Citizens Speak Out About Dog Ban in Parks

Last night’s City Council meeting was standing room only—with some citizens speaking out about an issue that wasn’t even on the night’s agenda: animals being allowed in city parks.

Resident Gordon Tomlinson kicked off the discussion about dogs, mentioning that a petition is circulating about the Council’s recent decision to uphold and enforce the ordinance that bans dogs from the greenspaces. “It is difficult to understand that the problem is poop related,” he said, mentioning that he is a very frequent walker—and he just hasn’t seen the issue.

“This is another means of restricting our freedom to enjoy our community,” he said. He believes that Norcross has tried to attract the Creative Class and that this ban drives away the type of people that the city wants to draw—and future development, by association.

Brad Waitsman also spoke up on the issue, prefacing his statement to the Council by a saying that it was truly coming from the heart. “There has to be a way to deal,” he said. “Do you really think this fits with the positive and progressive image the city wants to portray?”

He claimed that over 50 percent of Norcross families own dogs, then pointed to places like Piedmont Park and Central Park, where he said dogs were as common as people.

When Council discussion took place about the redevelopment of the Mitchell Road landfill, Councilmember Craig Newton was quick to divorce the issue from that of dogs in the parks. 

He had batted around the idea of turning the parcel into a dog park earlier, even drafting a persuasive memo to the Council. But he has since shifted his thoughts, it seems.  “I still maintain that city can use a dog park,” he said, saying that the idea in the work session was only a suggestion for discussion.

The Council voted 4-0, with Andrew Hixson absent, in favor of doing a $3,500 environmental study on the Mitchell Road landfill—though it has no bearing on the dog park issue. The study will only determine if remediation can be done on the property.