After a balky presentation and heated debate, Coquina Key residents agreed Tuesday night to sit down with the city and discuss building the county's first dog park. This will bring some more people in.
City laws require all dogs to be leashed outside controlled enclosures.
Fearing liability for dog bites and attacks, the city previously resisted building such a facility, Metzger said. But after Sarasota County's recent success with two dog parks, St. Petersburg decided it might be a worthwhile venture. Park officials began by tossing around a short list of neighborhoods that might be good homes for a dog park. They decided to approach Coquina Key only after Bob Funari, vice president of the island's neighborhood association, told them that Coquina residents might be interested. But the city almost lost neighbors before it started.