Santa Monica residents have until December 6 to weigh in on a draft plan that would turn the 192-acre airport site into a park with eight districts after hundreds viewed the proposal at Memorial Park Gym on Saturday.
The proposed Great Park would divide the 192-acre Santa Monica Airport site into eight distinct districts, bringing together nature and habitat restoration, sports, recreation, arts, culture and community gathering spaces. Residents can now weigh in on the draft Illustrative Master Plan through a new round of public feedback and a public survey.
According to the Santa Monica Great Park Coalition, the draft plan reflects years of community engagement and incorporates residents’ priorities for the future park. Should the city choose to move forward with this plan for the park, the estimated construction costs come to nearly $2 billion, and any thoughts to allow some new housing on the current airport property would be discarded.
“This was a great day for Santa Monica,” said Ann Bowman, a board member of the Great Park Coalition. “After years of community advocacy and public engagement, it was thrilling to see this spectacular vision revealed and to witness the excitement of hundreds of residents as they experienced it for the first time.”
The eight districts are intended to offer different experiences while contributing to a cohesive public space. Proposed features include opportunities for outdoor recreation, nature exploration, cultural activities and community gatherings.
The airport conversion has been a long-running local issue, with supporters envisioning a major new public park on land currently used for aviation. The airport is scheduled to close on December 31, 2028, creating an opportunity to reclaim the site for public use.
Zina Josephs, another coalition board member, said the conversion would transform land used by a relatively small portion of the community while exposing surrounding neighborhoods to aviation noise and air pollution.
The Great Park Coalition, which represents 89 organizations and more than 1,500 individual supporters, is advocating for the entire site to become a public park in accordance with the 2014 Measure LC City Charter Amendment.
The Eight Districts
The City of Santa Monica’s Draft Framework Diagram divides the future ~192-acre Santa Monica Airport Great Park into eight distinct districts. Click here for previous coverage and more details on the districts.
- Immersive Nature – Located on the western, quieter half of the site, featuring native habitats, urban forests, wildflower meadows, wetlands or stormwater capture ponds, and a potential community farm.
- Active Sports – Located on the eastern side, featuring organized athletic fields and regional recreational facilities.
- Arts & Culture – Built around existing creative and cultural spaces, incorporating creative programming and food/dining components.
- Urban Edge – A transition zone along the northern edge connecting the site to surrounding residential neighborhoods.
- The Stroll – A connective pathway/corridor weaving through the site, which received some of the highest community support in public surveys.
- The Lawn – An open, flexible green space for gatherings, recreation, and community events.
- The Meadow – A landscape-driven open space designed for passive recreation and natural scenery.
- The Heart – A central civic core where architecture, landscape, and main pathways intersect.
Next Steps: Take the Great Park Survey
The plan remains in draft form, and the city is seeking additional public input. Residents can review the Draft Illustrative Master Plan and share their thoughts through the Airport Conversion Project’s Phase 4 survey. The deadline to take the survey is December 6.
The Phase 4 community survey gives residents an opportunity to respond to the draft plan and help inform the next stages of the airport conversion process. Community feedback will help the city as it continues planning for the park ahead of the airport’s scheduled closure.
Residents can also find information about the draft Illustrative Master Plan and the broader Airport Conversion Project at smacproject.com.
