ece.iit.edu=20
href=3D"mailto:BCNnet@ece.iit.edu">BCNnet@ece.iit.edu</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 07, =
2004 4:59=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [BCNnet] Update =
re:Cook=20
County dog parks</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>Here is my main point of advice: Don't write letters, etc., =
until=20
May. If you send them earlier, the letters will just be stuck in =
a=20
file. (And possibly lost as they shuffle things around while =
dealing=20
with the offices closed by the fire.)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Second: don't assume they are clueless dolts. Not =
only is the=20
chief legal officer for the FP a respected former judge, 7 of the=20
commissioners are attorneys. Liability is an issue they deal =
with on a=20
continuing basis. (And they appear very sensitive to it but if =
they took=20
a conservative approach, no one would be allowed on any FP =
land.)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Supt. Bylina will need letters with reasonable arguments and =
personal=20
experiences when the time comes to discuss the Beck Lake DFA =
pilot. =20
We've basically been told that cost is not an issue and liability is =
as under=20
control as a landowner can make it.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>There is probably a good issue regarding the fence =
being=20
needed because of liability and we don't support fenced areas, =
thus no=20
DFA. (Unfortunately there are successful DFAs that don't have =
fences -=20
but the staff may not share that with the Commissioners =
because....)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Bylina himself does not like fencing off any land for exclusive=20
use. And he may not like DFAs but he is not in a position to =
state=20
that. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It will be very useful if some of the letters [sent =
in May=20
:> ] include comments about first-hand experiences at =
Beck=20
Lake. So far there have been no reports of any problems with =
dogs.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For those of you who do visit that area, <STRONG>please look for =
damage=20
done by the dogs to the habitat and by any signs of dog =
poop</STRONG>. =20
I've been told that there has been a problem in other FP-type =
DFAs with=20
the poop attracting rats.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Randi Doeker</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 1/7/2004 6:30:28 PM Central Standard Time,=20
judymellin@netzero.net writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px =
solid">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Many of us feel that this issue goes far =
beyond the=20
dog runs. We are extremely concerned about the allocation of =
public=20
land to ANY private use, whether it is dog runs or horse training =
areas or=20
garden clubs. The Forest Preserve 68,000 acres belong to the=20
taxpayers, not to any special interest group.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>While the dog runs are the current "hot =
button" topic,=20
I feel we need to stress the core mission of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>the FPD which is to "preserve, protect =
and=20
restore the natural land" and allocating any land with fences and =
fees does=20
not meet this core mission statement. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>By the same token, if the FPD is to permit =
any more=20
dog runs (and I'm hoping everyone will oppose that), these are the =
very=20
issues that need to be dealt with. Far beyond the initial cost =
of a=20
fence is the maintenance (and those of us involved in restoration =
work know=20
that EVERY fence comes down) and the liability issues. What =
has to be=20
looked at is not only what happens if a dog gets loose and attacks =
someone=20
but what happens if one dog attacks another- or attacks an owner or =
one=20
owner attacks another- within the fenced area? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>This is a huge issue and must be dealt with =
in full=20
knowledge of all the "what ifs". I have been writing to the=20
commissioners about the whole issue of allocating land to individual =
groups=20
but, if that concept does not fly, then all of these outside issues =
have to=20
be addressed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>For those of you who may not have seen it, =
the Pioneer=20
Press carried a story in its issue near River Forest. This is =
from=20
that article:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3DArial>"Realistically, we'd like 25 acres," said Linda Funk of =
Elmwood=20
Park, who has been scouting sites for the group.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>"They'd like to put us by =
a freeway=20
and we don't want an undesirable location or a site with a small =
acreage of=20
land.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Out of 68,000 =
acres of=20
forest preserve land, we should be able to find =
something."</FONT></P>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Nearby=20
parking is important, Funk said.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes"> =20
</SPAN>The group also wants a site with water, shelter and a rest =
room or=20
portable toilet."</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN><FONT=20
face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Unfortunately,=20
Chicago Ornithological Society has drawn up a proposal advocating =
the=20
granting of land for dog parks. This is from their =
plan:</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN><FONT=20
face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">The=20
CCFPD has within its land management guidelines specified that no =
more than=20
12% of its holdings (currently at about 68,000 acres) be developed =
for=20
recreation, COS recommends that no more than 0.5% or 340 acres of =
CCFPD be=20
designated as DFAs.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN><FONT=20
face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">B. =20
Individual DFAs should not exceed five acres.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN><FONT=20
face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">This=20
would allow 68 of these or one per 1000 acres of FPD=20
land. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN><FONT=20
face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Jud</SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">y=20
Mellin</SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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