Willow Glen Resident
News
Oliverio sticks to his promise and promotes future dog park
By Stephen Baxter
Without a single public dog park in his city council district, San Jose City Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio has seen the paw prints on the wall.
On Aug. 14, Oliverio will ask the San Jose City Council to consider a dog run and public restrooms at Del Monte Park, a new park to be built at Auzerais Avenue and the Los Gatos Creek.
The 2.2-acre location is currently a dirt parking lot that is being used by construction workers working on the 383-unit KB Home development across the street. If approved, the dog park could be constructed in 2008. The proposal fulfills Oliverio's campaign promise to seek a place for dogs, his staff said.
The city also has tentative plans to expand the park by 4 to 6 acres and add a sports field. Those plans have not been finalized, said Matt Cano, San Jose parks capital development improvement manager.
KB Home is expected to help construct the park, which will connect to a paved part of the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
KB Home is building two developments on Auzerais Avenue: Madison Place at Monte Vista and Cannery Square at Monte Vista. The148-townhome Madison Place project will consist of units ranging in size from 1,335 to 1,930 square feet. The starting cost will be $500,000, said KB Home spokesman Craig LeMessurier.
The Cannery Square development will include 235 condominiums ranging in size from 824 to 1,433 square feet and will start at $300,000, according to LeMessurier. The completion dates of the projects is still uncertain.
Neighborhood leaders said they are pleased with Oliverio's push for public facilities at the future park.
Michael LaRocca, president of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Association, said Oliverio was wise to insert a placeholder for the restrooms and dog run. A dog run would be smaller than a dog park, but its size could change as designs are shaped later.
The San Jose City Council will meet on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. in San Jose City Hall Council Chambers, 200 E. Santa Clara St., to discuss the dog park proposal.
