Resident asks Corte Madera to allow limited off-leash park hours; commission says rules review can be scheduled

Richard Kalish, a Corte Madera resident, used the public-comment period to ask the commission to permit off-leash dog exercise at Town Park during low-use morning hours.

“My name is Richard Kalish. I live up on, Edison Avenue,” Kalish said, describing his morning routine and his concern that enforcement officers told him his dog must be leashed even when the park is empty. He told the commission that specialized needs — for example, some small dogs that are intimidated by larger ones or dogs that will only retrieve a ball when alone — make the dog park an imperfect substitute and urged staff to manage park hours so the maximum number of residents can use the park without interfering with others.

Kalish noted an example from nearby San Anselmo where off-leash access is permitted before 8 a.m.; he asked the commission to consider a similar limited exemption. “So if there's nobody there at 7 in the morning, let people have a dog there off leash,” he said.

Commissioners and staff responded that the town updated park rules and signage in the prior year and that a timing review could be added to a future agenda if commissioners wish. One staff member said the town “did recently review park rules, and we changed the times” within the past few months, and the commission asked staff to consider whether a formal agenda item on dog or general park rules should be scheduled before new signage is printed.

No formal action was taken during public comment; staff said they would note the request and consider whether to add a rules-review item to a future meeting agenda.