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Attachment 1BTHIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK RECEIVED MAR 29 2011 MAYOR DOWN COUNCIL DeaV ky or c,-,t)o 6UnnS- Y)� O+k2Y -Z � V Ode f0�r �1�tti 6c�1� vo�YO � i She t�`iVl� r er��� ,� T �`1l C0. f��aN'tv,a C� M 0 Yl+e 5 eYty) b - 3�55 ( 'CA- 4-U A-- ? —AS 1,o (p o VkFi6 vbN 5eef k Ck ml yon M � lvbo om-- �0 (LA r-1 +ti� 0.n fo� �aS e t�f�- {Lee �ve ATTACHMENT lb THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Patti Lovetro- Clarke [ma iIto: opulent. interiors(&yahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 3 :56 PM To: Council Subject: off leash dogs in Los Gatos I would like it to go on record that I am very much against dogs running off leash in public parks in Los Gatos. All dogs are unpredictable; even the well trained dogs can be spooked or frightened with can result in aggressive behavior. Too many small animals have been bitten and killed by large dogs that are off leash. My elderly parents walk around town and if even a medium dog were to jump on them it would knock them over. I have been bitten at the off leash dog park by another dog aggressing on my dog. All dogs need to be leashed while in public areas for all of our safety. Patti Clarice - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Vikki f mailto :k9s4happiness@yahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 9:12 PM To: Council Cc: vb Subject: Off leash pilot program needs legal consideration Town should consider risks of off -leash dog parks As a Certified Dog Trainer who taught for Campbell Parks and Rec, I have spent a lot of time around large groups of dogs. Five off -leash dogs is very different from twenty off -leash dogs. People tend to forget that dogs are animals, and animals make mistakes. Does the Siegfried and Roy attack, or most recently the incident where a female journalist who was bitten in the face requiring 64 stitches on live TV concern anyone on the town council? Canine behavior is fluid dependent upon the individuals that are present. Dogs will adjust their behavior according to what benefits or protects them in that moment, i.e., defensive biting when children clumsily pet a dog (referred to as inappropriate handling) as was the case with the reporter. Many dogs, and not just Pitbulls, view crawling toddlers as prey. Some dogs chase instinct will be triggered by movement, i.e., running children. Canine instinctual drift and hard -wired predatory instincts cannot be trained out of dogs yet when a serious incident occurs, the dog pays the ultimate price by being euthanized. Please allow me to take you back a few years. A small Poodle was killed by a Rottweiler at the Farmer's Market. The Poodle was off -leash and ran up to the leashed Rottie. The Rottie killed the Poodle. Does that make the Rottie a bad dog? Maybe, but that's not the point. These were two animals that connected. Had the Poodle run up to a dog it's own size, the death grip probably would not have been fatal. The sheer difference in size was devastating. Incidentally, the owner of the Rottie was not held legally responsible since his dog was on a leash and the Poodle was not. Sadly, this poor little dog would not have suffered such a painful and horrific death had his irresponsible owner kept him on a leash. In another incident, Dr. Berkowitz's daughter was bitten by an off -leash dog while riding her bike on the front lawn of the high school. My guess is the dog was probably a herding breed who's instincts were to herd the moving target. The owner's response was "children should be on a leash ". This, unfortunately is the mentality of ignorant dog owners. The town should consider the legal ramifications when (not if) an unfortunate incident occurs. The law becomes muddied because technically the dogs are legally off - leash. Here's what people miss; EVEN if a dog has a predisposition or undocumented history of aggression you cannot prove who's at fault in a designated off -leash zone! Moving to point number two. Dare, I say the "P" word? Some folks wrote in last summer after the incident with the mayor suggesting the banning or muzzling Pitbulls in Los Gatos. How will people feel about Pitbulls off - leash? Let me VERY, VERY clear. I like the breed and have known many marvelous Pits. Pitbulls are doing wonderful work as search and rescue and service dogs. Pitbulls are NOT the problem, it's the owners, breeding lines, and how they are raised, as is the case with any breed. The most aggressive dog I ever worked with was 12 pounds and put a three inch tear in a child's face simply because it was hugged to close. I am NOT, nor would I ever be for breed discrimination. I'm just playing the Devil's advocate. If there is a Pitbull involved in an incident regardless of who's dog was the problem, people will once again be up in arms over Pitbulls. And, as time goes on, word gets around about the beautiful off -leash parks in Los Gatos. People from other areas will begin bringing in their dogs who have been ostracized for bad behavior at other parks (called dog park shopping). Will the neighbors enjoy having cars parked up and down their street? I have no horse in this race since I don't use dog parks,(for the safety of my dogs) but for those who choose to let their dogs run off - leash, they should forfeit their right to complain or sue. And, if a child is mauled, those of you who approved this will have to live with your conscious. For the safety of our citizens, both young and old, I respectfully request that the council reconsider the off -leash trail so that we don't have learn by our mistakes. Vikki Foley -Boyd - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Katrina Cabral [katwoman1934 @gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 2 :10 PM To: Diane McNutt; jp!rz(cbaol.com Steve Rice Subject: Off -leash dog discussion Dear Steve, Diane and Joe, We learned today that the Town is considering allowing off leash dogs at certain times in parks like Bachman or Oak Meadow where children play. We have deep concerns about this. Loose dogs pose a potential threat to our children and other pets. Without a leash there is nothing to prevent them from chasing and harming our children. A dear friend of mine had her dog on leash and it was mauled to death by another dog off leash when she was just 10 years old. It scarred her for life. It happened so quickly and there was nothing she could do. As you know, this can happen without warning, especially from dangerous dogs like pit bulls. This creates great liability for the Town if just one child is hurt, or worse, as a result of the Town's decision . Respectfully, we think this is a very bad idea and puts our children, our pets, and even ourselves at risk. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. Best regards, The Cabral Family Bruce, Katrina and Brianna (6 years old) - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jessica Richter fmailto:iessbricht @gmail.coml Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 9:29 PM To: Council Subject: Unleashed dogs Dear Town council I understand the town is considering allowing unleashed dogs in several town parks, even some with playgrounds. As a parent of a young child, I am strongly opposed to this change in the law. Dogs off leash pose a danger to children young and old, and are more likely to leave feces where the owners will not see it or pick it up. I support a dog park for off leash dogs, but not off leash dogs in parks where children play. Sincerely, Jessica Richter 17025 Pine Ave Los Gatos, 95032 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Sara Krings [mailto:winkesa@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 10 :02 AM To: Council Subject: no off leash dogs in parks Hello, just read the editorial about the possibility of allowing dogs to be off leash in designated parks during certain hours. I am emailing you to urge you not to allow this to happen in the town of Los Gatos. I am a mother of young children and live in the town of Los Gatos. One of the reasons we love this community is the access to safe, clean green space and playgrounds. My 3 year old son is afraid of dogs after an incident he had last year when he was attacked on a patio of a restaurant. While not hurt, he has been scared for probably the rest of his childhood. The thought of having to watch my kids even more closely and protect them from unknown dogs in what should be a safe children's play area strikes me as absurd. 1 urge the town to find a location for a new, designated dog park. I can see why this would be very useful, not to mention help curb the dog poop in existing parks.. However, I am not in favor of local tax dollars to fund this the creation of this park. The money should be raised by the community of dog owners who need it. Perhaps long term maintenance of the park can be supported, as hopefully it is not that costly. Sara Krings 408 - 458 -6460 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: John Connolly rmailto:jpc3md @yahoo.coml Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 10:18 PM To: Council Subject: Off leash hours for dogs To whom it may concern- I am a resident of Los Gatos and have been for 8 years. I have recently heard about the desire to establish off -leash hours for dogs in our local parks. I believe that dogs need a place to run and play, but the proposal to use existing parks at dedicated times without fences is a bad one. These parks that you are considering are routinely filled with children. The mixture of children and off -leash dogs is a recipe for disaster. I am a plastic surgeon and routinely have to treat children for dog bite injuries. These typically occur on the face. I usually am told that "the dog has never done anything like this before ". This just shows that canine behavior is unpredictable, even for the best trained dogs. Children are often equally unpredictable. This is why children and off -leash dogs should not be put in close proximity to one another. A new site that is dedicated solely to dogs would be a much better approach to this issue. This should be completely fenced in so anyone around the area is safe. Dog owners should have a place to let their dogs run, play and socialize with other dogs. It just shouldn't be in the place where children are doing the same thing. Sincerely, John Connolly, MD - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Raquel Connolly fmailto :raguelconnolly @yahoo.coml Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 7:03 AM To: Council 0 Subject: Unleashed Pogs in Los Gatos Parks Dear Sir or Madam am a Los Gatos resident, a dog lover and a parent of two small children. I am writing to you to express my concern in allowing unleashed dogs in our parks where our children play. A couple of months ago I was at Bachman park with my children when an unleashed dog attacked a boy. The owner had no control over her dog and although she kept repeating that it was a nice dog, it continue to attack the little boy. This was an unfortunate situation that will repeat itself if we allow unleashed dogs where our children play. I love dogs and I feel they should be allowed a place to play. Can we find an area that can be fenced in for the dogs in the community? Sincerely, Raquel Connolly Sent from my !Phone - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Hannah Bowers [ mailto :hannahkgrant(abyahoo.coml Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 10:02 PM To: Council Subject: Concern about Unleashed Dogs in Neighborhood Parks Proposal Hello I would like to raise strong objections to the recent proposals to allow unleashed dogs in neighborhood parks at certain times. Unleashed dogs can be dangerous for other park users, in particular the elderly or very young when using the space together. In addition, having dogs unleashed would likely increase the problem of dog excrement on paths and grassy areas which is both unpleasant and dangerous as there is a risk of exposure to toxocariasis. There seems to be a real need for a dedicated dog park in Los Gatos and this should be addressed properly rather than settling for an unsatisfactory solution of park sharing which is likely to be problematic. I take my young children to two of the proposed parks regularly (Bachman Park and Live Oak Manor Park) and often run there too but with unleashed dogs permitted I would feel unable to visit those parks any more. Dog excrement and unleashed dogs are already a problem in local parks and these proposals would only worsen the situation. Dog rules need to be stricter in existing parks and a dedicated dog park is required for dog owners who deserve such a space. Thank you Hannah Grant - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jennifer Lambert [ m ailto:jen.lambert(abymail.coml Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 9:50 PM To: Council Subject: Unleashed Dogs - please don't even consider it! Hello, I've recently heard about a plan that's in consideration for unleashed dogs at certain times in certain parks on certain days. It's against the law. If you feel that people are doing it anyway, why not enforce the law and ticket them? If people started burglarizing homes, would you start to allow it because everyone's doing it? I'm guessing not. I, in no way, would feel safe at my neighborhood park with my two young children. I think that it would be completely unfair and disrespectful of the town to allow unleashed dogs in a space where I pay tax dollars to go. Parks are supposed to be safe places for children and adults. I don't want to have to worry about going to a park in my own neighborhood. There are so many variables to consider that it would be unrealistic and impractical to think it would be a safe environment. I can't understand why the town would even consider this program for a second. How about building a dog park instead of using a current playspace as a dog park? Please don't change the rules to compromise our safety. And I'm not just concerned about the safety of young children but for all adults and other dogs too. Thanks for reading. I'm hoping that the community at large (and not just dog owners in favor of this program) are fairly represented. --Jennifer 408 - 399 -9039 - - - -- Original Message---- - Prom: Gina Duren [mailto:h8.decaf @yahoo coral Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 8:40 AM Cc: Council Subject: RE: Dogs at parks To members of council: Want to voice my concerns about the possibility of having dogs off leash at our parks. * *No Off- Leash Dogs ** As a user and lover of our parks we find ourselves using the parks less and less. We are constantly having to scope out the park before we unload our stuff to see if the same defiant dog owners are either letting there dogs off leash to run or crap on the grass. And if you ask to "Please put your dog on a leash" or "Please call your dog" there is almost always an altercation that ruins our time at the park. You all know how this goes ......... Oh my dog is fine" "He's friendly" "He just wants to play ", "It's a park for crying' out loud" .......We are constantly forced to interact with dogs that aren't safe just because they say so, or maybe we just want to run free with no worries ourselves. It's an easy answer - Then go to a dog park where hundreds of thousands of dollars has been spent so you can have a nice experience with your dog. How many times do I have to leave a park with my kids, elderly parents, and friends early from being badgered by dog owners, or drive from park to park looking for a safe place to have a frickin' picnic. We love dogs and own dogs, but we do not force them upon or neighbors. I want to be able to relax and enjoy at our parks, and not fight with people breaking current laws while at the park. Thank you, Gina Duren - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jeanette Mackin fmailto:ieanette.mackin gmail.com1 Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 3 :34 PM To: Christy Wolter Subject: NO dogs off leash at park designed for 3 -5 year olds Christy Wolter, La Rinconada park is a children's park, not a dog run. We enjoy frequenting this neighborhood playground. Groups often meet with their adoptive dogs (99% of which are pit bulls). We turn around and go home when they are parading their weapons. Los Gatos is no place for such "pilot programs ". Animals have minds of their own. They bite. I've been bitten and will not allow dogs to be off leash here. It's not okay with me. 1 fully intend to notify all families In the neighborhood of your intent and do everything in my power to stop it. Sincerely, Jeanette Mackin 104 Calle el padre, Los Gatos, 95032 (408)777 -0967 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Gruetter Family [mailto:biancagruetter(�Ome.coml Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2012 1:30 PM To: Christy Wolter Cc: Jean Leeming; Jeff Gruetter Subject: Off -Leash Dog Park Meetings Good afternoon! Thank you for taking the time to meet with the concerned citizens of Los Gatos last night regarding the possible pilot program to have "off - leash" dogs at parks in Los Gatos. Thank you very much as well for your patience with my children. I think it is very important for them to attend a portion of the meeting so that they have a "face." Following last night's meeting, I do not feel like many of the advocates of the program for off -leash dogs realize how concerned we are about our children and the potential risks having dogs off -leash presents to the kids. The overall concern is having a safe place for our children to play at an established park with existing play structures. Having "off - leash" dogs, even at specific times, at a park with children presents a serious safety risk to everyone. In the past 4+ years of going to Bachman Park, we have had numerous encounters with off - leash dogs. The owners have not been courteous, cooperative or friendly. On more than one occasion I have left the park as I have felt incredibly uncomfortable by comments made by the owner after requesting that their dog be leashed. Calls to the park department and the police department have been ineffective. As a very concerned parent, I would like to be involved in the decision making process as much as possible. Therefore, can you please reconfirm the dates, times and locations for any upcoming meetings regarding this issue? I did check on the town website and could not find details for future meetings. It would be helpful to know the format and process for each meeting in advance. Any additional recommendations about how to be involved would be greatly appreciated. There were numerous comments last night that dog owners did use the available off -leash county park in Campbell due to the $6.00 parking fee. On great weather days, it is already challenging to find parking at Bachman Park. By having a free parking off -leash dog area, we are only going to increase the usage of the park and therefore limit the amount of available parking. In the last 2 years both Mid - Peninsula and Sanborn Park have allowed increased access to on leash dogs on their trail system. It might be helpful to contact them to ask if this increased trail use (and therefore increased parking, etc). What is being doing to determine the impact on both the park and the surrounding neighborhood if an off -leash dog program was tested? Can you address how a "pilot" program is handled? How long would the pilot program potentially be (days, weeks, months ?)