City’s policy to unconditionally expedite re-design of a city owned park: improving private revenue concert venue but degrading neighborhood use without public input or outside professional review.

Gallagher Square is a city owned park, leased to Padres L.P., located outside Petco Park stadium.

As promised to the taxpayers, G.S. (originally Park at the Park) was designed as an urban green refuge, for watching baseball games, and hosting events to enliven the neighborhood.

The redesign re-purposes the layout of the park to accommodate a PRIVATE concert venue for 10,000, degrading a much loved CITY owned community park.   

The City Administration supports expediting this proposed plan with no formal community input, environmental analysis, or sound study. 

The changes have irreversible negative impacts:  frequently reducing public access to the full park, eliminating shade trees and grass, and potentially significant negative health and environmental ramifications.

Large concerts will bring in substantial revenue for the Padres, but at the cost of a much needed urban park.  Moments to relax under shade trees are savored by residents and visitors alike.  Current concert prep already significantly locks out public access. A promised increase in “limited access” does not adhere to JUMA agreements or benefit public well-being.

Considering these impacts, the City’s Administration was irresponsible in not requiring community input and professional analysis of the substantive changes to a City Park.