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RPVCCA_CC_SR_2012_05_01_02_Dog_Park_ProjectMEMORANDUM TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: REVIEWED: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL ~ CAROLYNN PETRU,INTERIM DIRECTOR,RECREATION AND PARKSI DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MAY 1,2012 DOG PARK PROJECT CAROLYN LEHR,CITY MANAGER cf2- Staff Coordinator:Katie Howe,Administrative Analyst l~~ RECOMMENDATION (1)Reconfirm the City's support for an off-leash dog park at the former Palos Verdes Landfill site by authorizing the Mayor to sign a letter to Los Angeles County Supervisor Knabe and the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts;(2)Encourage the Cities of Rolling Hills Estates and Palos Verdes Estates to send similar letters reconfirming their support of a regional off-leash dog park at the site;and,(3)Direct staff to provide additional information regarding one or more City-sponsored special events in FY12-13 for the dog-owner community. BACKGROUND The City has received public support for a dog park from various sources in recent years.In mid-2008,during the preparation of the Coast Vision Plan,the Council received the first community requests for a dog park.A petition was submitted to the City in 2009 with the signatures of 800 Peninsula and South Bay residents in favor of a dog park on the Peninsula.During both the conceptual design process for Lower Hesse Park and Grandview Park in 2010 and during consideration of uses for Rancho Palos Verdes Beach earlier this year,the City received strong support for local off-leash dog recreation. Genesis of the Dog Park Site Analysis Project In April 2010,the City commenced a project to improve access and recreational opportunities at Lower Hesse Park and Grandview Park.Initial conceptual plans for both parks included fenced-in off-leash dog parks,as the City had previously received input from the public that dog parks are a desired recreational amenity.As the public outreach process progressed,it became apparent that while the community at-large desired a dog park,the neighbors of the two parks (an ultimately the design consultant and staff)felt that neither park was an appropriate location because of the proximity to residential homes,size limitations,and topography challenges. 2-1 Dog Park 'Project May 1,2012 Page 2 In late 2010,during the final Council Meeting on the conceptual designs for Lower Hesse and Grandview Parks,a local skate park advocate expressed the popularity of skate boarding on the Peninsula and asked the City to consider placing a skate park in Lower Hesse Park.While Council felt that Lower Hesse Park may not be a suitable location for a skate park,staff was directed to engage a consultant to perform a Peninsula-wide analysis to identify suitable sites for a skate park.Because of the public desire for a dog park,Council also requested that dog park site analysis be completed simultaneously. Steps Council established for the site analysis at that time included:(1)Work with an experienced consultant to develop criteria to be used to judge a site's appropriateness for the facility;(2)Analyze a list of public,private,and leased properties on the Peninsula using the established criteria to determine the most appropriate sites;and, (3)Engage the community in public outreach throughout the project,with key community workshops scheduled after site analysis criteria had been established,and again after potential sites had been selected.In September 2011,Council authorized a contract with Mia Leher and Associates (ML +A)to assist the City with this effort. On December 20,2012,staff provided Council with a project update and presented skate park and dog park site analysis criteria for approval.At that time,Council members expressed concern about the project's process and timing of community outreach;Council indicated that a prudent step might be for the City to first look at potential locations on the Peninsula and focus on those that would be acceptable to neighboring cities and nearby residents.Council directed staff to bifurcate the skate park and dog park projects,and bring back additional information.Council is tentatively scheduled to review the skate park site analysis project at the July 3,2012 meeting. DISCUSSION Alternatives for Council's consideration include: 1.Continue with the Peninsula-wide dog park site analysis project; 2.Pursue the dog park site analysis project restricted to locations in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes; 3.Pursue a regional dog park at the former County Palos Verdes Landfill site and discontinue the dog park site!:lnalysis project (staff's recommendation);or, 4.A combination of pursuing Alternative 3,as well as either Alternative 1 or 2. Alternative 1 -Peninsula-wide Dog Park Site Analysis Under this alternative,staff recommends that the Mayor send a letter to his counterparts in the Cities of Rolling Hills Estates and Palos Verdes Estates to determine their City Councils'interest in a joint effort to find locations on the Peninsula for a dog park (staff has excluded the City of Rolling Hills because dogs are currently allowed off-leash anywhere within the City's boundaries).The results of the outreach effort would be brought back to Council for further direction.Should one or more of the Cities express interest in the project,staff would work with the staff from those cities and ML +A to develop a proposed project outline and schedule to analyze promising sites,for approval by all participating City Council's,with an emphasis on community 2-2 Dog Park Project May 1,2012 Page 3 outreach and assessing support for particular sites.It should be noted that staff approached their counterparts in the other cities when this project was first initiated in late 2011.At that time,although staff's counterparts could not represent their respective Councils,they were uncertain if their cities'priorities and resources were available to commit to such a project.Further,some expressed concern that there were adequate sites available within their jurisdictions and/or were uncertain their residents would support such a proposal. Alternative 2 -Rancho Palos Verdes Dog Park Site Analysis Rather than a Peninsula-wide analysis,this alternative would restrict the sites under consideration to those within the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.Pursuant to Council's request to obtain community feedback and interest for particular sites before proceedi':lg with the project,staff would work with ML +A to conduct community workshops and other public outreach efforts to understand locations in