SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1223 07169 3700 M. f^^cu, ' (>~JL- T>>^<*-^ TVt^p T>*fc XXJNTY OF^SAN FRANCISCO RECREATION AND PARK DEPARTMENT fbruary 25, 2002 the Dept. embarks on a 1 0-year, $400 million capital plan, it is imperative that an off leash |g policy is adopted and in place as park design and renovation discussions begin. The intent of Is policy is to set up a group or groups of citywide criteria that pertain to the diversity of Irks and open spaces that define San Francisco. The Recreation and Park Department is the jward of wide ranaine uniaue landscapes and has the responsibility to make wise decisions on □Q \ nt Information Center jrancisco Public Ubn»y \ Street. 5th Floor 'FRAiNGfSCO IC LIBRARY strength and character of the communities that have developed > the intention of the Department to increase opportunities for /elop. We recognize the positive influences these communities hile the policy, on the face of it, appears to be restrictive, its for legitimate off leash use in our parks. Just blanket would definitely undermine that use. Inadvertently, off leash use h breadth of uses our parks are host to. The Department is >ns that allow these uses to coexist peacefully. licy on June 12, 2001 the Department has reviewed and s to that document. Nearly 300 staff hours were spent reading, *gestions from the public. While many said they disagree with the f common ground. Most citizens, whether dog owners or not, like f leash zones. Most citizens would also like the clean up laws ike the leash laws enforced. However, that said, it is clear that of confusion surrounding the draft dog policy. The purpose of es and rules so that civilized compromises can be reached in each [mmunity for balancing many conflicting land uses. FERENCE BOOK taken fro in I he Library ie following document is a reflection of the findings and a revision of the policy. Please note it the changes are noted in red. RJLF 353.78 Sa52d 2002 DOCUMENTS DEPT. MAR 1 2 2CC2 SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY ITY AND COUNTY OF^SAN FRANCISCO RECREATION AND PARK DEPARTMENT February 25, 2002 As the Dept. embarks on a 10-year, $400 million capital plan, it is imperative that an off leash dog policy is adopted and in place as park design and renovation discussions begin. The intent of this policy is to set up a group or groups of city wide criteria that pertain to the diversity of parks and open spaces that define San Francisco. The Recreation and Park Department is the steward of wide ranging unique landscapes and has the responsibility to make wise decisions on land management practices. The Department recognizes the strength and character of the communities that have developed while recreating with a dog. It is the intention of the Department to increase opportunities for these unique communities to develop. We recognize the positive influences these communities bring to neighborhood parks. While the policy, on the face of it, appears to be restrictive, its purpose is to create more places for legitimate off leash use in our parks. Just blanket enforcement of the current law would definitely undermine that use. Inadvertently, off leash use has created conflict with the rich breadth of uses our parks are host to. The Department is committed to facilitating solutions that allow these uses to coexist peacefully. Since releasing the draft dog policy on June 12, 2001 the Department has reviewed and considered over 2,700 responses to that document. Nearly 300 staff hours were spent reading, evaluating and incorporating suggestions from the public. While many said they disagree with the policy we found several areas of common ground. Most citizens, whether dog owners or not, like the idea of having designated off leash zones. Most citizens would also like the clean up laws enforced and a majority would like the leash laws enforced. However, that said, it is clear that there was a tremendous amount of confusion surrounding the draft dog policy. The purpose of the policy is to provide guidelines and rules so that civilized compromises can be reached in each community for balancing many conflicting land uses. The following document is a reflection of the findings and a revision of the policy. Please note that the changes are noted in red. DOCUMENTS DEPT. MAR 1 2 2002 SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY 1 .0 Introduction 2.0 Definitions 3.0 DPA Site Criteria 3.1 Location 3.2 Size Capacity 3.3 Boundaries/Barriers 3.4 DPA Surfacing 3.5 DPA Amenities! benches, bulletin board, water) 3.6 DPA Opportunities 3.7 Partnerships 4.0 Maintenance and Management Elements 4.1 DPA Rules 4.2 RPD/Partner Responsibilities 4.3 Advisory Committee 4.4 Hours of Operation 4.5 DPA Evaluation 5.0 Signs/Rules of DPA 5.1 Signs for on-leash areas 5.2 Signs for off-leash areas (DPA) 5.3 Enforcement 6.0 Miscellaneous 6.1 How to Propose a New DPA 6.2 How to Modify Eliminate a DPA 6.3 Funding 6.4 Complaints 6.5 Professional Dog Walkers 6.6 Public Information 7.0 Appendix 7.1 Park Code 7.2 Health Code 7.3 Park Acreage ( 1 0 acres & up) 7.4 Policy Stakeholders 75 Current RPD Off Leash ^'tes ®°& ^as^ Force Current & Recommended Site Lists 7. 