City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 01/28/13 Item Number: A-2
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of a Recommendation from the
Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission to Extend the Designated
Dog Path (Pooch Path) at Culver West Alexander Park to include the
Walking/Jogging Trail Located within the Park.
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]
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No [] Date: 12/04/12
Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission
Public Notification: (Email) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (01/23/13); (Email)
Department Updates – Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department
(01/23/13); (Email) Interested Parties from the December 4, 2012 PRCS Commission
Discussion (01/18/13); (Email) Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission
(01/18/13).
Department Approval:
Dan Hernandez (01/15/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (01/22/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by K. Marsden) (01/23/13)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (01/23/13)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council consider the Parks, Recreation and
Community Services (PRCS) Commission’s recommendation to extend the
designated dog path (Pooch Path) at Culver West Alexander Park (CWAP) to
include the walking/jogging trail located within CWAP.
BACKGROUND:
At the December 4, 2012 PRCS Commission meeting, the PRCS Commission
unanimously approved a recommendation to the City Council to extend the Pooch
Path at CWAP to include the walking/jogging trail located within CWAP and, if such
extension is approved by the City Council, to review the issue in nine months to
analyze any impacts that it may have on CWAP and/or those who utilize it.
Prior to that meeting, extensive public outreach was done to notice the PRCS
Commission’s discussion including a postcard mailing to owners, occupants and
businesses in the Culver West Neighborhood in the area bordered on the North by
the south side of Washington Boulevard, on the East and West by the City limits (the
east side of Moore Street and the west side of Neosho Street), and on the South by
a segment of Short Avenue (622 postcards). Other methods of notification included City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
website postings, e-mail notifications, a slide on Channel 35/37, and printed notices
posted at CWAP.
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:
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.
Culver City Municipal Code Relating to Dogs and Designated Dog Paths
For reference, the following is an excerpt of the Culver City Municipal Code relating
to the prohibition of dogs within Culver City Parks:
§ 9.10.055 PROHIBITIONS
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:
§ 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 in
Culver West Alexander Park and Culver City Park; provided such dog is at all City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
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 in Culver West Alexander Park and Culver City Park that are
identified 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 in Culver West Alexander Park and Culver City
Park.
DISCUSSION:
A schematic of the proposed Pooch Path extension at CWAP is provided as an
Attachment. The extension of the path utilizes existing sidewalks to access the
walking/jogging trail within CWAP. The table below summarizes the public comment
on this issue received by the PRCS Commission through e-mails and from speakers
at the December 4, 2012 meeting:
Position on CWAP Pooch Path Extension Total
Support 4
Oppose 2
Conditional Support – yes, if bags are provided for waste removal 1
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The cost for the postcard mailing done prior to the PRCS Commission’s discussion
of the proposed Pooch Path extension was estimated at approximately $220.00
(excluding staff time). The cost of supplies and materials for signage and/or
additional trail markings to extend the Pooch Path at CWAP is anticipated not-to-
exceed $15,000. There are currently sufficient funds available in Account Number
42080000.730100.PZ835 (Capital Improvements / Culver West Alexander Park
Rehab) of the City Council Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013 for this
expenditure.
ATTACHMENT:
Schematic of the proposed Pooch Path Extension at Culver West Alexander Park
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
(PRCS Commission’s recommendation) Extend the designated dog path
(“Pooch Path”) at Culver West Alexander Park to include the walking/jogging
trail located within the Park.
MEETING DATE: January 28, 2013
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of a Recommendation from the Parks,
Recreation and Community Services Commission to
Extend the Designated Dog Path (“Pooch Path”) at
Culver West Alexander Park to include the
Walking/Jogging Trail Located within the Park.
ATTACHMENT
Page
Schematic of the proposed Pooch Path Extension at
Culver West Alexander Park.
1
Page 1
ATTACHMENT
Existing Pooch Path
Proposed
Pooch Path
Extension
McConnell Passageway
Open Turf Area
Playground
Recreation
Building
Sports
Courts
CULVER WEST
ALEXANDER
PARK
Moore
Street
Wade
Street