the City where residents are interested in and supportive of locating a dog park.Staff would then bring the results of the community outreach and a revised project process to Council for consideration and further direction. Alternative 3 -Regional Dog Park at the Palos Verdes Landfill Site In summer 2010,the Cities of Rancho Palos Verdes,Rolling Hills Estates,and Palos Verdes Estates sent letters to the Los Angeles County Supervisor Knabe's Office supporting the placement of an off-leash dog park at the former Palos Verdes Landfill site.A description and map of the property are attached to this staff report.At that time,the Supervisor's Office responded that the County was in the process of constructing its first pilot dog park in La Crescenta,scheduled to open in June 2011, and that before considering a second dog park,the County would need one year to assess the pilot program. Staff has received an update from the Los Angeles County Supervisor's Office and the Los Angeles County Parks Department that the La Crescenta Pilot Program has been delayed and is now scheduled to open in August 2012,meaning that the earliest the County would consider a dog park at the former landfill site is August 2013.Before considering a second dog park,the County would be required to amend its laws to allow off-leash dog parks,and would choose to conduct appropriate,sufficient environmental analysis on the landfill site.The Supervisor's Office also recommended that Peninsula cities reconfirm their regional support for an off-leash dog park at the site. Advantages to creating a dog park at the former Palos Verdes Landfill site are that the location has local support from the City's of Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills Estates,and the size and location of the site make it a promising location for a regional dog park.The location of the site is central to Peninsula residents and is served by two major arterial streets,reducing potential traffic and noise impacts on neighbors.It is also surrounded by a low density of development and few residential homes.The large size of the site enables it to accommodate an ideal sized dog park,suggested from 2-5 acres,and also allows for flexibility to place the dog park in a position to least impact neighboring property owners.A regional dog park would be able to accommodate the pent up demand for off-leash dog recreation in the community,which would lessen the 2-3 Dog Park Project May 1,2012 Page 4 burden on individual neighborhoods should Peninsula cities decide to develop additional,but likely smaller,dog park(s)at other locations. If Council chooses to pursue a dog park at the former landfill site,staff will revise the City's contract with ML+A,which currently includes both dog park and skate park site analysis,to exclude dog park site analysis.Staff would prepare a letter for the Mayor's signature to encourage the Cities of Rolling Hills Estates and Palos Verdes Estates to reconfirm their desire for a regional dog park at the landfill site. Interim Special Event(s)for Dog-Owners Regardless of which course of action Council selects,there will be some lead time before a dog park could potentially be developed.The City Council may wish to consider including funding in the upcoming FY12-13 Budget to sponsor temporary "dog days"at some of the City's park sites.Treated as a special event similar to others conducted by the Recreation &Parks Department,this concept could be as simple as fencing off an area at an existing field on a weekend day for off-leash dog use,or could be expanded to include other related activities,such as the City's annual licensing! vaccination clinic.If Council is interested in exploring this idea further,staff can return with an item on a future agenda that would include a more developed concept proposal, scope and cost estimate. FISCAL IMPACT The contract with ML+A included $12,200 for the dog park site analysis.Approximately 20%of the funds have been expended to date on the development of the site analysis criteria presented to Council in December 2011.Should the City revise its contract with Mia Lehrer &Associates to exclude dog park site analysis,it will result in savings of approximately $9,500. Attachments: Palos Verdes Landfill Site Description and Map Draft Letter to the Los Angeles County Supervisor's Office 2-4 Attachment "A" Palos Verdes Landfill Site Description and Map 2-5 £~o ,/~/1/ ." <I>'"<I>0~0 2 - 6 Attachment "B" Draft Letter to the Los Angeles County Supervisor's Office 2-7 ANTHONY M.MISETICH,MAYOR BRIAN CAMPBELL,MAYOR PRO TEM SUSAN BROOKS,COUNCILWOMAN JERRY V.DUHOVIC,COUNCILMAN JIM KNIGHT,COUNCILMAN CITYOF RANCHO PALOS VERDES May 1,2012 Honorable Don Knabe Los Angeles County,4th District Kenneth Hatln Hall of Administration 500 West Temple Street,Room 822 Los Angeles,CA 90012 Dear Supervisor Knabe: The purpose of this letter is to express the City of Rancho Palos Verdes'continued support for dedicating a portion of the former Palos Verdes La,ndfill site for a dog park to serve Peninsula residents.The City has received public support for a dog park in recent years,including a petition from leading dog park advocate and Palos Verdes Estates resident Mr.Bruce Megowan in 2010,during the public outreach process to consider improvement of Lower Hesse and Grandview Parks,and more recently as the City explored the possibility of a pilot off-leash dog beach at Rancho Palos Verdes Beach.The former landfill site is an advantageous location due to its size,location,and the support for a dog park at the site from the Cities of Rolling Hills Estates,Palos Verdes Estates,and Rancho Palos Verdes. In summer 2010,the Cities of Rolling Hills Estates,Palos Verdes Estates,and Rancho Palos Verdes sent similar letters of support to the Supervisor's Office,and we will be reaching out to them again to encourage them to reconfirm their support. Thank you for your consideration of this letter,and thank you for the continued assistance and services provided by the Los Angeles County 4th District Supervisor's Office.Please feel free to contact the Deputy City Managerllnterim Recreation and Parks Director,Carolynn Petru,at (310)-544-5203 or carolynn~rpv.comif you would like additional information on this matter. Sincerely, Anthony Misetich Mayor Cc:Los Angeles County Sanitation District Board of Directors City of RPV Council members City of Rolling Hills Estates City Manager City of Palos Verdes Estates City Manager Mr.and Mrs.Bruce Megowan 30940 HAWTHORNE BOULEVARD /RANCHO PALOS VERDES,CA 90275-5391 /(310)544-5205/FAX (310)544-5291 /WWWPALOSVERDES.COM/RPV ©PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 2-8