Park Ownership In Aliso Viejo

The Aliso Viejo Community Association owns, manages and maintains 21 parks in the community, including sports fields and passive use parks. The dues paid by members of AVCA pays for the approximate $8M budget to maintain these facilities. In recent months, the topic of park ownership has been raised in City Council meetings, and questions have been posed about inquiries the City Council has made into AVCA's costs, and the possibility of the City of Aliso Viejo taking ownership of some or all of the facilities by what is known as an IOD or Irrevocable Offer of Dedication. 

My firm position is that AVCA should remain as a management entity and is best experienced, suited and equipped to manage and maintain the 21 parks. AVCA is able to direct the funds it receives to manage the parks and maintain them to the high standards that Aliso Viejo residents expect. 

The City of Aliso Viejo has never articulated a plan to manage these parks, or how they would fund their maintenance and up-keep. Where would Aliso Viejo obtain the approximate $8,000,000 a year that is currently spent on the parks to keep them safe, beautiful and accessible? This question was raised in a City Council meeting earlier this year by one of the council members. There was no clear answer give, except to say that the process of making these inquiries was part of 2 council member's "education."