WHY A PARK IS NEEDED IN WASHINGTON SQUARE
Answers To Your Questions About A Neighborhood Park
To make a park in Washington Square a reality, it is necessary to secure 5 votes out of 7 to include funding for the park by the mayor and councilmembers. We are asking residents to do what they can to help make that happen.
History: Three years ago when the Neighborhood Association learned that the owner of the vacant property above 15th street between Lowell & Olive was interested in selling the property for use as a park, we contacted the Parks and Rec department to find a pathway to make that happen.
We conducted a petiton drive and secured hundreds of signatures in favor of a park. Working with the City and Parks and Rec, the previous City Manager determined that a feasibility study was necessary before proceeding further. Measure X (the Santa Ana sales tax) provided funding for the study and it was done internally by Parks and Rec. That study was presented to the City Council September 2025 and it was "received and filed" We were told that was a good thing. Read the Feasibility Study here. We have also been told that a park for our neighborhood has been added to the Park Master Plan. You can read that plan here (not updated from 2022)
The next step is to get the park funded with funds remaining in the '25/'26 budget. The Council will be voting on it and the upcoming '26/'27 budget in June. They will be having study sessions before then to help plan the budget. The mayor and all six council members are aware of our desire for a park but we've heard that not all are in favor of allocating the funds for it. The Measure X 1.5% sales tax that funds a lot of City projects is phasing out beginning in 2029 when it drops to 1%. It will be gone completely in 2039. As a result, City leaders are pulling back on discressionary projects. We have to make sure our park is not one of them.
Just recently we learned that the property owner has lowered the asking price and is targeting developers who could take advantage of California's SB9 regulation which allows for high density residentioal developement in areas with access to public transportation. Here is a good explanation of SB9
It's now or never to secure this property for a park in Washington Square.
Q&A
Q. Why is another park needed when a park is being constructed at 10th & Flower?
A. That park is planned as an "active" park with playground equipment, an exercise area, a lighted basketball court, a skatepark and a restroom. It's also half a mile away from the northwest corner of Washington Square. It will serve both Washingotn Square and the Williard Neighborhood. The proposed Washington Square park with be "passive" with trees, greenspace, benches and picnic table and maybe a little playground equipment.
Q. Won't the park attract homeless, drug use, etc?
A. There's no restroom planned, it will be fenced and gated and locked from 10PM to 6AM and patrolled by the City's security contractor. It's completely within our residential area with no access from major streets.
Q. Won't there be more traffic, parking problems and noise to the neighbors nearby?
A. It's a walkable park and much of the nearby streets have permit parking or could in the future. Because it's a passive park, we don't anticipate noise being an issue.
Q. What happens if our park plan is not included in the '26/'27 City of Santa Ana Budget?
A. We'll lose the last chance for a park in the neighborhood since it's the last undeveloped parcel large enough for a park. The owner wants to sell the property either to the City or to a developer.
Park vs. Development — What’s at Stake for Our Neighborhood
Park
• Relaxing greenspace just steps away
• Walkable entry
• Quiet
• No parking lot or amenities (means less loitering)
• Community gathering space
• Open space for children to play
If Sold to a Developer (SB9)
• Could be up to 16 or more residential units
• Paved access to multiple dwellings
• Increased noise from added traffic
• Potential overflow parking on nearby streets
This is the choice in front of us.
A peaceful, shared space for our community—or increased density with lasting neighborhood impacts.
Your voice matters. You should have received a flyer recently on how you can be heard. You can download the flyer here. If you have additional questions, please contact Nina Jirik, Park Committee Chair nina.jirik@washington-square.org
This rendering of Option 2 was done for the 2025 Feasibility Study for a park for Washington Square. It's an initial concept of a passive park. Our neighborhood will have plenty of input on the final design when the park land aquisition is funded.
