Paradise Beach Pilot Program
We request your support of a pilot off leash program with limited
hours in the American River Parkway. These are general guidelines and we
welcome suggestions regarding hours, area for consideration and
enforcement. Send input to mail@sacdog.org.
Our Pilot Off-Leash Proposal DOES Include:
· A 24-month "Pilot Program" to be monitored & assessed
by county parks.
· Begin "Pilot Program" this September in conjunction with the American
River Parkway Plan Update.
· Area for consideration: 2-mile portion of the 23-mile AR Parkway. This
is primarily flood plain located on the south side of the river: from
the H Street Bridge downstream to the end of the lower dirt road (east
of Capitol City Freeway); and from the lower dirt road (excluding the
levee) to water's edge.
· Signs posted that list rules of program. Suggestions include: Dogs must
be under voice control; Pick up after dog; Carry a leash at all times;
Keep dogs away from anglers, small children, and wildlife; $ Fine for
not following program rules.
· Limited off-leash hours - Dogs must be leashed most of the day. Options
for consideration include but are not limited to:
October through March Off-Leash 6:00 - 9:00 AM + 4:00 -
6:00 PM
April through September Off-Leash 6:00 - 9:00 AM + 7:00 - 9:00 PM
(Daylight Savings Time)
Another option:
Oct through March Off-Leash All Day (Few parkway users
during winter)
April through September Off-Leash 6:00 - 9:00 AM + 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Our Pilot Off-Leash Proposal Does NOT Include:
· Off-leash area at Glen Hall Park or in the city
limits.
· Off-leash on the levee behind River Park residents' homes.
· Off-leash all day long, nor in the entire American River Parkway.
· Off-leash where there is a bicycle trail or other amenities in the
parkway.
These are preliminary guidelines based upon other off-leash areas in
open space. We welcome the county's input.
Why Support This Pilot Program?
The American River Parkway is designated as a "National
Recreational Trail" (River Corridor Management Plan for the Lower
American River (RCMP): Recreation Management Element - page 4. This
portion of the parkway is not a wildlife preserve or "sensitive habitat"
area. There exists a balance between recreational use and wildlife.
Additionally, this portion of the parkway is in the flood plain. Most of
the proposed area floods every winter and thus is not a suitable habitat
for many forms of wildlife.
Off-Leash recreation is a legitimate and popular
recreational activity. Off-leash recreation in unfenced open space is
permitted in many areas, including the East Bay Regional Parks District,
City of Woodland, Marin Open Space District, Mid-Peninsula Open Space
District, Marymoor Park in Seattle, Huntington Beach and many others.
(See attached list with interviews with park management)
The AR Parkway Plan Needs to Address
New Recreational Activities
Per the RCMP, new recreational uses in the parkway must
be considered. An example of a new recreational activity is in-line
skating, which was recently permitted in the parkway, although
previously not allowed. Off-leash dog recreation is just one of several
activities that need to be addressed. (RCMP - page v)
The AR Parkway Plan (adopted 1985) will be updated this
fall. A primary reason listed for the need to update the ARP Plan is
"Since 1985, new uses and reorientation of existing uses need to be
reviewed and considered." (RCMP - page 23) The 1985 American River
Parkway Plan does not prohibit off-leash dog recreation, but county code
does. ARDOG and SACDOG representatives will participate in the update
process led by the County Planning Department. We believe it prudent to
have the Pilot Program in place while the ARP Plan is being updated as
the county would receive on-going public input.
Human feces, not dog feces, is significantly polluting
our waterways.
In a Bacterial Contamination Study done in Morro Bay
(see entire report at California Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb3, click on Morro Bay DNA Final Report. The
breakdown of contamination is as follows:
Bird 22% - Human 17% - Bovine 14% - Dog 9%
Rafters and swimmers cause significantly more
contamination to our waterways than dogs.
Dogs, Whether Off-Leash or On,
Are Not a Significant Threat to Wildlife
The National Audubon Society as well as the county's
River Corridor Management Plan state that feral cats are a threat to
wildlife in the parkway, not dogs: "Off-Leash dogs are not a significant
threat to wildlife" RCMP, page 2-19.
Additionally, this portion of the parkway floods almost
every winter, and wildlife consists of jackrabbits, birds, and coyotes -
few to no deer. We believe the coyotes to be predatory, not domesticated
dogs that are fed on a regular basis. Additionally, we have proof that
off-leash dogs do not disturb wildlife or humans. A "Behavior Study" has
been done by Marc Bekoff,
Professor of Biology at the University of Colorado,
Boulder, and a Fellow of the Animal Behavior Society. Bekoff has
co-authored books with Jane Goodall. For more information about Bekoff,
please go to: http://www.literati.net/Bekoff/) His study is attached for
your review. Bekoff's study focuses on humans and animals sharing space
for recreational purposes. An excerpt from the Abstract follows:
"Off leash dogs generally do not travel far off trail,
and when they did, it was for short periods of time, and they rarely
were observed to chase other dogs, disturb people, chase wildlife,
destroy vegetation, or enter bodies of water. We conclude that the
well-being and interest of dogs should not summarily and dismissively be
compromised when dogs and people attempt to share limited space that can
be used by all parties for recreational purposes."
SACDOG and ARDOG Volunteers
are Parkway Stewards
SACDOG adopted a mile of the parkway at Paradise Beach
several years ago. Along with picking up trash on a daily basis, SACDOG
and ARDOG representatives make baggies available at several locations
along the parkway, and organize several "beach clean up" events each
year.
The Parkway is Negatively Impacted
by Human Activity, Not Dog Activity
Illegal activity is the rule, not the exception at
Paradise Beach: Parties with alcohol, over night camping, litter, and
campfires. The beaches are strewn with litter daily, including drug
paraphernalia, fish hooks and lines, broken glass, chicken bones, soiled
diapers, beer cans, towels, BBQ's…the list is endless. For the past
several years, we have helped the county clean the area of litter and
report illegal activities, and SACDOG has adopted Mile 6 of the parkway.
Per County Parks Director, "Volunteers save the county $1 Million
annually by cleaning the American River Parkway." We suggest a Hot Line
number be posted on signs in the parkway to report all illegal activity.
Few to No Complaints
The complaint report that county parks provided
Supervisor Johnson shows less than seven complaints per year for the
past five years. Many more warnings and citations have been given,
proving that the county is enforcing the leash law rather than
"responding to dog-related complaints." Additionally, the many warnings
prove off-leash activity is a popular recreational activity.
Partners With the County
We hope to work with the county to establish an
enforceable Pilot Program that gives constituents an opportunity to
legally exercise their dogs off-leash. We expect to be held to high
standards. The county could develop a permit fee for people who want to
use this portion of the parkway for off-leash recreation. The city of
Woodland implements a $10 a year permit that allows people to have their
dogs off leash in all city parks. If needed, we will raise money from
our broad base of support to help pay for signs that list the rules of
the off-leash program as well as the fine for not following them.
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