The recommendation from the citys Ad Hoc Committee on Dogs could include designating Good Harbor and Wingaersheek beaches as off-leash areas for folks who want to frolic with their Fidos a little more freely.

Steve LeBlanc, the Ward 3 city councilor who chaired the ad hoc committee, said the current recommendation which he admitted could change before it is presented to the Ordinances and Administration subcommittee on April 14 and then to a public hearing on April 22 is designed to provide dog owners with a little more latitude when it comes to taking their dogs off the leash.

Right now, if your dogs are off the leash in the city of Gloucester outside of the dog park, youre breaking the law, LeBlanc said Wednesday. We were looking for specific areas of the city where we could ease restrictions and provide them with a little more leeway.

LeBlanc said the recommendation for off-leash access at the beaches will include prescribed hours in the mornings and evenings, as well as signage explaining the new laws that will include limits of dogs per owner, licensing, behavioral guidelines and enforcement of sanitary measures.

First time, youll get a warning, LeBlanc said. Were not going to go full-throttle right out of the gate.

He said the schedule will allow ward councilors to hold public meetings in their wards to generate citizen feedback on the possibility of leash-free areas at the two beaches and to incorporate that feedback into any revisions to the citys current dog-related ordinances.

I think the committee did a really good job to recognize those areas where we might be able to make changes to our dog ordinances, LeBlanc said. Now it will go back to O&A and from there to the council as a whole.

LeBlanc said the committee chose Good Harbor and Wingaersheek because of the relative expanse of both beaches and their setting away from busy roadways.

We looked at other beaches, such as Niles Beach, but for one reason or another, they didnt really work as well, he said.

LeBlanc said Public Works Superintendent Michael Hale will have to sign off on the inclusion of any off-leash areas and regulations. He also said the ad hoc committee plans to speak with police Chief Lenny Campanello about the realistic expectations for enforcement of the new rules.

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City may change leash law for beaches