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Friends of Lighthouse Field
849 Almar Avenue
Suite C-PMB414
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
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MILESTONES
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Have a look at FOLF activities since late 2005!
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REMINDER: TRADITIONAL OFF-LEASH HOURS
We're asking people to stick to the traditional compromise hours: sunrise to 10am; 4pm to sunset
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Updated 6/1/09
California State Parks is Considering Abandoning Lighthouse Field; Friends of Lighthouse Field (FOLF) Will Not!
See the latest news
Let your voice be heard!
Add your name to FOLF's letter to the State Parks!
For years, the FOLF community has been providing park stewardship by holding regular clean-ups, encouraging responsible dog ownership and hosting community gatherings and events. Saturday April 24th, FOLF held a beach and park clean-up as part of our work with Save Our Shores. This effort was halted by the State Parks when a ranger came by to issue warnings to clean-up volunteers. Why is State Parks wasting tax payer money and resources to intimidate people who are trying to provide a valuable service to their community?
During these economic times when everyone needs to pitch in and help - the State Parks is deploying critical resources to give people with off-leash dogs warnings and tickets rather then dealing with the crime, drugs and illegal camping.
Enough is enough!
SIGN THE LETTER
Please take a moment to add your name to FOLF's letter to the State Parks (see pdf). Your information will only to be shared with the Northern Head of CA State Parks. Please provide your name, zip code and email address (email address is not required). You may also leave a short 140 character comment. This letter and your the support signatures will be delivered to California State Parks.
Thank you for your on-going support and friendship!
Friends of Lighthouse Field
* indicates required information
ACTION: Call the State Parks
Call Scott Wassman (Calif State Parks Division Head for Northern CA) at 916-657-4042.
We're working to preserve the Santa Cruz 50+ year tradition of off-leash recreation at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach. Recently, the anti-dog fanatics have run a campaign to place many complaint calls with California State Parks objecting to our presence. In response, State Parks has devoted considerable park ranger time in an effort to remove you from the Field and Beach.
We first became aware of this effort when a State Parks ranger closed down our volunteer Its Beach cleanup day on the Saturday following Earth Day. This is another years-old Santa Cruz tradition, where people with dogs devote time to park and environmental stewardship. But the cleanup day needed people, and with the ranger driving the people away, there was no cleanup.
We think it's time to balance the calls from the disgruntled anti-dog fanatics with a larger volume of calls from concerned citizens. We'd like you to call a senior State Parks official responsible for our district. If you can't call, then write or email, but because they're reacting to phone calls, let's give them some phone calls.
Here are some points you might make:
- In a time of budget crisis, why are scarce ranger resources devoted to driving the community out of Its Beach and Lighthouse Field?
- Why are limited tax dollars being spent to shut down a community of people who serve the community of Santa Cruz and who save the State money by providing park stewardship and service?
- How can you justify shutting down a volunteer beach cleanup day by sending a ranger to drive away the dog-owning volunteers, while across the street you were not patrolling an area increasingly infested with drug users, illegal campers and other abuse? Where are your priorities?
- We understand that you've even pulled rangers and lifeguards away from their duties in other sectors in order to enforce this leash rule in Santa Cruz? Why is stopping a Santa Cruz tradition such a high priority for State Parks?
For 30 years a City/State cooperative agreement created a wonderful asset for the community. We had a recreational resource that directly served the 40% of households with dogs, and shared with non-dog owners. We had strong volunteer engagement in park stewardship that insured a safe and clean park. We don't understand why State Parks made it its mission to change all that. It just seems crazy that State Parks can't find a way to bring this back. Your leash rule makes no sense at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach. It's not right. Please fix it.
The above are some talking points, but use your own words and add your own thoughts. Call multiple times, for example everytime you wish you could take your dog to the beach.
When you call, be firm but polite. Please DO NOT be angry or abusive - we're trying to communicate to an official who has new responsibilities, and this is an opportunity to make him aware of public feelings. It is good to express your feelings, remembering that we are a calm, rational community who have a just cause for complaint.
Make your views known! Starting Monday morning, please contact:
Scott Wassman (Calif State Parks Division Head for Northern CA) at 916-657-4042.
Coastal Clean-up Day
FOLF Its Beach & Lighthouse Field Clean-up
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Once again, FOLF volunteers will be actively participating another
Coastal Clean-up Day.
We are also working with Save Our Shores and have joined in on the Adopt-A-Beach
Program. Of course we've adopted Its Beach. This means that we are making a
commitment to our community that we will clean our beach at least three times a
year, starting in 2009.
FOLF encourages you to continue to use Lighthouse Field State Beach (LFSB) for off-leash recreation during the traditional compromise hours (before 10am and after 4pm) regardless of
the State's misguided new policy.
Let's preserve an important part of the Santa Cruz social fabric. Off-leash recreation in LFSB is critical for our health, well-being, culture, safety and quality of life. Our presence provides a net benefit to the park and surrounding neighborhood, even for people who do not have dogs. The consequences of abandoning LFSB are so negative we cannot in good conscience accept such an outcome. We advise you to:
- Bring a leash with you at all times and if you see a ranger put your dog on leash.
- If you see a ranger -- call out and let others know.
- Stay calm and obey ranger directives. Do not be confrontational.
- Continue to be a good park steward. Always pick up and always promote good behavior.
