FishHawk Ranch Residents Protest Proposed County Dog Park

While they say they're all in favor of dog parks, FishHawk residents told county officials they simply don't want one in their back yards.

At a public meeting Dec. 7 at The Palmetto Club in FishHawk Ranch, a room full of residents were on hand to voice their opinions to Mark Thornton, director of Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation.

The county is proposing to spend $600,000 from impact fee funds to develop  property at the intersection of Osprey Ridge and Parkset drives. The parcel was deeded to the county by the community's developer, Newland Communities, in lieu of park impact fee funds.

The county is proposing to use it for a dog park, unlighted basketball courts, tennis courts and a baseball/softball practice field. An alternative proposal is to add playground equipment to the open fields.

Since the county doesn't have funding to maintain the park, Thornton told residents that duty would fall to the FishHawk Community Development District, which taxes residents for neighborhood improvement and maintenance projects. The cost to maintain the park is an estimated $20,000 a year.

Residents living around the proposed park were quick to voice their opposition to the proposal, noting that they paid a premium price for their homes because they backed up to a conservation area, not a developed park.

They also feared that, since the park would be public, it would bring in undesirable users such as teens hanging out late at night, vagrants and irresponsible pet owners.

Thornton explained that the impact fee money had to be spent within the region it was collected, thus prompting the proposal for the park on land that was already deeded to the county.

"But it needs to be what you want us to build," he said. "We want to be a good neighbor. We know just another neighborhood park is not going to be acceptable to the FishHawk community."

Resident David Harris was in favor of leaving the land as it is.

"Our kids need land to play, a place where they can have a football game without breaking windows," he said. "We don't want to see more tennis courts. We have tennis courts. We don't need them."

He said he thought the proposal was a waste of money when there are so many other community needs.

"We need an ambulance stationed at the fire station," said Harris, a Tampa firefighter. "I know the response times. It takes 10 minutes to get here. Let's forget the park and work on safety issues.

Harris noted that not all dog owners are responsible and he fears they could represent a danger to children in the community.

"Without an ambulance, who will respond if they get hurt?" he asked.

Thornton said the county isn't intending to develop the entire site.

"We want to keep it as natural as possible," he said. However, a dog park is a low-maintenance use for the site, he said, noting that it costs $30 an acre to mow.

Some residents said they were in favor of having a dog park -- just not as this location.

"I have dogs and I've used the (Mango Dog Park)," said resident Martha Kuska. "Generally, people there pick up after themselves. But I understand why residents wouldn't want it in their back yard."

She asked if the plan could be amended to move the dog park away from homes and put it in place of the proposed tennis and basketball courts.

"I would love to have a dog park," she said. "I walk my dog on the trails all the time and I'd love for them to be able to run off-leash."

Thornton said none of the plans are set in stone. He will take public comments on the proposal until Dec. 22 and then schedule another public meeting on the issue.

"This isn't locked down," he said. "We need to weigh the issues. I heard tonight there is some need for a dog park, but it may not be here."

Resident Mike Leibgold noted that there's a reason the community of Summerfield is attempting to purchase a county park from the county and turn it into a private community park.

"When it's private property, you can ask people to leave," he said. "You have some control over it."

Resident Nick Casale also thought the county should leave the property as is.

"I think this proposal is insane," he said. "This is a private community and there's no place for a public park here. You'll see property values around the park plummet. I'd rather see us do nothing or invest the money in infrastructure like a reclaimed water system. The money could be put to better use."

Thornton agreed that parks tend to affect area property values.

"It will probably detract from the property values of homes right next to it," he said.

Residents suggested putting money toward the Pinecrest Little League fields south of FishHawk Ranch where their children play Little League baseball. That facility is aging and needs a number of improvements, they told Thornton.

Thornton agreed that the fields need help.

"If you play Little League in this area, you play at Pinecrest," he said. "Those fields are just swamped over there."

Others thought the funds should be used to improve existing county parks.

Thornton agreed that his county parks in the area could use some improvements.

"Some of our tennis courts haven't been resurfaced in 10 to 15 years," he said.

At the same time, said Thornton, the proposed park property on Osprey Ridge and Parkset drive is already public property and, therefore, is open to the public.

"People can come there and use it now," he said. He added, however, that he doubts the property is much of an attraction in its existing state.

"We have some of the most pristine sites in Florida within four miles of here," he said.