Council supportive of pooch park plan

ADAM KAYE
Staff Writer

North County Times
October 8, 2003

ENCINITAS ---- The City Council ordered its staff Wednesday to move ahead with a six-point plan to develop dog parks across Encinitas.

The plan proposes both temporary and permanent locations where dogs could run and play off of their leashes.

Three options presented in a staff report Wednesday received the council's unanimous support: fast-tracking development of a 2.5-acre dog park at the future Hall Property Community Park; establishing an off-leash dog trail along an 8.3-acre power line easement owned by the city between Mountain Vista Road and Encinitas Boulevard; and aiding Rancho Coastal Humane Society in expanding its dog park on Requeza Street.

Informal votes were split on three other dog park proposals.

Mayor Jerome Stocks and councilwomen Christy Guerin and Maggie Houlihan supported plans to develop a vacant, city-owned lot at Encinitas Town Center as a short-term dog park. Councilmen James Bond and Dan Dalager opposed the idea.

A proposal to introduce off-leash hours at Sun Vista Park in New Encinitas produced the same split vote.

Bond was alone in his opposition to developing a dog park at Indian Head Canyon in Leucadia.

Dog owners applauded the council's action, which authorizes the city's staff to plan the dog park sites. It is unclear when they would officially open.

Some speakers, however, told the council dogs already run loose at the proposed sites.

"I'm one of those scofflaws," said Margo Blake, who owns three large dogs. "I rarely see people at Indian Head Canyon without dogs."

Ten speakers rallied the council to support the dog park plans; no residents spoke in opposition.

In testimony, speaker after speaker told the council they wanted their tax dollars applied toward parks they and their dogs could enjoy. All of the speakers were women and some of them spoke of their pets as if they were their children.

Tracy Love told the council she needed a place where her three dogs and young daughter could all play together.

"Watching my daughter play and interact with her canine companions is priceless to me as a mom," she said.

Dogs and kids don't always play well together, though, Bond said.

"I'm all for dog parks," he said, "but I'm not real keen on making people parks people-and-dog parks."

Bond questioned developing a dog park system that would draw canines from communities where dog parks are few or nonexistent.

"I don't know that we as a city can handle all of North County's needs," he said.

In supporting most of the dog park plan, Dalager firmly opposed expanding off-leash hours at existing parks. When new off-leash facilities become available, "I want to turn around and take those parks (with off-leash hours) back," he said. "Less for dogs, more for kids."