Crowd Packs Santa Ana City Hall to Debate Future of 2 Swap Meets

More than 600 people packed Santa Ana City Hall on Monday night to debate the future of two swap meets popular among Latinos but the source of complaints from neighbors.

Wearing black armbands and toting small U.S. flags, some of the swap meets’ vendors, patrons and other supporters overflowed from the City Council chambers into a courtyard and the Civic Center parking lot, where a small truck dispensed free hot dogs, doughnuts, drinks and balloons.

“Mourn the Death of Free Enterprise,” read one placard.

“Swap Meets Feed Our Children,” stated another.

Opponents Outnumbered

The outnumbered swap meet opponents identified themselves with red, white and blue label stickers that declared simply, “Voter.”

The weekend swap meets--at Eddie West Field at the Civic Center and at Rancho Santiago College--are operated by Norton Western Ltd. of Santa Ana.

Residents from the Washington Square neighborhood immediately north of Eddie West Field, site of the larger of the swap meets, said the 15,000 to 20,000 people who attend each weekend create too much traffic and noise and clutter the streets with litter and parked cars.

Rick Norton, president of Norton Western, has accused foes of the swap meets of being racially motivated, an accusation angrily denied by neighbors.

Even before Monday night’s meeting, Norton announced that he would run against Councilman Daniel E. Griset--a key foe of the open-air markets and a resident of Washington Square--in the municipal election in November, 1988.

Norton said he has already amassed $100,000 in campaign funds.

“I’m doing it as a statement to the Hispanic people that I intend to support them on all issues,” Norton said. “I am tired of people having to march for fairness.”

Challenged Griset

Supporters of swap meets challenged Griset’s right to vote on the issue on the ground that he lives in Washington Square and would benefit from any increase in property values resulting from closing the swap meet.

Griset dismissed their objections, noting dryly that he was “fascinated by an argument that indicates that it (the swap meet) might constitute a blight” on the neighborhood.

Linda Mendoza, a Santa Ana resident, said she has worked at the stadium swap meet during the last four years. “Before you give your vote, please think of how many families will be hurt,” she told the council. She said she depends on the swap meet to support her and her three children.

The swap meets at Eddie West Field provides income to about 400 vendors, Norton said. The second swap meet at Rancho Santiago College sprang up earlier this year with fewer merchants, who attract about 2,000 people per weekend.

Although the city’s zoning code does not permit swap meets at either site, Norton has contracted with the city since 1979 to operate the swap meet at the stadium.

The college swap meet has no City Hall approval, however, according to Planning Manager Melanie Fallon. A proposed law that could have permitted it was disapproved by the city Planning Commission in May.

Fallon said the stadium swap meet produced $300,000 in revenue for the city in the last fiscal year.

On Monday, the City Council considered that proposed ordinance and whether to extend Norton Western’s lease on the Eddie West Field site, which expires Sept. 30.