Del Mar's off-leash dog hours at Shores Park could end if conditions don't improve, council members said at their Tuesday, Sept. 22, meeting, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The discussion came after residents told the council that dog owners have ignored designated time limits, left waste on the athletic field used by Winston School students and verbally abused city and school staff who asked them to leave.

"If things are working well then we continue and if things aren't then we stop it," Mayor Tracy Martinez said.

The city purchased the 5.3-acre park at 9th Street between Stratford Court and Camino Del Mar from the Del Mar Union School District in 2008. The property has allowed limited off-leash dog hours on its athletic field since 2012 through a series of temporary ordinances. Winston School, which leases facilities from the city, uses the same ballfield and basketball court for physical education.

Complaints prompted new enforcement

The city began locking the athletic field gates each weekday during Winston School's exclusive hours in January 2026, according to a city staff report. Staff also started conducting daily inspections to collect unattended dog waste and increased on-site enforcement patrols.

Those measures came in response to frequent complaints that park users were not following the off-leash schedule set by Ordinance No. 1005, adopted in 2024. The additional enforcement requires extra staff resources to maintain the field's condition, a requirement of the city's lease with Winston School.

The city's self-insurance joint powers authority advised that separating dog use from human recreation reduces liability exposure and health risks, recommending separation where feasible.

Residents split

Laura DeMarco, who has spoken at multiple Shores Park planning meetings, argued against any shared use at the Sept. 22 meeting.

"Why is it exclusively for Shores Park, the only land that was purchased by the community … specifically for our children?" DeMarco said.

Richard Griko, who said he has used the dog park for five years, called it a community gathering place. Deputy Mayor John W. Spelich said the park encourages residents to get out and be social, calling it one of the few places in town that brings people together.

An off-leash grassy area ranked as a top-priority amenity in the city's planning process, according to the staff report, based on a citywide survey, stakeholder interviews and public workshops.

No vote taken

The council took no formal vote on the dog park arrangement. The recommended concept design for Shores Park, which council members generally supported, includes continued shared use of the ballfield with off-leash dog play during prescribed hours.

A March 9 advisory committee motion to create a separate off-leash dog area failed on a 3-3 tie. A fourth member participating remotely indicated they would have voted no.

Council members said they will continue monitoring conditions as the master planning process advances.