6 RPD Permitted Athletic Field List 7.7 Significant Natural Areas Listand Criteria 7.8Svn.sitive Habitat Areas 8.0 Dog Policy References and bibliography (Available upon request) DRAFT 02/25/02 DRAFT 02/25/02 DRAFT 02/25/02 DRAFT 02/25/02 1.0 INTRODUCTION In preparation for the draft dog policy, we have performed extensive research and compilations of policies and data of dog parks throughout the country and world. The following draft policy reflects the Recreation & Park Dept. (UPD) Strategic P\an,inpui from community stakeholder groups, SF Municipal Codes, the 1998 Dog Task Force1 recommendations, as well as the best and most relevant efforts of established dog park designs and policies. The San Francisco Recreation & Park Department (RPD) welcomes dogs on leash in most of its parks; dogs are currently allowed off-leash in 19 designated areas. The Dog Task Force has recommended establishing an additional 1 8 sites, (\ppendix. see reference material for existing sites and task force sites) Existing & proposed sites will need to be evaluated in the context of this polic\ . Dogs are not allowed in some areas as noted in 3.1 of this policy. This policy does support on-going use of parks by dogs and their guardians. The following policy supports continued and increased education about how to be a responsible park user with your pet. RPD believes the off-leash dog issue is not entirely about dogs but a debate about appropriate uses for, and stewardship of scarce urban parkland and open space, which are stretched to accommodate all the uses San Franciscans propose for them. This policy outlines rules and guidelines to allow all citizens to share urban parks and open spaces without endangering one another or adversely affecting these spaces. The intention ofthe rules this policy is to assure San Francisco citizens and park visitors a quality and safe experience in our parks. which belong to all of us, and to future generations. 2.0 DEFINITIONS To provide consistency in this document, the following terms will apply throughout: RPD: San Francisco Recreation and Park Department DP A: Dog Play Areaas defined by RPD, a designated park space for off-leash dog use Owner: shall mean any person who possesses, has title to or an interest in, harbors or has control, custody or possession of an animal, and the verb forms of "to own" shall include all those shades of meaning. (SF Health Code, section 41.g) 1 Pursuant to the Board of Supervisors Resolution # 359-98, the Advisory Dogs-Off Leash Task force was formed. -Establishment of a Task Force to assess use of parks by San Franciscans with their dogs off leash, to investigate and to recommend solutions for improving conditions in City parks, and to look for ways to provide sufficient off leash opportunities for San Francisco dog owners. Neither T-t he Boarcbf Supervisors n orthe Rec/Park Commissiondid not formally adopfd the report and its recommendations. Partner (s): Dog Play Areas require aA* active volunteer or partner promam group t0 assist with monitoring and maintenance of DP A. Partners must demonstrate their commitment, organizational skills and willingness to support and promote the DPA standards. Dog Advisory Committee: As defined in section 4.3 of this policy, an advisory committee will be former to help RPD create, monitor, and mediate the community process surrounding DPA 's. MOV: Memorandum of Understanding Athletic Fields: Any field for which the RPD accepts paid, permit reservations (see appendix reference materials) Children's Play Area: Any area that is immediate proximity to children's play structure or apparatus and sandbox Significant Natural Resource Area: The Significant Natural Resources Management Plan (SNRAMP), adopted by the Recreation and Park Commission in 1995, lists over 30 open spaces throughout the city as Significant Natural Resource Areas (SNRAs). Significant Natural Resource Areas are generally remnants of San Francisco's original landscape and support important plant and animal populations and habitats. RPD's Natural Areas program is currently conducting a scientific study in order to .xiore clearly designate and define these areas. While the list in the SNRAMP provides a good framework for identifying SNRAs, it is general and is not necessarily reflective of on the ground resources. For example, not all land within -a designated SNRA is an important natural resource area (e. g„ lawns or areas where the landforms and vegetation have been highly altered). Similarly, some parks or portions of parks not listed in the SNRAMP contain habitat for sensitive species (e. g., portions of Lincoln Park and Golden Gate Park). Therefore, each park and open space must be evaluated on a case by case basis in order to determine the boundaries of the SNRA and Sensitive Habitat Areas. Some criteria that should be considered when determining the boundaries of Significant Natural Resource Areas are provided below. • Areas of existing intact native plant communities (remnants of the original landscape) • All habitat areas that support, or are likely to support, locally important, rare, threatened or endangered species (examples include red-tailed hawk nesting sites, heron rookeries, cormorant nesting colonies, red-legged frog habitat, western pond turtle habitat, wetlands, significant migratory bird habitat, quail habitat areas) • Active restoration sites ¥ Areas that have the potential to be restored. These areas typically would contain unaltered or un manipulated soils or substrate and would not have been heavily landscaped in the past. Typically these areas would be located adjacent to intact natural areas. • Areas that function as wildlife corridors or would link, or make contiguous, two or more nearby natural area fragments. • Buffer areas around intact native plant communities and important wildlife habitat areas. 3.0 DPA SITE CRITERIA FOR OFF LEASH USE RPD will use the following criteria as defined below to appropriately evaluate existing and potential new DPAs. 3.1 LOCATION The density of the dog population varies from community to community. The requirements of one community may not be the same as a neighboring community. -The size and nature of each DPA will be determined by several factors including, but not limited to, available park land, proximity to significant natural areas, dog population proximity to other DPAs and otherexisting park uses. It is RPD's desire to provide DPA opportunities in all neighborhoods. However, not unlike pools^ or athletic fields, some neighborhoods do not have adequate park space to meet this goal. Therefore, RPD will work closely with the Dog Advisory Com mittee -Group and community partners to identify suitable spaces for additional DPAs. DPAs should be neighborhood friendly and, at a minimum, will be located where they will not adversely impact the surrounding neighborhood and open space by: • Causing ongoing conflicts due to overcrowding • Causing detriment to the surrounding environment such