Menlo residents weigh in on dog parks Menlo residents weigh in on dog parks (September 29, 2004)

By Rebecca Wallace
Almanac Staff Writer

Many residents get involved in their cities because of one pet issue. So it shouldn't be surprising that meetings on dog parks in Menlo Park are having healthy turn-outs.

Choosing where to put off-leash dog areas isn't easy, said Richard Cline, a member of the residents' committee eying the various parks in town. Canine-lovers would like easy proximity to their homes, but neighbors who are less enamored with dogs don't want to hear the barking or have loose dogs nearby.

So it might not be surprising to have a crowd September 30 at the Little House Activity Center, at the last of four public meetings held by the committee. Residents in attendance are being asked to give their opinions on how and where to best create off-leash areas.

"There's growing momentum on the issue. The people who knew about it have told other people and the word has started to travel," said Mr. Cline, who also chairs the city's Parks and Recreation Commission. "The buzz has started."

After putting together the input from the meetings, the committee is scheduled to present its recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Commission on October 20.

At this point, it seems likely that off-leash hours will not be limited to one city park, but held in several parks to provide different options, said recreation supervisor Dirk Alvarado, one of the city staff members working on the issue.

"Nobody would have to drive too far to get anywhere, and you don't have a bunch of people coming to one place," he said.

Six of the city's parks have also been preliminarily ruled out, leaving the committee considering only Stanford Hills, Sharon, Lyle, Nealon, Willow Oaks, Burgess and Kelly parks. For example, Bayfront Park at the end of Marsh Road east of U.S. 101 has been ruled out for now because it's far from residential areas, Mr. Alvarado said.

Fenced off?

Would the dog areas be fenced off? That would probably depend on the park, he said. Some areas lend themselves well to dedicated dog parks, while others could be used for dogs part of the day and for sports at other times.

At this point, the most popular time for a dog park seems to be from 7 to 9 a.m., Mr. Alvarado said. Some residents, though, have voiced concern about hearing barking noise early in the morning.

Other details, such as the cost of the dog parks and how they would be maintained, are yet to be worked out, Mr. Cline said.

Code enforcement officers from the Menlo Park Police Department have come to committee meetings to answer questions on how the parks would be policed, he added.

The city established a trial off-leash area at Nealon Park in 2002, which lasted until renovation work on the park began earlier this year. It drew mixed reviews, with some neighbors complaining about barking and feces, and some residents supporting the off-leash area, saying it was sorely needed.

MEETING

The last of four public meetings on off-leash dog areas in Menlo Park is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, September 30, at Little House Activity Center at 800 Middle Ave. in Menlo Park. Call 330-2245 for more information.

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