INSIDE
FireAid Fund Distributes $21M to Palisades and Adjacent Areas smmirror.com
June 6 - June 12, 2025 Volume CXXIII Issue 214
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Design Options Emerge for Santa Monica Airport Conversion into Public Park Community feedback, gathered through over 4,984 survey responses, shows a strong preference for a balance of passive and active uses
As the Santa Monica Airport prepares to close on December 31, 2028, the city is unveiling three distinct design scenarios to transform its nearly 200-acre site into a sprawling public park, with community input shaping the future of the space. The conversion project, outlined in a staff report to the Planning Commission for a June 4, 2025, meeting, aligns with Measure LC, adopted in 2014, which mandates the land—originally purchased for a public park—be used primarily for open space or recreation unless approved by voters. Community engagement, which began in 2024, has included thousands of responses from surveys, workshops, and
pop-up events, with the current phase focusing on three draft scenarios: Reuse, Restoration and Resilience; Weaving Park and Community; and Growing Park, Growing Community. The first scenario, Reuse, Restoration and Resilience, emphasizes green space with new water features, sports fields, and multi-use paths, as noted in the staff report. It proposes five miles of trails, 13 acres of parking, a 15-acre reservoir, 15 acres of urban forest, 8 acres of meadows, a 5-acre community farm, and 22 acres of sports facilities, according to Urbanize LA. Development is limited to adaptive reuse of existing structures, offering minimal on-site revenue through leasing and events, which could delay implementation and financing, per the report. Weaving Park and Community, the second option, features a meandering multiuse path called “The Bend,” blending open lawns, water features, and recreation areas, as detailed in the staff report. It includes four miles of trails, three new roads, 5 acres of parking, a 7-acre pond, 34 acres of urban forest, 6 acres of indigenous gardens, and a 7-acre performing arts center, with 32 acres of new housing and commercial development along the site’s edges, per Urbanize LA. This scenario promises faster delivery and greater revenue potential.
The third scenario, Growing Park, Growing Community, is the most development-intensive, framing a large public park with a 10-acre lake and 48 acres of commercial and housing development, according to Urbanize LA. It offers six miles of trails, six primary roads, 17 acres of urban forest, 12 acres of botanical collections, 21 acres of sports fields, and a new aquatics center. This option, with the highest revenue potential, is projected for the shortest build time. Community feedback, gathered through over 4,984 survey responses, shows a strong preference for pedestrian- and cyclist-
friendly designs, integrated water systems, and a balance of passive and active uses, with housing remaining a divisive issue, as noted in the staff report. More than half of respondents support some housing— particularly senior, workforce, and lowincome options—to fund park elements, though any housing plan requires voter approval under Measure LC. The city plans to present a hybrid preferred scenario in Fall 2025, incorporating elements from all three options, following additional input from upcoming meetings and a July 8 council presentation, as outlined in the staff report.
Waymo Faces Escalating Tensions in Santa Monica Over Noise Complaints: REPORT Some residents have resorted to blocking Waymo vehicles from entering the lots using cones, cars, and even themselves—a tactic locals call “stacking the Waymos,”
Tensions between Santa Monica residents and autonomous vehicle company Waymo have intensified as locals protest noise pollution from the company’s charging stations, prompting unconventional resistance and drawing city officials into
the conflict. Waymo, which operates a fleet of 56 driverless vehicles in the city, opened two charging stations at Euclid Street and Broadway in January 2025 after subleasing the lots from Palo Alto-based Voltera, according to the Los Angeles Times. The stations, permitted in June 2024, have since become a source of frustration for nearby residents due to incessant beeping from the vehicles, a sound required by federal and state regulations to alert pedestrians and cyclists when electric cars reverse. Residents, including 51-year-old Christopher Potter, have voiced their discontent, with Potter launching an online petition on Change.org that has garnered 140 signatures as of May 29. The petition demands Waymo reduce the volume of backup beeps within its lots and limit nighttime operations. “This was not what we signed up for,” Potter told the Times, echoing a sentiment of disrupted tranquility near an elementary school and
apartment complexes. The conflict has escalated beyond petitions. Some residents have resorted to blocking Waymo vehicles from entering the lots using cones, cars, and even themselves—a tactic locals call “stacking the Waymos,” according to the Times. This has led to Waymo calling the police on residents six times, with one individual facing an unsuccessful attempt by the company to secure a temporary restraining order. Ivana Justin, a resident, told NBC4 that the beeping disrupts sleep, waking her family at odd hours: “It’s been a nightmare, you know, no sleep, waking us up at 2, 3, 4 o’clock in the morning.” Santa Monica city officials were initially unaware of Waymo’s operations, only learning of the charging stations after resident complaints began in February, according to emails obtained by the Los Angeles Times. The city’s director of transit services, Anuj Gupta, expressed
concern over the lack of prior notification in a February email to Waymo. The city confirmed that noise levels at the stations do not violate local standards, leaving officials with limited options due to federal regulations, according to NBC4. Despite this, Santa Monica is exploring outreach to state regulators to address the volume of the mandatory beeps. Waymo, which began its Los Angeles expansion in late 2023, reiterated its commitment to being a “good neighbor” and said it is working with the city’s Department of Transportation to address concerns.