Could Layton soon allow off-leashed dogs in public parks? Several residents sure hope so

LAYTON — Dozens of Layton residents have been pleading with the city to create a park where dogs can run and roam freely, as the city only allows leashed dogs in all but two of its parks.

Dogs are not permitted at Ellison and Layton Commons Park.

Tammy Ellis, a Layton resident and dog owner, said she’s had to travel outside of the city to walk her pet in a park that doesn’t require a leash.

“I have to drive to South Weber if I want to go take my dog to the dog park,” she said.

Ellis told KSL.com that she recently moved from a townhome with no space for her border collie named Fizz to run around — to a house with a backyard. But she still would like to have the option of occasionally taking him to a dog park.

“Not everybody has the luxury of a backyard and would like to exercise their dogs off leash,” she said. “And they’re also trying to follow the laws — don’t go hiking in those places and (don’t) go to the city parks without your dog being on a leash.”

She, among many others, feels that it is time for Layton to dedicate a space for dogs to run and exercise without being bound to a leash.

“And I think it’s a little strange that we don’t have one already, honestly, because it seems like every other city I know has one.”

Other cities in Davis County, like Syracuse and Clearfield, already have parks with dedicated fenced-in areas for dogs to run off-leash.

Ellis thinks a dog park can be beneficial for both humans and their pets.

“Dogs need a place to run and have fun, and it’s a good place for people to meet as well. I’ve made a lot of friends at the dog parks nearby,” she said.

A push for pups

Jennifer Shepherd, another Layton resident of nine years, is a strong advocate for the city to build a dog park.

“It started because we got a dog — and having a house that is in a HOA with no yard — as my puppy needed to play and run and romp, I was really limited on being able to have anywhere he could do that,” she told KSL.com.

A little over a year ago, Shepherd formed a Facebook group called “Layton Needs Dog Park,” which has drummed up support from hundreds of community members who all want a dog park in the city.

Like Eliis, Shepherd has also commuted outside of Layton city limits to access a dog park.

“We have to go to South Weber, or we have to go to Clearfield — which are 15 to 20 minutes away,” she said. “And, you know, that’s not easy when you got a dog that needs to play and exercise.”

Shepherd said that she and others have gone to countless parks and recreation commission meetings, as well as submitted letters on the city’s website asking for a dog park, only to be met with opposition when the matter came up for discussion earlier this year.

“A dog park was the No. 1 requested thing for over a year! We were repeatedly told it just wasn’t a priority,” she told KSL.com.

So Shepherd and other residents began using their voices at City Council meetings, in hopes of sparking a change of heart on the issue.

“Dogs are so healthy for humans as companions and as inspiration to get out and be active and socialize, and the city really needs to create a safe space in order for that to happen,” she said.

Shepherd said she also recognizes that not everyone may be so kind to the idea of dogs allowed to stroll off-leash. But she believes the positives could outweigh the negatives.

“Residents aren’t tempted to break leash laws because there is a safe place designated for off-leash fun,” she said.

Taking another look

At its Nov. 6 work meeting, Layton City Council members heard results of a recent off-leash dogs in parks study to explore which options could be best suited to accommodate both dog owners and those who aren’t.

JoEllen Grandy, Layton parks planner, proposed an option that would implement 9 acres of space for off-leash dogs at Eastridge Nature Park, a planned trail corridor site which has been under development for several years.

“Our investment, or if we were to do this, our capital improvements, are reaching not only people using (to walk) their dogs off-leash, but also reaching out to people who just like to be outside. And so it’s more multipurpose,” she said during the presentation.

If the plan moves forward, the City Council said some of the funding is already secured, but the rest would need to be raised through the city’s recreation, arts, museum and parks tax.

While an open space for off-leash dogs in Layton is still up in the air, Shepherd says the glimmer of hope is a step forward.

“So we are just really grasping at that, and wanting that to become a real thing,” she said.

Layton’s Parks and Recreation Department did not immediately respond to KSL.com’s request for comment on Friday regarding the status of the proposed option.

Clint Drake, city attorney and spokesperson for Layton, said the city is well aware of its residents’ desires for an off-leash dog space and that the matter is being taken seriously.

“I think the council’s obviously very interested and cognizant of dog owners and our residents that own dogs and want to provide for them as well,” he told KSL.com.