LAYTON, Utah — The Layton City Council is meeting on Thursday evening. The big topic of discussion is a proposed off-leash dog area.
Right now, the city does not have an off-leash dog park. Some people in the community have been advocating for years to get one, but there hasn’t been any movement.
The proposed area is just behind the Eastridge Park subdivision, within the Eastridge Nature Park.
Some people who live directly next to the Park, like Landon Bickley, said they moved to their home because of nature. “Naturally, when we moved in here, the builder said there was going to be a nature park back there with trails. We were excited about that. We genuinely wanted people to enjoy the gully, and we wanted our kids to enjoy it too,” Bickley said.
Bickley, along with other neighbors, said they like the idea of the city having a dog park, but they think the location is wrong.
Neighbors opposed said there could be possible environmental issues because of the creek that runs through the park. They also added that an influx of dogs could scare wildlife in the area away. One of their main concerns was the traffic coming in and out of their neighborhood because of the number of children who live there.
But over the past several years, Jennifer Shepherd has been advocating for a dog park somewhere in the city. “We looked into where we can take him to socialize him, exercise him, and enjoy him. That’s when I realized, there is nowhere in Layton where we can take our dog to have a safe off-leash experience,” Shepherd said.
We spoke to Shepherd back in October about her hopes of getting a dog park in the city. In the past, she said her ideas for an area have included underutilized areas or parks, like Andy Adams Park, and spare or leftover UDOT parcels.
“But the answer to that has always been it’s more expensive to do a traditional fenced-in park than a nature trail,” Shepherd said.
Shepherd said that since Layton Parks and Recreation picked this area, she believes they will develop it safely. The pushback has her concerned that this proposal will be taken off the table and bring them back to square one.
Michelle Hicks, the Director of Davis County Animal Care, shared a statement supporting the proposed dog park:
"Our animal-loving community has been actively working to get an off-leash dog area in Layton for several years, so we are incredibly excited to see this momentum building at Eastridge.
We completely understand and respect the concerns of the surrounding homeowners. However, that is exactly why we are so supportive of the layout the Layton City Parks and Recreation team has drafted. By utilizing proper boundaries and secure fencing, the city is designing a space that minimizes impact on the neighborhood while maximizing safety.
The reality is that people in Layton are going to own dogs, and many live in apartments or homes without large backyards. Right now, without a dedicated space, pet owners are forced to use regular parks or drive to other cities for off-leash space. A well-designed, fenced dog trail corridor actually solves problems for everyone—it keeps off-leash dogs out of non-dog areas, ensures the community remains clean, and gives pets a controlled environment to exercise and socialize.
After years of advocacy, the city staff has presented a fantastic, responsible roadmap. The community need is undeniably there, and we fully support Layton City moving forward with this project."
Despite their support, people who live in the neighborhood are still hoping it doesn’t get approved.
“I want a dog park. I want it in the right area of Layton, in a city park with a big enough road that can handle the traffic, that does not put children, dogs, elderly, or anybody else in jeopardy,” another neighbor, Shaurie Wade, said.
We reached out to Layton Parks and Recreation for more details on the proposal, but they were not available for an interview.