as digging or trampling • Causing displacement of established recreational activities including passive recreation2 • Compromising the intent of the DPA to allow dogs and owners to exercise and socialize in a safe area. Siting shall also take into account the following: • DPAs shall be sufficiently distant from residences so that noise and activity levels are no more disruptive to neighbors than typical park uses. Some noise is expected and will not be used as a reason to disallow the establishment of a DPA • Ability to place DPA on well drained area of any given park or financial resources to install appropriate infrastructure • DPAs shall comply with all codes and regulations as they apply to the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California Building Code Title 24. While dogs are allowed in most park areas, dogs are not allowed in the following areas: • Athletic fields • Tennis Basketball I olleyball Courts • Children's Play Areas • Sensitive Habitat Areas (feeding/nesting grounds for significant.animal species) • Significant Natural Resource Areas (as defined in appendix reference materials 2 The Department does alter 'ai1d uses based on community and capital demands. This does not preclude options to use guideline considerations. • Areas prohibited in Park Code Sec.5.023 3.2 SIZE The size of a DP A will reflect the amount of available land, clog populations, park size and other considerations (see Section 3.6 DPA Opportunities). Wherever possible, DPAs should be at least 30,000 square feet (equal to approximately 4A- tennis courts). The minimum size of a DPA shall be 8,000 10,000 square feet, approximately W& 2,800 square feet larger than a standard tennis court (60" X 120" j.-RPD modified National Flos and Recreation Association standards for DPAs of a minimum of 10.000 sq. feet, due to the constraints of available open space within the jurisdiction of RPD and the relative landmass of the City and County of San Francisco. £3 CAPACITY RPD will post each DPA with a recommended occupancy. The occupancy is the recommended maximum number of dogs that can effectively and safely use a given DPA at any one time. Users are expected to self regulate to the posted recommended occupancy. The capacity of a DPA shall be 100 square feet per 1 (one) dog. Thus, a minimum sized DPA of 8.000 square feet shall have a recommended occupancy of 20 dogs inside the DPA at any one time. 3.3 BOUNDARIES/BARRIERS DPAs require adequate delineation, natural or man-made, to protect dogs from vehicles, steep cliffs, and other hazards as well as to prevent conflicts with other park users. Some fencing will be required to separate adjacent land uses. Where fencing is required it will be 4 feet high. However, to the extent possible RPD will advocate for non-fence alternatives. The boundaries of DPAs will be identified with barriers physical enclosures, (shrubs, fencing). All barriers will strive to be aesthetically pleasing using landscape features such as shrubs and vines. Type of barrier, size and location will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Barriers shall be evaluated based upon the following criteria: adjacent site use; size of DPA; active park uses, proximity to SNRA, density and historic use patterns, information. The standard to be tested against is a dog s ability tcpermeate the barrier. Sec.5.02. Animals prohibited from certain areas. No person, other than members of the Police Mounted Detail when on duty, shall, in any park, allow any animal in his or her custody to enter any building, the Zoological Gardens, or those areas of Golden Gate Park known as the Arboretum, Japanese Tea Garden and Conservatory valley, or any playground, sandbox or other area reserved for children, or to enter or drink the water of any drinking fountain, lake or pond, except at places designated and maintained for such purpose. Notwithstanding the above provision, a blind person may enter buildings, the Arboretum, Japanese Tea Garden and Conservatory Valley with a guide dog (i.e. service dog). 3.4 DPA SURFACING RPD's experience and research of DPAs shows that grass will not grow in heavily used DPAs leading to muddy conditions and other environmental degradation. In an effort to provide the highest standards, possible in DPAs. RPD will only consider the use of turf in unusual circumstances. 'Tn accordance with RPDs turf management practices, DPAs with turf surfaces will be subject to closure during inclement weather and to perform routine maintenance. In these circumstances RPD will post signs directing users to the nearest DPA. If RPD and the DPA partners can 't maintain a reasonable turt-sHmcjilanting-RPD will evaluate with the community alternate materials for these specific sites. RPD favors the use of alternate materials such as sand, gravel, decomposed granite synthetic /////and other surface materials in smaller DPAs so as to allow for regular and appropriate maintenance. Combinations of materials may be used. 3.5 DPA AMENITIES RPD will provide at a minimum the following amenities: • Bag dispensers • Signs • Bench(s) • Surface material • Barriers • Trash cans (RPD to service) • Lighting (where financially and physically possible c£ will not adversely affect surrounding areas) RPD will work closely with partners and the dog advisory committee to identify funding sources for additional amenities such as lighting, water fountain, or informational kiosk. 3.6 OTHER/ADDITIONAL OFF LEASH EXPERIENCES DPA OPPORTUNITIES RPD welcomes the opportunity to provide several different outdoor experiences with your pet. In an effort to provide a more widely excepted natural experience. If the general screening criteria in section 3. 