Wilson
07-12-2007, 07:48 PM
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/woodlands/news/4961070.html
July 11, 2007, 7:39PM
Woodlands wants dog owners to scoop poop
Parks leaders start campaign to rid pet waste in parks, pathways
By BETH KUHLES
Chronicle Correspondent
Chris Nunes is on a mission to clean up The Woodlands.
The Woodlands director of parks and recreation has begun a campaign to urge pet owners to pick up after their dogs when using the parks, pathways and streets around The Woodlands.
"Collectively, we have made The Woodlands great," Nunes said. "But collectively, we can trash it."
Complaints increase
The Community Associations of The Woodlands is getting an increasing number of complaints about the piles left behind by pooches throughout The Woodlands, especially around Windvale Park in Alden Bridge and Millbend Circle in Grogan's Mill. Nunes said in addition to being unsightly, pet waste is also a threat to the environment and public health.
"Pet waste is more than smelly and unsightly: it is a health risk to the environment, pets, people and children," Nunes said. "Pet waste contains disease-causing pathogens and harmful chemical and nutrients that when not properly disposed off impedes landscaping efforts and washes down storm drains, contaminating local drinking water."
Spreading the word
Nunes is spreading his one-man campaign through broadcast messages by individual village associations, the local community magazines and local message boards.
He also hopes to get approval to post signs strategically throughout the community.
"It will be just a friendly reminder," Nunes said. "This is a personal responsibility issue. Bring a bag with you when you walk your pet."
The Woodlands has tried to tackle the problem in the past by installing pet waste disposal systems throughout the community.
But the issues became which parks to prioritize or how frequently to locate the systems along the pathways.
What lies ahead
As an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, The Woodlands has no power to enforce a pet waste ordinance.
That is not likely to change — at least not in the near future — if The Woodlands transitions to a special district form of government.
Residents will get to decide in November whether they want the Town Center Improvement District to expand to include the entire community.
The Town Center Improvement District does have a regulation to curb pet waste in Town Green Park.
However, the rule was not written to apply to other public property in the rest of The Woodlands business district or its future boundaries, said Steve Sumner, vice president of public safety and operations at TCID.
Sumner said TCID has had lots of success with compliance in Town Green Park and he has received no complaints about pet waste from crews that clean the park daily.
TCID does supply two pet waste disposal systems at the north and south entrances to the park.
July 11, 2007, 7:39PM
Woodlands wants dog owners to scoop poop
Parks leaders start campaign to rid pet waste in parks, pathways
By BETH KUHLES
Chronicle Correspondent
Chris Nunes is on a mission to clean up The Woodlands.
The Woodlands director of parks and recreation has begun a campaign to urge pet owners to pick up after their dogs when using the parks, pathways and streets around The Woodlands.
"Collectively, we have made The Woodlands great," Nunes said. "But collectively, we can trash it."
Complaints increase
The Community Associations of The Woodlands is getting an increasing number of complaints about the piles left behind by pooches throughout The Woodlands, especially around Windvale Park in Alden Bridge and Millbend Circle in Grogan's Mill. Nunes said in addition to being unsightly, pet waste is also a threat to the environment and public health.
"Pet waste is more than smelly and unsightly: it is a health risk to the environment, pets, people and children," Nunes said. "Pet waste contains disease-causing pathogens and harmful chemical and nutrients that when not properly disposed off impedes landscaping efforts and washes down storm drains, contaminating local drinking water."
Spreading the word
Nunes is spreading his one-man campaign through broadcast messages by individual village associations, the local community magazines and local message boards.
He also hopes to get approval to post signs strategically throughout the community.
"It will be just a friendly reminder," Nunes said. "This is a personal responsibility issue. Bring a bag with you when you walk your pet."
The Woodlands has tried to tackle the problem in the past by installing pet waste disposal systems throughout the community.
But the issues became which parks to prioritize or how frequently to locate the systems along the pathways.
What lies ahead
As an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, The Woodlands has no power to enforce a pet waste ordinance.
That is not likely to change — at least not in the near future — if The Woodlands transitions to a special district form of government.
Residents will get to decide in November whether they want the Town Center Improvement District to expand to include the entire community.
The Town Center Improvement District does have a regulation to curb pet waste in Town Green Park.
However, the rule was not written to apply to other public property in the rest of The Woodlands business district or its future boundaries, said Steve Sumner, vice president of public safety and operations at TCID.
Sumner said TCID has had lots of success with compliance in Town Green Park and he has received no complaints about pet waste from crews that clean the park daily.
TCID does supply two pet waste disposal systems at the north and south entrances to the park.