Deputy City Manager Daisy Perez provided information regarding Fullerton Pooch Park, which began as a temporary facility at the Hunt Library in 2007 and became a permanent site in 2009 due to community interest. The Fullerton Dog Park Foundation currently manages the park in partnership with the city.

In April 2024, city staff reviewed the status of the Hunt Library to consider the potential relocation of Pooch Park. The city council previously discussed this matter in 2023 and requested that staff explore options for moving the park. The Hunt Library reopened in April 2024 and is managed jointly by the Library and Parks and Recreation departments. The city is evaluated the park’s existing location and whether the council supports a possible relocation.

The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the dog park proposal several times. They have preferred keeping the dog park at the Hunt Library site but considered reducing its size. Additionally, Independence Park has been suggested as a potential alternative location. Both Independence Park and Brea Dam Park have been reviewed, but the Fullerton Dog Park Foundation prefers to remain at the Hunt Library site and has raised safety concerns about Brea Dam Park due to its proximity to Harbor Blvd.

A community survey indicated limited support for a dog park at Independence Park, as residents expressed a desire for different features. The current dog park is situated away from residential areas and busy roads, which reduces disturbances. It also offers visibility adjacent to the Hunt Library, contributing to security when the library is closed.

The dog park may temporarily close during large events because of parking constraints. Other potential sites, like Gilbert Park, have received mixed feedback from the community regarding the closeness of homes and parking availability.

Maintaining the Pooch Park at the Hunt Library site would primarily require ongoing routine maintenance. Should any modifications be considered, an estimated budget of approximatrly $50,000 may be needed for upgrades. The costs associated with relocating the park would differ by location, with ADA compliance being a significant factor in ensuring safe access from parking areas to the park entrance.

The council was asked at the city council meeting on February 4 to provide direction regarding the future of this matter. The options include retaining Pooch Park at its current location with no changes, modifying its existing site, providing an alternative relocation site, or directing staff to explore other places and offer additional guidance.

Council Deliberations

Jung asked, “What are the hours of the dog park? Have we looked into how dog parks near high-density housing are used compared to those in single-family neighborhoods with backyards? A dog park in a densely populated area would attract many more visitors since there’s less open space available.”

Perez replied, “The Pooch Park is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. I live in a high-density housing unit with a dog, so I often go to the dog park, which gets a lot of use. Most residents are younger, and many don’t have kids. They have dogs, so the park is busy throughout the day.”

Jung asked. The cost that you estimate for relocating the park varies wildly. How do you derive that cost?

Perez said, “We looked at a couple of different sites, and depending on how much concrete work is needed, potential lighting, fencing, those sorts of things, Public Works gave us a range. Right now, we’re not able to identify just one concrete number because there is no specific location we’re looking at.”

Jung asked, “Sorry if I’m repeating myself, but I’m not a general contractor. Do we need concrete, or are we talking about ADA access related to it?”

Perez replied, “Yes, Sir.”

Councilmember Nick Dunlap shared thoughts about the dog park near the Hunt Ranch Library. He noticed the park is busy in the mornings and late afternoons but less so in the middle of the day. Dunlap believes there are opportunities to improve the situation and mentioned that he reached out to the school district, which indicated that no one from the city had contacted them yet.
He pointed out that the library is next to Pacific Drive, which has a park, an elementary school, and school district property where buses are parked. This location could be a good option if the dog park needs to be relocated. Dunlap opposed moving the dog park to Independence Park due to high costs previously incurred during a similar relocation.
Parking issues at the library are a big concern, especially during events, as it often gets overcrowded with people parking in driveways and nearby neighborhoods. He suggested exploring arrangements with the Fullerton School District, which could help find more parking solutions.
Dunlap argued against the inflated costs associated with an artificial shade structure at the park and questioned the need for security cameras, as they might complicate situations involving dog incidents. He is open to keeping a smaller dog park near the library while focusing on increasing the parking available there. He proposed to gather more information from the school district about potential options for relocating the dog park before making a final decision.

Councilmember Jamie Valencia expressed her support for moving the dog park to Gilbert Park, noting that both locations are in District 4. She believes the change would attract more visitors and make the park more versatile for families. Although parking is limited, she is open to finding funding options through OC United. She also suggested considering the costs of relocating the park and creating a smaller dog park in another district to benefit more residents and lower expenses.

Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Shana Charles said, “We’re still gathering information, so we can’t make a firm decision right now. I know the library board is interested in changes at the Hunt Library, which is lovely, but I’m curious if events haven’t been held there because of the library or the dog park. How are wedding bookings going?”

