Irvine development

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Melissa Fox for California Assembly: What’s at Stake

The California Assembly makes decisions that directly affect our everyday lives.  Who we send to the Assembly to serve as our representative will determine our response to the COPVID-19 pandemic, our response to climate change, the quality of our schools, the vitality of our local economy, the cost and availability of healthcare, and the extent of our reproductive freedom. 

In addition, this election asks us whether we have the courage to respond to the alarming rise in bigotry and prejudice by committing to respect the rights and dignity of all residents of the 68th Assembly District.

Here’s what’s at stake:

COVID-19 Response and Economic Recovery

The most important issue facing all of us right now is the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 225,000 Americans and sickened millions — and the economic crisis it has caused.

​For the foreseeable future, the primary role of government must be stopping the spread of this disease, helping to provide treatment and support to those who have become ill, fighting to get more protective equipment to frontline workers like nurses, firefighters, and grocery workers, and helping people and small businesses survive the pandemic’s devastating impact on our economy.

Help must include financial assistance to workers who have lost their jobs, families that need help to stay in their homes, and small businesses that need help to keep their doors open and their people employed.

I believe that we should protect lives and minimize the number of people who are infected by the coronavirus, even if that means being gradual and careful on re-opening the economy. As the pandemic subsides, the primary focus of government must become helping families recover their financial stability, students recover lost their educational opportunities, and the small businesses that energize our communities recover their vibrancy.

The coronavirus has made it clear that we must invest in the health and safety of our community. Public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic require strong leadership grounded in respect for science. In sharp contrast to my opponent, who has flagrantly rejected the advice of scientists and public health experts, voted with anti-vaxxers, and given his unquestioning support to the disastrous mishandling of this pandemic by the Trump administration, I’ll listen carefully to the voices of scientists, public health experts, and first responders.

Frontline workers support us. We must support them. That’s why I fully support The Biden Plan to Combat COVID-19 and Prepare for Future Global Health Threats, which sets out an effective national emergency response to saves lives, protect frontline workers, and minimize the spread of COVID-19 and commits to economic measures to help hard-hit workers, families, and small businesses and to stabilize the American economy.

I understand the economic fears and financial hardships that many Orange County families are facing — because I’ve walked in their shoes.

My family and I were hit hard in the last financial crisis. That’s why I’ve fought for renters’ assistance, financial support for small businesses, and a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic.

In the State Assembly, I’ll fight for the working families in our community that are struggling during this financial crisis.

Climate and the Environment

Action on climate change is an existential imperative. Our environment is under assault from the Trump administration in all directions, including offshore drilling, fracking, dismantling established coal regulations, and eliminating California’s fuel emissions standards.

For Orange County, climate change means potentially devastating flooding along the coast and devastating wildfires inland.

Unfortunately, my opponent is fully committed to the Trump anti-science and anti-environment agenda, does not believe that human activity is responsible for climate change, and has a lifetime rating of 6% from the League of Conservation Voters and 0% from the Sierra Club.

My opponent “completely questions the idea of global warming being caused by human intervention.” He opposes cap and trade and other government imposed environmental regulations, calling them an extreme effort to tax businesses and economic growth.”

After receiving thousands of dollars from oil companies, my opponent has repeatedly voted against legislation crackdown on polluters, voted against laws to reduce air pollution, opposed funding projects to protect access to safe, clean drinking water and prevent pollution of beaches, and voted against legislation to stop offshore oil drilling expansion.  As Irvine Mayor, Steven Choi ordered that the phrase “climate change” be removed from all official documents of the City of Irvine and killed the U.S. Solar Decathlon at the Great Park. Click HERE for more information on Steven Choi and climate.

In contrast, I believe that global warming is an existential crisis that we must face and solve now. I’ll fight to take decisive action to protect our planet — and our neighborhoods — from havoc and destruction due to climate change. As a member of the Assembly, I’ll advocate for a scientific and research-based understanding of the state of our environment and continue to fight for improved public transportation.

I’m proud that my environmental record has earned the endorsement of the California League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club.  On the Irvine City Council, I revived and then served as Chair of the Irvine Green Ribbon Environmental Committee, initiated new environmental protections, and fought for a separate Climate Action Plan and a Community Choice Energy Plan for Irvine. When my opponent was on the City Council, the terms “climate change” and “global warming” were was banned from all City documents and public statements.

I’m also a strong advocate for increased transportation choices as a means of reducing both traffic congestion and air pollution. On the Irvine City Council, I succeeded in creating a major expansion of iShuttle routes that is expected to have a significant positive impact on Irvine’s commuter traffic congestion. As a member of the Assembly, I’ll continue to advocate for state funding to create more convenient and less polluting transportation choices for the residents of the 68th Assembly District.

In Sacramento, I’ll hold Big Oil and other corporate polluters accountable and fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on our environment by opposing the expansion of offshore drilling and fracking. I’ll continue to fight for effective action on climate change to make California a healthier place for our kids and for all generations to follow.

Education

Our public schools in California are significantly underfunded and the situation is even worse in the 68th Assembly District, where our current representative has done nothing to provide proper funding for our schools. The COVID-19 pandemic has made our schools’ financial situation even worse, putting even greater burdens on our already over-stressed school districts. I will fight for our students and increase funding for public schools and make college affordable.

​I’m committed to getting more funding for every school and every student in our District by investing in classrooms and teachers, not more bureaucracy. I’m proud to be endorsed by the California Teachers Association, the California Federation of Teachers, and the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges. I

‘ll also fight for more funding for our community colleges as they work to provide educational and training programs to millions of Californians, providing essential career education and job training programs that help people get and keep good-paying, middle-class jobs.

​Making sure that social distancing and masking is implemented in schools when schools reopen is essential to protecting our communities. I’ll continue to be a strong advocate supporting the best practices to keep our children and teachers safe.

Affordable Housing

California has an affordable housing crisis. Rent should not be above one third of anyone’s income. Yet my opponent is interested only in protecting the big developers that have contributed more than 200 thousand dollars to his campaigns. In return, he has voted to give away public land for huge multi-million dollar development projects, opposed protections for renters and for seniors living in mobile homes, and voted against helping local governments create new affordable housing.

​In contrast, I’ve worked hard to create more affordable housing. As Chair of the Irvine Community Land Trust, I’ve helped reduce homelessness and create affordable housing for families, veterans, and people with disabilities, and I’ve gone to Sacramento to fight for tax reductions for investments in affordable housing.

I want to build a future for our district where first time property buyers can afford to make a down payment and build a future for their families. As a member of Irvine’s City Council, I’ve supported policies that have led to more affordable housing. I’ve also worked with the state legislature to successfully amend our tax laws to make it easier to build affordable housing across our state.

​No one should be evicted from their homes if facing economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a council member, I fought hard to provide financial aid to our residents so they could stay in their homes. I’ll continue to do so in the Assembly during emergencies such as this pandemic

In Sacramento, I’ll continue to fight for policies that create more affordable housing, reduce rents, and allow more residents of the 68th Assembly District to become homeowners.

A Thriving and Fair Economy 

I grew up in a middle-class family with two working parents believing in the American Dream that hard work leads to economic success. That dream is now under attack as President Trump and his allies in Washington and Sacramento push for an economy that benefits the super-rich and special interests and leaves too many Americans behind.

​Now more than ever we need someone fighting for the middle-class in our Assembly. I understand the fears and insecurity that people are feeling about this economy — I’ve faced these challenges myself.

My family and I were hit hard in the last financial crisis. That’s why I’ve fought for renters’ assistance, financial support for small businesses, and a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic.

In the Assembly, I’ll advocate for the necessary loans and aid that small businesses and families need to make it through the Covid-19 pandemic.

We need a thriving, innovative, and fair economy that is focused on creating the good middle-class jobs of today and tomorrow. That means supporting economic policies that strengthen the middle class and create jobs that enable families to succeed. In the Assembly, I’ll fight for a fair and thriving economy that benefits everyone.

Health Care

I believe that affordable health care is a human right, not a privilege reserved for the few. Too many of us are worried that we will not be able to afford the cost of the health care that we or our family members might need.

​The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for quality health care for everyone in our community. Now more than ever we need a comprehensive plan for those needing healthcare. Free COVID-19 tests should be easily available to all so that we can protect our families and our community.

Your health and peace of mind are important to me. In the Assembly, you can count on me to fight to improve the Affordable Care Act to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, protect coverage for people with preexisting conditions, hold drug companies accountable to reduce prescription drug prices and support frontline healthcare workers and local hospitals. I’m committed to fighting the Trump administration’s plans to take away health care from Americans and to keep the price of prescription drugs high. That’s why I refuse to take money from Big Pharma.

​I’m proud that my support for high quality health care for all Californians has earned the support of the California Nurses Association.  In contrast, my opponent  has put the profits of drug companies and the insurance industry ahead of patients and public health. Last year, he voted against legislation to provide California local governments with funding for infectious disease control to respond to a health emergency like the coronavirus pandemic. My opponent — who personally has more than 100 thousand dollars invested in pharmaceutical companies — also voted against cracking down on drug corporations that delay the release of cheaper generic medications and stricter oversight of the insurance industry to protect consumers. At the same time, he opposed legislation requiring that children be vaccinated for preventable and contagious diseases. These are not our values.

Reproductive Rights and Equality for Women

The question of what a pregnant woman should do when she does not want to raise a child is extremely personal for me, as my then 16-year-old birth mother had to navigate this decision herself when she became pregnant with me. I received a great gift from my birth mother’s decision to have me – but I would not have wanted her to have been forced by the government to give birth to me despite being unable at that time to care for a child.

Whether or not to have an abortion – or whether to give a child up for adoption – is a deeply personal and often painful decision for a woman or couple to make, and it is a decision they have to make based on their own faith and values, not someone else’s – and certainly not the government’s. That’s why I’m outraged at the attacks on women and their Constitutional reproductive rights from the Trump administration and its allies, and why I’m committed to protecting and defending women’s access to reproductive health care services.

I believe that women should have the right to make their own healthcare decisions. We can’t allow politicians to deny women basic human rights such as access to safe and affordable reproductive health care or allow the government to intrude into this most personal of decisions. I will keep this decision a personal one and not the government’s. In the State Assembly, I will protect the right to safe, legal abortion and birth control and I will stand up for Planned Parenthood, which provides access to critical health services for Orange County women and families.

I’m proud that my commitment to women’s reproductive rights has earned the endorsement of Planned Parenthood, Emily’s List, NARAL Pro-Choice California, Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE); National Organization for Women (NOW), National Women’s Political Caucus, Women In Leadership (WIL), California Women’s List, Fund Her, and the Women’s Political Committee (WPC).

In contrast, my opponent does not believe that women have the right to choose when or whether to give birth and has repeatedly voted against funding healthcare services for women, including treatment for breast and cervical cancer and opposing emergency contraception for women. He also voted against legislation to prevent gender pay discrimination and refused to support a bill to give survivors of abuse more rights to file lawsuits against abusers.

My opponent was also the only State Assembly member and one of the few Orange County Republicans to defend another legislator accused of sexually harassing Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett and two other women. Unlike my opponent, I believe Supervisor Lisa Bartlett and I’m outraged by my opponent’s defense of her accused attacker. I’ll always stand strong against sexual harassment and assault, and I’ll make sure that powerful politicians do not get away with abusing their positions and the public trust.

In the State Assembly, I will fight to make women’s voices heard by requiring equal pay for equal work and paid family leave. Also, I am committed to championing tough anti-discrimination policies to stop workplace harassment and abuse and I will work to hold abusers accountable and protect victims of sexual assault and harassment.

Fighting Hate, Prejudice, and Discrimination

President Trump’s reprehensible embrace of bigots and white supremacists has resulted in an alarming raise in hate crimes in Orange County, particularly anti-immigrant, anti-Black, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, anti-Asian and anti-gay violence.

Our current representative in the 68th Assembly District has a long and disturbing history of anti-Muslim bigotry, supporting the anti-Muslim Trump Travel Ban, opposing legislation prohibiting discrimination, and questioning the loyalty of Muslim-Americans. He has even said that Muslims are “unfit” to hold public office.

​My opponent has also said and done nothing as Asian Americans in our community are unfairly targeted and blamed for COVID-19.  He has refused to speak out as Asian Americans are being threatened and face racist attacks, and still refuses to condemn Trump for calling it the “Kung Flu” and the “Chinese virus.” In fact, he has long embraced the divisive politics of Donald Trump’s attacks on immigrants, women, disabled people, and people of color.

​In sharp contrast, I’m proud to have earned the endorsement of the Equality California and the Courage Campaign. As a member of Irvine’s City Council, I’ve celebrated diversity and fought against prejudice and for the rights and dignity of all people.  I led a successful movement to fly the Pride flag in Irvine during Pride Month, and to repeal Irvine’s anti- LGBTQ+ law. In the Assembly, I’ll continue to fight to protect and defend the rights and dignity of all the residents of the 68th Assembly District.

Fire and Disaster Protection

Like 90,000 others, my family was recently forced to evacuate our home because of the Silverado Fire.

As a quarter-million Californians fled from the path of deadly wildfires and thousands of firefighters did battle on the front lines, President Trump threatened to withhold federal aid and attacked California fire policies.  When Californians urgently needed federal disaster assistance, President Trump instead attacked us and played political games with Californians’ lives.

President Trump’s shameful attack on California in the midst of catastrophic natural disaster was an attack on us all, especially our courageous first responders fighting to keep us safe on the front lines. Our current representative in the 68th Assembly District never stood up for California or for our first responders against Trump’s attacks.

Our nurses, doctors, and first responders have been working hard on the front lines of this pandemic. As the mother of a firefighter and a board member of the Orange County Fire Authority, I know the dedication of our firefighters and first responders who put their lives on the line to protect us. I’ll fight to reduce wildfire risk, for increased investment in emergency response, and for swift and fair recovery for fire victims. I’m proud to have earned the support of California’s Professional Firefighters because they know I’ll fight for our firefighters and first responders and ensure they have every resource they need to protect our homes and families from fires and other natural disasters.

​I will always invest in neighborhood safety by ensuring 9-1-1 services are fully funded.

Safer Communities

I’m committed to ending the epidemic of gun violence in our communities. As a City Council member, I established a program with our police department to educate residents about how to use California’s Red Flag Law and Gun Violence Restraining Orders.

In contrast to our current representative, who has consistently voted with the gun dealers and the NRA against common sense measures to reduce gun violence, I’ll fight to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people and make our schools and communities safer. That’s why I earned the endorsement of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and am honored to be a 2020 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate.

​As the daughter of a retired law enforcement officer, I know the difficulties faced by law enforcement and the sacrifices that law enforcement officers and their families make to keep our communities safe.

As a City Council member I have worked to continue Irvine’s reputation as America’s Safest City, while I have also successfully called for changes in the use of force policies of our police department, including banning choke holds and mandating the use of police body cameras, so that everyone in our community feels safe and respected in their interactions with the police.

Supporting our Veterans

I’ve been described by the Orange County Register as “an incredible advocate for veterans.” For me, respecting and serving our veterans is more than a matter of policy; it’s a moral issue. Our character as a community is defined in large part by how we treat those who have served and protected us. As the daughter of a combat veteran, I know the great sacrifices that military veterans have made for our country. As a member of the Assembly, I’ll fight for veterans, their families and their communities to ensure they have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. That’s why I’m committed to investments in job-training and vocational education opportunities, to give returning veterans the tools they need to succeed.

I’ll also fight to ensure that homeless veterans are kept a priority, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, I know that far too many veterans remain homeless or struggle with PTSD-related illnesses. We need to invest in funding for regional homeless services, street outreach for veterans, and urgent care beds, in addition to accessible mental health treatment. I’ll also fight to improve health care services for veterans to ensure that they can always obtain the care they need and the respect they deserve.

My opponent was the only member of the California Assembly to vote against $24.5 million in state funding for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery. In contrast, I have been fighting for a state veterans cemetery at the site for the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station since 2014. In the Assembly, I’ll ensure that our veterans in Orange County have a final resting place close to their families and loved ones.

Making Government Transparent and Financially Responsible

The path towards a better and brighter democracy starts through greater government accountability. For too long, the toxic influence of special interests has infected government at all levels and resulted in policies that put the interests of giant corporations and greedy developers above the interests of the people of our District.

As an elected official, I’m proud of my record in increasing government accountability, openness, and transparency. I’ve received the Orange County Taxpayers Watchdog Award for “demonstrating dedication to the protection of taxpayer funds and for the advocacy of government transparency and fiscal responsibility.”

Under my leadership, the Irvine Community land Trust was awarded the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world’s most respected source of information on nonprofit organizations.

I was also the only member of the Irvine City Council to oppose Measure D, which would have eliminated voter input into development decisions, because I believe that citizens must have a strong voice in deciding the future of their neighborhoods.

I enthusiastically supported the City’s adoption of the Irvine Sunshine Ordinance, which expanded public notice to four times longer than California law requires and prevents government action without full and informed participation from the community. I also supported approval of a two-year budget cycle, along with a five-year financial planning program, to bring more accountability to government spending. These were tremendous improvements in the openness and accuracy of the City’s budgeting process, compared to the time when my opponent was in charge.

In contrast, my opponent allowed highly questionable accounting procedures to hide the true financial condition of the City of Irvine while he was mayor. Once he arrived in Sacramento, he continued his fiscal irresponsibility by taking more than $54,000 in gifts from lobbyists and corporate special interests. This includes all-expense paid trips to Australia and Japan, luxury hotel rooms, expensive meals, tickets to concerts and numerous gifts like bottles of wine, gift cards, rounds of golf and clothing.

In the Assembly, I’ll make sure that large corporations, developers, and special interests don’t control government decisions. I’ll fight to end the power of lobbyists and special interests to make backroom deals and fight for greater openness and transparency and restore openness, accountability, and responsibility to state government.

Conclusion

There’s a lot at stake in this election.  Here’s How You Can Help

VOTE!  Quite simply, voting is the most important thing you can do to help bring positive change to our district, our state, and our nation. If you have not yet voted, please vote by dropping your ballot off at an official ballot box or voting in-person at an official Vote Center.

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF OFFICIAL BALLOT BOXES.

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF OFFICIAL VOTE CENTERS.

The hours for Vote Centers are
November 1 and 2 from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm.
November 3 from 7:00 am – 8:00 pm.

DONATE to fund our Voter Protection Program
CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

VOLUNTEER to help us GOTV
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.

Thanks!

We will surely win if we work together!

Melissa

 

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Election 2020: Three Ways to Vote in California!

More than 40 percent of California’s electorate, — more than 8.5 million voters — have already voted in the 2020 election to select the next President of the United States, as well as our next members of Congress, next state legislators, next mayors and city council members, and next school board members.

This year, for the first time in a presidential election, all registered voters in California received an official vote-by-mail ballot at their homes.

After you receive your ballot, you have three ways to vote:

1. Return your ballot by mail (in the postage pre-paid envelope that has been mailed to you), or

2. Deposit your ballot at a secure official ballot drop box throughout the County, or

3. Cast your ballot in person at any of the many official Vote Centers.

After October 29, it is probably best not to mail your ballot, but instead to use a ballot drop box or cast your ballot in person!

Find a list of all official Orange County ballot drop boxes HERE.

Drop boxes are open 24 hours from October 5 to November 3 (until 8:00 pm on Election Day).

Find a list of all official Orange County Vote Centers HERE.

The hours for Vote Center are October 30 – November 2, from 8:00 am-8:00 pm. November 3, from 7:00 am-8:00 pm.

Of course, I would prefer that you Vote Democratic, and Vote for Melissa Fox for California Assembly in Assembly District 68.

Visit my campaign website HERE.

View my campaign Facebook page HERE.

Learn the truth about my opponent’s lies about me HERE.

Learn more about my opponent’s record HERE.

If you need further help, contact the OC Registrar of Voters at https://www.ocvote.com or 714-567-7600.

You can also contact my campaign at info@votemelissafox.com.

Your vote is your voice!  Be sure to make your voice heard by voting on or before November 3, 2020!

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The Truth about Steven Choi’s Lies

My opponent Steven Choi and his corporate backers know he can’t win this race on his ideas or on his record. That’s why they’re spending enormous sums of money on vicious and false personal attacks, telling outright lies about me and my family.

Like his hero, Donald Trump, he doesn’t care how big his lies are or who they hurt, so long as it advances his personal agenda.

I’m fighting back by filing a Cease and Desist Order against their lies. The truth is that I won a legal judgment in court against these false claims and those who made them were ordered by the court to pay me financial damages for making them.  My opponent and his backers know these claim are false. They just don’t care.

Read the Legal Judgment in my favor HERE.

Read the Cease and Desist Order to Choi HERE.

They are also attacking me because my family and I were hit hard in the 2008 financial crisis. We lost much of our income and the house we owned lost nearly half of its value. We were unable to pay some taxes, until we sold our home.

These vicious personal attacks prove that my opponent doesn’t understand, or care about, the lives of ordinary citizens. Like Donald Trump, he specializes in the politics of shame, hate, and deception.

From voting against family leave, to voting against equal pay for women, to voting against every kind of economic aid for COVID-19 response, my opponent has demonstrated his total lack of concern for families that are struggling.  For too long, Assembly District 68 (Tustin, Lake Forest, Orange, Anaheim Hills, Villa Park, part of Irvine) has been represented in Sacramento by an anti-choice, anti-vaccine, pro-oil, tobacco and guns climate change denier. Let’s change that!

Learn more about Steven Choi’s extremist record HERE.

When you read Steven Choi’s lies and his attacks about my family’s struggles from 12 years ago, ask yourself: does this sound like someone you could trust? Or someone who would care about your own family’s struggles?

Vote Melissa Fox for California Assembly!

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Take the City of Irvine’s Jamboree Bridge Feasibility Study Survey!

The City of Irvine is famous for its committment to planning.  A crucial part of good planning is public input.  You can help us with an important planning decision by giving us your input on a significant project in the Irvine Business Complex (IBC).

The Irvine Business Complex has transformed into an area with diverse land uses, providing the opportunity to live, work, and shop locally. This transformation has created a need for additional connections and new facilities for walking, bicycling, and recreation.

The objective of the Jamboree Pedestrian Bridge Feasibility study is to determine the possibility of constructing a
pedestrian bridge that will cross over Jamboree Road.

The study will identify and evaluate potential locations along Jamboree
Road in between I-405 Freeway and Barranca Parkway.

The bridge will provide a direct crossing for pedestrians over the roadway, separated from vehicular traffic.

A convenient pedestrain/bicycle bridge would also serve to encourage walking and biking and reduce traffic congestion in the area.

The City is looking at the best precise location for the pedestrian bridge.  You can help us make this important decision by taking a short survey here. 

You can learn more about the project by watching the video of the public informational meeting held on September 10, 2020:

Please share the survey link with your friends and neighbors who may be interested in the project.

Thanks!

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Happy Earth Day 2020!

Today, Wednesday, April 22, is Earth Day.

Nearly 50 years ago, on April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets to protest the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development.

In the US and around the world, smog was becoming deadly and evidence was growing that pollution led to developmental delays in children. Biodiversity was in decline as a result of the heavy use of pesticides and other pollutants.

The global ecological awareness was growing, and the US Congress and President Nixon responded quickly.  In July of the same year, they created the Environmental Protection Agency, and robust environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, among many.

Earth Day is now a global event each year, and more than 1 billion people in 193 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.

The City of Irvine has been a leader in earth-friendly environmental policies, green technology, and environmental awareness.  Irvine’s environmental programs have been on the leading edge of advances in green building and construction, environmental education, recycling, water conservation, waste disposal, and energy-saving.

Under Irvine Mayors Larry Agran, Beth Krom and Sukhee Kang, Irvine was indeed a world leader in environmental programs and innovation. One of the highlights of Irvine’s environmental engagement was presence of the U.S. Solar Decathlon at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. The Solar Decathlon is an international competition held every two years that challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The houses are assembled at a central location for display, evaluation, and awards. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. The Solar Decathlon was held at the Great Park in 2013 and 2015.

Another highlight of Irvine’s environmental leadership was the creation of the Green Ribbon Environmental Committee in 2012.  The Green Ribbon Committee was charged with the crucial task of developing and recommending environmental policy initiatives and programs, including sustainability policies related to energy, recycling and waste management, mobility, open space and water issues.

Unfortunately, when Steven Choi became mayor of Irvine in November 2014, both the Great Park Solar Decathlon and the Green Ribbon Committee became victims of Choi’s climate change denial and hostility to environmental action.

As I’ve detailed in How Orange County Lost the U.S. Solar Decathlon, Steven Choi was hostile to the very premises of the Solar Decathlon — the need for replacing burning fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy.  In sharp contrast to the previous three Irvine mayors who championed environmental and climate concerns, Choi “completely question[ed] the idea of global warming being caused by human intervention.”  Rather than recognizing the importance of environmental action,  both as an opportunity for technological innovation and as an existential imperative, Choi saw all environmental concerns as anti-business and climate change as wholly unconnected to human activity. You can read the full story of the Solar Decathlon here.

Similarly, Choi sabotaged the Green Ribbon Environmental Committee. In fact, when I was elected to the Irvine City Council in November 2016, the Irvine Green Ribbon Environmental Committee had been inoperative for several years because Mayor Steven Choi and his allies on the Irvine City Council did not appoint sufficient members to constitute a quorum. In fact, the Committee did not meet during all of 2014 and 2016, cancelling every scheduled meeting. The words “climate change” and “global warming” were not permitted to be used in official City of Irvine publications or staff reports. Choi didn’t even allow the City of Irvine to participate in the Annual National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, sponsored by the Irvine-based Wyland Foundation.

As a longtime environmental activist, I wasn’t going to allow the City of Irvine to continue to ignore environmental issues and global warming. I convinced newly elected Mayor Donald P. Wagner, who replaced Steven Choi, to re-invigorate the Green Ribbon Environmental Committee and appoint me to the Committee as the City Council’s representative.  I then appointed Krishna Hammond, a young progressive scientist, as my representative to the Committee and encouraged the other Councilmembers to make appointments.  At our first meeting, I was elected Chair of the Committee and Krishna was elected Vice Chair. The Green Ribbon Environmental Committee was out of Choi-imposed exile and was off and running.

 

 

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A crucial environmental issue facing Irvine in the near future is whether to switch from purchasing energy from SoCal Edison to utilizing a Community Choice Energy provider.

Community Choice Energy (CCE) is a program that brings local control and freedom of choice and competition into the electricity marketplace. Community Choice allows cities and counties to purchase power on behalf of their residents and businesses to provide cleaner power options at a competitive price.

We’ve made progress since the days when Steven Choi drove the U.S. Solar Decathlon out of town, shut down the Green Ribbon Environmental Committee, refused to participate in the Wyland Foundation’s Water Challenge, and banned the words “climate change” and “global warning.”

But there is still much to be done. In particular, the current Irvine City Council leadership needs to show that its professed concern for action on climate change and protecting the environment isn’t just lip service and a public relations smokescreen.

Instead, the City Council needs to adopt a stand-alone Climate Action Plan that we’ve been promised and implement the Community Choice Energy program that we’ve shown to be a tremendous benefit to both the City and the planet.

 

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Why I Voted “No” on a Zoning Change to Permit 1,000 More Million Dollar Single Family Houses in Irvine. Tell the Irvine City Council What You Think!

Recently, I voted “No” on continuing the second reading of a re-zoning proposal that would allow the addition of 1,000 single family million dollar houses to be built by the Irvine Company in the area of Portola Springs/Orchard Hills in Irvine.

This vote could have been the end of the issue, since on the first reading both Mayor Christina Shea and Councilmember Mike Carroll voted against the re-zoning.

However, Councilmember Mike Carroll now voted with the supporters of adding 1,000 new homes (Councilmembers Anthony Kuo and Farrah N. Khan) to continue the item to January 2020.

Carroll, Kuo and Khan won the vote to continue, 3-2. This means that these additional 1,000 million dollar single family houses will again come before the Council.

As a longtime advocate for local communities to permit more housing to alleviate our statewide affordable housing crisis, I was initially disposed to vote in favor of this re-zoning proposal.

But on further reflection, it became apparent to me that this proposed housing development would be built without the necessary infrastructure, including new schools and a local retail center, which are needed and have long been promised to residents.

I am a strong advocate for action on the local and state level addressing the housing crisis, but not at the cost of overcrowded schools and the abandonment of Irvine’s renowned village model and our Master Plan balancing housing with schools, retail centers, and open space.

In particular, I am a strong supporter of Irvine’s village concept, which is intended to reduce sprawl and traffic congestion, and create walkable neighborhoods and a sense of community, by locating housing, at several different levels of purchase price or rental cost, around both local schools and a local retail center.  This village model — an essential part of Irvine’s Master Plan long promoted by the Irvine Company — has been enormously successful.  As the Irvine Chamber of Commerce has boasted, Irvine is a “City of Villages.”

You can see a video promoting the Irvine Master Plan, with specific reference to the Irvine village model as an integral part of the Master Plan, here:

For this reason, I was very concerned — shocked, actually — when a representative of the Irvine Company responded to my questioning by stating that the Irvine Company had no plans to build a retail center near these new homes and were no longer committed to the village model.

In other words, I came to see that voting in favor of this zoning change is tantamount to voting for Irvine to no longer be a “City of Villages.”

On the issue of whether these proposed 1,000 million dollar homes would help alleviate the affordable housing crisis, here are the facts:

This week’s OC Register reports on an analysis by the Southern California News Group that graded every jurisdiction in California on its progress on state-mandated housing goals (the Regional Housing Needs Assessment or RHNA).

According to the article, Irvine is supposed to permit 12,149 homes between 2013 and 2021. Housing units are mandated in each of four categories: (1) very low income, (2) low income, (3) moderate income, and (4) above moderate income.

The number show that Irvine has done exceptionally well in providing housing in the moderate and (especially) above moderate income categories, but is not doing nearly as well in the low income and very low income categories, where it is seriously off track in meetings its RHNA goals.

Very Low Income Units: Irvine has permitted 907 very low income units, needs 1,761 to be on track, 2,817 for final goal.  In sum, very low income units are not on track, and are far from the final goal.

Low Income Units: Irvine has permitted 3 units, needs 271 to be on track, 2,034 for final goal. In sum, low income units are not on track, and are far from final goal.

Moderate Income Units: Irvine has permitted 12,973 units, needs 1,399 to be on track, 2,239 for final goal. In sum, moderate income units are more than on track, and are already in excess of the final goal.

Above Moderate Income Units: Irvine has permitted 12,137 units, needs 3,162 to be on track, 5,059 for final goal. In sum, above moderate income units are far more than on track, and are already far in excess of the final goal.

These numbers demonstrate what everyone knows: Irvine’s housing is overwhelmingly skewed toward the “Above Moderate Income” market.

The 1,000 housing units that would be added to Portola Springs/Orchid Hills under the re-zoning proposed by the Irvine Company are single family homes costing above $1,000,000.  These 1,000 “Above Moderate Income” units would not help Irvine meet its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) goals.

On the contrary, they would exacerbate Irvine’s school over-crowding and traffic congestion problems while doing little or nothing to ease our affordable housing crisis.

That’s why I voted No.

It is my belief that only saying No to these projects that provide housing only for the well-to-do, will we encourage developers to build more environmentally responsible and affordable housing projects.

I hope Irvine residents will make their views on this proposal for an additional 1,000 million dollar single family houses clear to all members of the Council between now and then.

Contact information for all members of the Irvine City Council can be found here.

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How Steven Choi Lost the U.S. Solar Decathlon for Orange County

Today is Clean Air Day.  It’s an excellent time to remind everyone how Steven Choi lost the U.S. Solar Decathlon for Orange County.

In an article in the Voice of OC, Chapman University Professor Fred Smoller and former U.S. Department of Energy official Richard King make a convincing case for a California version of the U.S. Solar Decathlon. The problem is, there already was a California-based Solar Decathlon – located at the Great Park in Irvine – until lack of support and mismanagement by the administration of then-mayor Steven Choi forced the U.S. Department of Energy to find another location elsewhere.

The U.S. Solar Decathlon, which has been sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy approximately every two years since 2002, is an award-winning international competition that challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The houses are assembled at a central location for display, evaluation, and awards. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.

As Smoller and King point out, since the Solar Decathlon’s inception in 2002, more than a dozen California colleges and universities have participated, but no California colleges or universities are slated to participate in the next competition in 2020.

This lack of California participation is troubling, Smoller and King note, because the Solar Decathlon introduces new solar energy technologies to the market and accelerates their implementation; increases and educates the ‘clean tech’ workforce; educates consumers about clean energy; and demonstrates that energy-efficient and solar-powered housing is attainable, practical, and beautiful.

Smoller and King further point out that “as the U.S. surrenders its leadership position on fighting climate change, other nations have stepped in: Solar Decathlons are now being held in Europe, China, the Middle East and Africa. In addition to combating climate change, countries in these regions — especially China — are positioning themselves to take full advantage of the rapidly expanding green economy.”

I wholeheartedly agree with Smoller and King in endorsing a California Solar Decathlon.

California is the ideal location for a Solar Decathlon. California leads the nation, and the world, in developing new and cleaner energy technologies. We are leaders in requiring more effective clean energy standards and in fighting climate change. “To maintain California’s leadership position in the field of clean energy, we must harness the creative energy of our youth, the academic community, industry and labor. By working together, this competition could set a new milestone in clean energy and help make California the sustainability capital of the world.”

Significantly, in both 2013 and 2015, the Solar Decathlon was held right here at the Great Park – until lack of support and mismanagement by the administration of then-mayor Steven Choi forced the U.S. Department of Energy to find another location elsewhere.

It was an incredible achievement in January 2012 when the Great Park team was awarded a $1 million grant to bring the 2013 Solar Decathlon and the XPO in Irvine – the very first time such an award had been made and first time the Decathlon will be held outside of Washington, D.C.

As then-Great Park Board Chair Beth Krom stated at the time, the Solar Decathlon was expected to “bring worldwide attention and economic development to the Great Park and the region and raise public awareness about the benefits of clean energy and energy conservation.”

As I wrote at the time, I was “excited about the potential economic and technological impact that the Solar Decathlon will have for Irvine and Orange County in the future.”

But once the Solar Decathlon contract was awarded, the Irvine City Council, now led by Steven Choi, completely bungled the opportunity.

First, Mayor Choi and his allies on the Irvine City Council and the Great Park Board (which were then, as now, one and the same) dismissed the public relations firm that had been instrumental in getting the Energy Department to award the Solar Decathlon contract to the Great Park, without hiring any replacement firm – or even adopt a plan – to handle the publicity for the event. The result was far less attendance than been had anticipated when it was assumed that the Solar Decathlon would be properly publicized.

Melissa Fox attending the 2013 U.S. Solar Decathlon at the Orange County Great Park as an Irvine Community Services Commissioner.

Next, Mayor Choi and his allies on the City Council failed to provide proper signage and directions for the event, so that many people who planned to attend could not locate the venue within the uncompleted Great Park.

The City also failed to partner with science, engineering or community based groups to promote and engage with the Solar Decathlon.

In fact, Mayor Choi and his allies on the City Council were hostile to the very premises of the Solar Decathlon. It had been the idea of former Mayor Larry Agran to bring the Solar Decathlon to the Great Park, and the contract was awarded during Agran’s tenure as mayor. Choi never embraced the event as truly belonging to Irvine or the Great Park, instead viewing it with suspicion as belonging to Agran and to Obama’s environmentally pro-active and climate change conscious Department of Energy.

Crucially, Choi did not share the Solar Decathlon’s basic rationale: concerns about the impact of human-caused climate change and the need for new, clean, energy technologies. Rather, Choi told his fellow Republicans that while “it is good to keep the environment clean but [he] completely questions the idea of global warming being caused by human intervention. He opposes cap and trade and other government imposed environmental regulations, calling them an extreme effort to tax businesses and economic growth.”

