Solana Beach Pet Lovers: City Council Approves Dogs on Beach

The members of the Solana Beach City Council recently voted to approve regulations allowing dogs on certain areas of the city's beaches. The decision comes as welcomed news to many pet lovers who had previously been forced to travel to neighboring cities to bring their furry friends out to enjoy the shoreline alongside them.

Beginning on July 12^th, dog owners will be able to take their pets with them for a trip to a beach, but there are some restrictions:

• All dogs must remain on-leash at all times, with a maximum allowed leash length of six feet.
• In the northern section of Solana Beach, dogs will be allowed year-round north of the Tabletops access stairway at Tide Park Beach located at the corner of Solana Vista Drive and Pacific Avenue, to Cardiff State Beach.
• In the southern section of the city, dogs will be allowed year-round south of the Rock Pile access stairway on Del Mar Shores Beach at 180 Del Mar Shores Terraces, to Solana Beach's city limits with Del Mar.
• Owners are responsible for picking up after their pets at all times and in all areas of the beach.

Both residents and visitors planning to bring their dogs out for a day in the sun are encouraged to educate themselves on the new regulations, in particularly the areas approved for pet access. The Council added increased fines of up to $1,000 for violations of the new rules, and city officials will be especially focusing on infractions at Fletchers Cove Beach Park and the Seascape Surf access stairway. Both areas are specifically mentioned as off-limits to pets “any time of the day year round”.

Historically, many Solana Beach residents have chosen to take their dogs to nearby Del Mar's North Beach Area, affectionately called “Dog Beach”, which allows year-round access for pets. From 29^th Street north to the Solana Beach border, dogs are allowed on-leash from June 16^th to Labor Day, and off-leash under the voice control of their owners throughout the rest of the year.

Further down in Del Mar's Main Beach Area, south of 29^th Street to the northern end of Powerhouse Park, dogs are allowed on the beach on-leash for part of the year, from Labor Day until June 15^th. South of Powerhouse Park until the city's 6^th Street border with Torrey Pines, dogs are allowed on-leash year-around.

For more information about the new ordinance, visit the City of Solana Beach website at www.solanabeach.org. You may also call the Solana Beach Marine Safety Department at 858-720-4444.