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Residents ask council to halt police‑headquarters work on Civic Center site, cite loss of Castaways park
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Summary
Speakers questioned whether staff were authorized to spend $1.5 million to advance a Civic Center police headquarters concept and warned that siting a station there would eliminate a valued 4‑acre park and sculpture garden.
Multiple public speakers told the council they were concerned staff may have begun work on a proposed police headquarters concept without explicit council appropriation and urged preservation of the Lower Castaways park.
Jim Mosher said a planning session slide referenced $1.5 million to be moved into the current CIP to hire consultants to advance a police headquarters concept and asked directly: 'Is the, did, did you actually, at that meeting, authorize a budget amendment of 1 and a half million dollars... so that staff could immediately hire a consultant team?' He said the city manager’s newsletter stated staff would continue work on a Civic Center concept and sought clarification whether a public appropriation vote had been taken.
Laura Curran cautioned that building the police station at the Civic Center would mean losing a 'really valuable park' with wetlands, woodlands and a sculpture garden that attracts visitors from Orange County and beyond. She described the park's habitat value and its role as a demonstration garden for coastal native plants and fire‑wise landscaping.
Council did not record a vote on a site or any immediate spending authority at the meeting; Council members asked for clarification and acknowledged the need to follow public process and return with clear budgetary authority before staff proceeds with consultant contracts.
