Dog owners and bicyclists at odds over proposed bike path

A plan to complete a 3-mile bike path along the Los Angeles River has divided dog owners and bicyclists in the San Fernando Valley.

"We can't take any more from the big dog side," said dog owner Brittany Dejardo. "Like, we wish it was even bigger."

The proposed path will cut through part of the Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park. Owners like Dejardo believe it could create a dangerous situation for dogs and people on the path. 

"It's going to be a distraction. It's going to make them crazy, which is going to cause chaos," said Dejardo. 

However, the new extension would take a mere sliver of land away from the park. The Bureau of Engineering Department said that the dog park spans about 6.35 acres and the proposal would take 1.52%, or about 0.1 acres. 

Some cyclists have pushed for a trail extension to have it run the 50-mile stretch between the San Fernando Valley and Pacific Ocean.

"It makes sense to extend the bike path along the river," said cyclist John Klein. "They can link right into Oxnard. That seems pretty easy, cost-effective. The path's already there."

Councilmember Imelda Padilla, who represents District 6, said she introduced a motion to determine the best way to preserve the dog park, including erecting a 6 to 8-foot fence to separate the two areas.