2009 Conditions Golden Garden Dog Training

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Golden Gardens Dog Training and Vehicle Permits Background – Golden Gardens Park provides a variety of recreational opportunities as well as important habitat for wildlife. Recreational uses include walking, running, birdwatching, dog-walking, dog training and other activities. Recent changes to the park, and publicity associated with those changes, are expected to increase overall use of the park. Wildlife species using the ponds include the western pond turtle, breeding native waterfowl, and water- dependent mammals, such as beaver, muskrat and river otter. To take into consideration recent changes to the park, expected changes in park use, and in order to provide a balance between the various recreational uses as well as wildlife needs, the City is revising conditions for permitted dog training activities in the park. Wildlife Information – Areas important for wildlife include south and west facing pond banks where Western pond turtles are believed to be nesting, as well as areas of the pond within 15’ of exposed logs, which provide critical basking sites for the turtles in spring, summer, and fall. Turtle hatchlings emerge and travel down to the water between mid-March and mid-May, and turtle nesting occurs from mid-May to mid-July. Waterfowl, including native geese and ducks, begin nesting in March and continue through May. Much of the bird and mammal activity in the park (including beaver, muskrat, and otter) occurs at dawn and dusk. Permit Display – A parking permit must be displayed on the dash of each vehicle so that it is visible at all times when the vehicle is inside the park boundary. POS staff may ask parties not displaying a permit to cease training activities and remove vehicles from the park. Vehicles – Only vehicles with permits from POS are allowed within the park boundary. Permitted parking is limited to the road between the main pond and north pond as shown on attached map. Vehicles must be attended at all times. The north gate shall be kept locked at all times except when entering and exiting through the gate. Restricted Area – Direct access to the ponds for dog training activities is limited to the Main Pond and North Pond, as shown on the attached map. No more than 2 dogs total are allowed to be active in the ponds at any given time. Dates – In-water dog training activities are allowed from April 1 to October 31. Dog training in the fields away from the ponds is allowed only with written permission from lease-holders of those fields. Days and times – Dog training is allowed Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dog training and associated vehicle access is not allowed on Saturdays or Sundays.