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c'EUGENE Public Works <br /> Maintenance <br /> June ?F, 199? <br /> 1820 Roosevelt Boulevard <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97402 <br /> (503) 687 -5220 <br /> Dr. Thomas H. Pringle <br /> Emerald Consulting <br /> PO Box 3429 <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97403 <br /> Dear Dr. Pringle: <br /> Bob Hammitt, Maintenance Director for the Department of Public Works has <br /> asked me to reply to your 5/13/92 letter in which you expressed your concerns <br /> regarding the dog off -leash program at Wayne Morse Ranch Park. <br /> You made numerous comments about what the city did not do in your second <br /> paragraph. In brief, I would say that you are correct on most of these to <br /> varying degrees, and that the ones involving forecasting impacts we had no <br /> previous experience from which estimates could be drawn. It was for that <br /> reason that we planned for a public review of the program after it had been <br /> in place for several months. This review occurred in a public meeting on <br /> 2/13/92 before members of both the Parks and Recreation Commission and city <br /> staff. It further included review of information provided on questionaires <br /> that had been distributed to solicit public comment on the program. <br /> While public support for the off -leash program exceeds opposition to it, <br /> particularly at the Morse Ranch, staff recognize and respect the feelings of <br /> those in the minority position. We have therefore developed the compromise <br /> solution of a reduced area for the off -leash program which is hoped to mini- <br /> mize the concerns which we have received through the public input process. <br /> These includes response to noise and parking impacts on park neighbors, the <br /> negative impact on the stream and wetland areas, containment of dogs from <br /> running off -leash beyond the pasture, and leaving part of the meadow open for <br /> other uses. <br /> As staff proceed to implement the reduced area plan there will be ongoing <br /> monitoring of the program, particularly for the impact on the site. For <br /> example, I would certainly recommend a temporary closure during winter if the <br /> impact on the vegetation exceeds its ability to recover. Historically the <br /> meadow and stream recovered annually from the impact of pasturing cattle <br /> during the Wayne Morse years. With the two additional sites added recently <br /> to the off -leash program and through the use of temporary closures of this <br /> site we do not expect to see a repeat of the conditions that were experienced <br /> last winter, or during the Wayne Morse pasturing days. <br /> One final comment: The official name of this facility is Wayne Morse Ranch <br /> Park. We are discouraging any use of the word "historic" in the title since <br /> the federal funds that helped purchase the park specifically could not be <br /> used for sites with historic objectives. If, upon their periodic review, the <br /> federal administrators of those funds felt that too much emphasis was being <br /> placed on preserving historic aspects within the park the city could be re- <br /> quired to repay the federal funding or buy replacement sites not bound by <br /> historical objectives. We can repair, restore, rebuild, and manage this park <br />