Westside : Scampering to Find a Free Run for Rover

For a dog, a juicy T-bone may be the only thing that tops a leash-free romp. But there is barely enough room in most Santa Monica parks for residents--never mind local hounds.

Now, city officials are trying to find a permanent place where canines can run free with their owners.

The city’s Recreation and Parks Commission has been exploring off-leash park options for the past year, and it is set to propose several options to the City Council this month.

One calls for the city to lease a portion of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority right of way adjacent to Olympic Boulevard. Another involves the city building a dog park on a segment of Santa Monica Airport property.

Dog owners and their pets now frolic at two sites--Joslyn Park and Marine Park--that the City Council picked last year in an effort to provide dogs with room to exercise. On a typical afternoon, Joslyn Park hosts about 50 pet owners. Marine Park has been slightly less crowded.

There have not been any complaints about Joslyn Park, but troubles have arisen at Marine Park.

Neighbors complain about noise from barking dogs and the smell of urine, and say that their own dogs become rowdier because of the additional canines in the neighborhood.

Homeowners around Marine Park have suggested that the city immediately discontinue use of the park as an off-leash area, and the city is considering doing so.