HomeMy WebLinkAboutPBR - COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENCE SANTA ANA RIVER - DOG BEACH - 03-01-20161
From: Melanie Masterson [mailto:smarttmelanie@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2016 9:42 AM
To: dailypilot@latimes.com; christopher@firebrandmediainc.com; peakins@ocregister.com; Dept ‐ City Council; PB&R
Commission; michelle.steel@ocgov.com
Subject: Dog Beach
please do not remove the off‐leash laws at the Newport Beach dog beach. That spot brings so much happiness to our lives
knowing that we can play with our beloved puppies in the water. That is where she learned to swim!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Kevin Wallis [mailto:kwallis@surfline.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:27 PM
To: Dixon, Diane
Cc: dailypilot@latimes.com; christopher@firebrandmediainc.com; peakins@ocregister.com; Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com; PB&R
Commission; Jacobs, Carol; Dept ‐ City Council; Detweiler, Laura
Subject: Newport Dog Beach
Mayor Dixon‐
I am writing this letter to you in the hopes that you, as well as the members of the city council and Parks/Rec Department,
strongly consider keeping Newport’s ‘Dog Beach’ open and leash free during tonight’s City Council meeting.
As a Newport Beach resident‐ and dog owner‐ it is one of my favorite spots in all of Southern California. It’s a unique place
where pups can play in both the ocean and the calmer, flat water of the river and get much needed exercise. For the vast
majority of us living near the beach in Newport, we lack a yard of any size, which can be tough on our pups. Having this open
space for them to play in a friendly manner and assimilate into a pack makes for well adjusted, better behaved, safer dogs. It’s
also a place where I have been fortunate enough to meet some good friends, people I may not have other wise come into
contact with.
Please keep Dog Beach open and leash free. There is a large population of Newport Beach voters who will be exceptionally
happy if you do.
Best Regards‐
Kevin Wallis
Pacific Forecast Chief, Surfline.com
Newport Beach Lifeguard 1996‐1999
436 Prospect St
Newport Beach, CA
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: David Quesada [mailto:captaindavidquesada@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 5:31 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: Save Dog Beach
Please save dog beach and make it better for dogs. Please keep and expand dog beach. Expand it by a block so NBPD does not
have to waste resources harassing good people whos dogs cross some imaginary line. Please allow dogs in that area during
daylight hours.
Thank you,
David
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Sadie Talsky [mailto:stalsky04@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 5:25 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: Please Keep Newport Dog Beach!
Hello,
I was trying to make the City Council meeting tonight but I cannot make it after all. I wanted to write to strongly encourage you
to keep Newport Dog Beach open.
I along with a lot of my friends go there with our beloved dogs. The water is a lot more calm here and conducive to dogs that
aren't huge fans of the water but want to get their feet wet and be relaxed.
I believe that you should allow dogs on Newport Beach between the County's Dog Beach and Olive Street (one block over) so
that we don't have to waste the time of our police department ticketing dogs who run over that imaginary line.
Additionally, p;lease consider allowing dogs on the beach in that area from 5:30am ‐ 8:15pm (currently, dogs are banned
during the daytime in Newport, which is where many of the tickets are coming from).
This will not only save police resources but will also accomplish what the community so overwhelmingly desires. There is only
one resident who opposes this.
It is my understanding that due to our activism, Mayor Diane Dixon‐‐ whose proposal it was to destroy dog beach in the first
place‐‐ has recently walked back on the comments, stating "If there is a demand for a leashless beach and an ordinance is
necessary to amend the code, I will listen to that option." ‐‐ so this is me expressing my demand to keep this beach and make it
leash free!
Thank you for your time and consideration.
‐ Sadie Bailey
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Mandy McDonnell [mailto:mandy.mcdonnell@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 5:00 PM
To: Dept - City Council
Cc: Petros, Tony; PB&R Commission; Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com
Subject: Dog Beach Agenda Item - Resident Opinion/Proposal
Dear City of Newport Beach City Council Members:
I am writing to propose that the City of Newport Beach create a “Dog Beach” at the river jetty, allow off‐leash dogs and regulate
it so that it is safe for our residents and pets. Use City resources to supervise, train, ticket and ban irresponsible dog owners.
Please do not use City resources to take over jurisdiction of the proposed area, ban off‐leash dogs and ticket responsible dog
owners.
I understand that there is currently no “official” dog beach and that residents and visitors treat the River Jetty beach area as an
unofficial dog beach, where we can let dogs off‐leash (usually) without any issues or the threat of being ticketed. I understand
that the portion of the beach at the River Jetty is County‐Owned and the County has not put resources into ticketing dog
owners who let their dog off‐leash there.
I understand that our City Council is seeking measures to assure that this area is regulated so that people will no longer be able
to let their dogs off‐leash at this unofficial dog beach. I also understand that there are some issues that may occur at an
unregulated, unofficial dog beach and that there may have been some complaints by residents. We have an issue that requires
a solution and I believe I have the best one.
The Solution
The City of Newport Beach should take over jurisdiction of the beach by the River Jetty. Instead of putting new resources into
ticketing dog owners who let their dogs off‐leash, why not provide safety for residents and their dogs by having a staff member
(Animal Control? Parks? Recreation?) monitor the dog beach and only ticket irresponsible dog owners? The City has one “Dog
Park”. Wouldn't it be nice if the community DID have an official dog beach? Create similar rules to those of the Dog Park on
Avocado at this dog beach and have a staff member enforce those rules. Once there is clarity on what the beach is for and what
the rules are, I believe the area will be enjoyed by all.
The area could be an official City park with a sign that says “Dog Beach” with the City Seal. Create a role where a new or
current City staff person could supervise that area. Warnings and tickets could be issued to those (irresponsible dog owners)
who do not follow the posted rules.
The problems at unofficial dog beach are not because of dogs being off‐leash. If they were, why would you allow off‐leash dogs
at Avocado? The problem is irresponsible dog owners.
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Why We Should Have a Dog Beach
So many residents have dogs and enjoy spending time with family in this area. Not much brings me and my family as much joy
as watching my dog frolic in the water and on the beach with other dogs. I’ve had a number of people tell me how much
they’ve enjoyed watching our dog play. The activities at the unofficial dog beach bring members of the community together.
Dogs are better members of the community (better behaved) when they are well‐exercised. Many of us own $1M++ homes in
Newport, by the beach, and the beach is our backyard. I walk my dog on‐leash, extensively, in a number of areas, but it’s just
not the same as off‐leash on the beach, where he can run, swim and play with toys, us and other dogs.
I believe one of the goals of the Newport Beach City Council is to create and facilitate a wonderful community for all of its
members. Creating this new‐and‐improved dog beach would be right in line with that goal.
Why We Should Make Some Changes
I have been at “dog beach” and have seen some things that I have not loved. 1. I was there when a lady was on her phone, not
paying any attention to her very ill‐behaved, off‐leash, dog when it attacked another dog. I called City of Newport Beach
Animal Control and was bounced back‐and‐forth between the City and the County and it seemed that this stretch of beach was
under no one’s jurisdiction and, by the time anyone was going to respond, the problem dog/owner would be gone anyway. 2.
Some aggressive dogs should just not be allowed at a dog beach/park. This should be regulated. 3. I’ve expressed my
disappointment to owners who do not pick up after their dogs and I’ve picked up after them. Something needs to be done to
regulate behavior (people and dogs), but dogs that are merely not‐on‐a‐leash should not be punished.
Conclusion
The City Council is in a position where you could create something great for the community, rather than take something away.
There is a solution that is right for us responsible dog owners AND people worried about dog bites and poop.
With my proposed plan, the same amount of staff and resources would be required and the outcome should please residents
on both sides of the issue.
Huntington Beach has an official Dog Beach. Shouldn’t Newport Beach – The greatest city in the world ‐ have one?
The City of Newport Beach currently has a “Parks make life better campaign” running. I agree with that slogan. Let’s create
more parks. Let’s turn the county land by the River Jetty into a City of Newport Beach Dog Beach Park and allow responsible
dog owners to let their dogs play off leash there.
Respectfully,
Mandy McDonnell
Resident/Homeowner
218 Walnut Street
Newport Beach, CA 92663
Responsible Owner of “Sherman”, City of Newport Beach Registered Dog # 65493
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Mike Glenn [mailto:michael.glenn@devion.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:46 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: All the information you need for tonight's meeting
WHY IS THIS BEING PROPOSED?
Dixon, on 12/11/2015 told the Daily Pilot that the reason this was being proposed is that she had received "dozens of emails
from residents seeking relief". I called bulldog on her, and on 12/17, requested the emails through the rough equivalent of a
Freedom of Information Act (PRAR). It turned out that only one person ever emailed her in a negative fashion about it‐‐ and it
was because that person was upset about parking (yes: they were upset that they lived in an area so nice that other people
wanted to visit it). I wrote an open letter to council outlining these and other concerns with the stated reasons behind this
government intrusion.
After being called out on that, she told Barbara Venezia on Jan 15 that she had been "contacted by phone, email and at my town
halls by several residents". I attended all of her Town Halls but one, and I proposed suspicion at the coincidence that the one
meeting I missed had legions of people upset about Dog Beach but no other meetings mentioned it.
Finally, she confessed the truth to the OCRegister on Feb 23 saying that only one person had ever talked about it, and that it
was her policy to use taxpayer money researching every single thing that any single person ever brings up to her. ("Dixon said
she’d bring up an issue for discussion even if only one resident is impacted, she said.")
So which of these are the truth? Are any of them? What is the real problem here? Unfortunately, Mayor Dixon has a long
history of misleading privately, publicly, and to the press (just google "Lights Out at 11pm Newport Beach" to find plenty
more). Due to this type of repeatedly unclear communication, it is impossible to understand why she is doing this‐‐ although it
is very clear that there is a bias, as in one of her emails to Stephanie on Mar 14, 2015 she writes that she will try to dovetail the
dog issue with beach pollution in order to remove the dogs. ("The dog issue was raised this week in the Water Quality committee
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I chair. We may try this tack with the County. Stay tuned."). So the real reason we will all be here tonight? Who knows, as her
words are unreliable, at best.
Here are the other "stats" that you have been given in your staff report:
Survey Results as of 1/19/2015 (after the polling SUPPOSEDLY closed)
The "anti‐dog‐beach" vote rose from 4 to 27 overnight. That's 23 votes.
Coincidentally, 23 was the same number of votes that didn't have a corresponding human being attached to them. The vendor
of this service told us that they didn't know what happened, and proceeded to manually adjust them several times
without any guidance or stated reason.
Map of “land adjacent to the river jetty” and map of the dog beach land
Ask yourself: How dare they compare these two numbers and ask you to believe that they could be in any way related? Just
look at the size difference here, seriously. That's like us comparing the total number of horrible crimes in the USA and
assuming that the solution nationwide should be the same solution that we should take in Rhode Island.
There is not one shred of information here that passes the smell test, as every bit of it has been proven to be either false or
wildly misleading.
Mike
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Angela Glaser [mailto:angelarealtor@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 4:39 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: SAVE DOG BEACH !!!!!!!
It seems like, more and more; our rights and icons are being taken away... Such a shame to even consider closing dog
beach. What a wonderful way for people and their precious dogs to socialize and enjoy the simple things in life... It does not
surprise me that City Council wants to do away with it. Maybe down the road, build some condos perhaps or something that
generates money... How about preserving animal rights and giving Newport Beach residents a pleasant walk on the beach
with their dogs??? Every time I hear of something, anything being taken away from us; it really makes me so discouraged
about where our society is headed... Shame on you!
Keep the beach, extend the access. That is the right thing to do!!!!!!!!! Angela Glaser/Newport Beach Resident
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: pamela.bowen@gmail.com [mailto:pamela.bowen@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:31 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; PB&R Commission; cjacobs@newporbeachca.gov; Detweiler, Laura; Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com;
dailypilot@latimes.com; Christopher@firebrandmediainc.com; peakins@ocregister.com
Cc: Mike Glenn
Subject: Please Reconsider Banning Off Leash Dogs at The Jetty in Newport Beach
Honorable Council Members, County Supervisor, and Esteemed Media:
Please save The Jetty for off leash dogs and their owners. My name is Pamela Bowen and I am a Costa Mesa resident. I have
had the privilege of visiting The Jetty on many occasions and it has been a blessing to me. Without it, both me and my dog
would have been precluded from the joys of off leash beach life because the walk to the dog beach in Huntington Beach was far
too taxing.
My Labrador Retriever, Proud Winter Moon, was 15 years old when she passed April 17, 2015, and The Jetty was the only
beach I was able to walk her on in the few years prior to her death. She was arthritic, and access to the Jetty was a life saver in
those years because the terrain was flat and the walk was achievable for both of us. In 2009, I had a massive brain
hemorrhage, and it took me three years to recover. Without the flat terrain and calmer waters of The Jetty, I would not have
been able to visit the beach with her and share in her joy as she played in the water. Her joy helped me heal. I am 100%
recovered, after having been given a 5% chance to live, and much of my healing can be attributed to the steadfast
companionship I received from my Moonie Girl. Taking her to The Jetty in those years of recovery was, literally, the only
reward I could give her at times. Please don't take that potential away from others who might face disability (both human and
canine).
There are so few access points left for pet owners, and this beach is truly a life saver for those whose companions need calmer
water and more accessible terrain. Please vote with the majority and save this treasure for those of us who love our dogs and
want to share the joy of off leash play at the beach with them, and can at times, do so only by visiting The Jetty.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Pamela Bowen
Costa Mesa, California
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: surferdadxo@yahoo.com [mailto:surferdadxo@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 10:20 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Dog beach
Mind your own business. Let common sense prevail. The people seem to police the area pretty well . Less Government , rules ,
laws, etc are better! Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: David Quesada [mailto:captaindavidquesada@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 5:06 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Save Dog Beach
Please save dog beach and make it better for dogs. Please keep and expand dog beach. Expand it by a block so NBPD does not
have to waste resources harassing good people whos dogs cross some imaginary line. Please allow dogs in that area during
daylight hours.
Thank you,
David
6
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Roni Feinstein [mailto:ronifeinstein@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:39 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Dog beach
Hello! Please save the dog beach! Having a place to bring the dogs to run free on the beach is a highlight (among the many
highlights) of life in NB. It is the only free space for dogs by the water’s edge and is a delight. Please preserve it for now and in
the future!
Thank you!
Roni Feinstein
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Gail Zook [mailto:gzook1@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 3:58 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Dog Beach
The Newport Beach Police Department should NOT respond on leash law and dog waste violations at the mouth of the Santa
Ana River, which is the County of Orange’s jurisdiction.
This the only area in West Newport that dogs can play.
Gail Zook
255 Cedar St.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Krupali Tejura <krupalitejura@gmail.com>
Date: March 1, 2016 at 5:58:16 PM PST
To: <pbrcommission@newportbeachca.gov>
Subject: dog beach
I live and own a home on the peninsula of Newport Beach. I URGE you to keep it as a space for dogs. People here enjoy it and
it's a highlight for me and my 4 legged friends.
Thank you!
Krupali Tejura MD
126 43rd St
92663
Sent from my iPhone
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From: GEORGE KENT [mailto:gvkent@mac.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 12:58 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: Dog Beach
Please save and expand the leash‐less Dog Beach.
George & Judy Kent
4627 Gorham Drive
Corona del Mar, CA 92625
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: shannan whalen [mailto:sgwhalen@me.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 1:04 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Shannan Whalen
Subject: Dog Beach
I am unable to be at the meeting today in person so I am writing to you all today to express my vote to not only keep Dog Beach,
but expand it!! Allow dogs on Newport Beach between the County's Dog Beach and Olive Street (one block over) so that we don't
have to waste the time of our police department ticketing dogs who run over that imaginary line.
