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Item Q3 NOTICE OF INTENTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on Wednesday, March 15, 2000, at 3:00 PM at the Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Monroe County, Florida, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider the adoption of the following County ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SEC. 3-7(5) AND SEC. 13.5-5, MONROE COUNTY CODE, IN ORDER TO PROHIBIT ALL DOMESTIC ANIMALS, EXCEPT SEEING-EYE DOGS, FROM ALL MONROE COQNTY FACILITIES, PARKS AND BEACHES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, notice is given that if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the hearing, he will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. Copies of the above-referenced ordinance are available for review at the various public libraries in Monroe County, Florida. Dated at Key West, Florida, this 18th day of February, 2000. (SEAL) DANNY L. KOLHAGE, Clerk of the Circuit Court and ex officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida Publication dates Key West Citizen Keynoter Reporter 2/25 - 3/3/00 2/26 - 3/4/00 2/24 - 3/2/00 ,..Q3 PUBUC WORKS ORDINANCE NO -2000 AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SEC. 3-7(5) AND SEC. 13.5-5, MONROE COUNTY CODE, IN ORDER TO PROHIBIT ALL DOMESTIC ANIMALS, EXCEPT SEEING-EYE DOGS, FROM ALL MONROE COUNTY FACILITIES, PARKS AND BEACHES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES J,tJCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Section 1. Sec. 3-7(5), Monroe County Code, is hereby amended to read as follows: (5) !2.}lt is unlawful for a dog owner or keeper to allow an unleashed dog upon any county beach, p3rk, or school grounds. It is unlawful for a dog owner or keeper to permit the dog, either willfully or negligently, to defecate upon: ill (a) Any public park or boach or school School ground~ other than in an area designated for that purpose; or m fb} Any private property without the permission of the property owner. b Exce t for seein -e e do s domestic animals are ~rohibited from all county facilities. parks and beaches. No person may cause or allow any domestic anfmal other than a seeino-eye doo - of whatever size _ to be brouoht to. or remain on. any county facility. park or beach. If this subsection (5) is violated, the department is authorized to remove the animal or, in its discretion, to order the owner or keeper to do so. The owner or keeper shall immediately remove any excrement deposited by the animal. Failure to do so immediately shall constitute an additional violation of this section. Section 2. Sec. 13.5-5, Monroe County Code is hereby amended by the addition of the following: I Exce t for seein -e e do s all domestic animals are ~rohibited from all county parks. No person may cause or allow. any domestic animal other than a seeino-eye doo - of whatever size - to be brouoht to. or remain on. any county park. Section 3. If any section. subsection. sentence, clause or provIsion of this ordinance is held invalid, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected by such invalidity. Section 4. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of said conflict. Section 5. The provisions of this ordinance shall be included and incorporated in the Code of Ordinances of the County of Monroe, Florida. as an addition or amendment thereto, and shall be appropriately renumbered to conform to the uniform numbering system of the Code. ,.. Section 6. This ordinance, shall take effect immediately upon receipt of official notice from the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Florida that this ordinance has been filed with said Office. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the day of March, 2000. Mayor Shirley Freeman Commissioner Wilhelmina Harvey Commissioner George Neugent Commissioner Mary Kay Reich Commissioner Nora Williams (SEAL) Attest: DANNY L.KOLHAGE, Clerk BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By By Mayor/Chairperson Deputy Clerk jordvparkdogs PUBLIC WORKS ORDINANCE NO -2000 AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SEC. 3-7(5) AND SEC. 13.5-5, MONROE COUNTY CODE, IN ORDER TO PROHIBIT ALL DOMESTIC ANIMALS, EXCEPT DOGS THAT ASSIST"DISABlED PERSONS~ FROM ALL MONROE COUNTY FACILITIES, PARKS AND BEACHES, EXCEPT THAT PART OF STOCK ISLAND LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF KEY WEST AND ALL COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTERS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Section 1. Sec. 3-7(5), Monroe County Code, is hereby amended to read as follows: (5) (a) It is unlawful for a dog owner or keeper to allow an unleashed dog upon any county bO:lCh, park, or school grounds. It is unlawful for a dog owner or keeper to permit the dog, either willfully or negligently, to defecate upon: (1) (a) I\ny public park or beach or school School grounds other than in an area designated for that purpose; or (2) f9t Any private property without the permission of the property owner. b . Exce t for do s that assist disabled _ ersons. domestic animals are prohibited from all countv facilities. parks and beaches. No person may cause or allow anv domestic animal - of whatever size - to be brouaht to. or remain on. anv countv facilitv. park or beach. This prohibition does not appl~ to that part of Stock Island located within the City of Key West and all County animal shelters. If this subsection (5) is violated, the department is authorized to remove the animal or, in its discretion, to order the owner or keeper to do so. The owner or keeper shall immediately remove any excrement deposited by the animal. Failure to do so immediately shall constitute an additional violation of this section. Section 2. Sec. 13.5-5, Monroe County Code is hereby amended by the addition of the following: I Q.3 ,e",'S(lef (I) Except for docs that assist disabled persons. all domestic animals are prohibited from all county parks. No person may cause or allow. any domestic animal other than a doc that assists a disabled person- of whatever size - to be broucht to. or remain on. any county park. Section 3. