Emerson Park

Supported the dog park, saying she can't afford a yard, has social anxiety, and wants a nearby place to socialize her dogs and her two-year-old without driving.

Supported the overall improvement but urged better lighting, saying he and his wife can no longer walk to the park at night due to homelessness and safety concerns.

A close neighbor who walks her leashed dog at the park, she opposed losing green space and shade trees and didn't want more wood chips or pavement instead of grass.

Echoed support for grass but backed the dog park, noting the park is already de facto a dog park and the pro-dog-park voice should be heard.

A Pismo Street homeowner, she urged the commission not to take away the neighborhood's only children's play field or put an off-leash dog park next to homes and the kids' area.

Opposed the dog park over traffic and safety at the Pismo/Nipomo intersection, and said dogs won't use the decomposed granite surface when grass is right there.

A contractor and youth coach, he praised the park's diverse multi-use community and opposed dedicating such a large area solely to dogs.

Strongly supported keeping the dog park in the plan, saying there are many grass areas for people but only one legal dog park, and downtown has no other option.

A retired county library director, he described how the Laguna Lake dog park cured loneliness for him and his dog and urged the commission to move forward.

Raised three concerns: whether Spanish-speaking families in nearby apartments were actually surveyed, the need for dog outlets balanced with teens' desire for open space, and opposition to bright sport lighting near homes.

Lives across from the park; begged the commission not to destroy half the green space, saying the park rarely has more than four or five users at peak, and asked for a much smaller dog park if one is required.

Read a letter from Friday Night Lights commissioner Mark Baruzma opposing the field reduction, saying Emerson is the only viable practice space for 2,000+ youth flag football participants.

A homeowner at 496 Pismo directly across from the proposed dog park, he strongly opposed the redesign, citing the park's historic open character and the recent Laguna Lake dog park investment.

Representing a 36-member ultimate frisbee club that has played at Emerson for 24 years, he asked the commission to preserve the large grass field, calling it the best frisbee field in the city.

A bocce player with Friends of Italy, he welcomed the bathroom and shade upgrades but asked the city to build four bocce courts somewhere, noting tournaments need four courts and bring tourist dollars.

Founder of SLO County Friends of Italy, she reported a growing bocce league already playing at Emerson and asked for shade and fixed seating at the courts.

A dog owner living across from the park, he questioned whether the public was ever asked if it wanted a dog park, warned of traffic drawn from a wide radius, and said what would be lost outweighs what's gained.

A mom of three on Pismo Street, she said the grant is supposed to increase urban green space, not remove it, urged converting blacktop instead, and said the commission should serve families over dogs.

Representing Friends of SLO City Dog Parks, he cited census data showing 13,000 dogs versus about 5,000 children, and the Blueprint's identified need for a 500% increase in dog park capacity, supporting the dog park.

Steward of the historic Biddle House across from the park, he argued dog parks don't belong in dense residential areas and noted the city spent over $1 million on the properly-sited Laguna Lake facility.

A nearby resident who called himself 'Shake McHume' at the mic, he warned of constant barking, cited dog park noise decibel levels, and said the change would hurt residents with sensory sensitivities.

A Bouchon Street dog owner who opposes the dog park, she said the dog park idea appeared in grant documents before real neighborhood outreach and asked for a clear commission recommendation tonight.

A homeowner at Beach and Pacific with two rescue pit bulls, she argued converting a shared grass field to single-use dog park narrows public access and raised overcrowding and liability concerns for a sub-half-acre site.

Opposed the dog park — loves the grass, worries about crowding and Thursday-night parking; suggested more dog parks outside downtown.

Says the field is his front yard and it's full of youth sports all day; asked the commission to reconsider the dog park before it's too late.

Lives across from the park; cutting the field in half ends team sports, says the design is otherwise great but he never got notice about the dog park plan.