Item 10 - Recieve and File the Washington Park Feasibility Study

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City of Santa Ana Washington Square Park Feasibility Study July 2025 • Policy OS-1.5: Park and Open Space Types • Policy OS-1.6: Park Access and Connectivity • Policy OS-1.8: Land Acquisition and Equitable Distribution • Policy OS-1.10: Creative Solutions for Deficiencies Goal OS-2: Health, Safe and Inclusive Opportunities: Provide welcoming, inclusive, safe and healthy parks, recreation facilities, and activities to serve Santa Ana residents regardless of age, ability or income. • Policy OS-2.1: Recreation Variety • Policy OS-2.2: Healthy Parks and Public Spaces • Policy OS-2.3: Active Lifestyles • Policy OS-2.5: Air quality & Heat • Policy OS-2.6: Connection To Nature • Policy OS-2.11: Community Involvement • Policy OS-2.13: Neighborhood Needs • Policy OS-2.14: ADA Accessibility • Policy OS-2.15: Inclusive Affordable Recreation Implementation Action 1.15: Community Input: Identify and utilize community engagement tools, initiated through the PMP, for residents and facility users to provide ongoing input about open space needs, park design, facility improvements and programming. Implementation Action 1.16: Acquisitions to meet park standard: Using the PMP as guidance, identify and acquire property within the City for park and open space use which will focus on bringing the park and recreation system to three acres of land per 1,000 residents with a plan to keep pace with future urban growth. Implementation Action 2.8: Public Input: Collect community input regarding park design and programming at the beginning of the planning process whenever a new facility is proposed. 5.2 Other Considerations Willing Seller. - Alexander Dantes is a willing seller and Mr. Fairbrothers, on his behalf, made an initial verbal offer to sell of $6.8m. An appraisal, conducted by Hennessey & Hennessey, LLC in February 2024, provided an Opinion of Value of $3.7m. (See Appendix F). The Community Development Agency is currently reviewing and assessing this information. No relocation would be required. In prior years, a proposed project for R-2 Residential Development at this location was met with objections from the Washington Square Neighborhood community. Subsequently it did not move forward. The neighborhood has strongly indicated that they want a public park; not to dissuade development (which they oppose) but because they want a place for their children to play, to take their dogs, and to use for community gatherings and events. Neighborhood input collected during neighborhood meetings, and received in writing from residents, were considered and incorporated when developing preliminary concept studies. The subject project, located in the north-east end of Washington Square, would serve everyone within the neighborhood and is assessable by foot within a 5-10 minute walk. The existing site is currently undeveloped and vacant. There is no indication that any site remediation would be necessary. As development would most likely be a Pocket or Neighborhood Park, parking would not be a Page 12