Tonight the City Council will review a proposal to amend the city’s pet access rules to Willard Beach. Organizer Gary Crosby is hoping the Council will send the ordinance change to referendum for voters to decide in November.

A public hearing is scheduled as part of the deliberation. The proposed law change would ban dogs from Willard Beach for six months each year, from April-October. Off-season, pets would be allowed on the beach only if they are leashed.

The Council convenes at 7 p.m. Here is the position paper from the city’s corporate counsel:

SUBJECT:
ORDINANCE #1-09/10 – Public hearing and consideration of a citizen initiated proposed amendment to Chapter 3, “Animals & Fowl,” banning dogs from Willard Beach between April 15 and October 15. Council first reading and postponement to July 20, 2009 for final action or referral to the November 3, 2009 municipal general election ballot. Passage requires majority vote.
POSITION:
On May 20, 2009, a citizen initiative petition was submitted to the City Clerk’s office requesting amendment of the South Portland Code of Ordinances to prohibit dogs on Willard Beach between April 15 and October 15 and to require dogs to be “on leash under owner’s control during park hours” between October 16 and April 14. Pursuant to Article XI of the City Charter, South Portland voters may propose any
ordinance through the initiative process, except an ordinance appropriating money or authorizing the levy of taxes. (There are some other general limitations on the right of initiative not applicable to this proposed ordinance.) Petitions must be in the form set forth in Section 1103 of the Charter. Once an initiative petition is submitted to the City Clerk, the Clerk has 20 days to determine whether it contains a sufficient number of valid signatures and whether each paper of the petition has a proper statement of the circulator. The City Clerk has determined that the petition does contain the required
number of valid signatures and that each paper has a valid statement of the circulator.
Accordingly, she has forwarded it to the City Council. Once a certified initiative petition is received by the City Council, the City Council is required to have the proposed ordinance read and to hold a public hearing on it. Accordingly, the proposed ordinance has been placed on the agenda as a public hearing. The City Council must take final action on the proposed ordinance within 60
days of the date it receives it from the City Clerk.
If the City Council does not pass the proposed citizen-initiated ordinance as written, the proposed ordinance must be submitted to the voters at least 30 days but not
more than 15 months from the date of the City Council’s final vote thereon. Therefore, there are two options before the City Council as to how to proceed: (1) to move that this 2 serve as first reading of the proposed ordinance and postpone it to the meeting of July 20, 2009 for second reading and final action; or (2) to move to place the proposed ordinance on the ballot for the November 3, 2009 municipal general election.
REQUESTED ACTION:
Either:
1. Move that this serve as first reading of the proposed ordinance and postpone it to the meeting of July 20, 2009 for second reading and final action; or
2. Move to place the proposed ordinance on the ballot for the November 3, 2009 municipal general election.

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Comments

By Christopher Kessler  (entertainerck@gmail.com) on 2009 07 29

Can’t we all just get along?

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By Gary on 2009 07 28

Calvin,  You must have a lot of time on your hands.  Would you like to help us at save Willard Beach?

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By Anthony Young  (ayoungcom@aol.com) on 2009 07 28

An addendum…........I omitted the word “Ignorance” after “Oxford English Dictionary :”
Anthony Young

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By Calvin Muse on 2009 07 28

Another series of Gary Crosby quotes taken out of context and rearranged.

“pooping and peeing”, “you do it”, “grab it with your hands”, “Have a picnic”, “make out on your poop”, “I am so happy” “people call this good”, “poops and pees”, “You will only find that”“dog crap” “bounces right back” “into our own hands”.

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By Anthony Young  (ayoungcom@aol.com) on 2009 07 28

Gary :  ” because they don�t know what goes on.”�
Oxford English Dictionary : 
adjective 1) lacking knowledge or awareness in general.
      2) (often ignorant of) uninformed about or unaware
          of a specific subject or fact.”
I know I am using “experts” again, but as always facts are facts

Oh and Gary have you been down to the Beach today ? It’s full of those people again !!

Anthony Young

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By Gary on 2009 07 28

Anthony,  You are right and I was wrong you did not call me ignorant you said the people at the beach where.  I have NEVER said that. You will only find that in your postings.

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By Anthony Young  (ayoungcom@aol.com) on 2009 07 28

Gary….......you are doing it again

“So all these people are wrong, and according to Gary Crosby ignorant”

Nothing there accuses you of being ignorant. It does refer to you accusing the public using Willard Beach of not knowing what goes on. ie ignorance.

Anthony Young

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By Gary on 2009 07 27

I must be doing something right!  According to anthony I am ignorant and according to David Jacobs I am immature.  Plus what ever else they can say about me.  It looks like there are problems on east end beach with dogs as well.  Imagine that.

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By Anthony Young  (ayoungcom@aol.com) on 2009 07 27

Straightup…....................If you do not mind I’ll tell you the same I tell Gary. Many , many people, including children, use, and have used for many years, Willard Beach to play in the sand, swim in the ocean, sunbathe and picnic on the sand with no ill-effects.
So all these people are wrong, and according to Gary Crosby ignorant, and YOU are right. Seems to be a very unfair way to conduct the running of a public area. You do not like it so everybody should conform to your rules.
Experts have said that there is no health hazard having dogs use Willard Beach. Do you have any expertise, verifiable, to refute what the experts tell us. If you do not it is not a subject you can give a professional opinion on. “I don�t want your dog on the beach. Let me repeat I don�t want your dog on the beach.” will not hack it I’m afraid. Can you imagine want would happen if everyone’s likes or dislikes had to be accommodated ?

Anthony Young

PS Oh…........ I’ve unabashedly worn the same shirt 2-3 days in a row and disease or infection has not dealt me a fatal blow yet !!

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By Straightup on 2009 07 27

Here’s an unabashed response to dogs off the beach. I want them off regardless of the health hazards. I don’t want your dog on the beach. Let me repeat I don’t want your dog on the beach. I know you dog people won’t admit to the fact that dogs transmit disease but THEY DO !! I’ll make it simple for you, I don’t wear the same shirt 2 days in a row because it is soiled. Just like I don’t want to walk/lay in sand your dog has soiled. Yes WILD animals do it in the sand but DOMESTIC animals people have control over. Try to get it through your heads, PEOPLE don’t want DOGS on the beach. GO ELSEWHERE !!!

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