Perez replied, “Wedding bookings are not doing well. We’re having a hard time booking any events at the Hunt Library. I suggested hosting the affordable housing workshop there, but they felt it wasn’t accessible enough and preferred another location. People seem to want to hold their events elsewhere in the city. Even OC Animal Care has moved their dog vaccination events from the Hunt Library to Hillcrest Park and the Red Cross building.”

Charles mentioned that she found new information important and different from what he expected in the agenda report. She appreciated the clarification and noted the need to make the Hunt Library more accessible.

Perez responded that he would discuss the Hunt Library at the April meeting. They are considering hosting dog-related events since Pup-Tober Fest was popular. Instead of moving events from the Community Center to the Hunt Library, they aim to create new programs targeting pet owners without kids. This approach will help attract adults to the library, as there are currently no events in the city catering to that demographic.

Charles said there’s a whole range of things we need to discuss with The Hunt Library. And it sounds like with Pooch Park, we’ve got an issue trying to find a good location. From my mind, I’m open to, you know, other locations. I do think we need to have more firm plans before deciding, you know, what we’re doing, what we’re not doing. And I’m not clear on what the Parks and Recreation committee discussed. You said they looked at it multiple times. Where did they land on this?

Perez said that they ultimately wanted us to come to the council to figure out if the council still wanted to relocate it. They don’t want to pick a different location. If there is no real direction to continue moving it, they would like it to stay as it is. And we don’t have very much park dwelling fee yo,u know, at the moment. So there isn’t a lot; there’s a lot of needs there, and they don’t know if this is the need for us to prioritize the limited funds at this time.

Charles asked if the funds for moving would come from park dwelling fees or need to come from another source, especially since $50,000 would be from those fees.

Perez clarified that the funds initially designated for the Pooch Park at Brea Dam were instead used for the Acacia Park project. They transferred park dwelling funds back to cover Acacia and then used a grant to cover Pooch Park due to an expenditure deadline.

Charles appreciated the improvements at Acacia Park, noting how lovely it looked. He mentioned that the city has 52 parks. He suggested that there could be a clearer vision for identifying which parks might be more helpful, especially in high-density areas like his. He emphasized the need for a focused approach to parks in such neighborhoods, referencing challenges with park access in those areas.

Perez clarified that she referred to the one in her building when discussing dog parks. Charles added that larger complexes, like City Point, have nice amenities, which attract residents, while older buildings in areas like the Gem District often lack these facilities. He believes a more solid plan is needed and suggested that talking to FSD about their parks might help find suitable locations for additional amenities.

Councilmember Ahmad Zahra asked what changes would occur if the dog park’s $50,000 budget stayed the same. He noted that the park’s appearance isn’t very appealing and mentioned three separate dog parks for small and large dogs. He emphasized the need for improvements if the park remains in its current location.

Perez responded that suggested improvements include adding uniform furniture and new amenities for the dogs, which could enhance the overall look of the park. He mentioned a Girl Scout troop interested in contributing a new athletic feature, but changing the park’s layout would be much more expensive.

Zahra emphasized the importance of having a dog park on the south side for easier access, especially in denser areas. He expressed concerns about possibly relocating the park to Gilbert, as it is a small space. He highlighted the need to inform the neighborhood before making any decisions and stressed that green space should not be lost in the process. Zahra suggested considering multiple smaller parks instead of just one, especially for different sizes of dogs and noted that cost is an important factor. He concluded that they weren’t ready to make a decision yet.

Charles expressed that while council members want to move forward with a project, there isn’t a solid plan in place. He mentioned that if they waited for a new plan, it could take a year or two, and suggested that they could improve the current location with a small investment of $50,000 to make it more presentable while developing a longer-term plan.

Perez added that if investing in improvements isn’t feasible, they might consider temporarily closing the area, as it currently looks dilapidated.

Valencia pointed out the fence’s poor condition and felt that funds would be better spent on relocating the project rather than fixing up the current site.

Jung proposed to postpone the item and have staff look into four specific tasks, including obtaining cost estimates for relocating the project and working with the school district on a smaller footprint.

Lastly, Perez mentioned that there’s a new proposal for a large pickleball center at the Brea Dam location, which would complicate parking issues, mirroring challenges at another location. He emphasized the importance of gathering all relevant information to make informed decisions.

Jung said, We seem to get information that’s completely incomplete most of the time, and there we’re having to make these decisions that may or may not. Be in the best interest of the public or the city.

Charles said, When it does come back, I’d also love to hear from the Fullerton Dog Park Foundation. I don’t know if it doesn’t seem that they’re in the room, but I would think that they would. It would be great if we could make sure that they’re invited to that.
Item continued with direction to staff.