In line with this anti-scientific thinking regarding the relationship between climate change and human use of fossil fuels, Choi not only cared nothing about ensuring the success of the Solar Decathlon, but ended Irvine’s participation in the Wyland Foundation’s National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation and failed to appoint a quorum for the Irvine Green Ribbon Environmental Committee, causing that important committee – which I revived, along with Mayor Don Wagner, and which I now chair – to cease meeting for the years that Choi was mayor.

As I said in 2016 when the U.S. Department of Energy announced that the Solar Decathlon would be held in Denver, not the Orange County Great Park, “It is extremely disappointing that the Solar Decathlon will no longer he held in Irvine because the Irvine City Council refused to support the continuation of the Solar Decathlon in the Great Park. The Solar Decathlon served as an international showcase for our city — our businesses and educational institutions — as among the world’s leaders in scientific and environmental innovation, but our shortsighted City Council has allowed this tremendous opportunity to go elsewhere.”

In sum, I agree with Fred Smoller and Richard King that a Solar Decathlon in California– a “leading-edge design competition which promotes innovation, education, and market expansion” of clean energy technologies – would be great for our students, teachers, schools and businesses.  That’s why it’s such a pity that the Solar Decathlon was once here in the Great Park, until the event was mismanaged, and the opportunity was squandered, by the Irvine City Council led by Steven Choi.

Learn more about Steven Choi’s anti-environmental record here.

Learn more about my plan to prioritize action on climate and the environment here.

 

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Happy Earth Day 2019!

Today, Monday, April 22, is Earth Day.

Nearly 50 years ago, on April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets to protest the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development.

In the US and around the world, smog was becoming deadly and evidence was growing that pollution led to developmental delays in children. Biodiversity was in decline as a result of the heavy use of pesticides and other pollutants.

The global ecological awareness was growing, and the US Congress and President Nixon responded quickly.  In July of the same year, they created the Environmental Protection Agency, and robust environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, among many.

Earth Day is now a global event each year, and more than 1 billion people in 193 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.

The City of Irvine has been a leader in earth-friendly environmental policies, green technology, and environmental awareness.  Irvine’s environmental programs have been on the leading edge of advances in green building and construction, environmental education, recycling, water conservation, waste disposal, and energy-saving.

Irvine’s San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo by Geoff Fox.

Unfortunately, when Steven Choi was Irvine’s mayor, our city took several steps backwards. The term “climate change” was banned from all city documents and not enough Councilmembers made appointments to the Green Ribbon Environmental Committee to enable a quorum.

Mayor Steven Choi even refused to participate in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, sponsored by Irvine’s own Wyland Foundation.

When I joined the Irvine City Council, I successfully pushed for revitalization of the Committee, which has now resumed its work of serving as the official environmental advisory committee, increasing public participation in energy conservation and sustainable practices, and helping the city serve the community through advancing environmental policy initiatives and programs.

I am delighted that the Committee now has the full support of the entire City Council, and both Mayor Don Wagner and Mayor Christina Shea have joined with other mayors across the country in asking residents to make a commitment to conserve water and protect this vital resource by taking part in annual Wyland Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, through the month of April.

One of the best — and most distinctive — qualities of Irvine is our commitment to preserving open space. The City of Irvine has more than 16,000 acres of permanently preserved parkland and open space – remarkable for a city of our size.

“The Sinks” — Irvine’s own Grand Canyon.

In 1974, early in our city’s history, voters approved multi-million dollar measures to fund public parks and recreational facilities, and for the acquisition and development of bicycle trail and hiking trail improvements.

In 1989, the City negotiated an historic agreement with the Irvine Company that set aside more than 9,500 acres as permanent open space marshlands, bike trails, parks, nature conservancies and agricultural areas, protecting fully one-third of the city from development.

In addition, in 2006, nearly 37,000 acres of the Irvine Ranch were selected as a National Natural Landmark, a designation which reflects the outstanding condition, rarity, diversity, and value to science and education of the natural resources on the land.

As our Irvine Open Space Preserve website explains, “Since its incorporation in 1971, Irvine has had a strong desire to balance the built and natural environment. As this incredible master-planned community has grown, each phase of development has been accompanied by the preservation and enhancement of natural open spaces, creating the network of parks, trails, and wildlands that residents and visitors may enjoy today and for generations to come.”

Bommer Canyon. Photo by Sanjay B. Dalal.

A crucial environmental issue facing Irvine in the near future is whether to switch from purchasing energy from SoCal Edison to utilizing a Community Choice Energy provider.

Community Choice Energy (CCE) is a program that brings local control and freedom of choice and competition into the electricity marketplace. Community Choice allows cities and counties to purchase power on behalf of their residents and businesses to provide cleaner power options at a competitive price.

It has been operating in California since 2002 following passage of Assembly Bill 117.

On September 25, 2018, the Irvine City Council approved conducting a feasibility study to determine the pros and cons of implementing a CCE program, including potential economic benefits for the community.

Community Choice programs enable local government control over energy procurement to purchase power, set competitive rates, and collect revenue. The local utility still maintains the electricity grid, deliver energy, and bill customers.

Community Choice Energy programs offer automatic enrollment to businesses and residences in its jurisdiction, with the ability for the customer to opt out and continue to purchase electricity from the utility. Customers have the option of choosing increased percentages of renewable energy.

Councilmember Melissa Fox with the artist Wyland at his studio in Irvine.

CCE programs in California generally procure and resell a power mix between 50 percent and 100 percent renewable energy to their customers.

Community Choice Energy can be one of the most powerful ways to accelerate the transition from fossil to cleaner renewable energy.

Community Choice introduces competition and consumer choice into the electricity sector with a focus on local, renewable energy to stimulate rapid innovations in clean energy systems.

By the mid 2020s, as much as 85% of Californians will be served by a Community Choice Energy program.

When our feasibility study is completed, I hope Community Choice Energy will soon be available in Irvine and throughout Orange County.

At our best, the City of Irvine has striven to be simultaneously people-friendly, business-friendly, and earth-friendly.

We must continue to insist that each phase of our City’s development be informed by science, accompanied by careful planning, and prioritize the preservation and enhancement of our environment.

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Irvine History Happy Hour: The Portola Expedition

You are invited to join the Irvine Historical Society on Sunday, March 24, from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. for an engaging and fun “Let’s Talk History” Happy Hour.

The topic this month is Gaspar de Portola and the Year 1769.

Did you know that the Portola expedition was motivated in part by expelling the Jesuits from Alta California and replacing them with Franciscans?

Did you know that of the original 219 men of the Portola expedition who left Baja California for the north on three ships, only about 100 survived to begin their journey from San Diego to Monterey?

Did you know that the Santa Ana River was originally called Río de los Temblores because Portola and his expedition experienced an earthquake while they were camped there?

Did you know that the Portola expedition arrived in what is now Irvine on July 26, 1769?

Did you know that we have fairly detailed information about the expedition because Portola and Father Juan Crespi kept diaries of the journey, and the expedition’s engineer, Miguel Constanso, later wrote up an official narrative of the trek?

You can learn more fascinating details about Gaspar de Portola, Father Junípero Serra, and their expedition, at the Irvine History Happy Hour on March 24.

Light refreshments will be served. A $5 donation is requested.

The Irvine Historical Society is located in the San Joaquin Ranch House, commissioned by James Irvine in 1868 and considered the oldest standing structure within the original boundaries of Irvine Ranch.

Standard hours of operation are Tuesday and Sunday from 1 to 4; closed holidays. Members are free; a $1.00 donation per non-member is appreciated.

One-hour walking tours of Old Town Irvine are available on the first Sunday of each month at 11:30 a.m. Free for members; $5 for non-members.

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Help Make Irvine a More Environmentally Conscious and Responsible City: Apply to Join the Irvine Green Ribbon Environmental Committee!

As Chair of the Irvine Green Ribbon Environmental Committee, I am happy to announce that the City of Irvine is accepting applications to fill two member-at-large vacancies on the Committee.

Irvine’s Green Ribbon Committee is an official advisory committee and meets four times a year to discuss potential policies and make recommendations to the City Council.

The Green Ribbon Environmental Committee seeks to increase public participation in energy conservation and sustainable practices, helping the City serve the community through advancing environmental policy initiatives and programs.

The Committee is supported by the Public Works Department. Comprised of 10 members, the committee is an advisory body to the City Council and provides advice on sustainability policies related to energy, recycling and waste management, mobility, open space and water issues.

Selection will be based on:

· Professional or civic expertise in an environmental field, including, but not limited to, planning, environmental sciences, health, law, or related field.

· Educational experience in an environmental field, including, but not limited to, planning, ecology, geology, hydrology, or related field.

· Demonstrate concern for, and the desire to improve, the status of natural resources, and environment of the City of Irvine.

The Committee meets quarterly on the third Tuesday of the appropriate month, or as needed, at 4:30 p.m. at Irvine City Hall.

Applications are available at Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, 2nd Floor, Community Services Department, or online here.

Completed applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, to:

City Clerk
City of Irvine
1 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA, 92623

Please direct any questions to Tricia Sosa at 949-724-7320 or tsosa@cityofirvine.org.

Help us as we help make Irvine a more environmentally conscious and responsible city.

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Join Me Today at the Meeting of the Irvine Green Ribbon Environmental Committee!

Join me today, Monday, February 25, 2019, for the Irvine Green Ribbon Committee Meeting as we plan for making Irvine a more environmentally conscious and responsible city.

The meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. at Irvine City Hall.

Irvine’s Green Ribbon Committee is an official advisory committee and meets four times a year to discuss potential policies and make recommendations to the City Council.

The Green Ribbon Environmental Committee seeks to increase public participation in energy conservation and sustainable practices, helping the City serve the community through advancing environmental policy initiatives and programs.

The Committee is supported by the Public Works Department. Comprised of 10 members, the committee is an advisory body to the City Council and provides advice on sustainability policies related to energy, recycling and waste management, mobility, open space and water issues.

Committee meetings are open to the public and there will be a period for public comment.

Your input is essential as Irvine strives to become ever more environmentally responsible and a national leader in meeting the existential ecological demands of the future.

See you there!

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Zot! The Dramatic Success of UC Irvine is Making Our City Better Educated and More Diverse!

Everyone knows that Irvine is changing.  Our city is becoming more populous and more diverse.

One of the major reasons for this change is the remarkable success of our city’s foundational institution and largest employer: The University of California, Irvine (UCI).

Founded in 1965, UCI now has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy.

UCI is now the most sought-after campus in the entire University of California system, according to a recent article in the Orange County Register.

The article reports that “The Irvine campus announced recently that 70,540 California students applied for admission as freshmen in the upcoming fall semester,  the most among the nine campuses in the UC system.”

Much of this growth is recent.  In fact, applications to UCI have increased by an amazing 32 percent just since 2015!

UCI’s growth has also led to a significant increase in the diversity of our City.  UCI has made a strong commitment to being an engine of social mobility for qualified individuals from nontraditional and disadvantaged circumstances.

As a result, UCI is now the top choice among UC schools for first-generation students and those from underrepresented minority groups and lower-income families.  Almost half of UCI’s freshman applicants come from immigrant backgrounds and are first-generation students.

As a member of the Irvine City Council, a former UCI student, and the wife of someone who who received his Masters and Ph.D. from UC Irvine, I want to congratulate UCI on its great success and pledge to help it continue making our city, our state, and our nation better educated and more diverse while ensuring a brighter future for Orange County and California!

Zot!

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Join Me for the Grand Opening of Los Olivos Community Park and Center!

Join me on Saturday, March 2, 2019, for the Grand Opening of Los Olivos Community Park!

The dedication event will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The new 12.5-acre Los Olivos Community Park features lighted baseball and soccer fields, a lighted basketball court, four tennis courts, and a musical-themed playground inspired by the former Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre.

In addition, the 6,700-square-foot community center features a large multipurpose room, warming kitchen, and patio area.

The dedication event will include:

  • Self-guided tours of the facility;
  • On-site tennis pro to answer questions about tennis programming; and
  • Entertainment by Concerts for Charities Club.

