Saturday, October 27, 2007
9 am to 1 pm
Building 201, Upper Fort Mason
San Francisco
This is a chance to let the GGNRA and the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee know that you support off-leash access in the GGNRA. Let them know which of the sites under consideration (see below) you use and how many years you've been using them. Let them that there are few problems with off-leash dogs at the sites you frequent. Support continued off-leash access at these and other sites.
Beginning in March 2006, a Negotiated Rulemaking Committee has been meeting to see if any consensus could be reached about a Dog Management Policy for the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. The Committee is composed of representatives from a variety of dog groups (including SFDOG), local environmental groups, equestrians, the SF/SPCA, and other "stakeholders". The October 27 meeting is the final scheduled meeting of the Committee.
The GGNRA has restricted the sites that the Committee can consider for off-leash recreation to 12:
1) Ocean Beach (north of Stairwell 21 and south of Sloat Blvd, excluding the Snowy Plover area)
2) Baker Beach
3) Lands End Trail
4) Crissy Field (excluding fenced tidal marsh and dune areas, and the Wildlife Protection Area on west beach)
5) Upper Fort Mason Great Meadow and Parade Ground
6) Muir Beach (excluding tidal lagoon, Redwood Creek, wetland and dune habitat areas)
7) Rodeo Beach (excluding Rodea Lagoon, and fenced habitat protection area)
8) Homestead Valley
9) Fort Funston (excluding fenced and/or signed areas closed for protection of endangered
species, habitat restoration, erosion control and public safety)
10) Oakwood Valley trails (Marin)
11) Cattle Hill (San Mateo)
12) San Pedro Point (San Mateo)
Eight areas are under consideration for on-leash only access:
1) Mori Point Trails (San Mateo)
2) Sweeney Ridge trails, excluding the Notch trail (San Mateo)
3) Milagra Ridge trails
4) Ocean Beach Snowy Plover Management area between Stairwell 21 and Sloat Blvd
5) Sutro Heights Park
6) Alta Avenue trail (Marin)
7) Fort Baker (excluding fishing pier and Chapel Trail)
8) Other areas with threatened or endangered species (if potential adverse impacts
can be mitigated)
This meeting will be the first time that the Committee will discuss the specific sites under consideration and where dogs can be off-leash at each site.
If you care about off-leash recreation in the GGNRA, you should try to attend this meeting.
There will be a period for public comment at the end of the meeting. This is your chance to let the GGNRA and the Committee know that you support off-leash access in the GGNRA. Let them know which of the sites under consideration you use and how many years you've been using them. Let them that there are few problems with off-leash dogs at the sites you frequent. Support continued off-leash access at these and other sites.
Unfortunately, at the urging of representatives of some of the environmental groups, the Committee voted in one of its first meetings to limit the total length of public comment to 20 minutes. Bring a written copy of what you want to say and give it to GGNRA staff and tell them you want it included in the public record as your public comment. You can also write a comment down on forms available at the meeting. You can submit written public comment if you are denied the chance to speak because of the time limit.
If you cannot attend the meeting, you can submit the public comment you would have said at the meeting to:
Public Comment for 10/27/07 NR Committee Meeting
c/o Chris Powell
Building 201
Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Be sure to indicate you are submitting public comment for the meeting, and that you want your comment to be included in the public record.
