Dogs will be free to walk trails in San Mateo County’s Quarry Park after a majority of the Board of Supervisors agreed to uphold part of the Parks Department’s request to pilot off-leash dog walking for a year to gather data.
“Dogs are not being introduced for the first time. The manner in which they’re allowed to legally recreate is just expanding,” Parks Department Director Nicholas Calderon said during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. “What we are asking for today is the opportunity to pilot off-leash dog recreation at Quarry Park so this matter can be studied and we can make data driven decisions in the future.”
On-leash dogs are permitted on trails at Quarry Park, Pillar Point Bluff, Bay and Coastal trails and Junipero Serra Park but off-leash dogs are prohibited on all county park trails. Under the new off-leash dog recreation pilot program, dogs will be allowed off leash on most trails at Quarry Park.
The program is a slightly modified version of what was presented to the Planning Commission in February. At that time, the Parks Department was also seeking to permit off-leash dogs at Pillar Point but that proposal was denied after commissioners cited concerns for the environmental impact loose dogs could have on sensitive environments, especially at Pillar Point.
Some commissioners said they could support a program that was limited to only Quarry Park but Calderon said at the time he did not have authority to pursue a program that veered away from what supervisors had asked him to develop.
Community feedback on the proposal was mixed. Fran Pollard, a neighbor in the area who fought to establish protections of Quarry Park, continued to stress the importance of protecting the environment from harmful uses. While not against having dogs in the park, Pollard noted the county has continued to add uses in the area, including bicycling, horseback riding and soon a pump track.
Calderon defended the pilot program by arguing that the park, largely made up of eucalyptus trees, has few sensitive areas that would be at risk. He also noted dogs have long accessed the area, giving wildlife time to grow familiar with them being present, and assessments of dog uses in the park this January and February indicate pet owners are following standards set by the county.
“I’ve had conversations with those who are supportive of expanding off-leash access as well as those who have concerns and I truly think that the compromise that is before the board today is a structure of a pilot program that will allow for the greatest level of success,” Calderon said.
Rangers would also be deployed at random times throughout the week to observe and take record of behaviors and to enforce a number of rules requiring owners and handlers to maintain control of their animals.
Supervisors ultimately approved the staff’s appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision with a 4-1 vote, Supervisor Carole Groom dissenting, following little discussion.
After a 12-month implementation window, data collected during the program will be presented to the Planning Commission and board and used to determine whether off-leash dogs can safely become a more permanent fixture in the park.
“We at the Parks Department strive to provide services to as many user groups as possible,” Calderon said. “The San Mateo County Parks Department is responsible for stewarding the parks on behalf of the residents of San Mateo County and in order to succeed this department must continue to evolve as the desires and experiences of the public changes.”
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