At the Nov. 10 public comment period, residents urged the City Council and Parks & Recreation to require a pilot study comparing well‑maintained natural grass with synthetic turf at El Camino Park and to consider natural materials for playgrounds. Magdalena Cabrera, a four‑time cancer survivor, urged the council to "lean into the precautionary principle," citing PFAS contamination concerns and the shedding of microplastics from synthetic turf.

Retired environmental engineer Claire Elliott echoed those concerns and criticized elements of a Lloyd Consulting study she said omitted many PFAS compounds and other additives. Elliott recommended the council pursue a grass pilot and noted discrepancies in the Lloyd study's cost‑per‑hour assumptions.

Other public commenters raised separate but related neighborhood issues: Rafael Zee described increased RV parking near Ash Street and Portage Avenue that has reduced residents' sense of safety and urged more robust code enforcement and outreach; Barry Kaye (Ventura Neighbors Association) asked the council to balance humanitarian support for people living in vehicles with enforcement for chronic, non‑compliant camping.

Council members did not take action on these items at the Nov. 10 meeting (they were public comment), but speakers asked staff and commissioners to examine pilot programs for natural grass fields, share findings from the Lloyd study, and report back on enforcement options for unregulated vehicle parking and possible limited pilot RV programs or zoning changes.