Dog park a problem
There are only four immediate neighbors of the proposed dog park at the Camarillo Community Center: Our family, the Rochas, the Minnicks, and of course, El Descanso Elementary School. Every one of us made it very clear at the Jan. 24 meeting that we were vehemently opposed to the proposed dog park for substantially valid reasons.

Most of us who are immediate neighbors to the site presumed that we already made it quite clear where we stood at the first meeting. We didn't feel there was a reason to take further time out of our busy schedules to listen to what the proponents were going to say in an attempt to convince the board to build the park in that second meeting. Somehow, the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District Board and various dog park activists have decided what is best for our neighborhood in that second meeting.

We have lived at the house on Modesto Avenue since it was new, 35 years ago. When my parents bought that house back in 1972, the beautiful park and hillside were some of the reasons for deciding to live next to the community center. And now the board has decided to change that. My parents are so upset by the proposal that they are already talking about moving.

Before you build the dog park, I would like you to consider the ramifications of such a proposal.

+Having a dog park only a few dozen feet away from a house will cause a definite devaluation in the property value of said house.

+The drainage of water runoff from that area of the park drains directly towards our house, a few feet from our property line. That entire "swath of land" will be contaminated with higher-than-normal bacteria levels.

If this dog park proposal goes through, I would insist that environmental bacterial contamination level studies be made in the area next to our house so as to protect our health and wellbeing in the future.

+I'm quite certain that the park district could be found legally liable if a dog bites a child at the neighboring daycare center or the elementary school.

In summary, having a dog park this close to homeowners, an elementary school and senior center is a poor idea, especially when you consider the resultant legal predicament that the park district could potentially face.

Money would be better spent towards improving care of the hillside, landscaping and putting up more picnic tables and barbecue grills.

We sincerely hope that you look further for a more appropriate location for the proposed dog park. Warren Matsui Camarillo