The City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance that would permanently close the Linda off-leash dog area at their regular meeting on Monday, April 7, an action necessary to avoid steep fines and meet an April 9 deadline imposed by regional authorities.

A second reading and vote on the proposal will take place at the Council’s April 21^st meeting.

Closure prompted by regional Water Board complaint

The closure was prompted by an inquiry from the regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) regarding a citizen complaint about runoff from the park washing into and polluting the City’s stormwater system.

In the past several years, the City has temporarily closed the off-leash area frequently due to unsafe conditions and soil erosion during the rainy season, and has installed a variety of erosion control measures including straw wattles and silt bags along the fence on Linda Avenue.

After reviewing a detailed list of steps the City has taken to address soil erosion from the off-leash area, the Water Board confirmed that “more appropriate and long-term erosion control measures” were needed. The City must provide the Water Board information about intended next steps by April 9.

Immediate action required to avoid steep penalties

The Water Board’s involvement leaves the City with few options:

• close the off-leash area permanently and begin re-vegetating the hillside
• close the off-leash area for multiple years while undertaking significant capital improvements, including re-grading the hillside, installing a new drainage system, and building retaining walls – at a likely cost in the millions of dollars
• take no action and risk substantial penalties

If the City is deemed out of compliance with clean water regulations, Piedmont could be subject to fines as high as $66,000 per day.

The Council moved forward with closing the off-leash area after considering  the fiscal consequences of inaction. The decision was reached after public comment and discussion regarding the importance of the area as a space for visitors and  pets to exercise and enjoy the community space .

Second reading of ordinance on April 21

The Council will hold a second reading and vote on the closure at their next meeting on April 21. Community members can speak at the meeting in person or remotely, and may submit comments via email to [email protected]. Meeting details will be posted on the City’s website by Friday, April 18.

Next steps: Hydroseeding, revegetation for Linda hillside; Sustainability evaluation for City parks

If the Council confirms the closure, Public Works staff will immediately move forward with hydroseeding the hillside, a common erosion control measure that forms a sort of protective shell over the soil, preventing runoff and allowing vegetation to begin to regrow.

Concurrently, the City will soon begin a sustainability and stewardship evaluation of all City parks and open spaces. This study will examine current management practices and existing park uses, including off-leash dog areas, with the aim of developing recommendations for how to best meet the community needs while maintaining healthy and vibrant public spaces throughout Piedmont.