PARKS & RECREATION COMMITTEE

“Living in Lake Wildwood is like living in paradise!” How many times have you heard that comment or repeated it yourself? People from many areas of our country have selected our lakeside community nestled in the northern California foothills as the place to live.

There are a multitude of reasons that Lake Wildwood continues to be extraordinary. Among those reasons are the green parks and sandy beaches overlooking a sparkling blue lake.

The members of the Parks and Recreation Committee are volunteers who share a mutual passion for our parks and the recreational activities available to our community. Our committee dedicates its time and energy to improving the parks, beaches and recreational facilities. We are proud of the many accomplishments achieved through the mutual efforts of our committee and our community.

The majority of the Parks and Recreation Committee members are dog owners. We, too, are devoted to our dogs and place high priority on their health, activity and well-being. However, our committee must speak up once again and voice our concerns regarding the Dog Club’s proposal to allow dogs in Meadow Park and Vista Park and on its shoreline beaches. Our committee believes this issue will cause negative consequences and it is prudent to share the following comments regarding the upcoming ballot proposal. We do so respectfully and without malice.

1. Sanitation. It is not only the fecal droppings (“poop”) that are odorous and unsanitary; it is the dog’s urine that is equally offensive. Urine may be unseen but it remains in the soil for a long time, continuing to cause odor and harbor bacteria and germs. Dogs sniff and seek places where other dogs have previously expelled feces and urine and they will repeatedly mark their territory on those same areas.

The sand on the beaches will become unsanitary and no longer suitable for human enjoyment. Unpleasant smells will permeate when we spread our towels or blankets on the grass or sand. We will soon no longer want to sit on the grass or sand and we will be forced to wear shoes when visiting Vista and Meadow Parks. Our families will be reluctant to picnic and swim at these two lovely parks.

Who will be responsible for sanitizing the grass and sand at Vista Park and Meadow Park? Not the Dog Club. It will be our Lake Wildwood Association staff and the expense will be imposed on our community.

2. Conscientiousness. Most dog owners are conscientious about picking up after their dogs. However, as we have all noticed, there are many dog owners who continue to be inconsiderate. This is evidenced by the residue of “poop” on the streets, parks, beaches, in our personal yards and on various areas of the Community Center, tennis and pickleball courts. Those same inconsiderate dog owners will now be allowed to bring their dogs to Vista Park and Meadow Park.

Who will be responsible for picking up after dogs, regardless of ownership? Not the Dog Club. It will be our Lake Wildwood Association staff.

3. Behavior. What do you consider acceptable behavior for dogs in Meadow Park and Vista Park and the beaches? Parenting of dogs, like parenting of children, is arbitrary. Is excessive barking or growling at other dogs or humans acceptable? What about aggressive behavior towards humans or other dogs? What about tying a dog to a tree or table on a long leash while the owner has lunch, goes for a swim or to the bathroom? Is it acceptable for a dog to sit or eat on a picnic table? What about urinating on the legs of tables, barbecues, or in the water? What is acceptable behavior to you?

Who will be responsible for determining acceptable behavior and enforcing it? Not the dog owner or the Dog Club. It will be our Lake Wildwood Association staff.

4. Safety and Liability. All dogs can cause significant injury to humans or other dogs, regardless of the breed or whether it was rescued or purchased from a reputable breeder. Some breeds are inherently more aggressive. It is often difficult for a stranger to know the temperament of the unfamiliar 12-pound lap dog, or the 70-pound water dog or the 120-pound guard dog.

Dogs can become confrontational without warning and a leash may not prevent a problem. It is inevitable that dogs will cause injuries resulting in liability issues. Our parks host large gatherings and events on a regular basis, many by the Lake Wildwood Association and many by private parties.

Will dogs be welcomed to attend those events at Vista Park or Meadow Park, with or without approval by the host? If an injury occurs, will the dog owners and the Lake Wildwood Association be liable?

5. Disputes. When there is a dispute between dog owners, and there will definitely be disputes, and the dog owners cannot peacefully resolve the problem, whom do we contact? Security? Our Security staff has an obligation for the safety of our residents in their homes, at our parks and on the streets. Security does not have time to be a “Dog Patrol.”

Are our residents who may be enjoying a day at Vista Park expected to intervene in dog-related disputes? Does the budget of our Lake Wildwood Association provide for funds to hire additional security to respond to dog disputes?

