Dozens of Mar Vista and Santa Monica residents were joined by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, a Mar Vista resident himself, in protesting the Santa Monica- dogs-only rule of the new Airport Park dog park. Many Santa Monica residents have expressed support for their Mar Vista neighbors, noting that the new park often has only a handful of dogs playing.
At this time, only 15 permits per year will be issued to non-Santa Monica dogs, though at the May 8 Mar Vista Community Council meeting two Santa Monica government employees did say change in the policy was possible should the park continue to attract only a few Santa Monica dogs. Also at the meeting, the Community Council unanimously passed a resolution that “requests that the Santa Monica City Council reconsider its ban on Mar Vista dogs at the Airport Park and reciprocate the good neighbor policy we have always extended to Santa Monica by opening the Airport Park to all licensed dogs regardless of their city of origin.”