Coyazo Park - The Quasi Off-Leash Doggie Park

Week of 02/23/26 - Signage installed ahead of the park's grand opening to the public. We are hopeful that the City of Redlands will enforce its leash laws, unlike our Meritage-controlled HOA Board in the Live Oak community.

Ignorance or Entitlement?

Responsible and conscientious dog-owners should know better than to allow their dogs to run off-leash in public spaces, and, especially, in newly-built baseball, football, and soccer fields. Alas, as they say, there's nothing common about common sense and then you also have your entitled jerks! An angry neighbor recently asked why I took this so personally to which I responded that my feelings are irrelevant... the only argument that matters is that IT IS THE LAW.

San Bernardino County Leash Law (Code: 32.0108 Control of Animals) requires all animals to be restrained whenever they are on public property or unenclosed private property. (a) No person owning or having control of any animal shall permit such animal to stray, to run at large upon any private or public street, sidewalk, public park, playground, place of public assembly, or any other public place or upon any unenclosed private lot or other unenclosed private place or upon any private property without the consent of the owner or person in control thereof. Parkways, comprising the area between the street and sidewalk shall be included as private property for purposes of this section. ... (c) No person may lawfully bring his/her dog out of his/her property unless: (1) The dog is restrained by a leash and is in the charge of a person competent to restrain the dog; or (2) The dog is properly restrained and enclosed in a vehicle, cage or similar enclosure.

Redlands Municipal Code 12.44.060: No person shall cause, permit, or allow any animal owned or possessed by him, or any animal in his care, custody, or control to be present in a park except: A.) Equine animals being led or ridden under reasonable control upon any bridle paths or trails provided for such purposes; B.) Equine or other animals which are hitched or fastened at a place expressly designated for such purpose; C.) Dogs or cats when led by a cord or chain not more than six feet (6') long, or when confined within the interior of a vehicle; provided, however, dogs shall not be permitted within those portions of the city's sports park managed by the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) for the city during the times AYSO is conducting or otherwise providing organized youth soccer programs; D.) Dogs which have been specially trained and are being used by blind or disabled persons to aid and guide them in their movements; E.) Small pets which are kept on the person of the possessor at all times; F.) In connection with activities authorized in writing by the director; G.) Fowl or animals turned loose at the direction of the director. (Ord. 2764, 2011)

Ok, now, what if I tell you that the park and fields where dogs are being allowed to run off-leash is closed-off by a chain-link fence? ... that crossing it is technically trespassing? ... for which the developer, Meritage, threatened us with arrest (again)?

Meritage has suggested that we forward our complaints to the Police Department and/ or Animal Control- presumably, because they're too busy selling the last of the remaining homes in the Live Oak development. Unfortunately, because the park has yet to be turned over to the City of Redlands, the City informed us that it does not yet have jurisdiction. We know that Meritage will not bother to prosecute anyone (but us!) for trespassing onto the Coyazo Park and that its threats against us were made in retaliation for our claims against our Meritage-led HOA Board for having dropped the ball (no pun intended!) in terms of enforcement of the CC&Rs. Quite frankly, we're not the least bit concerned since we're not the type of individuals to scale a fence and/ or allow our dog to run off-leash in the baseball field (no matter how happy that would make Benji!).

I found a great post on the subject of off-leash dogs that captures a sentiment that we would like to share with those entitled neighbors who think the rules don't apply to them:

Your dogs aren't the equivalent of children who are allowed to run around frolicking through the neighborhood. They need to be on a leash for the safety of other dogs, kids, people, and the dog itself. If having an off-leash dog is so important to you, move to the backwoods... If that's not an option [because you have to stay close to the hospital and/ or construction site where you work], remember that it is unlawful to allow your dogs to run off-leash in communities in which there are others - including kids and dogs.

Photos from 2025 to Present Day (updated periodically). Please note that the park has been fenced-off to the public since shortly after a 1/02/26 attack by a neighbor's (998 Domestic) German Shepherd.

Link to Video: German Shepherd Attack - Coyazo Park - 01/02/26

03/15/26 (Tenants, 2059 Bergamot)