HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/4/2026 Item 4a, Lindt
Colunga-Lopez, Andrea
From:CityClerk
Sent:Friday, December 5, 2025 4:51 PM
To:Berkeley Lindt
Cc:Avakian, Greg
Subject:cc Lindt - Emerson Park renovation project
Bcc: Council All
Berkeley Lindt,
Thank you for taking the time to contact the City Council. The City Council has received your concerns and, by
copy on this email, it also being shared with Greg Avakian, Director of Parks and Recreation.
City Clerk’s Office
City Administration
City Clerk’s Office
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
From: Berkeley Lindt <
Sent: Friday, December 5, 2025 4:20 PM
To: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Emerson Park renovation project
SLO City Council,
I am writing to formally object to the proposed plan to convert approximately 50% of the
grass field at Emerson Park into a dog park as part of the upcoming renovation project.
Emerson Park’s field is a vital and irreplaceable resource for our neighborhood. It is the
only open green space in the area that can accommodate informal recreation, team
practices, youth activities, and community gatherings. Reducing the field by half would
effectively eliminate its use for nearly all ball sports, group play, and many of the activities
that currently make it such an important shared space for residents.
Additionally, many members of the community—myself included—were never asked
whether a dog park should be included in the project at all. Instead, we were only asked
which features we preferred within an already-assumed design. This raises significant
concerns about transparency, fairness, and whether proper public process was followed.
A past Mayor and City Council member has indicated that the process may not have met
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the legal requirements for true public participation. These concerns deserve careful
attention before any irreversible decisions are made.
Beyond the loss of open space, the proposed dog park introduces several issues that have
not been adequately addressed, including increased traffic, parking strain, and potential
safety concerns for nearby homes, pedestrians, and the many children who use the field
daily. Prioritizing a dog park over the needs of the broader community places the interests
of a small subset of users above the needs of the majority.
I respectfully urge the City to pause this plan, re-open the public input process, and
consider alternatives that preserve the full grass field while still exploring options for dog
owners—either at another site or in a manner that does not compromise the only open
playing field in this neighborhood.
Thank you for your attention and for your service to the people of San Luis Obispo. I
appreciate your thoughtful reconsideration of this issue.
Sincerely,
Berkeley Lindt
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