The sports fields, playground, and trails will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Los Olivos Community Center will be open to the public 9 a.m.– 9 p.m. Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon – 6 p.m. Sunday. Programming will include early childhood programs, youth camps, adult classes, and a variety of recreational offerings.

Los Olivos Community Park is located at 101 Alfonso, Irvine, CA 92618

No RSVP is needed for this free dedication event.

For more information, visit cityofirvine.org/specialevents or call 949-724-6814.

See you there!

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Irvine Wins California Park & Recreation Society’s Award for Excellence in Marketing

I’m excited to announce that the City of Irvine was selected as the 2018 California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) Marketing and Communications Award of Excellence recipient for our Your Irvine marketing campaign. The City competed for the award against government agencies serving populations of 250,000 or more.

The CPRS award reflects Irvine’s commitment to strategically and efficiently implement a new online registration and reservations software system for the public through a comprehensive marketing and public outreach campaign. Through this statewide award, the City has been recognized for the highest achievement in promoting and increasing public awareness of its parks, facilities, recreation, and leisure services programs.

In preparation for Irvine’s new registration software launch in February 2018, City staff developed Your Irvine as a brand identity for the classes and activities offered by the City.  The Community Services marketing team created the logo, website, and digital and print collateral in-house using only internal resources. They also worked with parks staff to outline a marketing campaign that would suit the needs of all unique facilities within the City. The resulting campaign drove traffic to the new registration website, supporting more than 10,000 class sessions, 41,000 facility bookings, and 80,000 community participants annually.

The City of Irvine will be honored at an awards recognition banquet on Friday, March 22, at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento, during the 2019 CPRS Conference & Expo.

 

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Join Me for the Grand Opening of Portola Springs Community Park and Center!

Join me at the Grand Opening and Dedication Ceremony of Portola Springs Community Park and Center on Saturday, January 26, 2019, from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The 32-acre Portola Springs Community Park features a nature-themed playground, native garden, two lighted softball fields, two lighted soccer fields, one warm-up field, one sand volleyball court, six lighted pickleball courts, three lighted tennis courts, and a concession building.

It also features an expansive community center (more than 14,000 square feet), including a multipurpose room, large patio area, two classrooms, and a Native American Wing.

The dedication event will include:

  • Self-guided tours of the facility
  • Cultural display in the Native American Wing
  • Light refreshments
  • Pickleball courts open for play
  • Softball demonstrations by Irvine Girls Softball Association
  • Entertainment by Concerts for Charities Club, which includes a string quartet, piano quintet, violin and piano duet, and saxophone quartet made up of students from Trabuco Hills, Northwood, and Portola high schools

I am especially excited about the Center’s Native American Wing, which was a combined effort of City staff, representatives of our local Native American tribes, the California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance and the Irvine Company.

The Portola Spring Community Center will be open to the public from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Classes at the center will be available beginning in February, and programming will include after-school and camp activities as well as recreational activities and sports programs.

Portola Springs Community Park and Center are located at 900 Tomato Springs, Irvine, CA 92618.

No RSVP is needed for this free event.

For more information, visit cityofirvine.org/specialevents or call 949-724-6192.

See you there!

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Help Shape the Future of Irvine’s Community Programs! Take Our Resident Activity Survey Today!

The City of Irvine, through the Community Services Department, is conducting a Resident Activity Survey about recreational activities offered to the community.

Results from the survey will be used to assess how City activities and programs meet the needs of the community, and how the City can continue to accommodate future needs.

We value input from the community and welcome you to take this important survey.

Questions cover City activities that you and members of your household may have participated in, and those you might want to see offered in the future.

The survey may be taken in English, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Spanish or Vietnamese.

Share your feedback and take the online survey here!

For questions, contact 949-724-6156.

Help shape the future of Irvine programs and take our survey today!

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Vote for Lauren Johnson-Norris for Irvine City Council!

Please join me in voting for Lauren Johnson-Norris for Irvine City Council! 

I’m voting for Lauren because she will fight along side me for more child care, less traffic, and for bringing great improvements like Wild Rivers, museums, and botanical gardens to the Great Park.

Lauren is also strongly committed to keeping Irvine America’s Safest City — that’s why Lauren is the only Irvine City Council candidate endorsed by both the Irvine Police Association and Orange County Firefighters!

She is a respected lawyer, the mother of twin five-year-old girls, the wife of a veteran, and has served our community with dedication for nearly two years as a Community Services Commissioner, fighting for better parks making sure that our children and families experience the highest quality recreation.

Lauren has earned bipartisan support from the most trusted voices in our community. 

Now she needs your vote!

Irvine needs Lauren Johnson Norris — a smart, strong and independent council member fighting for our values and our future!

Find your polling place and see a sample ballot here.

You can learn more about Lauren here.

Vote for Lauren Johnson-Norris for Irvine City Council!

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Commissioner Lauren Johnson-Norris: My Commitment to Irvine’s High Quality Parks and Recreation

Guest Post by Irvine Community Services Commissioner Lauren Johnson-Norris

[Note: Lauren Johnson-Norris has served Irvine for nearly two years as my appointee to the Community Services Commission. She recently wrote a blog post describing her work on the Commission, particularly her efforts to renovate the beautiful and rustic Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp and to ensure high quality recreational park space in the urban-feeling Irvine Business Complex. I am proud of the work that she has done what she has accomplished as my appointee to the Community Services Commission and I want to share her post with you. — Melissa]

As an Irvine Community Services Commissioner for the past year and 10 months, my number one priority has been making sure that our children and families experience the highest quality recreation. With over 90 unique parks, Irvine has won awards for being one of the best places to live and raise a family. As a Commissioner, I am proud of the work I have done making sure that our parks live up to Irvine’s high standards.

That is why I am so proud to have voted to begin improvements to Bommer Canyon’s Cattle Camp.

Bommer Canyon has been surveyed to be Irvine’s most loved and used community park space for excellent reasons. Bommer Canyon is a quintessential example of Irvine’s successful weaving of open space with world-class recreation. What was once an active cattle camp only 30 years ago is now a cherished, rustic hiking area.

However, the structures have been out of code and out of ADA compliance for many years. Termites and rodents have made these structures home and there is no real restroom in this community park. I am excited to have been able to vote to approve the beginning of a rehabilitation project that will make this space safer, and ADA compliant, without sacrificing its rustic feel and aesthetic.  I am also happy to share that I fought to make sure that the final design plans and materials will come back for approval in front of the Community Services Commission before they go to the City Council.

All of the Commissioners want to make sure that we preserve the unique character of the cattle camp for residents to enjoy a true piece of Irvine’s history.

I love how Irvine’s parks are as diverse as the members of our community. During my term as a Commissioner, I have fought for park space in the Irvine Business Complex and approved several parks that met Irvine residents’ high standards in this uniquely urban-feeling space.

Unfortunately, not all park proposals from developers that come before the Commission are up to Irvine’s high standards. Some have to be voted down because their design is faulty and fails to meet the standards that Irvine requires for a park.

This year, all five Commissioners voted not to approve a proposed park in the Irvine Business Complex that would have been on the roof of a building, with a swimming pool and tot lot, that the public would have had to access by taking the building’s elevators.

In reality, this proposal was not a feasible park plan and putting park space on the roof is not consistent with the character of any Irvine neighborhood.  Rejecting this faulty plan was a unanimous decision of the Community Services Commission and one we made with the best interest of Irvine residents in mind.

It has been a privilege to work to make sure Irvine’s parks and recreation are of the highest quality and live up to our residents’ standards. Careful planning and sound decision-making is critical to preserve and protect Irvine’s excellent quality of life and I am proud of my work to contribute in this way.

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Why are Developers So Afraid of Lauren Johnson-Norris?

The well-funded, dark-money attacks on Lauren Johnson-Norris, candidate for Irvine City Council, are despicable.

Anonymous cowards have sent out unsigned letters to voters with vile lies about Lauren, who is a brilliant attorney, the mother of twin five-year-old girls, and a tireless advocate for children, families, and veterans.

In addition, more than $100,000 in dark-money has flowed into the coffers of a mysterious and unaccountable political action committee to spread even more lies about Lauren.

No doubt more dark-money attacks will follow.

The initial goal of these cowardly attacks was to scare Lauren into dropping out of the race.

That effort failed, and now the goal is to deceive Irvine voters.

These dark-money attacks, and the cowards behind them, will not succeed.

Irvine voters know the dedication to Irvine’s children and families that Lauren Johnson-Norris has demonstrated as a devoted and effective Community Services Commissioner.

Irvine police know the dedication to at-risk children and families that Lauren has shown – and have emphatically endorsed her campaign for Irvine City Council.

Ask yourself, what are the anonymous and well-financed cowards behind these attacks on Lauren afraid of?

They are afraid Lauren’s strength, intelligence, and courage.

They are afraid of Lauren’s vow to take forceful action to deal with Irvine’s over-development and traffic congestion.

They are afraid of Lauren’s commitment to ensure that Irvine’s children have access to quality, affordable child care.

They are afraid of Lauren’s independence and integrity.

They are afraid because Lauren is endorsed by both Irvine police officers and OCFA firefighters.

Most of all, they are afraid of you — Irvine’s voters — because they know you are sick and tired of our community being under the control of powerful developers hiding behind mysterious political action committees driven by unlimited piles of dark-money.

I condemn and denounce these false and cowardly attacks on Lauren Johnson-Norris, and I call upon other elected officials, candidates, and community leaders to join me in condemning these attacks.

I call upon everyone who loves Irvine to join me in rejecting this dark-money poison from our community and voting for Lauren Johnson-Norris for Irvine City Council.

RELATED:

Vote for Lauren Johnson-Norris for Irvine City Council!

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We’re Number One: OC Register Rates Irvine “Best City” for 2018

The readers of the Orange County Register have rated Irvine the “Best City” in Orange County for 2018.

Here is what the Register had to say:

“By now, Irvine is used to accolades.

The Fiscal Times recently ranked it No. 1 out of 116 municipalities in its annual City Fiscal Strength Index. Within the past year it also made the top 10s of other “best-of”lists, including the Best Place to Raise a Family, the Best Park System in the U.S., Best City for Working Parents and Best City to be a Homeowner.

The personal finance website WalletHub ranked Irvine No. 8 – the highest of any Southern California locale – on its 2018 list of the Happiest Cities in America, which was based on factors such as emotional and physical well-being, income and employment and community and environment.

Last year, Sunset magazine selected Irvine as the SoCal runner-up – behind Ventura – on its list of the 19 Best Value Towns in the West.

“This O.C. town was engineered for livability back in the 1960s,” the magazine wrote. “What it lacks in an actual downtown, it makes up for with 350 miles of bike lanes and trails, an infinitesimal crime rate, a robust economy, a multicultural population, and the Orange County Great Park.”

None of this is news to Best of Orange County voters. Irvine has been voted Best City Live In for 8 of the past 10 years and always places in the top three. Beyond its highly regarded schools and abundant parks, Irvine is frequently cited as a model of master planning – even as the city’s population has grown to 268,000, its design as a cluster of villages helps it retain a small-town vibe.”

Congratulations to us!

See the Register’s full “Best of” issue here.

 

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Irvine History Happy Hour: Meet Irvine’s New City Manager John Russo!

So what exactly does a City Manager do anyway?

Come this Sunday, September 23 to the Irvine Historical Society’s Let’s Talk History Happy Hour and find out!

Irvine’s new City Manager John A. Russo will be on hand to introduce himself and to share his goals for the future of Irvine.

John A. Russo was hired by the Irvine City Council to be City Manager on July 10, 2018.

Russo began his career in public service as an elected official with the City of Oakland, first as a Councilmember from 1994-2000, and then City Attorney from 2000-2011. While in Oakland, he authored the open government law and the “Sunshine Ordinance” to ensure public transparency and full residential access to public information. He then moved to the City of Alameda, where he served as City Manager from 2011-2015.