? What kind of signage will be posted and what is the cost of this? What is the current budget for this program and how are the current costs for the program being allocated / monitored and paid for? What are the parameters by which the program will be evaluated? If the program is monitored by volunteers, who is the point of contact person for each park for issues and how will that person be selected and how will we be able to contact that person for questions, problems, etc? Following the tragic incident in Florida with a self- appointed neighbor watch volunteer, I am apprehensive and skeptical that an untrained group of individuals can safely and effectively monitor a program of this nature. What kind of support is the park service planning to offer? On a daily basis, throughout the day, there are dogs off -leash at Bachman Park. I drive by Bachman no less than 4 times a day and could happily call when I see a dog owner in violation of the current signage that clearly states "dogs must be on a leash ". Perhaps one of the town park officers could go to the park and request that the owners put their dog on a leash and then report back how cooperative the owners were to a Park employee. This might provide some insight as to the overall cooperative nature of the dog owners who were not at the meeting last night. Again, I appreciate that the park system is willing to address any programs that tax paying members of the Town of Los Gatos feel are important. However, I do not think that having dogs off -leash at any time, in any park without a specific fenced in area is a good idea or safe. Bianca Gruetter 408.348.6189 biancagruetter@tne. coin - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Lucia Family fmailto:lucia @lucia4.coml Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 4:35 PM To: Town PPW Subject: Dog Park Pilot - an opinion from a Bachman Park neighbor. To Whom This May Concern, I am writing regarding the Dogs Off Lease Pilot. I have attended many meetings including last Wednesdays. Left last week at 7:30pm before the vote. I want my voice heard. My family and I vote NO on a Dogs Off Lease Pilot at Bachman Park. As a longtime resident of this park we feel there are more important issues that should be addressed regarding the park. live directly across from Bachman Park in the middle of Belmont Avenue. My husband and I have lived here nearly 30 years and raised two daughters. We are also new dog owners and frequent the park on a daily bases. We do not wish to have a pilot in this park for ALL the reasons that have come up at the meetings from parking to dog behavior. But we also have another reasons. For us it's not dogs that are the problem in the park it's the gophers and crows. We feel the resources, time, energy and money should be directed towards park improvements. Before making a few suggestions we want to thank you for all the resent improvements to Bachman Park; new path lights, gopher trapping, park benches and picnic tables. It is our recommendation that the town with its limited money concentrate on the up keep and continued improvements of our parks. Take the lawn for one at Bachman Park. It's in the worse shape EVER or at least in the nearly 30 years we've lived across the street. Old and new, large and small gopher holes plague the entire lawn. Many are no longer visible because the lawn has grown over them making them even more dangerous. I personally have wrenched my back, twisted an ankle and finally broke an ankle last spring. Another suggested improvement would be to either upgrade or get rid of the old garbage cans with no lids. Each morning we wake to an unsightly mess created by the crows along with new dirt mounds from the gophers. Gophers and crows are the bigger problem then the dogs and an easier problem to solve. Spend the resources, time, energy and money on improvements. Again, the resent improvements have not gone unnoticed and are greatly appreciated. If we can lend a hand regarding any of the above suggestions please let us know. We have been active participants in Bachman Park issues from the design of the playground in the early 90's, sand box installations and the dedication of park benches. We would be happy to help when needed. Thank you for listening and feel free to read this at your next meeting. Mary & Greg Lucia 225 Belmont Avenue Los Gatos CA (408) 354 -9222 h (408) 209 -3124 c - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Gordon, Barry [Bgordon @Structint.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 2:04 PM To: Town PPW Cc: Kevin Rohani Subject: Residents bark out their opinions on proposal for off -leash hours in parks - San Jose Mercury News Todd Capurso, Off -lease dogs your directly impact the safety of our annual Cat's Hill Classic bicycle race every May if dogs were allowed to run loose in Bachman Park on our race day. www.catshill.org http://www.mercurynews.com/los-gatos/ci os /ci 20517658 / residents - bark - out - their - opinions - proposal- off -leash Thank you for your consideration. Barry Gordon, President Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club www.Igbrc.org 408 - 978 -8200 bgordon(a)structint.com - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Matt Sachse [mailto:msachse @pmib.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 2:31 PM To: Christy Wolter Subject: Dogs off leash meeting Christy, We have not met, but I am writing to you in response to the flyers that have been posted at Bachman Park and elsewhere regarding allowing dogs to be off leash. I will not be able to attend the meeting so I wanted to reach out and voice my views directly. I hope you do not mind. In short, I am not in favor of this change. I live close to Bachman and I have three children five years of age and under (5, 3, 1) and we spend a lot of time there. Allowing dogs to roam free and off leash at the park has the potential to destroy the tranquility and play environment that exists at Bachman and speaking for my family, would result in us not spending time there. We used to live in San Francisco with our foxhound and would often spend time at various parks designated as "off leash" and I can tell you that the introduction of this policy at Bachman has the potential to significantly damage what is an amazing and beautiful component of our neighborhood. 1 urge you and the relevant decision makers to decline to further pursue this possibility. I am curious to learn of the meeting outcome and would be happy to further elaborate on my views if that would be helpful. Thank you for your time. Matt Matt Sachse Managing Director Technology Investment Banking Pagemill Partners, a Duff & Phelps Business 2475 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304 U.S.A. T +1 650 354 4018 M +1 650 815 8628 F +1650 856 0136 msachse(cDpmib.com http: / /www.pmib.com - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Nanci Price, DC, QME [mailto:docnrp @yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 10:55 AM To: Christy Wolter Subject: Dogs at Parks Hi! Please don't allow dogs off leashes in the parks! I love dogs, but, some dogs are not used to being around kids. Even the nicest dogs can bite if they are startled. I have 8 year old twins and live in Los Gatos. We go to the parks all the time. Thank you! Nanci - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Diane Dreher [mailto:ddreher @scu.edul Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 3:55 PM To: Council Subject: off leash dogs Dear Council members, As a longtime resident of Los Gatos, I am concerned about the proposed off -leash policy for dogs at local parks. Dogs can exercise really well with other dogs at designated dog parks where they are in a fenced -in area. But big dogs running loose with small children and older people, bicycles, scooters, picnics, smaller dogs, dogs on leashes - -this is a recipe for disaster. As the dog trainer's letter in this week's Los Gatos Weekly Times clearly states, having off -leash dogs in local parks is a BAD idea. Please observe the safety and liability concerns and keep dogs on leash in our parks. Thanks a'lot. Diane Dreher Professor of English. Associate Director, Spirituality and Health Institute, Santa Clara University 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053 (408) 554 -4954 FAX (408) 554 -4837 ddreher @scu.edu http: / /www.dianedreher.com - - - -- Original Message---- - From: dwander123Cabcomcast.net [dwander123 @comcast.net] Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2012 5:19 PM To: Town PPW Subject: Re: Closer look at La Rinconada Park From: "Dale Anderson" < dwander123()comcast.net > To: "Dale Anderson" < dwander123()comcast.net > Sent: Sunday, May 6, 2012 1:53:10 PM Subject: Closer look at La Rinconada Park Created using Skitch by Evernote To: Los Gatos Parks Department From: Dale Anderson 100 Chippendale Ct. Los Gatos, CA 95032 408 - 395 -3018 dwander123Ca)comcast.net Subject: Proposed off leash hours for dogs at La Rinconada Park I've lived in my current location for 34 years. I live 1 block from the edge of the water district. I walk 0.2 miles through the water district and enter the park. I've had 7 dogs over the years and spent many hours in the park. What a great park. During the past few years park use is up considerably. Graffiti was a problem 3 or 4 years ago and at times the gang- wanta- be crowd and pot smokers have needed to be controlled but it is still a great park. Now, about those dogs. Most people are responsible dog owners. The generally pick up their poop, and most have their dogs on a leash or a short distance away. Today there was an older Golden off leash but he wasn't a hazard. A few individuals like to wear their dogs down by throwing tennis balls but most people do this during off hours and the dogs seem to be pretty much under control and focused on the ball. What's nice about the current situation is that there are only a couple of dogs off leash at a time. The people with the dogs off leash don't seem to be interested in having their dogs socialize with a large group of off leash dogs. The general thought is that if someone wants to have their dog socialize with a large group of dogs they should go to a dog park or Santa Cruz or Carmel. Occasionally a person complains about getting a ticket but that's very rare. So my comment is, don't waste time and money trying to fix what isn't broken. Before you run off and make changes to pacify a relatively small number of dog owners you might want to consider the following. A . Some people seem to be concerned that the current leash law can't be enforced. I'm not sure how that translates into needing off leash hours for dogs. Maybe it's because they want to run their dog off leash without getting a ticket. If it's because they think it's currently a random process with respect to who gets a ticket they should think cell phones, texting, stop signs, bike riders at stop signs, speeding laws and the list goes on. Get over it. Laws aren't bad laws just because you can't ensure each violator gets a ticket. Pot laws aren't generally enforced but when I come upon unsavory types in the park I tell them that we have a neighborhood watch program and they should find a new place to hang out. If they stay I tell the it's their choice, that the police will be called and they have about 5 minutes to leave. It amazing how fast these innocent people can leave. Not one has ever stayed. If there were no law, they would just hang around, crowds would grow , the graffiti and vandalism would increase and our nice family park would once again be known as narc park. It's the same for the leash laws. On one occasion a couple had two pit bulls running loose near the play ground. I told them to leash the dogs up and they said it was their park too. I told them that there was a leash law and that they could leash them up or discuss it with the cops. They left. Last week near dusk there was a fast large dog running loose that didn't look friendly. I asked the guy to leash up his dog and he wanted to know who I was to tell him what to do and I told him that I was the guy that calls the police when someone won't leash up their dog. He left. Without the law these people would just thumb their nose at you. So I believe the current law sets boundaries and is a is a good thing. B. Why do towns have leash laws. Safety, it's as simple as that. If you have a park that's big enough and remote enough that other people can use the park at the same time you might be able to make and argument for it. But, La Rinconada is not that park for the following reasons. See Attachment Photo. See Attachment Item 1. The street coming down in the park is a steep and cars regularly speed in this area. Cars are regularly parked on the curve (mostly the drug crowd that like to hang out in the back of the park). If there are dogs in this area that chase something across the street there is very little recovery time. There is also a tree in the middle of the street which blocks vision and another tree in the middle of the road about a block further down. (See attachment Item 6). See attachment Item 2. La Rinconada is approximately o.2 miles long and 100 feet wide and in some places has even less width. If a group of dogs are in the park some of them will be approximately 25 feet or less from the curb. We also have lots of squirrels, cats in the area as well as people walking their dogs or children on the sidewalk or in the street on the other side of the street (There is a section across the street with sidewalk and another section across the street which requires walking in the street .... see Attachment Item 3). In either case it takes just seconds for a dog or dogs to cross the street.) It's happened to me many times. Keep in mind it's one thing for a single dog to attack but with multiple dogs off leash, there is likely to be more than one dog attacking.... that's why they call them packs. This park is just too narrow to support an open area for no leash dogs. In addition to the danger there is also perceived danger. People hike through the park for exercise. Some people are afraid of dogs. Elderly people walk through the water district and on to Safeway on a regular basis. Some people or nannies walk children through these areas, some with small dogs that can attract dogs from the park. Some also have old dogs that have concerns about their dogs being attacked. This means that many will have to adjust their hours to accommodate the open leash period. In effect, many people will be forced to just stop using the park or even walking by the park during those hours of the day. If you don't feel this is a valid concern and want to get a feel for feeling defenseless you should stop by the La Rinconada park on Sunday mornings when they have what seems to be the Pit Bull training class. The dogs are leashed or in control but it's not a comfortable feeling. You can then ask yourself how you would like to walk your dog or child or just run by this area if the dogs were not leashed. Remember, you don't want to discriminate so the Pit dogs will be also allowed to be not leashed. See Attachment Item 4: is the playground area and picnic area that really can't be used for off leash. If you were to designate this area or anywhere near it you would certainly hear from the Mothers and Nannys. It's now used throughout the day. See Attachment Item 5: There is also a narrow path that runs along the trees on the inside of the park. It's much too narrow for most dogs to be off leash. People used to not leashing up their dog may decide to walk their dogs in this area. This can't allowed. When you get two dogs approaching each other in a confined space you are asking for trouble. C. Majority Rules ? ? ?? The Town finally came to their senses with respect to skate boards. The majority overcame the vocal minority. This seems to be a similar case. Before you make any decisions you should recognize the meetings you are holding have a number people show up (50 per night ?) but the outcome of these meeting should only be a factor in the decision. There are many people that use the park whose opinion should also be considered. I talked to a lady yesterday at the playground that didn't know any thing about the proposed changes - - -she was sitting 3 feet from the sign. I also talked to a grandfather via his 10 year old grandson. He didn't speak English sohad no idea what I asked but his grand son developed a frightened look and made a thumbs down gesture. . Over the last month I've spoken to fifty some people while I walk through the park. I walk through at different times and these people include people with leashed dogs, people exercising their dogs off leash, people without dogs (young and old), people with children and people without children. I don't know most of these people. My informal poll results are that, NOT ONE PERSON WAS IN FAVOR OF THE TENTATIVE OFF LEASH PROPOSAL, NOT ONE. SO, BEFORE YOU CONSIDER GOING INTO THIS TRIAL PERIOD I THINK YOU OWE IT TO THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL POLL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY USE THE PARK. THE RESULT MAY BE DIFFERENT IN THE OTHER PARKS BUT IT'S UNLIKELY THAT YOU WILL FIND COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR UNLEASHED DOG HOURS IN THE LA RINCONADA PARK. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: " kim @theurbaneconcier eg com < kim @theurbaneconcierge.com Date: Monday, May 7, 2012 8:43 AM To: "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @loseatosca.eov >, BSpector < BSpector @losgatosca.gov >, Steve Leonardis < SLeonardis @losgatosca.eov >, Diane McNutt < dmcnutt@losgatosca.eov >, Joe Pirzynski < JPirzynsl<i @loseatosca.eov >, Town Manager < Manager @losgatosca.gov >, Town PPW < ppw @loseatosca.eov >, Scott Seaman < sseaman @losgatosca.gov >, David Gravel < de rave I @losgatosca.gov >, " Melanie.Alvord @sanioseca.eov < Melanie.Alvord @sanioseca.gov Cc: Libby Stewart < libbystew @aol.com >, Linda and Stan Iversen < liniversen @email.com >, Maureen Hague < momohaeue @comcast.net >, Julie Dinapoli < 'k� dinap @comcast.net Subject: The ongoing saga - Animal Control vs LGPD For well over a year we have had three dogs on Edelen roaming off -leash and unattended. The past 2 weeks it has escalated to the point that a Volunteer in Policing was charged to her car and contacted Animal Control. The following day while walking home with my dog, I was charged and contacted Animal Control. This past Saturday the dog once again off leash and unattended was on my landlady's property (Libby Stewart - 124 Edelen Ave) and she chased it off. She also met up with the mailman who has now refused to deliver mail with this doe off leash - it's the USPS policy. To make matters worse, Libby contacted Animal Control and was advised the following: "Kim, I got a call on Saturday from some man with Animal Control. Said he would send someone out, but did not know if or when that would happen. He said we should be working with the Town, someone in code enforcement, as they do not have jurisdiction in Los Gatos. Does that mean that they could not pick up a dangerous dog? I think they want direction from someone in the Town. Should we follow up, and if so, who do we contact ?" How can you seriously think about a pilot off leash dog program when neither Animal Control or LGPD can't manage our leash laws. There is an accident waiting to happen because of ignorant dog owners and agencies not enforcing laws. Two years ago I went through the same routine with an aggressive dog and Animal Control advising me that they did not have jurisdiction. Clearly nothing has changed and it needs to. So there lies the question, who do we contact? Kim A. Daly Founder Tel: 408.921.9080 1 Fax: 866.429.5089 kim @theurbaneconcieree.com I www.thurbaneconcierge.com - - - -- Original Message---- - From: dwander123(&comcast.net [dwander123 @comcast.net] Sent: Monday, May 07, 2012 12:05 PM To: Town PPW Subject: Rinconada Park, Leash Laws To: Park Department I sent you an email yesterday informing you that the majority of people using the park are against fixed hours for dogs without a leash. This is an update. I talked to 3 people this morning. - A man with 3 dogs off leash. he pointed out that the law won't stop people from taking their dogs off leash when there aren't any people there..... but it will draw a lot of extra people to the park from other cities. (AGAINST) - A lady in the playground area with two kids. She hadn't heard of the off leash proposal. She has a dog, said she likes dogs but mentioned that she saw a large off leash dog attack a small on leash poodle the other day and thought it was a bad idea. (AGAINST) -A lady with two large dogs on leash. She keeps her dogs on leash because they are large. The dogs are actually quite friendly but frighten people with their bark. She pointed out that her dogs have been bitten several times by small dogs off leash. She also pointed out that the people in the park generally know the other dogs control their dogs accordingly. This will change when you have multiple dogs coming in from other areas. She also thought that things should be left alone and said it looked like someone was was trying to create a problem where things are fine like they are. (AGAINST) -An older lady that has had dogs and likes dogs but thinks that multiple dogs off leash is a bad idea. She also pointed out that there is wild life in the park, coyotes, wild cats, heron, ducks, an ocassional skunk, deer, etc. (AGAINST) She also brought up the question of whether an expensive environmental impact report would be required No other people were in the park (10 to 11 am). P.S. I'm assuming the council members will receive a copy of the emails sent to you one this issue. If not could you let me know. Thanks. Dale Anderson 100 Chippendale Ct. Los Gatos, CA 95032 dwanderl 23(a m cast. net - - - -- Original Message---- - From: yarnold22Cabaol.com [yarnold22 @aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:31 AM To: Council; Town PPW Subject: off -leash proposal To whom this concerns' A proposal has been made to allow dogs off -leash in 3 parks: Live Oak Manor, Bachman, and La Rinconada. The problem with this proposal is that the concerns