Holmes Beach Commission Chair David Zaccagnino told attendees at the Jan. 31 commission work session he’s “very adamant” that future dog park use be separate from ball park use at the city’s Birdie Tebbetts Field.

    Zaccagnino shared his ideas to encourage more ball park use, including Little League, kickball, father-pitch and softball. He proposed a new fence to separate a reduced ball field and an area for dog owners, with the square footage in the areas being roughly equal. The size of the ball park discourages use, he said.

    Zaccagnino described the field as “larger than Fenway Park,” and said he believes that is “why it doesn’t get used.”

     “It would be a shame to lose the baseball field,” he said. “And the dog owners deserve an area, too,” he added.

    Some 30 to 50 dog owners use the ball park daily to exercise their pets.

    At a Jan. 17 work session, several dog owners requested sign changes, and also asked commissioners to consider eliminating the ball field if its use continues to wane. Organized baseball has not been scheduled on the field for about three years.

     Zaccagnino said he spoke to Joe Duennes, public works superintendent, and Scott Dell, assistant director of the Anna Maria Island Community Center, who were involved with the original planning of Tebbetts Field. They are willing to work on reconfiguring the field, Zaccagnino said.

    “I particularly like the idea,” Commissioner John Monetti said. “I didn’t know why I couldn’t hit a home run.”

    Dog owners, however, had different views. “In theory it sounds good,” said Socko Pearson who uses the field regularly to exercise his dogs. He added, however, such a re-design is unnecessary considering the unlikely interference of casual ball players and dog owners. “Little kids can’t hit,” he said, and the dog people just move to the outfield if someone wants to share the field for batting practice. He noted that Zaccagnino’s plan could result in greater safety concerns if ball players hit home runs on the smaller field into the dog park area.

    If it’s not broke, let’s not fix it,” said Renee Ferguson. “Unless a dad comes to throw us off the field, there’s no real problem with the shared use.”

    She said the field is not being used as a ball park, and questioned the money being spent by the city on fertilizers, mowing, grading and raking the field. “I don’t know what those numbers are.”

    Zaccagnino pointed out there are costs to the dog use, including seeding and repairing holes, and the dog bags and waste receptacle.

    He also noted the city’s discussion of the dog park/ball park issue has attracted recent ball field users. “Because of this issue, our park is being discovered,” he said.

    More casual players have been noticed at the field, according to Commissioner Sandy Haas-Martens. Mayor Rich Bohnenberger said a charity softball game has requested use of the field Feb. 18.

    Dog owners then brought the focus back to their immediate concerns relating to a sign change.

    Commissioners arrived at a consensus to remove the sign that reads: “This field for baseball/softball only, all other activities use soccer field” and to leave the sign “No dogs permitted during ball playing activities.”

    Commissioner Jean Peelen remarked “that’s the problem (the dog owners) brought to us and we’re leaving them with it.

    “A new sign that requires ball park use sign-up is being prepared,” the mayor said.

    “For those looking to schedule a ball game,” Zaccagnino said, “the sign will direct them to city hall.”

    Resident and dog park proponent Forrest Longworth Jr. agreed with Zaccagnino on separating dogs and ball players, but had more immediate concerns with the signs and casual use of the field by a few ball players ousting large numbers of people exercising their dogs.

    He provided commissioners with copies of a news article about a town in Idaho that had faced a similar issue at a ball field “that had been all but abandoned over the years.” That city turned its ballpark into a multi-use park, including a dog recreation area.

    Longworth also noted what appeared to be a less than coincidental influx of youths to toss a football or take batting practice in the past week.

     “I think we have an issue with non-Islanders who want to use the ball field,” Longworth said after the meeting. “I have a problem with ball players who don’t live here telling us not to use the field.”

    One day last week a group of parents and ball players arrived at the field saying they were from G.T. Bray (park in the Bradenton), Pearson said.