Golden Gate National Recreation Area Considers Reducing the Size of Off-Leash Dog Areas

The National Park Service extended its deadline Thursday for inviting and considering public comment on its proposal to drastically reduce off-leash dog areas in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Members of the public will have until May 30 to formally weigh in on the proposal that would reduce the size of off-leash areas for dogs at 21 locations throughout the recreation area, which includes parts of San Mateo, San Francisco and Marin counties. The public comment period for the proposal's draft environmental impact statement opened on Jan. 14.

Foster City that places a limit of three on the number of dogs that any one handler may bring at one time to off-leash areas, including the dog park. The ordinance will take effect on April 7, 2011.

"There has always been a three dog limit rule in place at off-leash areas including at the dog park. However, the rule was not enforceable and relied upon park users to self-monitor their compliance.  During the past year, some dog park users have been observed regularly and intentionally come to the park with more than three dogs at a time," the City said in a statement yesterday.

In a statement issued Thursday, the National Park Service said that the complexity of the document and the response from the community prompted the deadline's extension. During the review period, the park service is seeking input from the public on issues or impacts it may have failed to consider, plan inconsistencies and additional factual information related to the proposal.

Comments can be submitted online at www.parkplanning.nps.gov/dogplan or by mail and must be received by May 30.

---Bay City News

Editor Sarah Yokubaitis contributed to this report.

For more information on the proposed leash laws in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, see