— Art courtesy city of Newport Beach ©
There is a quiet, beautiful walkway and grass area along the bluffs that many citizens, employees and visitors to Hoag Hospital, and others enjoy. People do yoga there, meditate, sit and contemplate the view, and walk and ride bikes on the adjacent pathway. Residents in the condos that overlook this area also deserve this peacefulness.
Many walk their dogs and play there and have done an admirable job of maintaining the cleanliness and safety; others not so much. Many of us have some wildlife animal friends that live on the grounds, including a group of rabbits who have become a sweet part of this neighborhood. Many of us consider them “pets we do not own” and care about protecting them. Sometimes dog owners let their dogs off leash here and allow them to pursue the innocent rabbits (squirrels, lizards, etc.) and tear through the hedges and areas so many have tried to keep lovely.
We would like to try to protect this issue from escalating, as a dog park will bring even more of a population that would be an environmental challenge. Please keep our neighborhood as it is so creatures and humans can enjoy the natural habitat and respect the balance of nature, not disrupt it.
We’ve lived in Newport Beach since 1975 and purchased a home near Sunset View Park (due to views and peaceful neighborhood). Many of our friends and neighbors own dogs, so we do not want to attend meetings and “get into it” and possibly lose friends. What about secret ballots?
We don’t want a dog park inches from our property. Some people are allergic to dogs and do not appreciate the noise and smell that occurs. We deserve some respect and consideration too.
So, we are writing to share our message and make our wishes known. We can honor people’s love for their dogs, but it doesn’t mean we want them in close proximity all day long. In many areas, we have a choice whether to sit with pets or not, but if there is a dog park located so close to us, we will have more animals in the neighborhood and we do not have a choice to leave, as we gladly live here now and pay our taxes.
We understand that part of this is about money — building more parking spots to raise revenue for the city, but we are paying a large portion to “live the good life,” which we shouldn’t have to feel guilty about. How about giving up a few parking spots (closer to PCH) to make room for the dog park if the city is concerned about providing space for dogs and their owners (many of whom will come from out of town) instead of penalizing the people who live right there?
If the dog park will be built regardless of how some of us feel, could you please make sure that it is located further toward PCH? If the mound is cut down, to help make the dog park, the loveliness of this special viewing point will be lost. The people who gather there and the people who bought our places to watch our beloved Newport Beach, will all lose out. After all, the area is called Sunset View Park and that is what we would still love to see.
Anonymous
Newport Beach