The Brooklyn native, 59, graduated with honors in economics and political science from Yale University, and earned his law degree from New York University School of Law. He was a Legal Aid attorney in St. Louis before moving to Oakland in 1987, where he was president of Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation, treasurer of the East Bay League of Conservation Voters, and pro bono attorney for neighborhood associations and nonprofits. In 2002, Russo served as League of California Cities president; he also was a Board member for the National League of Cities.

Russo is Irvine’s fifth City Manager.

Join us on Sunday, September 23 for this month’s “Let’s Talk History” Happy Hour.
We will meet at the Irvine Historical Museum from 3:00 -5:00 pm and learn how trains once played a pivotal role on the Irvine Ranch.

Light refreshments will be served.  A $5 donation is requested.

The Irvine Historical Society is located in the San Joaquin Ranch House, commissioned by James Irvine in 1868 and considered the oldest standing structure within the original boundaries of Irvine Ranch.

Standard hours of operation are Tuesday and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm; closed holidays. Members are free; a $1.00 donation per non-member is appreciated.

One-hour walking tours of Old Town Irvine are available on the first Sunday of each month at 11:30 a.m. Free for members; $5 for non-members.

 

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As We Celebrate Labor Day, Let’s Commit to Increasing Irvine’s Child Care Choices

As we celebrate Labor Day, I want to take the opportunity to recommit to improving the working conditions of Irvine residents by increasing the availability of child care.

Too often, parents in Irvine are forced to choose between going to work and caring for their children.

Nearly 2,500 Irvine families do not have adequate child care, with the most acute shortage for children under 2 years-old and children 6 to 12 years-old.

I have been working with City staff, my Community Services Commissioner Lauren Johnson-Norris, developers, childcare providers, and the business community to increase child care through an overall city child care development plan.

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Lauren Johnson-Norris has eloquently addressed this issue:

Parents are being advised to apply for child care and get on waiting lists while they are expecting a child and still report waiting several months to a year to secure a spot for their child. Infant care has been identified as the most challenging child care to secure, especially considering the important low provider-to-child ratio mandated by state law.

Some Irvine parents report putting their families on lists and simply never hearing of an opening.

The consequence of the Irvine childcare gap is that families are forced to make unanticipated career and financial decisions. Parents report having to make the sometimes difficult decision to have one parent stay home, even where the families was previously a dual-income family.

Statistically, it is increasingly difficult to return to the workforce the longer a worker is away.

In addition, the result is not only lost income while the child is infancy, but potentially for years to come. For a single parent, the situation is even worse — and may be untenable if family care or care outside the city is unavailable.

A critical part of any thriving community is safe, professional, reliable, and affordable preschool and child care. Preschool has been shown to positively affect children’s social skills and prepare them for the rigors of K-12. Children who miss the opportunity for preschool because of inadequate child care in a community start kindergarten at a disadvantage.

Ultimately, the negative effects of unavailable or inadequate preschool or childcare extend beyond individual children and families to the community as a whole.

It is time to address the shortage of child care for families in Irvine. Increased child care through designated private sites as part of an overall city development plan, access to childcare in houses of worship, and the option of city early childhood education must be part of this plan.

Families in Irvine are looking to the City Council for solutions.

What kind of waiting periods are you facing right now for child care and preschool in Irvine?

What kinds of improvements do you want to see in the availability of child care and preschool in Irvine?

Send your information to Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox at mefox@cityofirvine.org or to Community Services Commissioner Lauren Johnson-Norris at laurenjohnson78@gmail.com.

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Preserving Irvine’s Neighborhoods and Open Space: Why I’ll Vote to Protect Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course

At tonight’s Irvine City Council meeting, I intend to vote to protect the Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course from development.

Councilmember Melissa Fox celebrates Irvine’s open space with Board of Equalization Member and candidate for California Treasurer Fiona Ma

Here’s why:

One of the best, and most distinctive, things about Irvine is our commitment to preserving open space.

The City of Irvine has more than 16,000 acres of permanently preserved parkland and open space – remarkable for a city of our size.

Since its incorporation in 1971, Irvine has been committed to balancing the built and the natural environment.  As our incredible master-planned community has grown, we have remained attentive to the need to preserve and enhance our natural open spaces, creating a network of parks, trails, and wildlands that residents and visitors enjoy today and will continue to enjoy for generations to come.

Neighborhoods are also a crucial aspect of life in Irvine.

When I ran for City Council, I promised that I would protect the beauty and character of our neighborhoods in all of Irvine.

I also promised to fight runaway development; in  fact, as an Irvine City Councilmember, I have not voted for a single new entitlement nor have I approved any new construction.

Moving forward, I intend to see that Irvine reaffirms its commitment to protecting open space, preserving neighborhoods, and following the wisdom of the General Plan.

I like what my appointee to the Irvine Planning Commission, Dustin Nirschl, has said: “Villages are not just measurements, it’s a feeling.”

Neighborhoods matter.

Open space matters.

And neighbors working together to preserve their neighborhood and their open space matters most of all.

For these reasons, I intend to vote to prevent any development on the Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course by keeping it as a permanent, open space, recreational amenity to serve all Irvine residents — now and in the future.  

Update:  The Irvine City Council voted 5-0 on August 28, 2016, to affirm the Master Plan and maintain the zoning that protects the Rancho San Joaquin Golf course open space and preserves the character of the Rancho San Joaquin neighborhood. Thank you to the residents who joined together in this community-based and community-led effort!

Update: The folks at Protect Rancho Joaquin Golf Course have posted my comments and a video of my remarks at the August 28, 2018, Irvine City Council meeting.

My comments were: “I do want to thank everyone who’s come out today [to the City Council meeting]…I am so grateful that you’re here today to take the time out of your lives to protect your neighborhood, and our community.  It is a core principal of Irvine that we protect our open space, and we’re here today to do that.  And I wanted to thank my colleagues for bringing forth this issue — and particularly the right time with the General Plan update — that there could be no question now that the devotion of our City is to the protection of open space.  And so, I thank you for that.”

 

 

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Woodbridge Village Center Summer Party Celebrates a Big Win for the Woodbridge Community!

A great time was had by all on Saturday, July 28, at the Woodbridge Village Center Summer Party, celebrating the beautifully revitalized Center.

The playgrounds were full of happy children, the shops and restaurants full of happy customers. There were electric bike tours of the North and South Lakes, games, music, dancing, face painting, prizes and giveaways.

At one time, it seemed that the Woodbridge Village Center might be demolished.

In 2014, Woodbridge residents were gravely concerned that the Village Center would be replaced by new development that forever change the character of their beautiful community.  In response, a group of residents calling themselves Friends of Woodbridge Village Center formed to fight for their neighborhood.

As I wrote at the time in support of Friends of  the Woodbridge Village Center, “When Woodbridge opened on Father’s Day in 1975, it was Irvine’s premier master planned community, showcasing Irvine’s commitment to creating villages of single family homes and townhouses, with parks, greenbelts, bicycle trails, interconnecting pathways, open space, and neighborhood shopping. After 40 years of success, the people of Woodbridge love their community, and they love their Woodbridge Village Center. That’s why people are so upset by the prospect that their Village Center will be destroyed and replaced with high density apartments and condos or office buildings.”

Happily, the residents’ concerns were heard.

In 2016, the Irvine Company announced plans to spend $30 million to renovate the Woodbridge Village Center.

The promised renovation is now completed — and it’s spectacular!

The renovations include additional gathering and play areas for kids, expanding the courtyard dining area, and opening up a picture-postcard view of the lake.

Councilmember Melissa Fox with Bob Bibee, owner of Pedego Electric Bikes Irvine, located in the Woodbridge Village Center.

New tenants were added, including Yogurtland, Sessions West Coast Deli and CHA for Tea, The Lost Bean cafe, Pizza Press, Rush Cycle, and Clean Juice.  Older local-favorite tenants Barnes and Noble, Champagne French Bakery, Irvine Pedego, and the AMC Classic Woodbridge 5 theater remain.

Congratulations and thank you to the Irvine Company for listening to Woodbridge’s residents and for re-investing so spectacularly in the Woodbridge Village Center!

Congratulations to the Friends of Woodbridge Village Center – and to all of us who worked to ensure that Woodbridge remains one of Irvine’s most beautiful communities.

As I wrote in my blog in February 2016, “It feels good when we work together and win!”

The Woodbridge Village Summer Party was a spectacular celebration of that win.

Let’s continue to work together to ensure that the beauty and character of our neighborhoods are preserved in all of Irvine!

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Join Me at the City Council Meeting on August 28 to Hear City of Irvine Staff Present Results of the Second Public Outreach Survey on the General Plan Update

Please join me to hear City of Irvine staff present results of the Second Public Outreach Survey on the General Plan Update.

The City of Irvine staff presents the results of the second public outreach survey to the City Council and the public at the Irvine City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018.

Please note, this meeting was rescheduled from a previous date.

The City Council meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the Conference and Training Center at Irvine City Hall located at 1 Civic Center Plaza (at Harvard Avenue and Alton Parkway).

What is the General Plan Update?

The City of Irvine is updating its General Plan, a state-required document representing the long-range vision of the City.

The purpose of the update is to build upon longstanding objectives that define Irvine and for the City Council to consider changes as needed. The update will serve as the City’s policy blueprint for the future. It will update community goals and public policy direction to ensure Irvine’s high quality of life is preserved and enhanced as the City builds out and matures.

The City conducted extensive public outreach to establish the preliminary General Plan Planning Framework and to identify major goals and topics for consideration in the update. City staff presented the results of the second  outreach survey and Planning Framework developed for the General Plan Comprehensive Update project to City Commissions throughout Spring 2018.

No changes to existing land uses or allowable development intensities are proposed.

This update will also incorporate changes required by state law.

Visit irvine2035.org for more information regarding the General Plan Update project.

You can find more information about Irvine City Council meetings HERE.

 

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Join Me at the Woodbridge Village Center Summer Party!

Join me on Saturday, July 28, 2018, for the Woodbridge Village Center Summer Party!

The Woodbridge Village Center is having a Summer Party and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony celebrating the beautifully revitalized Center. There will be loads of activities and entertainment — including electric bike tours of the North and South Lakes, games, music, dancing, face painting, prizes and giveaways!

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox with Irvine Pedego Electric Bicycle owner Bob Bibee

As I wrote in my blog in February 2016, “It feels good when we work together and win!”

In 2014, Woodbridge residents were gravely concerned that the Village Center would be demolished, and that in its place new development would add unwanted housing and traffic congestion to Woodbridge and forever change the character of their beautiful community.  In response, a group of residents calling themselves Friends of Woodbridge Village Center formed to fight for their neighborhood.

As I wrote at the time in support of the Woodbridge Village Center, “When Woodbridge opened on Father’s Day in 1975, it was Irvine’s premier master planned community, showcasing Irvine’s commitment to creating villages of single family homes and townhouses, with parks, greenbelts, bicycle trails, interconnecting pathways, open space, and neighborhood shopping. After 40 years of success, the people of Woodbridge love their community, and they love their Woodbridge Village Center. That’s why people are so upset by the prospect that their Village Center will be destroyed and replaced with high density apartments and condos or office buildings.”

Happily, the residents’ concerns were heard.

In 2016, the Irvine Company announced plans to spend $30 million to renovate the Woodbridge Village Center.

The promised renovation is now completed — and it’s spectacular!

The renovations include additional gathering and play areas for kids, expanding the courtyard dining area, and opening up the view of the lake.

New tenants were added, including Yogurtland, Sessions West Coast Deli and CHA for Tea, The Lost Bean cafe, Pizza Press, Rush Cycle, and Clean Juice.  Older local-favorite tenants Barnes and Noble, Champagne French Bakery, Irvine Pedego, and the AMC Classic Woodbridge 5 theater remain.

In addition, Woodbridge’s beloved frog statues “Woody” and “Bridget,” which generations of kids have climbed, received fresh paint. They are joined by a new frog statue — and the winner of an online contest to name it will be revealed during the party!

Congratulations and thank you to the Irvine Company for listening to Woodbridge’s residents and for re-investing so spectacularly in the Woodbridge Village Center!

Congratulations to the Friends of Woodbridge Village Center – and to all of us who worked to ensure that Woodbridge remains one of Irvine’s most beautiful communities.

