Bear Creek Trail Dog Regulations

The Bear Creek Trail is a fire road along the eastern and southern perimeter of the NCAR property, and connecting to the Mesa Trail. It is a popular trail, close to the Table Mesa neighborhood. On Jan. 1, 2007, OSMP changed the designation of the trail from dogs under voice and sight control (V&S) to an on-leash requirement. The change resulted from a 2006 agreement between UCAR (which manages NCAR for the NSF) and the City under which OSMP would take over enforcement of City ordinances on the NCAR property. FIDOS challenged the on-leash designation, pointing out that the trail has been used for decades as V&S, that a federal on-leash requirement (the NCAR property is federal land) has never been posted or enforced on the property, and that the Cityfs agreement with UCAR provides that the property should be managed consistent with City code. Negotiations between FIDOS, OSMP and UCAR are on-going. Recently, FIDOS formally asked OSMP to put the Bear Creek dog management issue on the agenda for the West TSA which will be starting in late summer. The NCAR property sits in the middle of this TSA, and the trails and resources in the area will be studied and will be the subject of discussion with the broader community. It is FIDOS position that OSMP should ultimately come up with a plan for dog management on the Bear Creek Trail that makes the most sense from the point of view of both recreational use and resource conservation. Alternative policies being considered by OSMP include "dogs on trail corridor," "seasonal leashing for birds or bears," and "V&S on weekdays." If, as a result of this process, OSMP recommends V&S privileges under some circumstances, FIDOS would take the lead in getting the support of the Open Space Board of Trustees and City Council. Then, and only then, should a plan be proposed to the managers of NCAR (UCAR or NSF).