Additionally, allow dogs on the beach in that area from 5:30am ‐ 8:15pm (currently, dogs are banned during the daytime in
Newport, which is where many of the tickets are coming from).
This will not only save police resources but will also accomplish what the community so overwhelmingly desires. There are so
few places where dogs can enjoy the beauty of the beach and ocean. Please do not take this away!! Please listen to the people
on this issue!!
Kind regards,
Shannan Whalen
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Alexis [mailto:xsweetajx@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 12:52 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: Save Newport dog beach!
I take both of my small dogs over to the Newport Beach jetty. It is a perfect place for my dogs to actually enjoy the water! The
other beaches, they can't exactly go play with the big waves crashing down and they do love getting wet. This is why we love
Newport Beach jetty and often go there! Please save Newport dog beach! Many of us dog owners and build so many good
memories there with our dogs and will be heartbroken for it to be taken away!
Thank you,
Alexis Goldstein, Patrick Rubio and their two furry pups‐ TuZee & Arrow
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Trish Hannegan [mailto:trishhannegan@icloud.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 12:34 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: SAVE DOG BEACH NB
My 9 yr old Corgi is well trained on or off leash. I ALWAYS clean up after him. He loves the ocean. It would be a crying shame if
he can't go to the beach any longer. PLEASE HELP!
Sent from my iPhone
8
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Chuck Cortright [mailto:chuck@cortright.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 12:56 PM
To: Kiff, Dave
Subject: RE: Parking for Dog Park users
Hi Dave,
Hope you are well.
Angela and I will not be to attend the “dog beach” meeting
tonight but I have a suggestion that could be a good
solution/compromise for both sides:
1. It should be clearly evident from your research that
people who like/use this dog beach area greatly outnumber the
residents that are complaining.
2. I don’t blame the residents who are complaining one bit.
3. See attached picture for solution.
4. Feel free to use my name and the attached pic in
tonight’s meeting.
Regards,
Chuck
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Kylie Nuckols [mailto:kylie26vb@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1:35 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; christopher@firebrandmediainc.com peakins@ocregister.com; Detweiler, Laura; Jacobs, Carol
Cc: Nicole Lean, ND
Subject: Save Newport Beach Dog Beach!
My name is Kylie Nuckols, a resident of Costa Mesa but a regular at Newport Beach businesses and resources. I love attending
Newport Beach Dog Beach section. Please consider keeping the dog beach protected and allow people to let their dogs off leash
in this section of the beach. I understand there is meeting tonight that I cannot attend but I hope my opinion and voice will be
considered as I am just one of many people who enjoy the dog beach in Newport. Thanks for your time and consideration!
*Kylie
Sent from my "smart" phone, please pardon the typos or auto spelling.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Jeannie Denholm [mailto:jdenholm@scapesite.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1:36 PM
To: dailypilot@latimes.com; christopher@firebrandmediainc.com; peakins@ocregister.com
Cc: Dept ‐ City Council; PB&R Commission; Jacobs, Carol; Detweiler, Laura; Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com
Subject: SAVE THE DOG BEACH P L E A S E !!
As with others who share the same feelings, I am writing in favor of not only keeping Dog Beach, but expanding it. I think it is
smart to allow dogs on Newport Beach between the County's Dog Beach and Olive Street (one block over) so that the city
doesn’t have to waste the time of our police department ticketing dogs who run over that imaginary line.
Additionally, I am in favor of allowing dogs on the beach in that area from 5:30am ‐ 8:15pm (currently, dogs are banned during
the daytime in Newport, which is where many of the tickets are coming from).
This will not only save police resources but will also accomplish what the community so overwhelmingly desires. My
understanding is there is only one resident who opposes this.
I understand Mayor Diane Dixon‐‐ whose proposal it was to destroy dog beach in the first place‐‐ has recently walked back on
the comments, stating "If there is a demand for a leashless beach and an ordinance is necessary to amend the code, I will listen
to that option." ‐‐ so please add my name to the list of Newport Beach citizens who wants their vote and voice to be heard.
Many thanks
Jeannie Denholm
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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From: Tamara Lloyd [mailto:tamiannelloyd@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 8:33 PM
To: Jacobs, Carol; Detweiler, Laura
Subject: Newport Dog Beach
Dear Ms. Jacobs and Ms. Detweiler,
This letter is to communicate my sincere regret to hear that you are
thinking about shutting down the "Newport dog beach." I have read your
proposal to start enforcing new rules regarding dogs that are off leash in
this area and know this issue is being addressed at tomorrow night's
meeting. This is highly disappointing to know the city is considering this.
By enforcing these new rules, you will be disappointing residents who
live here because of Newport's dog friendly "reputation." Part of the
reason we chose to buy our house in Newport is because the community
is so dog friendly. From Fashion Island to the dog beach, we've always
loved the "dog culture" that Newport has over other cities in Orange and
LA county. If you close the dog beach, it would be the equivalent of taking
away "Central Park" for us. We love the friendly environment that it
fosters, helping residents and community members connect through the commonality of their dogs.
Secondly, so many people come from all over Southern California to enjoy this space. It brings a positive light to the city that
Newport is compassionate towards animals. My sister‐in‐law, one of the City Councilwomen of Calabasas says that Los Angeles
has nothing like this in their county. They come bring their dogs down to Newport just to go the dog beach. This unique
attraction brings tourism and business to the area.
Finally, if you pass these new "rules," you will be taking away a piece of our family's heart. I know so many others would feel
the same way. This beach is where Sadie had her first "playdate," where she learned to be a socialize, and learned to love the
CA sun and sea. It is easily our dog's favorite place in the entire world! Please see attached photo of Sadie in her "happy place."
I remember one day seeing a bucket of free tennis balls in a dog's memory after a dog passed away. They left the balls there for
other dogs because it was where the dog loved to be the most. This is when it hit me how special this place is for so many.
Please don't change or take away this sacred place for the dog families of Newport. For the number of complaints that you may
have received, I guarantee you will have quadruple the amount of disappointed families if you shut it down. We will certainly
be one of them.
Sincerely,
Tami and Andrew Lloyd
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Andy Andersen [mailto:andy.intrawest@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1:57 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Dog Beach
Please leave the dog beach open. Huntington Beach has a open beach area and seems to work well for the community.
*Andy Andersen*
*Intra‐West Sales, Inc.
711 West 17th Street, #B‐9
Costa Mesa CA 92627*
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Alba, Carmen [mailto:carmen.a.alba@medtronic.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1:48 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: NEWPORT BEACH
Dear City Council,
I do not want Newport to be able to remove off leash dogs from our beaches. I am the voice for my dog (Cinnamon).
Thank you,
Carmen.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Ocean Paddlesports [mailto:oceanpaddlesports@att.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1:39 PM
To: Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com
Cc: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: dog beach
My name is DeAnne Hemmens, a California resident and I am in favor of keeping river jetty dog beach not only as it is but
perhaps expanding it over a street or two. There are not any other off leash areas for dogs on the beach. This is small piece of
land enjoyed by so many dog owners.
I support this Dog Beach and do not want to see a few(or 1‐2) people dictate the wishes of so many on this matter.
Thank you for your time,
DeAnne Hemmens
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Craig Peterson [mailto:craigrosspeterson@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1:23 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; PB&R Commission; Jacobs, Carol; Detweiler, Laura; Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com
Cc: lisa peterson; Lauren Peterson
Subject: Save Dog Beach!!
It is not just a dog beach it is a family beach with family dogs!
My family and I, which includes 2 dogs, absolutely love coming to dog beach as a family. Many happy hours are spent with the
whole family enjoying our dogs playing with all the other dogs. Please keep dog beach as a leash free beach and do not take
away one of our family joys. Our time at the beach together with our dogs is priceless. You can come down and see dogs
actually smiling!
Your careful consideration to vote to keep our dogs smiling is greatly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Craig R. Peterson
1923 Republic Ave
Costa Mesa, Ca 92627
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Sevrin [mailto:hopensev@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 2:02 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Dog beach
To whom it may concern , I live at 108 olive street and seashore and am very concerned about what's going on all around my
house on an everyday basis. We have a huge problem with dogs, constant traffic , and there owners. This is out of control I
already had my nephew who is three years old jumped on and knocked to the ground in front of tower 74 by a dog at 11 am on
a Wednesday . The owner had no remorse and looked annoyed about me complaining to them about it. Please help us figure
out how to get this under control. Sincerely, Sevrin
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Charles Leeper Jr. [mailto:cleeperjr@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 1:48 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: Santa Ana River/Dog issue
To Whom it may concern,
I am writing with regards to the unofficial dog beach in the Santa Ana River Mouth. I live at 7003 1/2 Seashore Drive with my
wife and 3 daughters ages 7, 5 and 2. While we are dog lovers, have owned multiple dogs and plan to own dogs in the future,
the situation created by this area being used as a "dog beach" has become out of control and even dangerous. On a weakly
basis our children are confronted by unrestrained dogs on the beach or in the alley. Multiple times we have had seamingly
friendly encounters end in close calls when one of the kids reaches out to pet the dog and the dog responds aggressively. All
three of my daughters have also been mounted by male dogs attempting to mate with them on multiple occasions. Our friends
with young children have now even become concerned about bringing their families to the beach here. We also have to
constantly clean up dog feces in the alley and on the beach which gets left behind when owners walk to or from the river
mouth and which does not get cleaned up by the city. Something must be done about this situation. Either the City of Newport
or County of Orange enforcing their already in‐place Dog restraint ordinances in this area would be a simple solution.
Thank you for your consideration
Chas Leeper Jr
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Alain O'Connor [mailto:alainoconnor@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 2:23 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; PB&R Commission; Jacobs, Carol;
Detweiler, Laura; Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com
Subject: Proposed NBPD Dog Enforcement along the Santa Ana
River
Dear City & County Officials,
Please read the attached letter in regards to the Dog Beach
issue which the City of Newport Beach Parks, Beaches and
Recreation Commission is meeting about tonight at 6pm.
Thank you,
Alain O'Connor, CPA
Newport Beach Homeowner
12
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Miguel Vasquez [mailto:vasquezmigs@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 2:24 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Jacobs, Carol; PB&R Commission; Detweiler, Laura
Subject: Pls Save Dog Beach
Importance: High
Dear Mayor, Council Members, City Staff and PBR Commission,
As a long time NPB resident & property owner, I was shocked to hear that dog beach was
even up for debate. It frustrates me that the current council and staff are even
considering the closure or rather policing the area in a manner that would ultimately shut
down dog beach for the benefit and enjoyment of so many residents and other area
visitors. My family and I live in Newport Shores and about a year ago I let my wife convince me to get a dog for the family –
attached is a photo of Elvis, a beach loving pup who we frequently take to dog beach. He loves to run free along the river
mouth and enjoys the positive socialization with the other dogs. A material reason for me to yield to my wife’s pleading for the
family dog was the fact that we live near dog beach and knowing we can properly raise a happy active dog.
I implore you to not only reconsider these restrictive actions and keep Dog Beach, but expand it. Allow dogs on Newport Beach
between the County's Dog Beach and Olive Street (one block over) so that we don't have to waste the time of our police
department ticketing dogs who run over that imaginary line.
Please do the right thing and ensure our quality of life is not compromised. Not only will the residents be in uproar but Elvis
will be terribly miserable.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: David Harper [mailto:maryjeanharper82@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 2:33 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: Dog beach
Good Afternoon,
I am unable to attend the meeting tonight as I am recovering from surgery but am in support of Dog Beach at the river jetty. It
is a destination in Newport where I can enjoy time with my dog off leash and where I have run into other local friends many
times. I have never seen anyone abuse the privilege of this important recreation. Please continue to allow me to take
advantage of this "jewel" in our very special city.
Thank you,
Maryjean Harper
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Greg Reinker [mailto:nbdolfns@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 2:42 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Unofficial dog beach
Diane Dixon's ill‐advised motion to have our city patrol the Santa Ana River opening for dogs off leash reminds us of Nancy
Gardner's disastrous effort to eliminate fire rings on the beach, which was made to appease a very tiny minority of
homeowners (donors?). in her district. Nancy's effort created a monster that could have deprived thousands of families of one
of the most enjoyable and inexpensive of activities in California, and could have cost cities like Newport and Huntington Beach
millions of dollars in lost revenue.Even now we are stuck with some fire rings for "charcoal only" which is stupid.
It is our idea that our city council should reflect the will of the majority of the residents. It is clear that many residents want the
area open as a "dog beach', and only a few want it patrolled. We have been there numerous times and have seen no problems.
The dog owners that frequent the area are very conscientious about controlling their dog’s behavior. There will always be a
tiny minority of Newport residents who are against dogs on the beach, but the vast majority of residents, like us, enjoy the
outdoor exercise and camaraderie with other dog owners. Why should Newport Beach taxpayers pay to patrol County
property? This is a misguided idea promoted by a very few Newport residents and opposed by a great majority.
Greg & Shirley Reinker
5319 Lido Sands Dr.
13
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Bill McCarty [mailto:mccarty.video@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 3:08 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Please do not impose leash laws onto County land at the Santa Ana River mouth
I can't make the meeting tonight, but I'm very much against imposing leash laws at the mouth of the Santa Ana River. I'm a
Costa Mesa resident and don't even own a dog, but I still recognize the important role the river mouth plays in dog‐owner's
lives. And I really love seeing all the happy dogs and owners when I pass by the spot.
It's such a small section of beach anyway, so please don't acquiesce to the wishes of a very small minority who wants to close it
down.
Sincerely
Bill McCarty
Costa Mesa
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Pam White [mailto:pam@whitesailrealty.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 3:03 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Please save the Dog Beach
Hello,
I am a long time Newport Resident and Business owner.
I actively support saving the dog beach.
This a wonderful part of Newport and there is no reason to remove it.
I appreciate your consideration
Pam White
20452 SW Cypress St
Newport Beach CA 92660
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Kathi Winter [mailto:kathiw@globalinc.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 3:18 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: save dog beach
While ii can’t attend the council meeting tonight I wanted you to know my voice; please save dog beach in Newport. It means
so much to the animals and to us the residents of the local area. People love to be outside and have freedom for the dog (
superversed of course). Please consider this plea‐ save the freedom for our pets. Thank you kindly, Kathi Winter
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Hope Johnson [mailto:hajohnson@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 3:17 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Santa Ana River Mouth Dog Beach
Dear City Council,
Please keep the dog beach leash free. The dog beach is one of the most wonderful places in Orange County. People are
overwhelmingly respectful and friendly with the dogs. It’s a place for dogs to let off some steam so they can be good dog
citizens back at home. Please keep this area off leash. Do not take over policing of the area and add restrictions. The joy of the
dogs there can’t help but bring happiness to humans too.
Thank you,
Hope Johnson
Costa Mesa, CA
14
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Tish Stern [mailto:tishdental@icloud.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 3:26 PM
To: dailypilot@latimes.com
Subject: SAVE DOG BEACH Newport beach
I am writing in reference to the town meeting this evening at 6:00 pm in Newport Beach, CA. Unfortunately I will be unable to
attend the meeting as I have to work. I wanted my voice to be heard. I am a Huntington Beach resident and dog owner. I
choose to visit the Newport Beach Dog Beach because it is safer, cleaner, and closer to my home than the Huntington Beach
Dog Beach. I bring my dog to the Newport Dog Beach 5 times a week (and pay the parking meter), and sometimes visit local
restaurants and stores. It would be a shame if the dog beach were closed and I was forced to visit the Huntington Beach Dog
Beach. I know that several dog owners feel the same way, as I have talked to many of them. All of the dog owners that I have
met are friendly, responsible, and concerned. Thank you!
