| | Published July 4th, 2012
| The Future of Rancho Laguna Park Petition stands; Town seeks more public input via online survey
| | By Sophie Braccini |  | | The Town's proposed new "common ground" plan for a dog park. Source: www.moraga.ca.us
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Almost four years after launching discussions about off-leash dogs at Rancho Laguna Park, the Town of Moraga is still trying to figure out what the majority of residents want to do with the bucolic park. The passage of Ordinance 236 in May, prohibiting off-leash dogs except within a designated fenced area yet to be constructed, resulted in the Town receiving a petition bearing 1,800 signatures that called for a referendum to rescind the new ordinance. According to Town staff, the County recently completed the signature verification process validating the petition.
The Town Council is scheduled to decide July 11 whether to rescind Ordinance 236 or put that decision to a popular vote. If the Council chooses a referendum, the question on the ballot must mirror what was asked in the petition: Do you want to rescind Ordinance 236? The Town cannot ask voters to approve an alternate plan unless it's posed as a separate, additional initiative.
If the Town rescinds the ordinance it cannot pass a similar plan for a full calendar year.
The Council met June 27 and approved Town Manager Jill Keimach's proposal to gather more community input in an effort to shed light, rather than heat, before the next meeting.
Keimach also introduced a new plan for a dedicated dog park that tries to incorporate most of what residents expressing an opinion to the Council have said they want- including picnic tables for dog owners, enough turf for dogs and for other uses, easy ADA access to the dog park, and loop walking trails for everyone. The Council expressed support for this new "common ground" plan.
Tina Brier, of Lamorinda Dogs, stopped short of endorsing the plan, telling the Council, "If you agree to rescind Ordinance 236, you have my commitment to try and work through the disputes to find a resolution that will make everyone at least mostly happy."
A brief survey is now available on the Town's website, www.moraga.ca.us, that asks residents whether they want to leave the park as is, with designated off-leash hours and no spatial separation; or if they prefer, at least conceptually, the new plan.
"The information gathered will be used by the Council to make their decision on July 11," said Keimach.
| Regulating Sports Activity at Rancho Laguna Park
The Town Council also approved, on a three to two vote (Mike Metcalf and Dave Trotter dissenting) new rules regarding the use of Rancho Laguna Park for organized sports proposed by Parks and Recreation Director Jay Ingram.
The rules include:
No permanent goals can be installed, no bleachers, no lighting, no organized sports on Sundays, holidays, and before 9 a.m. In addition, weekend use by organized sports is limited to 12 Saturdays in the spring (typically between March 20 and June 18) and 12 Saturdays in the fall (typically between September 21 and December 14).
The biggest bone of contention involves dogs. The current rule at Rancho Laguna is that winter off-leash hours, which start October 1, begin at 4 p.m. But Town-sponsored events have priority over off-leash activities-bumping rights. The Council agreed to a new rule that organized sports do not have to end until 6:30 p.m.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA