ASPEN – — Reconsideration of a dog ban on many of the open space parcels that make up Sky Mountain Park appears unlikely, though Snowmass Village Town Council members declined to support the prohibition this week.
Monday’s turn of events — the Snowmass council voted 2-1 to support a management plan for the park except for the dog ban and a provision allowing limited hunting — apparently took Pitkin County officials by surprise. Two county commissioners on Wednesday took issue with what transpired in Snowmass Village, where some residents said they felt “duped” by the dog ban after town voters agreed to put $2 million toward the purchase for the former Droste property, a key piece of the park.
A wintertime closure on the Droste land, as well as adjacent open space, went into effect shortly after the purchase at the end of 2010, and the dog ban was put in place through an interim management plan. The final management plan now under consideration also incorporates the dog prohibition, supported by the conclusions of a wildlife study in the park.
“I was taken aback a little bit by some of the comments,” Commissioner George Newman said at the start of the commissioners’ regular meeting Wednesday. “I would encourage citizens who supported the purchase to let elected officials know you support the management plan and the dog ban.”
“It was rather disturbing — the tone of what occurred,” added Commissioner Jack Hatfield, a Snowmass Village resident.
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