Regards,
Tish Stern
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Nancy VanDalsem [mailto:newportnv@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 3:37 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: "dog beach"
My opinion is ‐ leave it alone.
The dogs & owners are VERY well behaved & enforcement of the law is unnecessary & not a good use of our resources.
By the way I am not a dog owner
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: robert bemus [mailto:rbemus@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 3:58 PM
To: PB&R Commission; Dept ‐ City Council; Jacobs, Carol; Detweiler, Laura; Michelle.Steel@ocgov.com;
dailypilot@latimes.com; christopher@firebrandmediainc.com; peakins@ocregister.com
Cc: Mike Glenn
Subject: Save Dog Beach in Newport Beach
I strongly oppose any initiative to ban Dog Beach in Newport Beach. Having a place where dogs can run free is a positive for
residents, tourists and, of course, the dogs themselves. I am unable to attend tonight's hearing but I stand with the supporters
who are there.
I fully support this statement from Mr. Mike Glenn:
"Do not only keep Dog Beach, but expand it. Allow dogs on Newport Beach between the County's Dog Beach and Olive Street (one
block over) so that we don't have to waste the time of our police department ticketing dogs who run over that imaginary line.
Additionally, allow dogs on the beach in that area from 5:30am ‐ 8:15pm (currently, dogs are banned during the daytime in
Newport, which is where many of the tickets are coming from)."
Robert Bemus
Newport Beach resident since 1958
15
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Vivien [mailto:vivien.wadeck@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:05 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Cc: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: Unofficial Dog beach
Hello, my name is Vivien Hyman, my family and I live at 7409 Seashore Drive.
Although, there is a meeting to discuss the issues with the unofficial dog beach tonight, I wanted to address my concerns in an
email as well.
Below is a list of issues that should be of concern, not only to residents of the neighborhood, but to everyone.
1. When a dog is off leash, you lose 100% control of them. Therefore, the dog can run and attack another dog, child, person.
You cannot get to them fast enough, not even if you are Usain Bolt. Your dog can also run into oncoming traffic or enter
someone's property without their consent. This is an issue, because I have small children, I have been lucky enough to be near
my child when a dog charged at her.
2. Dog owners are not picking up after their dogs. On a daily basis I find dog feces on the sidewalk, in the sand and on the
grass. This is every single day. I have had friends, family and neighbors step in it. If we continue to allow these dog owners to
use our community and beaches as a toilet, we will end up with disease, and dog feces in this area.
3. The Santa Ana "river" is not a river. It is run off. I won't step foot in it, nor let my children or dogs go in it. But when people
go in and allow their dogs in it, they track the sand and water back to our sidewalks, streets, cars and houses, polluting these
areas. This may be a minor issue now, but as this unofficial dog beach becomes more and more popular, they are putting
everyone at risk.
4. I have multiple dogs peeing on my property everyday. And not just dogs, but humans too. These are the same people that
are probably not picking up after their dogs.
My family and I should not feel like prisoners in our own home and community. A dog should not be allowed to run wild. We
should all be able to go to the beach and feel safe walking on clean sand and sidewalks. We should all be able to feel safe to
allow our children to run wild and not worry about dogs attacking them or knocking them over.
Dog owners need to walk their dogs on leashes and pick up after them. If they want them to run wild, take them to the dog
park. Or take them for a walk or jog like I do with my dogs.
Thank you for your time,
Vivien Hyman
16
17
Facebook Comments Received Since Preparing Report Ending on 12/20/2015
18
19
From: cinfreyman@gmail.com [mailto:cinfreyman@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 10:23 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Santa Ana river jetty
Please...WE ARE AGAINST THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH ASSISTING THE COUNTY IN ENFORCING DOG REGULATIONS AT
THE UNOFFICIAL, OFF LEASH DOG BEACH AT THE SANTA ANA RIVER TRAIL. Here in Southern California we are dog lovers.
We love giving our pets a great time and this includes the ability to run and swim and play with other dogs. If it's not too much
of a bother to the neighbors we truly would appreciate if the Santa Ana river jetty remain what it has been.
Thank you,
Cindy Freyman
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: TRACY FORRESTER [mailto:tracyforrester@me.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 10:18 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Unofficial Dog Beach
Dear City Council Members,
I am a life long resident, home owner and tax payer in the city of Newport Beach. I am also a responsible dog owner who likes
to walk my dog on the beach.
I am outraged that you would consider taking away our unofficial, off leash, dog beach at the Santa Ana River Trail. For years
that area has been a place for residents to take their dogs to run free without fear of being cited. It is a “happy place” for
residents to meet other residents, to enjoy our beaches and let our dogs run free.
I’ve heard rumors that it is one person that has been doing most of the complaining. If you “shut down” that area it will not
lessen the parking congestion as most of the parking spots are taken by surfers and out of town visitors. Most of the dog
owners walk to the beach. That area of the beach is actually cleaner than the rest of the beach as most dog owners carry poop
bags and pick up trash.
I don’t understand how it could be feasible for the city to assist the county in enforcing the dog regulations. As a tax payer and
resident of Newport Beach, I AM AGAINST THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH ASSISTING THE COUNTY IN ENFORCING DOG
REGULATIONS AT THE UNOFFICIAL, OFF LEASH DOG BEACH AT THE SANTA ANA RIVER TRAIL.
Sincerely,
Tracy Forrester
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: M. Gordon [mailto:mnsgordon@cox.net]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 9:17 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: River bed beach‐dogs
I am AGAINST THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH ASSISTING THE COUNTY IN ENFORCING DOG REGULATIONS AT THE
UNOFFICIAL, OFF LEASH DOG BEACH AT THE SANTA ANA RIVER TRAIL.
The one or more owners complaining should get some joy in their lives too by rescuing a little puppy and letting it run free on
our beach.
Pure owner‐ pet‐animal joy! The owners act responsibly the dogs are delightful, why would you consider taking this away
from us, the local residents of either Newport Beach or surrounding cities. Charge us a dollar if you ha e to make a revenue
decision but do not ban us from enjoying this area with our pets.
Sincerely
Madaline R. Gordon & Roberta M. Blinder
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
20
From: Felipe [mailto:fcmotta@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 9:11 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: I support the MOU
Hello Sir,
I'm a resident at 107 Sonora Street and I support the MOU.
Thanks and best regards,
Felipe C. Motta
fcmotta@hotmail.com
+1‐714‐943‐5562
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Maura Short [mailto:mshort@me.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 9:00 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Dog regulations
Dear Council Members,
I would be there tomorrow but am unable to attend so i thought I would send a note.
I am very much AGAINST THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH ASSISTING THE COUNTY IN ENFORCING DOG REGULATIONS AT
THE UNOFFICIAL, OFF LEASH DOG BEACH AT THE SANTA ANA RIVER TRAIL.
Please allow our residents to continue to have this freedom for our dogs.
Thank You,
Maura Short
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Julie Warren [mailto:rogerandjulie@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 7:38 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: River jetty and dogs
I just want to state my opinion. I have been going to the river jetty for over 15 years and have never once seen it as a problem. I
have never seen a person not clean up after their pets. We allow dogs in Neiman Marcus and all over Fashion Island but we are
thinking of not letting them enjoy their time at one little area of the beach. Please please please think realistically and do not
let one or two peoples ideas about not wanting crowds etc. That area of the beach attracts visitors. That's where they knew
they were moving. Newport is a dog friendly place. Let it be. It's never been a problem. Please realize how petty this issue is.
Please do not change the beach. Dogs need a place to get their energy out and we all get so much happiness and make so many
friends at the jetty.
Julie
Newport shores resident
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: surfdoc2 [mailto:surfdoc2@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 4:41 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: MOU
Hello,
My name is Zachary Granoff. I am an 18+ year citizen here in Newport Beach, a current dog owner, and I fully support the
MOU.
Sincerely
Zachary Granoff
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
21
From: Inge Hawkins [mailto:iandjhawk5@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 3:42 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Enforcing dog regulations in the area of beach where Santa Ana River meets Pacific Ocean.
We, owners of property on 104 Grant street, close to the area where Santa Ana River meets the Pacific Ocean, feel very
strongly, that the City of Newport Beach should assist the County of enforcing dog regulations in this area of the beach.
Inge and Joe Hawkins
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Blair Armstrong [mailto:armstrongwb@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 12:40 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: MOU regarding river jetty
To whom it may concern:
I currently live at 7206 W. Oceanfront and have lived here since 1998. I currently am a dog owner and have been for most of
the 40+ years that I have lived in Orange County. I also like to believe that I am a responsible dog owner. Unfortunately, I
cannot say the same for many of the dog owners who frequent the area along the Santa Ana river.
I continually see dogs "off leash" along the river as well as along Seashore. In addition, I continually see dog feces along
Seashore as well as W. Oceanfront near the front of my house. Many of the people who use the "dog beach" have little regard
for the etiquette needed regarding their dogs. Additionally, I have had "off leash" dogs attack my dog while I was walking him
"on leash" along the beach near the river jetty.
For the above reasons, I strongly support the proposed MOU.
Sincerely,
William Blair Armstrong
7206 W. Oceanfront
Newport Beach, Ca. 92663
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Jim Ure [mailto:JUre@bomelconstruction.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 10:44 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation; Kiff, Dave
Subject: River Jetty Dog Beach MOU w/ OC Sheriff's
Dear City Council and Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Commission,
My family and live at 6001 Seashore and are long time residents and dog owners. We fully support the MOU with County
Sheriff’s to allow the City of Newport Beach to enforce our leash laws and time of use regulations. The current lack of
enforcement has dogs running off leash at all times of the day and evening. Many dog owners there do not supervise how the
dogs behave, where they defecate, or clean up after them. I currently avoid the area when I walk my dog (on a leash) on the
beach to avoid the conflict with unsupervised dogs and their owners.
Please vote to approve the MOU.
Thanks,
Jim Ure
Executive Vice President
Bomel Construction Company Inc.
8195 E. Kaiser Blvd., Anaheim Hills, CA 92808
Dir: 714‐279‐3204
Cel: 714‐493‐5715
Fax: 714‐921‐1943
www.bomelconstruction.com
22
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Lisa Li [mailto:li.lisa@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 10:09 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: no dog park ‐ river jetties
Hello,
I am a homeowner in Newport Beach (7205 Seashore Drive, 121 37th Street and 1600 Dorothy Lane). I am outraged to hear
that there is talk of the River Jetties beach becoming an official dog park. I am a dog owner and love animals! There are 3
really big problems in regards to the River Jetties right now. There is no parking all day long, scary dogs of leash and TONS OF
DOG POOP!
The parking in this area is already such a HUGE problem, I cannot imagine if this became an official dog park. It would be
chaos. During the day there is absolutely no parking on the street. It is overrun with people coming to walk their dogs illegally
all day long. Why aren't we spending money to monitor this side of the beach, put signs up stating the laws that dogs should
be on leash and only before 10:00 am and after 4:00 pm.?
Its scary for me to take my kids to this side of the beach because people have digs off leash and they come running up to the
kids and scare them to death! This is dangerous!!!
There is dog poop all over the beach and the streets. As a homeowner in Newport Beach I pay huge taxes to the city but have
to deal with poopy beaches! Newport is spending all of this money to clean up the city, build a Marina, attract visitors, but
poopy, dangerous beaches where you can't even find a parking spot will not attracts visitors!
CLEAN UP NEWPORT ‐ NO DOG BEACH AT RIVER JETTIES!
Thank you for listening.
Lisa Li
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Sharon Cassara [mailto:sharon@cassaramasonry.com]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 1:02 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: Santa Ana River MOU ‐‐ Meeting 3/1/16
Dear Council Members:
I am a homeowner of the property located at 7306 W. Ocean Front Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92663.
It has come to my attention the Council will be hearing a MOU regarding Dog Enforcement Codes along the Santa Ana River.
I am in favor of the proposed MOU being adopted by the City of Newport Beach.
I have owned this property for many years and have seen an increase in the amount of violations in the parks and beaches
around my property. It is my opinion giving the city officers the ability to equally enforce the rules at all the beach and park
areas surrounding my property will be beneficial to residents, homeowners and visitors alike.
If this strip of beach is designated as a “dog friendly beach” it most certainly will attract many negligent pet owners who will
let their animals run free and neglect to clean up dog feces in the Santa Ana River beach area.
This will definitely impact the value of my home and the enjoyment of my beach experience having to negotiate the land
mines, aggressive unleashed animals and the stench of the mounting animal feces.
Keeping the beach clean and nuisance free is in the best interest of the health and safety of Newport Beach property owners.
Please adopt the MOU and give the Newport Beach officials the ability to enforce codes at the Santa Ana River and keep
Newport Beach a beautiful place to live.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sharon Cassara
Ocean Front, LLC
23
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Sharon Cassara [mailto:sharon@cassaramasonry.com]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 12:38 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: MOU Santa Ana River Hearing March 1, 2016
Dear Council Members:
My name is Angelo Cassara and myself and my wife Dolores Cassara reside at 7306 W. Ocean Front Avenue, Newport Beach,
CA 92663.
It has come to our attention the Council will be hearing a MOU regarding Dog Enforcement along the Santa Ana River. We are
in favor of the proposed MOU being adopted by the City of Newport Beach.
We have lived in this area for over 30 years and as residents we would greatly appreciate it if the City of Newport Beach were
able to equally enforce the current rules at the river jetty that apply to the beaches and parks around our residence. My wife
and I think it is in the best interest of health and safety that dog owners are required to clean up after their pets and that the
hours the pets have access to the beach areas apply to the river jetty area. Giving Newport Beach Officials the ability to enforce
these rules at the river jetty is imperative.
As pet owners for many years we have lived in Newport Beach. We consistently respected the rights of others to enjoy a clean
and nuisance free beach experience. We are against this portion of the beach becoming a designated a “Dog Beach.”
We would hope the city would continue to improve the beauty Newport Beach has to offer residents and visitors alike by
adopting this MOU at the March meeting.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Thank you for your attention to our correspondence.
Angelo & Dolores Cassara
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Yvonne [mailto:yvonnemolnar@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 10:18 AM
To: Recreation
Subject: Unofficial Dog Beach
Thank you, Mary Losey, for being kind enough to send your email yesterday to West Newport residents regarding the
unofficial dog park and inviting questions and comments.
I followed your instructions and read the staff recommendations as well as the comments on Facebook and the other survey
used. I was unaware of either and had signed a petition being circulated through Next Door indicating my support for leaving
things as they are. I used to be a weekly user of the beach for years and now only occasionally due to a new fearful dog. In all
the times I was there, not once did I personally see an owner neglect to pick up after his or her dog.
Obviously I am in favor of maintaining the status quo.
I am puzzled as to why staff recommended NBPD enforcement given that the very great majority of those who logged onto the
City's FB page and/or the other survey were adamant in leaving things as they are. What was the point of spending the money
and time on the surveys if the result was disregarded?
Yvonne Molnar
4 Ima Loa Court
24
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Schmidt, Daina [mailto:Dainas@obagi.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 9:01 AM
To: Recreation
Subject: Dogs at the Beach
Dear Newport Beach Leadership,
As you know, dogs bring smiles to the faces of children and joy to adults. As a dog lover, I’m against the City of Newport Beach
assisting the county in enforcing the dog regulations at the unofficial, off‐leash dog beach at the Santa Ana River Trail.
