SAN DIEGO DOG TRAINER FIGHTING TO SAVE FIESTA ISLAND FOR THE DOGS!

The fenced leash free area of Fiesta Island is in jeopardy of being drastically reduced in size due to a proposed development plan for Fiesta Island. While other non-fenced areas are currently listed as leash free, there is no guarantee they will remain so in the future. The Mission Bay Park/Rec committee will be voting on the plan in February. If the plan is approved as is, our cherished fenced leash free area will be cut from 100 acres down to approx 41 acres, to make room for among other things, a swimming beach, parking areas, and turfed areas.

For those of us who use the island to walk, run, or hike with our dogs on a regular basis, this is not acceptable. The changes they want to make are designed to bring other activities such as camping, hiking, swimming and picnicking to the island. People who want to do these activities have almost 40,000 acres available to them in other areas of Mission Bay and surrounding city parks. The only thing that doesn’t exist anywhere else is 100 acres of safe, leash-free space to let our dogs roam, and to lose that would be a shame. Many of us are not comfortable letting our dogs run leash free in the unfenced areas, and prefer to stay within the safety of the fence.

If this plan is approved, not only would we be losing a great deal of the fenced leash free area, traffic will increase, maintenance will be an issue, and the development costs will be astronomical. The city has had to slash every departmental budget, including the Department of Park and Rec. budget. Why on earth do they think the city can afford to spend over 300 million on developing an area that doesn’t need to be developed. Equally as important is how will the city come up with the money to maintain Fiesta Island once these changes are made, when our city is basically broke?

The original plan was approved by the city council over 15 years ago when the city’s needs and financial situation were very different than they are today. The plan no longer makes sense.

If you want to keep using this island, NOW is the time to become involved.

Join us in our fight to SAVE FIESTA ISLAND. Recruit your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors.

Here are some other ways you can help –

1) Join FIDO. Go to www.fidosd.com and click on the link to join.

2) E-mail fidosd@gmail.com and request to be added to the mailing list

3) Call / write the city council and other politicians. Refer to the “talking points” on the FIDO website for suggestions.

4) Send letters to the editors of our local newspapers.

5) Attend the Mission Bay Parks/Rec monthly meetings and speak out against the development of Fiesta Island.

6) Recruit family, friends, co-workers, neighbors. THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Mayor Jerry Sanders. JerrySanders@sandiego.gov. 11 th Floor, 202 C st. S.D. 92101

Paul Jacobs. S.D. Park and Rec. Pjacobs@sandiego.gov 202 C St MS9A S.D. 92101

City Council Members. 202 C St. MS 10A, San Diego, CA 92101

Donna Frye (Fiesta is in her district) DonnaFrye@sandiego.gov

Scott Peters. ScottPeters@sandiego.gov

Kevin Faulconer.(Fiesta is in his district) CouncilDistrict2@sandiego.gov

Toni Atkins. ToniAtkins@sandiego.gov

Brian Maienschein. bmaienschein@sandiego.gov

Jim Madaffer. jmadaffer@sandiego.gov

Ben Hueso. Benhueso@sandiego.gov

Tony Young. Anthonyyoung@sandiego.gov

If you would like to get involved please contact any of the following:
General Information: Regula Schmidt 619-640-9496 or email fidosd@gmail.com
Volunteers: Alise Shatoff 619-291-2106 or email alise@caninegenius.com
Media: Paula Lynn 858-735-9116 or email paula@ayamba.com
Donations: Dave McIntyre 858-792-6332 or email sd92sd@san.rr.com