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Resolution No. 2021-XXX <br />Page 2 of 6 <br />events, wildfires, stronger Santa Ana winds, and warmer water temperatures that can <br />result in increased circulation of lead in local environments2; and <br />WHEREAS these risks can be exacerbated by improper zoning and land use <br />decisions as well as unmitigated urban development. Uncontrolled urban development, <br />without adequate consideration for climate and health impacts, on a grand scale has <br />threatened residents with increased traffic and emissions, and thus may foster an <br />increased heat island effect, elevating heat temperatures, incurring the threat of <br />wildfires and additional health disparities such as asthma, obesity, heat exhaustion, <br />heat stroke;, and <br />WHEREAS, only 4% of the City of Santa Ana’s land is dedicated for parks and <br />recreation,3 and the City of Santa Ana ranks 88 out of the 100 most populous US cities <br />due to lack of access to parks, amenities and acreage; and. <br />WHEREAS the City of Santa Ana’s Open Space Element Policy 1.3 calls for the <br />City to achieve a minimum park standard of two acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. <br />The City currently does not meet this per-resident standard, and the parkland deficiency <br />is projected to increase further: the total “parkland deficiency” would increase from <br />107.56 acres to 299.48 acres with increased development projected in the General Plan <br />Update; and. <br />WHEREAS parks, playgrounds, greenways, trails, community open spaces and <br />community gardens help keep people and their communities healthy. Exposure to <br />nature in parks, gardens, and natural areas can improve psychological and social <br />health. Parks provide children with opportunities for play, critical in the development of <br />muscle strength and coordination, language, and cognitive abilities. Parks build healthy <br />communities by creating stable neighborhoods and strengthening community <br />development.4 <br />WHEREAS, the City of Santa Ana is committed to providing and upkeeping <br />access to clean water and cooling centers to the whole community – and especially to <br />those experiencing houselessness to stop preventable deaths due to heatwaves; and <br />WHEREAS, a study from the University of Notre Dame found that the City of <br />Santa Ana was the city with the highest climate change risks and one of the lowest <br />climate change readiness in the United States5; and <br />2 “The State of Public Health Lead Policies: Implications for Urban Health Inequities and Recommendations for Health <br />Equity“<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6466291/> <br />3 Trust for Public Land Park Score. TPL 2020 Park Score. www.tpl.org <br />4 Gies, Erica. The Health Benefits of Parks: How Parks Help Keep Americans Fit and Healthy <br />https://www.tpl.org/sites/default/files/cloud.tpl.org/pubs/benefits_HealthBenefitsReport.pdf <br />5 University of Notre Dame, “Climate Vulnerability of UAA Cities.” <https://gain-uaa.nd.edu/matrix/>