Sincerely,
Daina Schmidt
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Julie Warren [mailto:jwarren@thepegasusschool.org]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 9:37 AM
To: Recreation
Subject: Doggie Beach Newport
Please, please, give the dogs a place to play. They have enjoyed some freedom without incident for so long. I have never once
in my years of being there seen any owner not pick up the dog waste. There are plenty of beach areas people can go to get
away from the dogs if they want. I would like to see Newport become more dog friendly, like Laguna and Carmel. Everyone
can live in harmony if we realize the benefits for thousands of people and dogs, versus the views of very few people who knew
they were moving into an area with crowds.
Please listen to the mass.
Julie Warren
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Morgan Kohler [mailto:mcbracken@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 9:23 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; michelle.steel@ocgov.com
Subject: Newport Dog Beach
Good morning,
I am writing this email to express my concern over the possible new leash law for the Newport Beach Dog Beach area. My dog
and I enjoy that beach so much and would really miss it if he couldn't run free there. I am unable to make the City Council
Meeting tonight but please know that I would be there if I could to defend the dog beach.
Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Morgan Kohler
1115 Sandi Lane
Costa Mesa, CA
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Leslee Allen [mailto:lesleegallen@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 6:46 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Concern over Dog beach in NB
Mayor Dixon and NB City Council,
We live near the river jetty& the dogs are taking over. Unfortunately owners don't realize that not everyone appreciates their
dogs' slobbery kisses.
If the timing were limited to early in the morning, rather than all day, it would keep things a little more under control. As I
walked on the water's edge, there were several large poops floating where children & others enjoy swimming or wading.
There are so many dogs now, that having the dogs poops is getting to be a health hazard.
25
I appreciate owners who pick up the poops, but they seem to think that if they go in the water it's all right. With a limited
amount of dogs that may be true, but with hundreds of dogs, our ocean is becoming a sewer.
We did not buy near the HB dog park for just these reasons.
The rover jetty area is a beautiful spot, but should not be overrun by dogs at all times.
Thanks for listening,
Mrs. Leslee Allen
251 61st Street
Newport Beach CA 92663
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Kristie Hemstreet [mailto:kristiehemstreet@icloud.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 7:55 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Dog Beach, river jetties
I've lived here my whole life (68yrs) , & think there's so many more important things you can concentrate on in our beautiful
city.. Thank you for your time, Kristie Hemstreet
Sent from my iPad
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Don & Judy Cole [mailto:lagunahouse@me.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 8:38 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: ciacobs@newportbeachca.gov; Detweiler, Laura; michelle.steel@ocgov.com
Subject: SAVE DOG BEACH!
Mayor Dixon and the Newport Beach City Council Members,
Newport Beach citizens overwhelmingly say NO to the Parks, Beaches & Recreation Staff Report recommending the adoption
of a MOU with the County of Orange to enforce dog regulations at the mouth of the Santa Ana River. This unofficial dog beach
has been the joy of many dogs and their humans for many years. How can you ignore all the surveys, petitions, and Facebook
postings that support the dog beach? If anything, there should be a Board of Supervisors resolution or MOU to designate an
official dog beach with joint support to install poop bag dispensers, water fountains and bike racks. As Councilman Curry likes
to say‐ find a way to get to yes. But this time let’s do it to support the majority of citizens of Newport Beach and not just
businesses and developers. A City of our size and stature should have a dog beach and more than one dog park. This beach
area could not be more perfect for our families to enjoy and our furry friends to run and swim off leash!!!!! Sincerely,
Don & Judy Cole
Lido Village
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Devon Delarosa [mailto:devon.delarosa@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 8:48 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: SAVE NEWPORT DOG BEACH
To Whom This May Concern,
I hope this email finds you doing well. As and avid dog beach goer I felt I needed to voice my opinion about the potential
change in leash laws.
We are so lucky to live in one of the most beautiful cities in American that enjoys summer‐like weather nearly every day of the
year. With that being said, since getting my dog nearly 2 years ago I have enjoyed the weather and the beautiful newport
beaches countless times...almost every time with my dog.
This is one of the safest, most removed spots of the Newport Beaches and one that allows families to share a fun day at the
beach with their dog. If off‐leash rights were eliminated this end of the beach would lose friendly faces and happy dogs that
bring laughter and joy to everyone around them.
26
The unique location of Newport Dog beach allows for people and their dogs to be in a secluded area away from the general
beach going population that do not wish to be at the beach with dogs. There are miles and miles of beach that are already
under strict leash laws and I hope this small portion can remain the hidden gem it is. I understand that there are few
irresponsible pet owners that have most likely brought issues to the surface but I can assure you 98% of the dog owner's and
dogs I meet at dog beach are some of the nicest, friendly and great citizens of Newport Beach.
I hope you will take into consideration how loved this small stretch of beach is and I hope you will allow the Newport Beach
community to continue to enjoy spending time in the water with their beloved dogs.
Sincerely,
Devon Delarosa & Pup, Brit
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Julie [mailto:hoodie3x@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 8:17 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Newport Dog Beach
Dear City Council:
Newport's Dog Beach... Keep the defacto off‐leash rights for our dogs. It's so important!!! Thanks, Julie London
Sent from my iPhone
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Paul [mailto:plopezwood@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 8:17 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Dog beach
Mayor Dixon,
I am writing this email because I am very upset about the possibility of
loosing the Newport Dog beach. This is a place where our dog who does
not have a lot of room to run on a regular basis can openly run, socialize
with other dogs and can actually play in the Pacific Ocean. This small
piece of the beach, which is away from where most beach goers are, is a
precious place for small dogs who like to play in the water who would not
be able to do so at the Huntington Beach dog beach because of the surf. I
do not know who would have a problem with the dog beach, in the five
years I have had my dog and have been going to the dog beach I have not
encountered any problems or issues among the people or dogs spending
time at this beach. What we are asking is that you leave this small piece of
the beach just the way it is, and not to let a few individuals who would
take this great place of freedom and fun from our four legged family
members. We are all part of one great community in Newport Beach, and
it would be a real shame if a only a few individuals were to take away
such a great place for others in the community to spend time with family,
friends and their dogs.
I am including these pictures of our dog Iris, she was born deaf and
because of this there are very few places we can take her where she can
roam off leash, thanks to the jetty we are comfortable letting her explore without the fear of her running off and getting
hurt. She loves playing in the water, digging and chasing shadows as birds fly overhead. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely Paul, Kristin and Iris Lopez
27
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Kristina Olah [mailto:tutzolah18@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 8:32 PM
To: Kiff, Dave
Subject: Dog beach
Hi Dave,
About "Dog Beach", we have taken our dogs to the River Jetty or "Dog Beach" for 30 + years, the past year we have especially
used this area due to so many Coyote attacks in the Newport Heights and Cliff Haven neighborhoods. Newport Beach is the
most Dog unfriendly city that I know of, we travel often enough with our dogs to know the difference. Take a moment to
consider the impact of less space that is safe for dog owners to walk their dogs. My dear friend lost her dog to a coyote at
Castaways, across the street from Castaways many more attacks and deaths of animals has taken place others in and around
Cliff Drive Park, which are not especially Dog friendly as parks go. If we are lucky we are not met by the Animal Control Patrols
which borders on harassment the moment we enter either Park.
Please consider a dialogue for turning the tiny green dot of space at the River Jetty as a Dog Designated area, there is much
more support in doing so than not.
Thank you
Kristina Olah
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Glen Davis [mailto:glen@recycleyourcity.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 10:00 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Dog Beach
Please do not close dog beach!
I have been a resident of Newport Beach (shores) for 22 years and I have an 8 year old Labrador who loves the water. We have
been coming here since he was a puppy and it would be a huge inconvenience for myself and my neighbors.
Thanks you.
Glen A. Davis | President
RecycleYourCity
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Diane Sherwood [mailto:desherwood00@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 2:43 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Save Dog Beach
I wish to write in support of the public use of Newport's Dog Beach. Anyone who had seen the joy expressed by dogs running
free and enjoying this wonderful little beach MUST protest its possible closing. Please consider the will of the majority,
examine facts and not heresay, and make this Beach a permanent public AND doggie recreational space. I write from PA as a
FREQUENT visitor to grandchildren in Costa Mesa. We ALWAYS visit Dog Beach with our doggie grandchild along and have
wonderful memories. We also park in 2 or 3 metered spaces and all of us get breakfast or lunch in the area. Thank you for
listening to my request. Please allow Dog Beach to be enjoyed by ALL living creatures. Sincerely, Diane Sherwood, High school
English teacher, 5934 Kernsville Road, Orefield, PA 18069, 484‐464‐1824.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: lisa dickey [mailto:ldickey52@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 4:58 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Dog beach
I say keep dog beach the way it is. It is great and everyone really takes responsibility for their dogs. Please vote to keep it
unleashed.
Thank you
Lisa dickey
28
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: desherwood [mailto:desherwood@ptd.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 5:47 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; michelle.steel@ocgov.com
Subject: closing Dog Beach in Newport
Hello,
I wish to write in support of the public use of Newport's Dog Beach. Anyone who has seen the joy expressed by dogs running
free and enjoying this wonderful little beach MUST protest its possible closing.
Please consider the will of the majority, examine facts and not hearsay, and make this Beach a permanent public AND doggie
recreational space.
I write from PA as a FREQUENT visitor to grandchildren in Costa Mesa. We ALWAYS visit Dog Beach with our doggie
grandchild along and have wonderful memories. We also park in 2 or 3 metered spaces and all of us get breakfast or lunch in
the area.
Thank you for listening to my request. Please allow Dog Beach to be enjoyed by ALL living creatures.
Sincerely, Diane Sherwood, high school English teacher
5934 Kernsville Road, Orefield, PA
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Roger Warren [mailto:roger@staffordandwarren.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 10:28 AM
To: Recreation
Subject:
Please do not make any changes to the "doggie beach" at the river jetty. I am a long time Newport Beach resident who has
taken my dogs to this area for many years. I have not witnessed any problems and the owners responsibly pick up after their
pets. This is a wonderful area for the dogs and their owners to get together.
The complaints seem to be coming from a very few numbers of residents in the area and not the general public who use this
area.
Roger A. Warren, CPA
of Stafford and Warren, LLP
17310 Redhill Ave. #290
Irvine, CA 92614
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Ed and Cam [mailto:camandedossman6@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 10:49 AM
To: Recreation
Subject: Doggie Beach at the Jetty‐VOTE
PLEASE LET THE DOGGIE BEACH AT THE JETTY STAY!!!!!!! The dogs are a vital part of our families and community
and need to be considered in this decision.
Our vote to keep the Doggie Beach at the Jetty is part of our being tax paying citizens and pet lovers.
29
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Nicolai Glazer [mailto:nicolai@nicolaiglazer.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 5:15 PM
To: Finnigan, Tara
Subject: Re: March 1 PB&R Commission meeting
Hi Tara,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing the invitation.
Speaking personally I love the "Un‐official" dog park however as with anything like this the problem is the few bad dog owners
that don't pick up their poop or bring a dog down off leash that doesn't play well with others. This is the same set of
complaints you'll get at a regular dog park too.
Too much control, too much regulations, too much government involvement. I would like to see it remain the way it is!
I'll forward this on to my community for you!
Regards
Nicolai
Nicolai Glazer
"Living Life Thru Inspired Actions"
Sent from my iPhone
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Vivian Lai [mailto:vivian.lee.lai@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 10:45 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; michelle.steel@ocgov.com
Subject: Save Dog Beach
Hello
I am the owner of a rescue dog. As a dog owner, it has come to my attention that there may be a ban for dogs off leashes by the
Santa Ana river jetty. This is one of the only places a dog can (small ‐ mid size dog especially) can roam without danger and
swim in the calmer jetties. This is a unique right for dogs and it must be protected. It is one of the most remote locations for a
dog to go, away from your typical beach goers. I understand the need to ticket people that don't pick up after the dogs but to
make it a ban for dogs to not roam free in the one place that is safe is very disheartening. I hope you see how many animals
and people it affects and that you lift the ban and make it a community again where families and animals can enjoy themselves.
Thank you
Vivian Lai
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: G.C [mailto:gregorycastro2014@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 11:13 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: Newport Beach MOU regarding 'Dog Beach"
Hello my name is Gregory Castro and I represent the Castro family and we've been long time residents of Newport Beach.
We live close to the Newport Beach river jetties also near the end of the cul‐de‐sac.
My family occupies 3 separate houses in this particular area and today I wrote this representing 5 of my family members.
We have one dog and we walk the dog sometimes 4 times a day. We observe all the laws and we clearly understand these laws
as they are clearly posted EVERYWHERE along the coast at every entry.
We ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT the the MOU between the city of Newport Beach and the Orange County Sheriffs Department for
sharing law‐enforcement responsibilities along the Santa Ana River.
We clearly understand that that little strip of beach next to the Newport Beach River jetty is county land and is highly
misunderstood as a dog beach.
30
Every single day of the year tons and tons of people go to that specific part of the beach and let their dogs roam freely and
unleashed. For YEARS the misunderstanding that this is a dog beach has and still does cause issues such as dog waste on our
greenbelt, beaches, sidewalks and alleys.
While we clearly understand that this is a public beach and the beach is for everyone. This particular part of the beach is
causing issues far greater than just letting the dogs run freely and unleashed.
Every single day hundreds of people and their dogs come into this little strip of the public beach to bring their dogs and allow
them to roam freely on the strip of beach and beyond. To allow your dog to frolic and roam unleashed It becomes nearly
impossible to track the dog to make sure that the dog doesn't fight with other dogs that are unleashed or even worse
unleashed dogs trying to fight with dogs that are leashed with responsible owners.
The misunderstanding that this is a dog beach is causing issues with traffic as well as parking issues because people come from
all over with their dogs to go to this special section of the beach and they're taking parking and causing traffic issues in this
tiny section of the Newport Beach coast.
This beautiful Newport Beach is public and should be for everyone to enjoy including people with dogs, that is clearly
understood but the laws must be obeyed and the laws are posted everywhere and people must start obeying these laws or pay
the price of enforcement.
Thank you
Gregory Castro
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Tina McKinley [mailto:j.christina.mckinley@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 10:33 AM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: Santa Ana river jetty
Dear Mr. Howald and Commission members:
Please find another way to solve the dog issue!
Can we really afford assigning our Police force to this small, specious, happy place?
The Costa Mesa Dog Park had a very effective volunteer organization, The Bark Park Foundation, which helped in oversight,
supplied dog baggies and other items such as information bulletin boards, signage, etc. through their annual events and
merchandise sales. Surely this could be tried here, and delay this draconian measure!
I'm sure that you'd find many qualified and willing people to serve. Count me in, for one. I'm sorry that I am unable to attend
tonights' meeting in person.
Thank you for your consideration,
Tina McKinley
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Chas W. Leeper, SRA [mailto:cwleeper@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 12:18 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: Re: Dog beach in the Santa Ana Rivermouth
Dear Sirs/Madams,
Please help is with the dog problems we have in West Newport due to the "supposed" dog beach in the river mouth. It is an
every day thing to see dogs off the leash both on the beach and around my house (street, alley, park, sidewalks). I fear for my
younger grand kids (I have 12, ages 1yr to 16) who frequent our beach, park and alley. The other problem is the dog poop
these owners leave behind in ALL the areas I mentioned. I am sure it is much worse for my neighbors to the west.
I appreciate your consideration.