of the neighborhood and park users have not been adequately addressed. None of these parks have designated areas for the dogs or any type of barriers separating them from the playgrounds, joggers, pedestrians or leashed dogs. There are no funds available to provide either fencing and /or additional park staffing. Counting on volunteers to make up for limited resources is not a viable idea. Is the city prepared for any lawsuits that could occur when a person or dog is bitten or injured in other ways? All dogs are capable of biting - even the "friendly" ones. As I was writing this letter last night, the news reported the attack on a Concord toddler by the family dog, resulting in the hospitalization of the child and the dog being euthanized. At the April 25th meeting a mother read her daughter's letter on being knocked down by dogs and told of recieving no apologies from the dog's owner. I personally have been hit by running dogs on 2 separate occasions, wrenching both knees and requiring me to use a cane for over a month. Now imagine the impact on a small child. Every morning I walk my dog in La Rinconada Park. I enjoy the fact that it has been left in a natural riparian condition and my dog likes all the great smells he finds in the grass.. There are also morning joggers on the trail and others enjoying the park, including mothers and children at the playground. There is a small contingent of owners who allow their dogs off- leash. I know which ones my dog is friendly with and which ones to avoid. So far this has worked. If the numbers of users increase, problems will as well. The early morning and late afternoon hours seem to be when the park is the busiest as the weather gets hotter. When my children were younger, they played both at La Rinconada and Live Oak Manor. As a parent and dog owner, while I love my dog, there is no way that he would come before my children. In each of the 3 parks there is a playground. A parent should have the right to take their children to use these areas without the fear of being trampled or bitten. I am also opposing this proposal as a dog owner to keep my dog safe. When an off -leash dog approaches my leashed one J know l don't have the ability to discern what will be the result from the interaction between them. A leashed dog can feel trapped and respond more harshly if it feels threatened. I have yet to meet an owner that truly has control over their unleashed dog. My dog is considered large at 90 lbs. The owners of small dogs must be even more protective. Without resources, volunteers, or any working plan to provide for the safety of people or dogs, this proposal should not be allowed to pass. Thank you, Yana Arnold - - - -- Original Message---- - From: "Mandy Nelson" [ mailto: happyyel lows unflower (�bg mail. comI Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 9:19 AM To: Council Subject: leash law I want to voice my opinion regarding this dangerous scheme to allow dogs to run unleashed in Los Gatos. This greatly concerns me. I have a dear friend who was walking her dog, along with her child in a stroller. A strange dog approached them, not on a leash. My friend's dog, whose natural instinct is to protect the pack, rolled on her back in a submissive pose. When the larger dog stood over her, she bit him in the neck, and he did die as a result of this. Dogs that approach other dogs, especially when they approach dogs who are protecting their human "pack" are risking their lives. You might think this is dramatic, but this can happen to anyone. If that dog had been on a leash, his owner could have held him back, and he would not have been killed. We, as humans, can't pretend to totally understand dogs, and their behavior and mental states. We can only guess. We have no idea what an unleashed dog, bounding toward us, has in his mind to do. We can't be 100% sure that he wants to play, or is going to be aggressive. So why take the chance? Leashes prevent potentially dangerous confrontations. Children run toward dogs, and try to pet them without thinking they are putting themselves in danger. You are risking the health of everyone around an unleashed dog, including all other dogs. Not only are you risking lives and health, but think of the potential lawsuits that will undoubtedly result from a charging dog who could not be called off. The lawsuit potential is enormous, to say the least. Again, I say, why even risk it? Those dangers are totally preventable with leashes. If someone wants their dog to run free, they can let them run in their own yard, where the dog is contained, and not a threat to anyone else. Please use common sense in this matter. Mandy Nelson Los Gatos resident - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Christabel Lawrence f mailto :christabel1984 @gmaii.coml Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 4:52 PM To: Council Subject: Proposed Off Leash park in Los Gatos To whom it may concern. I am writing to object to the plan regarding the off leash park in Los Gatos. Dogs should be under the strict control of their owners at all times in public places, especially in areas such as parks, where children are present. A completely enclosed area would not be perfect either. There are way too many dog owners who are clueless when it comes to training their animals, which then leads to there being an unsafe environment for the dogs themselves. Thank you for your attention, Chris Lawrence, 17year Los Gatos resident, and former dog owner. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: caren cadile [ mailto :carenacadile0hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, May 07, 2012 10:17 PM To: Council Subject: No Off Leash Dogs Please Hello, I am a dog -lover and a mother of a two year old girl who was almost pummeled by a large dog at Bachman Park yesterday at 5:00 p.m. My daughter was playing in the sandbox when suddenly this large dog came running and barking loudly into the sandbox. Yes, INTO the sandbox. The dog had been calmly resting on a blanket with it's owners, who happen to also have children who were playing in the little valley below the sandbox. The dog became excited when another dog (on leash) walked by and /or when the owners' children began screaming. The dog responded to them but was oblivious to my child in it's path. Had the dog knocked my child over, no doubt the force would have been enough to knock her head onto the cedar block boundary around the sandbox. The owners thought they had "control" over their pet, when in fact they didn't. They called for their pet as he was running in our direction but he did not respond because he was too excited. My daughter didn't want to play in the sandbox anymore because she was too frightened. I personally was not "afraid" of the dog but understand why she was. Dogs can smell that fear. That is something you can't teach a two year old ... not to show fear to a dog that unexpectedly runs toward her while barking loudly. My daughter's safety is far more important than this dog being off leash at a playground. Not only am I against a no -leash law, but I am proposing that more leash law signs be posted and that the leash law be more strictly enforced. If a law is passed that there is a certain time that dogs can be off -leash then any owner with a dog off -leash at any other time should be cited. Those fees should be used to pay for a new dog park or add some parking at the existing one. Please consider my proposal. Also ... dog owners often don't notice when their off leash pets poop. If they do, they get lazy and don't pick it up. They're just not as responsible. I've seen it so many times. So that means a lot of feces everywhere. On our kids, on our shoes, etc. Not healthy for humans! Not safe for humans! Thank you! Caren Cadile Concerned Mother - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Gray Paula [ mailto :paula.gray@sbcglobal.netl Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 5:40 PM To: Council Subject: Los Gatos Unleashed I oppose the "Los Gatos Unleashed" program. Why would anyone want to take the chance of anyone, let alone a child, getting hurt by an unruly dog? - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jackie Foley [mailto:jfoley277C5gmail.com1 Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 6:23 PM To: Council Subject: Los Gatos Unleashed program I would like to cast my vote that this law does NOT pass. Why would we want to take this unecessary risk? Thank you, Jackie Foley Scotts Valley, CA - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Tim Nelson [mailto:timbo.nelsonCa gmail.coml Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 7:06 PM To: Council Subject: Los Gatos "Unleashed ", horrible idea. Well intention as it may be, please deny the initiative known as "Unleashed" for the sake of the community, our families, our leashed pets, and the fiscal health of our Town. Make no mistake, a decision to approve this off -leash public dog initiative will end in tears, lawsuits, or even worse. In a Utopian world, our dogs would walk by our sides in public, and live harmoniously with all living creatures with no possibility of violent encounters. Our dogs might even be instructed to talk in complete sentences, cook breakfast for us, and drive the children to school. But that's just silly. And "silly" is how I would regard this proposed off -leash program, if it wasn't so blatantly dangerous. Putting the public's health and well -being in jeopardy to achieve some high- degree of pet amusement would be tantamount to legislative incompetence. Please deny this initiative for the sake of the people. Tim Nelson Los Gatos, CA - - - -- Original Message---- - From: dwander123C&comcast. net [mailto:dwander123 @comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:00 PM To: Town PPW Cc: Council Subject: Off Leash Dog Proposal To: Parks Department From: Dale Anderson Subject: More thoughts on the dog off leach preliminary proposal Please also refer to ( http : / /www.santacruzsentinel.com /news /ci 18557294 The above web site provides some interesting reading on what Santa Cruz has been going through regarding off leash dog proposals. Also please see my previous email sent to the park department addressing reasons the off leash proposal is a particularly bad idea for La Rinconada Park. More thouahts reaardina the off leash doa proposal. 1. In the La Rinconada park there is considerable wildlife. This wildlife will be surely impacted barking dogs, the scent of feces and urine and increased crowds during what would normally be a relative quiet time. Have you addressed the requirements for an ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT and by that I mean has someone with a legal background evaluated it. If an EIR is required, have the costs been added to the estimated costs for this project? It's not clear that an EIR is not required or that people might at least have a valid standing for requesting one. An EIR would cost some $. 2. It may also cost the city considerable legal costs to defend the implementation of the off leash parks. The people that are against the off leash park proposal may well take legal action which will cost the city money. Does "skateboard parks" ring a bell. Is that included in the park budget. 3. The article on Santa Cruz problems indicates that significant recurring costs are associated with maintaining off leash parks. The Santa Cruz estimates are quite large. The Los Gatos expenses will be less but it will not be cheap and will be an on -going expense? Can the Los Gatos budget afford this ? ? ?. It isn't as simple as designating an off leash area in the park between Sam and noon. 4. So, the public knows next to nothing about the off leash proposal, few know about the schedule meetings and none seem to know what problem we are trying to solve. When they leave this meeting they will still not be informed... just confused. 5. 1 held my own informal poll at La Rinconada Park. Young people, old people, people with dogs on leash, people with dogs off leash, people without dogs, mothers and kids in the playground area, people that love dogs, a few people that don't, people that could speak English and people that couldn't. They voted 59 against off leash and zero for off leash. My suggestion is that, if the city doesn't kill the proposal outright, the next best thing is to publish a strawman plan for off leash proposal, let people read it and then take meaningful poll of both park users and the general public. If the results indicate anything close to the results in my informal poll, and I suspect they would be, the council could just cancel the the current proposal and proposed trial and say that to do so demonstrates efficient government. With the high disapproval rate there would be no need to continue with a trial for something that only a very low percentage of the public want to have implemented. Keep in mind that when the current council was elected it was because the voters thought they were voting for the best people to manage our city. They were not looking for a government that was interested in creating new problems and spending money on projects that would not be supported by the majority of the voters. I suspect that they will feel the same way -at the next election. Thanks, Dale Anderson 100 Chippendale Ct Los Gatos, CA 95032 dwander123()com cast. net P.S. What several people mentioned as something they would like to see is for the Parks department to fix the water fountain by the tennis court in La Rinconada Park. Several said they had called in a couple of weeks ago during the last heat wave but no results. A couple said that it was probably because they were too busy working on the off leash problem ? ?? I told them I'm sure it won't be more that a couple of more days. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Lu Ann fmailto:luannf @comcast.netl Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:19 PM To: Council Subject: Off leash dogs in our parks I would like to voice my concerns about off -leash dogs (unfenced specifically) in our town parks. I would like to say that I am very much a dog lover and have always owned and loved dogs. However, I am also a parent, and do not believe that dogs should be allowed off -leash and unfenced. However, I wholeheartedly support fenced in dog play areas that are specifically for dogs only. I have attached some of my concerns that I wrote as a comment on The Patch article. I was 1/2 hr. late to Van Meter Mtg, so if I missed something, please forgive me. I'd like to say first that I am dog owner, dog lover, dog rescuer, & parent. I wholeheartedly support a fenced local dog park or two for the dogs of Los Gatos. There were a few children /moms in attendance, & their fear of loose dogs came from the fact that they had actually been knocked down by what one might deem friendly dogs. However friendly, it's still frightening for the child. Children often squeal, scream & run for fun. That type of behavior can sometimes excite dogs. Blossom Hill Park is supposedly off the table because of the Terraces being nearby & the worry that seniors walking their pets might be knocked down or get their leashes tangled and hurt themselves. I'm glad they thought of that. However, I don't understand why a mother, possibly holding a small child in their arms, or pushing a baby stroller, isn't afforded the same protection. It just seems like a dangerous mix. Families with young children need to have use of the parks at all times, and an fenced in dog park is the safest way to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy the use of our parks.Part II - There was also a plastic surgeon and father, whose daughter had been bitten by an off leash dog that did not want to see off - leash dogs in our parks and he said that he has worked on many dog bite injuries at his practice. Then there were some people whose dogs have been attacked, while on leash, by off -leash dogs, that had concerns. These were not people with irrational fears, but people with real concerns because of incidents that had happened to them. Since the town proposes that this will be a self- policed activity, I don't understand how you propose to keep dogs that really don't belong off - leash, from coming to our parks. Allowing off -leash dogs in our parks means welcoming dogs from anywhere, not just your well behaved dogs since no other surrounding city would even consider an unfenced park. Do you really think that they will leave because a citizen asked them to? Even enclosed dog parks (which I'd like to see happen instead of this) there are dog attacks that happen more often than you think. They are most often not reported (my own dog has been attacked at a dog park) because 1. Signs all say Enter at your own risk I do see complaints sometimes on Craigslist Community / Pets site about people complaining about their dogs being attacked in a dog park, but it kind of goes with the territory. Not every dog likes every other dogs. The idea of sharing space with dogs that will be pooping all over (and legitimately so if off leash hours are permitted on park grounds) AND owners will be scooping up is still very unsanitary. How can you say use this area as a dog play and dog relief area, and then a few hours say, come kids, play and picnic in this are that dogs were just using as a toilet? Look up contagious dog diseases that can be passed into the soil and remain for a very long time, and then think of little kids putting their hands in their mouths.... Yuck! No one would think of playing or having a picnic in the fenced in dog park, why would you open up our play areas for the same use? I hope that the town will find a way to create some fenced in dog play areas that are exclusively for dogs. I agree that there is a need for this. I forgot to mention that there was a gentleman from the meeting that lived in the Bachman Park neighborhood that said that even though some people are cleaning up after their dogs, there is still a huge dog poop problem. There is a reason that a vast majority of cities and towns do not have off leash unfenced dog parks. I cannot believe that Los Gatos would even consider this idea. Equating dogs to children as being equal in sharing time at parks is so ridiculous. Yes, I REALLY love, dogs, but humans trump dogs when it comes to use of our parks and safety. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Ernest Carter fmailto :carter1717@sbcglobal.net1 Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:27 AM To: Council Subject: Opposing the off leash pilot program To whom it may concern: I am VERY opposed to the off leash pilot program. I feel it is very dangerous for people as well as other dogs. I have much experience with dog training as I have been involved in Obedience competition for years. You just never know how a dog can react in some situations. Please do not approve this!! Kathy Carter - - - -- Original Message---- - From: yarnold22Ca)aol.com fmailto :yarnold22 @aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:31 AM To: Council; Town PPW Subject: off -leash proposal To whom this concerns' A proposal has been made to allow dogs off -leash in 3 parks: Live Oak Manor, Bachman, and La Rinconada. The problem with this proposal is that the concerns of the neighborhood and park users have not been adequately addressed. None of these parks have designated areas for the dogs or any type of barriers separating them from the playgrounds, joggers, pedestrians or leashed dogs. There are no funds available to provide either fencing and /or additional park staffing. Counting on volunteers to make up for limited resources is not a viable idea. Is the city prepared for any lawsuits that could occur when a person or dog is bitten or injured in other ways? All dogs are capable of biting - even the "friendly" ones. As I was writing this letter last night, the news reported the attack on a Concord toddler by the family dog, resulting in the hospitalization of the child and the dog being euthanized. At the April 25th meeting a mother read her daughter's letter on being knocked down by dogs and told of recieving no apologies from the dog's owner. I personally have been hit by running dogs on 2 separate occasions, wrenching both knees and requiring me to use a cane for over a month. Now imagine the impact on a small child. Every morning I walk my dog in La Rinconada Park. I enjoy the fact that it has been left in a natural riparian condition and my dog likes all the great smells he finds in the grass.. There are also morning joggers on the trail and others enjoying the park, including mothers and children at the playground. There is a small contingent of owners who allow their dogs off - leash. I know which ones my dog is friendly with and which ones to avoid. So far this has worked. If the numbers of users increase, problems will as well. The early morning and late afternoon hours seem to be when the park is the busiest as the weather gets hotter. When my children were younger, they played both at La Rinconada and Live Oak Manor. As a parent and dog owner, while I love my dog, there is no way that he would come before my children. In each of the 3 parks there is a playground. A parent should have the right to take their children to use these areas without the fear of being trampled or bitten. I am also opposing this proposal as a dog owner to keep my dog safe. When an off -leash dog approaches my leashed one ,I know I don't have the ability to discern what will be the result from the interaction between them. A leashed dog can feel trapped and respond more harshly if it feels threatened. I have yet to meet an owner that truly has control over their unleashed dog. My dog is considered large at 90 lbs. The owners of small dogs must be even more protective. Without resources, volunteers, or any working plan to provide for the safety of people or dogs, this proposal should not be allowed to pass. Thank you, Yana. Arnold - - - -- Original Message---- - From: K Perez fmailto:superkfp(ftahoo coml Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 10:31 AM To: Council Subject: Off leash park I oppose the off leash park. It is very dangerous to have a no fence, kids and dog running together park. There are many breeds of dogs that prey drive is very strong and a running child will trigger that instinct. This is an accident waiting to happen! K Perez Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android - - - -- Original Message---- - From: David Clarke jmailto:dave17000abyahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 4:08 PM To: Council Subject: Against "Off Leash" Proposal Hi, I am against the proposal to allow dogs off leash in selected parks. It is both dangerous and offensive to the people who would like to use the parks in peace and safety. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Glenn Boyd Imailto:thegreenhead@yahoo.coml Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 8:24 AM To: Council Subject: No to Unleashed dogs Please exercise good judgement and do NOT permit unleashed dogs in unfenced, mixed use parks. All parks are presently open to dog owners as long as their dogs are on leash. This is a safety issue pure and simple. GB Los Gatos Dog Owner - - - -- Original Message---- - From: kacparkmanC�comcast.net [ mailto:kacparkman(acomcast.net] Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 12:06 PM To: Council Subject: dog park Dear Council Members Pirzynski, McNutt, Leonardis, and Spector, Mayor Rice, and Town Attorney Propp, I'm writing this e-mail to voice my concern about letting dogs run off -leash in our town parks. As a dog owner whose dog won't even go out our front door without a leash for his daily morning walk with my husband through our neighborhood and local park, I believe you should consider NOT approving this move even for set periods of the day. If you want to put in a fenced dog park, why not do it around Miles Avenue near the town public works buildings. Dog walkers can then just come off the Los Gatos Creek Trail and have their little get - togethers and social time to compare breeds to see who has the best one, and how well- behaved they are (owners or dogs as the case may be). There is parking available in the Miles Avenue lot, and they can also walk from there to the other available dog park and back. As a mother who raised two children and took them to our local parks, I hated to see unleashed dogs running up to them and my children jumping on me because they were scared. Remember, to a little child, a big dog is a giant. Who is going to protect our children if it's not us. Please support the efforts of those that truly care about the safety of our children and who love our town and parks. Respectfully, Kathryn Parkman Town of Los Gatos Resident and Registered Voter - - - -- Original Message---- - From: FOLEYSHIRLCa?aol.com [mailto :FOLEYSI-IRLCa-baol.coml Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 1:05 PM To: Council Subject: Opposing Off leash pilot program As a responsible owner of 2 dogs I oppose this pilot program of allowing dogs to run loose in our public parks This could be a very serious problem for the dogs, the owners and especially the children who think all dogs are friendly. If you ever encountered an attack, as I have, you wouldn't even suggest this program. Shirley D - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Karl Flechsig (mailto:flechsig @com cast. net] Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 2:59 PM To: Council Subject: Oppose having off -leash UNFENCED dog park hours I am opposed to having off -leash hours for dogs at our parks. It's an accident waiting to happen that is completely unnecessary. As a dog lover and dog owner, I agree that our town dogs need a place to play. But a mixed use space is completely unacceptable. I don't want to be sharing a dog park that is used for urinating and defecating. Has anyone even considered how unsanitary that is, EVEN with people cleaning up the poop? I doubt any of you would want to picnic or have your children /grandchildren play on these same grounds that minutes ago was a dog park ?R! Have you ever read up on contagious diseases that people can get from dogs, or diseases that leach into the ground and cannot be removed? Scary stuff if you ask me. I won't even mention how often I have seen dogs that do not belong off -leash or how often you hear, I can't believe my dog did that! My dog has been attacked before by off -leash dogs, when my dog was on a leash. Not all dogs appreciated being jumped on by "friendly" dogs. As much as I like dogs, having open hours for dogs to run around will affect many parents and young children. Dogs and kids don't always work well together. Why is Los Gatos willing to take that risk? It's not fair to put kids in possible jeopardy because people think that dogs and kids should carry the same weight when it comes to park usage. The real solution is a fenced in dog park or two. It's safe and sanitary and everyone should be happy. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jennifer Umvonderahe @hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 3 :16 PM To: Town PPW Subject: Dog Off -Leash Pilot Program Comments Hi Christy, My family and I live directly across the street from La Rinconada Park. We have three young kids. We purchased our house largely because of its proximity to the park. The Pit Bull Training Class already takes over the park every Sunday morning, during which there are usually 30+ Pit Bulls (among other such breeds) congregated on the grass area across from our home. We do not let the kids play outside during this event. We are very opposed to any Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Akita, Wolf, Mastiff, etc., breeds being off leash. We expect allowing such breeds off leash in the vicinity of a play structure would create a significant liability for the town. We already see dogs off leash at the park regularly While the owners are typically fairly considerate given the rules in place, our concern is that relaxing the leash restriction will make some dog owners feel entitled to allow their dogs to run amok with kids around. Allowing some breeds (e.g. labs, etc.) to be off -leash may be a compromising solution. However, given how frequently we see dogs off - leash already, we would be concerned with the ability to enforce such a rule. Thank you very much for your time. Best, Jennifer Von der Ahe - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Plstaab(&aol.com [mailto:Plstaab(abaol.coml Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 1:03 PM To: Council; Town PPW Subject: Leash free dog park Dear council, Please do not allow this group to open up our parks to dogs off the leash. I always have one to two dogs and love them dearly. However my dog and I have both been attacked and injured by people who walk their dogs off the leash. I am petrified of off leash dogs. The owners say their dogs are friendly and listen to them. But when the time comes, a dog is a dog and some of them get aggressive. My dogs are docile golden retrievers and because of this we are an easy target. I never walk without spray but my reactions are not quick enough. How dare people think that a park should be for dogs first. What about our children, the future citizens? How can mothers let their children play after the dogs have urinated and defecated all over marking their territory. Let this group take their dogs to the already established dog parks in Campbell. Let's not worry about law suits against our town for possible injuries to others. Very concern, Patricia Staab - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Paree Sobhani [ mailto :pareesobhani @comcast.netl Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 2:48 PM To: Council Subject: Off leash park am a long time resident of Los Gatos and a dog owner. I am opposed to an off leash dog park anywhere in our town. Please consider the health and welfare of our citizens which I believe will be adversely affected by such a park. Thank you for your consideration, Paree Moradpour - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Gina Bommarito fmailto:fattire92663 @vahoo.coml Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 4:13 PM To: Council Subject: Off leash dogs Hello, I would like to give my opinion on the proposed off leash dog park in our town. While I have a dog and love dogs and wish we had a fenced in dog park in Los Gatos, I oppose an off leash dog park. Reasons: liability issues: I walk the Los Gatos creek trail with my my dog and see people often let their dogs off leash. There was an incident when the owner of the off leash dog was not able to control their dog and almost knocked off my son (who was a toddler then). Sanitation issue: I have also seen people unleash their dog, let them "do their business," and then turn their head as if nothing happened and walk away. While it would look great on paper to have an off leash dog park, I am not sure if it is prudent to have them in small spaces, like the parks they are being proposed. I propose a fenced in off leash dog park. Sincerely, Gina B. Los Gatos, Resident - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Janet Hailer fmailto:ihhh.hailer @gmail.coml Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 6:41 PM To: Council Subject: off leash pilot program I am concerned about the safety of children and aggressive or untrained dogs on lease dogs in public parks if all dogs are allowed to be off lease. Please open a large natural area so dogs can be off lease in a safe environment. J. Hailer - - - -- Original Message---- - From: nalini hakhu [ mailto:nalini.hakhuCcbamail.coml Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 9:17 PM To: Council Subject: I am a Los Gatos resident and I an against allowing dogs off -leash in our parks. am a Los Gatos resident and I an against allowing dogs off -leash in our parks. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: suman seshadri [mailto:suman sesha @yahoo.coml Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 10:15 PM To: Council Subject: proposed dogs off leash parks in LG Hello, I live on 128 Lester Lane very close to Live Oak park. I would like to offer my opinion about the proposed dogs off - leash proposal in this park. I am not against dogs or their owners, but I am very much against letting the dogs run around off -leash at any time around the park. Being in close proximity to Live Oak park which is a very popular dog pooping park, my sidewalk has a very heavy dog traffic(sometimes off leash). I have been constantly plagued the last 12 yrs by dogs peeing or pooping on my lawn. While most people pick up after their dogs, I still have to pick up at least once or twice a week ... thanks to the irresponsible dog owners. Over the last 10 yrs, my kids never got to play on our lawn as a result of the health hazard of constantly being covered in pee and poop. I can't imagine what the park conditions will be if dogs are off leash at the park. This calls for some unsanitary conditions where kids play too. Many kids sports camps happen in this park. Many kids also enjoy the playground area or playing in the grassy area. This is a health hazard and unacceptable. On many occasions over the last 10 yrs when I have taken my kids, my nieces and nephews to play in the park, we have been approached by many dogs off leash. Sometimes they sniff and go away ... but often they try to lick /jump until the owner calls them away. There was this instance last September when my cousin and her 3 yr old son both took a stumble over a root while trying back up away from a big'friendly' dog that came dashing at them. They both had some minor bruising.... but the point is that dogs are unpredictable. Just because they are friendly with their owners, does not mean they are friendly towards all. This is a disaster waiting to happen ... what if a kid or adult get bitten or knocked down or get seriously hurt? Are these owners responsible for negligence or Dr.'s bills? What about big dogs going after smaller ones? How are you going to handle that? What if the owners themselves get bitten while trying to protect their dogs from other dog attacks? If the dog owners still want a park for their dogs, I do not mind if you have 1 separate park in LG which you will designate as a dog park(just like a skate park) and fence it completely. Charge the dog owners a miminal fee to use it, which in turn can be used to clean up the park everyday. But I do not agree with designating one of the existing grass parks which is shared by kids to be a dogs off -leash park. I feel very strongly about this. Thank you. Sincerely - -Suman Seshadri - - - -- Original Message---- - From: SAN DYSANCHEZ5563. mai Ito: sandysanchez5563Cc @ comcast.netl Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2012 9:06 AM To: Council Subject: dogs off leash I am writing to express my concern about having dogs off leash in public parks. I am a runner and I can personally cite several incidents that have occurred with dogs being off leash. I have always managed to escape with only minor injuries, but if a small child had been involved, the outcome could have been tragic. I love dogs, but they have instincts that can take over no matter how well- behaved they appear. Thank you for listening to my concerns. Sandy Sanchez - - - -- Original Message---- - From: kauaikn @comcast.net Finailto:kauaikn(a)comcast.net Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2012 10:53 PM To: Council Subject: RE: DOGS OFF LEASH IN PARKS Dear Council Members, am a concerned citizen writing to you about the "off the leash" for dogs at our parks. It is a TERRIBLE idea. The parks in our town were created for the people of our town to enjoy. NOT the DOGS. You are opening up the town to numurous lawsuits from dogs causing injury to people and dogs fighting. Just spend some time at the dog parks to see how many of the dogs at the parks even get along with one another. BAD idea. WHY would you put our CHILDREN and ELDERLY at RISK. DO you see who is at our parks? Families, Elderly, Teens and Children. I walk daily at the park and see the dogs that are off leash, they p0000000000 and run after other dogs. Many owners do not run after their dogs nor pick up after them. If they want their dogs to be off leash then take them home to their own homes and yards. THE PARKS are for citizens. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THE DOGS TO RUN OUR CITY AND PARKS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. Karen Niswonger - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Lu Ann [mailtoJuannfCbco Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 11:01 AM To: Town PPW; Council Subject: off -leash unfenced dog park use I would like to respond to Oz Olsen's letter, in The Los Gatos Weeklytimes, regarding the proposal of allowing UNFENCED dogs off - leash, at some of our parks, for a few hours each day. (pasted below) I have also attended the last two meetings and am one of the people to express my "militant" concerns. What I really take offense to is the fact that Mr. Olsen takes the words of the people that had legitimate concerns, either adds exaggerated words like filthy beasts, omits important facts about what was said by some of these concerned citizens, and chooses then chooses to ridicule us people that don't agree with him. You conveniently omitted the fact that that plastic surgeon stating that he handles many dog bites in his practice, was also a Los Gatos resident whose own daughter was bit by a dog in our town. Fears of large friendly dogs knocking down people was something that was stated in a news article as to why Blossom Hill Park was off the table. They were concerned about the seniors from The Terraces being knocked down or having their leashes tangled and then tripping on them and getting hurt. This is not unheard of and I was happy to see that the city had taken that into consideration. However, I don't understand why, a mother, holding a baby or child in their arms, or in a stroller, shouldn't be afforded the same consideration. At the first meeting, there were some mothers with children that had been knocked down by loose dogs. However friendly you may deem them to be, it is still scary for the kids. Children running, screaming and squealing can excite dogs and isn't always a safe mix. As far as your comment about the latent risk of diseases from the filthy beasts, those were your words. Not mine. I happen to own, love and rescue filthy beasts. Even though I am a dog owner /lover, I do not agree with having an unfenced area for dogs. There may be 9,000 dogs owned in our town, but I can assure you that not all of us support unleashed dogs. There were dog lovers /owners in attendance saying that their dogs have been attacked by off -leash dogs. The idea of using the same area as a dog park, albeit a few hours a day, and then the rest of the time it would again serve as a place for children and families to play and possibly picnic on (yes, even children love to roll around and play on the lawn) is unsanitary. There are contagious diseases that will go into the ground, some like roundworms will remain for years. http://www.addisontx.gov/repository/ content/ reports /Public %20Works %20Depart ment /Public /o20Works /Pet /`20Waste%20Management.pdf Read about one of the diseases http: / /kidshealth.org /parent/ infections /parasitic /toxocariasis.html For the same reason would not think of taking my children or family into a fenced dog park to play and picnic, I would not want to be using the same area that was Just minutes or hours ago, a place for dogs to play, poop, and pee. As far as the "progressiveness" of the UK regarding unleashed dogs, please note in this article at kidshealth.com that experts in the United States estimate that about 20% of dogs pass Toxocara eggs into their stool. In Great Britain, 24% of soil samples taken from public parks contained the eggs. Dogs on raw food diets can have salmonella. Why would we risk passing these on and having a shared use space? Also, even though I am sure that your group of very dedicated dog lovers may be responsible about picking up and scooping after your dogs, and I commend your group for trying to make up for the irresponsible dog owners by cleaning up after them too, there were residents that lived directly across these parks that had complaints about the smell and amount of dog waste that still exists. So even though you guys are doing your best, there is still a very real dog waste problem that still exists and to "poo poo" their concerns is unfair. Dog bites may be a part of life, but contrary to your statement, they can be life threatening. As I stated and you failed to mention, that I also said if these talks included the word FENCED off -leash play area for dogs, much of these concerns would be addressed and handled. I would be right there with you trying to see how this could be accomplished. I admire your group's great love for their pets and I wish everyone loved their dogs as much as your group does. I agree that dogs need a place to play and run free and would love to see this compromise that would save us a lot of bickering. However, we would love to see our concerns taken seriously and not be passed off as hysteria or ignorance. All these concerns are a result of something that happened to these people. Lu Ann Flechsig Off -leash piot program should get a chance When I heard about the town considering a proposal for structured off -leash hours for dogs at several of the community's parks, I was encouraged to see what I thought was an enlightened, progressive attitude. However, after attending the community meeting on April 