The planning process for transforming the former Santa Monica Airport into a major public park is moving into its next phase, as city officials and the project team prepare to turn a broad framework into a more detailed master plan.
The project is now entering Phase 4: Illustrative Masterplan, which will refine the Framework Diagram developed during earlier phases into a Preferred Scenario Framework Plan showing in greater detail how the future park could be organized. For more information, visit the project’s official website.
The transition comes after thousands of people participated in the latest round of public engagement. An online Survey 3B (results) received 4,206 total responses, including 2,003 completed surveys, during a survey period that ran from February 18 through April 26, 2026. The survey attracted responses from 118 ZIP codes, although the majority came from Santa Monica and nearby Los Angeles neighborhoods.
The survey found broad support for most of the proposed park districts, although respondents also raised concerns about traffic, parking, maintenance, the amount of programming and the potential impacts of events and commercial activity.
Broad support for the proposed districts
The framework divides the future park into eight conceptual districts: Immersive Nature, Active Sports, Arts & Culture, Urban Edge, The Stroll, The Lawn, The Meadow and The Heart. At the end of this piece, there is a short description for each of the districts. To learn more, visit the official website.
Of those, The Stroll received the strongest overall support, with 74.3% of respondents supporting the proposed district and 12.1% opposing it. The proposed uses within The Stroll received even stronger support, at 76.8%.
Immersive Nature also received strong support. Seventy-two percent supported the district overall, while 77.9% supported the general types of uses proposed for it. Active Sports received 70.7% support, with 76% supporting its proposed uses.
Arts & Culture received 69.5% support as a district, while 71.8% supported its proposed uses. The Lawn and The Meadow received 67.4% and 67.3% support, respectively.
The least-supported district was The Heart, although it still received majority support: 59.6% backed the proposed district and 61.2% supported its potential uses. Urban Edge received 61.4% support overall, with 65.8% supporting its proposed uses.
The results suggest that residents are generally supportive of the broad concept, but there is less consensus about some of the individual districts and how much activity should ultimately be placed in the park.
Traffic, parking and programming remain concerns
The written comments provide a more complicated picture than the overall support numbers.
Among 1,774 people who provided comments, the most frequently mentioned issue was the desire for more active recreation and sports facilities. Respondents called for fields, youth sports, skate and pump tracks, pools and aquatics, pickleball and tennis, playgrounds and flexible recreation space.
But traffic and parking were also recurring concerns. Respondents questioned where visitors would park, how traffic would be managed and whether new access points or roadways could put additional pressure on surrounding neighborhoods.
Another frequent concern was that the proposal could be over-programmed. Some respondents said the number of districts and overlapping potential uses made the plan difficult to understand and called for clearer priorities and fewer repetitive program areas. Funding, maintenance and long-term operations were also major questions, including how the park would be staffed and maintained and whether revenue-generating uses would be necessary.
Among Santa Monica residents specifically, comments showed a desire for more trees, shade, native plants and passive green space, alongside continued demand for sports and recreation facilities. Residents also raised concerns about safety, homelessness and maintenance.
Respondents from adjacent Los Angeles ZIP codes expressed many of the same concerns, particularly about traffic, parking and access. South-side residents also worried about noise, lighting and large events near their homes, and some asked that higher-noise uses be located farther inside the park.
The survey itself was not fully representative of Santa Monica’s population. Among respondents who identified their race or ethnicity, 73.5% were White, compared with 62.1% of the city overall, while Hispanic/Latino and Black residents were underrepresented. Survey respondents were also older than the city’s population overall, with 70.2% over age 45.
Despite the concerns, many respondents expressed enthusiasm for the transformation. Comments described the proposal as thoughtful, creative and potentially one of Santa Monica’s greatest civic assets.
What’s next
The planning team will continue work on the Illustrative Masterplan through fall and winter 2026. The city anticipates several opportunities for the public to review the emerging Framework Plan and provide input.
Upcoming commission meetings include:
- Planning Commission – September 16
- Recreation & Parks Commission – September 17
- Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment – September 21
- Airport Commission – September 28
A community event and short public survey are also anticipated later in 2026, providing another opportunity for residents and neighboring communities to weigh in as the framework moves toward a more detailed preferred plan.
The city says the work will continue through the fall and winter, with the goal of refining the broad framework into a more detailed vision for what could become one of Santa Monica’s largest and most significant public spaces.
The Eight Districts
Immersive Nature
A district focused on nature, native plants and ecological experiences, with the goal of creating a more immersive and restorative landscape within the park. The framework envisions a variety of plant communities and microclimates created through landscape, topography and water management.
Active Sports
The park’s primary destination for sports and active recreation. Potential facilities include sports fields and courts, with community feedback also calling for youth sports, pickleball and tennis, aquatics, skate and pump tracks, playgrounds and flexible recreation space.
Arts & Culture
A district intended to bring arts, cultural activities and community gatherings into the park. Potential programming could include performances and cultural events, although the precise mix of uses remains subject to further planning.
Urban Edge
The portion of the park designed to connect the new open space with surrounding streets and neighborhoods. It could accommodate a mix of more active, visitor-oriented uses, though this district has generated more questions from residents about development, traffic and the amount of programming.
The Stroll
A pedestrian-oriented district centered on walking, gathering and everyday park activity. It received the highest overall support of the eight proposed districts, with 74.3% of survey respondents supporting its location and 76.8% supporting its potential uses.
The Lawn
An open, flexible green space intended for informal recreation, gathering and other activities that require larger areas of lawn. The concept received 67.4% overall support, although some respondents called for a balance between programmed recreation and less-developed green space.
The Meadow
A landscape-focused area emphasizing planting, open space and ecological diversity. The framework calls for a variety of plant communities and microclimates, while survey respondents also expressed strong interest in more trees, shade, native plants and natural areas.
The Heart
A central gathering area intended to serve as one of the park’s major social and civic destinations. It has the lowest level of overall support among the eight districts, with 59.6% supporting the proposed district and 61.2% supporting its potential uses, suggesting that its eventual character and programming will be an important part of the next phase of planning.
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