Sincerely,
Chas W Leeper, Sr
31
Community Correspondence Santa Ana River
From: Jonathan Pedersen [mailto:jtpedersen@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 9:31 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: "Dog Beach"
PB&R Commission,
Does the commission have a position on the “Dog Beach” off leash issue on unincorporated County of Orange land between
Newport Beach and Huntington Beach?
In reading many of the current council and Mayors position on fiscal responsibility and in light of our one VERY expensive dog
park (the first and only one in 107 years in the City) and the difficulty in selecting a future “dog park” site of the four up for
consideration, no space, public opposition, no parking, discussions about building a bridge across Superior, buying land that
the City doesn’t even own etc. It would seem natural to embrace the solution the citizens of Newport Beach (and Huntington
Beach) have arrived at by themselves without any expense to the Cities of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach or the County of
Orange. By embracing this unofficial “dog beach” (or official if you look at Google Maps and numerous articles in local papers
over the years) much as Huntington Beach currently does with its “dog beach” (leash laws still on the books but do not enforce
in that limited area and have the authority to remove dogs that are aggressive and don’t belong with other dogs) the PBR
would gain a de facto instant dog park at zero expense that the residents already use. It is very clear that the demand is there
with over 1,600 signatures on the Save Newport petition http://savenewport.com/2015/12/18/sign‐the‐petition‐to‐save‐the‐
last‐newport‐dog‐beach/ within 72 hours and with the majority self identifying as with a Newport Beach address (I’ve asked).
I suspect that the fundamental issue with immediate residents concerns stem not from dogs being off leash (or even persons
not picking up after their dog as 99% of what I have seen after going for 10 years is responsible owners) but parking and
“outsiders” coming to their “area” parking is going to be difficult in this area no matter what. In fact I have several friends who
own oceanfront homes and love the fact that parking is difficult in this area ..it keeps others off “their beach” This isn’t like
Surfside a gated enclave but a public County Beach area with full City of Newport Beach ability to enforce current ordinances
right up to the rip rap rock line. The County for its part hasn’t enforced any ordinances in this area well ..in forever and for
good reason. Further, the use patterns of this beach (highly polluted, almost unusable in winter, sand profile that changes
daily) with 6‐7 miles on clean Newport sand east and another 6‐7 miles on Huntington Beach/ Bolsa Chica Beach West aren’t
impacting any beach user as they have better, nicer, cleaner beaches with restrooms and services everywhere else. The typical
user of this County area is surfers (who are out in the water, as I have surfed here for four decades), and maybe the occasional
kite surfer, powered paraglide (which I’m sure is “illegal” as well) but we all get out of their way and let them take off and
land..no problem at all. The residents in this area don’t exactly live in the most beautiful and quiet area of Newport Beach as it
is sandwiched between a polluted river with the debris of 100 miles of Orange County & Inland Empire all the way to Big Bear,
a sewage treatment plant, possibly the most decrepit trailer park in California, homeless encampments under the PCH bridge
and river trail and a semi frequent dumping ground for human bodies. If there are issues on the Newport Beach side current
regulations and some community education should be sufficient to address any minor concerns.
My concern and it very well may dovetail with Commissioner Englebrecht’s viewpoints on the fire pit issue is that certain
members of the city government are opening up a Pandora’s box and we will soon have not just the Mayor calling for a public
hearing but also the City of Huntington Beach, County of Orange and if just one person claims Newport Beach is possibly
attempting to restrict public access to what has become a public amenity we will have the California Coastal Commission
involved. In addition I’m sure I don’t have to remind the PB&R that in 2005 of the last 10 West Oceanfront homes five of them
were fined $225,000 plus sand dune remediation costs (which is still roped off and ongoing today 10 years later) for
destroying critical native sand dunes under cover of darkness by paying $2,000 to a County of Orange contractor dredging the
Santa Ana River with a bulldozer . I believe any environmental concerns voiced by those residents must be viewed with a very
critical eye and ear.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Happy Holidays,
Jonathan Pedersen
131 Via Genoa
Newport Beach, Ca 92663
949‐355‐9545
32
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Libby Huyck [mailto:libonlido@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 7:59 PM
To: Detweiler, Laura
Cc: Jacobs, Carol
Subject: Re: Dog Park at Beach
Hi Laura,
When I talked with Diane Dixon a month or so ago, she thought that most people wanted the dog park AS IS. And based on that
data from Facebook, indeed 226 were pro and only 27 against. And, of course, this survey was done right at Christmas‐time, a
very popular time for government to slip in a controversial subject so as to dupe us. Shame on you. If you truly want a
realistic survey done, Christmas‐time is not the time.
And a subsequent tally by savenewport shows over 4000 people in favor of dog beach AS IS. So I feel this is government
forcing orders on us people. So I demand that you rescind this ridiculous MOU that a sweeping majority of us people
want. Instead there should be an MOU that recognizes that we the people want an off‐leash dog park there
permanently.
I unfortunately cannot attend March 1st meeting but would like this email to go on record. Thank you.
Libby Huyck
Newport Beach
From: Detweiler, Laura <LDetweiler@newportbeachca.gov>
To: 'Libby Huyck' <libonlido@aol.com>
Cc: Jacobs, Carol <cjacobs@newportbeachca.gov>
Sent: Tue, Feb 23, 2016 5:10 pm
Subject: RE: Dog Park at Beach
Hello Libby,
Thank you for contacting me. The Santa Ana River Jetty has not been discussed at City Council. However, it is scheduled to
come before the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission at their meeting of Tuesday, March 1 at 6:00 p.m. located at the
Civic Center Council Chambers. We do have some data logged by our Police Department shown below related to complaints
and violations. I have also provided the link to the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission agenda for your
reference. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. https://newportbeach.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
2014 (March 8, 2014 ‐December 31, 2014 – only information available)
Calls for Service Number
Leash violation‐type calls at or adjacent to the river jetty 13
Animal cruelty‐type calls at or adjacent to the river jetty 3
Dog bite calls at or adjacent to the river jetty 2
“Dog vs. sea lion” call at the river jetty 1
Violations Number
Written warnings for leash or dog on beach 101
Citations (non‐warning) for leash or dog on beach violation 9
2015 January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015
Calls for Service Number
Leash violation‐type calls at or adjacent to the river jetty 32
Animal cruelty‐type calls at or adjacent to the river jetty 4
Dog bite calls at or adjacent to the river jetty 6
“Dog vs. sea lion” call at the river jetty 3
Violations Number
Written warnings for leash or dog on beach 150
Citations (non‐warning) for leash or dog on beach violation 12
LAURA DETWEILER, MA | Director
Recreation & Senior Services Department
33
City of Newport Beach
City Hall ‐ 100 Civic Center Drive, Bay E, Newport Beach CA 92660
p: 949‐644‐3157 | f: 949‐644‐3155 | e: ldetweiler@newportbeachca.gov
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Libby Huyck [mailto:libonlido@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 12:04 PM
To: Detweiler, Laura
Subject: Dog Park at Beach
Hi Laura,
I missed the Jan 26 meeting that Councilman Diane Dixon had for a study session on the dog park, but I am interested to know
what the status now is on this. Can you let me know at your convenience how many complaints were filed for this dog park
(Santa Ana river jetty)? I know there are 4000 signatures of people who want this dog park so just curious where the
discussion is now.
Thank you.
Libby Huyck
Newport Beach
From: Jonathan Pedersen [mailto:jtpedersen@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 9:31 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: "Dog Beach"
PB&R Commission,
Does the commission have a position on the “Dog Beach” off leash issue on unincorporated County of Orange land between
Newport Beach and Huntington Beach?
In reading many of the current council and Mayors position on fiscal responsibility and in light of our one VERY expensive dog
park (the first and only one in 107 years in the City) and the difficulty in selecting a future “dog park” site of the four up for
consideration, no space, public opposition, no parking, discussions about building a bridge across Superior, buying land that
the City doesn’t even own etc. It would seem natural to embrace the solution the citizens of Newport Beach (and Huntington
Beach) have arrived at by themselves without any expense to the Cities of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach or the County of
Orange. By embracing this unofficial “dog beach” (or official if you look at Google Maps and numerous articles in local papers
over the years) much as Huntington Beach currently does with its “dog beach” (leash laws still on the books but do not enforce
in that limited area and have the authority to remove dogs that are aggressive and don’t belong with other dogs) the PBR
would gain a de facto instant dog park at zero expense that the residents already use. It is very clear that the demand is there
with over 1,600 signatures on the Save Newport petition http://savenewport.com/2015/12/18/sign‐the‐petition‐to‐save‐the‐
last‐newport‐dog‐beach/ within 72 hours and with the majority self identifying as with a Newport Beach address (I’ve asked).
I suspect that the fundamental issue with immediate residents concerns stem not from dogs being off leash (or even persons
not picking up after their dog as 99% of what I have seen after going for 10 years is responsible owners) but parking and
“outsiders” coming to their “area” parking is going to be difficult in this area no matter what. In fact I have several friends who
own oceanfront homes and love the fact that parking is difficult in this area ..it keeps others off “their beach” This isn’t like
Surfside a gated enclave but a public County Beach area with full City of Newport Beach ability to enforce current ordinances
right up to the rip rap rock line. The County for its part hasn’t enforced any ordinances in this area well ..in forever and for
good reason. Further, the use patterns of this beach (highly polluted, almost unusable in winter, sand profile that changes
daily) with 6‐7 miles on clean Newport sand east and another 6‐7 miles on Huntington Beach/ Bolsa Chica Beach West aren’t
impacting any beach user as they have better, nicer, cleaner beaches with restrooms and services everywhere else. The typical
user of this County area is surfers (who are out in the water, as I have surfed here for four decades), and maybe the occasional
kite surfer, powered paraglide (which I’m sure is “illegal” as well) but we all get out of their way and let them take off and
land..no problem at all. The residents in this area don’t exactly live in the most beautiful and quiet area of Newport Beach as it
is sandwiched between a polluted river with the debris of 100 miles of Orange County & Inland Empire all the way to Big Bear,
a sewage treatment plant, possibly the most decrepit trailer park in California, homeless encampments under the PCH bridge
and river trail and a semi frequent dumping ground for human bodies. If there are issues on the Newport Beach side current
regulations and some community education should be sufficient to address any minor concerns.
My concern and it very well may dovetail with Commissioner Englebrecht’s viewpoints on the fire pit issue is that certain
members of the city government are opening up a Pandora’s box and we will soon have not just the Mayor calling for a public
34
hearing but also the City of Huntington Beach, County of Orange and if just one person claims Newport Beach is possibly
attempting to restrict public access to what has become a public amenity we will have the California Coastal Commission
involved. In addition I’m sure I don’t have to remind the PB&R that in 2005 of the last 10 West Oceanfront homes five of them
were fined $225,000 plus sand dune remediation costs (which is still roped off and ongoing today 10 years later) for
destroying critical native sand dunes under cover of darkness by paying $2,000 to a County of Orange contractor dredging the
Santa Ana River with a bulldozer . I believe any environmental concerns voiced by those residents must be viewed with a very
critical eye and ear.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Happy Holidays,
Jonathan Pedersen
131 Via Genoa
Newport Beach, Ca 92663
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
daniel lazzarevich lazzarevich@att.net
HI,
Hope this is going to the right place.
I want to cast my vote for the NP Police and Lifeguards giving tickets to people who do not keep their dogs on leashes while
strolling along the sand at West NP Bch. I believe both agencies should help enforce the leash law.
Personally, watching animals on or off leashes defecating on the beach is about the most unsanitary thing I can think of and I
can assure you a lot of owners do not pick up.
Thanks ,
Dan Lazzarevich
5303 Seasahore Dr
Newport Beach
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mike Hay mike@invpropgrp.com
Please leave it alone ‐ I use it and respect parking and clen‐up issues.
Mike Hay
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Christie Garrett christie.garrett@gmail.com
Hello
My name is Christie Garrett. I have several properties in Newport Beach. One is at 6111 Seashore. It has been an ongoing
battle to have a spot to exercise our dogs and those of our renters. We have used the river mouth (park)many times... Always
carry doggy bags ( the plastic bag from the newspaper recycles into a great dog bag) dogs are leashed until they hit the beach.
My family has never had a problem at the at the park and I know that people are not hesitant notifying dog owners about
picking up Please consider making the park a full time year round dog park Thank you Christie Garrett
Sent from my iPad
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Luann McElroy luann@beaubranding.com
Hi Carol,
I'm a supporter of the off leash dogs running at the end of Santa Ana river mouth. What website or blog can I check out to show
my continued support of this matter?
best,
luann mcelroy
beaubranding.com
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Christi Locker surfstylist@gmail.com
35
Please keep our dog beach going. It's a wonderful place for our community.
Stanton W. Davies, II drdisso@pacbell.net
Re dogs……. All I see are dogs off leash and on the beach before they are supposed to be there!!!!! Don’t care what happens at
river jetty as long as the rest of newports beach dog laws are enforced…..thanx sd II
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Michael/Elizabeth Kirchner [mailto:ekirchner@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 1:34 PM
To: Kiff, Dave
Cc: ddixon@dianedixonnb.com
Subject: "Off Leash" Dog Beach issue moved to PBR
Dear City Manager Kiff,
We are writing in response to the paragraph below which you wrote on your Insider’s Guide to the City Council meeting:
Breaking News: I have moved something from the Study Session – all my fault. The subject is the Off‐Leash Dog Beach at the
Santa Ana River mouth. In light of the extensive correspondence on this one (mostly in support of leaving it all alone), I think
the better place for that discussion is at the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission (thus the term “beaches” within their
title). As the Commission members read this right now, they are thinking “Dang, Dave! What are you doing to us?!!” Um, and
I agree with that sentiment. But the Commission has dealt with dog and beach issues before, and done so pretty well. And
Laird Hayes himself has a new Doodle puppy. Makes total sense, no? So for those of you following that issue, keep your
thoughts and opinions coming (yes, you can send those to me or, better yet, to Assistant City Manager Carol Jacobs –
cjacobs@newportbeachca.gov – you’re welcome, Carol!) and stay tuned for a meeting notification for an upcoming PB&R
Commission meeting.
We were upset to learn that you moved the “Off Leash Dog Beach at the Santa Ana River Mouth” issue from the City Council
study session to Parks Beaches and Recreation.
As written in our previous letter to you and the other council members:
NO dogs are allowed AT ANY TIME at the Santa Ana River Mouth – on or off leash – per the County ordinance.
Dogs are NEVER allowed between 10‐4:30 on any City Beaches – on or off leash – per the City ordinance.
You are misleading the public by this type of comment.
And once again – Of Course there will be more letters and comments in favor of the City ignoring the issue and not taking care
of the problems, because the people who write those comments don’t live here and don’t have to deal with all the problems we
have encountered and outlined in our previous correspondence.
The residents of this area are asking and frankly expect you and the City to do the right thing – First off ‐ enforce the existing
City dog laws, which are rarely, if ever, enforced.
Next ‐ enforce the County laws (which are never enforced) if need be so that it makes it easier to enforce our own laws.
These laws are on the books for a reason.
You are choosing to ignore them – and blaming budget and “community” sentiment as a way out of doing your job. The idea of
putting that questionnaire on the City web page (and in the Daily Pilot) was insulting to the residents who have to deal with
this issue. We wrote to Mayor Dixon a year ago and to you and the other council members in January after we saw the
questionnaire. We believe our letters were straightforward, polite and informative. However, now we are losing our patience.
By putting that question out to the public – you basically shut down the voices of the residents who are impacted by this issue.
And now you have decided to shove the whole issue over to PRB in a transparent act to make you look good to the dog owners
and avoid the issue all together.
