Recently I received a letter from RSFA Building and Planning Commissioner, Joel Levanetz, regarding the proposed development of a dog park at the historic Osuna Ranch property.
As an adjacent property owner and resident of RSF for close to 50 years, and as someone who has been heavily involved in dog rescue for over 30 years (including working with trainers and behaviorists), I am strongly opposed to the idea. I believe the people pushing this project are short-sighted and have clearly not thought through the negatives of a dog park at Osuna Ranch.
Fights and Bites
There is a growing body of evidence as to why dog parks are not recommended.
- At a dog park, one encounters all types of dogs and owners. Dog parks are an unnatural environment for dogs who tend to be less aggressive when they interact with members of their own “pack.” Many dog owners misunderstand that proper dog socialization doesn’t mean exposing them to many different strange dogs. Oftentimes owners give their dogs little or no training, resulting in fights and bites, causing injury to both dogs and humans.The RSF Association and its members may find that risk avoidance is preferable to having to defend a lawsuit from an injury at a dog park.
- Dog parks present a number of canine health-related issues. Unspayed or unneutered animals should never be allowed at a dog park, yet we have several members who are dog breeders with intact dogs that would presumably use the off-leash park. Canine respiratory disease can be transmitted through dog-to-dog contact and there has recently been an increase in such diseases. In fact, a Del Mar veterinary hospital, hoping to mitigate the spread, has recently canceled day care for a two-week period, despite their stringent vaccine requirements.
- San Diego County requires dogs to be licensed and on a leash in public, unless in a designated off-leash area. Yet for months now, there has been no enforcement of this law in the Ranch. Daily gatherings of people using the park in front of the Inn as their private off-leash area are ignored. It should not be the job of the Association staff nor the Patrol to police and enforce the requirements of licensing, current vaccinations, and laws governing dog parks.
- Everyday I see people neglecting to pick up after their dogs and dropping their litter bags on the walkways with little consideration to their surroundings. I have no reason to think this would be improved in an off-leash dog park. Maintaining a clean and hygienic dog park takes effort and I can imagine our Association maintenance team has more than enough work without having to add dog park sanitation.
- Despite any regulations put in place, there would be little to stop people from outside the community from entering the enclosures. Other cities require non-residents to get special dog park permits, however, I know from experience that does little to deter non-residents.
- The proposed Osuna location is right next to a highly trafficked county highway (Via de la Valle) where there have been two accidents just in the last two months. Plus, Osuna is occupied by horses which by nature can be easily spooked. It would simply be a matter of time until a dog(s) got loose resulting in an unfortunate accident.
Arroyo a Better Alternative
If the Association is intent on a dog park, the alternative location at the Arroyo Preserve, already a more park-like and remote setting, is clearly the more suitable location. Since a zoning modification would not be required, and since the Association appears to be considering a future sale of the Osuna property, this in my mind makes the Arroyo the obvious choice.
A dog park urbanizes and would change the overall outstanding character, historic heritage and defeat the purpose of preserving what Rancho was designed to be. Residents choose the Ranch for its rural feel and the privacy and solitude it offers us. I submit that very few residents will actually frequent a dog park on a regular basis. We are not an urban environment of sidewalks where dogs would benefit from a grassy park. We have miles of beautiful trails that residents can enjoy with their dogs. A dog park simply diminishes the uniqueness of our beautiful community and having to apply for a zoning change is simply unwarranted and inconsistent with the overall plan for Rancho.
Devastating Disturbance
Lastly, this is an environmentally sensitive area with a lot of wildlife; raptors, coyotes, bobcats, etc., on the nearby properties and a dog park at Osuna would cause a devastating disturbance to their natural habitat. We already have noise issues, and I can only imagine that barking dogs and loud voices in the mornings will simply exacerbate the problem.
I urge everyone involved to re-evaluate and eliminate the Osuna, one of our most important historical sites, for any further consideration. The Arroyo is the only logical option. Plus, I believe our funds are better spent on things that will benefit our community as a whole, not just a select few.
I encourage all my neighbors to oppose a designated dog park at the historic Osuna Ranch location. To provide member input, please weigh in with your elected Board by emailing them at: clebeau@rsfaboard.com; ptrubey@rsfaboard.com; sthurman@rsfaboard.com; dgamboa@rsfaboard.com; jsimmons@rsfaboard.com; satkins@rsfaboard.com; and msimpson@rsfaboard.com.
Cari Chanin has been a Covenant member for nearly 50 years.