Sacramento considers closing part of William Land Park to cars on weekends

Sacramento's William Land Park is a popular spot for people to take a break from the big city. Now, there are renewed efforts to close off a portion of the park to cars driving through.

"Land Park is over 100 years old, and so it really wasn't designed for all the traffic that we're getting today," said Kristina Rogers, president of the Land Park Community Association.

Rogers has been working with the city on a pilot project to prohibit vehicle traffic on some of the streets that run through the 200-acre regional park.

There are already gates in place, but they're rarely used.

"We're looking at possibly on the weekends, cutting off a little part of the park in the panhandle area so children and families can ride their bikes on the road there in safety," Rogers said.

Phil Fisher said he's been going to Land Park since he was a kid, and today, he's part of Sacramento's lowrider community that often uses the park for meetups and cruises.

"I just feel shut out, like they don't want me here, but what did I do? Because I drive this car?" he said.

He's concerned that shutting down the roads will impact everyone using the park.

"Closing the streets doesn't just hurt the lowriding community. It hurts the entire community of Sacramento," Fisher said.

But neighbors say the crowds often bring chaos.

"When you invite hundreds and hundreds of cars to come into our park, it's like having a rave in an old lady's backyard," Rogers said. "It is not the place to do it at."

City Councilmember Rick Jennings represents the Land Park neighborhood and said "this has been in the works for a while."

"We want everyone's view on the situation," he said. "We encourage all those to give their point of view."

People living near the park say they've complained to the city about the problems for years.

"People are sometimes doing donuts, staying late at night, double parking, they have music that is so loud," Rogers said.

But Fisher says everyone should have the right to ride.

"I feel like a pilot program is just a precursor to making this a permanent situation," he said.

Jennings said he's hoping to have a compromise in place by the end of the year.