As you can tell, we are upset about how this whole issue has been handled. We started out believing that if the residents of the
City had a problem, they could write to their City stewards and hopefully get some kind of resolution to the issue. Instead the
entire issue has become a joke – Labra‐Doodle puppies vs. residents. Perhaps since it appears that the people who live in all of
Orange County are more important than the local residents, you should move the “Off Leash Dog Beach” to Marina Park. There
is ample parking there, a nice beach and bay for the dogs to play, refreshments, and bathrooms and no residences – as
compared to the River Jetty area which is a cul‐de‐sac with one way in and one way out, limited parking, and with existing
laws that say the beaches are either closed to dogs all together or open only before 10am and after 4:30pm.
36
As residents of this City we abide by the laws ourselves and expect that others do the same. And most importantly, we expect
our City Leaders to enforce the laws in the municipal code, and to insist that the County do the same, or do it for them.
Michael and Elizabeth Kirchner
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Kiff, Dave
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 2:50 PM
To: 'ekirchner@sbcglobal.net'
Cc: DianebDIXON
Subject: FW: "Off Leash" Dog Beach issue moved to PBR
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kirchner ‐‐
I first wanted to thank you for taking the time to write, and to express those thoughts. I work for everyone in the community,
including your family. Over time, it can make me pretty unpopular. One of the few relatively lighthearted things I try to do is
to write the Insider's Guide, and in a manner where folks might actually be entertained into reading it and learning more about
their local government. I don't intend to cause offense or to minimize important concerns as I write it. I apologize, as I appear
to have done that with you.
A couple of further comments, though. The Commission is the right place to discuss this ‐ I am remiss in not suggesting it
beforehand. The Commission earlier reviewed on‐leash hours for dogs, and their thoughts were eventually ratified by the
Council. They are responsible for advising the City Council as to beach, park, and recreation issues.
As to community input, we are often criticized for not providing enough venues for feedback. With social media and
engagement tools, we're trying to do better. We almost always fall short when we fail to engage the public in a meaningful
way, whether the public be Newport residents or others who come here because there is a beach. It's not even "our" beach ‐
it's part of tidelands that we administer on behalf of the people of California.
Thank you again for your comments.
Dave Kiff
City Manager
949‐644‐3001
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Cory Flynn [mailto:cdfelectric@icloud.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 5:43 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Supposed "Dog Beach "
Hello,
My family and I have owned in Newport Beach for 30 years.
This supposed "Dog Beach" was never this bad in the 30 years we've lived here. Our kids say it's due to social media and
people posting about it. This has led to crowds and very big crowds in the summer.
Yes it's fun to let your dog run around in the surf, but if you go down for a whole day you will see dog fights, people drinking in
the summer as their dogs run around and dogs defecating not only in the sand (not being picked up to only wash out in high
tide) but in the waters edge right into the river and surf.
We live across PCH and when it's crowded they park all the way over here then let their dogs out to go over there leaving trash
besides other presents in our side garden.
We have plenty of beach that you can walk your dog "on a leash" between 4pm all the way till 10am the next day.
I would love for Newport to enforce the counties laws there.
The majority of us work/have meetings into the evening so cannot attend these city meetings, so the few flakes that go yelling
that we all want this open to dogs is a wrong perception.
Please take into account that many voting persons are silent until ballot time and do not want this "Dog Beach".
Thank You for your time reading this.
Cory and Natalie Flynn
211 Lugonia St.
Newport Beach, CA.
Sent from my iPad
37
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Dr. & Mrs. Leon Anaradian [mailto:elmagnifico@roadrunner.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 7:25 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: MOU RE: Dog Enforcement along River Jetty
Feb. 24, 2016
Dear Newport Beach City Council,
My husband and I have been residents of Newport Beach for over 40 years. We live in close proximity to the River Jetty,
i.e. within a couple of blocks. I strongly support the MOU regarding enforcement of current dog regulations at the mouth of the
River. Thank you for your careful consideration of this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Yolanda Anaradian
cc: Parks, Beaches, & Recreation Commission
From: audrey anaradian [mailto:audreya32@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 7:25 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: MOU RE Dog Enforcement along River Jetty
Feb. 24, 2016
To: Newport Beach City Council
I am a long‐time resident of Newport Beach. I live within two blocks of the River Jetty. I strongly support the MOU
regarding enforcement of current dog regulations at the mouth of the River. Thank you for your careful consideration of this
critical matter.
Sincerely,
Audrey Anaradian
cc: Parks, Beaches, & Recreation Commission
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Hardeep Singh [mailto:hmsinghmd@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 8:38 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: Dog beach
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Hardeep Singh. I live at 7402 w oceanfront in Newport Beach. Our home is on the beach near the Santa Ana river. I
know you are currently evaluating an MOU regarding dogs on the beach. As a homeowner in the affected area I wanted to lend
my perspective.
First of all I love dogs. However they should not be allowed on the beach. They should especially not be allowed to congregate
on a small patch of the beach. This area is right in front of our home and I see the same thing every weekend. Many people,
most of whom don't live here, bring their dogs to the end of the Santa Ana river. They never have them on a leash and often let
them run free in the water and in the beach. Sometimes dogs are unattended and are a nuisance to those that are trying to
enjoy the sand. Furthermore, they leave a lot of excrement on the beach, in particular near the riverbed.
I have 2 young girls. We can't take them out to the beach without dogs running up to them and scaring them. 6 months ago we
had a dog knock my 2‐year‐old over while she was playing. Lastly you can't walk in that area without stepping on droppings.
As a physician I don't think this is safe or sanitary. I've contacted animal control on 2 occasions when dogs have been out of
control. On both occasions they did absolutely nothing.
I would propose that people be allowed to bring dogs to all areas of the beach (not just the riverbed) but only during specific
and limited times during the day. They should always be leashed and under control. Owners should be responsible for picking
up any droppings. The rules should be posted clearly in multiple areas. Most importantly if people don't follow the rules they
should be ticketed/fined.
38
I enjoy the beach and think it should be open to everyone to enjoy‐ not just the homeowners of Newport. However we need to
be responsible and take care of the beach. We need to preserve it and make sure it's kept up properly. I would appreciate it if
you could give this matter the attention it deserves.
Sincerely,
Hardeep M. Singh, MD
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Anne Bertolino [mailto:foursisters4ever@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 9:33 AM
To: Recreation
Subject: River Jetty
I am a 40 plus year resident and homeowner. I have also been a dog owner for many years. I have seen the deterioration of the
green belt and beaches due to the excessive dog waste. I would hope that the existing laws that are in place would be carried
over to the River Jetty. It would put all dogs on leashes and make the owners take responsibility for their dogs. I am in favor
of the MOU and it has been long overdue.
Respectfully,
Pierre Bertolino pierrejbertolino@gmail.com
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Alvin L Penry [mailto:apenry@corpbenefits.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 9:38 AM
To: citycouncil@newportbeach.gov
Cc: Recreation
Subject: Agenda MOU
Dear City Council and Recreation dept. of Newport beach. I have lived at 7406 W Oceanfront for last 12 years and have noticed
the area at the river jetty (dog beach) needs the supervision of the city animal control. Most of the dog owners do pick up after
their dogs, but the ones that do not is increasing the last few years. People either kick sand over the waste or just leave it. One
person in particular brings 7 dogs to the area and lets them loose, and here does not pick up after any of them, I have
approached him and here is very rude, and just says it is non of my business. Every weekend I have to clean up around my
house and the beach area.
I am in favor of the MOU you are considering on March 1.
Thanks again for your consideration.
Best Regards,
Al Penry
Al Penry CRFA®
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Anne Bertolino [mailto:foursisters4ever@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 9:40 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: MOU
I have been a resident and homeowner in West Newport for over 15 years. I am a passionate dog owner and dog lover. With
that being said, I have seen this area deteriorate due to the dog waste that the owners just ignore and leave. It is my hopes that
the existing laws that are in place would be carried over to the River Jetty. I am in favor of the MOU.
Respectfully,
Anne Bertolino foursisters4ever@gmail.com
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Jon Muller [mailto:jmuller@finelinewood.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 10:45 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: Concerns about (MOU)
Hi my name is Jonathan Muller and I live at 7107 Seashore Drive in Newport Beach (2 Blocks from the “DOG PARK”) I have 2
children living with me and I really want to express my concerns about you guys not enforcing the law that should be in place.
39
The people that bring their dogs down do not pick up after the dogs and I have a mess on the green belt all the
time
People let their dogs run around all over the street with no leash on
People let their dogs run all over the beach with no leash
Last month my daughter got her face marked up when a dog ran over and she was petting it then it turned and
snapped at her
We also have dog walkers coming down now with 5 to 10 dogs and letting then run wild
I am ok with dogs on my block but I really want this to stop we have been taken over by people who think it is ok to just let
their dogs run wild and have no rules in place
I ask people the same question every weekend “ Would you do this on your own block” and more than half the people say no
way this is great we can do it here.
I ask that you at least pass the law that the dogs need to be on a leash at all times and post an officer on our block to stop this.
Jonathan Muller I Chief Operating Officer
FINELINE WOODWORKS, INC.
1139 Baker Street | Costa Mesa, CA | 92626
c: 631.484.8804
o: 714.540.5468
f: 714.957.5771
e: jmuller@finelinewood.com
w: www.finelinewood.com
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: cfgmd@roadrunner.com [mailto:cfgmd@roadrunner.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 12:28 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject:
I am writing regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Newport Beach and the Orange County
Sheriff’s Department for sharing law enforcement responsibilities along the Santa Ana River. I want to say from the outset that
I support the MOU and I would like to see the leash law for dogs enforced in the area around the Santa Ana River Jetty.
I have lived in Newport Beach since 1983 and I have owned my house at 7400 West Oceanfront since 1988. My property is
overlooks the area under discussion in the MOU. While I have no problem with people taking their dogs onto the beach I
believe that it is irresponsible for these dog owners to have their dogs off the leash. It is far too easy for the dogs to defecate
on the sand while the owners are not paying attention. This animal waste mars what is normally a beautiful pristine beach,
and of course it is an obvious health hazard.
I also wanted to comment about the fact that when a dog is off the leash it is much more likely to bite someone as the owner is
not there to control it. I have been an Emergency doctor at Hoag Hospital for the past 25 years and during that time I have
seen many dog bite wounds. Invariably I have found that the dog was not leashed at the time of the bite.
I want to stress that I have nothing against animals. I love animals. What I dislike are irresponsible dog owners. I firmly
believe that if the MOU goes through and the leash law is enforced in the area around the river jetty it will make our beach a
much safer and more pleasant place for the residents and visitors of our city.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Charles Goldsworthy M.D.
7400 W. Oceanfront
Newport Beach, CA 92663
40
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Katherine Sanderson [mailto:katherinesanderson@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 1:26 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Newport Beach and the Orange County Sheriff's
Department for sharing law enforcement responsibilities along the Santa Ana River.
My family has been a resident/homeowner of 7204 West Ocean for 30+ years.... We have always had dogs and we are for the
MOU. We have seen our neighborhood "slowly" become more desirable and of course we want to keep it this way. We should
have the same enforcement at the River Jetty as we have along all of the Newport beaches.
When dogs are off leash it is too easy to neglect picking up after them. I won't take my dogs on the Seashore grass area
because pet owners don't pick up after their dogs. This includes the alleys also. I don't think it is the residents that are not
picking up after their dogs.
Our family welcomes individuals outside our neighborhood to enjoy the River Jetty but they must comply with the rules of the
Newport Beach Police and Animal Control.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Katherine Sanderson
From: nbcadear@yahoo.com [mailto:nbcadear@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 2:06 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: Dog Problems
As a 15year resident of West Newport, I do think a civil discussion is in order as Mayor Dixon suggested.
The last two to three years has proven to be a drastic change in the living conditions in our neighborhood.Two of our children
were attacked and bitten by unleashed Dogs while jogging on the beach. Four of our small grandchildren were jumped on by
dogs while playing in the sand and as a result are afraid to go to the beach any longer.One was bitten on the leg while walking
down the street just this week. The police advised his parents that a dog has to bite three people before they can do anything.
This is just one family. It is time for everyone to voice their opinion about this and many other dog issues.
Respectfully,
Laurie McCarthy
Sent from my iPhone
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Stephanie [mailto:saleeper@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 10:50 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: West Newport Dog Park/Beach
I know the West Newport Dog Park/Beach is coming up for review Tuesday.
As a homeowner in West Newport I just wanted to encourage you to help us with this HUGE problem of dogs running around
our neighborhood, on the beaches, in the parks, alleys & streets loose. Dog waste & the smell of urine in our area is
unrepresented. Dogs running loose is not safe for the children trying to enjoy our beaches & parks. It's scary to a parent, not
knowing if the dog will be aggressive with them. Not to mention our area was not designed for the traffic & parking problem
the Dog Park/Beach creates.
I'm not a dog hater. We've owned numerous dogs in our life. It's the inconsideration of dog owners and the effects this Dog
Park/Beach has on our neighborhood, beaches, parks, streets & alley ways that is the problem.
Thank you for taking this into consideration,
Stephanie Leeper
7003 Seashore Drive
41
From: Michael/Elizabeth Kirchner [mailto:ekirchner@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 1:48 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Fw: Dog Enforcement Along the Santa Ana River
We received an email today from Chris Garber/West Newport Association about the Parks Beaches and Recreation discussion
of the Dog Enforcement at the Santa Ana River Jetty.
Below is the correspondance we sent yesterday to the Commission and the City Council.
‐‐‐ On Thu, 2/25/16, Michael/Elizabeth Kirchner <ekirchner@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Michael/Elizabeth Kirchner <ekirchner@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Dog Enforcement Along the Santa Ana River
To: PBRcommission@newportbeachca.gov
Cc: citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov
Date: Thursday, February 25, 2016, 2:08 PM
To the Members of the Parks Beaches and Recreation
Commission:
A neighbor informed us that you are going to discuss and hopefully approve/recommend a Memorandum of Understanding
(dated 3/1/2016) with the County of Orange which allows the City to patrol dogs on the County beach area at the Santa Ana
River Jetty.
We wholehearted AGREE with this. We have lived in this area for many years and in the last 2‐3 years this area has turned
into an unleashed dog beach, with all its associated problems. Last year we wrote a letter and several follow‐ups to the Mayor
and council members asking for help with this problem. Our concerns, observations and
suggestions are in the letter below.
We would like to add our 2 votes (as well as our next door neighbor's 3 votes) to the comment section Supporting the City
patrolling this area. We are not surprised that 90% of the respondents want the beach to remain open. The fact is, the number
of people who are directly impacted will always be a smaller percentage than the amount of people responding from all of
Orange County. All it takes is one person on Face Book to tell all their friends and all of a sudden, any person who owns a dog
will respond to keep the beach open. Plus, we see from the comments that people believe it already IS a dog park!
Also, we would like to add to your list of the number of complaints/calls for service. We live several blocks down from the
River Jetty and my wife has a home office and sees who comes and goes during the days. At minimum there are 12‐15 people
and their dogs (2‐3 per person) on the City beach almost every day just between 10‐4:30 (not counting before and after that
time), and twice or triple that on weekends or on a warm day. She has seen the Dog Republic dog walking service here with 2
handlers and 16 dogs at one time. If she called every time there were unleashed dogs on the City or County beaches the police
department would be inundated with calls. (15 x 7 = 105 x 52 = 4,410! – some walked down to the jetty on leash…)
We really appreciate that the commission and staff has taken the time to listen to the residents and sort this whole issue out,
using all the facts and input from the residents. We urge you to recommend that the City take over the patrolling duties for the
County areas so that the City can enforce both its own laws and the County’s laws, both of which were originally enacted for a
number of good reasons.
