Resident urges clearer signage and enforcement at Cloverleaf Valley dog park

During the public-comment portion of the March 4 Oak Harbor City Council meeting, resident Debbie O’Brien said she lives near Cloverleaf Valley Park and described safety and maintenance concerns at the park’s dog areas.

O’Brien said the park’s signage is unclear and that some dog owners leave the park area and call their dogs from outside the fenced areas; she told the council she was bitten last year when a dog forced its way through a fence and bit her finger. "If your dog's too aggressive, it doesn't even belong at the park or near it," O’Brien said. She also reported dogs digging up recent landscaping, creating mud puddles, and said she has spent time cutting blackberry bushes at the site.

Councilmembers responded by encouraging residents to use the city’s online 'How do I report a concern' form on oakharbor.gov; Councilmember Stuckey and others noted staff respond quickly when residents file concerns through that process and cited an example of a pothole reported and repaired within 48 hours. The mayor confirmed staff will review submitted comments and the clerk noted several written public comments were displayed in the meeting packet.

Council did not act on the comment at the meeting; no staff presentation or formal agenda item on park signage or dog rules was on the agenda. Councilmembers said they appreciate residents reporting issues through the official process so staff can investigate and return with any recommended changes.