MOORPARK : City to Discuss Policy on Naming Parks

Hoping to stem confusion over three city parks with similar names, the Moorpark City Council today will discuss whether the city needs to adopt a formal policy governing how parks are named.

The concern arose partly because residents are mixing up two existing parks in the city’s Mountain Meadows neighborhood, named South Meadows Park and North Meadows Parks. Another park planned for the area has already been named West Meadows Park, which some city officials fear will only heighten the public’s confusion.

“I’m not sure we need to go through and develop a formal policy,” Councilman John Wozniak said Monday. “But I think we’ve got some confusion out there and we need to look at the names.”

Wozniak said the city should more carefully consider its park designations to make sure the public can easily understand exactly which facility is which.

“North Meadows Park is next to Mountain Meadows School and people are confused, they think it’s called ‘Mountain Meadows Park,’ ” Wozniak said. “I have not been real happy with the naming of parks, when they’re West Meadows, East Meadows, North Meadows, South Meadows.”

The council will consider the issue at its meeting Wednesday, 7 p.m., in City Hall, 799 Moorpark Ave.

Mayor Paul Lawrason said he may support renaming the planned West Meadows Park, but is reluctant to rename the existing parks. Lawrason said affixing new names to existing parks could only further confuse residents.