People on both sides of the issue made their views vehemently known to one another, as well as to city officials, at the Oct. 27 meeting in the school's media center.

Stressing that "there is no official position from the city, from parks and recreation or from the school district," Yeager said the idea behind the meeting was "to communicate with us and have your opinions heard by the city and your neighbors."

Communication was strained at times, as moments of applause were interspersed with glaring and muttering from the different factions during the discussion.

Several homeowners now living across from the high school expressed anxiety over increased traffic and parking in a neighborhood that already is impacted by such problems when events are held on weekends and evenings at Lincoln.

A proponent, who said she regularly drives to dog parks, dismissed their concerns, saying the size of the proposed park is too small to make it a destination for out-of-the-area dog owners.

A woman who identified herself as living across from the proposed park at the corner of Dana and Hester avenues voiced concerns about children from nearby Trace Elementary who are afraid of dogs or allergic to them.

A dog park proponent countered that if she has allergies, "take medication," and if she has a dog phobia, "see a psychiatrist."

The statement of another woman, who said nine of the 10 families living across from the proposed site oppose it, was met with jeers.

Chris Funk, principal at Lincoln High School, initially proposed the park earlier this year.

After joking that "I don't know if it's a good idea, or a bad idea," Funk explained that the playing fields at Lincoln are in the process of being resurfaced, regraded and replanted. In 2007, the areas of Lincoln--where dogs are now allowed to run free before and after school and on weekends--will be fenced off and inaccessible.

The field upgrades and the newly opened $1 million stadium--with an artificial turf football field and an all-weather track--are funded by Measure F, passed by voters in the March 2002 election. When the fences come down, Funk isn't keen on dogs running free once again.

"We have to protect that investment," Funk said.

In recognition of the efforts of the Lincoln Hound Society, which promotes "responsible dog ownership" and has worked closely with Funk over the past two years, the principal identified a field that he said isn't integral to the new playing fields as a possible site for a dog park.

At the meeting, Funk made it clear that "no Lincoln High School funds, no Measure F funds and no San Jose Unified School District funds" are available for building the project or maintaining it.

"If the city isn't willing to adopt this as a dog park, it's a dead issue. There's no place else on campus I'd consider," Funk said. "If it's not appropriate, it's moot."

Jon Cicirelli, deputy director of parks, recreation & neighborhood services' animal care and services division, told those gathered "the city definitely supports off-leash areas. If we can find a place, we want to help you. It costs animal services less money if you go some place that's legal."

However, Cicirelli said he was talking about "concepts only" and made "no commitments."

Steve Roemer, parks manager of parks, recreation & neighborhood services, talked about San Jose's approach to dog parks in general and to one at Lincoln specifically.

The proposed site at Lincoln would be between 15,000 and 20,000 square feet, a space he compared to roughly the size of three adjacent residential lots in the neighborhood.

Roemer said a "bare bones" park, with fencing, decomposed granite surfaces, trash cans and water fountains for canines and humans, would cost about $100,000.

By comparison, Roemer showed plans for the Guadalupe Gardens Dog Park at Hedding Street and Ruff Drive. The site--almost 2 acres in size--features a turf area in the shape of a dog's head, with separate areas for small and large dogs, as well as what he called "all the bells and whistles."

Completion is about a year-and-a-half away, with $300,000 already invested, Roemer said, adding that "it needs about $600,000 more to finish it."

Many audience members seemed surprised when Roemer said the size of the Lincoln site is only big enough to accommodate 15 to 20 dogs at a time.

One man asked why the Municipal Rose Garden was off-limits to dogs and then suggested it could do with "fewer rows of rosebushes" to make room for dog runs.

Roemer said the city is trying to keep the Rose Garden "as pristine as we can," pointing out it is an extremely popular outdoor wedding site.

Allowing sports to be played there or dogs to run free would have an adverse affect on the turf in the garden, which was replanted two years ago as part of the $2 million upgrade completed in May of this year.

At the end of the hour-and-a-half meeting, at which 17 people spoke in favor of a park and five in opposition, no consensus was reached and no decision was made.

Where funding would come from was not addressed, nor was the fact that if the proposal goes forward, the city needs permission from the school district to use that land.

Yeager said he planned to "digest the information from everyone" who spoke at the meeting and meet with Funk to see what the next step, if any, might be.

Funk ended the meeting with a challenge to those in attendance when he said, "I'm surprised you don't show up to parks and recreation meetings and city council meetings and demand the Rose Garden be opened to dogs."