1 Location are met, RPD will initiate off leash use areas under the following circumstances, which the Advisory Board will investigate with support from the Advisory Committee Board: ¥-A_Trail Experience Regional Parks - Parks larger than 35 acres (see attached list for consideration) Boundaries: • Soft barriers such as language posts, or field markers .delineating approved areas • When in close proximity to conflicting uses limited hard harriers fencing may be used (i.e. stream or sensitive habitat areas) Size: • Overall park size and topography will drive size constraints. Surface Materials: • Surface materials will be governed by existing conditions, i.e. turf in meadows and dirt trails Other Criteria: • All park users must be able to access the facility without encountering off leash dogs • Signage that designates "Dogs allowed off leash on this trail (or meadow) ", and "Dogs not allowed off must be on leash" • Dogs must not be able to directly access prohibited areas such as Significant Natural Resource Areas (see attached list) • Off leash use does not preclude other uses at the publics discretion in these areas._ The public can use at their discretion B Large Parks & Squares — Parks 10-35 acres Boundaries: • Un fenced DP As are possible as long as paths, boundaries, signs, topographic features, landscaping and or other use separation features can reasonably define areas. • Partial fencing physical barriers may be required to delineate various uses. This will be decided on a case by case basis. Size: • These areas will be a minimum of 30,000 square feet (equal to approximately 4A- tennis courts) Surfaces: • The majority of these DP As will be have turf surfaces. RPD will consider use of mixed surface materials as required to meet optimum maintenance levels (i.e. sand, turf DO & synthetic turf) Other Criteria • DP A may not be adjacent to playground or path of travel to (he playground without limited hard barriers.^ • DP A may not be directly adjacent to SNRA without limited hard barriers • It is strongly recommended that DP A include direct access to at least one edge of the park to help facilitate access. A major access path trail may qualify, but pets must be leashed. • Off leash use does not preclude other uses at the publics discretion in these areas._ The public can use at their discretion. C Smaller Parks & Playgrounds — Parks 0-10 acres Boundaries: • DPA 's will be fencechave physical enclosures. Landscaping and other measures will be used to the extent possible to screen the effects of fencing enclosures Size: Xueiu in sdiqsjauypd ssiuoopM put? saSiunoDua qjh aq^ sjsajunioA jo sdnojg paziuegjo jo/pup 'sju3p|S3i ibdoj 'sjasn 3jis A"q yoddns pajip ajmbsj seajp qspsj jjo jsoui 'ajjuiiod aqj punojp sVdO J° Haressw jno uj 3jis VdO M3B3 JOjiuotu pup uipjuibui 'ajmado 'puni 'qsqqsisa dpq 0} sjssn sn jo Xiqiqe aqi uo psspq si vdd Aue jo ssaoons sqj 'sasuadxa Suqpjado pup dn-ypjs jpqdpo aqj qjoq oj ainqujuoo {{tm pup Kyadojd qjh uo sydO J3A° uoipipsunfspq Qjy ajiqyw saunieiSMOds^H in3W39vnvim omv sdmvnbinivim ot •sdiiwqisuodsdu utmSojd uauund/AdajunjoA ■loflfp uoijods o) .tafay dno.tti X.wooApv )f.md .iaS.inj n fo aauiuiwoa .10 lasqns japmus n aq ppiQM. .laui.md ajqvjdaaav uy -"HrapHjns si dnojg jo spusuj,, iu3jjtid v syda Suijsixa pup M9U joj psjmbaj si jauypd ^qisuodsai aiqpyiiuapi uy 'sp.mpunis yjg aqi aiowo.id pun jjoddns 01 ssduSuifflM pun spiys puoiinziunXjo luaiiiiuuuioa .iiaip ain.usuoiuap jsiuu s.taujjnj •33UBU3JUIBUI pup Suuojiuoui qiiM isissp oi uipjSojd jsuijpd jo JssiurqoA saijdp up sjinbaj syda Sjjpd |Biioqippp ui pawoqp 9q sf?op uipj^ojd uonpoyiiJaD ^Du^ip^qo shojotuj p 3u;i9jdmo3 uod^ iuaipg>qo pup pa.vpqsq jpM ipnuopdaoxa sp maqi Ajpuopi o} ns\\oo 9poo jo(Oo jo '[ppQui ttauoq PI0§„ e papjPMP 9q p[noM sSop uimSoud siqi uapuf} umuSoAd it auog p{OQti nfo tQipqissod aip oi punAuof syooj (7 regulator) -permits for Professional Dog- Walkers Monitor DP A to determine general compliance and effectiveness of barriers Report monitoring findings to the Advisory Committee and community Work with partners and Advisory Committee to remedy any flaws in DP A design, location, or infrastructure Partners • Stewardship of DPA to uphold policy standards • Distribute DPA rules and other educational materials to park users • Serve as good role models • Ensure DPA is kept free of animal feces • Alert RPD/Advisory Committee to maintenance needs • Help establish priorities for repair and renovation • Schedule routine cleanup/workdays as necessary • Fundraising activities to support additional amenities based on users-' -DPA needs Partners will enter into a MOU/permit agreement with RPD under the auspices of the Advisory Committee. (See appendix) Failure to meet standards and responsibilities set forth in the MOU agreement will subject DPA to review by RPD. RPD retains the right to discontinue activities with any given partnership group. 4.3 ADVISORY COMMITTEE RPD will form an official Dog Advisory Committee with balanced representation from the DPA community, children's groups, environmental groups., other park users, and invested government agencies. The Dog Advisory Committee will be moderated by RPD and the RPD General Manager will appoint members. The RPD General Manager will also appoint the chairperson for the Advisory Committee. The committee will consist of 2 9 members four (1) six (6) selected from city wide organizations promoting park advocacy and three (3) representing city wide government institutions. A partial list includes, but not limited to: SFSPCA Neighborhood Parks Council PAWS SFDOG SF Animal Care & Control Fund for Animals Coleman Advocates SF Police Department Friends of ACC Native Plant Society Audubon Society Sierra Club Environmental Quality for Urban Parks Parks, Recreation and Open Space Advisory Committee (PRQSAC) Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services Department of the Environment Responsibilities of the Advisory Committee shall include, but are not limited to making recommendations on the following items: • Establish term limits and bylaws 12 Identify partnership opportunities Organize educational events (i.e. obedience classes, canine good citizen tests) Assist in developing and distributing education information Organize collaborative events throughout the City (i.e. vaccination and licensing days) Assist in the mediation of neighborhood park issues related to DPAs Recommend community guidelines Promote community relations Solicit and identify funding