City of Piedmont
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: February 5, 2024
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Rosanna Bayon Moore, City Administrator
SUBJECT: Consideration of Approval of the Temporary Closure of the Linda Beach OffLeash Area Until Staff Determines that Conditions Allow for Safe Reopening
RECOMMENDATION
By a single motion, take the following actions regarding the Linda Beach Off-Leash Area:
1. Approve closure of the Linda Beach off-leash area temporarily until staff determines that conditions allow for a safe reopening.
BACKGROUND
Section 3.3.12 of the Municipal Code (Temporary Closure of Parks) provides the Public Works Director, Chief of Police, or the City Administrator with the authority to temporarily close a park or any portion thereof for up to thirty days if doing so is necessary to protect public safety or public property.
After several rain events in December of 2023, the Public Works Director and staff inspected the Linda Beach off-leash area on in late December, observed a saturated hillside, slippery conditions, unstable walking surfaces, and determined that the current conditions created an unsafe recreational space for both dogs and pedestrians. As such, the off-leash area was temporarily closed. Staff seeks the Council’s ratification of Staff’s decision because conditions appear to warrant closure of the area for a period longer than 30 days.
The off-leash area was previously closed between late January 2021 – late February 2021, in January 2022, between February 2022 – March 2022, between December 2022 – February 2023, then again in late February 2023 – early April 2023.
DISCUSSION
It is now apparent that weather conditions require the closure of the off-leash area for longer than 30-days. The duration of the closure is currently weather dependent: As long as substantial rains continue, the hillside in the park will remain saturated and the park will have slippery and unsafe conditions for park users. In these instances, the only solution is to keep the affected portion of the park closed until the hillside dries out with warmer and drier weather.
Agenda Report Page 2
Staff have made efforts to address erosion and limit muddy run-off onto the Linda Avenue sidewalk and into the storm drainage system. This includes the installation of straw fiber rolls along the slope of the hillside. These types of measures limit erosion of the hillside and the amount of sediment that flows into the storm drains. The fiber rolls are only a temporary solution until long term sediment controls can be installed on the hillside. Shorter term measures, such as mulch, netting, or temporary erosion control, are expensive and ineffectual applications in an active off-leash area. Long term sediment controls, including efforts to re-establish vegetation, will require the City to examine the effective closure of the off-leash area for a duration yet to be determined.
Staff will continue to explore the sustainability and stewardship of this space and will work to develop long-term solutions that would allow the Linda Beach off-leash area to remain open year-round.
FISCAL IMPACT
This action has no fiscal impact. Future improvements to Linda Beach Park will be budgeted in the appropriate fiscal year.
CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed this staff report.
By: Daniel Gonzales, Public Works Director