HUNTINGTON BEACH : City Rejects Group’s Request for Dog Park

Community Services commissioners have rejected a request by about 1,100 pet owners to establish a dog park where residents can train and exercise their pets off their leashes.

Dog owners had petitioned the city to let them form a nonprofit organization to rent and fence off about three acres of vacant land at Edison Community Park and operate it as a dog park.

The organization also agreed to take out insurance to cover possible damages and liability, and promised to clean up after their pets.

However, nearby residents complained in a petition with about 100 signatures that the location is too close to their homes and that they might be disturbed by the barking.

Commissioners last week said they liked the idea of a dog park but voted 7 to 3 to reject establishing such a site near Hamilton Avenue and Magnolia Street.

Officials said that perhaps an isolated location for a dog park can be found when undeveloped parts of Central Park are developed at some future date.

Laguna Beach is the only city in the county to have a dog park, according to Deputy Community Services Director Jim Engle.

Huntington Beach currently allows dogs on the beach from north of Golden West Street to Bolsa Chica State Beach.

It’s the only part of the city where officials don’t enforce leash laws, Community Services Director Ron Hagan said.