Sincerely,
Michael and Elizabeth Kirchner (see letter to Mayor Dixon
below)
Dear Councilmember Dixon,
We are writing to you about the beach area between Orange Street and the Santa Ana River Jetty which has become the
“Official” Newport Beach Dog Beach. We wish we didn’t have to bother you with this issue, however after talking with the
Animal Control department, an Animal Control Officer and the County of Orange we felt we needed to ask you for some help.
We want to state first that we like dogs and we used to have a dog. We know it is fun to let them run on the beach and play in
the water.
42
However…it is not compatible with a busy urban city beach – particularly in the warmer spring and summer months. The area
has become overwhelmed with dogs and this has impacted the health and safety of the beach goers as well as the children in
the neighborhood.
The current City regulations state:
Dogs are never allowed on the beach or any beachfront sidewalk between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., including the
ocean front beaches and bay front beaches.
Before 10:00 a.m. and after 4:30 p.m., dogs are allowed, if they are securely restrained by a substantial leash or chain not
exceeding six feet in length and controlled by a person who is competent to restrain the dog.
Please be aware that the person having control of the dog must have in his or her possession, an implement or device capable
of removing any feces deposited by the animal for further information, call the Animal Control Unit at 644‐3717.
The current County of Orange regulations state:
Orange County Codified Ordinance 4‐1‐46 Schools, Parks, Beaches – Dogs not allowed at all ‐
These laws are RARELY enforced. There are numerous dogs on the beach every day all day long.
The laws need to be enforced for the following reasons:
1. Health Issues. The first thing people do is let their dogs urinate and defecate at the Street ends. As you can imagine this is
very unsanitary – neighborhood children play there and visitors take their shoes off and walk there. It is not like Balboa Island
where at least you can see it and walk around it.
2. No leashes. As soon as the owners hit the beach the dogs are taken off leash. There are multiple reasons to not allow that as
mentioned below.
3. Dog bites against dogs and children and adults. There is a real concern about children and visitors being bitten. This is a
disaster waiting to happen. Years ago it might not have been as much of a concern – however now there are so many people
and so many dogs the odds have increased dramatically. The animal control officer we spoke with said a bite would be a civil
matter between owners/victims. The reality is that the first thing their attorney will do is look at the laws, see if the City
enforces them and sue the entity with the deepest pockets. The City has a major liability issue with this.
Two examples come to mind – there were 4 children playing in the sand at the street end. Two separate owners with two
unleashed pit bulls let them run out onto the beach right through where the kids were playing. Another time during the City
sanctioned Quiksilver Spring Break Surf Camp all the kids were coming off the beach and at the same time 3 owners with 4 pit
bulls walked right through them all. They were the type of owners who picked up their dogs by the scruff of the neck and
threw them over to get them to move, and kicked them to get them to sit down. Not a good mix of children and dogs. We could
give you many more examples.
4. The Existing laws are not being enforced. Years ago the laws said no dogs allowed at all on the beach. Then it became no
dogs allowed at all in the summer and only before 9am and after 5pm in the winter months. Then the law was expanded to no
dogs allowed between 10am and 4:30pm every day. That may be what is on the books now, however it is Never
Enforced. There are more dogs on the beach at 2pm than before 10 and after 4:30 combined.
There were and are reasons for the laws in the first place – safety of the neighborhood, visitors, animals, City liability,
etc. When we spoke with an animal control officer he said that the Fire, Police and Lifeguards do not agree with the existing
regulations and believe dogs should not be allowed on City beaches. He went on to say that animal control gets so many
complaints, but the previous City Council wants Newport Beach to be known as a Dog Friendly place, so they are not going to
change or enforce the regulations. That is certainly obvious.
There used to be animal control officers patrolling the beach every day. Now, they are never here and the laws are not being
enforced. We wonder why it is important to be a dog friendly beach – shouldn’t the beach be a place where people can relax,
enjoy the sand and waves and not be concerned about dogs running up to them, knocking their kids over, polluting where they
walk and play and much worse – being bitten. We don’t understand that logic.
5. The County regulations say No Dogs At All. When we spoke with them they said that the City is responsible for part of the
jetty area, and the County takes care of the rest of the jetty area. However, they said that they don’t have the funds to patrol it
at all, and that if the City complains enough they will come down once in a while. There needs to be a solution to that.
43
6. Pollution on the sand and in the River mouth is another issue that needs to be addressed. We grew up swimming in
between the jetties – it was so much fun. We would never do that now because we wouldn’t want to worry about the dogs
jumping, biting or defecating where we are swimming! Also, recently there was a TV news story about the Coastal
Commission reducing ocean pollution by enforcing dog beach laws in LA County. We would assume the City would rather not
deal with the Coastal Commission.
7. Social media and public perception has compounded the problem. We have a friend with a new dog who was told by all her
friends to come to the River Jetty area – it is the Newport Beach Dog Beach. “If it’s on Face Book it must be true!” She talked
about the Newport Tails dog walking company website showing photos of them all at the jetty. They are here quite often with
a minimum of 8 dogs each. The Newport Tails people (as well as others with whom we have spoken) say that the City never
enforces it and so they go all the time. It is not just a few owners and dogs every so often. It is every day of the week, all day
long. It is completely out of hand.
For the above reasons we are writing to ask the Council to get this problem under control now before something serious
happens.
We would offer several suggestions:
People are creatures of habit and follow what others do. The idea would be to prohibit dogs on the beach completely in the
summer to begin with. This would serve to mitigate all the issues mentioned above and at the same time, get people to stop
going for a while and change their habits.
This can be accomplished in several ways:
1. Post the existing and new laws on the Front Page of the City website
2. Post simple signs in the parking lots and at the beach entrances: NO dogs allowed. Fines are 275.00 and up. Nearest dog
beach is located at Golden West and PCH with parking available.
3. Have animal control officers parked at the parking lot at Grant and Seashore and at the River Jetty to get the message across.
Have them hand out flyers and talk with dog owners. If the message gets out on social media it will definitely help with
enforcement, as well as simple signage in multiple locations. And after a while the message will get across and you can cut
back on the animal control presence.
4. Work with the County. If they don’t have the funds to monitor their portion, offer to do it for them for a fee. There are So
many dogs down here, the City could hire an officer and pay them with the fines alone.
5. Monitor social media dog sights and post the new regulations there. And also talk with Newport Tails Company and get
them to stop walking the dogs at the beaches and to take the photos off of their website.
The beach is a place to enjoy the sun, sand and surf. It is not a place to worry about dogs and their owners’ lack of control and
abiding by the laws.
Please email if we can answer any questions or specific concerns.
Thank you for your time and help.
Sincerely,
Michael and Elizabeth Kirchner
From: Joe [mailto:jmccarth73@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 2:08 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation; Locey, Mary
Subject: Unofficial Dog Beach Topic of Discussion on March 1 PB&R Commission Agenda
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a 24 year resident of West Newport and a homeowner in the vicinity of what many people refer to as “Dog
Beach.” In 2010, when the Newport Beach PB&R Commission expanded the hours during which dogs are permitted on the
beach, I voiced my opposition. It was clear to me then that the situation at “Dog Beach” was already leading to an essentially
unchecked dog presence on Newport’s beaches. Newport Beach has earned a reputation as being dog friendly, a sentiment
which has been propagated via social media. There seems to be a willful ignorance of whether there are any restrictions
whatsoever on dogs in public spaces in Newport Beach, particularly on its beaches.
Individuals are weighing in on the proposed MOU. Most of what I have read focuses on whether dog owners
adequately clean up after their pets. In my opinion, the bigger concern should be that dogs occasionally attack people,
44
completely unprovoked. These unfortunate occurrences are much more likely when dogs are off‐leash. I speak from
experience. A number of years ago, I was jogging on Newport Beach near Prospect Street when two border collies running off‐
leash attacked me. I suffered a puncture bite wound to my leg and scrapes on my back from the dogs’ continued assault after
their initial attack knocked me to the ground. It happened in an instant, all before their apologetic owner could get their
attention. In shock, dusting myself off, I listened to the owner assure me that they are nice dogs and that he would make it up
to me somehow. Meanwhile, his dogs continued to run off down the beach. I told him, “Go get your dogs on a leash before they
attack someone else!”
I still run on the beach several times a week and am much more conscious of the presence of dogs. No matter what
time of day I go, there are many dogs on the beach, with a large percentage of them off‐leash. I go out of my way to avoid
them, but disregard for the leash law by many dog owners makes it challenging. Dogs run up to me on a regular basis. When
this occurs, I stop running and politely ask the owners to put the dog on a leash. The typical response that I get is a scowl that I
have the nerve to ask them to comply with the law.
Of greater concern to me than my own safety is that of my family. My 7 year old daughter does not like to go to the
beach because of the prevalence of dogs. Children should be able to visit the beach without fear of having to interact with dogs
at all between 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM, but that is just not the case. The dog activity is not solely contained at “Dog Beach.”
People coming and going with their dogs from that area and dogs escaping from that area, lead to many uncomfortable
encounters on the shoreline, particularly anywhere west of Orange Street. It is not just the psychological distress that my
youngsters experience when an unwelcome dog suddenly invades their space. We have all heard the heartbreaking stories of
people mauled to death by dogs. Believe me, they flashed through my head when those dogs were attacking me. Even a single
bite from a dog, particularly if it occurred on the face, could be life‐altering. Let’s do everything possible to prevent this from
happening in Newport Beach.
Just last Sunday, while walking down our alley, my 9 year old son was attacked by a dog. The dog bolted out of a
neighbor’s garage barking and immediately sank its teeth into his leg. While the wound was mostly superficial, he was left
with an ugly bite mark bruise and is now nervous about going in the alley. Of some consolation was the fact that the dog
attacked my 9 year old son, a big, tough kid, rather than my younger children or one of our elderly neighbors, who could have
been more seriously harmed. Again, it happened in an instant, completely unprovoked, and the owner was apologetic, but that
doesn’t make it acceptable. The dog should not have had unleashed access to this public space.
If people would just comply with the leash law, most problems like those I described above could be avoided. In fact, I
would gladly volunteer to assist with leash law enforcement and am sure that other residents of West Newport would do the
same. In the name of public safety, the city and county have a duty to enforce the ordinances that pertain to dogs in public
places. It would be particularly irresponsible to officially designate an area which is not completely surrounded by a physical
barrier as an off‐leash dog park, as many are proposing. Satisfying dog owners’ desire to have fun with their pets should not
come at the risk of public safety. Therefore, I strongly support the proposed MOU and any other reasonable measures that
may make animal control objectives easier to accomplish.
Respectfully,
Joe McCarthy
45
From: Lauren Muller [mailto:lauren@arrivekenya.org]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 3:16 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Cc: JONATHAN MULLER
Subject: Concerns about Dog Beach
Hi my name is Lauren Muller and I live at 7107 Seashore Drive in Newport Beach (2 Blocks from the “DOG PARK”) I live with
my husband and 2 children and I am very concerned about the laws not being followed at the Dog Park. My concerns are:
‐The people that bring their dogs down do not pick up after the dogs and I have a mess on the green belt all the time
‐People let their dogs run around all over the street with no leash on
‐People let their dogs run all over the beach with no leash
‐Last month my daughter got her face marked up when a dog ran over and she was petting it then it turned and snapped at her
‐We also have dog walkers coming down now with 5 to 10 dogs and letting then run wild
I have no problem with dogs in general or being on my block. I really want the above issues fixed because it is not okay with
me for people to just let their dogs run wild and have no rules in place.
I am requesting that you pass the law that the dogs need to be on a leash at all times and post an officer on our block to
prevent people from letting their dogs loose.
Thank you so much!
Lauren Muller , Director of Marketing & Communications
From: Eric Pearson [mailto:epearson99@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 3:29 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: Dog beach in the Santa Ana Rivermouth
City of Newport Beach, City Council and Parks and Recreation Department,
I am writing to request that the City of Newport Beach pursue an agreement with the County of Orange to begin to enforce
our city's dog ordinances in the county's land in the Santa Ana River Mouth. In the last few years, the word has gotten out that
the area has no enforcement and the amount of unleashed dogs running around our neighborhood has grown exponentially.
This has lead to the typical problems of out of control pets and dog waste on the beach, alleys , sidewalks and streets in our
neighborhood. As a long time resident , I really appreciate the effort that the city has made in the past few years to beautify our
area. The new landscaping and parks are so nice. Why do all that work and literally " let it go to the dogs"?
Thank you for your consideration
Eric Pearson
7004 W Oceanfront
Newport Beach
From: Mitzi Rhoades [mailto:millicentrhoades@att.net]
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2016 8:26 AM
To: City of NB Questions
Subject: Newport Beach "Dog Beach"
I woke up this morning to again a Boardwalk littered with dumped trash cans, patio furniture broken and thrown around on
the sand, flower pots dumped out or stolen, BBQs tipped over and lids stolen.
It seems to me the city council should look into this constant vandalism of property owners and leave a few happy puppies
romping in a fairly isolated stretch of water alone. They are not hurting anyone or anyone's property.
Millicent Rhoades
2500 W. Oceanfront
Newport Beach, CA. 92663
Sent from my iPad
46
From: Jean Gill [mailto:mjegill@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 5:20 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Subject: Memorandum of Understanding
I am writing to encourage you to adopt the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Newport Beach and the
County of Orange for sharing law enforcement responsibilities along the Santa Ana River. I am a dog owner and a 58 year
resident and homeowner in the west end of Newport Beach.
The unleashed dog problem is not limited to the Santa Ana River area. I no longer walk with my dog on the beach because of
the loose dogs.
I fully support the enforcement of the dog regulations at the mouth of the Santa Ana River and throughout Newport Beach..
Thank You,
Jean Gill
6902 W Ocean Front
Newport Beach, CA 92663
From: Holmes Family [mailto:mcovholmes@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2016 3:20 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation
Cc: Patricia Holmes
Subject: "Dog Beach" Vote
Hello. My name is Mark Holmes and my family has owned the house at 7000 West Ocean Front since the late 60's. While I am
not usually interested in voicing my opinion about how the City of NB should enforce their laws, I do feel that the situation at
the Santa Ana river jetty has gotten out of control. I was down there on Wednesday afternoon with my daughter and her best
friend and they were confronted by two unleashed dogs nowhere near the river jetty. In fact, they were probably south of 71st
Street, blocks away from the jetty. The owners of these dogs were nowhere near them and had zero control over them. The
two girls said they saw at least 10 piles of dog poop on the beach, and then ran out of the water when there was dog poop
floating right by them, directly out in front of the 71 lifeguard tower.
I have a dog and am a 'dog person' and get why people want to let their dogs run free on the beach, but this has taken a
disgusting and unhealthy turn. We all know the ocean water at the mouth of the Santa Ana River is sketchy at best anyway,
but if it is infused with dog feces and urine, it probably shouldn't even be open to swimmers at all, and that is clearly not a fair
solution to this problem.
For these reasons, I would like to submit our support of the vote to have NBPD enforce the laws that the OC Sheriffs
cannot. While, in concept, a "Dog Beach" between the jetty's seems like a good idea, it is basically just a dog and dog‐poop free‐
for‐all down there if there is nobody there to enforce it. The people who go down there with their dogs know that there is no
enforcement, so they just push their 'area' farther and farther into Newport because they can.
