Darien Increases Fine For Off-Leash Dogs In Public Places

DARIEN, CT — The Darien Representative Town Meeting on Monday night voted to impose a $100 fine for dog owners who let their pooches off-leash on town-owned and managed property, including recently acquired Great Island. Previously, residents could only be fined $25, plus state administrative fees.

The full meeting is available to watch on demand on Darien TV79.

Great Island helped to serve as a catalyst for the fee increase.

The Great Island Advisory Committee (GIAC) moved that dogs were allowed on the property, but had to stay on pathways and away from the bridle trail area where there are bald eagles nesting.

The committee then adjusted the rules so now dogs are allowed off the paths, wherever human visitors can go. The bridle trail area remains off limits. This change goes into effect June 1.

Cameras are set up on the island, including in the bridle trail area, to monitor activity.

Police or the town's newly-hired animal control officer were able to issue $25 citations for violations - $49 when factoring in state fees - but the animal control officer's work hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There have still been violations, so town officials have been looking at ways to deter rule breaking.

RTM members raised some concerns, however, during discussions on Monday night.

Notably, District IV member Jim Cameron asked how enforcement would be handled, and District V member Amy Zabetakis pointed out an inconsistency between the town's existing ordinance pertaining to leash laws on public property, and what the rules are at properties under the purview of Parks and Recreation.

"If there's an escalating fine for having your dog off-leash, and it's not being enforced, people will figure that out pretty quickly, and why should they comply?" Cameron asked.

"I'm a little concerned because we're making things more confusing," Zabetakis said. "I don't quite understand how we've got different rules, different fines, for different areas."

When the Board of Selectmen recommended a $100 fine to the RTM earlier this month, GIAC Chair and Selectman Monica McNally said she hoped the fine increase "will be a catalyst for parks and rec.," to look at what they can do on their end.

Selectman Sarah Neumann said at the time she believed the town needed to think about coming up with a policy that prohibits off-leash dogs in Darien parks.

First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky said Monday he's spoken with Parks and Rec. Commission Chair Lori Bora.

"My hope is we can get that on the agenda for an upcoming parks and rec. meeting," Zagrodzky said.

As for enforcement, Zagrodzky acknowledged the town does not have an exact plan at the moment.

"We are working with the Darien Police Department to think that through," he said. " I think actually just the signaling value of saying we're starting to take this seriously and we do have an ordinance in place that allows us to charge a higher fine for dogs off leash, I think sends a good message to the town that we are going to take this seriously."

Zagrodzky asked RTM members to give "a little bit of leniency" to the GIAC and Board of Selectmen in terms of how enforcement is rolled out.

"To be honest, I'd like to see how things go into the summer and start to collect anecdotes on how people are complying with leashes," Zagrodzky added. "This will also give us a chance to work through the parks and rec. process so that sometime hopefully in the next couple of months we have a single fine, all the committees and boards are treating them the same, and we've got some evidence about how people are actually complying with our leash laws."

If there is still a problem with compliance in a few months, Zagrodzky said "I think we owe it to the folks who agreed to have dogs on Great Island to really start to take enforcement seriously not to be mean about it, but to remind people that we've got leash laws for a reason and that's really for everyone's safety whether you have a dog or not."

RTM member Jack Davis proposed "tabling" the item until June so officials can work through questions on enforcement and inconsistencies with parks and rec., but that motion failed by a vote of 15 in favor of tabling, 54 opposed with one abstention.

Cameron opposed tabling the item. He suggested that if the item passed, officials should make it clear to the town's Police Commission and Parks and Rec. Commission that there's work to do regarding enforcement and rules at parks and rec. property.

The vote to raise the fines was approved by a vote of 58-11-2.

You can watch the full RTM meeting from Monday on demand on Darien TV79.