for amenities and improvements not provided by RPD Assist in review and evaluation of DPAs & Partnerships Establish a formal complaint evaluation system and DP A evaluation instrument. Act as liaison between users, local residents, and relevant citizen associations Meet bi-monthly unless deemed otherwise Meetings shall adhere to all City and State public meeting regulations Identify 3 (threefrlternatc l DPA/y//'/ meadow experiences (in regional parks) in the first year of forming Identify rules and outline prospective "Gold Bone" program • Draft language for DPA signs ? — Report to the RPD Commission 2-3 times per year with updates/issues 4.4 HOURS OF OPERATION DPAs shall be open 7 days per week, within the posted and/or legal hours for any RPD park. Hours of lighted facilities shall be worked out with effected residents/neighborhood and civic associations. RPD reserves the right to restrict any DPA operating hours as needed in accordance with neighborhood input as well as maintenance requirements. 4.5 DPA EVALUATION DPA evaluations shall be carried out one (1) year after a DPA is first sited, established, and/or significant renovation has been completed. After that, DPAs should be evaluated every three (3) years. An evaluation should be held in the interim if RPD determines that conditions warrant it. Existing DPAs shall be evaluated within one (1) year of this policy Ds inception. DPA evaluations will be conducted by a committee comprised of representatives from RPD, the Advisory Committee, the neighborhood, Animal Care & Control and relevant local citizen associations. The Advisory Committee and RPD will develop the evaluation instrument. The evaluations should include utiYizatiOtt^mp/iance, effectiveness of barriers, community and fiscal impacts. The evaluation should also include a satisfaction survey of users and neighbors and consider the number, severity, and resolution of complaints and issues raised during the evaluation period. 5.0 SIGNS/RULES OF DPA 13 The intent of providing signs is to identify, educate and provide a clear and consistent understanding of the expectations of dog owners and non-clog owne r.within DPA's and other parks throughout the city. The RPD shall provide and install signs at all DPA's that outline the rules and regulations for those spaces. When appropriate, directional signs to the park DPA will also be installed in all f>arks-4hat contain DPA's-[n addition, RPD will install informational signs, which will accompany bag dispensers at on-leash sites, that arc used by the dog walking communitv. The signs will outline several current San Francisco laws and ordinances also contain in addition information that has proven effective in managing off-leash facilities in other cities. 5.1 SIGN FOR ON-LEASH PARK SPACES - AS REQUIRED (These signs will accompany bag dispenser) Your neighbors and the Recreation and Park Department appreciate responsible dog ownership Please: Pick up and remove dog waste Leash your dog(s) "ith maximum 8 foot leash Don't leave your dog unattended Control excessive barking and noise Prevent digging and destructive behavior Keep your dog's vaccinations and license current Thank you, For information regarding dogs in parks, please contact the RPD @ (415) 831-2700 or Animal Care & Control @ (415) 554-6364 Health Code 40 A&B; 41.12 A-D, 41.15 Park Code 3.02 5.2 SIGN FOR OFF-LEASH PARK SPACES (DPA'S) Language for DPA s,8m will be developed with advisory committee. Language will reflect simplified rules and regulations. ^ee section 4.1 for general guidelines. 5.3 ENFORCEMENT Although previous enforcement has been inconsistent, RPD intends to pursue enforcement of all related state and municipal laws. Enforcement will necessitate a multi-agency effort to include SFPD, ACC, and RPD. RPD strongly believes the greatest voice for following established rules and policies will be from DPA partners and users. 14 Upon adoption of this policy, a period of ninety (90) days for extensive public education and notice will precede strict and consistent enforcement. During, this ninety (90) day period, ii is expected that the RPD will install informational signs, appoint Advisory ( 'ommiiiee, as well as provide educational materials to he distributed thai generally support a "soft" or warning, enforcement period. The RPD is eager to designate additional DPA's prior to hard enforcement. 6.0 MISCELLANEOUS 6.1 HOW TO PROPOSE A NEW DPA or ALTERNATE USE AREA In general, users and neighbors, and/or a park partner can submit a written request regarding the establishment of new DP As, or adding/repairing amenities at existing DPAs to RPD (submit to General Manager). The RPD will evaluate the request and make a recommendation to the Advisory Committee within 60 days of receiving the request. The Advisory Committee will begin public process/negotiations. Siting a DPA shall follow the accepted community-wide planning process, which includes public notification and opportunities for input from users and neighbors, RPD and relevant civic association (s). 6.2 HOW TO MODIFY OR ELIMINA TE A DPA If. after evaluation by the Advisory C 'ommiiiee. relevant park groups and RPD. a DPA is determined to he flawed in nature, potential solutions will he developed and implemented, i.e if an unfenced DPA fails to confine uses, hard harriers may he implemented. If adequate alternatives cannot he identified, or are deemed ineffective, RPD reserves the right to discontinue the DPA in question. 6.3 FUNDING Prior to establishing a DPA adequate funding must be identified by RPD, Advisory Committee and/or community partners. RPD has the primary responsibility for providing the resources necessary for the establishment, maintenance and management of basic DPAs. RPD will work with DPA Partners, The Dog Advisory Committee and other government agencies to identify support through additional city monies, grants, private and corporate funding, and agency partnerships. 