ITHACA — No environmental review will be performed for the temporary off-leash dog area at Allan H. Treman Marine Park even though Common Council committed, at its Wednesday meeting, to reviewing possible permanent dog park sites by July of this year.

Calls for an environmental review followed the city's decision in October not to perform an evaluation under the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) or City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance. The lack of review was allowed because the decision to rescind the leash law is considered a “minor, temporary use of land having negligible or no permanent impact on the environment,” according to the resolution, and as such does not require environmental review.

Herb Engman, a member of the county's Environmental Management Council, took issue with this characterization and many other aspects of the city's decision. He views a one-year decision as far from temporary and said the city is working in reverse by making a decision to rescind the leash law and then studying the impacts of that decision afterward.

“As a biologist and an Environmental Management Council member, I have some grave concerns over the stance you've taken on the Festival Grounds,” said Mark Whitmore, referring to the city-owned land that has become the off-leash dog area. “I scratch my head and wonder why anyone would think migratory birds and grass-nesting birds wouldn't be bothered by dogs running around.”

Of particular concern for some is the northwest corner of the park, adjacent to the off-leash area, where tall grasses are intended to attract the birds Whitmore mentioned. The fear is that dog owners who can't or won't keep their pets out of the grasses are negatively affecting these populations.

“Over 200 species (of birds) use this area. It's an important area for birds and we don't know what the impacts are of having off-leash dogs and I think we should find out,” said Tony Ingraham, a retired environmental educator for the Finger Lakes region state parks.

Ingraham, like Engman, contends that the SEQR process was put in place for the precise purpose of finding out such impacts and for this reason the city needed to undertake the review before, not after, allowing off-leash dogs.

Those who supported the year-long rescinding of the leash law, which took effect on Dec. 1, noted that there has always been the intention of undergoing the SEQR process.

Ken Friedman, who supports the temporary dog park, said the creation of the provisional area was intended to give legitimacy to a de facto park while work is done to create credible proposals for permanent parks that would undergo full environmental review.

According to the resolution passed Wednesday, the city Planning and Development Department will be required to identify potential locations for permanent off-leash dog areas by July 31.

Areas to be examined will include, but are not limited to, the city-owned property at Treman Marine Park, city-owned land south of Cherry Street and land proposed as the southwest natural area.

A total of $5,000 was set aside to help fund the environmental review of these areas.

Engman sees a much easier solution.

“Fence it, and you would eliminate most of the problem,” he said.