25, I am not so sure. What I believe started out as a group of responsible dog owners wanting to find a viable way to enable dog owners to have a small window of time and a designated area to have their dogs off -leash has turned into an almost militant response from some townsfolk. Throughout the meeting, it appeared that those who spoke were violently opposed to even consider anything so "irresponsible." Statistics were quoted and examples of marauding dogs stealing the lunch from the laps of young children were cited. Fears of large friendly dogs leaning on the elderly and knocking them down were expressed. A doctor gave testimony to having to treat children with dog bites. Others declared the latent risk of disease from the excrement of these filthy creatures. Yet another expressed concern that these beasts would disrupt local wildlife who call one park home, including deer and a bobcat ... wait, what? And finally we see a declaration in a recent letter to this paper that the town has been formally warned of the danger they will place the community in if they pursue this action. Scraped knees, broken bones, bee stings, and yes, dog bites are a part of life. No one would consider these things life threatening, although in the most extreme situation they can be. What seems to be missed in this opposition is that all concerns expressed are present now, without an off -leash provision. If things are as bad as described, I have to wonder why any parent would risk their child's safety at the parks with the lawless situation we currently have. The fact remains that the town's parks fail to address the needs and wants of the sizeable dog owner community. I think the group who organized to express this idea to the town council deserves credit for trying to be considerate neighbors. How about we allow the discussion of ideas to evolve and just maybe, meet everyone's needs. While there are certainly reasonable concerns to discuss with this proposal, if the few speaking so loudly against it truly represents the sentiment of a majority of townsfolk (which I question), this may be a waste of time. If this idea dies without being fully explored, I think that would be truly unfortunate and not characteristic of this wonderful town. Oz Olsen Los Gatos - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Leslee Guardino [LesleeGuardino @canyonsnow.com] Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2012 9:10 AM To: Diane McNutt; 'Joe Pirzynski' Cc: 'Katrina Cabral' Subject: Dog bite claims Dear Diane and Joe, as you continue to consider the off -leash dog ordinance, I thought you'd be interested in seeing this article. State Farm insurance alone paid $109 million in dog bite claims last year. The CDC estimates that of the 4.7 million people bitten by dogs each year, more than half are children who are bitten by dogs off leash I'd like to reiterate our opposition to this ordinance based on safety for our children, and also liability for our town. http: / /www.nydailynews.com /life -style /health /state- farm -insu ra nce- pays -109m -dog- bite - claims -a rticle- 1.1079642 Thank you for your consideration. I don't have all of your colleagues' emails but perhaps you can forward this to them. Best regards, Leslee - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Kim Le [ m mailto:kim.le.1983@clmail.coml Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2012 11:02 PM To: Council; Town PPW Subject: A Definite NO for the off leash unfenced dog parks in Los Gatos ... To whom it may concern, I can not believe that the city of Los Gatos has spent tax payer money to debate about the merit of off leash unfenced dog parks in Los Gatos. As a resident of Los Gatos for 18 years, I find this proposal is very unfair and only serve a small group of people. Some dogs can be quite aggressive and when they are off leash they can be dangerous to smaller dogs, children and adults alike. In several occasions, I witnessed vicious attacks from often bigger dogs to smaller dogs at public parks. In these circumstances, luckily, these bigger and aggressive dogs were on leash and were refrained by their owners. I can not imagine what would happen if these dogs were off leash! Regards, Kim Letam - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Becky Hanson fmailto:becky.hanson @gmail.coml Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 7:57 AM To: Council Subject: Dogs off leash I just wanted to express my opinion about the potential dogs off leash policy at Bachman park. I am an avid dog lover, and consider my 8 year old lab my first born to my three human children.. However, I also realize that mixing dogs and children can be dangerous and have seen it first hand. My sisters dog, who was sweet obedient dog, took a 6 inch gash to my nephews forearm. The attack was unprovoked, and my nephew was just playing enthusiastically as most 5 year olds do. It has been a traumatizing experience for everyone. Dogs should not be off leash where children play. While some dogs are tolerant with children, others are not. How do you plan to regulate that? I live down the street from Bachman, and I can tell you I will not be taking my children there if there are loose dogs running around. You will be in essence depriving my children of a safe neighborhood park to play at if you pass this ordinance. Thank you, Becky Hanson Sent from my iPhone - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Tommy Hanson [mailto:tomm .. hanson ,bc mail.coml Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2012 8:41 AM To: Council Subject: Off Leash Dog Policy at Bachman Park Hi- My name is Tommy Hanson and I reside at 43 Bayview Avenue and am a dog owner. As such we often bring our three children to that park. While I feel some dog owners have a control an understanding of their dogs ability to be off leash many the majority do not nor appreciate if a individual or child has a true fear of dogs. Also, I think many dogs interactions with you children can be particularly sporadic. I personally witnessed a biting incidence with my nephew with my sister in laws dog and would hate to see that happen again. While dog owners say that is only a one time incident that is only it will take at the park for this to be a big issue for the town. Given the amount of dog parks in the area I don't think we need to open up one of public parks for dogs. -Tommy - - - -- Original Message---- - On 5/20/12 8:01 PM, "Catherine Grabinski" < zachercat@aol.com > wrote: >Steve — >1 am a resident on Belmont Avenue directly across from Bachman Park. I can't comprehend why the Town Council would even consider such a >disturbing thought such as allowing dogs off leash at the park. > There is dog litter that isn't being up by dog owners as it is right now. Allowing dogs off leash would only make the matter worse. >Furthermore, the issue of safety is of great concern. My 9 -year old daughter and I like to use the park to throw a softball, play frisbee, >or just hang out. She is very apprehensive to go to the park when there are big dogs, even if they are on a leash. She is adamant that >she wouldn't use the park if dogs were off leash. It a risk that is too great. >1 am hopeful you will not consider the thought of allowing dogs off leash at our wonderful neighborhood park. Doing such would only >satisfy a very few number of residents while it would create such disdain with the majority of residents. The neighbors that live adjacent to the park, such as my family, are all opposed to this terrible idea. >Regards, >Richard and Catherine Grabinski >233 Belmont Avenue >Los Gatos - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Theresa Marler [mailto:infoCabpup eq arcorporation.com] Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 11:12 AM To: Council Subject: off leash dogs in our parks Dear Council Members: I hope you reconsider your position on off leash dogs in our mixed use parks. I am a dog owner and dog lover and I work in the pet industry. Dogs off leash in a fenced area, designated for dogs is a wonderful thing. However a mixed use environment where there are lots of kids, food and dogs running free, is a recipe for trouble. Dogs should have their own designated off leash area for their safety as well as the general public. Respectfully, Theresa Marler Pupar 408.358.1114 Office 408.317.0464 Fax http: / /pupgearcorporation.com - - - -- Original Message - - -- -From: Naoki [mailto:nevshimazaki @yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 4:54 PM To: Christy Wolter Subject: Dog Off Leash pilot program Ms Christy Wolter Los Gatos Park and Facilities Superintendent Dear Ms Wolter, 1. My name is Evelyn Shimazaki and I live on 202 Granada Way. Our house is across the street from Rinconada Park. We have a dog and we use the park regularly. We keep our dog leashed when we use the park, ensuring that we control him at all times especially when he comes in contact with strange dogs. 2. We have met many dog owners who use the park. The majority of the dogs we have encountered are leashed which we believe adds rather than detracts from the overall park user's enjoyment and safety when using Rinconada Park. If dogs are allowed off - leash, not only our dog, but children using the playgound, picnickers using the picnic tables and barbecue as well as neighbors suchbas ourselves could come into contact with unwanted dogs that are off - leash. The potential for injury and the likelihood for lawsuits are great indeed. 3. There is a pit bull training class on Sunday mornings at the park and I am relieved the dog leash policy requires them to be kept strict physical control. I wouldn't want my dog to come in contact with pit bulls, nor do I want pit bulls roaming in my yard, as our property is not fenced. In fact, most of the homes across from the park are not fenced. 4. Rinconada Park is a long and shallow park, not an ideal configuration for allowing dogs off leash. The adjacent road, Granada Way, is also narrow (due to a couple of median dividers), winding (with lots of blind spots) and is at the bottom of a very steep hill where cars tend to drive by at speed. Dogs who stray onto Granada Way could very easily be hit and injured or killed. 5. We are curious about the origin of the pilot proposal. Who are the residents requesting this change ? Do they live in the vicinity of Rinconada Park ? Why now ? What has changed ? Have you conducted any risk analysis on this proposal ? Have you obtained an opinion from the City's insurer or attorney ? Could you share this information with the residents if you have it. For the reasons mentioned above, we oppose the Dog off -leash Pilot Program. Sincerely yours, Evelyn Shimazaki Homeowner 202 Granada Way Los Gatos, CA 95032 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Neha Gambhir imailto:neha g79 @yahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 12:14 PM To: Council Subject: dog off- lease pilot program To, The Town Council members, This is regarding the dog off - lease pilot program which is being evaluated at the community meetings. I am a mother of 2 kids under the age of 6 and I strongly oppose the pilot program. It is a very UNSAFE and UNHYGIENIC step and is not in the interest of the community. I would be there at the last meeting tomorrow and wish the council could come to a decision to abandon this program. Many Thanks - Neha Gambhir - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Matthew DiCicco [ma I Ito: MattDicicco(acomcast. netl Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 7:51 PM To: Council Subject: Bachman Park Dear Council Members: I have lived in the Bachman park area for 17 years. I love the fact that the park has thus far been used primarily by the neighborhood families and not become an attraction for people who live outside the area. Over the years my children and I have made numerous friends there. I am deeply concerned about opening it up as a partial use dog park. I have had a dog knock my then two year old down and cause her to be afraid of dogs for a time. I also almost ran over a dog that ran out of the park and into the street as it was off leash. I don't understand why the town would consider exposing children at the park to the possibility of a dog attack? Would you consider letting part of the park be used as a dump? How about a rifle range? Absurd examples but they illustrate the stupidity of putting anything that could harm our children in the park. Consider these facts: State Farm: in 2011 CA led the country in dog bite related claims. 527 claims were filed and $20.3 Million paid. This is a 31% increase from 2010. American Humane Society: 4.7 million dog bites occur in the US each year. 50% of the bites are in children under the age of 12. 82% of all ER visits related to dog bites are children under the age of 15. Bite rates are significantly higher in children ages 5- 9 .... exactly the ages that Bachman Park attracts There are 1000 ER visits per day in the US due to dog bites. Dogsbite.org In 2011 there were 31 fatal dog bites; 32% were in children ages 5 and under... again... children who go to a park such as Bachman. CA and TX led the nation in fatalities with 65% of the bites coming from what were proclaimed as "family" dogs. Which demographic are you trying to cater to? In an area designed as a neighborhood park, such as Bachman, it is highly irresponsible to allow dogs off leash. Bachman has play equipment to cater to young children. The park does not have public restrooms so as not to encourage large crowds from outside the neighborhood. It is located in a residential area for small groups of neighborhood children. To think anything else is to completely change the character that the park has earned. The Town tries so hard to cater to dog owners that sometimes the humans are left to pay the price. Why not pick a park that can handle being multi -use with dogs? One that is not located in a neighborhood. Has facilities to deal with larger crowds. Attracts its share of older children and adults. If Bachman is turned into even a partial dog park, concerned neighbors against the dog park will call upon the police to check that the dogs are registered, that they have their shots, etc. Not exactly optimal use of the police's resources, but a parent's first concern is the safety of their child. Especially if we cannot trust the Town to ensure our parks safety. Please do the right thing and not expose our children to an unnecessary risk. Even the most secured dog park is not worth the trauma to a child in the event of an attack. Thank you for your time, Kerri and Matt D!Cicco 238 Almendra Ave - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Sauter, Dave (Sunnyvale) [dave.sauter @thermofisher.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 12:14 AM To: Town PPW Subject: Off Leash Proposal To Whom This May Concern: I am at a total loss to why we believe having off leash hours in a Park like Rinconada solves or even could validate an off leash test. At Rinconada Park people who walk dogs do it consistently at certain times. I do too and I know everyone that walks dogs around the hours I do. I know the dogs, people, walkers, birders etc. Some dogs are on leash and some are off. There are no problems. We all know each other and know our animals. We know who likes who and who needs special attention and that includes animal to animal as well as person to person. Some people like to seethe dogs leashed and pet owners leash up for them, other people run up to the dogs to say hi and give pets! Everyone cleans up and keeps the park neat. This is the way it should be and this is the way it has been for a long time. People come and go, but the process works. If there is a problem everyone knows the rules and what can be done. If there are people who live near the park that want to walk their dogs off leash, what is stopping them? There are plenty of opportunities. Is it because they are unfriendly or afraid of other dog owners so they find it difficult to become part of the group or is it their dogs that cannot get along with other dogs so they feel left out? There seems to be something which makes them feel they need to change rules to FORCE others to get along with them for certain periods of time. We don't need that here nor do we want that here I also want to stress that I live right across the street and see most everything. I am outside every weekend and see what is going on in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. People come and go, parties take place, kids play, dogs walk, dogs play and every things works just fine. There is absolutely no reason or purpose to propose or accept any change from what we have right now. Please respect what we have accomplished here by leaving everything as it is today. Sincerely Dave Sauter - - - -- Original Message---- - On 5/23/12 9:59 PM, "Jeffs" < igruetter126 @yahoo.com wrote: >1 dive approximately a mile from Bachman Park, I own two large dogs and have a four and six year old daughter that go to Bachman Park about 4 >times per week. Being responsible dog owners, we strictly abide by the leash law always. We have had many instances with off leash dogs > "charging our on leash dogs" our dogs get anxious /protective and usually some type of confrontation ensues. I have personally been >injured trying to separate my on leash dog from an off leash aggressor. >Dogs are dogs, they have a strong prey drive and pack mentality. Mixing this with young children playing at a park is insane. As most small >children are bit on the face, to me, the risk associated with off leash dogs far outweighs any perceived benefit. There USA leash law for a reason and it should be rigorously enforced. > Jeff Gruetter - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Lu Ann [mailto:luannf @comcast.netl Sent: Friday, May 25, 2012 3:42 PM To: Town PPW; Council Subject: off leash unfenced dog parks in our parks I have attended all three of the meetings at Van Meter and have sent in 2 letters about this to council. Something that was said at the last meeting, I found a bit distressing. When one of the persons asked about the town liability, Todd stressed that the town had no liability if a dog were to bite someone. All liability falls on the owner of the dog. The part that I find distressing is that even though the town may not think it is liable and thus feels it's ok to proceed with off leash UNFENCED dogs. You must realize that you are somewhat responsible then for putting citizens and other dogs that are on leash , at risk by now sanctioning off leash dogs, which most cities do not do. You may not think you are legally responsible, but morally, you are responsible. I own, love, and rescue dogs. But, I KNOW dogs, and some dogs get very excited when children squeal and run. It's not fair to pick a dog over kids when it comes to use of the parks. If you ask mothers with small children and babies, they will tell you that their kids get knocked down. I've spoken to several that have had that happen to them. WHY would you make the parks "Enter at your own Risk during these hours" for people that don't want to be approached by dogs? And, I can't believe that your "pilot" would include 3 parks!! As it stands, kids are getting knocked down, the residents that live in the closest proximity to the park complain about the smell and doo poo, and then some complain about their ON- LEASH dogs getting rushed by off -leash dogs. The only SAFE solution is a fenced in park or two. I think that something like that is feasible. Just like the public library raised funds by soliciting funds, I think that these groups /town could do the same. Maybe even have a donation matching contribution from the town /parks. I know I would be willing to donate money for such a project. You could even have these dog owners to volunteer to help with doing some of the setup work. Then, interested users could pay a yearly fee, of say $25/$30 for use of the fenced in areas. The areas would have a coded keypad that only members have the code to. The fee use would go to help toward maintenance like the astroturf or whatever grounds have been decided on. As far as cleanup goes, the group that is committed to making this work, could have an adopt a dog park type group that does a maintenance sweep either on a weekly, or bi- weekly basis so the neighbors wouldn't complain about the smell and dog poop. Also strict on -leash compliance would be required until they get to these areas. I mentioned that it is unsanitary to have mix used areas and was accused by the pro off - leashers of having a phobia. However, I asked 2 different pediatricians what they thought of the idea, and they said it wasn't a good idea. The diseases that dog poop and pee create are not something I made up. If you read my previous post to you, you will see that it's just not good practice. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Lu Ann lmailto:luannf @comcast.netl Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 11:50 AM To: Town PPW; Council Subject: unfenced unleashed dog park I would like to request that the Council and Parks Commission consider a fenced in dog park or two for our town. The group that is requesting off - leash, unfenced dogs in our parks is but a small percentage of dog owners in Los Gatos. As a dog lover, owner, rescuer, I would love to see an in -town dog park or two that ALL dog owners would be able to use. Not just the very small group that allows their dogs off - leash. I can bet that if you were to poll the actual dog owners in town, the great majority do not have dogs that they would trust off leash. What our town really needs is a fenced dog park or two. The dog park in Campbell just isn't highly used by Los Gatos, myself included. The money saved in parking fees alone at the Campbell park is better used going toward a users fee in Los Gatos. This would service a greater majority of dogs in town and be fair to more of the dog owners rather than the group that allows their dogs off - leash. This would be safer for the community (people that do not want to come in contact with dogs at the park and would like to be able to use the park at all times) and also keep our parks safe from contagious diseases that are spread through dog feces and urine. am sure that many more dog owners would be willing to contribute to have a park built that could be used by all dog owners. Maybe even some non -dog owners would be willing to contribute to the dog park fund to keep loose dogs out of the parks. Having a small yearly use fee can also help pay for maintenance, and having a keyed pad would prevent non paying users out. As I said before these groups can form an adopt a park with weekly cleanups of the enclosed area. A real dog park would serve all these groups. This would be an improvement for the off -leash unfenced dog group because the hours would not be so limiting. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Patricia Roller [ mai Ito: patriciarollermailCabyahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 8:44 PM To: council@lo_ atq osca.gov Town PPW Subject: against off -leash pilot program I am a resident of Los Gatos since 1984 and I am totally opposed to the off -leash pilot program. Dogs that are not on a leash simply scare me. Patricia Roller, 15920 Rose Ave., Los Gatos - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Marybeth Maclean < mbmaclean @comcast.net Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 5:43 PM To: Steve Leonardis < SLeonardis @losgatosca.gov >, Diane McNutt < dmcnutt @losgatosca.gov >, Joe Pirzynski < JPirzynsl<i @losgatosca.gov >, BSpector < BSpector @losgatosca.gov >, "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @losgatosca.gov >, Council < Council @losgatosca.gov Subject: Don't make Bachman a Dog Park! Dear Ladies and Gentleman, Isn't he adorable? This is Freddy, our beloved goldendoodle. I live 2 blocks from Bachman park and we take walks there frequently. You might think that 1 would love the idea of him running free off leash there. In fact, quite the contrary. I have also raised 3 sons and have held many of their birthday parties at Bachman park. Bachman Park is a CHILD FRIENDLY park first and foremost. Freddy is "friendly" to the point that he would think nothing of knocking down a toddler and lick him in the face. How scary that would be for the toddler! Freddy has been enrolled in private and group training classes for 6 months now and his renowned trainer from Bay Area Dog Training considers him a very easy to train dog who has mastered all of his behaviors to date. But is he a dog I want off leash in an UNFENCED park? Absolutely not! Nor do I want him to come across other dogs off leash. When I want to play catch with Freddy at Bachman Park, I bring a 50 foot leash for everyone's safety and out of consideration of others. I love Freddy, but he is a DOG and should never expect the same rights at a park as HUMAN children. I wish other dog owners would be as considerate. I hope there is a more suitable FENCED park that is not co- occupied by children that you might consider for this pilot experiment in Los Gatos but I implore that you don't sacrifice our beautiful, quaint, NEIGHBORHOOD Bachman Park. Please rethink this pilot program before it is too late. My brother in law still has scars on his face from bites of his grandmother's "friendly" toy poodle when he was 3 years old. No dog is harmless, including Freddy. But really, isn't he adorable ? ? ?? Marybeth MacLean 156 Massol Ave Los Gatos, CA 95030 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Donna George Fox < dizal @aol.com Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 6:02 PM To: Steve Leonardis < SLeonardis @losgatosca.gov >, Diane McNutt < dmcnutt @losgatosca.gov >, Joe Pirzynski < JPirzynski @losgatosca.gov >, BSpector < BSpector @losgatosca.gov >, "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @ losgatosca.gov Subject: VOTE NO ON PILOT OFF - LEASH PROGRAM AT BACHMAN! Dear Council Members: This is bad for Los Gatos! VOTE NO ON THE OFF -LEASH PILOT PROGRAM! Donna George Fox dizal Qaol.com - - - -- Original Message---- - From: David Dury rmailto:davidsduryCabgmail.coml Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 9:09 AM To: Steve Leonardis; Diane McNutt; Joe Pirzynski; BSpector; Steve Rice; Council Subject: Vote against using Bachman Park as a Dog Park! I am against the proposal to allow off -leash dogs in Bachman Park, even as an experiment. I have lived in a house 3 houses from the corner of Bachman Park for 26 years. Our daughter (now 28) grew up playing in that park, and now her son (our grandson) comes by to play there. It is wonderful to see generation after generation of neighborhood children walking to and playing in the park. They can be seen walking to the park from Almond Grove, Ridgecrest area, and further up the hill. There is very little parking, yet the park is full of children (because many walk to the park). Early every summer there are school year -end parties held there. There are constant birthday parties, wedding photo's, early morning fly- fishing seminars, annual Thanksgiving Day touch football games, and thousands of toddler and young children playing all over the park. Over the years I have lived here, the neighbors a) helped to build the first set of playground equipment, b) argued with the then city council (and prevailed) about keeping the playground equipment appropriate for a neighborhood park, and c) argued against adding bathrooms to the park, in keeping with it's neighborhood status (more than once, if I recall correctly). I love dogs and all kinds of pets, but I also love the leash law and the requirement for owners to pick up after their pets. The last thing I want is to worry about every step my grandson takes as he walks across or plays on the grass of Bachman Park, to ensure he is not stepping in dog poop. Or rolling in grass where dogs have pee'd. Or getting knocked over by a group of dogs off leash having fun rough- housing with each other. That is not a park for kids! In addition, I believe the new plan would attract people from all over the county, greatly increasing the traffic in the area, an area which by definition has lots of children walking across the streets to get to the park. I don't believe we can rely on owners to police their own dogs all of the time. Just look at public pools-- - there are lifeguards there because although parents are "required" to watch their kids at all times, they just don't. Please vote against turning Bachman Park into a free range dog park! David Dury - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Tedi Uhrowczik < tediu @comcast.net Date: Monday, June 4, 2012 7:10 PM To: "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @losgatosca.gov Subject: Dog Park We are neighbors of Bachman Park and DO NOT support turning any part of the park into a dog park. This would attract dog owners from non -Los Gatos areas. Please don't do that to our area. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Barbara Dalderis < dalderis @comcast.net Date: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 9:25 AM To: Steve Leonardis < SLeonardis @losgatosca.gov >, Diane McNutt < dmcnutt @losgatosca.gov >, BSpector @ BSpector @losgatosca.gov >, "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @losgatosca.gov >, Council < Council @losgatosca.gov Subject: Proposed Dogs Off -Leash Pilot Program - NOT I think it would be wonderful if Los Gatos had a fenced dog park. But the idea of making three parks in our town part time, unfenced dog parks is flawed. I am a neighbor of Bachman Park and a dog owner and I am against this plan. I live a half block from the park and as it is, I walk my dog safely through Bachman Park and around my neighborhood every day. This plan goes through and I have to worry about an influx of off -leash dogs when I'm walking my leashed dog! I envision my leashed dog being rushed by an out of control off leash dog ... a recipe for trouble. In fact, my pup and I were rushed by a pit bull who was off leash in Bachman park one morning. No damage, but it gave me a real scare. Other objections that come to mind are that It will bring more auto traffic to our neighborhood and create parking issues. There is little parking available near Bachman Park now, since Belmont Avenue only has parking allowed on the park side of the street. Bachman Park is not a large park and half of the park is a playground ....which means there are children in the park. While many dogs are well behaved, many are not, and we could have issues with children being scared or hurt by dogs. Who is going to police this dog play area? As it is, we rarely see a ranger in the park. I also believe this plan will create more dog waste in the park. As it is, the park often runs out of poop bags. Is there a plan to keep the dogs in one area? That would be very difficult. I'm sure opening the park to off -leash dog play will attract folks who don't live within walking distance. What will they do for bathrooms? I could go on but you get the idea. I think the councils time would be better spent on looking for an area in Los Gatos for a fenced dog park and drop this ill- conceived idea of a part time off leash program. Thank you for your consideration of my concerns. Barbara Dalderis - - - -- Original Message---- - On 6/5/12 7:10 PM, "Elaine Cardinale" < ecardinale@earthlink.net > wrote: >Dear Steve, >1 believe The Dog Off Leash Program is an ill- conceived idea for any park in LG that does not have a fenced, dogs- and - owners -only area. >Having lived directly across from Bachman Park from 1986 -2001, 1 personally saw the effects of dogs off leash. >Several innocent children were traumatized and bitten by dogs, as well >as my own two dogs chased and harassed by other dogs that were 'off leash' illegally. >Sadly, not all pet owners take responsibility for unruly dogs, whether on or off leashes. Allowing dogs to run free just exacerbates this issue. > Please, please, don't ruin the peace and freedom of LG parks and neighborhoods. > Parks with this policy will be overrun not only by LG pet owners but most likely others from adjacent communities. >The traffic and parking could also become problematic; add the chaos of dogs running amok in the parks, most likely without owner >supervision and it might spoil the parks for anyone other than dogs and their owners. >Policing policies could become a nightmare, if it can be funded and reliably enforced. This seems a wasted expense during these fiscally trying times. >Our municipal funds could and should be used for more important issues than enforcing dog /owner infractions. >1 envision increased law suits, police and medical emergencies- -more services and charges our City can ill afford. >1 strongly urge you to vote NO on this proposal. >Sincerely, > Elaine Cardinale >19711 Canon Drive >Los Gatos, CA 95030 >p.s. If I were still a resident of Bachman Park I would be protesting this proposal daily with placards and letters to our local news agencies! - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Kate Paisley < kpaisley @verizon.net Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 10:26 AM To: "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @losgatosca.gov Subject: NO PILOT for Dogs Off Leash at LG Parks Dear Steve, I'm writing to express my concern regarding off -leash hours for dogs at parks in Los Gatos. I have lived across the street from Bachman Park for the last 16 years. My children were 18 months and 4 years old when we moved here, and we have had a dog for the last 10 years. We have spent a lot of time at the park, and still do. Bachman Park is a very busy park filled with families, kids, dogs and others on almost any day of the week, at various hours and all hours on the weekend. Parking is quite limited. The street is frequently parked up on weekends and often during the week. have two primary concerns about off -leash hours. Safety - Bachman Park features open grassy areas, a play structure, sandbox, and blacktop area. There are no fences or enclosed areas. Even the best dogs are unpredictable and can be aggressive or accidentally dangerous in some situations. Allowing dogs off -leash sets up the possibility for these situations to occur. Living across the street from the park I observe off -leash dogs all the time and they are quite often not well- supervised by their owners. I, myself, have been knocked over by a dog with an owner that was unable to control it. Several times, I have had dogs dash across the street and through my front door. Traffic - There are no other unfenced, off -leash dog parks in Santa Clara County. If this is passed, these three Los Gatos parks will become a magnet for people who want to run their dogs off - leash. As a homeowner near the park, I do not want increased traffic in my neighborhood and I do not want people from outside the neighborhood and Los Gatos area frequenting the park with their dogs. If anyone has any doubt about the likelihood of people coming in from outside the area, just think of Halloween and the crowds that we experience on that evening. Obviously, off -leash dog hours are not the same as Halloween, but they would bring many people to our quiet Los Gatos neighborhoods daily. The Parks Dept. has openly stated that it cannot police the off -leash dog hours and it will be up to dog - owners and the group that is advocating off -leash hours to do so. This is a recipe for disaster that neither the Parks Dept. nor this well - meaning but misguided group of dog owners will be able to manage. -Our neighborhood parks will become a magnet for dog owners outside the area. -Car traffic from outside the area will increase, parking will be more limited than it already is. -More dog feces will be left behind (always a problem with off -leash dogs). - Children and others using at the park will be less safe. Please do not pass off -leash dog hours at any of our Los Gatos parks. Kate Paisley, Homeowner 211 Belmont Ave. Los Gatos, CA 95030 408 - 605 -2300 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jean Leeming jmai Ito: jtleeming @me.coml Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2012 2:04 PM To: Jean Leeming Cc: Council; Jean Leeming; bianca@ceruleanevents.com Subject: Re: Dog Off -Leash Proposal by Parks Commission Also, why was Oak Meadow Park, which is 12 acres, not considered for a fenced in dog park instead of a small park with children play structures? - - - -- Original Message---- - On Jun 6, 2012, at 1:58 PM, Jean Leeming wrote: Dear Town Council, I'm writing to voice my opinion regarding the proposed off -leash hours at Bachman Park. I live on Hernandez Ave (a 9 -year+ resident) with my husband, 5 -year old daughter, 3 -year old son, and newborn baby. I have attended two of the community discussion meetings regarding the proposed off -leash code and am quite surprised it has now gotten the endorsement by the Parks Commission and is headed your way for review during your June 18 Council Meeting. During the first of the community meetings, both 'sides' (pro and against) of the off -leash discussion made various points. For those opposing off -leash hours, there were various reasonable points made by 2 pediatricians, 2 professional dog trainers and 1 plastic surgeon about the hazards and danger that dogs running free pose to children as well as other dogs. The dog trainers cited 5 key reasons that dogs attack people and admonished those dog owners who thought they had l00% control of their dogs, reminding them that they are still animals and have ingrained instincts that can never be overcome. The pediatricians and plastic surgeon noted dog bite examples and the absolute opinion against off -leash consideration and the danger posed to children with dogs running free. Various moms with factual incident -based objections spoke emotionally about incidents with their children and dogs at Bachman Park, both on and off leash. The arguments primarily focusing on safety for children, adults, and other dogs who are NOT off leash. There are obvious emotional arguments from both sides, but for those IN favor of off -leash hours, it appeared to me they only presented emotional arguments that their dogs deserve time at the park to exercise and socialize with other dogs as much as children, and their belief that their'nice' dogs would never hurt a child. I am a mom who has personally had various incidents at Bachman Park with dogs. I had one woman who was letting her dogs run around the park (two large golden retrievers) and she said 'oh don't worry, they would never hurt your kids', however they proceeded to run up to four of our children sitting on a park bench and ate the lunch off of their laps. I have had dogs run at my children at the park (near the play area and in the field), I've witnessed a dog run through the sand box with two and three year old children playing, and this past weekend a dog ran up to and started to stick his nose into the baby stroller where my sleeping newborn was. Fortunately I caught the dog before the owner did (or before he touched my newborn). During the third community meeting, a member of the audience said it seemed obvious that the moderator (the Director) was biased and in favor of dogs off - leash. He denied he was biased however admitted that he was in favor of off -leash hours. That alone is a conflict of interest. With Bachman Park being considered, I strongly believe it is irresponsible and negligent to consider dogs off leash with NO fencing nor designated area for the dogs. Bachman Park is a small park with two play structures, two swing sets, a large sandbox, a sports court and field with picnic tables and benches. Should a dog 'area' be considered and condoned by the Town Council, I would urge you to please approve ONLY with a designated and fenced area. PLEASE do not put our children at risk while a pilot program is 'tested' in our community. In additional to serious injury and emotional danger posed to children by dogs on children's playgrounds, this also represent a major health hazard. To think the Parks Commission can separate 2 hours of a day for the dogs, and then welcome children to play is naive to say the least. Dog feces harbor a variety of harmful bacteria and viruses such as giardiasis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, tapeworms, ringworm, hookworm, and parvo among others. Since the bacteria and viruses can linger in the soil, they are easily transmitted via contact by a dog or human into the home. Regardless of how well an owner picks up after their dog, a single gram of dog feces (about the size of a dime) contains about 23 million fecal coliform bacteria which can cause serious kidney disorders, stomach cramps, diarrhea and intestinal illnesses. Another thing to keep in mind is that pet waste attracts rodents and vermin to your yard, park, playground, or community common areas who use it as their primary food source in urban areas. These animals carry a variety of diseases and also bring fleas and ticks into your grass, which in turn can then take up residence on your pets. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deemed pet waste a "nonpoint source of pollution" in 1991, which put dog waste in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals! In two periods (spring /summer and autumn /winter) investigations for salmonellae and helminths were made with 30o naturally infected dog droppings each. In the first period 10.33% of the collected fecal samples had been infected with salmonellae of 10 different serovars. Eggs of Taxascaris leonina were found in 3.33 %, eggs of Toxocara canis in 4.33 %, taeniid eggs in 1.67% and Ancylostomatides in 3.33% of examined droppings. The investigations in the autumn /winter period showed 9% fecal samples infected with salmonellae of 11 different serovars. 