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| Work the Spheres of Influence |
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In San Francisco, many people get a say in whether or not your dog run gets built. Among them:
The owner of the property.
In the case of a privately owned site, contact the owner directly to discuss the matter. If the site is owned by the city, contact the owning agency (most often, it's the Port of San Francisco or the Department of Public Works).
If your proposed dog run is in a San Francisco park, you will have to grapple with the bureaucracy of the Recreation & Park Department (RPD) and its Dog Advisory Committee.
Be prepared: if RPD is inclined to give you any space at all, it will likely be less space than you want and in a less desirable location than you ask for. On top of that, the Dog Advisory Committee is not dominated by dog-loving individuals and cancels its monthly meetings more often than it holds them. This combination makes the going rough for dog owners seeking to establish legal off-leash space.
Nonetheless, this is the formal process you must follow if you want to create an official recognized dog run in a San Francisco park:
1. Send your proposal to the Recreation & Park Department, c/o the Superintendent of Neighborhood Services.
2. RPD will arrange a public meeting in the neighborhood in which you are proposing the dog park and will bring up to three proposals for community input (these proposals may or may not include yours).
3. Based on the input gathered at this meeting, the Superintendent of Neighborhood Services will make a recommendation to the Dog Advisory Committee.
4. The DAC will consider the recommendation, possibly consider alternative proposals (again, yours may or may not be among them. If RPD does not include your proposal in the mix, you may need to ask a dog-friendly committee member to do so), and vote.
5. If the DAC approves your proposal, then RPD will take it to the Planning Committee of the Recreation & Park Commission for consideration.
6. At the Planning Committee's recommendation, the plan will go before the full Recreation & Park Commission for a vote.
7. Once the proposal is approved by the Commission, the Recreation & Park Department is charged with executing it.
Local park advocacy groups.
Be sure to make contact with any "Friends of…" volunteer organizations for your park. This group can be an important ally if approached early and allowed input in your proposal. If possible, join the group yourself (or at least attend a few meetings) before presenting your dog park idea. This will allow you to become familiar with their concerns and plans for the park and determine how dog-friendly the group is. In addition to groups based in local parks, there are influential citywide park advocacy organizations in San Francisco, including the Neighborhood Parks Council and The San Francisco Parks Trust.
Other local groups.
Be aware early on of those who may oppose your dog play area. Think about groups such as neighborhood associations, sports leagues, schools and daycare centers (this is where the parents in your group come in handy), bird watchers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, native plant enthusiasts, tai chi practitioners, and owners and tenants of neighboring residential and commercial buildings. These groups may come out against your dog run, especially if it is sprung on them or it "threatens" a space they use. Any of these groups can also be potential allies, if your proposal meshes with their interests (for instance, if creating an official dog play area means fewer dogs on the sports field or straying into the playground). Your best bet is to identify these groups before they complain, learn their concerns, and attempt to address their issues in good faith.
You should also seek support from the Department of Animal Care & Control (San Francisco's city pound), the SPCA, Pets Are Wonderful Support and other organizations concerned with dogs and their owners, as well as the city's Animal Welfare Commission.
Local elected officials.
On the city level, these include your District Supervisor and the Mayor whose Office of Neighborhood Services may prove helpful if your proposal stalls with RPD.
In Sacramento, you can contact your State Assembly member and State Senator (to find these people, go to the California Public Interest Research Group website and click on "Find Your Legislators"). These elected officials (and their staff) will generally hear you out and respond to your letters. As well, they may intercede in negotiations for you and even help fund your dog run. They're particularly receptive to appeals from a large neighborhood group, so as soon as your dog owners' group becomes well-established, let them know about your proposed dog run, and ask for their help.
The community at large.
Because your proposal will be subject to public scrutiny and input at several phases, it's important that the benefits of your dog play area (see the Step 3: Sell the Idea section) are communicated clearly, early, and often. Here are some suggestions for getting the (good) word out:
Start a public relations campaign. Contact your neighborhood newspapers (be sure to give them a list of the benefits of dog runs in general and your plan in particular). Use flyers, a newsletter or a website to educate the community. Always explain that this is a "people" issue, not a "dog" issue (the, "My dog needs…" argument won't get you far).
Make sure your supporters attend (and speak at) the public input meetings arranged by the Recreation & Park Department as well as Board of Supervisor, Dog Advisory Committee, and Recreation & Park Commission meetings. Call on SFDOG and other local dog owners' groups to help in your testimony. Encourage local veterinarians and other community leaders who support your project to attend and speak at these meetings. Celebrity power can be extremely helpful, too. And parents of small children, speaking in favor of your plan, are worth their weight in gold.
Bear in mind that many people (dog owners and non) may support your proposal, but may not be motivated to sit through public meetings and speak on your behalf. Those opposed, unfortunately, are more likely to show up. To balance the scales, start a letter-writing campaign well in advance of public approval meetings: target the Recreation and Park Department, the Board of Supervisors, the Recreation and Park Commission, and the Mayor. Create a petition in support of your proposal, and get as many signatures as possible from neighbors of your park.
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