‘Significant flea infestation’ closes popular Marin playground in town that bans pesticides - San Francisco Chronicle

What the report says

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Fairfax, in Marin County, has temporarily shut down the Peri Park playground after officials identified what the town described as a significant flea infestation. The closure was announced in a notice posted Friday, and the playground was expected to remain closed for about two weeks while the town works out how to respond.

The complication is Fairfax’s local pesticide policy. According to the Chronicle, the town’s municipal code broadly bars pesticide use on public property, including parks, open space, rights of way and town-owned buildings, and covers insecticides and similar pest-control products. Public Works Director Kristin Arnold was reviewing options that would meet the ordinance’s requirements, and the town said it was seeking an effective approach that complies with the rules.

The ordinance does allow limited exceptions, including an emergency exemption that would require Town Council approval by a two-thirds vote and findings that public health, safety and welfare are threatened, that no reasonable alternative exists, and that keeping the ban in place could have a major negative effect. The Chronicle reported that Fairfax had not said it would pursue that route.

Officials have not identified the source of the infestation, and the town has not reported flea bites or illnesses tied to the playground. Peri Park, near downtown Fairfax and beside the Fairfax Community Center, is described as a well-used local gathering place with play structures installed in 2021 after a town-backed fundraising effort. Residents were told to avoid the closed area, and dog owners walking nearby were advised to check pets afterward and consult veterinarians about flea prevention.