October 20, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Irvine Unified School Board President Paul Bokota Endorses Melissa Fox for Irvine City Council

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Jason Mills (714) 576-4303

IRVINE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD PRESIDENT PAUL BOKOTA ENDORSES MELISSA FOX FOR IRVINE CITY COUNCIL

mail-01 IRVINE, CA Irvine Community Services Commissioner and City Council candidate Melissa Fox today announced an endorsement from Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) Board President Paul A. Bokota. Coming on the heels of Melissa Fox’s recent endorsement by Irvine City Council Member Lynn Schott, the endorsement of IUSD Board President Bokota gives the Fox campaign further momentum going into the final weeks of the campaign.

“As IUSD Board President, and an IUSD parent, I know that the School Board needs allies on the Irvine City Council who care about ensuring Irvine’s tradition of educational excellence,” Bokota said. “Melissa Fox shares my passion for education excellence in Irvine and is committed to helping us continue the success of our Irvine schools.”

“Paul Bokota’s endorsement means a lot to me,” Melissa Fox said, “because I know how hard he works to keep our Irvine schools exceptional. As a member of the City Council, I look forward to working with Paul to support our schools and maintain excellence.”

IUSD Board President Paul A. Bokota was first elected to the Board in November 2012 and was selected to serve as Board President for 2016. Prior to his election, he served on the IUSD Finance Committee for six years, including serving as the chairperson of the Revenue Enhancement Committee. He is a graduate of Harvard University and the Indiana University School of Law, presently serving as Division Vice-President and Division General Counsel for Spectrum Brands, Inc.

He is currently a candidate for re-election to the IUSD Board and is endorsed by the Irvine Teachers Association (ITA), the Irvine Chapter of the California School Employee Association (CSEA), IUSD Board Member Sharon Wallin, IUSD Board Member Ira Glasky, IUSD Board Member Lauren Brooks, IUSD Board Member Michael Parham, former IUSD Board Member Gavin Huntley-Fenner, former Irvine School Board Member Carolyn McInerney, and Past Chair of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) Lita Robinow, among many others.

Melissa Fox is an Irvine Community Services Commissioner, attorney, and small business owner in Irvine. To learn more about her campaign for Irvine City Council, visit www.votemelissafox.com.

October 17, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Let’s Get Irvine Moving Again!

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Just about everyone in Irvine agrees that our recent explosive residential growth has led to unprecedented traffic congestion.

mail-01 And every candidate for Irvine City Council now promises to control over-development and keep our traffic moving.

But no other candidate has offered a practical, concrete plan to accomplish this goal.

The key elements of my traffic plan are:

– Provide immediate relief for Irvine commuters by speeding up road and street repairs and prioritizing improvement projects throughout the city.

– Ensure Irvine residents and commuters have access to multiple safe and efficient transportation choices, including automobiles, bicycling, walking, iShuttle, ride-sharing, streetcar, and student transportation to Irvine’s schools.

– Restore Irvine’s village planning model requiring that housing developments include grocery stores, shopping, entertainment and childcare within one mile.

– Aggressively push for Irvine’s fair share of transportation funds from local, state, and ederal agencies — make sure that Irvine gets our fair share of Measure M, Measure S and Measure T funds for transportation to start — and seek out grants for fuel efficient and clean transportation projects.

These are concrete and practical steps that can be taken right now to help get our traffic and transportation problems under control, unsnarl our roads and provide Irvine residents with more transportation choices.

We must do something effective now about Irvine’s traffic, not just appoint a bureaucratic traffic commission to kick the can down the road.

The Fox Traffic Plan will reduce travel time, reduce noise, improve access to employment and entertainment centers, improve parking and reduce emissions, and make our streets safer for children, bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists.

Your comments and questions are welcome.

Contact me at melissa@melissafoxlaw.com

Visit my campaign website at votemelissafox.com.

Let’s get Irvine moving again!

October 17, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Listen to Melissa Fox’s Interview on KUCI’s ‘Ask a Leader’

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“I’m going to be bringing my 25 years of advocasy to bear for the residents of Irvine in negotiating with our partners in development, our major developers, FivePoint Communities and the Irvine Company.” — Melissa Fox, on KUCI’s “Ask a Leader.”