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or provision of this ordinance is held invalid, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected by such invalidity. Section 4. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of said conflict. Section 5. The provision$.of this ordinance shall be included and incorporated in the Code of Ordinances of the County of Monroe, Florida, as an addition or amendment thereto, and shall be appropriately renumbered to conform to the uniform numbering system of the Code. Section 6. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon receipt of official notice from the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Florida that this ordinance has been filed with said Office. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the day of March, 2000. Mayor Shirley Freeman Commissioner Wilhelmina Harvey Commissioner George Neugent Commissioner Mary Kay Reich Commissioner Nora Williams (SEAL) Attest: DANNY L.KOLHAGE, Clerk BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By By Mayor/Chairperson Deputy Clerk jcordnoanimals for humans and plentiful water bowls for canines-were part of the pa prints, er, blueprints from the start. Four-legged exercisers are known travel more than an hour by car from Miami and Jupiter to climb makeshift wooden ramps and walk through giant concrete tubes at the first dog thusiast park in southeastern Florida. A few hurdles have changeable heights, and a tire hangs in hopes of luring a furry jumper to fly through. A new gazebo provides some relief from the sun (and a chance to rest). Truth be told, most dogs-Maggie included-prefer running up to the ever-present ..Jt pack of pooches to sniff the unmentionables of their distant relatives. ~ The story of how the park came into existence might inspire anyone who' has seen one too many No Dogs signs. Local veterinarian Steven Paul no- ticed pooches running around the Boston Commons during a business trip to Massachusetts. "I thought it was neat," he rec:aIJs. He decided dogs in Coral Springs needed a place to run, too. Paul colIared 500 signatures to petition the mayor for a dog park. Eventually, the city told a dogged Paul, that it would set aside land for pooches if he raised money for a fence. And; a campaign was born. . Paul even went on the World Wide Web to howl his pitch: "Want a park where you and your dog can run and play together? So do we and a lot of . other folks in Coral Springs!" Paul chipped in $1,000. His clients, area vets, and animal lovers from all walks of life gave $4,000. InnoPet Brands Corp. gave $5,500 in seed money toward the park's $40,000 to $50,000 overall cost. Some thought Paul didn't even have a dog's chance of succeeding. But nearly four years after he broached the idea, the veterinarian erected several dog , statues and witnessed the opening of what formaIJy is termed InnoPet Park: A Recreation Area for the Dog Enthusiast. Stop to read quotations on the entrance sign, including this line from Bern Williams: "There is no psychia- trist in the world like a puppy licking your face." The park is within Sawgrass Regional Park, which is bounded by the Sawgrass Expressway, Royal Palm Boulevard, Sample Road, and North- west 123rd Avenue. From the Sawgrass Expressway, exit at Sample Road. Head east, then almost immediately turn right (south) on Sportsplex Drive to enter the park. Follow curves. The dog park is at left. (954) 345-2107. -Open Fields-5ample Road" >< See. on page 410. A lesser alternative to [nnoPet Park for your fence-hating pooch are these open and largely ignored fields at the northeast and southeast comers of the intersection of Sample Road and Turtle Creek Drive (aka Northwest 66th Avenue). The northern chunk is the best-maintained field, with few rocks. It's fa- vored by model airplane enthusiasts and dirt-bike riders, who ignore No Trespassing signs and drive onto the field through a curb cut by the sew- age-pumping lift station on its northwestern edge. Or, you can park across the street at the Shoppes of Turtle Creek. There's plenty of room for dogs to run, far from the plane fliers and motorbike riders doing their thing. If you're intimidated by the signs and want to stay completely legal, go to the south side of Sample Road instead. Look for parking pull-overs on the east side of the road. This field is rockier, making it less than ideal. 