Neighborhood notebook

By ANDREW MEACHAM
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 20, 2002

Officials try to get a leash on problems at dog parks

ST. PETERSBURG -- Highly qualified experts contacted for this article agree: Dogs, almost to a scientific certainty, cannot read.

But we still expect them to follow city ordinances and behave properly in public.

The Crescent Lake dog park appears to be suffering from its own success. Its canine users greet elderly passers-by like long lost friends and sometimes jump on children smaller than they are. They also leave reminders of their visits for anyone to step on. Owners bear responsibility for cleaning up after their pets, inside dog parks or out.

A City Council committee has asked Leisure Services Director Lee Metzger to survey additional sites to complement dog parks in Coquina Key and at Crescent Lake. Metzger expects to return with recommendations by the end of the month.

"It probably has exceeded everyone's expectations in terms of how popular they are," Metzger said. Due to its central location, Crescent Lake handles more dogs on less space than Coquina Key.

Part of the problem, suggested City Council member Virginia Littrell, stems from owners who allow their pets to run without leashes to the fenced-in area at the south end of Crescent Lake. In a memo to Metzger and Police Chief Chuck Harmon, Littrell acknowledged that popularity has led to complaints of feces in the park, and of dogs jumping on elderly walkers and children.

"The parks must remain user-friendly for all citizens," Littrell said.

In addition to finding more sites, the city will try to enforce ordinances prohibiting unleashed dogs outside of the dog parks and mandating owner clean-up. Metzger's office may even place an attendant in Crescent Lake Park to hand out fliers about owners' legal responsibilities.

The dog park will shut down Feb. 9 for a thorough cleaning by Crescent Lake neighbors and city employees. Volunteers will hose down fences, benches and trash containers, and they will tend to any damaged plants, said Clifford Holensworth, president of the Crescent Lake Neighborhood Association. At the same time, Holensworth acknowledged in a fax to the Neighborhood Times, some owners will disobey ordinances.

"We can educate our residents, but it won't stop . . . dogs being off-leash in our park or any park in the city," Holensworth wrote.

Ailing associations have remedies

For one neighborhood association this week, one question looms: Is anyone willing to relieve the Sangers of at least some of their duties?

The couple have presided over the Gateway Neighborhood and Crimewatch Association for four years, and are rapidly approaching burnout. They will discuss the association's status at Thursday's meeting, at St. James United Methodist Church.

Despite having 800 homes within its boundaries, which run from 83rd to 94th avenues N between Fourth Street N and Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street N (and from 80th to 83rd avenues N, between Seventh Street N and King), only a handful of residents show up at most meetings "unless there's something really drastic," said Molly Sanger.

For two years, the association put out a six-page newsletter, but cost overruns ended that. One resident proposed renewing the area's Crimewatch commitment, but then that faded away. The treasury hovers at around $30.

The St. James administrative board denied Charles Sanger's request to forgo the association's $15-a-month rent.

"We didn't feel justified letting them meet here for free," said church financial secretary Donna Koontz. Other associations also use the church during the week, paying as much as $50 a month, she said.

Neighborhood associations have attacked attrition in different ways. After dormancy for the past few years, Five Points resurrected interest with a recent block party. Interim president Maureen Peacock said that disputes with local landlords over prostitution and drug traffic helped galvanize the neighbors.

On the other hand, said Park Street president Guy Keirn, opposing a common enemy will not keep an association together over the long haul. That's why Park Street last year staged a Halloween in the Park and a holiday tour of homes.

The city's Neighborhood Partnership will consult with groups struggling for ways to increase participation, said director Susan Ajoc.

"We say, be sure to have some fun," Ajoc said. "Sure, there's work to be done, but associations are made of volunteers who work all day, and everything doesn't have to be in a work setting."

As professional clowns, the Sangers are uniquely qualified to introduce levity.

"We've done the clown bit," said Chuck Sanger, 68. The Sangers are running out of ideas. At Thursday's meeting, the Sangers intend to ask neighbors what they can contribute to keep the Gateway afloat. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at St. James United Methodist Church, 845 87th Ave. N.

Around the Neighborhoods

The new owners of the former Sterling Cleaners site will meet with Greater Woodlawn neighbors Tuesday to present designs for a car wash on the property at 2300 Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) St. N. Chris Anderson, Joel Samon, and Jared Samon will take questions from residents, who will then vote on the plan. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Woodlawn Presbyterian Church, 2612 12th St. N. All residents and property owners within Greater Woodlawn's boundaries (from Dr. M.L. King Street N to 16th Street N, between 22nd and 30th avenues N) may attend, and are eligible to vote.

Jungle Terrace will hear from the city on plans for Walter Fuller Park at Monday's meeting. Among the proposed changes: turning what is now a parking lot into a lighted soccer field. The measure will require the approval of two-thirds of the residents within 200 yards of the park. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Monday at Walter Fuller Recreation Center, 7891 26th Ave. N.

Lake Maggiore Shores is holding a "meet and greet" Thursday at 7 p.m., at the Enoch Davis Center, 1111 18th Ave. S. The meeting is designed to encourage new members and bring back old ones. The neighborhood's boundaries run from Dr. M.L. King Street S to 22nd Street S, between Second and 30th Avenues S.

BAYOU HIGHLANDS: 7 p.m. Thursday. Coquina Key Resource Center, 435 45th Ave. S.

COQUINA KEY: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Clubhouse, 3850 Pompano Drive. SE. Property values, 2002 officers.

EUCLID HEIGHTS: 7 p.m. Tuesday. First Alliance Church, 5001 10th St. N. Cultural Affairs manager Ann Wykell.

HARRIS PARK: 7:30 p.m. Monday. Vietnamese Alliance Church, 4344 21st St. N. Officer elections.

NORTH SHORE: 7 p.m. Monday. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Ave. NE. Officer elections.

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