What started as a fight for one school has, thanks to your voices, sparked a city-wide movement. The momentum you built has now turned advisory victories into a clear mandate for the City Council. The city’s vote on the Park Vision Plan is fast approaching. We need your voice to secure a lasting victory for our city parks, which will be a critical foundation for the work that follows.
🚀 Major Victory: Parks & Rec Commission Votes for No New Synthetic Fields!
The Recreation & Parks Commission met on September 25, 2025, and adopted a strong motion recommending a near-moratorium on all new artificial turf in City-owned parks. This is the culmination of months of advocacy and a wave of similar recommendations from the FSAC, Urban Forest Task Force, and Sustainability Commission.
Crucially, this is an advisory recommendation, not a binding decision. The City Council must vote to adopt this framework to make it permanent city policy!
Click here to read a full breakdown of all the commission victories.
Our Next, CRITICAL Move: The City Council Vote
All these recommendations now go to the Santa Monica City Council for final approval. We must translate advisory wins into policy.
The City Council meeting is scheduled for:
Event: City Council Regular Meeting
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: City Hall Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Room 250
Our Goal: To use this meeting to pass a formal "No Turf on Public Land" Ordinance, upholding the spirit of the City's existing Sustainability Rights Ordinance.
✍️ Action 1: Write to the Council TODAY!
Submit a public comment immediately to ensure every Council member knows our position before they vote.
Your Core Message: Installing synthetic turf is a failure of public office because it creates long-term fiscal liability and violates environmental laws.
Your Key Demand: Urge the City Council to formally adopt a moratorium on synthetic turf on public land and commit to investing in innovative, regenerative field maintenance. This practice builds healthy soil, which saves money and water long-term while guaranteeing durable, highly playable, and safe natural grass fields.
Tool Kit: Check out example letters and instructions in our guide.
📣 Action 2: Show Up and Speak Out at the Meeting!
We need a massive, visible turnout to translate our advisory wins into binding law. Please mark your calendar, attend the meeting, and sign up to provide public comment.
Let's finish this critical job for our city parks. This victory will be key to making Santa Monica a permanent No Plastic Grass community, from its parks to its schools.