OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Sacramento, California/Other
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Sacramento Parks Commission Meeting - October 1, 2026: Cesar Chavez Plaza Renaming Debate and Annual Work Plan

Other — Thursday, October 1, 2026
BodySacramento, California
SessionOther
DateThursday, October 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:48:56

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:25

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

0:26

Thank

Speaker 1

0:26

you, Vice Chair.

0:27

We're ready when you

Unassigned speaker

0:28

are.

Unassigned speaker

0:40

First line.

Speaker 2

0:42

Just in time.

Speaker 1

0:45

Welcome,

Speaker 3

0:46

Chair.

0:46

Hi, thank

Unassigned speaker

0:47

you.

Speaker 4

0:54

All right.

0:55

Um,

Unassigned speaker

0:56

good

Speaker 4

0:56

evening, everybody.

0:58

Um, I'm calling to order the regular meeting of the City of Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission for Thursday, October 1st, officially in the Q4 or Q2 or Q1, depending on where you work.

1:12

Um, at 5 38 p.m.

1:16

Uh, will the clerk please call the role to establish a quorum?

Speaker 1

1:19

Thank you, Chair.

1:20

Commissioners, please unmute your microphones.

1:24

Commissioner Langer.

1:25

Here.

1:26

Commissioner Uribe?

Speaker 5

1:28

Here.

Speaker 1

1:28

Commissioner Lauer.

Speaker 5

1:29

Here.

Speaker 1

1:30

Commissioner King.

1:32

Absent.

1:32

Commissioner Vasquez.

Unassigned speaker

1:34

Here.

Speaker 1

1:34

Commissioner Flores.

1:36

Commissioner Lang.

1:38

Absent.

1:39

Commissioner Brewer.

Speaker 5

1:40

Here.

Speaker 1

1:41

Commissioner Flornoy.

1:44

Absent.

1:44

Chair Gaines.

1:46

Here.

1:46

And Vice Chair Robbins.

Speaker 6

1:48

Present.

Speaker 1

1:49

Thank you.

1:49

We have a quorum.

Speaker 4

1:51

All right, wonderful.

1:52

And I didn't bang the gavel to officially start us.

1:54

So there we go.

Unassigned speaker

1:56

That

Speaker 1

1:56

happened at 5 38, by the way.

Speaker 4

1:58

Wonderful.

1:59

Thank you.

2:01

All right.

2:01

So for those of you in the audience, if you wish to speak today, please submit a digital speaker slip before the item is called and paper slips.

Unassigned speaker

2:11

Correct?

Speaker 7

2:11

We still have paper slips?

Speaker 4

2:13

Oh.

2:14

Digital paper digital speaker slip.

2:17

Uh before the items called, you can do this.

2:19

Oh, I should just finish reading this.

2:20

You can do this by scanning the QR codes on the back of the agenda at the back of chambers or by using the kiosk.

2:26

No slips will be accepted after an item begins.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement████████████████████████████████████████████44%
Public Comments███████████████████19%
Street Naming█████████████████17%
Parks and Recreation███████████11%
Procedural███████7%
Commissioner Comments██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission Meeting - October 1, 2026

The City of Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission held its regular meeting on Thursday, October 1, 2026, beginning at 5:38 PM and adjourning at 7:25 PM. The main agenda item was a proposal to rename Cesar Chavez Plaza to Union Plaza, which sparked extensive debate over historical representation, community engagement, and equity. After a 90-minute discussion and a roll-call vote, the commission opted not to support the proposed name and instead sent the matter back to a city council subcommittee for further outreach. The commission also reviewed its draft 2026 annual report and 2027 work plan, deciding to incorporate additional items before a final vote.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The commission unanimously approved the minutes of the previous meeting (motion by Vice Chair Robbins, second by Commissioner Uribe).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Fabrizio Sasso, Executive Director of the Sacramento Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, spoke in support of renaming the plaza to Union Plaza, stating that the name represents solidarity, community, and the labor movement. He urged the commission to advance the name to City Council.
  • Marnie Leisure (public comment at end of meeting) thanked city staff for rapid assistance in addressing weed and irrigation issues at the Natomas Rose Garden, an all-volunteer garden she has helped maintain for over 20 years.

Discussion Items

Cesar Chavez Plaza Renaming to Union Plaza

Staff presented results of a citywide community engagement process conducted from June 12 to July 24, 2026, which generated 2,600 survey responses and 350 unique name submissions. Union Plaza received 450 votes, nearly double the second-place choice, Dolores Huerta Park (243 votes). Other leading suggestions included Farm Workers' Plaza, People's Plaza, Plaza Park, and Nissanon Park. Staff recommended that the commission support the mayor-appointed subcommittee's recommendation to adopt the name Union Plaza.

Commissioners raised multiple concerns:

  • Commissioner Langer (who identified as a member of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians) criticized the lack of tribal consultation and argued that renaming the plaza would erase the Latino and Mexican American community's legacy, which was central to the original naming. She noted that the survey was cumbersome (1,000 of 2,600 respondents did not submit a name) and questioned whether results represented marginalized communities.
  • Commissioner Flores echoed concerns about losing Latino representation among Sacramento's 240+ parks, noting that only a handful honor Latinos. He suggested the name

Meeting Transcript

Okay. Thank you, Vice Chair. We're ready when you are. First line. Just in time. Welcome, Chair. Hi, thank you. All right. Um, good evening, everybody. Um, I'm calling to order the regular meeting of the City of Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission for Thursday, October 1st, officially in the Q4 or Q2 or Q1, depending on where you work. Um, at 5 38 p.m. Uh, will the clerk please call the role to establish a quorum? Thank you, Chair. Commissioners, please unmute your microphones. Commissioner Langer. Here. Commissioner Uribe? Here. Commissioner Lauer. Here. Commissioner King. Absent. Commissioner Vasquez. Here. Commissioner Flores. Commissioner Lang. Absent. Commissioner Brewer. Here. Commissioner Flornoy. Absent. Chair Gaines. Here. And Vice Chair Robbins. Present. Thank you. We have a quorum. All right, wonderful. And I didn't bang the gavel to officially start us. So there we go. That happened at 5 38, by the way. Wonderful. Thank you.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com