Friends of Lighthouse Field

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RESOURCES

FOLF White Paper (html)
Access and Recreation for People with Off-Leash Dogs at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach (download .pdf, 712k)

General Meeting Presentation (pdf)
Informational presentation from the November 30th FOLF General Meeting. Includes goals, extensive background information, and current situation.

Oct 2005 State Parks Letter
A letter from the State Department of Parks & Recreation told the City that off-leash access should be banned in 24 months or less.

Appellate Court Ruling re: Lighthouse Field
The court did not rule that dogs should be restricted to on-leash access, nor that the city must do an EIR. The court specifically said that there was not evidence yet of significant environmental impact from dogs off-leash.

City Parks Map
Off-leash space is 2 percent of the city's 1,800 acres of park and open space. Find the 2%!

FOLF Overview (.pdf, 80k)
An overview to define what Friends of Lighthouse Field is all about.

Conservancy and Dog Use Plan
A proactive proposal to manage off-leash dog recreation at LHFSB. FAQ (updates coming 11-20)
Answers to frequently asked questions about the city's decision, FOLF, and issues about LHFSB.

Legal Recommendations to the City (.pdf, 196k)
Legal opinion provided to the city regarding CEQA and the General Plan. The lawsuit filed by your neighbors disagrees with this recommendation.

Lawsuit (.pdf, 348k)
Read the lawsuit that was filed against the city, county, state, and coastal commission.

Issues and Answers

Off-Leash tradition at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach for more than 50 years
In late October 2007, FOLF carried out a survey effort to contact people who enjoy off-leash recreation at Lighthouse Field and Its Beach in order to learn more about how long they or their families have been doing so.

59% of the responses indicate off-leash usage that pre-dates the rules put in place in 1993.

17% of the usage pre-dates the creation of LFSB as a State Park.

The oldest stated usage is 51 years.

See the complete results

To help in our continuing effort to raise awareness of this unfair position and to secure off-leash privileges at the field and beach, FOLF held a Forum in May 2007. Assemblyman John Laird, Mayor Emily Reilly, State Parks Superintendent Dave Vincent, and Santa Cruz County Animal Control Officer Todd Stusey attended to bring FOLF up to date and use a question-and-answer format to discuss how we could successfully move forward and how they might help.

You can watch the opening FOLF presentation and Officer Stusey's comments online.

Watch the FOLF Forum Opening Presentation

Watch Officer Todd Stusey Comments

FOLF 11/30/05 General Meeting Summary

View the informational presentation (pdf, 700kb) from the November 30th FOLF General Meeting. This PDF includes goals, extensive background information, and current situation designed to answer many frequently asked questions.

updated 11/20/06

Do we have to fight for off-leash access again?

In October 2005, the city decided to drop the Lighthouse Field General Plan Update, and leave things as they are (including the 1993 rule allowing dogs off-leash part time). The city lawyer determined that the city could still use the previous state bond money to upgrade the bathrooms, and other projects, without the updated General Plan.

Soon after, the city received a letter from State Parks legal counsel advising the city that as of November 15, 2007, it was required to implement its order to restrict dogs to on-leash only -- a reversal of the historical position for the past 12 years. (read the letter here)

The State did not request public input prior to this notice and did not consult with the City in advance. There are not notices from the state in the administrative record indicating any dissatisfaction with the current local off-leash policy -- in fact, the only notice is that they approve of the city's operational decision regarding dogs.

We believe the state's decision to revise the current land usage by proposing this project will result in significant changes to the existing and historical land use, negative impacts on community police and fire resources, as well as the social network and local community. None of this has been studied by the state. Their decision to move the off-leash dog community out of this property has the potential for severe impact on parks, parking, and other city resources elsewhere throughout the city which has also not be studied.

NOTE: The State's decision is not related to the ruling by the appealate court. If you are interested in learning more about the court case, you can read the ruling here. read the court ruling here - long)