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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 18 - Councilmember Requested Item Regarding Park Rules and UseCITY ATTORNEY Sonia R. Carvalho CITY MANAGER Alvaro Nuñez CITY CLERK Jennifer L. Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA - P.O. BOX 1988, M31 - SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE (714) 647-6900 - FAX (714) 647-6954 - www.santa-ana.org Councilmember-Requested Item Report DATE February 17, 2026 TOPIC Updating Park Rules to Make City Parks More Welcoming and Easier to Use COUNCILMEMBER-REQUESTED ITEM TITLE Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager to Direct Staff to Update Park Rules to Allow Picnicking, Park Vending, Expanded Skate Park Use, and Simplify Permit Requirements DISCUSSION In Santa Ana, City parks are shared public spaces that support recreation, family gatherings, youth activities, and community life. Santa Ana’s 49 parks and open space areas comprise five large city parks, 18 community parks, 12 neighborhood parks, 11 pocket parks, and three urban plazas. Many of the rules governing City parks in Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) Chapter 31 were adopted decades ago and no longer reflect how parks are commonly used today. Under current regulations, activities such as picnicking, small group gatherings, and vending are either prohibited or require permits even when they do not meaningfully impact park operations. In addition, recreation trends have evolved, including increased use of non-motorized scooters in skate parks, yet the SAMC has not been updated to reflect these changes. The purpose of this item is to modernize park rules to reduce unnecessary barriers to everyday park use, support local small businesses, and make City parks and open spaces more welcoming and accessible, while preserving public safety, accessibility, and the City’s ability to manage park resources effectively. Picnicking in City Parks Picnicking is a basic and widely expected park activity for families and community members. Current rules prohibit picnicking and food preparation unless conducted in areas specifically designated by the Parks Director, which can create confusion and unnecessary enforcement challenges. Updating the SAMC to allow picnicking by default reflects how parks are actually used today, while still allowing the City to restrict picnicking in specific areas when needed for fire prevention, resource protection, or to accommodate permitted or reserved uses. CITY ATTORNEY Sonia R. Carvalho CITY MANAGER Alvaro Nuñez CITY CLERK Jennifer L. Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA - P.O. BOX 1988, M31 - SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE (714) 647-6900 - FAX (714) 647-6954 - www.santa-ana.org Vending in City Parks Allowing vending in City parks supports local businesses, promotes free-market economic activity, and helps activate public spaces for community use. Parks are places where residents gather, socialize, and spend time, and limited access to goods and services can reduce the overall park experience. A modernized approach could allow roaming vending in City parks, subject to City permitting requirements and clear, objective operational standards that address public safety, pedestrian access, sanitation, and park operations. This approach would encourage small-scale entrepreneurship, increase economic activity in and around parks, and provide park users with convenient access to food and other goods, while maintaining appropriate safeguards to ensure parks remain safe, accessible, and well- managed. Coordinated amendments to Chapter 26 (Pushcarts) are necessary to ensure consistency across the SAMC and to avoid conflicting provisions that would unintentionally prohibit park vending despite any City Council policy direction that may originate from this agenda item. Park Reservations and Permit Requirements Current permit requirements can create unnecessary barriers for families and community groups seeking to use parks for casual gatherings. Requiring permits for activities that do not involve exclusive use of space or significant operational impacts can discourage positive park use and strain staff resources. Updating attendance thresholds and clarifying when permits are required would allow staff to focus on managing uses that truly affect park operations, such as exclusive reservations, amplified sound, temporary structures, or organized events, while reducing friction for everyday park users. Skate Park Use Recreation trends have evolved, and many skate parks now accommodate a wider range of self-propelled, non-motorized wheeled transportation apparatus used by youth and community members. Allowing self-propelled, non-motorized wheeled transportation apparatuses in City skate parks would expand access, reflect modern recreation practices, and make skate parks more inclusive for a broader range of users. Under this approach, motorized devices would continue to be prohibited, and existing safety equipment and operational requirements would remain in place. This update balances expanded access with safety considerations and recognizes how skate parks are commonly used today. RECOMMENDATION Discuss and consider directing the City Manager, in coordination with the City Attorney and appropriate departments, to direct staff as follows: 1. Allow picnicking in City parks by preparing amendments to Santa Ana Municipal Code section 31-2.11 to permit picnicking and casual food consumption by default, with targeted restrictions where necessary for safety, fire prevention, resource protection, or permitted and reserved uses. CITY ATTORNEY Sonia R. Carvalho CITY MANAGER Alvaro Nuñez CITY CLERK Jennifer L. Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA - P.O. BOX 1988, M31 - SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE (714) 647-6900 - FAX (714) 647-6954 - www.santa-ana.org 2. Allow vending in City parks by preparing amendments to Santa Ana Municipal Code section 31-2.18 to permit vending in City parks, including roaming vending, subject to City permitting requirements and operational standards related to public safety, pedestrian access, sanitation, and park operations. 3. Coordinate updates to Chapter 26 (Pushcarts) by preparing amendments to Santa Ana Municipal Code Chapter 26 to ensure consistency with Chapter 31, explicitly allow vending in City parks where authorized, and avoid conflicting provisions that would undermine the City’s park vending policy. 4. Update park reservation and permit thresholds by preparing amendments to Santa Ana Municipal Code section 31-3 to increase attendance thresholds that trigger permit requirements and clarify that permits are required primarily for exclusive use of park space, use of City facilities or resources, amplified sound, temporary structures, organized vending, or other uses that materially impact park operations. 5. Modernize skate park regulations by preparing amendments to Santa Ana Municipal Code section 31-5 to allow self-propelled, non-motorized wheeled transportation apparatus in City skate parks, while continuing to prohibit motorized devices and maintaining existing safety equipment and operational requirements. 6. Report back to the City Council with proposed ordinance amendments and an implementation plan within a timeframe determined by the City Manager. SUBMITTED BY Councilmember Jessie Lopez