- Keep us informed of all ranger interactions via email to info@folf.org.
We are looking for continued community presence, not for conflict. Avoid tickets, don't try to get them. Avoid rangers, don't try to confront them. Rangers drive around in jeeps and trucks -- learn to identify the white ranger trucks (marked "Ranger") from the white maintenance trucks (marked "Maintenance") which typically have large drawers and gardening supplies. State Park maintenance workers do not give tickets -- neither do City workers or City police.
Negotiations continue between the City and the State. While they continue we are hopeful that State Parks will avoid disturbing the community. We'll keep you posted if things really do start to change.
If a Park Ranger Stops You:
Be polite -- chances are the ranger will just ask you to put your dog on a leash. A park ranger may give you a warning and record your name. It is important that we remain polite with the rangers as they are in the tough position of having to enforce a bad policy at the State level. And a polite exchange is much more likely to reduce the chances of you getting a ticket.
Remember you are not committing a crime. A citation is like a traffic ticket or a jaywalking ticket. However, unlike jaywalking or speeding which create safety hazards, our community presence creates a public safety benefit.
If You Get a Citation:
First, you should use common sense to avoid citations. Always carry a leash and leash-up if you see a ranger. Be polite, not confrontational. If rangers are in the park, save your off-leash time for later or another day. Rangers are usually few and far between.
(The information contained herein is in no way intended to represent legal advice. If legal advice is needed, please seek the advice of a qualified attorney. Friends of Lighthouse Field assumes no responsibility or liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein.)
If by chance you do get a ticket, we encourage you to take it to court rather than simply pay it. If there is an error in how the ticket was issued, it might be dismissed. The additional court effort makes it clear to State Parks that people are committed to preserving our community presence.
Points you might want to bring forward while contesting a citation are:
a. Any error or omission in the issued citation: Is the date or time wrong? If you had your dog ON a leash by the time you received the citation, did the ranger have a clear unobstructed view of the alleged infraction? Were signs unclear or missing?
b. Unclear delineation of Its Beach: FOLF has been told by the Director of Parks and Recreation for Santa Cruz and the State Parks District Superintendent that a percentage of Its Beach is owned by the City. If you get a ticket on Its Beach, you could argue that as far as you know you were on the City side of the beach. If this is contested by the State Parks, you could request evidence of any specific State Park signs designating the State Parks side of the beach from the City-owned beach. Did the ranger know exactly where the boundary is?
c. Ask for a reduced fine and/or community service: If this is a first offence and you were polite and cooperative, you may get a reduced fine. If you have difficulty paying you may be able to ask for community service hours instead. You can do these at many nonprofit organizations in town. FOLF will sign hours for you if you want to spend your time cleaning up the Field. You'll need to tell the judge you want to work at Lighthouse Field and that FOLF will sign off hours. If you are assigned community service hours through FOLF, contact us immediately at info@folf.org.
Report all ranger interactions and any citations to FOLF (info@folf.org) including ranger's name, date, time and location. We need to track what is happening. And if we have more information that could help you contest a citation, we'll send it to you.
Again, we urge that you carry a leash so you can demonstrate the ability to put your dog under your direct control. We also ask that you:
- Continue picking up after your dog and encouraging others to do the same.
- Keep contacting City and State representatives (see Where to Write)
- Report any public safety problems in the park (drug use, camping, prostitution, etc.) We have been advised by SCPD to call 9-1-1 to make any such report.
- Be aware that ONLY the State Park rangers and officials have responsibility to enforce on-leash usage. State Parks maintenance workers, City Police, City Fire and City Parks staff do not have off-leash enforcement responsibilities.
- Please also report any improper communications by anyone, either State or City staff or anyone you suspect is impersonating State or City staff, to FOLF (info@folf.org). State Parks has clearly communicated that they do not educate people with a bull-horn or by yelling.
Contact City and State officials today
City/State negotiations are still underway but moving too slowly. Let them know why this is important to your daily quality of life and why this is important to the broader community (including people without dogs.) Ask them to conclude a deal to permanently protect off-leash recreation at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach, and to get this deal done quickly.
Numbers count: Don't be silent.
Make sure to enlist the help of friends and neighbors as well. We can put this over the top! Look here for ideas and where to call or write.
Donate to defend your access
to Lighthouse Field and Its Beach
Donate Online
or send a check to:
Friends of Lighthouse Field
849 Almar Avenue, Suite C-PMB414
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
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Stay Informed...
Local animal control expert talks about off-leash recreation at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach
Hear the views of Officer Todd Stosuy, Santa Cruz County Animal Services Field Supervisor. [Watch the video]
FOLF Forum Opening Presentation
Be sure to watch this opening presentation from FOLF's May Forum with John Laird, Emily Reilly and representatives from State Parks.
Watch the Forum Presentation
Author Maria Goodavage wrote a compelling letter to Santa Cruz City and California State officials in support of off-leash access at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach. She also points out the positive economics for dog-friendly communities. Maria is the author of The Dog Lover's Companion to California.
See the video produced by Maria in conjunction with the City of Carmel, A Dog's 'Dandie' Day in Carmel. See the article in the Carmel Pine Cone.
...previous FOLF News and Events
Find out more about what Friends of Lighthouse Field has been doing to save our community and our off-leash recreation.
See FOLF News
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