Let’s celebrate and continue to work together to ensure that the beauty and character of our neighborhoods are preserved in all of Irvine!

See you there!

 

 

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Press Release: Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox Refers Email Threat to Orange County District Attorney

July 9, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jason Mills (714) 576-4303

IRVINE CITY COUNCILMEMBER MELISSA FOX REFERS EMAIL THREAT TO ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

IRVINE, CA – Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox referred an email communication from Harvey Liss to the Orange County District Attorney’s office today.

In his email to Councilmember Fox, Liss directed her to vote for a motion regarding the veterans’ cemetery to be presented by Councilmember Jeff Lalloway at the July 10, 2018, City Council meeting or face an end to her participation on the Irvine City Council.

Liss’s email to Councilmember Fox may constitute a violation of several California criminal code sections designed to protect public officials from being extorted for their votes.

Liss is a close ally of Larry Agran and Ed Pope of the “Save the Veterans Cemetery” campaign committee, and an editor of the Irvine Community News & Views, which was one of the major donors to the campaign urging a “No” vote on Measure B, lending over $300,000 to the campaign, without transparency as to where its money came from.

Liss’s communication to Councilmember Fox via her private email account may also violate the City of Irvine’s Ethics and Lobbying Ordinance, since Liss is demanding that Councilmember Fox take a position on a municipal question on which Irvine Community News & Views has spent money far over the threshold reporting amount without reporting or registering as a city lobbyist and without reporting the lobbying activities that he and other agents of Irvine Community News & Views have undertaken.

In response to the email, Councilmember Fox said, “Liss’s threat is a misuse of the political system.  It is to the people of Irvine that I owe my best efforts, my best judgment, my faithfulness, and my sole allegiance.  I will not be bullied, threatened, or extorted into voting against what I believe to be the best interests of the City of Irvine.”

 

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The Veterans Cemetery: What Should Irvine Do Now?

Current view of the original (ARDA) site for a veterans cemetery.

The voters in Irvine recently rejected Measure B. The issues now are what, in rejecting Measure B, did the voters really decide, and what should the Irvine City Council do in response to the voters’ decision.

Some argue that the rejection of Measure B means that the voters said that the proposed veterans cemetery should be located at the ARDA site that was originally selected by the City Council in July 2014, and that the City Council should begin immediately to build a veterans cemetery at that location.

But the actual language of Measure B said nothing about the original ARDA site, except that the development previously zoned for the strawberry fields site would be moved there.

Looking at the specific language of Measure B, what the voters said No to was “allowing the previously planned development for the Bake Parkway Site to be relocated to the intersection of Pusan and Irvine Blvd and allowing the development of a veterans cemetery near the intersection of I-5 and Bake Parkway.”

Thus, by its express language, the no vote on Measure B rejects that zoning decision, but does not authorize the city to place a veterans cemetery on the ARDA site.

Sign used by Measure B opponents warning of thousands more cars on Irvine roads if Measure B passed.

In addition, the City Council’s approval of the ARDA site in 2014 was based on the belief that the City would provide the land for the veterans cemetery, but the costs of construction and subsequent maintenance of the cemetery would be wholly paid by state and federal government.

Crucially, the City Council’s approval of the ARDA site also came several years before we learned that construction of the veterans cemetery at the ARDA site would cost nearly $80 million, mostly due to the need for decontamination of the soil and the decontamination and removal of numerous existing structures, and that in addition to providing the land, the City would have to bear a significant portion of these construction costs.

In particular, Measure B said nothing at all about approving the spending of tens of millions of dollars that are now earmarked for creating the features of the Great Park that residents have said they want – such as museums, botanical gardens, a new Wild Rivers Water Park, and a permanent amphitheatre for live music – and, instead, using that money for a veterans cemetery.

My belief is that the rejection of Measure B means that the voters did not want a zoning change that, as the No on B campaign said, would have allowed “massive development projects” at the ARDA site, add “812,000 square feet of development,” and “bring 10,000 more cars and trucks to Irvine streets and neighborhoods every day.”

For me, the lesson of Measure B is that the voters did not want to risk the possibility that the land exchange would lead to more development and more traffic congestion, as well as the voters believing that it was too favorable a deal for the developer.

In other words, I see the rejection of Measure B as a vote against more development and traffic congestion, and not a vote in favor of spending $40 – $80 million dollars on a veterans cemetery rather than building other popular features of the Great Park.

In a survey of Irvine voters I conducted from my blog and through email, the great majority said that they voted against Measure B because they did not want more development and traffic.

Even more significantly, 64% said that Irvine should not spend $40 to $80 million dollars for a veterans cemetery, compared to only 13.5% in favor.

Current view of the original (ARDA) site for a veterans cemetery.

In a new and promising twist to the veterans cemetery saga, the Orange County Board of Supervisors has now agreed to have its staff study and advise whether county-owned open space outside Irvine might be a feasible location for an Orange County veterans cemetery. The approximately 234-acre site is in the city of Anaheim, near the 91 and 241, adjacent to Gypsum Canyon.

This site would provide a larger veterans cemetery for Orange County veterans, at no cost to Irvine, and be free from the divisive politics that has characterized the veterans cemetery debate in Irvine.

In fact, many of the veterans who initiated the fight for a veterans cemetery now favor this site, because, as Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran Nick Berardino has said, it appears that “veterans are removed from the political equation, and are now heading in a practical, reasonable direction to give all the brave men and women a final resting place.”

If the Irvine City Council approves Jeff Lalloway’s motion to spend $40 to $80 million dollars to clean up the original site for a cemetery, it will deplete the Great Park budget for at least a decade.

As the Irvine City News noted, “It sounds noble when [Jeff] Lalloway, [Larry] Agran and their followers hold up the service of our veterans. But when you understand that the veterans still can’t get what they were promised without taking away the gardens, the museums, the music, the culture and the future of the Great Park, it puts Lalloway’s political power move in perspective.”

I have been a strong and consistent supporter of a veterans cemetery in Irvine.  But I have also been a strong supporter of fulfilling the promises that the City made to residents when it created the Great Park, and I am not in favor of giving up on those promises.

I believe the Great Park should have great gardens and a great museum, as well as other features for the enjoyment of all residents, and I do not believe that the City can afford to spend $40 to $80 million on a cemetery and continue with these other projects.

What do you think?  

Do you favor spending $40 to $80 million dollars to clean up the original site for a cemetery or should that money go to create other features for the Great Park?

The City Council will decide on Tues, July whether to approve Lalloway’s motion or whether some other course is more sensible and also responsive to the will of the voters and the needs of the community.

As always, the public is invited to attend and speak on these issues at the City Council meeting.

I also urge interested residents to contact the Mayor and the City Council by email and tell us in writing what you think we ought to do.

Here is how to contact the Mayor and the City Council:

Irvine City Council
949-724-6233 or irvinecitycouncil@cityofirvine.org

Mayor Wagner: donaldwagner@cityofirvine.org
Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea: christinashea@cityofirvine.org
Councilmember Jeff Lalloway: jeffreylalloway@cityofirvine.org
Councilmember Lynn Schott: lynnschott@cityofirvine.org
Councilmember Melissa Fox: melissafox@cityofirvine.org

Thank you.

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Join Me to Watch the World Cup Final Live at the Championship Soccer Stadium in the Great Park!

Irvine residents are invited to attend a free viewing of the World Cup Final of France versus Croatia streaming live from Moscow on the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium’s giant scoreboard beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday, July 15, courtesy of our Orange County Soccer Club!

No tickets or RSVP are needed.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Free World Cup Final broadcast live on the Championship Soccer Stadium video board.
  • Watch the broadcast from the pitch, and bring blankets for seating (no chairs, tents or umbrellas will be allowed on the pitch).
  • Watch the broadcast from stadium seating sections 1-3 and 11-13.
  • Pre-kickoff entertainment with Orange County SC player and technical staff interviews as well as game analysis.
  • Half-time raffles for Orange County SC prizes.
  • Interactive Fan Zone: Lawn games, face painting, inflatables , sponsor  booths and exhibits and more!
  • Orange County SC player autograph and photo opportunities.
  • Orange County SC merchandise will be available for purchase.
  • Breakfast foods and beverages options will be available for purchase.
  • Free parking at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine.

Schedule:

7:00 a.m. Gates open
7:30 a.m. Pre-kickoff entertainment
8:00 a.m. Kickoff

See you there!

About the Orange County Soccer Club:

Orange County Soccer Club is Orange County’s only professional soccer team and an official affiliate partner of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) of Major League Soccer (MLS).

Orange County SC is a part of the United Soccer League (USL), the fastest growing Division II professional soccer league in the world, composed of 34 teams across the United States.

The team plays their home games at the Orange County Great Park’s Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine.

Nestled right in the heart of the Great Park, the Championship Soccer Stadium has a capacity of over 5,000 for Orange County SC matches.

For more information, visit their website at orangecountysoccer.com.

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Irvine Slated to Name John Russo as New City Manager!

The following is a press release from the City of Irvine:

The Irvine City Council has chosen John A. Russo as its finalist for City Manager, and will formally consider hiring him at its July 10 meeting.

Russo has 23 years of results-oriented public service gained through leadership positions in Oakland, Alameda, and Riverside. Having served as a City Councilmember, City Attorney, and City Manager, Russo’s combination of experience at three California cities gives him a unique perspective as he prepares to lead Irvine in implementing the vision at the direction of its City Council.

“It is an extraordinary honor to be selected to serve in this position in a city known across America for its foresight, commitment to public safety, and adherence to financial stability,” said Russo. “Consistent with Irvine’s values, I am committed to open and transparent decision-making – listening to all stakeholders (citizens, business, university, public sector, and faith communities) with an open mind, and equally committed to decisive action and a long-term approach to policy. Process matters. Results matter more.”

Russo most recently served as City Manager for the City of Riverside for nearly three years. His experience in municipal government fits well with Irvine’s priorities.

Among the City Council goals in 2018:

  • Traffic improvement initiatives that include 16 capital improvement program projects now underway. The City Council has approved more than $71 million for traffic management and congestion improvements, with construction scheduled over the next 12 months.
  • City Council support of public safety. For a 12th consecutive year, Irvine is the safest city with a population of 250,000 or more for Part 1 violent crime, according to FBI data.
  • The City Council’s ongoing support of its public schools. The City Council provides $10.2 million annually in direct and indirect support.
  • The opening of large sections of the Orange County Great Park, including soccer fields, baseball and softball stadiums with multiple playing fields, basketball courts, and the $100 million public ice facility.
  • Continued high service to the community.

Highlights from Russo’s background align with Irvine’s focus areas:

  • Maintaining Irvine’s renowned employment base – one of the highest jobs-to-population ratios in the country – driven, in part, by major business headquarters such as Edwards Lifesciences and Blizzard Entertainment. Russo last year helped bring the California Air Resources Board’s headquarters and testing facilities to Riverside.
  • Developing of the 1,300-acre Orange County Great Park, a former Marine base. While in Alameda, Russo expeditiously implemented all land use entitlements for redevelopment of the closed Alameda Naval Air Station, a 1,000-acre waterfront property across the bay from San Francisco.
  • Continuing Irvine’s fiscal health, including its recognition as the No. 1 fiscally responsible large city for two straight years. During Russo’s tenures in both Alameda and Riverside, he eliminated structural deficits, significantly increased financial reserves, and presided over improvements in those cities’ bond ratings.

Russo began his career in public service as an elected official with the City of Oakland, first as a Councilmember from 1994-2000, and then City Attorney from 2000-2011. While in Oakland, he authored the open government law and the “Sunshine Ordinance” to ensure public transparency and full residential access to public information. He then moved to the City of Alameda, where he served as City Manager from 2011-2015.

The Brooklyn native, 59, graduated with honors in economics and political science from Yale University, and earned his law degree from New York University School of Law. He was a Legal Aid attorney in St. Louis before moving to Oakland in 1987, where he was president of Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation, treasurer of the East Bay League of Conservation Voters, and pro bono attorney for neighborhood associations and nonprofits. In 2002, Russo served as League of California Cities president; he also was a Board member for the National League of Cities.

