Rule bans dogs from park areas

Dogs will be prohibited in the play areas of the 38th Street Park on the Balboa Peninsula, but surrounding areas will have their landscaping changed to accommodate the animals, according to a new city ordinance unanimously passed by the Newport Beach City Council Tuesday night.

The ordinance was necessitated by problems caused by dogs’ running around without leashes and owners’ not cleaning up feces in the park, said City Recreation Director Laura Detweiler.

The former is a safety hazard for children playing on the grass, while the latter is a sanitary issue.

“Certainly it’s not our intention to ban dogs from parks, but given the circumstances we felt that we needed to bring some remedy for the council to consider,” Detweiler said.

The council agreed on a plan of action where rose bushes would be removed from planters on the four sides of the park and replaced by turf in two planters and decomposed granite in two others so dogs could do their business while not creating a safety hazard.

Resident Mike Gordon thought the ordinance may not be necessary if the city would just strictly enforce existing laws. Under current provisions, a pet owner can be fined for allowing a dog to run around off a leash or not picking up after it.

“Try for six months enforcing the law. See if that works,” Gordon told the council.

Councilwoman Nancy Gardner also called for enforcement to be stricter. Pet laws are well posted at parks and owners have no excuse for not obeying them, she said.

Another resident neighboring the park, Joel Stone, thought the city’s plan was the best alternative.

“My kids shouldn’t have to worry about running through that area and stepping in dog feces,” Stone said.

The artificial turf that will be installed poses a couple of problems, though. It is difficult to clean and once it gets a smell, it’s unlikely to go away, said General Services Director Mark Harmon.

Still, dog owners have told the city that their pets need some kind of grass or turf to be comfortable.

ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.