Here is the interview I did on October 4 with Claudia Shambaugh on the program “Ask a Leader” on KUCI-FM about my campaign for Irvine City Council and the future of the City of Irvine.

We discussed development and over-development, my plan to fix Irvine’s traffic congestion and make our streets safer, protecting Irvine’s villages and local businesses, improving our bikeways and the iShuttle, environmental issues, and more.

My interview begins at 1:30 and ends at 22:50.

I hope you’ll listen and let me know what you think!

October 12, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Council Member Lynn Schott Endorses Melissa Fox for Irvine City Council

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I’m thrilled to share this press release with you:

IRVINE COUNCIL MEMBER LYNN SCHOTT ENDORSES MELISSA FOX FOR IRVINE CITY COUNCIL

IRVINE, CA Irvine Community Services Commissioner and City Council candidate Melissa Fox today announced an endorsement from Irvine Councilwoman Lynn Schott. This is a major endorsement from a sitting Council Member and gives the Fox campaign huge momentum going into the final month of the campaign.

“Melissa Fox is committed to keeping Irvine a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Councilwoman Schott said. “As a Community Services Commissioner, Melissa has proven to be fiscally responsible and concerned about protecting our tax dollars and quality of life in Irvine. I am proud to endorse Melissa Fox’s campaign for City Council and I hope you will join me in voting for her on November 8th.”

Council Member Lynn Schott was the top vote-getter in the 2014 city council elections and is a 29-year resident of Irvine. She has long been a champion of fiscal responsibility in the city and has a record of service to her community, as well as proven leadership on policy issues important to Irvine residents.

“Council Member Lynn Schott’s endorsement gives me great hope for the future of Irvine, a future of working together in the best interests of the community.” Fox said in response. “I look forward to working closely with her on fixing Irvine’s traffic congestion and creating real transportation solutions for Irvine.”

In addition to Lynn Scott’s endorsement, Melissa is also the only candidate for Irvine City Council who has been endorsed by both the Democratic Party and retiring Democratic City Council Member and former Mayor Beth Krom, as well as by the Orange County Firefighters Association, the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club.

Melissa Fox is an Irvine Community Services Commissioner, attorney, and small business owner in Irvine. To learn more about her campaign visit www.votemelissafox.com.

September 28, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Melissa Fox Announces Traffic Reduction and Transportation Plan for Irvine

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Irvine has 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. Irvine’s traffic jams are not only frustrating, they are also a major contributor to increased air pollution, and that’s bad not just for our climate, but our health too.

My plan offers concrete and achievable recommendations to unsnarl our roads and make our city a better place to live, work and raise a family.

Here is the press release announcing my traffic plan:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jason Mills (714) 576-4303

Melissa Fox Announces Traffic Reduction and Transportation Choice Plan for Irvine

IRVINE, CA Irvine Community Services Commissioner and City Council candidate Melissa Fox announced today a Traffic and Transportation Plan for the City of Irvine. Fox said that her plan is designed to reduce Irvine’s traffic congestion both in the long and short term, while providing more transportation choices for Irvine’s residents and commuters. The Fox Plan is intended to reduce travel time, reduce noise, improve safety, improve resident access to employment and entertainment centers, improve parking and reduce emissions.

“My plan is designed to make our streets safer for children, bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists,” Fox said. “The residents of Irvine are exasperated by the tremendous increase in traffic in the last few years and rightfully infuriated by the lack of concern shown by the current City Council.”

The key elements of the Fox Plan are:

– Provide immediate relief for Irvine commuters by speeding up road and street repairs and prioritizing improvement projects throughout the city.

– Restore Irvine’s village planning model requiring that housing developments include grocery stores, shopping, entertainment and childcare within one mile.

– Aggressively push for Irvine’s fair share of transportation funds from local, state, and federal agencies and seek out grants for fuel efficient and clean transportation projects.

“My plan offers concrete steps that can be taken right now to help get our traffic and transportation problems under control, unsnarl our roads and provide Irvine residents with more transportation choices.” Fox concluded. “The Fox plan will make Irvine a model of transportation efficiency and safety in the future.”

The Fox Plan is intended to be brought to the City Council for comment and consideration.

