Old Dogs, Old Tricks

On Mar. 19, the Mission Viejo City Council stopped the land swap for a dog park site with a 2-2 vote. After a decade-long tug-of-war, plans are up in the air. As articles on this blog have emphasized, city staff doesn’t want a dog park. In the latest trick, the staff created new obstacles, including a $1-million price tag and a convoluted land swap that short-changed the city.

City activists have pointed to Barbadanes Park as a logical site. The city owns the property, and a portion of the park could be converted to a dog park at a relatively low cost. Dog park supporters have chosen to rely on city staffers who engage them in activities. Last year, dog park supporters entered a national contest to try to win money. There was no dog park, but supporters were busy making a video and voting for themselves online.

As an odd twist, Councilwoman Trish Kelley didn’t vote on the dog park issue during the Mar. 19 meeting. The city attorney advised Kelley to recuse herself because she sits on the OC Parks Commission, which would have been involved in the land swap. When the dog park was proposed in Oso Viejo Park, Kelley first supported it and then opposed it. Of the five council members, Kelley is the most compliant with staff recommendations.

Following an OC Register report on the meeting, dog park supporters made threats on OCR’s website. The threats were directed at council members who voted against the dog park and a resident who made public comments during Mar. 19 meeting. The Register took down the posts following complaints from readers, and the threats were reported to the OC Sheriff’s Dept.

Joe Holtzman responded to the remarks:

If you have been following the Dispatch’s, and Orange County Register’s threads on the dog park, I find them rather revealing. I submitted the following to the Dispatch.

To R. J. Wild. I have never questioned some people’s DESIRE to have a dog park. I do question the costs for the proposed dog park though. The real facts are, as planned now, the dog park would exceed $2.0 million dollars. When we have a park like Barbadanes Park that could accommodate both the DESIRES and needs for a dog park, I question those who are blocking that action.

The cities slopes are in miserable condition; just look at Alicia from Marguerite to the I-5. Just walk the Oso Trail and look at the dead and dying Myoporium. My estimate is that the city’s slopes require at least $7 million to $10 million in renovation. Everyone sees those slopes. Those slopes have a profound effect on YOUR real estate values and the image of the community. So let's fix the slopes before we spend money on a dog park when, in effect we have Barbadanes Park that will do very nicely.

As to CIVILITY, I suggest readers review the posts by the dog park advocates in the latest Orange County Register and judge the civility of some of the dog park advocates. When they post addresses, phone numbers, and places of business to harass certain council members, that is not civility. When certain dog park advocates threaten to bring their dog over to defecate on certain community members’ lawns, that is not civility. When honest proposals are offered up and met with crude and snide comments, that is not civility.

My old football coach once said, “Football does not build character, it reveals it!” Well, you just might look at some of the comments made by some of the folks concerning this issue to understand character in the community.