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CC:PRCSC - (1) City Council and Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission Consideration of Establishing the “Ballona Creek Connection Designated Dog Path,” which would Augment the Existing Culver City Park Designated Dog Path by Incorporating it into a Continuous Dog Path that Connects the Ballona Creek Bike Path with the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Gateway; and (2) [If Desired] City Council Adoption of a Resolution Designating such Dog Path and Rescinding Resolution No. 2014-R064.
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Meeting Date: March 7, 2017
Contact Person/Dept: Patrick Reynolds/PRCS Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6471
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/02/17); (Email) Meetings and Agendas - Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission; Culver City News and Events (03/02/17); (Email) Parks, Recreation & Community Service Department Updates (02/24/17 & 03/02/17); (Postcard Mailing) Owners, Occupants and Businesses within a 1,500 foot radius of Culver City Park (Extended - see Attachment 2; 2,798 postcards; 02/23/17); (Website Posting) Public Notifications (02/24/17); (Email) Friends of the Culver City Dog Park; Culver City Little League; AYSO Region 19; Fulcrum Adventures; Baldwin Hills Conservancy; Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (All on 02/24/17); (Cable Slide) Culver City TV (03/01/17 through 03/07/17); (12 Posted Notices) Culver City Park and The Boneyard (03/01/17 through 03/07/17).
Department Approval: Dan Hernandez, PRCS Director (02/24/17)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends (1) the City Council and the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission consider establishing the “Ballona Creek Connection (BCC) Designated Dog Path,” which would augment the existing Culver City Park (CCP) Designated Dog Path by incorporating it into a continuous Dog Path that connects the Ballona Creek Bike Path with the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Gateway; and, (2) [if desired] the City Council adopt a resolution designating the “Ballona Creek Connection (BCC) Designated Dog Path” and rescinding Resolution No. 2014-R064.
BACKGROUND
The Culver City / Park to Playa - Ballona Creek Connection Project
The proposed “Ballona Creek Connection Designated Dog Path,” if approved by the City Council, will be an important element of the Culver City / Park to Playa - Ballona Creek Connection Project (the “Project;” PZ551). On October 12, 2015, the City Council adopted a resolution approving an application for Proposition 84 grant funds from the Baldwin Hills Conservancy (BHC) for the Project in the amount of $336,043. The grant was subsequently awarded to the City and the fully executed grant agreement was received in 2016. On January 23, 2017 the City Council approved the plans and specifications and authorized staff to publish the notice inviting bids for the Project.
The Culver City/Park to Playa - Ballona Creek Connection Project is a collaboration between the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department and Public Works/Engineering. The Project will complete Park to Playa Regional Trail Segment 7, a crucial trail segment that links the Baldwin Hills Overlook/Culver City Gateway with Ballona Creek. The Park to Playa Regional Trail (the “Trail”) is a 13-mile trail that connects the Baldwin Hills Parklands to the Pacific Ocean. The Culver City Project includes trail improvements, the construction of two new ADA accessible path sections, needed improvements to the entryways of the Boardwalk, and, improvements to and the extension of the Culver City Park Bicycle Path.
Culver City Municipal Code Section Regarding Designated Dog Paths
The following section of the Culver City Municipal Code pertains to Designated Dog Paths:
§ 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; 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 and 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 established by resolution of the City Council.
(Ord. No. 2006-008 § 3; Ord. No. 2009-003 § 1; Ord. No. 2014-005 § 1)
DISCUSSION
In September 2016, staff was notified by representatives of the BHC and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority that the Culver City / Park to Playa - Ballona Creek Connection Project should incorporate a path of travel for dogs and their handlers. Although leashed dogs are allowed on the Ballona Creek Bike Path, they are not allowed in certain areas of Culver City Park. Also, dogs are allowed only on the paved road and in the parking area of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook (BHSO). Therefore, discussion ensued between the various agencies regarding how the connectivity goal could be met as it relates to allowing dogs and their handlers access to these segments of the Park to Playa Regional Trail. Ultimately, City staff was informed that the BHC had applied to the California State Department of Parks and Recreation to get approval to allow dogs on specified unpaved trails in the BHSO segment of the Trail, and that their application had been approved. In turn, City staff agreed to recommend to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission (PRCSC) and the City Council that the “Ballona Creek Connection (BCC) Designated Dog Path” be established on the Culver City segment of the Trail.
If approved, the BCC Designated Dog Path will be constructed upon existing DG paths, sidewalks, stairs and walkways. Some of these areas will be improved and the following new elements of the Culver City / Park to Playa - Ballona Creek Connection Project (PZ551) will be included: (a) an ADA ramp on the slope between the upper and lower sports fields, (b) a DG path between the new ramp and the upper entrance of the Nature Trail, and (c) a DG path at the base of the Nature Trail.
The formal description of the BCC Designated Dog Path, as noted in Exhibit E on Attachment 1, is proposed to be as follows:
The Designated Dog Path augments the existing Culver City Park (CCP) Designated Dog Path by incorporating it into a continuous Dog Path that connects the Ballona Creek Bike Path with the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Gateway. It originates at the entrance to the Ballona Creek Bike Path on Duquesne Ave., connects to the existing Designated Dog Path that begins at the Jefferson Boulevard entrance to Culver City Park, follows the existing Path up to the parking lot on the lower end of the Interpretative Nature Trail, diverges at the parking lot to extend up and over the Nature Trail Boardwalk. From the upper end of the Nature Trail, the Path continues between the lower and upper ball fields & behind the upper ball fields. It terminates at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Gateway.
Current Conditions and Future Maintenance
Although no formal records are kept on the issue, staff sightings and anecdotal reports indicate the dogs and their handlers sometimes frequent the areas of Culver City Park where staff is proposing to establish the BCC Designated Dog Path, even though dogs are currently not allowed in some of those areas. Therefore, one advantage of having a Designated Dog Path in these areas is that the Dog Path will be clearly marked, giving City staff and enforcement personnel the opportunity to inform the public of the appropriate areas for leashed dogs. It is possible that this may lead to better compliance with the City’s guidelines and increased enjoyment of the Park for all visitors and facility renters.
If the BCC Designated Dog Path is established by the City Council, the Parks Manager will add the new Path to the areas of Culver City Park that are regularly overseen and maintained by the Parks Maintenance Crew in order to keep the areas as free of debris as is feasible with the current staffing schedule. Staff does not anticipate that these extra duties will result in a significant increase in staff time spent at the Park.
The Public Notification Process
The standard notification period for the establishment of Designated Dog Paths (aka “Pooch Paths”) typically begins three weeks before the meeting date. However, the timeline was truncated due to the need to meet grant deadlines and include the BCC Dog Path route (if approved), signage and markings in the plans and specifications for the Ballona Creek Connection Project before they are published. Also, staff felt that the opportunity to present this recommendation to both the PRCSC and the City Council simultaneously was an efficient use of the City’s resources. Finally, the area which has the highest probability of being most impacted by the new Dog Path, within a 500 foot radius of Culver City Park, is not densely populated. To ensure that adequate outreach was done, the public notification postcard mailing area was increased to a radius of 1,500 feet and extended into surrounding neighborhoods as indicted on Attachment 2.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
As a component of the Culver City/Park to Playa - Ballona Creek Connection Project, there are currently sufficient funds for the development of the BCC Designated Dog Path in accounts 42380000.730100.PZ551 (Baldwin Hills Conservancy Proposition 84 Funds / Improvements Other Than Buildings) and 42080000.730100.PZ551 (Capital Improvements and Acquisitions Funds / Improvements Other Than Buildings). The signage will be included in the Wayfinding Plan being developed for the Project by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.
If necessary, there are also sufficient funds in the Fiscal Year 2016/2017 Adopted Budget in account 10130300.514100 (Parks Division / Departmental Special Supplies) for additional signage, paint and stencils and in 10130300.411100 (Parks Division / Regular Salaries) for approximately twenty (20) hours of staff time for the project. Due to the length and unique setting of this particular Dog Path, “paw prints” marking the Dog Path will be stenciled only in a limited quantity on those surfaces that lend themselves to such markings, instead of attempting to paint them along the entire route.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2017-03-07 - ATT Resolution with Map of the “Ballona Creek Connection (BCC) Designated Dog Path” (Exhibit E)
2. 2017-03-07 - ATT Map of Postcard Mailing Area
MOTIONS
That the City Council and the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission:
1. Consider establishing the “Ballona Creek Connection (BCC) Designated Dog Path,” which will augment the existing Culver City Park (CCP) Designated Dog Path by incorporating it into a continuous Dog Path that connects the Ballona Creek Bike Path with the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Gateway; and,
That the City Council:
2. (If desired) Adopt a Resolution designating the “Ballona Creek Connection Designated Dog Path” and rescinding Resolution No. 2014-R064.