6.4 COMPLAINTS Complaints and concerns arising inside the boundaries of the DPA should be brought to the attention of the RPD. All complaints will be reported to the Advisory Committee in a staff report. If after 60 days the complaint has not been resolved satisfactorily, the Advisory Committee and the complainant will meet with the appropriate RPD personnel to mediate the situation to resolution with final resolution the responsibility of RPD. 15 6.5 PROFESSIONAL DOG WALKERS RPD requires an RPD Permit and Animal Care & Control agreement form. Please see attached "Dog Walker Agreement Form" provided by San Francisco Animal Care & Control Department Dog Walkers are required to have a maximum 8-foot leash in their possession for each dog. Animal Care and Control recommends that professional dog walkers not have more than six (6) dogs in their control at any one time. RPD requires no more than six (6) dogs per person be off leash at any one time in a DPA. Professional Dog Walkers will use DPA's between the hours of 10:00 a.m. 9:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. RPD will institute a sliding scale fee schedule for Professional Do^ Walkers so as not to unduly impact their livelihood. 6.6 PUBLIC INFORMATION RPD will provide outreach information by producing signage and brochures that shall be distributed through a number of means including veterinary offices, SFSPCA, pet stores and RPD facilities, as well as the RPD WEB page which w+W-links to other support organizations. All RPD staffed facilities will provide information on the closest available official DPA (on or oft' leash). 7.0 Appendix 7.1 Park code 7.2 Health Code 7.3 Park Acreage (10 acres & up) 7.4 Dog Policy Stakeholders 7.5 Professional Dog Walker Agreement Current DPA Sites 7.6 RPD Permitted Athletic Field Reservation. List 7. 7 Significant Natural Resources list & criteria 7.8 Task Force Current & Recommended Site List 8.0 Dog Policy References & Bibliography (Available on request) 16 Appendix 7.1 Park Code Sec. 3.01 Obey posted rules & regulations Sec. 3.02 Signs to be obeyed Sec. 4.08 Interference with Recreation & Park Employees. No person, with malice may interfere or hinder an employee performing park duties. (Construction repairs or care of) Sec. 4. 1 2 Persons may be excluded under certain circumstances. Recreation & Park employees and Park Patrol are authorized to order any person to leave who disobeys any rule or regulation. Sec. 4.13 Refusal to obey the lawful order of a police officer, park patrol or Recreation & Park employee is prohibited. Sec. 4.14 Fighting, disturbing peace offensive words. Prohibited in a public place when likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction. Sec. 5.01 Dogs, cats, horses only allowed. Sec. 5.02 Animals prohibited from certain areas (except for guide dogs, Police Mounted Detail) Any building, the Zoo, Arboretum, Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory Valley, playgrounds, sandboxes or other areas reserved for children, or to enter or drink the water of any drinking fountain, lake or pond, except at designated places. Sec. 5.05 Vicious animals prohibited. Sec. 5.08 Disturbing animals, birds, fish prohibited. Appendix 7.2 Health Code Sec. 40 Dog to be controlled so as not to commit nuisances All dog feces must be removed and people walking dogs must carry materials to remove feces. Sec. 41.12 Duties of owners. All dogs must be leashed or tethered except in designated exercise areas under the jurisdiction of Recreation & Park. Person with dog(s) must be physically present at all times when dog is in exercise areas. Describes circumstances under which dog barking becomes an offense. Sec. 41.15 Dog License Requirement. Every person owning, keeping or having control of any dog over age of 4 months must obtain a current license for each dog. Sec. 41.18 Vaccination required for license. Dogs over age of four months required to have current rabies vaccination. Sec. 41 .21 Removal of dog tag prohibited. Sec. 41.5.1 Biting dogs.. Definition, declaring dangerous dogs, fines and penalties. Sec. 42.1 Fight Training prohibited. 17 Appendix 7.3 Recreation & Park Facilities (10 acres or more) Facility Location Acreage Alamo square Hayes & Steiner 12.695 Alta Plaza Park Jackson & Steiner 11.89 Balboa Park Ocean & San Jose 27.537 Bayview Park & Extension LeConte Ave 41.998 Bernal Heights Bernal Hts. Blvd 24.213 Buena Vista Park Buena Vista & Haight 36 Corona Heights 16th & Roosevelt 16.557 Crocker Amazon Geneva & Moscow 54.95 Douglass 26th & Douglass 10.48 Glen Park/Canyon Chenery & Elk 101.113 Golden Gate Park 1017 Lafayette Square Washington & Laguna 11.487 Lake Merced 368 acres lake, 170 acres golf 700 Lincoln Park Golf Course 34th Ave & Clement 204.068 Louis Sutter University & Wayland 17 Marina Green Marina Blvd 74 McLaren Park Visitacion Valley 297.5 Midtown Terrace Clarendon & Olympic 13.37 Mission Dolores 1 8th & Dolores 13.37 Moscone Chestnut & Buchanan 12.05 Mountain Lake 12th Ave & Lake' 15 Mt. Davidson Myra Way 39.42 Ocean View Capitol & Montana 10.25 Palace of Fine Arts Lyon Street 15.72 Park Presidio Presidio Blvd 23 St. Mary's Justin & Murray 13.53 Stern Grove 19th Ave &Sloat 33.149 Three Com Jamestown Ave 77.36 Twin Peaks Blvd Twin Peaks 13.58 West Sunset 39th Ave & Ortega 16.81 ZOO Zoo Drive 77.74 18 Appendix 7.4 Dog Policy Stakeholders EQUP Environmental Quality for Urban Parks SPC A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals NPC Neighborhood Parks Council FRIENDS Friends of Recreation & Parks GGAS Golden Gate Audubon Society COLEMAN Coleman Advocates for Youth SFACC San Francisco Animal Care & Control SFDOG San Francisco Dog Owners Group GREEN FRIENDS PAWS Parks are Worth Saving NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NPS Native Plant Society PRO DOG 19 Appendix 7.5 Current Dog Park Sites Zip Code Acreage tennis cts ball fields 3 2 6 soccer clubhouse play area Restroom* field Alta Plaza 15 11.9 Bernal Hts 10 24.2 Buena Vista 17 36 Corona Hts 14 16.7 Dolores 10 13.4 Douglas 14 10.5 GG Park Dog Training GG Park NE GG Park SE GG Park So Central Lafayette 15 11.4 Lake Merced 32 162 McLaren Park (2 sites) McKinley 34 7 317 2.48 Mountain Lake 18 15 Potrero Hill 27 9.5 St. Mary's 12 13.5 Stern Grove 32 33 Eureka Valley (trial) Upper Noe (trial) 14 31 1.9 2.5 2 basketball 6 x X *Restrooms open when RPD staff present 20 Appendix 7.6 Recreation & Park Permitted Athletic Fields Diamonds Ground-Sport Fields Alice Chalmers 670 Brunswick St. 1 Aptos Aptos St. & Ocean Ave. 1 Balboa San Jose & Ocean Aves. 2 Bayview Third & Armstrong Sts. 1 Big Rec Near 7th. Ave. & Lincoln Way 2 Christopher 5210 Diamond Heights Blvd. 1 Crocker Amazon Geneva & Moscow 5 5 Douglass 26th. & Douglass Sts. 1 Eureka Valley lOOCollingwoodSt. 