Thank you,
Mark Holmes
From: Gary Young [mailto:Gary@SunglassSales.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2016 5:26 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: Santa Ana River Dog area
Hi
I’ve lived at 7404b West Oceanfront for over 10 years and have never seen an issue where I think the City of Newport needs to
step in and enforce leash laws in the Santa Ana river area. The dog owners seem to be very respectful of the beach and each
other and I think appreciate the freedom they enjoy in that small area. I know the dogs do. They all look soooo Happy playing
in the water and with each other. I’m sure there are incidents occasionally but I’ve never seen one and spend a lot of time here
working out of my house. FYI. I don’t own a dog. My daughter who lives on 50th street in a duplex we own does have a dog and
brings him here with no issues.
Thank you
Gary Young
47
From: JEFFREY S BRACEY [mailto:jsb69@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2016 10:21 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Cc: Recreation
Subject: Discussion of MOU
My name is Jeffrey Bracey , I am a resident homeowner at 215 Orange St. NB. I am a dog owner and have been since the mid
60s.
I had assumed that the city had settled this leash law enforcement with the county a couple of years ago and just didn't enforce
it due to staffing .
I have learned that is not so. I then wish to fully support the MOU or Memorandum Of Understanding . being discussed. I walk
my dog every evening after work and do not venture down to the River Jetties due to the large amount of dogs off leashes. I
would also like to inform you of the numbers of dogs off leashes from Prospect to the River.
I encounter anywhere 2 to 8 dogs per evening off leashes , running loose well away from their owners . along the shoreline. I
have not seen enforcement of our city leash law along this area(except for a few occasions) for several months . People let
their dogs loose as soon as they hit the sand , especially around Orange St.
When I have been down by the River to surf or run , I have noticed the a large number of pet owners do pickup their dog feces
and put it into blue bags , but seem to have a problem of taking it with them . I find that problem along the main beach also .
I don't have a big problem of the idea of a dog beach , but to many folks seem to think that applies to all the beach . Since there
is a problem with enforcement of the leash law on our beach , letting people that don't live here , and the many that do and
think the leash law does not apply to them . I would fully support and deem necessary the MOU . and better enforcement of
the leash law on our beaches.
My dog been bitten four times this year by dogs off leashes , Mostly little dogs . I have to control 90 lbs of German Shepherd to
keep from doing extreme harm to these animals and put up with the arrogance of the owners who seem think the law does
not apply to them .
I enjoy being able to walk my dog at the beach , and abide by the hours and leash law, and the removal of dog waste , I
encourage others to do so also . There is a large Dog beach in Huntington beach for dogs to run loose . The small sand bar in
the Santa Rivers is not a good place to have so many animals run loose, often not staying within those confines .
Thank you for your time and consideration Jeff. B
From: The Harps [mailto:harpsport@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2016 8:43 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Please enforce the laws regarding DOGS ON THE BEACH AT SANTA ANA RIVER JETTY
Hello,
I am in support of ENFORCING the leash laws in all areas of our city including the river jetty. Off leash dogs are a huge problem
in all sections of our community.
Our laws should be enforced for people and our furry friends too.
Best regards,
Gayle Harp
Lido Isle
48
From: Libby Huyck [mailto:libonlido@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2016 11:42 AM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Santa Ana River Jetty dog beach
Dear Councilmembers,
Although I rarely visit this dog beach, I think it still serves a valuable public service: the only off‐leash beach in Newport. And
when I have gone, people and dogs are having fun and it seems to work for so many people and their dogs. Even the parking
seems to be fine too.
So I was a little disturbed when I saw an email about some survey around Christmas time (when nobody is paying attention)
to get public opinion. Well, most people didn't even know about the survey. (not even me and I pay attention) Thankfully,
Mike Glenn with Save Newport provided another survey/petition to make sure you understand how popular that dog park
is. (It appears there may have been some tampering with the complaint emails, which never bodes well for transparency etc).
But based on the first survey, I believe it was over 240 Yays and 26 Nos for dog park as is. (My email to Parks has exact
numbers). So quite unequivocal: the public wants this dog park as is. (Mike's petition has over 4000 signatures too, by the
way).
But I read through all the Parks attachments and there is an MOU to change the dog park. Now the gal there said "don't worry,
we just do this out of procedure". Well, since public opinion is FOR the dog park as is, shouldn't the MOU be for keeping dog
park as is.
I'm completely confused by this ridiculous process when the dog park is so overwhelmingly supported by the public. Was this
issue brought up just because of few complaints? Police report (most violations were for leashes which wouldn't even exist if
we made it a permanent off‐leash park). Is this really a good use of your time???? (and mine??)
Please do what the people want and continue dog park AS IS.
Thank you.
LIbby Huyck
Newport Beach
From: David Granoff [mailto:surfdoc1@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 9:27 AM
To: PB&R Commission
Subject: MOU proposal at Santa Ana River Jetty
Dear Commission Members and Staff Liaisons,
Thank you for your service to our community. I am writing in support of the proposed MOU between the city of Newport
Beach and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department relating to the sharing of law enforcement responsibilities along the Santa
Ana River Jetty separating Newport and Huntington Beaches. I am a 20 year resident and homeowner along the Oceanfront
neighborhood in front of the jetty and I appreciate the opportunity to address the commission about this issue. Thank you. I
have been following the online debate with interest. I am also a dog owner.
As I see it, there is no “Dog Beach”; therefore, there is only a lack of enforcement. It seems that many people who use the jetty
area to run their dogs are mistaken. There has always been a leash law in Newport Beach to protect people and dogs. It has
been vigorously enforced along the border of this area until the last few years. This lack of enforcement has created chaos
down here. I have read many of the online responses to the proposal and frankly, they are misleading. I would allow that those
respondents on average bring their dogs to the beach to run off leash in my neighborhood (and are vigorously defending
themselves and their dogs) are only here on average 2 hours a week. I’m here 24/7 and I have seen a very different usage. I
see dog owners with one or more dogs let their dogs off leash and walk in front of them as their dogs defecate on the beach.
Allowing them off leash, gives the owners a sense of deniability as they don’t actually see or acknowledge what their dogs are
doing. I have seen owners kick a bit of sand over their dog’s mess. I have seen dog owners allow their dogs to defecate along
the shore and leave it to be taken out by the surf‐where my children and husband surf! I have seen dog fights, and unruly dogs
jumping on and trampling my neighbor’s children. I have recently been seeing professional dog walkers bring 10 or more dogs
49
each down here and let them off leash. When I walk my dog after 10am along the greenbelt park that parallels Seashore Drive,
I am disgusted by the amount of dog feces along the sidewalks and grass. I am glad my children are now teenagers, because I
used to take them to climb the trees and skate along the sidewalks that boarder the greenbelt. There is no way now that those
areas are appropriate for children. Dogs off leash are walking in the allies between my house and the beach; their owners
allow them to urinate on my front door, and I have almost run them over while backing out of my driveway as they run
unattended.
I really could go on and on, but I think you understand how I feel. I ask only that the Commission Members show the
necessary leadership and support the MOU. This action would allow that area to be pulled into compliance with the existing
leash laws of our city and eliminate the nuisance that has been allowed to occur in my neighborhood.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to weigh in.
Respectfully,
From: Bercaw, Tom [mailto:tbercaw@insultech.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 12:01 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council; Recreation; Kiff, Dave
Subject: SUPPORT of MOU for Dogs
My Family and I live at 6208 W Ocean Front and have lived in West Newport for 20 years. We are dog owners. We are in full
support of the MOU with County Sheriff’s to allow the City of Newport Beach to enforce our leash laws and time of use
regulations.
Our experience with other dogs on the beach include:
‐ Twice threatened by other dog owners who’s dogs were off leash. Our dog (on leash) was attacked by two other dogs
(off leash) in front of my house and was followed up by one of the other dog owners threatening me… (Police were
contacted but not dispatched).
‐ On two different occasions, we’ve had dogs (off leash) jump into our yard.
‐ On one occasion, we’ve had two dogs (off leash) go into our house (as if it were their own house).
My wife and I are always relieved when we see Animal Control on the beach which is very infrequent. A large of portion of
dogs on the beach are off leash. This creates a nuisance for everyone: waste clean up (an ongoing issue) as well as general
safety (as noted above). We avoid the river jetty area at 74th street because so many dogs are off leash and to avoid any sort of
confrontation or conflict. My wife and I are very appreciative for the City Council taking this matter on.
Sincerely,
Tom and Lisa Bercaw
6208 W. Ocean Front
Newport Beach, CA 92663
tbercaw@InsulTech.com
www.insultech.com
From: Dave [mailto:surfdoc1@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 12:16 PM
To: Recreation
Subject: MOU and Illegal Dog Beach
Dear Newport Beach Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Commissioners,
I appreciate in advance you taking the time to read this message. I am a 30+ year Newport Beach resident, homeowner, and
dog owner.
I appreciate the time and effort your City Council Staff spent in developing the MOU. The MOU states clearly the issues our
neighborhood residents and homeowners have been subjected to, and has increased over the past several years. I believe
many individuals do not know that it is illegal to have a dog on the beach in the county area, due to lack of proper
signage. This MOU would curtail the amount of dog waste and urine we have on our green belt (the West Newport Beach Park
area), our sidewalks, alleys, and beaches. It would require dog owners to be responsible and keep their dogs leashed. It would
provide a safe area for those individuals visiting the beach. For those owners who insist on having their dogs off leash,
Huntington Beach has a legal dog beach with better water quality approximately 4 miles North. I truly feel if this was any
other neighborhood in Newport or surrounding cities, this lack of compliance and the issues it creates, would not be
50
tolerated. I hope your decision is based on what is recommend by Staff, and is best for our neighborhood and the safety of
those visiting the beach.
In closing, I support this MOU and hope the Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Commissioners will follow Staff’s recommendation
for it. Again, thank you for your time and attention to this issue.
David Granoff
7308 West Oceanfront
From: don@donbassler.com [mailto:don@donbassler.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 1:06 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Dog Beach
Ms. Dixon and all City Council Members:
As a lifetime Newport beach resident of 54 years, I plead with you to leave the Dog Beach as is. Leashes defy the purpose of a
dog’s need to run and roam and requiring a leash would be contrary to the value of this very small, but important space for dog
lovers and their best friends.
Don
From: Kimberly Leibe [mailto:mattandkim@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 1:09 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: Save Dog Beach!
Please let us have our little part of the beach! Newport should make it officially a dog beach and be PROUD to offer such a
thing. Newport has gone from being a fun beach town to a bunch of entitled rich people that want to keep others out. First the
fire rings and now a patch of sand that dogs and their owners can mingle at? Find another cause, please.
Sent from my iPad
From: Alba, Carmen [mailto:carmen.a.alba@medtronic.com]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 1:26 PM
To: Dept ‐ City Council
Subject: NEWPORT DOG BEACH
TO whom it may concern:
Please! I do not want Newport to be able to remove off leash dogs from our beaches!!!
Thank you very much.
Carmen A. Alba
51
From: Jonathan Pedersen [mailto:jtpedersen@earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 3:32 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Cc: Detweiler, Laura
Subject: FW: Public Record Request ‐‐ RECORD::16‐0085
Attached County of Orange PRA
From: Request, Records [mailto:Records.Request@occr.ocgov.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2016 12:17 PM
To: 'jtpedersen@earthlink.net'
Subject: Public Record Request ‐‐ RECORD::16‐0085
Hello,
This email is in response to a Public Records Act request. Attached
you will find the documents pertaining to your request. Please feel
free to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Custodian of Records
1770 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, 92706
ph 714.480.2774
From: Jonathan Pedersen [mailto:jtpedersen@earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 3:29 PM
To: PB&R Commission
Cc: Detweiler, Laura
Subject: Staff Report
PBR Commission,
I have reviewed staff report compiled by Laura and Carol and before the meeting
tomorrow wanted to note some significant corrections.
1) Recommendation‐ Why should city staff should be making recommendations
to city council when a PBR Commission meeting hasn’t yet taken place. This defeats the
whole purpose (and neutral appearance) of city staff and the PBR Commission. In fact
it expresses a desired outcome.
2) Funding Requirements‐ Valerie Schomberg Supervisor ACO stated in your
very own June 10th, 2010 PBR commission meeting regarding time of day changes to
wit “Officer Schomburg stated that there are only three animal control officers
and that their first priority is public safety and radio calls. She went on to say
that if and when there is extra time that they will concentrate on enforcement at
the beaches, parks, schools and neighborhoods for leash violations.”
Matt Lohr Recreation Manager stated‐ He went on to report that staff agreed that it
would be feasible to recommend the change to before 10am and after 4:30pm.
He noted that the Police Department does not have the resources to expand the
hours beyond what is being recommended here today.
There is most definitely a fiscal impact and a service impact to other areas of the city.
3) The statement on page 2 is made that “Currently dogs are not allowed to run off leash on City property, nor are
they allowed on County beaches”. If so, why does the County of Orange have a sign stating dogs must be on a leash?
You cannot prohibit dogs and have a posted ordinance expressing the opposite. Further, the County of Orange has not
written one single citation at this area. EVER.
52
4) Calls for Service and Violation data‐ This is the most disturbing part of the staff report. The report data notes
“calls at or adjacent to the river jetty” When I spoke to Valerie Schomburg, Supervisor ACO about the meaning
of “at or adjacent to the river jetty” she explained that citations were tagged in the computer to that area.
Pressing further and asking several different ways I finally received an accurate answer. The boundary
where these citations (of which there were a grand total of 11 for dogs off leash on the beach) stretches east to
54th St which is nearly ONE MILE away. I think everyone can agree that this data is misleading.
adjacent
adjective ad·ja·cent \ə‐ˈjā‐sənt\
Simple Definition of ADJACENT
: close or near : sharing a border, wall, or point
Lastly, widespread noncompliance with existing leash laws is not an enforcement failure by the County of Orange or a moral
failure by dog owners; it is a policy failure. The City of Newport Beach has been unwilling or unable to deal with the lack of off
leash facilities as the dog population in Newport Beach (over 50% of households have a dog) has grown. In fact, before the
addition of the $15 million dog park the City of Newport Beach had zero locations for 107 years where you could have your
dog off leash.
In the absence of action, dog owners have, over the past 50+ years, established their own solution, which is to create a de facto
right of qualified off leash access to public space. To wit, that if their pet is licensed, under control, in proximity, and the owner
picks up after that animal, they are free to responsibly use public space as any citizen would.
Based on this right established over decades, citizens have made major life decisions and commitments such as where they
purchase a home, obtaining a dog or a dog of a certain breed, and establishing daily life patterns via employment and other
activities. This right is so deeply established that regular users of the County of Orange dog beach at the Santa Ana River
believe that these beaches are legally off leash. This includes locals as well as visitors.
It is unreasonable that the qualified right of historical access is now under threat. Serious life commitments have been made
and, lacking adequate facilities, dog owners are in the position of technically violating leash laws. Simply put, there is no place
for them to go. There is a qualified right of historical access and resulting legal liability to both the County of Orange and City of
Newport beach should enforcement be attempted after decades of open, notorious and pervasive violation of the ordinance.
Further, the technical violation of having a dog off leash in any capacity in a public space and the conceptual reasoning for such
a rule (public and animal safety) have been effectively decoupled. In no way is an animal off leash sitting by its owner, an
elderly dog walking by its owner, or dog chasing a ball in the surf, and an unattended, out of control, or aggressive animal the
same violations. This defies common sense. But under the current enforcement regime they are equal. This type of
enforcement does not serve the purpose of the establishment of the leash law.
Thank you for your time. See you tomorrow night.
Jon Pedersen
131 Via Genoa
Newport Beach, Ca 92663
53
City Staff Report not included in this document but is included as a separate attachment in the email.