Out-of-towners leave your dogs at home, the West Tisbury parks and recreation committee has decided, at least if you are going to Lambert’s Cove Beach with your pooch.
On Wednesday the committee agreed to restrict dog privileges to town residents, amid increasing complaints from beachgoers who have watched sunset picnics blemished by uncontrolled canines and unretrieved dog droppings.
The problem of increasing use of the town beach by people with dogs is not new, and was a subject for discussion before the parks committee last August, when Island dog owners promised to police the problem themselves. But after an off-season that saw little improvement, committee members said it was time for more drastic measures.
“I’ve picked up bags all winter which means that it’s not just tourists,” said parks and recreation board coordinator Peggy Stone. “Some people say we should eliminate dogs altogether but we’d like not to have to do that.”
Currently Lambert’s Cove Beach is open to all dog permit holders before 10 a.m. and after 6:30 p.m., though committee members acknowledged that few people bothered to purchase the $5 permits. Permits will now cost $10 and be available only to West Tisbury residents. Ms. Stone said the increase in the permit price will pay for the beach parking lot attendant to stay on duty until 6:30 to enforce the policy. In recent years the town has supplied plastic bags to dog walkers to clean up after their pets, but the convenience has created problems of its own.
“You walk down that path and the bags hang like Christmas trees,” said West Tisbury resident Tim Ryan, who along with Rachel Hessen were the only two residents to attend Wednesday’s meeting. Both came to register their displeasure about irresponsible dog owners.
“I’ve kicked more crap off that path . . . it’s just sickening,” he said.
Mr. Ryan, who walks the beach every day of the year, claimed the problem stemmed from nonresidents who came in droves after 6 p.m., when one of the last remaining dog-friendly beaches opens its gates to canis familiaris, a subspecies of wolf.
“I’m down there every day and there’s very few Massachusetts plates,” Mr. Ryan said. “These people are only here for a week. They could care less about taking care of the beach.”
Mr. Ryan and Ms. Hessen both painted a picture of unleashed and unruly dogs knocking over beach patrons on the long ambling path to Lambert’s Cove. Dogs are required to be leashed from the parking lot to the dunes.
Enforcement remains a tricky issue; committee members acknowledged reluctance in the community to obtain the permits and a limited budget to police the policy.
“I know West Tisbury people who say there’s no way I’m going to get a permit for my dog,” said committee member Cheryl Lowe.
“We can ask [West Tisbury animal control officer] Joanie Jenkinson to have more of a presence at the beach at least at the beginning of the summer to make sure people know that this is the way it will be,” said Ms. Stone.
Along with permits, dog owners will be required to sign a contract that requires them to clean up after their dogs, keep them leashed when appropriate and have their dog permits with them on the beach. Failure to do so will result in the revocation of their permits. Ms. Stone said she would look into creating specially-made West Tisbury dog tags.
Committee members even discussed the possibility of restricting Lambert’s Cove to West Tisbury’s human residents as well, á la other up-Island beaches.
“How hard would it be to put up a sign that says West Tisbury residents only?” Mr. Ryan asked. “That would cut out so much of the riff raff.”
Committee members said that they would consider the move for next year, especially if the new measures failed to stem the plague of errant plastic bags and unleashed dogs.
“I will check with [town administrator] Jen Rand to see if that is feasible,” said Ms. Stone.
But one committee member felt that it was a step too far.
“I’m not comfortable closing the beach to nonresidents, dog or no dog,” said Lisa Amols. She instead suggested that it was incumbent upon the parks and recreation committee to aid with enforcement.
“Here’s what I want,” she said. “Give me a T-shirt that says parks and rec and a name tag and I will go out there myself and tell people to pick up after their dogs.”
Ultimately, committee members said, they were trying to maintain what was one of the last seaside dog havens on the Island.
“We’re trying to get it so we don’t have to ban the dogs,” said Ms. Lowe.
“You need to train the people,” replied Mr. Ryan.
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