According to some residents who live along Hill Street in Avalon, the stench of foul odors emanating from dog defecation and urine is causing a major inconvenience and perhaps a growing public health emergency.
“The culmination, for months, of dog sewage and the strong odor therefrom is deemed very unhealthy by federal, state and county public health departments,” claims Hill Street resident Alan Stearns.
Stearns, along with other residents contacted by the Islander, confirmed the problem. They said the city did, in fact, respond and cited local dog owners for code violations. They are claiming that some neighbors allow their dogs to roam against city ordinances, which is creating the problem.
A court hearing date on this code violation was set for November 2017 but for reasons yet explained, the hearing was never held, said Stearns. The city was advised that a new hearing date would be set, he said. “Now, 180 days of additional dog sewage odor, no new court date has been set.”
Devin Thompson, a spokesman for Acting City Manager Denise Radde, said this week the city was monitoring the case and has taken some action.
The city also closed an area that was being used as an impromptu dog park and that the code department has done everything possible until the L.A. Superior Court holds a hearing.
Stearns said the area affected is very near the Chimes Tower (Hill Street) steps used by tourists to climb up to the tower, which could leave tourists with more of an impression of dog poop than the beautiful sights. “Something has to be done,” said Stearns.
“If this miserable public health situation occurred on or near Avalon’s beaches, downtown section, the road or walkway to the Casino and Descanso beach, the road or walkway from the tourist’s mole to downtown the situation would perhaps receive high priority correction from city hall,” Stearns suggested.
Mayor Anni Marshall, who has long pushed for a dog park to be built in Avalon, said while a new dog park “would help,” the best enforcement in this case might be “responsible dog owners.”
The mayor said she had not realized the hearing was delayed and would speak to the court personally to determine the status of the case. “I will find out,” she said.