Russo would become Irvine’s fifth City Manager. Sean Joyce retired in February 2018 after a nearly 13-year career in Irvine. The first City Manager, William Woollett Jr., served from 1972-1989, followed by Paul Brady (1990-1999) and Allison Hart (1999-2005).

Russo has agreed to a base salary in Irvine of $303,014.

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Since its incorporation in 1971, Irvine has become a nationally recognized city, with a population of 267,086 that spans 66 square miles and is recognized as one of America’s safest and most successful master-planned urban communities. Top-rated educational institutions, an enterprising business atmosphere, sound environmental stewardship, and respect for diversity all contribute to Irvine’s enviable quality of life. This family-friendly city features more than 16,000 acres of parks, sports fields and dedicated open space and is the home of the Orange County Great Park. For more information, please visit cityofirvine.org.  

 

 

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Why Did Measure B Lose? What Should Irvine Do Now? Take the Surveys!

[Take the surveys below at the end of this blog post.]

The voters in Irvine recently rejected Measure B.

The issue now is what, in rejecting Measure B, did the voters really decide.

Sign used by opponents of Measure B, warning that passage of Measure B would mean thousands more cars on every road in Irvine.

Some argue that the rejection of Measure B means that the voters said that the proposed veterans cemetery should be located at the ARDA site that was originally selected by the City Council in July 2014.

But the actual language of Measure B said nothing about the original ARDA site, except that the development previously zoned for the strawberry fields site would be moved there.

Looking at the specific language of Measure B, what the voters said No to was “allowing the previously planned development for the Bake Parkway Site to be relocated to the intersection of Pusan and Irvine Blvd and allowing the development of a veterans cemetery near the intersection of I-5 and Bake Parkway.”

Thus, by its express language, the no vote on Measure B rejects that zoning decision, but does not authorize the city to place a veterans cemetery on the ARDA site.

Map used by opponents of Measure B, warning that passage of Measure B would lead to massive development and 10,000 more car and truck trips every day.

In addition, the City Council’s approval of the ARDA site in 2014 was based on the belief that the City would provide the land for the veterans cemetery, but the costs of construction and subsequent maintenance of the cemetery would be wholly paid by state and federal government.

Crucially, the City Council’s approval of the ARDA site also came several years before we learned that construction of the veterans cemetery at the ARDA site would cost nearly $80 million, mostly due to the need for decontamination of the soil and the decontamination and removal of numerous existing structures, and that in addition to providing the land, the City would have to bear a significant portion of these construction costs.

In particular, Measure B said nothing at all about approving the spending of tens of millions of dollars that are now earmarked for creating the features of the Great Park that residents have said they want – such as museums, botanical gardens, a new Wild Rivers Water Park, and a permanent amphitheatre for live music – and, instead, using that money for a veterans cemetery.

My belief is that the rejection of Measure B means that the voters did not want a zoning change that, as the No on B campaign said, would have allowed “massive development projects” at the ARDA site, add “812,000 square feet of development,” and “bring 10,000 more cars and trucks to Irvine streets and neighborhoods every day.”

For me, the lesson of Measure B is that the voters did not want to risk the possibility that the land exchange would lead to more development and more traffic congestion, as well as the voters believing that it was too favorable a deal for the developer.

In other words, I see the rejection of Measure B as a vote against more development and traffic congestion, and not a vote in favor of spending tens of millions of dollars on a veterans cemetery rather than building other popular features of the Great Park

I would like to know what you believe the rejection of Measure B means, especially if you were among the majority in Irvine who voted against it.

Please take the surveys below:

 

The City Council must now decide whether, and how, to proceed with a veterans cemetery.  What do you want the City Council to do:

 

Please share these surveys with your Irvine friends and neighbors. I would like as much resident input as possible.

Thanks!

Melissa

UPDATE:

The surveys are now closed.

While the surveys are not scientific, I believe their results are straight-forward and present an accurate view of why Measure B failed.

The survey results show that the main reason people voted No on Measure B was opposition to development and traffic, rather than a desire to return the veterans cemetery to its original site.

These results should not be unexpected since the No on Measure B campaign focused almost exclusively on the claim that Measure B would lead to more development and traffic (“B = Thousands MORE Cars on THIS Road!”).

Further underscoring the conclusion that Measure B failed because of perceptions about development and traffic rather than preference for the original site, the survey results show that few residents are in favor of spending the $40 – $80 million required to build the veterans cemetery on the original site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Lesson of Measures B and D: No More Developer Giveaways!

The clear message sent by voters with the defeat of Measures B and D is that developers must not be allowed to continue runaway development without regard to our traffic, schools, and quality of life, and that Irvine residents must have a say in all future development decisions.

I agree.

I supported Measure B because I believed it would provide veterans with the best chance for a dignified military cemetery; that it would save Irvine taxpayers millions of dollars; and that it would reduce traffic congestion by restricting future development at the strawberry fields.

The voters, however, did not want to risk even the possibility that it would lead to more development and more traffic congestion.

In fact, Irvine residents are rightly concerned that runaway development and traffic congestion will forever change the character of our beautiful city – without their input or consent.  They are rightly distrustful of developers whose bottom line is their profit, not our quality of life.  I am distrustful as well, and I share the voters’ skepticism about giant developers and their motives. Developers spent millions of dollars trying to defeat me in the last election, and no doubt will do so again.

Here’s why:

As an Irvine City Councilmember, I have not voted for a single new entitlement or approved any new construction. The development that residents are now seeing all over town – from the Great Park neighborhoods to Quail Hill to Tomato Springs – was approved by prior City Councilmembers, and not by me. I have not approved any of it, and I was one of only two Irvine Councilmembers who voted against the Irvine Company’s proposed 1,960-unit apartment complex at the old Traveland USA site at the 5 Freeway and Sand Canyon. I opposed that plan because of its negative impact on traffic and schools, and I will not approve any future development without prior careful determination and consideration of its impact on our schools, traffic, and open space.

As an Irvine City Councilmember, I also voted against Measure D. I opposed Measure D because I believe that Irvine residents must have a strong voice in determining how our city grows.

Moving forward, I reaffirm my pledge to end runaway development. Irvine must return to its commitment to the wisdom of the Master Plan.  The current piecemeal approach to development favored by developers and some members of the City Council must end. Irvine needs to return to the principles of careful planning and measured, smart growth that not very long ago made Irvine the best place in America to live, work, and raise a family. There must be no more developer giveaways.  

Irvine needs an effective traffic reduction plan, and not just a congestion management plan. Irvine had long been recognized as a national leader in city planning and innovation. Unfortunately, Irvine has failed to properly plan for the tremendous increase in traffic caused by the city’s explosive recent growth. As a result, Irvine residents have been forced to contend with unprecedented traffic congestion and less safe streets and roads.  Our City Council now needs to do more than try to manage the traffic congestion that is already out of control. We need to say clearly that the current level of traffic congestion is completely unacceptable and must be reduced.

Irvine needs more police officers.  As Irvine has grown, the need for more police officers has become critical, not just for preventing crime, but also for enforcing our traffic laws, which are essential to keeping our children safe as they play and go to school in our neighborhoods. I will work to add more police officers to ensure that our residents are as safe in Irvine now and in the future as they were before Irvine began to grow.

Irvine needs more childcare. We know that our great schools, beautiful parks, and safe environment attract many families with young children.  We also know that a critical part of any thriving community is safe, professional, reliable, and affordable preschool and childcare. Developers must be held accountable for including childcare as part of an overall city development plan, just as they are required to build schools. Irvine must become truly family friendly. No more waiting lists!

Let’s build the veterans cemetery.  I have been fighting for a veterans cemetery at the former El Toro Marine Base since 2014 and will continue to do so. Our veterans deserve a veterans cemetery close to their families and loved ones. Now that Measure B has been defeated, we need to find a site that honors our veterans and is approved by Irvine residents.  I am firmly committed to that task.

Let’s finish building the Great Park. For far too long, the residents of Irvine were given nothing but empty promises about building our Great Park on the grounds of the old El Toro Marine Base.  As Vice Chair of the Great Park, I am proud that we have finally succeeded in creating a Great Park that residents can enjoy, with terrific sports fields, a magnificent new championship soccer stadium, and the best community ice-skating facility in the West already under construction — but there is still much more to do.  Our residents have told us that they want a new Wild Rivers water park, and we need to ensure that happens.  We also need to fulfill our promise to build a city-owned amphitheatre on the Great Park’s cultural terrace, so that a developer’s decision can not deprive us of live music again. I will also insist that we follow the recommendations of residents and build world-class botanical gardens, museums, and a lake to make Irvine the home of a truly Great Park. Getting that job done is one of my main priorities.

I love Irvine and will continue to work to ensure that Irvine remains among the safest and most beautiful cities in the nation.  As your Irvine City Councilmember, I will fight to ensure that the public interest – in preventing over-development, over-crowed schools, and traffic congestion, and in preserving the character of our communities – comes before the private interests of developers, no matter how big and powerful those developers may be.

Melissa

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Join Us for Free Movies on the Lawn at the Great Park!

As Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park, I invite you to join is on Fridays and Saturdays, June 22 –  July 14, for family-favorite movies on the outdoor big screen!

Bring low-back chairs, blankets, and a picnic, or purchase items from gourmet food trucks.

Arrive at 6:30 p.m. to get a seat.  Food trucks arrive at 6:30 p.m. Movies begin at dusk.

Movies are weather permitting.  Admission is free.

Here is the complete movie schedule for Movies on the Lawn:

Flashback Fridays (at the Palm Court)

Fri.  June 22 — Stagecoach, a western tale of travelers who journey through Apache territory, starring John Wayne in his breakout role, and Clare Trevor, namesake of UCI’s Clare Trevor School of the Arts and step-mother of the Irvine Company’s owner Donald Bren; rated by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest westerns ever made (released 1939, not rated, 96 minutes long).

Fri.  June 29 — Brigadoon, a musical starring Gene Kelly about two American hunters who discover a mystical village that only materializes once every century in Scotland (released 1954, not rated, 108 minutes long).

Fri.  July 6 — Clambake, a classic Elvis Presley movie in which Elvis plays the role of an oil fortune heir who trades places with a water ski instructor, hoping to find a girl to like him for himself rather than his father’s money (released 1967, not rated, 100 minutes long).

Blockbuster Saturdays (at the Terraced Lawn)

Sat. June 23 — Ferdinand, animated comedy-drama adventure film based on beloved children’s book about a bull with a big heart, who is determined to return home after being captured and mistaken for a dangerous beast (released 2017, rated PG, 106 minutes long).

Sat. June 30 — The LEGO Ninjago Movie, animated adventure film about a teenage ninja, as he attempts to accept the truth about his villainous father, while a new threat emerges to endanger his homeland (released 2017, rated PG, 90 minutes long).

Sat. July 7 — Peter Rabbit, animated film about the famous Peter Rabbit, as Peter and his friends attempt to raid Mr McGregor’s vegetable garden, leading them on an exciting adventure to London and back (released 2018, rated PG, 100 minutes long).

Sat. July 14 — The Greatest Showman, musical film with a star-studded cast inspired by the story of P. T. Barnum’s creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and the birth of show business (released 2017, rated PG, 105 minutes long).

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Watch Melissa Fox’s Great Park Town Hall Meeting — with Mandarin Translation! 市議員 梅利莎福克斯 介绍橙县大公园最新进展

I held a Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, April 21, 2018, in historic Hanger 244 at the Great Park.

The Great Park Town Hall Meeting was co-hosted by WeIrvine and featured translation by Mandarin translation by my friend Zhihai Li,  who is also my appointee to the Irvine Children, Youth and Families Committee.

I spoke about the history of the Orange County Great Park — of which I am the Vice Chair — and its future development.

We also spoke about the veterans cemetery and why it is important to Vote Yes on Measure B.

I invite you to watch a video of the Town Hall Meeting.

Thank you to Zhihai Li, WeIrvine, and everyone who attended!

Melissa

Watch the video here.

在这里观看视频

Melissa Fox介绍橙县大公园最新进展