RPV debates dogs on public beach
By Mary Scott Peninsula News
Thursday, August 18, 2011 1:14 PM PDT
Rancho Palos Verdes will seek community input about having either a dog-friendly or a dog-free beach.
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| Dogs and their owners frolic on the beach below Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes Sunday. The "Hill" communities have no dog park and people often bring their dogs to run off leash in places like the beach: even though it is no allowed. Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer
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RPV — Residents for years have enjoyed playing with their dogs on the beach just below Trump National Golf Club. For years, it was a privately owned beach and allowed. Now that the beach is no longer under private control and in the hands of the city of Rancho Palos Verdes it is questionable if the city will continue to allow dogs on the beach.
City ordinance prohibits animals on beaches, leashed or unleashed, and prohibits unleashed pets in city-owned parks. Will the city change its ordinance or amend it?
The 5-acre beach has been in use by dog owners, as well as families, swimmers, surfers and hikers, who use any of several trials that lead to the shoreline, for some time. Trump National transferred 24.4 acres of coastal property, including the beach, to the city in May as part of a project entitlement.
Since the city took control, it has acquired the services of the Los Angeles County Lifeguards, who have been on-site since July 5. According to them, there is a weekday average of 140 people and 47 dogs and a weekend average of 253 people and 76 dogs.
Residents also may have noticed rangers from the Parks and Recreation Department on the beach; however, staff said no citations have been issued to dog owners.
Thus far, staff said the city has received only one “informal” complaint regarding an unruly dog on the beach.
“I received a complaint from a resident just this weekend regarding an off-leash dog — I guess it was a pit bull — that aggressively approached the resident in that area,” Councilman Anthony Misetich said.
As part of the effort, staff, under the direction of council, will monitor and track complaints.
Rather than immediately banning dogs from the beach, City Council has agreed to let staff conduct community polling and study the issue.
Staff has done preliminary research but has not shared that information with council as of yet. Staff will bring that research, which will include dog beach compatibility with existing uses, environmental factors and estimated costs, when it is more comprehensive to council at a later date.
The plan is to reach out to the city’s Homeowners Associations, and businesses, residents and churches located along Palos Verdes Drive South for their input.
“I would encourage staff to look at all the potential, logical alternatives we might do,” Mayor Tom Long said. Long directed staff to look at the repercussions of banning dogs and how the city would enforce the ban, and possibly having dogs on leashes or permitted.
This effort will be conducted concurrently with the city’s agreement with landscape architect firm Mia Lehrer & Associates to prepare a site analysis for potential locations for both a dog and skate park.
Palos Verdes Estates resident Bruce Megowan, who has been working to establish a dog park on the Peninsula for the past several years hopes that this beach will not be the dog park residents have been seeking.
“I would hope that this would be in addition to any possible evaluation of an actual dog park,” he said, offering that this beach is not suitable for every dog owner given the steep trails to access it.
“I’ve been disappointed in the past with talking to city staff as to what progress has been made in evaluating dog park locations within the city, which City Council promised to do when the dog park for Grandview Park and Lower Hesse Park was eliminated from those plans,” he continued.
If you want the beach to remain dog-friendly or be dog-free, contact RPV City Hall by calling (310) 378-0383.
mscott@pvnews.com
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