5% fecal specimens contained eggs of T. canis, 2% eggs of T. leonina, 0.33% eggs of Taenia spp. and Ancylostomatidae made up to 2 %. httD://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.IZOV/Dtibmed/7.r;6i-r,8 WHY IS FENCING NOT BEING CONSIDERED EVEN WITH THE PROPOSED DOG HOURS? IS THE SIMPLE COST OF FENCING MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR CHILDREN'S SAFTEY? WHY IS THIS VERY HEATED DISCUSSION NOT BEING PUT TO A VOTE BY THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN? WHY IS THERE NO DESIGNATED AREA BEING GIVEN INSTEAD OF FULL USE OF THE PARK? IF CONDONED AND SUPPORTED BY LG TOWN COUNCIL, WHAT LIABILITY WILL THE TOWN HOLD WHEN EVENTUALLY THERE IS A PROBLEM AND SOMEONE IS HURT? I trust you, our Town Council, will responsibly and objectively review the proposal being presented June 18. You have been elected to protect and put the interest of the people of this community first (not dogs) and I'm confident you will. Please reply with any comments you may have and I look forward to seeing each of you June 18. Kind regards, Jean - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Lu Ann lmailto:luannf @comcast.netl Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 12:59 AM To: Council Subject: Parks Commission I attended the Parks Commission meeting the other night to discuss the off -leash dog proposed pilot program. I have attended all 3 meeting at Van Meter. I know from attending the meetings at Van Meter, that the support has been 2/3 opposed, and possibly more than that by now. However, at the Parks meeting, I was rather surprised to see the Park Commission putting forth supporting the proposal. So while they may have accomplished the task that was put before them by council, they ignored the majority's concerns. None of the concerns or issues that the opposed citizens have with the dogs UNFENCED and off -leash have been answered or taken in to consideration, with the exception of avoidance of the park during the hours they are there. Probably the major issues of concern are, the safety of the children at the parks, the fact that there is no way to truly confine the dogs to these proposed areas, the poop and urine that is already a problem at the parks, sharing the same area with contagious diseases from such waste, not to mention that the larger majority of people with dogs that stay on leash, will not use the parks either because they don't want to risk an encounter with an off -leash dog. Sanctioning off -leash dogs will only exacerbate these problems. The very few places that have off -leash unfenced dogs are not located where there are children. One of the citizens that attended the park meeting, and was opposed to dogs off - leash, unfenced, visited one such park and said that it was located in an area that was more like a playing field for soccer and did not have a playground on it. She also cited the top reasons dogs bite. Running children was one of them. She was also a dog trainer and dog owner who now has to avoid the parks because of off -leash dogs, as many of us now do. A fence is a small price to pay for keeping our children and dogs safe. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Eric Raff lmailto :eraff @xlconstruction.coml Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 10:37 PM To: Steve Leonardis; Diane McNutt; Joe Pirzynski; BSpector; Steve Rice; Council Subject: Off -Leash Dog Parks I'm writing to express my concern and opposition to off -leash hours for dogs atparks in Los Gatos. I've lived on Belmont Ave., across the street from Bachman Park, for the last 15years. Bachman Park is a small,well -used, neighborhood park. I have three major concerns about off -leash hours. 1. Traffic and Parking- There are no other unfenced, off -leash dog parks in Santa Clara County. If this ispassed, these three Los Gatos parks will surely become a magnet for people who want to run their dogs off - leash. People will drive in from all over the area. The little Los Gatos parks have already been in the media as a result of just considering off -leash hours! If anyone has any doubt about the likelihood of people coming in from outside the area, just think of Halloween and the crowds that we experience on that evening. Obviously, off -leash dog hours will not draw that many people every day, but it will bring many people to our quiet Los Gatos neighborhoods. Bachman Park does not have the facilities to support drawing people from outside the neighborhood. There is no bathroom facility. There is also no parking lot and street parking is quite limited. The street is often completely parked up on weekends. Bachman Park is not designed to support an `attraction' such as off leash dog hours that draws people from outside of the neighborhood. Has there been a study, such as an Environmental Impact Report, done to identify what the impacts might be? 2. Safety - Bachman Park is a very busy park attended by families and kids on almost every day of the week. There is a play structure, sandbox, andblacktop area. There are no fences or enclosed areas. Even the best dogs are unpredictable and can be aggressive or accidentally dangerous in some situations. Allowing dogs off -leash without any barrier between the dogs and the other people at the park will significantly increase the likelihood of dangerous situations. 3. This is perhaps my biggest concern: Presuming someone gets hurt or the traffic or other impacts on the parks are too great to continue with the pilot, how will the Town stop people from coming to the parks and letting their dogs off leash? The Parks Dept, has openly stated that it does not have the resources to police the off -leash dog hours and it will be up to dog- owners to do so. If thepilot stops, what will prevent all the people that were drawn to our neighborhoods from continuing to bring their dogs and let them off - leash? The pilot program may prove irreversible or require significant expense by the Town to make the parks safe and address the other impacts caused by the influx of people and off -leash use. Please do not allow off -leash dog hours at any of our Los Gatos parks. Eric Raff 211 Belmont Ave. Los Gatos - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Neuners [mailto:neuners(aIverizon.netl Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 1:03 PM To: Council Subject: off leash dogs "I am opposed to all off- -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks." Rene Neuner - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Hal Chase rmailtodgfireC@me.coml Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 1:10 PM To: Council Subject: Off leash proposal "I am opposed to all off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks." Hal Chase 107 Ann Arbor Dr Los Gatos - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jocelyn Penner < iocelynpenner @gmail.com Date: Monday, June 11, 2012 2:20 PM To: "Stephen M. Rice " < srice @losgatosca.gov >, BSpector < BSpector @losgatosca.gov >, Steve Leonardis < SLeonardis @losgatosca.gov >, Diane McNutt < dmcnutt @losgatosca.gov >, Joe Pirzynski < JPirzynski @losgatosca.gov Subject: Off leash program in neighborhood parks I am writing because I am opposed to all off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. I currently do not feel comfortable walking through Bachman Park in the late afternoon, although the park is 2 blocks from my house and on my regular walking route, because the loose dogs bother me and my small dog. Additionally, my dog Lilly has been attacked twice at Bachman Park- I did file a report with the town when this happened. Sincerely, Jocelyn Penner Los Gatos citizen against off leash in our neighborhood parks - - - -- Original Message---- - From: David Dury imailto:davidsdury @smail.coml Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 1:48 PM To: Steve Rice; BSpector; Steve Leonardis; Diane McNutt; Joe Pirzynski; Council Cc: kpaislev @verizon.net Subject: Against turning Bachman Park into a dog park, even part time I previously sent an email before the last hearing, opposing the idea of allowing off leash dogs in Bachman Park. I gather that had no effect. I just found out that there is another hearing on June 18. I am very opposed to the idea. Dog parks are for dogs -- neighborhood parks are for children and adults. Would you take your baby or toddler to a dog park and tell them to roll around and play in the grass? Of course not. Even if owners police after their dogs, they do not wipe up their pee, nor clean every speck of feces. Owners all say their dogs are well behaved, but I have seen even well behaved dogs get frenzied and accidentally bumping into a kid while actively playing with other dogs. How can you even consider allowing a neighborhood park to be an experiment for changing a law put on the books to protect the public. There is no crying need for mixing a dog park and a kid's parkl David Dury Bachman neighborhood resident since 1986 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: David Dury imailto :davidsdurv(@gmail.coml Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 9:09 AM To: Steve Leonardis; Diane McNutt; Joe Pirzynski; BSpector; Steve Rice; Council Subject: Vote against using Bachman Park as a Dog Park! I am against the proposal to allow off -leash dogs in Bachman Park, even as an experiment. I have lived in a house 3 houses from the corner of Bachman Park for 26 years. Our daughter (now 28) grew up playing in that park, and now her son (our grandson) comes by to play there. It is wonderful to see generation after generation of neighborhood children walking to and playing in the park. They can be seen walking to the park from Almond Grove, Ridgecrest area, and further up the hill. There is very little parking, yet the park is full of children (because many walk to the park). Early every summer there are school year -end parties held there. There are constant birthday parties, wedding photo's, early morning fly- fishing seminars, annual Thanksgiving Day touch football games, and thousands of toddler and young children playing all over the park. Over the years I have lived here, the neighbors a) helped to build the first set of playground equipment, b) argued with the then city council (and prevailed) about keeping the playground equipment appropriate for a neighborhood park, and c) argued against adding bathrooms to the park, in keeping with it's neighborhood status (more than once, if l recall correctly). I love dogs and all kinds of pets, but I also love the leash law and the requirement for owners to pick up after their pets. The last thing I want is to worry about every step my grandson takes as he walks across or plays on the grass of Bachman Park, to ensure he is not stepping in dog poop. Or rolling in grass where dogs have pee'd. Or getting knocked over by a group of dogs off leash having fun rough- housing with each other. That is not a park for kids! In addition, I believe the new plan would attract people from all over the county, greatly increasing the traffic in the area, an area which by definition has lots of children walking across the streets to get to the park. I don't believe we can rely on owners to police their own dogs all of the time. Just look at public pools-- - there are lifeguards there because although parents are "required" to watch their kids at all times, they just don't. Please vote against turning Bachman Park into a free range dog park! David Dury - - - -- Original Message---- - On 6/11/12 2:49 PM, "Kelli Granum" < kelligranum @gmail.com wrote: >1 am opposed to all off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. My daughters are scared of dogs and a park should be a place where they feel comfortable and safe. This is not fair to our community. >Thanks, >Kelli Granum - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jennifer Lambert [mailtoJen.lambertftmail.coml Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:04 PM To: Council Cc: jon lambert Subject: Against the off -leash dogs program I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. Please don't change our parks. Pleasel Jen Lambert, mommy of 2 young kids who love to visit the park but would not like to be chased or charged by a dog no matter what time of day it is - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Julie Winters < good dog @mindspring com Reply -To: " good dog@mindspring.com < good dog @mindspring com Date: Monday, June 11, 2012 8:08 PM To: "Stephen M. Rice" < siice @Iosgatosca.gov Subject: Off leashe program at Bachman Park Mr. Mayor, Although I am a former dog owner (an old St. Bernard) I love all animals. I am not just so sure of their owners. I used to walk my dog off leash back in the 1980's ... but a lot has changed. I am very sympathetic to having a dog off leash program, but there are just some dog owners that don't know or pay attention about who inhabits their world. I guess.... finally ... I am opposed to having an off leash park especially at Bachman Park. This is where I take the canines that I walk. I take care of and walk my friends dogs. I cannot imagine running into dogs (pit bulls) off leash and wondering what I should do to protect the dog I am walking. Although I am sympathetic to all species, I am very familiar with the plight of so many Pit Bulls. Since the Michael Vick Case Pit Bulls have been very popular and I am glad that people have developed soft spots for them.... BUT ... I am also very aware that these dogs have been over bred and continue to be so, even though there are laws against breeding them and selling them. It continues. This is what I am most concerned about. And, to have them off leash is just more than I can even imagine. I would leave the area... immediately. My Saint Bernard was attacked by a Pit Bull when he was less than a year old. This has stuck in my mind ever since. This is not to say that there aren't good Pit Bull dogs, but one can never know. They were bred to take down a Bull by the neck. So ... this is a different day. I am sorry to say that I must be against the off -leash program. Julie Winters - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Holly Bins [mailto:holly.bins @gmail.coml Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:26 PM To: Council Cc: jon lambert Subject: I OPPOSE the off -leash dog program Dear Council Members, I am the mother of three young children. We frequent Los Gatos parks many times per week. I OPPOSE the off -leash dog program that the council is piloting. We appreciate dogs in a controlled setting. Dog owners are provided extensive options to allow their dogs off - leash. Allowing dogs to roam off leash creates an unsafe environment where kids and parents must continuously keep their guard up for roaming animals. My son has a deep fear of dogs that are off - leash. The unpredictability and feelings of helplessness make my son run for the tallest structure on the play yard. I pray that you ease this anxiety and ask dog owners to retain their dogs on leash while in public parks. Sincerely, Holly Bins - - - -- Original Message---- - From: John Connolly [mailto:jpc3md @yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:27 PM To: Council Cc: jon_a_lambert @yahoo.com Subject: CITIZEN AGAINST OFF LEASH DOGS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. I am a plastic surgeon in the community, and I routinely treat children who have been bitten by off -leash dogs. The idea of an off -leash area for dogs is a good idea, but it needs to be in a fenced area away from children! Children and dogs do not coexist well with each other, and most importantly, owners of dogs cannot control an off -leash dog, no matter what they say. Additionally, this off -leash area will become a magnet for dogs from every local community to run around and the park will very quickly deteriorate. If the police department has no intention of monitoring this situation, you are asking for trouble. My wife has already called the Los Gatos police dept on several occasions complaining of off -leash dogs at Bachman being aggressive toward children, and nobody ever shows up. It is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and the city will be liable since they are condoning and encouraging the behavior. Find a fenced area for the dogs away from children so that there is no risk involved. That way, everybody wins! John Connolly, MD - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Raquel Connolly [mailto :raquelconnolly @ yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:37 PM To: Council Cc: jon_a_ lambert @yahoo.com Subject: CITIZEN AGAINST OFF LEASH DOGS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS I have witnessed two off leash dog attacks at Bachman park. In both cases the owner could not control the dog. My two year old daughter witnessed these attacks and is now terrified of dogs. By allowing off leash dogs at our parks, the town of Los Gatos is putting our children at risk and carrying the liability. Dogs should be allowed off leash at fenced in spaces created specifically for that purpose and away from where children play. Raquel Connolly - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Kristen Kinczel [mailto:krkinczel @ gmail.coml Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:53 PM To: Council Subject: Citizen against off leash dogs in our neighborhood I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. Kristen K. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: jon lambert jmailtoJon a lambert @yahoo.coml Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:11 PM To: Council Subject: No dogs off leash please I understand the driver for the dogs off leash program to be a request from a group of individuals who are currently running their dogs off leash illegally. They believe the Parks should be for shared use regardless of safety issues. When I joined the Parks Commission I was very driven to ensure that the Parks are safe, clean and available for everyone regardless of age and ability. I am still driven with these goals in mind. I do not consider the running of dogs off leash in an environment mixed with others to be safe. This puts our children, our elderly, our leashed dogs and indeed anyone sharing the Park at increased risk. Many residents do not want this program to proceed and there are many studies and statistics to back up the risks involved. I find it highly irresponsible to allow any activity that puts our residents and visitors at any sort of increased risk. We have been quoted the number of dogs in this town. No one has substantiated that figure and I doubt it is true regardless of how many are actually licensed. It is irrelevant anyway as this does not address the issue of safety which is paramount. I think Staff severely underestimated the amount of people against this program and how strongly these people feel about it. Put someone's kids at risk and you will very quickly understand how people feel about this. This will become a huge political agenda tool This may be a 'dog friendly' town but I also see a lot of dog owners unhappy due to the errant ways of the few who don't seem to care about our town. Two significant issues - off leash dogs and dog poop. We actually need to get much more focused on controlling both of these matters to protect our residents and visitors and to keep the town a special place. We should not be giving in to a vocal minority that have been breaking the town code and putting others at risk. It is worthy of note that I found quite a few of the supporters of this program to have been quite aggressive during the community meetings and in the news articles and blogs. This has caused some people who are not supporters to back off in fear of certain individuals causing harm to them, their pets or their homes. I personally have experienced owners of off leash dogs throwing balls right up to my 3 yr old son for their dogs to come fetch. I have asked some owners to leash their dogs when I felt my children were in danger only to be yelled at. The Bachman group block a pathway into the park every day and I know many parents feel their children are at risk because of this. I have also experienced the Bachman off leash dogs run as a pack onto Ellenwood Avenue. The owners had absolutely no control over their dogs and put others at extreme unnecessary risk. I also did not experience the Bachman dogs being exercised off leash but instead it was really intended for the adults to socialize. This is not fair or right and does not create a friendly or safe neighborhood. This activity would actually be much better served in the owners own gardens where others would not be negatively affected. I offered up my services on the Parks Commission to help serve the residents and advise