414 SOUTH FLORI DA . SEE MAP ON PAGE 367 Oerk of Court 310 Fleming Street Key West PI.. 33040 Please read into record of hearing on domestic: animal ordinance seheduled Man:h 15, 2000. The very term domestic: animal is a erime in itself. To domestieate an animal is to take away its basic: rights. That is the right to nm free and interad with its own kind. Maybe this is why all your more soclally advanced cities have leash-free dog parka 80 dogs can nm , exercise and play with other dogs. (I am just referring to dogs here beeause with all of the free-roaming eats in Key West it is obvious this proposed ban is tal1leted at dog owners only). WeD, Key West, the city that supposedly is dog-friendly, not only has no such park but now wants to take away the last remaining rights of "Man's Best Friend" and deny him even a simple leashed walk in a park or a ehance to lay on the beach or swim in the ocean. If your grounds for this travesty apinst animals is beeause of the dog droppinp left behind then why don't you go after the owners who do not pick up after their pets and fine them instead of punishing responsible owners who carry little plastic: baas and dispose of dog waste properly. Anyone who ever sees me wal1dng my two Chow mixes, Zoey and Abby, around town will always see me picldng up after them. They sell convenient little dog bap just for this purpose at Keys Pet Market and Pampered Pets. I sometimes even pick up nearby pet waste left by other inoonsiderate owners. However, I must say for every "doaie" calling eard I see during our dally walks I see ten times the amount of human waste - empty eans, broken bottles, half-eaten maggot-ridden food, dirty food containers, cigarette butts, fishing wire and rusted hooks, ete. etc:. So here's an idea - if you really want to keep our parka and beames dean then ban the ftIthiest animal of all - humans! Since that is not aood for tourism the let us compromise. Either rejed the ordinance on the. ban of domestic: animals from parks and beac:hes and instead beef up AND ENFOR.CE littering fines for both human and animal waste OR. better yet give our beloved pets a park of their own. I wiD even volunteer to help keep it dean as 1 am sure many other dog owners will also. A good example is the Innopet Park in Coral Sprinp. An-excerpt from "The Florida Dog Lovers Companion" book is attached to give details. I know they have been tryina to dedde what to do with land at the Outer Moles 80 here is a good start. Simply put, dogs need a c:hance to ftUl and exereise. Since most residents here in the Keys (myself inducled) c:annot afford to buy a house with a feneed-in yard, they are at the mercy of whatever patc:h of graBS they can find for their pets to play. Why am I 80 upset about this issue? Because 1 moved here in August thinking I had fO\Dld the perfed place for my dogs to live. In "The Florida Dog Lovers Companion" it gives high ac:eolades to the Keys for being "dog friendly" and explains about how thanks to then-COunty Commissioner Keith Douslas, the previous ban on domestic: animals was reversed in 1995. Mr. DouaJas sounds like a fin&man and I only wiIh there were more of him in our governmenL I am a regiatered dental hygienist and according to the five ,dlfferent dental offtces whom offered me employment, this town is in need of my semea. It is a shame that I pl'Obably wiD not stay if this county turns "doll hating". My two clop mean the world to me and there are plenty of other people that feel the same way about their pets. If this ordinance passes my first order ofbusineas will be to notify the author's of the above mentioned book (along with other dog publications like Dog Faney m.p7.b1e) and tell them to give The Keys a big thumbs down. Did you know 41" of people take their dop on vacation? Did you know the pet industry is a .14 billion industry? Did you know that pets are belna recommended more and more to the sick and elderly as therapeutic companions. Did you know that more people are treating pets like members of the family? In this day of 6 year olds shooting 6 year olds, it Is any wonder more couples are going ehUdleu and doting on their pets instead. So, please - I am asJdns you. Don't take The Keys "baek" in time (prior to 1995). Instead, advance forwarct.. Let us embrace our domestic animals as we have embraced all the eeeentric people and eultura1 diversities that make us so unique. Let's give something baek to our "Best Friends" to make up for everything we have taken away from them. Give them a park of their own, a beach to call theirs and let us all smUe as we watch them nm and play with their friends, their "pack", as It was meant to be. Sincerely, P 1 ~t'l ^~ GJ~ --111-1- v~ '-v~o- Donna M Fluharty , -: March 14, 2000 Monroe County Commissioners Re: County Beaches To All Monroe County Commissioners: I have been a resident of Monroe County for over nine years. We have enjoyed walking our dog at Sombrero Beach and enjoying an outing with our family. It is unfortunate that there are not more places that welcome our "family" members. I believe that most pet owners are responsible for their pets and these parks serve a purpose for their residents. I am against the restrictions that will not allow pet owners the use of these beaches. Frances Pumal 880 37th Street Marathon 3-14-2000 To County Commissioners- I am not a dog owner, however I am strongly opposed to the proposed ordinance that will forbid dogs to be on our beaches. 99% of dog owners are responsible people and are respectful of other people's needs. Don't let that 1 % ruin it for everyone. I have participated in dozens of bridge and beach clean-ups- I have never picked up trash, diapers, fish- ing line, beer cans, fast food containers, cigarettes, etc. that belonged to dogs. People make that mess- so what's next- lets ban people from the beaches too because a few of them are litterbugs. Post signage reminding people to clean up af- ter their dogs, and while you're at it why not post signs to re- mind people to pick up after the real slobs- PEOPLE! Thank-you- Laurel Canty Ehrlich 59735 Blue Isle Blvd. Grassy Key, F1.33050 305-743-0182 ~~C>~ELL~