6. Geese. The geese population will not be reduced by dogs on-leash. Geese are only threatened when a dog is off-lease and is pursued by a predator. Leashed dogs are not a threat to geese. Only those dogs trained and authorized by the Lake Wildwood Association Environmental Management Office as “Goose Dog Patrol” have the authority to be off-leash.

7. Lake Water. Dogs allowed in Vista Park and Meadow Park will also be in the lake water surrounding those beaches. Urination and fecal droppings will contaminate the shallow water. Adults and children will no longer be able to swim in the same lake water.

8. Landscaping. The landscaping in Lake Wildwood is beautiful and our community funds are used to maintain and pay for the landscaping at Vista and Meadow parks. The efforts of the Parks and Public Works staff to maintain our parks and facilities are exemplary. Our committee, and other clubs and volunteers, invest time and money to continue beautifying those parks.

The grass is kept green and tidy by the Parks staff but the grass will quickly turn an unsightly yellow/brown from dog urine. The ritual of scratching by male dogs will cause additional scars on the grass and scatter the bark and other ground cover requiring additional maintenance. Dogs exploring and sniffing in the landscaped areas will break branches on bushes and shrubs. It will take months for those damaged plants to regenerate new growth, if at all. With 300 to 400 dogs allowed to visit these parks, very quickly the landscaping will be destroyed.

Who will be responsible for protecting our landscaping and pay the additional maintenance and replacement costs for the destroyed landscaping? Not the dog owners or the Dog Club. It will be the Lake Wildwood Association staff using our community funds.

9. Recreational Use: Meadow Park has become a “recreational park” frequently used by many active clubs and groups which enjoy basketball, pickleball, bocce ball, soccer, Frisbee and fishing, as well as families having picnics while the children play on the playground equipment. Kayakers use the park as a hub for launching their kayaks. Meadow Park also serves as the daily entrance to our lake for ski boats, fishing boats and patio boats. Meadow is a very busy park.

Vista Park is our “peaceful park.” It is a favorite park for many, especially those residents who take an early morning swim, have a cup of coffee reading the paper or enjoy a good book in the afternoon while lounging in a comfortable chair, or a family hosting a picnic. The view of our lake at sunset from Vista Park is absolutely amazing and a very special spot for the entire community. Will that enjoyment be altered by dogs?

Other things to consider:

1. Restriction. Are only those dogs owned by residents of Lake Wildwood allowed in Meadow Park or Vista Park and the adjoining beaches? What about the dogs owned by families of residents and their guests, and friends of visitors, and tradespeople and their friends? Who has the authority to approach the dog owner and ask for identification of residency? Not the dog owner or the Dog Club. Only the Lake Wildwood Association staff has the authority.

2. Leash Law. Will dogs really remain on a leash? Several dogs are currently seen on a regular basis in our parks without any restraint, and they are not Goose Patrol dogs. Their owners have no regard for the current rule and it is difficult to enforce it. It will become significantly more difficult when dogs are allowed to use the parks.

Who will be responsible for enforcing the Leash Law? Not the dog owner or the Dog Club. Only our Lake Wildwood Association staff.

3. Health of Dogs. Not every dog is healthy. Not every dog has had current vaccinations. Dogs can be infested with intestinal worms, fleas and ticks, or various viruses which can be transferred to other dogs and humans. It may be necessary to hire a pest control agency to treat the grass and sand on a regular basis for pest infestations.

Who will verify the health of the dogs in our parks? Not the Dog Club. It will become the responsibility of the Lake Wildwood Association staff.

Who will pay for the expense of controlling infestations in the grass and sand? Not the Dog Club. The Lake Wildwood community will incur the expense.

4. Change of Tranquility. Having dogs in Vista Park and Meadow Park, whether on leashes or not, will change the atmosphere. Dogs are dogs. Dogs bark. They want to greet people and other dogs, usually by barking. When children run and jump in the lake or use the playground equipment, some dogs will simply bark but other dogs may become aggressive. No longer will these two parks and beaches be tranquil places. No longer will the neighbors of Vista Park and Meadow Park enjoy their personal tranquility. The quiet atmosphere will be forever changed. Those neighboring residents will now live next to dog parks. Would you want to live next to a dog park?

Who will be responsible for restoring the tranquility? Not the dog owners or the Dog Club. Only our Lake Wildwood Association staff has that authority.

We hope you will take into consideration the serious concerns we have identified in this article.