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Residents press council to acquire land for Washington Square park as budget tradeoffs loom
Summary
Dozens of residents and neighbors urged the City Council to pursue Option Two from a feasibility study to acquire land for a long‑sought Washington Square neighborhood park; councilmembers expressed sympathy but cautioned acquisition and maintenance have large fiscal implications amid a budget gap.
During public comment at the Santa Ana City Council meeting, multiple residents from Washington Square pressed the council to prioritize acquiring land for a neighborhood park identified as 'Option Two' in a recent feasibility study.
Speakers described the neighborhood as park‑poor and multi‑generational, with schools and hundreds of households nearby. “Washington Square sirve a familias, miles de residentes, cero parques en Washington Square,” resident D. Lindo told the council, asking for equitable investment in the underserved neighborhood.
Councilmembers acknowledged the community plea and linked it directly to the budget workshop that followed. Finance staff told the council the city has identified about $8.4 million in potential measures and a remaining recurring shortfall near $4.7 million; several councilmembers said they favor pursuing acquisition creatively (land swaps, negotiation with property owners) but emphasized funding for purchase, improvements and long‑term maintenance must be secured first.
The council asked staff to investigate acquisition options and to include Washington Square as a priority in the list of one‑time uses that could be considered if funds become available. Several members said they will explore grant, bond and legislative approaches as potential funding sources.
Next steps: staff will research land acquisition options for Washington Square and report back with cost estimates and potential funding strategies; no acquisition decision was made tonight.
