At the meeting at the Palisades Library on October 21, there was joy and thanks because a dog park now seems to be reality. Councilmember Traci Park’s field deputy Michael Amster led the meeting and said to the more than 40 people in the room, “Thanks for being part of this historic night.”
The Palisades Dog Park would be located in Temescal Canyon Park, north of the playground and restrooms, which are just north Pacific Coast Highway. Two separate areas are planned: one for small dogs, one for large. Both would have 6-ft. high omega fence, agility courses, shade, benches for humans and hydration stations.
The design for the park was originally drawn up six years ago by RAP’s Craig Raines, who spoke at the meeting. Before the park goes forward, it needs to go through the community phase (this meeting and possibly another), and then the design phase. The park would be open to the public in June 2027. The cost is estimated at $1, 485,000.
The proposed artificial turf came under scrutiny from several audience members, including Lisa Boyle, an environmental lawyer, who now heads the Plastic Pollution Coalition. She said that initially everyone thought picking up the plastic bags on the beach, kept plastic out of the ocean, but it is “the microplastics that even get into our organs” that are so damaging.
“Artificial turf is a major source of microplastic,” Boyle said. “It’s terrible for animals in the ocean and it’s terrible for us.”
Raines said there is a move with RAP to go away from artificial turf, but “that natural turf requires more maintenance.” He was not against looking for a natural turf or other substance, and jokingly said, “maybe we can do ‘crop rotations’” but said the community might have to help with the maintenance because RAP doesn’t have the resources.
Several other people worried about the safety aspect of having people park on Temescal and perhaps running across four-lanes of traffic. Others wanted a parking lot or perhaps limiting beach parking on Temescal to two hours or less, thereby ensuring access to the park during the summer. Raines suggested that the Department of Transportation could look at options.
Residents were also told that Coastal Commission would probably not approve a parking time limit near the ocean.
Councilmember Traci Park closed the meeting. “Getting a dog park has gone on long enough,” she said. “This has been going through meetings and meetings and it was just a project that sat.”
Park is responsible for moving the project forward with “legwork” done by organizers Carol Ross, Leslie Campbell and Lynn Miller.
A dog park was first proposed for Pacific Palisades in the early 2000s. Nearly a thousand residents signed a petition. There were meetings, meetings and more meetings, and promises from former Councilmember Mike Bonin that it would happen.
Then nothing. Dog parks were built around the City by Recreation and Parks (RAP), including one in Westwood, but for lack of push from Bonin nothing happened.
When L.A. County’s Measure A (Safe, Clean Neighborhood Parks, Open Space, Beaches, Rivers Protection, and Water Conservation Measure) passed in November 2016, approving an annual parcel tax of 1.5 cents per square foot of development, with money to be used for Parks, Palisades dog park proponents Miller and Campbell went to meetings.
“I went to be sure dog parks would be recognized,” Miller said.
Campbell sat at the Sunday Farmers Market and was able to get almost 4,000 signatures from people in favor of the park.
The dog park was put on hold again, because Measure A was litigated. A lawsuit was filed in January of 2017 against the County/Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD). In July 2017, the Court ruled in favor of RPOSD/County and Measure A. In September 2017 an appeal was filed in the Court of Appeal, with an estimated time frame to resolution being 18-24 months.
Before the 2017 City Council election, incumbent Mike Bonin said he supported a park, promising everyone who voted for him that he could make it happen. At a February 2018 dog park planning meeting, 120 people attended and all voted for approval. RAP’s Craig Raines drew up the design.
Bonin’s office said money would come from Quimby Funds – but nothing happened. Instead, RAP voted for a dog park in North Hollywood.
The City offered land for the dog park, near the playground in Temescal Canyon Park, just north of Pacific Coast Highway.
Bonin’s office told residents they would need to raise $500,000 to build a park. He was questioned about Measure A funds. In 2020, Measure A has been depositing about $267,000 per year for the Palisades/Brentwood area since 2017 and would continue for another 16 years, but so far that money has not been used.
The project was stalled, until Park’s election. She went before RAP in January 2024 and asked them to write a grant so that the money from Measure A could be used for a dog park. They did, the grant then went to the County. Park spoke to the L.A. County Supervisors, who greenlighted the project.
Now, after nearly three decades, Palisades may finally have a dog park, thanks to its Councilmember and three determined residents, Ross, Miller and Campbell.
In 2017 the cost of building a dog park – per Bonin – was $500,000
Today 2024 the cost of building a dog park is $1,485,000
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If it is built with “natural turf” instead of “artificial turf”, RAP Craig Raines says,
“… your community might have to help with the maintenance because RAP doesn’t have the resources.”
To clarify: at $1,485,000, RAP “doesn’t have the resources”…for natural turf?
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The dog park installation will take place 3 years from now
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