1 Excelsior Russia & Madrid Sts. 1 Gilman Gilman Ave. & Griffith St. 1 Glen Park Bosworth St. & O'shaughnessy Blvd. 2 Holly Park Holly Circle & Highland Ave. 1 Jackson Mariposa & Arkansas Sts. 2 Julius Kahn West Pacific Ave. & Spruce St. 1 Junipero Serra 300 Stonecrest Drive 1 Kimbell Geary Blvd. & Steiner St. 2 Lang Turk & Octavia Sts. 2 Larsen 19th Ave. &UlloaSt. 1 Laurel Hill Euclid & Collin Sts. 1 Little Rec Kezar Dr. & Waller St. 1 Louis Sutter #1 University & Wayland Sts. 2 McCoppin Square 22nd. & Santiago St. 1 Miraloma Omar & Sequoia Way 1 Moscone Chestnut & Laguna Sts. 4 Ocean View Capitol Ave. & Lobos St. 5 Parkside 28th Ave. & Vicente St. 1 Portola Somerset & Felton St. 2 Rolph Potrero Ave. & Army St. 2 Rossi Arguello Btw. Edward & Anza Sts. 2 Silver Terrace Silver Ave. & Bay shore Blvd. 2 South Sunset 40th Ave. & Vicente St. 2 Sunset 28th Ave. & Moraga St. 1 Upper Noe Day & Sanchez Sts. 1 Visitacion Valley Cora St. & Leland Ave. 1 West Sunset 1 39th Ave. & Ortega St. 3 4 21 Youngblood Coleman Galvez & Mendell Sts. 1 Franklin Square 16th & Bryant Sts. Grattan Stanyan & Alma Sts. Louis Sutter University & Wayland Sts. Polo Fields 36th Ave. Fulton Ave. & Lincoln Way (Ggp) * Outfield Of Athletic Fields Also Permitted For Football And Soccer 22 Appendix 7.7 San Francisco Recreation & Park Department Significant Natural Resource Areas Bayview Hill Bernal Hill Billy Goat Hill Brooks Park Buena Vista Park (Oak Woodlands) Corona Heights Dorothy Erskine Park Duncan Castro Open Space Edgehill Mountain Fairmont Park Glen Canyon/O 'shaughnessy Hollow Golden Gate Heights (West Side) Golden Gate Park Oak Woodlands Grandview Park Hawk Hill India Basin Interior Greenbelt Kite Hill Laguna Honda (PUC property) Lake Merced Lakeview/Ashton Mini Park McLaren Park Mount Davidson Mountain Lake Park Palou Phelps Open Space Parcel Four/Sutro Baths Pine Lake Rock Outcrop Rolph Nicol Park Sharp Park — Pacifica Twin Peaks 23 Appendix 8.0 References A Department Policies & References 1. Dog Policy Report of the Advisory Dogs Off-Leash Task Force May 1999 2. Dog Running Areas in City Parks, SFRP brochure Dog Walking Parks, Friends of Recreation & Parks Creating Community Support for off leash dogs in City Parks, CPRS Session Outline 2000 Significant Natural Resource Areas of San Francisco 3. Strategic Plan Public Comments Best Friends and "Park Friends", Neighborhood Parks Council, June 5, 1999 How do off-leash dogs in SF Parks impact children & families, Coleman Report 4. Maps: Current and Proposed Task Force Off Leash Areas; Demographics of Concentration of Dogs Dog bite Statistics 5. SFRP Facilities List; PUC Property List 6. Inside City Parks, Peter Harnik, Urban Land Institute Report Minneapolis Site Criteria Rating; NRPA Planning Parks for Pets Dog Access Site Evaluation Criteria, , Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District B Codes, Laws & Liability 7. Municipal Park Code & Health Code 8. What Every Dog Owner Should Know, SPCA,; City Laws re: dogs 1 . Animal Care & Control ; Dog Walker Agreement; ACC Codes for dog walkers Amos Brown Amendment re: transferring Dog Licensing Fees from Tax Collector to ACC Pro Dog, Professional Dog Walkers Association 2. Pet Owners & the Law, Maryville; Dog Bite Law, Legal Rights of a Dog Bite Victim; Liability of Dog Ownership: Insurance Options; How to Avoid Dog Bites, dogs & dog repellent, US Postal Service C Dog Advocates & Community Groups 11. Mayor Proposes Doggie Cops 12. Report Card on the City's System of Official Off-Leash Dog Runs, SF Dog 13. San Francisco Recreation and Parks, Park Improvement Proposal, SF Dog & San Francisco SPCA, August 25, 1999 Managing Off-Leash Recreation in Urban Parks, SF Dogs, May 1999 14. SPCA 15. CEQA Laborers' International Union of North America Local Union #261 Letter Friends of Dolores Park, Donald Bird Informational Letter, July 2000 Dolores Park Dogs Palo Alto People for Unleashed Pet Space (PUPS) The Ruff Part of Town, Pawprint Peninsula Humane Society Dog Parks: Pennisula Access for Dogs (PADS) History of the Sausalito Dog Park Dog Power, Bark Magazinea Professional Dog Walkers All Gods Creatures Pet Sitting D National Park Service & Regional Park District 16. Interagency Resource Management Roundtable 1 7. National Park Service Pet Regulations Proposed Habitat Protection Closure Public Input Process on Dog Walking 18. City Govt re: Closures 19. Dogs in Regional Parks, East Bay Regional Park District; Be All You Canine Be! East Bay Companion Dog Patrol Point Isabel, Richmond 20. East Bay Regional Park District Draft Guidelines for Dog Permit Pilot Program E Local and California Dog Park Information 21. Draft Report of Areas Open to Off Leash dogs by District Canine Commons, Larspur Remington Park, Sausalito Bay Front, Mill Valley Field of Dogs, San Rafael O' Hair Park, Novato Mclnnis Park, San Rafael PRIDE, San Anselmo Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve Cipriani Park, Belmont Bark Park, Foster City Edgewater Park, Foster City Boothbay Park, Foster City- Catamaran Park, Foster City C Cloud Park, Foster City San Bruno Dog Exercise Area Heather Park, San Carlos Shore Dogs Park, Redwood City Mountain I lew Dog Park Cuesta Park. Mountain View Rengstorff Park, Mountain View Whisman Park, Mountain View He I Iyer Park Enclosure , San Jose Las P almas Dog Park, Sunnyvale Mitchell Park, Palo Alto Greer Park Dog Run, Palo Alto Hoover Park, Palo Alto Santa Clara Dog Park, Santa Clara Mitchell's Cove Beach, Santa Cruz lts Beach, Santa Cruz Lighthouse Field, Santa Cruz Robert Crown State Beach, Alameda