1
Ramos Park Renovation Project
Off Leash Dog Area Pilot Program Review
Park and Recreation Commission
Meeting Agenda
• Scope of Ramos Park Renovation Project &
community outreach done to date
• Off-Leash Pilot Program Goals • Scope of Pilot Program
• Location of proposed off leash area • Proposed draft off-leash area rules • Proposed times of use
• Off-leash dog area evaluation committee • Metrics to measure success or failure
• Evaluation Form
3
PG – 14000 Ramos Park Renovation Project
Total Funding: $271,000
Renovations Include:
• Replace Existing Playground Equipment
• Replace Site Amenities: Trash receptacles and drinking
fountain
• ADA Improvements
• Renovation of the Existing Paved Court
PG-19000 Park Restroom Installation
Total Funding: $350,000
Install a new restroom at park location every other year
5
Presented the same questions that were voted on at the community meeting.
As a result of the community meeting four additional questions were added to the survey.
1. Security Lighting
2. Loop Path Connection 3. Native/Habitat Garden 4. Dog Park
Survey Duration: 2/3/2020 – 2/28/2020 Total Number of Participates: 167
Question : Would you support a fenced in dog park area added to the park? Yes: 100 votes (60%)
No: 67 votes (40%)
7
Pilot Program Goals
Overall Goals of the off-leash dog area include:
• Provide a clearly defined area and time dogs can be off-leash in the park
• Reduce/eliminate off-leash use of the programed turf field area
• Allow the community to continue to use the designated park area for off-leash purposes
• Eliminate the need and cost of fencing for a designated dog area • Maintain access to the park from the adjacent neighbors
• Create an opportunity for the community to be responsible for maintaining the rules of the off-leash area
• Have a minimal impact on the park • Provide areas of multi-use in the park
9
• Review for a period of 9 months (possibly 12 months if needed)
• Review Committee made up of neighbors and park users
• 2 Dog owners
• 2 Neighbors
• 2 Park Users
• 2 Park and Recreation Commissioners
• 1 City Staff Liaison
• The committee will meet together once prior to the off-leash pilot start to confirm role in the process (web meeting)
• Committee members will be required to visit the park 6 times at different off leash times to observe use for a minimum of 15 min. (3 morning times, 3 afternoon times)
• The committee will convene a total of 3 times during the off-leash pilot period (web meeting) with the final meeting to review tally of observation forms and to make a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation
Commission
• At the end of 9 month period the committee will report to the Parks and Recreation Commission who will determine to continue or end the off-leash area
11
1. No dog shall be in a posted off-leash area except when in the charge, care, custody or control of a person at least thirteen (13) years of age.
2. No animals other than dogs shall be in any posted off-leash area. Off-off-leash dogs are only permitted in the
posted off-leash area during posted hours of operation. No person shall have more than two (2) dogs in a posted off-leash area at any one time.
3. Any off-leash dog in a posted off-leash area must be at least four (4) months of age, vaccinated for rabies,
altered (if over one year old), and currently licensed by the city's animal services division or other jurisdiction. All persons entering the posted off-leash area are
responsible for ensuring their dog is not sick, in heat, injured, less than four (4) months of age, or displaying aggressive behavior toward other dogs or humans.
4.If a dog is aggressive toward other dogs or humans, the dog owner must leash the dog and remove the dog from the park.
5.Any person having charge, care, custody or control of a dog in a posted off-leash area shall:
13
1. Carry at all times a suitable container or other suitable instrument for the removal and disposal of dog feces
2. Promptly remove and properly dispose of any waste deposited by the dog
3. Quiet or remove the dog if it disrupts or disturbs the reasonable and comfortable use of the area
4. Have in his/her possession a leash for such dog that shall be worn by the dog, and physically held by the owner, at all times the dog is not in the posted off-leash area.
5. Comply with all other applicable state and local laws, including without limitation those that govern the health, safety and maintenance of dogs.
6. Compliance with this section shall not relieve any person of liability for damages arising out of his/her use of a posted off leash area.
7. The maximum number of dogs allowed in the off leash area at
any one time is (X) TBD – should we set a number or observe and then set a number?
Morning Use: 7am to 9am
Evening Use: 5pm to 7pm or sunset
(whichever comes earliest)
15
• Metrics points per category (low/no: 0) – (high/yes:
10) based on overall observation
• A simple score sheet produced for committee
members to use while observing on site
• Threshold for success and continued use of off-leash
area is an average score of (50 points?? TBD) when the sheets are tabulated at the end of the pilot
period
• Proposed Metric
• Dogs remain in defined off-leash area (0-10)
• Cleanliness of the off-leash area (0-10) (no waste or holes dug)
• Reduces dog use of adjacent larger open turf area (0-10)
• Negative interaction between dogs in the off-leash area (0-10)
• Dog owners actively monitoring their dogs activity (0-10)
Other Metrics to be Observed by committee and considered by the Parks Commission
• Noise impact to park and adjacent neighbor
• Data to be observed and noted by the committee
• Data to be provided from adjacent neighbors during the pilot period
• Number of dogs using the facility at the time of observation
• Number of community members who were observed driving
• Number of dog related issues reported to local agencies (to be collected by staff at end of pilot)
17
Project Schedule
• PRC Meeting #1: Off-Leash Dog Park Pilot Program Discussion (tonight) • Community Off-Leash Program Review and Discussion January 2021 • PRC Meeting #2: Input from community meeting and update on
evaluation committee January/February 2021
• Dog Park Evaluation Committee Kick-Off Meeting February/March 2021 • Off-Leash Program to begin (if approved) March/April 2021
19
Project Status
www.cityofpaloalto.org/ramospark
Email further questions or comments to
21
23
Insert Photos: signage, poop bag dispenser (no trash receptacle, temporary chain link fence
