Cathedral City City Council to Discuss Allowing Dogs in City Parks

CATHEDRAL CITY —  This community’s Municipal Code currently prohibits bringing dogs to city parks. That could change if the City Council agrees to modify the existing ordinance.

The City Council will discuss the possibility when it meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27.

The genesis of the possibility started when the Parks and Community Events Commission was approached by several residents regarding the prohibition of dogs within the city parks, according to John Corella, Director of Engineering/Public Works. The question was vetted at several Commission meetings and found that in the current climate the general sentiment was that dogs should be allowed in the city parks, on a leash, and provisions should be made to accommodate the dogs.

At the Nov. 23, 2020 meeting the Commission formally took a unanimous vote and recommended the following to be presented to the City Council:

  • That the current Municipal Code governing the use of city parks permit the exercise of dogs on a leash, subject to a requirement that the dog owners collect and safely dispose of the excrement left by their animals; and
  • Continue the prohibition of dogs in the park without a leash; and
  • Purchase and install signage reflecting this rule in each City park; and
  • Establish a new City Code to provide an appropriate fine for exercising dogs off-leash in the parks; and
  • Install dispensers containing plastic bags suitable for the safe disposal of excrement at each park; and
  • Provide regular restocking of disposable bags in the dispensers.

Staff is requesting that the City Council consider this recommendation from the Commission for discussion, comment and direction.

If a recommendation is made to move forward to modify the existing ordinance, city staff will work with the city attorney to accomplish this task and present it to the City Council for final approvals and codification.

If the City Council agrees to the change, the budget for the necessary amenities to accommodate dogs on a leash in the city parks will be prepared and added to the upcoming FY 2021/22 and 22/23 respective parks items budgets for consideration by the City Council when the budget is presented to the Council for review.

Image Sources

  • Dogs: Pixaby