[Commending GGNRA and Creating a Working Group]
Supervisor Gavin Newsom Jan. 25,
2001
Resolution commending the GGNRA’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee in its action to delay rescinding the 1979 Pet Policy until stakeholders have an opportunity to confer; further urging the Superintendent of the National Park Service to form with all due haste a working group with all stakeholders, including federal and state representation and locally to include at least two members of the Board of Supervisors, representatives from advocacy groups such as the SPCA and SF Dog, representatives from the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, and representatives from involved environmental and children’s groups to examine alternatives to rescinding the Pet Policy such as time and place restrictions rather than a complete ban and to study the anticipated effect that any ban of off-leash dogs would have on the City as a whole.
WHEREAS, The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) includes San Francisco shoreline land deeded to the Federal government in 1975 with the understanding that this land would continue to be operated as a park and that the National Park Service would maintain this land; and,
WHEREAS, Although federal law provides guidelines requiring dogs to remain on-leash on federal park land, pursuant to a 1979 Pet Policy issued through the GGNRA, dogs have been allowed to run off-leash at the San Francisco GGNRA properties; and,
WHEREAS, San Francisco dogs have traditionally enjoyed access to various properties under the present oversight of the National Park Service, such as Crissy Field and Ft. Funston under a policy of “discretionary enforcement”; and,
WHEREAS, Given that more than 100,000 dogs live in San Francisco alone, and that even persons living outside the City bring dogs to enjoy these properties, a great number of people and pets alike would feel the effect of losing this open space to unfettered dog use; and,
WHEREAS, San Francisco parks, which have undergone a planning process for dogs over the past year, narrowing the number of parks that will be officially available to off-leash use, are unlikely to easily absorb the visits formerly paid by dogs to the GGNRA properties; and,
WHEREAS, The GGNRA properties in question are so unique that no San Francisco park could replicate the experience for off-leash dogs which have been allowed to enjoy the GGNRA properties; and,
WHEREAS, On January 23, 2001, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee delayed rescinding the 1979 Pet Policy in deference to the concerns of the Board of Supervisors and a great number of concerned citizens; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors does hereby commend the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee on its action to delay rescinding the 1979 Pet Policy until stakeholders have an opportunity to confer; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors does hereby urge the Superintendent of the National Park Service to form with all due haste a working group with all stakeholders, including federal and state representation and locally to include at least two members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, representatives from advocacy groups such as the SPCA and SF Dog, representatives from the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, and representatives from involved environmental and children’s groups; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That this working group examine alternatives to rescinding the Pet Policy such as placing time and place restrictions rather than a complete ban, and to study the anticipated effect that any ban of off-leash dogs will have on the City as a whole; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this legislation be sent to Superintendent Brian O’Neil at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, to the Golden Gate National Park Citizens Advisory Committee, and to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.