The council directed staff to bring this item back with more data on actual costs associated with the location options discussed. 

Public Comment

Sueling Chen: I am the President of the Fullerton Public Library Board of Trustees, and I would like to request that Fullerton Pooch Park be relocated to Gilbert Park. Here are my top three reasons:

1. Limited Access: For a dog park to be used by residents, it needs to be easy to reach. The current Pooch Park has issues: there are train tracks to the north, schools to the south, and a church and library to the west. The only way to access it is from the east, which is inconvenient, and there aren’t many homes nearby. The surveys conducted about Gilbert Park and Independence Park raise questions about the results related to the current Pooch Park. A dog park should be accessible to many people, but the current location is not ideal for dog owners.
2. Low Usage: I visited Pooch Park three times yesterday. At 11:00 a.m., there were 10 cars with 10 dogs; by 1:30 p.m., it dropped to 3 cars with three dogs, and at 6:00 p.m., there were seven cars with eight dogs. The low number of visitors shows that this space could be better used for the community.
3. Incompatible Atmosphere: The dog park is too close to our library, which creates noise and disrupts the peaceful environment. Our library is a beloved venue for events like weddings, but the dog park can scare families away and deter bookings. People don’t want loud barking during their special events, and the park’s dirt and fencing don’t match the library’s appearance.

In summary, I encourage you to consider moving Pooch Park to Gilbert Park for these reasons. Thank you for your consideration.

Lisa Wozab expressed her appreciation for discussing the relocation of Fullerton Pooch Park. Having served on the infrastructure committee, she has fresh insights after joining the Library Board of Trustees. She sees potential for the Hunt Branch Library site to host events, weddings, and community gatherings. As a dog lover, she values a safe area for pets and believes there are better locations in the community that offer more resources, like shade, lighting, and seating. She noted the significant investment in restoring the Hunt Branch Library, a place with sentimental value for her. She suggests exploring new locations for Pooch Park, designed with good signage and resources to become a long-term pet-friendly destination.

Josh Ferguson discussed the issues surrounding the Pooch Park project, which initially had a budget of around $245,000 to move from the Hunt Branch Library to Brea Dam, funded by a grant. However, the plan unexpectedly escalated to a $1.2 million proposal without proper legal authorization. Ferguson highlighted that every structural change needs written approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, but staff claimed that verbal agreements were sufficient due to a supposed good relationship.
He expressed concern that now, with both the city staff member and the Army representative retired, there is a lack of institutional knowledge since nothing was documented. He criticized the council for not doing their due diligence in the past when they were misled about the project costs, particularly regarding post-COVID pricing and unnecessary features like solar lighting and water fountains.
Ferguson urged the council to ensure any future proposals include accurate data and transparent information, emphasizing that they were not properly informed last time. If changes are needed, he wants the council to be presented with real figures and details before making decisions.

Kurt Johnston: I propose a new location for the Hunt Branch dog park that is animal-friendly. There is a city-owned piece of land across from the Hunt Branch library that is big enough for a dog park. This would be convenient for regular visitors.
Another option is the area next to Sunny Hills 4-H, which has a lot of land. Dogs would enjoy running around there, and it’s not far from the current location. It would require a few changes, and there seems to be plenty of parking and space available.

Joseph Maldonado: I’m a Parks and Recreation Commissioner, but I’m here representing myself, not the Commission. I want to express my support for moving the dog park to Independence Park. There have been discussions with the management group that operates Pooch Park, and they have expressed interest in this move.
The idea is that once the UP Trail is completed, we will have a direct entrance to the park where people can walk their dogs on the path to the location. This would complement the existing skate park, allowing for a better environment where dog owners can supervise their pets while kids enjoy the skate park without any awkward interactions.
I also want to clarify that the low usage numbers for Pooch Park are often due to the times people take their dogs—usually early in the morning or later in the afternoon when they get off work. It can be a challenge for dog owners to bring their pets during the middle of the day.
With that in mind, I fully support the idea of relocating the dog park.

Curtis Gamble: I just like to say I support moving the dog park. You know, the Hunt Library is a very lovely place and I think that the community should be able to use it fully without worrying about the dog park.

Maureen Milton: About moving the dog park. The library does not have public access to the dog park. If you have a car, it’s great, but if you don’t, you’re dead in the water. When we had one of the last city halls on the go. I was there after City Hall on the go for a good hour and a half waiting for a pick-up. And there is no parking. There would have to be some changes to the parking situation because everybody parks from the apartment complex in that parking lot. I hope that you’re able to find a place that’s suitable and also easily accessible for those who don’t have a vehicle because people who don’t have vehicles have pets that need to be walked too.