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Dogs’ Beach Runs Will Continue a Bit Longer

Westbrook’s dogs got a reprieve this month. The Town Meeting’s electors, in weighing action on the Use of Town Properties ordinance with its beach ban for dogs, decided not to act. Instead, they voted to send the ordinance back to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) with a request for revisions, including a suggestion to make the beach ban seasonal.

About 40 people attended the Oct. 18 Town Meeting called to consider adoption of the new ordinance.

Rosemary Mastrobattisto rose first to speak against the ordinance and suggest that the public comments linking dogs and disease is in fact misinformation. In speaking with public health expert Bob Powitz, she said he confirmed that in this area and climate, there is no disease humans can catch from dogs.

Understanding the concerns of the public, though, with respect to having dogs on the beach during the summer months when children also play on the beach, she suggested a compromise: ban dogs from the beach just during the summer months.

Though she was the first to suggest it, a series of speakers over the next 45 minutes appeared to support both the ordinance and a compromise position that would make the beach ban seasonal.

Several speakers asked that the ordinance’s section (f), Special Events, be revised. The ordinance now reads that an application by a Westbrook organization for a special event permit on town land be filed at least 60 days before an event. Several speakers suggested this was too long and asked that the period change from 60 days to 30 days.

One speaker, Sid Holbrook, also asked that the ordinance’s section f be revised to allow an individual to apply for a special event permit.

After 45 minutes of discussion, Steve Flynn stood to make a motion to re-direct the draft ordinance back to the BOS. The motion also asked that the BOS consider revising the ordinance language in three areas: first, make the dog ban seasonal; second, change the special event permit process to require a 30 day in advance application instead of 60 days; and third, to allow an individual to apply for a special event permit, if the event is for an appropriate purpose. The motion was called—and passed overwhelmingly.

Now the ordinance returns to the selectmen, who now will consider the town electors’ suggested changes. If the selectmen agree to make ordinance changes, they would adopt a revised ordinance and send it back to another town meeting later this year for action.

That means that town dogs will have at least another month to frolic and run on the town’s beaches unrestricted—and if only a seasonal ban is voted, they will be able to keep going on the beach with their owners all winter.