Pt Isabel Park, Richmond Outdoors with dog in San Mateo Co. 24 Hardy Dog Park, Oakland Cal trans Poway Dog Park, Ca Samuel Ayer, Red Bluff 22. Dog Park Rules Marin County Santa Cruz SPCA Santa Monica Dog & Pet Information, PA Ws , San Mateo Rules Dogs Welcome, Sunnyvale Dog 'Owner's. Responsibility Code, www.citydog.org Dogpark Etiquette for People, Dogpark.com A Dog Park Description, Dogplay.com Vision & How to start a dog park, Freeplay, Dog Parks, Dog Runs & Off Leash Play. Dog Play How to Establish a Successful dog run in your Community, American Dog Trainers Network F Dog Park Model Policies 23 Ann Arbor Dog Park Project Standards for Arlington County Dog Areas Santa Barbara, Take them to the dog park New York Parks & Recreation Policies win endorsement from American Kennel Club, City of New York New York Council of Dog Owner Groups (NYC DOG) How to Establish a Successful Dog run in your Community,(NYCDOG Minneapolis . Establishing an Off Leash Dog Recreation Area Program Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Off Leash Dog Areas Boulder, Colorado Chicago ACC, A Practical Guide to Proper Etiquette for City Dogs and their owner/ Maryland, Greenbelt Dog Park Association, Inside Scoop Madison Parks, Wisconsin Dog Exercise Areas Reston Dog Park Coalition, Frequently Asked Questions Freeplay. Case for Space University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning, and Development Seattle UNCOLA (United Neighbors Concerning Off Leash Areas University of Queensland, Australia, Public Open Space and Dogs, A design and management guide for open space professionals and local government. National Companion Animal Coalition, An enlightened Approach to Companion Animal Control for Canadian Municipalities Toronto, Process for leash free area Vancouver, Canada How to Establish a Successful Dog Run, American Dog Trainers Network Other States Dog Park Listings G Health 24. Endangered Feces, Scoop on Poop, ur-net.com/aadogs, . About Composting, ur -net.com/aadogs Dog Pooh and the Environment, Dog Do! Infozone H Products 25. Dog Diaper Dogi- Pot/Pet Station Bag Dispensers Dog Toilets I Dog Training 26 Bark Park Proposal for Dog Agility Course, Laura Laugero 27. Good Citizen, AKC Canine Good Citizen, AKC Citizen Canine, Peter Byrne, SF Weekly Is Your Dog Off-Leashed Certified?, \\\\ v\ .ci.rock\ ille, md Using the leash for control and leadership, Pam Young, LIT, Detroit When will I be able to let my dog off-leash?, Bohnenkamp, Perfect Paws, Inc. Leash or No Leash, trelliah.tripod.com Need a Few Good Reasons to Leash Your Dog, American Dog Owners Association, J Web sites /Links 28. assorted dog park web sites listings web links K Newspaper Articles San Francisco Recreation & Park Department DOCUMENTS DEPT MAR 1 2 2002 Ooops! SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY Corrections to Frequently Questions References If* 2. Size of Dpas/No Dog Pens 3. Surface Materials reference section 3.2 Size reference section 3.6 DPA Opportunities reference 3.4 Surfacing 4. Zoned/or Mixed/Shared Use Reference 3.6 DPA Opportunities 6. asked to carry an undo. asked to carry an undue. San Francisco Recreation & Park Department Frequently Asked Questions Draft Dog Policy 2/27/2002 Primary Issues/Concerns Solutions/Answers 1) No Dog Pens/No Barriers Not all DPAs will be fenced. Fencing will be used in conjunction with other barriers to separate DPAs from some adjacent uses. Park size & other screening criteria will be used to determine whether DPAs need to be fenced. Other alternatives such as shrubbery, topography, pathways or sitting wall are possible types of barriers or boundaries in some parks. 2) Size ofDPAs /No Dog Pens At the request of community stakeholders RPD has increased the minimum size DPA from 8,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet (1 .5 x the size of a tennis court). RPD has also included guidelines for parks 0-10 acres, 10-35 acres (minimum square footage of 30,000,) and 35+ acres with no minimum size. See section 3.7 Off Leash Experiences. 3) Surface Materials The policy does not exclude grass as a possible surface material, but points out the difficulty of year round use and maintenance. RPD will explore options for some hardy grass species, but must be cautious in their use due to their invasive nature. RPD would encourage the use of several different surface materials in a given area such as sand and turf, or sand, turf, and pea gravel, or synthetic turf. See section 3.5 DPA Surfacing 4) Zoned or Mixed/Shared Use RPD has created a park category that will accommodate mixed use in parks of 10-35 acres. RPD is also committed to a trail or meadow experience in parks over 35 acres, which is very innovative and would be the first of it's kind in the United States. See section 3.7 Off Leash experiences 5) Dog owners are being punished/Separation of dogs and people RPD recognizes off leash dog activities as a legitimate form of recreation. Dog owners are in fact being offered an opportunity to increase off leash recreational areas. People are not prevented from entering DPAs, but the City has a responsibility to provide space for people who do not want to encounter off leash dogs. 6) Dog owners are being asked to carry an undo burden of costs associated with their recreational activity of choice. Recreational use fees are common in San Francisco parks. There is a fee associated with swimming, and athletic fields, latchkey, preschool, daycamps & art classes. However, it is not a requirement for a dog owner to pay to use the DPA. It is simply suggested that fundraising be used to provide amenities that the RPD may not be able to afford. See section 6.3 Funding. 7) Enforcement is not possible. DOCUMENTS DEPT. The RPD will work with advisory groups, SFPD Park Patrol Officers and Animal Care & Control to ensure that current City ordinances are enforced. SFPD has expressed their commitment to enforcing current leash laws. Across the board the public favored enforcement of current laws, especially the clean up laws. MAR 1 2 2332 SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY