For the past five years about 20 neighbors have met at the park on weekday mornings and evenings and weekends. They let their dogs run without a leash over a patch of grass behind the basketball courts. The area is isolated from the main field, where children play sports, and is next to a concrete walkway.

But in mid-October the city of San Jose's animal care and services division received numerous complaints from people using the park about dog owners walking their pets without a leash.

The city of San Jose's dog ordinance clearly states that "a dog anywhere in public has to be on a leash," says San Jose Parks Manager Todd Capurso.

The group stopped visiting the park when park maintenance crews enforced the ordinance, and animal services threatened to impound any dogs caught off leash, says Sally Buchanan, a dentist who has roller-skated to the park with her poodle and bichon frisé for five years. The first citation for violating the ordinance is $100. The second citation is $125, and the third is $150.

In Santa Clara County, there are several dog parks that permit animals to run off-leash. Miyuki Dog Park, located on Miyuki Drive and Santa Teresa Boulevard, has more than one-third of an acre for dogs to run freely. Hellyer County Park in San Jose, Los Palmas Dog Park in Sunnyvale and the Santa Clara Dog Park in Santa Clara also have fenced-in areas. But there is nothing close by for Willow Glen residents.

"Every neighborhood has an unofficial dog park like Kirk Park," Capurso says. "But if it can be officially designated as a 'dog park' and fenced in, it is better for everyone, including people with children."

Joan Cragun says driving to a dog park defeats the purpose. She walks to Kirk Park from her house because it is more "environmentally friendly" than driving. She also wants the extra exercise. She wants a fence installed at Kirk Park because her yellow Labrador is "a large dog that needs to run to get exercise, and walking around the block is not the same," she says. "Socializing with other dogs is a nice release for the dogs and people in the neighborhood."

It is also another way to meet people living near the park, she says.

The neighbors decided to organize. One member of the group, Bill Brown Jr., mailed the city and the parks and recreation department several letters that requested the installation of a fence at the park.

Brown, who has brought his Dalmatian to the park for the past year, says, "We are willing to circulate petitions, hold meetings, fundraisers or whatever it takes to achieve a dog park. The dog park is something that is certainly deserved. The people are mature, responsible, dedicated dog owners who want to continue to meet there."

But fundraising and petitions by these dog owners might not be necessary because the process for obtaining a fence looks easier. It is something the city parks and recreation department wants to provide, Capurso says.

The city parks and recreation department reviewed the neighbors' request and agreed to meet with the group on Nov. 19. At the Kirk Park meeting, Capurso had some promising news.

The park, located in District 9, was budgeted for a dog park. The city established a savings account several years ago for this purpose but never knew where to build the park, Capurso says. Building a park from scratch could cost more than $100,000, but putting fences up at a park, which already exists, would cost less than half that amount, he says.

Establishing an off-leash area at Kirk Park is a "relatively minor project," Capurso says. The project involves moving the irrigation systems and installing a fence around a designated area with several entrances.

Buchanan says there is only one neighbor who might oppose the park because her fence opens onto the park and she has children. But the new fence will provide a buffer zone between her fence and the grass at the park, Capurso says.

Adding fences to create dog parks are possibilities in many of the city's 150 neighborhood and 10 regional parks, Capurso says. Many neighborhoods ask the recreation department for dog parks, community gardens and skateparks, which the parks and recreation department attempts to install whenever possible and when funds are available, Capurso says.

Once community members express interest in a dog park, meetings are scheduled so residents living near the proposed project can give their input.

"We need to ask neighbors because adding anything such as a basketball court or dog park could bring more noise," Capurso says.

Sandy Horvath frequents the park with her 5-year-old border collie. Her three children also use the park to play sports. And she says the group who visited the park "was always responsible for picking up after their dogs. Neighbors have nothing to worry about because they are responsible."

Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer Dog Warning: Signs at Kirk Park clearly state that owners must leash their dogs or be cited for not complying with the city ordinance.

"Dogs form relationships when they get to know each other," Buchanan says. "Some of our dogs have gotten to know each other, and it will be nice to have a place again where they can get together."

Laurel Eby, who does not own a dog and swings her 3-year-old and 18-month-old daughters on the playground equipment at the park, does not have any concerns about adding a fence for a dog park.

"If it is fenced in I'm sure it would be okay," says Eby, who moved to Willow Glen three months ago. "People come here all the time with dogs, and as long as they are contained people with children don't need to be frightened. My girls love dogs."

A community meeting is tentatively set for Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. at Kirk Park, 1601 Foxworthy Ave. For more information, call San Jose Parks Manager Todd Capurso 408.794.1336.