[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Green Tag Program - First Reading Questions

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Armstead, Steve


Responses to the questions asked by council member Young regarding the Voice and Sight Tag Program.
 
 
Question:   1. Would it be possible to provide annual data on the number of trails or trail miles available by user types (hikers, bikers, horses and dogs with green tag) since the inception of the green tag program or for a period
 long enough to identify a trend? And as a companion set of data to this, overlaid on the same graph, the cumulative number of green tags issued for the same period?


Staff Response:
OSMP staff is working on providing this information and will make it available in a separate Hotline post.  


Question:   2. Is there a definition for "aggressive animal" in the code and if not, can we provide one?


Staff Response:
The City Attorney has answered this question in a separate Hotline response. 


Question:  
3. What constitutes "protection of wildlife" and is there a definition in the code, if not, can we provide one?
 
Staff Response:
The table below includes both the state law with a definition for “harass” and the City of Boulder’s.  Additional information is available in a Hotline response to council
 member Cowles’ question on this topic. 
 





Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.)

 

33-6-128. Damage or destruction of dens or nests - harassment of wildlife



Boulder Revised Code (B.R.C) 

 

8-3-5. Wildlife Protection.

 




(2) Unless otherwise allowed by commission rule or regulation,
it is unlawful for any person to knowingly or negligently allow or direct a dog which he owns or which is under his control to harass wildlife, whether or not the wildlife is actually injured by such dog.
 Any person who violates this subsection (2) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of two hundred dollars.

(24) "Harass" means to unlawfully endanger, worry, impede, annoy, pursue, disturb, molest, rally, concentrate, harry, chase, drive, herd, or torment wildlife.
 


 No owner or keeper of a dog shall negligently allow or direct such dog to harass wildlife or livestock, whether or not the wildlife is actually
 injured by such dog, within any park, recreation area, or open space, or other property of the city, including, without limitation, any street or other right of way controlled or maintained by the city. This prohibition does not apply to any lessee
 of such property using a working dog to control livestock on the leasehold.





Question:  
4. Would it be possible to provide a table comparing fines assessed to various infractions by user group?


Staff Response:
Fines are determined after each infraction has been adjudicated through a court process.  Staff is not able to summarize fines for the infractions by each user group without
 significant staff time dedicated to reviewing each individual citation and outcome to report this information as requested. 

 
Question:  
5. Would it be possible to review the list of the criteria for reinstatement of a green tag at second reading?


Staff Response:
The Voice and Sight Tag Program includes a process for guardians to reinstate suspended privileges by completing a demonstration test, the Voice and Sight Evaluation Test
 (VSET).   The purpose of the evaluation test is to have a guardian and dog successfully demonstrate skills that indicate the ability to meet voice and sight control standards.
 
The VSET is conducted by a third party evaluator.   The test is designed to determine a dog’s ability to be under voice control in off-leash situations.  The primary components
 of the test include a demonstration of the following skills:





Walking under voice/hand control



Coming when called





Meet and greet a dog



Reaction to wildlife





Meet and greet a person



 




 
The test is on a pass/fail basis and the dog and guardian must complete the entire test and pass each skill to successfully pass the test. 

 
In addition to successfully completing the evaluation test, the proposed ordinance would require these steps for a suspended Tag Program privilege to be re-instated:
 

(1) Payment of a supplemental fee (currently $50) established by City Manager Rule;

(2) Providing written proof of attendance at a City of Boulder sanctioned presentation on voice and sight control of a dog;

(3) Providing written proof of attendance at and successful completion of a voice and sight control evaluation as described, above; and

(4) Certification by the applicant for reinstatement that he or she agrees to control any dog accompanying the guardian without a leash held by a person on certain City of Boulder
 lands where voice and sight control is permitted,
in the manner described in the presentation on voice and sight control of a dog.
 
Question:  
6. Do we currently communicate via email with green tag users? If not, what methods are used to communicate with licensees?

Staff Response:
OSMP has the email addresses for about 17,000 participants in the Voice and Sight Tag Program and have sent emails to the participants providing updates about the evaluation
 of the program and proposed changes.  There has been a concerted effort over the last year to have participants update their contact information and provide emails so that staff can contact and update participants about changes to the program. 

 
Dog licensees are mailed renewal notices each year with an information cover letter of both how to complete a license renewal and any upcoming changes to the licensing
 program. 
A utility bill insert was sent to inform Boulder residents of changes to the dog license program for 2014.    The dog license program is in the process of updating the licensing software
 so that licenses may be applied for online by both to participating vets and dog licensees. This new on-line software will be more accessible for customers and should improve the efficiency for using emails to provide information to dog licensees. The program
 has an email address of doglicense at bouldercolorado.gov
 to receive customer emails.



 
Steve Armstead
Environmental Planner
Open Space and Mountain Parks
City of Boulder
armsteads at bouldercolorado.gov
720-564-2059