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Larkspur council authorizes six‑month pilot allowing dogs off leash at Niven Park
Summary
After a public hearing with weeks of letters and sustained neighborhood turnout, the Larkspur City Council approved a modified staff resolution to allow dogs off leash in Niven Park on a six‑month pilot basis, paired with a community ambassador approach and signage rather than new fence construction.
Mayor Stephanie Andre opened a special meeting on May 6, 2026, to consider a petition asking the city to allow dogs off leash in Niven Park. City staff presented a report that weighed two primary options: designate an unfenced area (staff suggested designating the entire park for clarity) or fence a subsection, and recommended a pilot period so the council could revisit the decision after testing it.
"Staff is recommending that if you want that there to be off leash dogs at Niven and you just designate the entire area of Niven Park as being a dog park with the exception of anything that's been standing like Alex's Playground," a city staff member said during the presentation. The staff memo included a pilot period and a rough estimate that fencing would cost about $100 per linear foot.
More than two dozen residents spoke during the public comment period. Supporters described the park as a neighborhood hub whose informal, de‑facto off‑leash culture had fostered daily social connection; several urged a limited trial rather than a permanent change. Neighbors who live adjacent to the park described noise, early‑morning barking and the risk of large dogs interacting with small children, and said enforcement actions had recently disrupted longtime community uses.
Councilmembers discussed several options on the dais: a small, creek‑side area near the butterfly garden; time‑limited hours; fencing only around the playground; and the staff proposal to designate the whole park. Staff advised against time‑limited windows because transitions caused disproportionate enforcement calls. Several members pushed for a short pilot, active community ambassadors and modest signage rather than a high‑visibility promotional rollout that could draw visitors from outside Larkspur.
A councilmember moved to adopt the staff recommendation with one modification: shorten the pilot from 12 months to six months and allow the entire park to be off leash during that trial. The motion was seconded and adopted in a voice vote at the special meeting; the council instructed staff to return a clean resolution and implementation details for placement on consent calendar or the next meeting packet.
The council directed staff to include community‑run ambassador outreach (informal stewards to nudge behavior and serve as a first complaint contact), signage that emphasizes voice control and leash‑carry requirements, and continued coordination with Central Marin Police. Staff also warned that the small waterfront parcel near the creek is subject to multiple regulatory agencies and that formal changes there would be more complex.
The council’s action is a pilot authorization rather than a permanent ordinance change. Councilmembers and staff said they will monitor complaints, any injuries or public‑safety incidents, maintenance impacts (including dog waste), and whether the trial produces an influx of users from outside the neighborhood. The pilot’s precise metrics and reporting schedule were left to staff to draft and bring back as a resolution to be finalized for the council’s consent calendar.
