City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 06/17/14 Item Number: A-1
PRCS COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM:Recommendation to the City Council to (1)
Amend the Culver City Municipal Code to Allow for the Establishment of
Designated Dog Paths by Resolution of the City Council; (2) Designate “Pooch
Path #1” within Veterans’ Memorial Park as a Designated Dog Path; and, (3)
Designate “Pooch Path #2” within Veterans’ Memorial Park as a Designated Dog
Path with the Stipulation of a Six-Month Review by the PRCS Commission.
Contact Person/Dept.: Dan Hernandez,
PRCS Director
Phone Number: (310) 253-6655
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (Email) Parks, Recreation & Community Service Department Updates,
Meetings and Agendas – Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission,
(06/13/14).
Department Approval:Dan Hernandez
(06/09/14).
City Attorney Approval: N/A
Chief Financial Officer Approval: N/A City Manager Approval: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS)
Commissionmake a recommendation to the City Council to (1) amend the Culver
City Municipal Code to allow for the establishment of Designated Dog Paths by
resolution of the City Council; (2) designate “Pooch Path #1” within Veterans’
Memorial Park as a Designated Dog Path; and, (3) designate “Pooch Path #2” within
Veterans’ Memorial Park as a Designated Dog Path with the stipulation of a six-
month review by the PRCS Commission.
BACKGROUND:
1. Establishing Designated Dog Paths by Resolution of the City Council
Currently, the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) must be amended to add the
name of each Designated Dog Path upon approval by the City Council. Staff is
recommending that Commission make a recommendation to the City Council to
amend theCCMC to allow for the establishment of Designated Dog Paths by
resolution of the City Council. This proposed change will streamline the
administrative process of establishing Designated Dog Paths without altering the
established review and/or approval process. That is, if recommended by the PRCS
Commission and approved by the City Council, the language in CCMC Sections
9.10.600.A, 9.10.600.B and 9.10.600.C below will be revised to reflect the fact that
Designated Dog Paths are established by resolution.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
CCMC Relating to Dogs and Designated Dog Paths
For reference, the following is an excerpt of theCCMC relating to the prohibition of
dogs within Culver City Parks:
§ 9.10.055PROHIBITIONS
Within the limits of any public park it shall be unlawful for any person:
A. Having charge, care, custody or control of any dog, except as permitted by §
9.10.400 or § 9.10.600, or other animal, fowl, or reptile to cause, permit or allow
the same to be within the limits of any public park within the City, unless such
person shall have obtained a special permit from the City Council to conduct an
entertainment or exhibition in which an animal is a participant.
§ 9.10.400 relates to the Culver City Dog Park within Culver City Park; § 9.10.600
relates to the designated Pooch Paths within Culver West Alexander Park and
Culver City Park. § 9.10.600 is excerpted below and the recommended revisions
are indicated by strikethrough (for deletions) and underline (for additions) text:
§ 9.10.600 DESIGNATED DOG PATHS.
A. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Code, a person may have charge,
care, custody or control of any dog upon the designated dog paths established by
resolution of the City Council in Culver West Alexander Park and Culver City Park;
provided such dog is at all times restrained by a substantial chain or leash not
exceeding six (6) feet in length, in the control of a competent person.
B. For purposes of this Section, DESIGNATED DOG PATHS shall mean the
pathways established by resolution of the City Council as designated dog paths in
Culver West Alexander Park and Culver City Park that areandidentified by
conspicuously displayed signs indicating that they are DESIGNATED DOG
PATHS, and where the pathways themselves are marked with pictures of paw
prints.
C. Nothing in this Section shall permit or allow any person having charge, care,
custody or control of any dog to permit or allow that dog to be in any portion of any
public park, except as permitted by § 9.10.400, other than on the designated dog
paths established by resolution of the City Councilin Culver West Alexander Park
and Culver City Park.
The PRCS Commission’s Role in the Development of Designated Dog Paths
In its role as an advisory body on matters pertaining to parks, the PRCS
Commission has previously made recommendations to the City Council on both the
topic of allowing dogs in Culver City parks and on the creation of designated Pooch
Paths within the parks. At the February 9, 2009 meeting, the following action was
taken by the City Council: City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONTINUE THE EXISTING LAW AND PRACTICES
THAT DO NOT ALLOW DOGS IN PARKS, EXCEPT IN THE CULVER CITY
DOG PARK OR WHERE THERE IS A DESIGNATED DOG PATH, AND
AUTHORIZE STAFF AND PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY
SERVICES COMMISSION TO CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
FOR DESIGNATED DOG PATHS IN OTHER PARKS WHEN A NEED IS
IDENTIFIED, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION.
2. Prior PRCS Commission Discussions and Actions Regarding
Recommending Designating Certain Sidewalks/Walkways within Veterans
Memorial Park as Dog Paths
MEETING
DATE
AGENDA ITEM OUTCOME (paraphrased)
August 6,
2013
A-2. Consideration of a
Recommendation to the City
Council Regarding Designating
Certain Sidewalks/Walkways
within Veterans’ Memorial Park
(“VMP”) as Dog Paths.
The PRCS Commission took action to make a
recommendation to the City Council to designate
the sidewalk running along the south side of the
Veterans Memorial Park parking lot adjacent to
Culver Boulevard as a Designated Dog Path
(“Pooch Path #1”); deferred action on the interior
sidewalk/walkway within VMP that connects the
Culver Boulevard Parking Lot to Barman Avenue (to
the west of the Park buildings; “Pooch Path #2”)
until after the Culver West Alexander Park Pooch
Path Extension has been reviewed in January 2014.