council in a constructive manner. I have found the Parks Commission a challenge. It does not seem to me that Todd Capurso finds this a useful group and I have struggled to understand why he finds it such a chore. So I decided to meet with him and Christy Wolter to better understand. Todd made it clear that he found the Commission of little use and felt that the Commission just created more work for him and so he pushes back a lot and many Commission meetings often feel quite unpleasant because of this. I asked how I could make the Commission more effective and hopefully make Todd's life easier. This stimulated the 'adopt a park' program which I helped Christy initiate and I believe this will be an effective program to engage residents and also help reduce maintenance costs for the town. am incredibly disappointed at how Staff and the Commission have handled the off leash program review. Todd has appeared biased and determined to ensure that a pilot goes ahead even if there is significant data to support that it just increases the risk to others and that a significant portion of the residents do not want it to happen. The Commission was only shown Todd's summary report, a census of about 17 names that were in favor of the program and an informative letter against the program from an ex professional dog trainer and expert in the field of dog bites but none of the data that he and Council have been sent. The Commission stated Todd had done a great job and did not ask for any supporting data. I found the action of Staff and the Commission to be completely irresponsible and failing in its duty to represent the public and advise Council. The pilot has no structure, no measure of success or failure and no indication of where it will go thereafter. It appears that's the program is one of putting others at risk until such time that something happens that we will all wish did not happen. Yes there's a legal liability issue but I don't even want it to get to that stage. Too many children, elderly, other dogs have been hurt already and we don't need to add to those statistics. You just don't set up a pilot where failure is the bodily injury to humans or pets. If we allow this to proceed then does it not send the message that other illegal minority groups should take their illegal activities to the park also in the belief that sooner or later the town will accept that too!! It's less that it's illegal it's why it's illegal that matters.... it puts our residents and visitors at risk. Why on earth do we turn such a blind eye to it already. It really is totally unacceptable. Is it a matter of lack of funding or a matter of irresponsibility!! I believe we should be focused on ensuring that we protect our residents and visitors from dog attacks and from dog poop and so instead of seeing how we can please a minority group of law breakers we should be looking at how we enforce the code as it stands today and take action against all off leash activity and all that do not clean up their poop. I love this town and I write this with the greatest respect and hope that you do the right thing and do not start something that ultimately will result in someone getting seriously hurt. Sincerely ...... Jon Lambert (61 Ellenwood Avenue) - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jocelyn Penner < iocelypenner @gmail.com Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 7:04 AM To: "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @losgatosca.gov Subject: Bachman Park off leash Dear Steve, Dennis suggested I email you directly regarding the consideration of allowing dogs to be off leash at designated parks. First of all, dogs off leash is already happening in a major way at Bachman Park, and it is getting worse and worse. People come in droves at around 5 pm daily with their dogs and let them run loose in the park. It is out of control ... and a violation as of now. If the Town approves this, I believe it will be insane. Sadly, I avoid going to Bachman with my dog, because she is small and I fear for her safety. It is unpleasant to have loose dogs converge on me and my dog, especially when she is on a leash and the other dogs are not. In March of 2010, my dog was attacked at Bachman Park 3 times. I did file a report with the Town, and heard back from lerett Blaksley. I have the details of that report, if you would like them. Filing the report made me unpopular with the loose dog people at Bachman- they are a vocal group and communicate frequently. If the Town does not approve the off leash time at area parks, I do hope that the Town will do something to curb the current off -leash situation at Bachman in the late afternoon. I truly believe it is an accident waiting to happen. Sincerely, Jocelyn Penner - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Patti Lovetro- Clarke lmailtompulent.interiors(&, yahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 7:24 AM To: Council Subject: I am opposed to all off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. "I am adamantly opposed to all off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. - - - -- Original Message---- - From: brad pen n1 ngton(&comcast.net Gma! Ito: brad pen n ington (5comcast. netl Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 7:55 AM To: Council Cc: k9s4happiness(ayahoo.com Subject: against pilot program I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. CITIZENS AGAINST OFF LEASH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. - - - -- Original Message---- - On 6/12/12 9:16 AM, "Gruetter Family" < biancagruetter@me.com > wrote: >Good Morning! >This email is to voice my very strong opposition to any off -leash dog pilot program in Los Gatos. >Any off -leash dogs in a non - fenced park poses a safety hazard to anyone at the park and will change the overall atmosphere of the park. >We have lived in Los Gatos for 10+ years, own 2 dogs and have 2 small children. We visit Bachman Park on a regular basis with our children, >but not our dogs. We have had numerous unfortunate encounters will off -leash dogs at Bachman Park. My children have been knocked over on > multiple occasions, they have had their posteriors and fronts "sniffed" (which is both embarrassing and evasive to a child), and have had their >lunch eaten. On none of these occasions have the dog owners been friendly or apologetic. On more than one occasion we have left the >park after dog owners have become confrontational after being asked to leash their dog. >We have attended all three of the parks meetings and sent multiple emails to the park. I have consistently asked the same questions "How >will this be enforced" - we have been told that this will be monitored by the off -leash users. If the off - leash users are the same people at >the meetings and the same people currently at the park, they have little or no regard for the safety of our children. In addition, who >will monitor the park after the off -leash times have ended? In the past we have called the police department with no luck and no assistance. > "What is the criteria for the pilot program" - I have not heard nor seen any concrete factual data as to why the park staff recommended the >program to the Park Commission. >The off -leash advocates seem to be very passionate about their dogs and as a dog owner I respect their passion. However, their dogs should not >come before our children at a park with play structures. In addition, at the first two meetings, there were 3 professionals who spoke against the >pilot program (a pediatrician, a plastic surgeon and a dog training). I have yet to hear a "professional" speak in favor of the program. >1 appreciate the time and effort that everyone has put into this effort but it is simply a bad idea and posses a VERY VERY grave safety threat >to all children in the park. I would also like to request that the Park Commission ENFORCE the off -leash signs that currently exist at > Bachman Park. Dogs are off -leash at the park on a daily basis. The signs at the park state that dogs must be on a leash. Please see that >the existing rules are enforced. If an existing rule cannot be enforce there is no compelling reason to change the rule. >Bianca Gruetter >408.348.6189 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Lorrie Vieyra [mailto:lorrievieyra yahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 11:43 PM To: Council Subject: Opposed to off leash dogs in our parks I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. Lorrie Vieyra Citizen against off -leash programs and resident in Los Gatos Sent from my Wad - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Tandem Hayden fmailto:tandemhayden @gmail.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 12:04 PM To: Council Subject: Off -Leash suggestion Dear Council Members, I am not writing to tell you how against the off -leash program but rather to suggest a middle ground. I frequent Live Oak and Blossom Hill Park both part of the suggested program. Dogs are already off leash, against the rules, but only enforced if someone calls the police. I have never seen them sited when the police come and, they don't seem to care. Since this is already happening without the program I don't see any choice but to allow the program to take place. I believe my suggestion will find a middle ground between the dog owners and the worried parents. (I am a member of both groups.) My suggestion is to follow a model that is used in Boston, MA. They have a similar program to allow owners off leash hours at the park, however they need to obtain a permit to do so. This means that dogs are up to date on their shots, they do not show aggressive behavior, and their owner has paid a $50 -$75 a year fee to obtain a permit. This money can go toward maintaining the program and the parks. It will also make it so outside residents don't flock to our parks to let their dogs run. Community members will happily obtain a permit I believe and I think it will put the worried parents at ease as well. From what I gather from the concerned groups signing petitions against this program is that everyone will now come to their quiet parks to use them as dog parks. A permit is a simple solution and a great way for the town of Los Gatos to get some money for the program as well. Sincerely, Tandem Ogilvie Hayden (mom, dog owner, teacher, and life -long Los Gatos Resident) - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Jennifer Stapleton [mailto :jennifer.stapieton5 gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 1:47 PM To: Council Subject: Opposed to all off- leash dog programs in Los Gatos To Whom it concerns, "I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks." Jennifer Stapleton - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Vicke Johnson [mailto:vicke.johnson pace.coml Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 9:07 AM To: Council Cc: kpaisley(&verizon.net vb ( k9s4happiness(&yahoo.com ) Subject: Off -leash program Dear Council Members, If the council approves the off -leash program in Los Gatos they will be liable and accountable when a child is mauled or another dog is killed. This is the most irresponsible and stupid program that has EVER been considered by the counsil. I am opposed to the off -leash program. Vicke Johnson CITIZENS AGAINST OFF LEASH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Glenn Boyd < thegreen head @yahoo.com Reply -To: Glenn Boyd < thegreen head @yahoo.com Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 10:26 AM To: "Stephen M. Rice" < srice @losgatosca.gov >, BSpector < BSpector @losgatosca.gov >, Steve Leonardis < SLeonardis @losgatosca.gov >, Diane McNutt < dmcnutt @losgatosca.gov >, Joe Pirzynski < JPirzynski @losgatosca.gov Subject: No to Off leash dog program I am opposed to an offleash dog program in Los Gatos. Glenn Boyd - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Erin Leigh fmailto:erin.leigh abyahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 11:00 AM To: Council Cc: jon a Iambertayahoo.com Subject: off leash dog programs I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. Sincerely, Erin Leigh (a citizen against off leash dogs in our neighborhood parks) - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Barbara Dalderis [mailto:dalderis @comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 12:24 PM To: Todd Capurso Subject: Proposed Dogs Off -Leash Pilot Program - NOT I think it would be wonderful if Los Gatos had a fenced dog park. But the idea of making three parks in our town part time, unfenced dog parks is flawed. I am a neighbor of Bachman Park and a dog owner and I am against this plan. I live a half block from the park and as it is, I walk my dog safely through Bachman Park and around my neighborhood every day. This plan goes through and I have to worry about an influx of off -leash dogs when I'm walking my leashed dog! I envision my leashed dog being rushed by an out of control off leash dog ... a recipe for trouble. In fact, my pup and I were rushed by a pit bull who was off leash in Bachman park one morning. No damage, but it gave me a real scare. Other objections that come to mind are that It will bring more auto traffic to our neighborhood and create parking issues. There is little parking available near Bachman Park now, since Belmont Avenue only has parking allowed on the park side of the street. Bachman Park is not a large park and half of the park is a playground ... which means there are children in the park. While many dogs are well behaved, many are not, and we could have issues with children being scared or hurt by dogs. Who is going to police this dog play area? As it is, we rarely see a ranger in the park. I also believe this plan will create more dog waste in the park. As it is, the park often runs out of poop bags. Is there a plan to keep the dogs in one area? That would be very difficult. I'm sure opening the park to off -leash dog play will attract folks who don't live within walking distance. What will they do for bathrooms? I could goon but you get the idea. I think the councils time would be better spent on looking for an area in Los Gatos for a fenced dog park and drop this ill- conceived idea of a part time off leash program. Thank you for your consideration of my concerns. Barbara Dalderis - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Hsiao -in Wang [mailto:wanq whi0byahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 1:36 PM To: Council Cc: CCPDT- KAVikki Boyd Subject: Citizens Against Off Leash Dogs in our Neighborhood Parks "I am oppose to all off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. " CITIZENS AGAINST OFF LEASH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS" Hsiao -in Wang 16080 Shannon Road Los Gatos - - - -- Original Message---- - From: ina7560baol.com [mailto:ina756@aol.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 2:16 PM To: Council Subject: off -leash dog programs "I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks." - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Sara Krings [mailto:winkesa@yahoo.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 2:39 PM To: Council Cc: Jon Lambert Subject: Fw: no off leash dogs in parks Hello, I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. Although I previously sent an email in March (see below) I am resending to reinforce my point of view as I understand the Town Council will discussing this issue in the coming weeks. Sara Krings CITIZEN AGAINST OFF LEASH DOGS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS - - - -- Forwarded Message - - - -- From: Sara Krings < winkesa6c�yahoo.com > To: " council aC losgatosca._gov < counciI0— Iosgatosca.gov Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 10:02 AM Subject: no off leash dogs in parks Hello, just read the editorial about the possibility of allowing dogs to be off leash in designated parks during certain hours. I am emailing you to urge you not to allow this to happen in the town of Los Gatos. I am a mother of young children and live in the town of Los Gatos. One of the reasons we love this community is the access to safe, clean green space and playgrounds. My 3 year old son is afraid of dogs after an incident he had last year when he was attacked on a patio of a restaurant. While not hurt, he has been scared for probably the rest of his childhood. The thought of having to watch my kids even more closely and protect them from unknown dogs in what should be a safe children's play area strikes me as absurd. urge the town to find a location for a new, designated dog park. I can see why this would be very useful, not to mention help curb the dog poop in existing parks. However, I am not in favor of local tax dollars to fund this the creation of this park. The money should be raised by the community of dog owners who need it. Perhaps long term maintenance of the park can be supported, as hopefully it is not that costly. Sara Krings 408 - 458 -6460 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Karen Chase fmailto:karenchase3 @gmail.coml Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 5:28 PM To: Council Subject: Citizens against off leash dog parks I am opposed to off leash dog hours in our parks where leash laws are now in effect. I am not opposed to creating a fenced dog park area in one park. I walk my dog through Blossom Hill Park on a leash and I have been jumped on and charged at by "friendly" dogs. it's not safe for me or my dog when other owners are not in control of their dogs. Karen Chase Los Gatos resident Sent from my iPad - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Kathy Francis rmailto:ciji87 @yahoo.com1 Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 7:34 PM To: Council Subject: Citizens against off leash dogs in our neighborhood parks "I am oppose to all off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks." CITIZENS AGAINST OFF LEASH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS ", Bill and Kate Francis Shannon Road - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Charles Leeming < cleeming @covad.net Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 9:58 PM To: "Stephen M. Rice" < rice @losgatosca.gov >, BSpector < BSpector @losgatosca.gov >, Steve Leonardis < SLeonardis @losgatosca.gov >, Diane McNutt < dmcnutt @losgatosca.gov >, Joe Pirzynski < JPirzynski @losgatosca.gov Subject: I am opposed to an off -leash dog program in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. Dear Council members, I thank you for your commitment to be stewards of our town and safety of our citizens. Please know that this issue is spreading rapidly and becoming quite emotional amongst all parents in the town and rational Los Gatos citizens. The vast majority of cities in the USA have solved this problem with dedicated dog parks. If this issue moves forward, current dog owners run the risk of having a significantly worse situation than the current, very lenient environment we all enjoy today. The data is just too overwhelming to allow this proposal to move forward with out massive liability for the town and significant new responsibility for the police department. Regards, Charles Leeming 234 Hernandez Ave Los Gatos, CA 95030 - - - -- Original Message---- - From: Kate Paisley [mailto:kpaisleyC@verizon.netl Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:19 AM To: Council; Town PPW Subject: Tragic incident... A reminder that these kind of tragic incidents do occur. Please do not pass the off -leash dog hours at any of our parks. - - - -- Forwarded Message - - - -- From: Raquel Connolly < raquelconnolly aRyahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 10:04 PM Subject: Re: [LMLGS2009] Re: Unleashed Dogs On the heels of Jen's e-mail I wanted to share this story with everyone: My husband is a plastic surgeon and today a family came in with their 3 year old girl that was attacked by a friendly dog at the park. This 3 year old girl has over 10 scars on her face: a large cut all the way to her skull across her forehead, cuts on both her cheeks, on her lips and across her neck. This is going to result in numerous obvious scars all over this little girl's face for the rest of her life. If you oppose to having off leash dogs in parks where our children play, I urge you to come to this meeting so one of our babies doesn't become a victim like the little girl my husband treated today. Unfortunately these accidents happen all the time. Raquel - - - -- Original Message---- - From: jon lambert fmailto_jon a IambertCcbyahoocoml Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 9:13 PM To: Council Cc: jon lambert Subject: Against the off -leash dogs program I am opposed to all off -leash dog programs in Los Gatos. It is not safe for anyone and it will change the nature of our neighborhood parks. Please don't change our parks. Pleasel Jon Lambert - 61 Ellenwood Avenue