CLOCK TOWER at Westminster Civic Center. (OC Tribune photo).

By Declan McDaniels/Orange County Tribune

The Westminster City Council voted on Wednesday night to take steps toward replacing a number of street signs in the Little Saigon area with updated versions that include an additional special name designation in Vietnamese. The vote was carried 4-1 (with Councilmember Amy Phan West opposed) and Mayor Charlie Nguyen ensured that this effort can be accomplished without any cost to the city or residents, instead being funded by a non-profit organization.

In this proposal, a total of 21 street signs will be altered, and the staff report suggests that it will not cause any disruption for the business or property owners in the area. Bishop Place signs will include a second line of text with the special designation “Nguyễn Trãi,” in honor of a Vietnamese scholar. Weststate Street signs will add “Lê Lợi,” honoring a Vietnamese King, and Moran Street signs will add “Tự Do” in honor of freedom and liberty.

The Little Saigon in Westminster is the oldest, largest, and most prominent enclave of Vietnamese immigrants in the United States. Resident Monique Nguyen suggests that familiarizing aspects of the area for Vietnamese people will strengthen tourism in the city.

“This well-known area of Little Saigon in Westminster is frequently visited by people all over the world,” Monique Nguyen said. “When visitors come to Westminster and visit Little Saigon, they will see and feel their beloved country embracing them, but with a feel of freedom. This project only adds benefit to the city of Westminster, and the beauty is it doesn’t cost the city a dime.”

Binh Dam, owner of AA Mini Fabrics on Bolsa Avenue, suggests that adding these additional name designations will help with confusion from Vietnamese residents who are trying to locate different shops in the area, but who are unfamiliar with the English names. He claims that he is often getting calls about how to find his store, and residents will frequently only understand once he provides nearby landmarks with Vietnamese names. Dam also expressed his joy with one of the potential new names, as it is the same street name that his family-owned shops on in Vietnam.

“My family owned five shops in Lê Lợi street in Saigon, and now, if the city changes it to Lê Lợi street… I will bring my mom, who is 99 years old, here. To witness the success of the children who come to the USA and achieve what they had in Saigon 47 years ago.”

Some residents had minor concerns with the item, such as the details with emergency situations, and how dispatchers will handle the streets having multiple name designations. Resident Tim Hogan found the item to be relatively unproblematic, but he questioned how it would work in emergency situations.

“I have no objection to item 5.2, redesignating street names in select portions of Little Saigon. The name of the street remains unchanged, there’s only an alternate name included in Vietnamese. With no financial impact on businesses along these corridors, and no cost to the city, what’s to object?” Hogan said. “I do question how this might impact emergency response. As Vietnamese speakers in the neighborhood become accustomed to the new names, how will they avoid using them in an emergency?”

Adolfo Ozaeta, assistant city manager, ensured that emergency dispatchers would be able to handle the potential new name designations, and that they would be fully caught up on how to handle these situations.

“There’s a level of education that can take place. For example, if somebody says they’re in Indian Village, our dispatchers know where that is,” Ozaeta said. “If somebody were to reference that, there’s a level of education that goes with dispatchers to let them know, this means Bolsa in Little Saigon. It’s just a matter of bringing them up to speed on these changes.”

Towards the end of the discussion, Phan West suggested that the city staff look into alternative streets in Little Saigon that could not just use these names as an additional name designation, but instead as a full name change of the street. As complications could arise with street names being tied to residents addresses, Councilmember she encouraged staff to locate streets where this would not be an issue.

“Those names are perfect,” Phan West said. “If there’s any area that we can change without affecting people’s address, let’s go big or go home with those names.”

Phan West’s suggestion to make this a motion was not met with full agreement by the city council, but she plans to work with city staff to look into this possibility.

Staff will consider the recommended direction from the city council and will likely bring back this item for a vote in the coming months. The Westminster City Council will meet next on Nov. 8 in its usual chamber at 8200 Westminster Blvd.