January 7,
2014
A-2. (1) Nine Month Review of
the Extension of the Pooch
Path at Culver West Alexander
(“CWA”) Park to include the
Walking/Jogging Trail Located
within the Park; and, (2)
Discussion of Reconsidering
the Issue of Recommending a
Designated Dog Path on an
Interior Walkway at Veterans’
Memorial Park at a Future
PRCS Commission Meeting.
Staff informed the Commission that Park Patrol
reports of dogs in unauthorized areas of CWA Park
had decreased since the designation of the
walking/jogging trail as a Pooch Path and that there
did not appear to be any notable negative
consequences related to the extension of the Pooch
Path. The Commission took action to agendize the
continued consideration of recommending a
designated dog path on the interior walkway
(“Pooch Path #2) at the March 4, 2014 meeting.
March 4,
2014
A-1. Continued Consideration
of a Recommendation to the
City Council Regarding
Designating a Dog Path on the
Sidewalk/Walkway within
Veterans’ Memorial Park that
Connects the Culver Boulevard
Parking Lot to Barman Avenue.
The PRCS Commission took action to make a
recommendation to the City Council to establish the
sidewalk/walkway within Veterans’ Memorial Park
that connects the Culver Boulevard Parking Lot to
Barman Avenue (to the west of the Park buildings;
“Pooch Path #2”) as a Designated Dog Path with
the stipulation that the Commission will review it six-
months after the date that the Pooch Path signs
have been posted.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Summary of Public Notification and Comments
Meeting Date: August 6, 2013 March 4, 2014
Post Card Mailing 734 postcards 1,091 postcards
Email Notifications
3,305 subscribers
(2 emails)
3,522 subscribers
(2 emails)
Website Highlights Posted Two weeks prior Two weeks prior
Culver City TV Slide One week prior Two weeks prior
Notices Posted in VMP One week prior One week prior
Comments in Support 1 9
*Conditional Support 2 1
Comments in Opposition 7 6
Conditional Opposition 0 0
*Conditional Support:(1) Yes, if rules & regulations are strictly
enforced (e.g., dog feces must be picked-up); (2) Yes, for all
sidewalks facing the streets, even those separated by a parking
lot; and, (3) Yes, as long as measures are taken to ensure that
the dogs are not on the private property of the homes in the
VMP neighborhood.
DISCUSSION:
Regardless of any change in the administrative process, staff recommends that the
PRCS Department’s and the PRCS Commission’s central role in the process of
designating dog paths be preserved, including conducting public outreach, compiling
and reviewing public comment,consideration and discussion at a noticed public
meeting and the submission of a formal recommendation to City Council.
An aerial view of the proposed Designated Dog Paths within Veterans’ Memorial
Park recommended by the PRCS Commission at the August 6, 2013 meeting
(“Pooch Path #1”) and March 4, 2014 meeting (“Pooch Path #2”) for consideration
by the City Council is provided an Attachment.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
As noted in previous staff reports on this topic, ifthe City Council takes action to
designate dog paths in Veterans’ Memorial Park based on the PRCS Commission’s
recommendation, costs associated with marking the route as a “Pooch Path” are
expected to be approximately $1,500.00 for signage, paint and stencils. It should be
noted that “paw prints” marking the dog paths will only be stenciled at the beginning,
end, and at random intervals within the designated sidewalks (as opposed to along
the entire route).
There are sufficient funds in the City Council Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year
2013/2014 for the Parks Divisionin 10130300.514100 (Parks Division / Departmental
Special Supplies) for the signage, paint and stencils and in 10130300.411100 (Parks
Division / Regular Salaries) for approximately twenty (20) hours of staff time for the
project.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Aerial View of Proposed Pooch Path #1 and Proposed Pooch Path #2 at
Veterans’ Memorial Park
B. Enhanced Aerial View of the Proposed Designated Dog Path, “Pooch Path
#2,” at Veterans’ Memorial Park
MOTIONS:
That the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission:
Make a recommendation to the City Council to:
1. Amend the Culver City Municipal Code to allow for the establishment of
Designated Dog Paths by resolution of the City Council;
2. Designate “Pooch Path #1” within Veterans’ Memorial Park as a Designated
Dog Path; and,
3. Designate “Pooch Path #2” within Veterans’ Memorial Park as a Designated
Dog Path with the stipulation of a six-month review by the PRCS
Commission.
MEETING DATE: June 17, 2014
AGENDA ITEM: Recommendation to the City Council to (1) Amend the
Culver City Municipal Code to Allow for the
Establishment of Designated Dog Paths by Resolution of
the City Council; (2) Designate “Pooch Path #1” within
Veterans’ Memorial Park as a Designated Dog Path; and,
(3) Designate “Pooch Path #2” within Veterans’ Memorial
Park as a Designated Dog Path with the Stipulation of a
Six-Month Review by the PRCS Commission.
ATTACHMENTS
Page
A. Aerial View of Proposed Pooch Path #1 and Proposed
Pooch Path #2 at Veterans’ Memorial Park
1
B. Enhanced Aerial View of the Proposed Designated Dog
Path, “Pooch Path #2,” at Veterans’ Memorial Park
2
ATTACHMENT A
Aerial View of the Proposed Designated Dog Paths
(“Pooch Paths”) at Veterans’ Memorial Park
Page 1
“Pooch Path #1” - Approved by
the PRCS Commission on
August 6, 2013 for
recommendation to the City
Council as a Designated Dog
Path.
“Pooch Path #2” - Approved by the
PRCS Commission on March 4,
2014 for recommendation to the
City Council as a Designated Dog
Path with the stipulation of a six-
month review by the Commission.
ATTACHMENT B
Enhanced Aerial View of the Proposed Designated Dog Path,
“Pooch Path #2,” at Veterans’ Memorial Park
Page 2