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Park Maintenance
In accordance with current State and County health guidelines, our parks, including the Dog Park at Yorba Park are open for public use, weather permitting. The public is encouraged to utilize the open space and walking trails to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Please continue to practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from those who are not part of your household. Wash your hands frequently and do not use our parks if you are ill or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Group gatherings are prohibited.
1. Are courts, tot lots and exercise equipment open?
Outdoor fitness equipment are open. Tennis courts are open for singles and household use only. Please remember to maintain social distance and avoid over crowding. Tot lots and basketball, volleyball, and handball courts are closed.
2. Can I book a City facility or picnic pavilion for an event?
Current State and County health guidelines do not allow for gatherings outside of your household. Park facilities designed for gatherings, such as community rooms, the Sports Center at Grijalva Park, and group picnic pavilions are closed. No permits, regardless of date, are being issued for social gatherings until further notice. Please continue to check the City’s website and social media posts for updates to facilities and services. As health guidelines change, and allow for gatherings to continue, the City will evaluate options to comply with the guidelines.
3. Is the Senior Center open?
The Senior Center remains closed; however, essential services such as meals, case management, and transportation are still available. The meal congregate program has been replaced with a pick-up meal option. Homebound seniors will continue to receive Meals-on-Wheels service. For more information, contact the Senior Center at www.orangeseniorcenter.org or at (714) 538-9633.
4. Are youth sports groups allowed to play?
The City requires permits to use sports fields for groups of ten (10) persons or more. On August 3, the State issued guidelines for outdoor youth sports activities. The City is issuing limited permits for groups who comply with the guidelines. To obtain a field permit and for more information about the permitting process, please email javila@cityoforange.org. Tournaments, events, or competitions are not permitted at this time.
For any additional questions, please call the Community Services Department at (714) 744-7274 or email csinfo@cityoforange.org.
Integrated Pest Management Policy and Implementation Guidelines for the City of Orange
The City has an Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) which focuses on the long-term prevention and/or suppression of pest problems through a combination of techniques including pest identification, monitoring, prevention, and treatment tactics to help maintain landscape and tree health and keeping fields and parks safe and usable for the public. Pests include weeds, invasive species, rodents, and insects. Our IPM is well supervised, regulated and permitted by the Orange County Agricultural Commissioner. Please click here to view the City's IPM Policy and Implementation Guidelines. As part of our IPM, the City may use a variety of pesticides to treat for pests which may include herbicides, rodenticides, insecticides, and fungicides. All products used are approved by the Orange County Agricultural Commissioner and are applied according to the manufacture’s specifications. The type of product and amount used varies, depending on the pest problem and location. Please click here for a potential list of products.
The majority of the spraying in large turf areas is done in the spring time to eliminate broadleaf weeds that displace grass and create clumping and tripping hazards. This work is usually completed by the start of summer (depending weather and other factors). Spot spraying for weeds is done minimally in turf and planters to eliminate weeds and in paved areas to reduce cracks, lifting and other hazards. Playgrounds are not sprayed and mulch is placed around trees and planters to suppress weeds and reduce the use of pesticides. When spraying does occur in parks, signage will be posted prior to any application, be clearly visible and legible, and will remain until the product has fully dried and the area is safe to re-enter per the manufacturer’s directions.
In the interest of giving residents a choice of visiting a park maintained without the use of pesticides, three parks throughout the City, Killefer, La Veta, and Santiago Hills Parks, have been designated to be maintained without the use of pesticides. Signage designating this will be posted at each park. If a pest(s) develop that causes a safety or function concern that cannot be addressed without the use of a pesticide, if funds are available, organic products will be used first to try and eliminate the pest. If a situation occurs where organic products are not effective, the City’s current IPM will be implemented. If pesticides have to be applied, proper signage will be posted and readily visible for 24 hours after application.
Santiago Hills Park – Pesticide-Free Maintenance Pilot Program
In response to concerns from members of the community regarding pesticide use in city parks, Santiago Hills Park was selected for a pesticide-free maintenance pilot program. The use of all pesticides, including herbicides, rodenticides, and insecticides were eliminated as part of regular maintenance practices. The program started on August 29, 2019 and concluded on August 28, 2020. Over the course of the year, staff evaluated operational and financial impacts of eliminating pesticides while providing a pesticide-free maintained park for community members who prefer this option. The intent for the pilot program was to be a representative of options for future consideration throughout the park system if determined to be safe, functional, and acceptable to the community at-large.
