HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/4/2026 Item 4a, Newel (3)
Charles Newel <
To:Advisory Bodies
Cc:McDonald, Whitney; Dietrick, Christine
Subject:Subject: Regarding Concerns about the Prop 68 Grant
Attention: Parks and Recreation Commission - Emerson Park
I’ve been hearing concerns that removing the dog park from the Emerson Park project could put the Prop
68 grant at risk, and I’d like to address that concern directly.
The issue before the Commission is not whether to lose a grant, but whether the project aligns with what
the City certified to the State and with Prop 68’s stated purpose. In a prior application, the City certified
that there was already a critical need for children’s active recreation space in this neighborhood.
Eliminating the dog park and preserving the only safe, walkable playing field would bring the project into
clearer alignment with that certification and with Prop 68’s goal of expanding - not reducing - access to
active recreation.
If there is any risk to the grant, it comes from inconsistencies between the current proposal and those
State commitments, not from correcting them. Adjusting the project now strengthens compliance,
protects the City, and better serves the neighborhood the grant was intended to benefit.
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Charles Newel
Tel: 1.805.503.5434
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