Pitchford dog park membership policy approved
Creating or sprucing up park policies was the focus of the Macomb Township Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 6.
During the Dec. 6 regular meeting, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees approved a Pitchford Park dog park membership and operation policy.
Pitchford Park is located on Romeo Plank Road, north of 22 Mile Road. The dog park within Pitchford Park is about 1.3 acres of open land, with separated areas for large and small dogs as well as a pavilion for dog owners.
The grand opening of Pitchford Park’s dog park was held on Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. The first 100 dogs to show their county dog license or register for a license on site earned a discount on the first year of their dog park membership.
In a Nov. 30 memo to the board, Parks and Recreation Director Salvatore DiCaro outlined the policy membership to the Pitchford Park dog park. Rules in the policy indicate that members are responsible for compliance with all regulations, and failure to comply with the dog park policy can result in revocation of membership. The policy includes the fee structure of:
• $30 per resident or $46 per non-resident
• $15 for resident senior citizens/resident recreation center members
• $23 for non-resident senior citizens/non-resident recreation center members
• $10 for key fobs, up to two per household. This is a non-recurring fee unless a replacement is needed.
Membership fees for the dog park will be introduced starting in January 2024.
“The membership cost will cover the lawn maintenance, administration and general upkeep of the park,” DiCaro said via press release.
The Nov. 30 memo outlines that the annual fee will be good from Feb. 1 to Jan. 31 of each year. On Dec. 6, DiCaro confirmed the membership fee, rules and regulations were compared with those of other communities with dog parks.
“So basically we checked with all the, all the dog parks in southeast Michigan,” DiCaro said. “We really did not re-create the wheel.”
The operating policy itself indicates the required annual membership to use the dog park must be approved and purchased online through the parks and recreation department. Applicants must be age 18 years or older and must provide proof of their current Macomb County dog license for membership approval. Rabies vaccination and spay/ neuter information is also required.
Before visiting the dog park at Pitchford Park, those who enter must review the Dog Park Code of Conduct, which is posted at the park entrance and on the Macomb Township website at macomb-mi.gov/629/Dog-Park. Memberships are not transferable and can only be used by the household to which they are issued. Up to three dogs per household may be registered to a membership. Fees are due at the time of application.
The policy further indicates that only members and their approved dogs are permitted access to the park. The park’s hours are listed as dawn to dusk. Other access rules include:
• Members age 18 and up may bring no more than two registered dogs at any one time.
• Children between the ages of 5-17 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.
• Children under age 5 are not allowed in the dog park.
• Puppies under five months old are not permitted in the dog park.
• Dogs in heat or pregnant are not permitted in the dog park.
The dog park policy for
Pitchford Park also lists responsibilities of dog owners/park patrons. Dog park members are legally responsible for any injuries or damage caused by their dogs, and must adhere to the following responsibility requirements:
• Members must clean up their dog’s waste and dispose of it in provided receptacles.
• Dogs must remain leashed until inside the dog park gate enclosure.
• Members must always remain with their dog inside the dog park enclosure.
• Phone calls are limited to emergencies to ensure proper dog supervision.
Behavior guidelines outlined in the policy apply to all members and their dogs:
• Digging is not permitted.
• Toys are permitted, but if a dog becomes possessive, the toys must be removed.
• Dogs that are excessively barking must be removed at the first indication of this behavior.
• Dogs exhibiting aggression must be removed at the first sign of this behavior. An incident/bite report must be filed immediately by the dog owner to Macomb County Animal Control and to Macomb Township Parks and Recreation, for any incident involving bodily injury such
as broken skin, to persons or dogs.
• Smoking of any substance, vaping or the consumption of alcohol is prohibited.
• Verbal or physically abusive behavior towards other members or their dogs will not be tolerated.
• A dog that bites another dog or human will be banned from the park, and membership will be indefinitely revoked.
Items prohibited in the dog park include alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, marijuana and glass containers. Human and dog food, including treats, are prohibited. Laptops and tablets are prohibited, as are dog pinch, prong, shock or spiked collars. Additional information is provided in the online application for dog park membership, such as dog park waiver language.
Lucido park rules set forth
Also on Dec. 6, the Macomb Township Board of Trustees approved an amendment to the Paul and Annette Lucido River Park reservation policy. The 20 acre park property is located at 52172 North Ave. It includes a 1,500 square foot building that can hold about 80 people. In a memo to the board dated Nov. 27, Supervisor Frank Viviano wrote several local community groups have shown interest in using the Lucido Park facility for meetings. The amendment to the rental policy would permit Macomb Township-based nonprofit organizations or community groups to rent the building at a reduced rental rate if they meet eligibility requirements. Vivino outlined the discounted rate recommended in the Nov. 27 memo as $25 for two hours.
“We wanted to make sure that Macomb Township community-based groups could take advantage of this property and use it for purposes like that. So we came up with a discounted rate and a policy that would, that they would have to comply with, and certain conditions that they would have to, under which they would be able to take advantage of that rate,” Viviano said.
The amendment to the park building reservation policy was to the fees and payments section. It added if not reserved by a fee-paying person or entity, Macomb Township-based nonprofit organizations or community groups may request a reduced rental, but must meet specified eligibility qualifications. Some eligibility qualifications listed in the amendment include:
• The organization or group must be Macomb Township based or the majority of the group must be Macomb Township residents.
• Upon request, the organization or group must produce organization documents, bylaws or other such papers, to demonstrate the group members have a formal affiliation.
• Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and a recommendation made by the parks and recreation director, or a designee. The recommendation must also be approved by the supervisor.
• Reservations for the discounted rate may be taken no sooner than 10 days prior to an event, on a first come, first served, basis.
• The discounted rate is only available Mondays through Thursdays.