HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-10 Bylaw Committee Minutes • � Town of Reading
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Bylaw Committee
Date: 2024-01-10 Time: 7:30 PM
Building: Virtual Location: Zoom
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: Dogs in Town Forest; snow Version: Final
shoveling
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jared Belliveau
Jason Clarke
Jennifer Hillery
Jesse Arnold
Liz Sullivan
Members - Not Present:
OtherS PreSent:
Laura Gemme
Bill Sullivan
Nancy Docktor
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Liz Sullivan
Topics of Discussion:
The meecing was called co order at 7:33 PM.
Dogs in Town Forest
• The Bylaw Commitcee liscened to a presenration from Bill $ullivan, chair of�he Town Forest
Committee, regarding cheir proposed change to the bylaws.
• The presencacion highlighced che concinuing complaina abouc con9ica between mmmercial dog
walkers with multiple off-leash dogs and che public, and provided a cable of the policies held by
other towns regarding leash laws. Bill $ullivan emphasized chat the Town Foresc is noc a dog
park. The Town Forest Commitcee had sought input from Reading's Animal Concrol Offcer,
who scaced thac in a group setting, two people walking off-leash wich 10 dogs can never concrol
them in che evenc of an issue, and the best thing would be m have a limic of no more than two
dogs off leash per person.
• Jesse Arnold asked abouc enforceabiliry, since Animal Control ONcer is noc likely to be presenc
during intidenct. Bill Sullivan agreed [hat che Animal Control Offcer would noc be making
regular pacrols, buc chac people can reporc to the Animal Control Offcer.
• Jared Belliveau indkaced support for how che bylaw adds more "ceeth" co the definicion of
"under effective voice control."
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• Jesse Arnold suggesced cha[che requirement of the handier to carry a leash should dariTy chat
there should be oneleash per dog.
• Jen Hillery asked if[here were any statiscics about the number of complainu, and Bill $ullivan
replied it isn'c tracked. Not many complaincs go ro the police, buc people will mencion it co the
Town Forest Committee, co Town Hall staN, or on Facebook.
• Jesse Arnold asked if there will be signs, and Bill Sullivan replied chat if the bylaw changes are
passed, there will be signs ac che entrances ro che Town Forest.
• Jason Clarke made a motion to support che proposed town forest bylaw changes, as presented
at the meeting, and fared 8elliveau seconded. The motion passed wi[h a roll call voce of 5/0.
Snow Removal Bylaw
• Jesse Arnold provided an updare [o che mmmittee regarding che snow removal bylaw. Before
the winter holidays,Jesse Arnold had met with Macc Kraunelis and Fidel Maltez and was
enmuraged co noc bring�he bylaw co Town Meecing in April, given the amounc of time
expected to be spent on che MBTA article.
• All members o(the bylaw wmmitree expressed supporc for delaying bringing che bylaw ro
Town Meeting until the November 2029 meeting. No voce was taken.
Approval of Past Meeting Minutes
• Jen Hillery made a motion ro approve the minutes from the October 4, 2023, meecing, as
amended, and Jesse Arnold seconded. The motion passed with a roll call vote o(5/0.
Liz Sullivan made a motion co adjourn, which was seconded byfared Belliveaa This mocion passed wich
a roll call vore of 5-0 and the meeting adjourned at 6:47pm.
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