Bruce Bellingham’s “It’s a pleasure to be guilty” (February 2011) was a fine piece of work, well written, informative, historical, humorous. Went better with morning coffee than any warm pastry. Keep bringing these precious gem missives. You don’t get fat digesting pleasing, one-page, noncaloric nonfiction on the cosmetic culture of one of our beloved city neighborhoods as it evolves into the next generation of its inhabitants.

– Gene Boscacci, San Francisco

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I’m a 28-year-long resident of Cow Hollow, and until last year when Jello passed away, had been walking my two dogs not only at Crissy Field and Fort Funston, but also the neighborhood streets, off leash. I am a huge proponent of responsible dog walking off leash, especially on these wonderful beaches.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your latest article in the Marina Times (“The leash is tightening on GGNRA dog policy comment period,” March 2011) and your advocacy for off-leash dog walking areas. What the GGNRA is attempting to do, i.e., rescind the 1979 Pet Policy and decimate what current off-leash areas we still maintain, is a travesty of major proportion to the City’s dog guardians and their best friends.

Your article was a voice of reason in an often intentionally muddied and heated debate.

– Patty Meyers, San Francisco

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“The leash is tightening on GGNRA dog policy comment period,” (March 2011) was a wonderful article. I’m a senior citizen who has been jogging and walking with a dog on San Francisco beaches for over 40 years. I believe this plan is one step in a larger strategy to manage Bay Area beaches as wilderness areas rather than recreational areas. I expect that eventually all recreation will be taken away or severely restricted. Both recreation and preservation/restoration are valid goals for our coastal areas, and certainly a balance can be achieved between the two.

I think all Bay Area citizens deserve to have an open, honest discussion about how we would like to see our beaches and coastal areas managed now and in the future. This is not just a discussion for people with dogs but for horseriders, surfers, hang gliders, anglers, runners, bird watchers, families, and anyone else who uses our beaches. Surfers might like more showers and better bathrooms at Ocean Beach; runners might like permission to run foot races on the beach; others might prefer a wilderness experience. These ideas are not mutually exclusive.

Unfortunately, the GGNRA has not been particularly forthcoming about their plans. Three federal judges have ordered the GGNRA to consult with the public before making significant changes to park usage, but these orders have generally been ignored. The current Dog Management Plan is a step toward communication, but the GGNRA will not allow public testimony or discussion during the meetings that have been scheduled.

The GGNRA should share with Bay Area citizens, who pay their salaries, their long-range plans and vision for the future. If they are not willing to do that, then the City of San Francisco should exercise its legal right to take back the beaches, perhaps transferring them to another federal agency that is more amenable to open communication and honest discussion.

 

– Jan Scott, San Francisco