The Santa Monica City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday in support of a plan to transform the 192-acre Santa Monica Airport site into a public park after its scheduled closure on Dec. 31, 2028. The Yo Venice newsletter reported that the plan prioritizes open space and recreational facilities over housing development.

The council directed staff to study Scenario 1, a proposal emphasizing ecological restoration, adaptive reuse of existing structures and compliance with Measure LC, a 2014 voter-approved charter amendment requiring public approval for non-park uses on the former airport land. The plan includes public open spaces, recreational facilities and the maintenance of existing cultural arts and education uses, according to Yo Venice.

Councilmember Jesse Zwick, the lone dissenter on the final vote, emphasized the logistical inefficiency of focusing solely on adaptive reuse of existing structures without exploring housing potential. He noted, “We’re not planning to tear down buildings; we’re talking about adaptive reuses of existing structures, so let’s study what a mix of uses, including housing, would look like on sites that have structures.”

Photo courtesy of Discover Los Angeles.