Sale of Modesto park put on hold. County talks with the neighborhood.

Stanislaus County has postponed the sale of a problematic park in the airport neighborhood of Modesto.

County supervisors voted in August to sell Mono Park at a Sept. 6 auction after nearby E.&J. Gallo Winery expressed interest in buying the property.

Officials discovered they had not conducted the proper public hearing and wanted to hold more discussions with neighborhood residents, county Chief Executive Officer Jody Hayes said. “Ultimately, the neighborhood needs to support this,” Hayes said.

The county has pointed to crime, drug use and vandalism as reasons for selling the 2-acre park, at Mono Drive and Santa Rita Avenue.

In 2013, a needle exchange program drew about 100 people to Mono Park once a week, but a group that organized the exchange cited pressure from law enforcement in moving the program.

The county, which expects to receive at least $400,000 for the tree-studded park site, has vowed to spend the proceeds on community improvements in the airport neighborhood. Gallo has not said why it wants to buy the property.

This story was originally published September 27, 2017 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Sale of Modesto park put on hold. County talks with the neighborhood.."