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ADAMS, Mass. – The health department is considering banning dogs from the city’s sports fields.
“Dogs are getting rid of their solid waste on the playing fields and players and bystanders are stepping in,” said Mark Blaisdell, Code Enforcement Officer, speaking to the board last week.
Dog poop in public areas was regularly complained to the board. Two years ago it was a gathering along the Ashuwilliticook Rail Trail that came to light as the snow melted and urged city officials to urge residents to clean up after their pets.
The board of directors has initiated the discussion of the matter for the time being. Board member Peter Hoyt asked for the animal welfare officer to be present at the next meeting to clarify the future implementation of the possible regulation.
The board members also held back from making decisions in a neighborhood dispute over trees until the city council could get involved.
The issue was from May, when two neighbors at 5 and 7 Summer Streets – John Sherman and David and Diane Krol, respectively – brought their dispute to the board of directors. The Krols deal with five trees on Sherman’s property that are hanging in their property. They invited a certified arborist to inspect the trees, who recommended removing all five trees as they presented a moderate risk.
“We have a loss of activity in our garden because of these trees,” said David Krol. “We can’t use it the way we want. It certainly affects the value of our home. We certainly don’t want to live with this threat.”
Krol also appealed to the humanity of the board: “The risk is real. There are people involved. We just want to live in the certainty that we can use our property the way we want it.”
Sherman, who was visibly irritated during the previous meeting, said, “I live with 10 trees that belong to another person who is doing the exact same thing to my house and I live without fear. I think that is false fear of one Lots of people who think they’re tree whisperers. ” Sherman also had a tree removal expert examine the trees and advised them to stay up.
Sherman argued that “these trees are filled with beautiful foliage right now,” saying, “This is one reason I bought the house so I find [that] Removing these trees is an unnecessary encroachment. “
The chairman Dave Rhoads photographed the trees on the respective lots and presented them to the board on Wednesday. A stone wall separates the plots, which can lead to structural conflicts as the roots of the trees cannot grow into the wall.
Krol noted that if a tree fell on their property and a member of his family was injured or killed, Sherman could face serious liability. Hoyt wondered if the Health Department or the City of Adams could be held liable for damage if the panel decided that Sherman could keep the trees and one or more of them fell on the Krols property.
Hoyt suggested that the board wait until its next meeting (either July 7th or July 14th) to make a decision, at which it proposed that a city council be represented to address this concern.
In other areas, the board is back at full capacity, as Joyce Brewer was appointed to the open seat as the third board member on Wednesday.
Specialty Minerals also asked the board of directors to review and approve a project for Environmental Partners to consider a landfill at 260 Columbia St. Mark White to be treated as solid waste due to environmental and health regulations.
The current landfill facilities are nearing capacity, which makes this new project necessary. After a short discussion, apart from thanking White for a thorough presentation, the board unanimously approved the project.
Tags: BOH, poop, trees,