Final Program Summary-Fall 2020
At the end of the one year pilot program, 85% of the turf area is pink clover. The turf, which comprises 95% of the park, is a hardy Kikuya grass that competes well with the clover, however, as the clover continues to expand, its coverage and influence is expected to be equally hardy and eventually be the prominent ground cover. While there was a slight increase in weeds throughout the year in the planters, tree wells, and hardscape, mechanical management was effective in controlling weeds in those areas. No safety concerns were noted, and the park remains actively used by the community.
Pursuant to City Council direction at the July 14, 2020 City Council meeting, Santiago Hills Park, along with now Killefer and La Veta Parks, will be maintained pesticide free, allowing the community pesticide free park options within the City of Orange. All three parks will continue to be monitored, and if conditions cause safety or accessibility concerns, staff will evaluate steps that can be taken to address the issues.
Update-May 2020
The Santiago Hills Park pesticide-free maintenance pilot program has been in place now for 8 months. During the course of this year long program, staff has been assessing several factors to get a better understanding of the impacts of eliminating the use of pesticides. Factors assessed include the type and percentage of problematic weeds, hardscape conditions, tripping hazards, effects of insects/rodents, and change in appearance (aesthetics). At the end of April 2020, staff conducted a walkthrough to evaluate park conditions and compare the findings to what was documented at the end of last year. Merchants, the City’s contractor, continues to mow, edge, and perform all other tasks contained in the contract specifications. With the large amount of rain over the last couple of months, there has been a significant increase in broadleaf weeds, mainly pink and burr clover. As of April, 80% of the turf now contains some broadleaf weeds. The slope alongside the parking lot has seen an increase of 30% in weeds and there is an increase in weeds in sidewalk cracks. The pink clover continues to bloom during the spring season resulting in more bees being attracted to the area while the burr clover has started to produce prickly “stickers.” Staff anticipate the springtime will continue to bring on a robust growth of all plants and weeds. During the final quarter of the program, the effects of the spring growth will be monitored and documented. If any of these conditions cause safety or accessibility concerns, staff will evaluate steps that can be taken to address the issues.
Update-December 2019
On December 6th staff did the first quarterly walkthrough to evaluate park conditions and compare the findings to what was documented at the start of the program. Merchants, the City’s contractor, has continued to mow, edge, and perform all other tasks contained in the contract specifications. Conditions noted include an increase from less than 3% of broadleaf weeds (primarily clover) to 50% of the turf area now contains some broadleaf weeds, while some areas as large at 100 square feet or more are completely covered by clover. With this increase however, to the average park patron, the overall appearance of the park has not changed. This is a larger increase in weeds then staff expected. The warm fall temperatures and the early rain are suspected to be a major factor in the increase. Past experience indicates that in the spring time these weeds will proliferate and areas of clover growth will flower, attracting more bees. Other conditions noted in the walk through include an increase in turf damage caused by crows feeding off of worms and grubs, leaf curl caused by Aphids (a type of bug) in newly added plants near the restroom building, and an increase in weeds in sidewalk cracks. Staff will continue to monitor these conditions and address sidewalk weeds with weed-whacking at the surface level. If, over the course of the next several months, these conditions create safety or accessibility issues for park users, staff will evaluate additional steps (at an additional cost) that can be taken to address the concerns (i.e. increase mowing frequency, hand-weeding cracks for a better effort to remove roots, evaluate non-toxic insect/bug repellants, etc.).
Trees
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Tree Removal Permit: In certain circumstances, a permit is needed to remove a tree that is adjacent to a City Property. Please refer to the Orange Municipal Code for further information. For questions call (714) 744-7264 or email Don Equitz at dequitz@cityoforange.org
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Report a damaged, dead, or sick tree: To report a concern about a tree, please fill out our online form or call our Main Desk: (714) 744-7274
Sports Field Maintenance Closure Schedule
- For up-to-date weather-related parks closure and sports field conditions, please call the MUD LINE at (714) 744-5592 after 2 pm.
- Annual Maintenance Sports Field Closure Schedule
Mowing Schedule
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
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Ambriz Sports Fields
Barrera Park
Belmont Park
El Camino Sports Park
Santiago Hills Park
Serrano Park |
El Camino Park
Hart Park |
Handy Park
Grijalva Park
Grijalva Sports Park
Killefer Park
Yorba Park |
Ambriz Park
El Camino Sports Fields
Eisenhower Park
Olive Park
Shaffer Park |
El Modena Basin
El Modena Park
McPherson Park
La Veta Park
Veterans Memorial at Depot Park |