Melissa Fox is an Irvine Community Services Commissioner, attorney, and small business owner in Irvine. To learn more about her campaign visit www.votemelissafox.com

September 12, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Irvine’s Growing Child Care Crisis

talking-to-kids There is a serious child care crisis in Irvine.

At present, nearly 2,500 Irvine families do not have adequate child care.

Recently, the City of Irvine received a Child Care Needs Assessment that it had commissioned — at my urging — from an expert private consultant. school

The Assessment revealed a current city-wide shortfall of 2,433 child care spaces across all age groups, with the most acute shortage for children under 2 years-old and children 6 to 12 years-old.

The majority of the shortfall was found to be in the northern and most recently developed part of the city.

The Assessment further projected that Irvine will need an additional 4,551 child care spaces by 2035, due to the increase in housing development and the concomitant increase in the number of families with young children moving to Irvine.

What this means in plain language is that the current City Council and Planning Commission have not zoned sufficient areas of the city — in particular in the northern and most recently developed part of the city — for churches and houses of worship, instead zoning nearly everything for more profitable residential development.

Churches and other houses of worship traditionally provide a third of all child care. The Irvine City Council and the Planning Commission have approved thousands of new homes, but have not zoned sufficient areas for churches and houses of worship to meet our growing child care needs.

As a direct result of these shortsighted decisions of the City Council and Planning Commission, there are far more people and families in Irvine — and therefore more need for child care — but far less child care available.

This child care crisis is an easily foreseeable and direct consequence of the zoning and land use decisions of the current City Council and Planning Commission, which have put the short term profits of developers ahead of the longer term needs of Irvine’s families.

The problem is not that simply that we are building homes and developing Irvine, which was always intended to grow, but that we are building and developing homes out of balance with any other concerns, and with thousands more homes approved by the current City Council and Planning Commission without adequate child care, as well as without adequate school spaces, adequate local shopping, or adequate transportation choices.

And, as the Child Care Needs Assessment shows, this crisis will only get worse until we elect a City Council that puts families first and insists on a balanced approached to development .

August 8, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Irvine’s Biggest Challenge

An article in the L.A. Times highlights Irvine’s recent housing boom, especially the rise of enormous apartment complexes — “so large that you can see them from space.”

The Times article points out the spectacular recent growth of housing in Irvine and the consequent explosion of Irvine’s population. Some facts: Irvine accounts for more than half of all the new houses, condos, and apartments built in Orange County in the last six years. More than 4,500 apartments were built in Orange County in 2015, a nearly 60% increase from 2014, most of them in Irvine. “Irvine now has nearly 260,000 people, but long-range estimates top 300,000. This type of staggering pace is not new. From 2000 to 2012, Irvine’s population grew at 56%, far outpacing nearby communities . . . In its 2013-2021 housing element, the city of Irvine expects about 13,000 new residential units, with more than 5,000 in high-density zones that have more than 30 dwelling units per acre.”

1558533_856661157775873_5256657880293126135_n Unquestionably, Southern California, and specifically Irvine, needs more housing, especially affordable housing. As Irvine’s economy grows, our housing must also grow. Younger families and Millennials too often priced out and feel left out of Irvine’s economic and housing boom.

How Irvine manages its housing and population growth will determine whether Irvine remains a great city to live, work and raise a family.

In fact, Irvine’s biggest challenge is ensuring that our infrastructure and public services – roads, schools, shopping, police, recreation, and utilities – keeps up with the city’s explosive housing and population growth.

Growth is good, when there is proper planning and adequate infrastructure. But in Irvine we have seen too much runaway development without regard to planning, infrastructure, or quality of life. The result has been snarled traffic and overcrowded schools, lack of local shopping and crowds everywhere. Every Irvine resident knows that Irvine’s increasing traffic congestion is taking a toll on our quality of life, economic competitiveness, driving safety and air quality.

This recent abandonment of thoughtful long-term planning is very un-Irvine. Smart growth has been our tradition in Irvine for decades. Our general plan provides for local villages with their own close-by schools and retail centers. We appear to have forgotten one of the main reasons that Irvine is so special — the principle that growth must be properly planned and balanced so as to preserve and improve our quality of life. We need to return to that highly successful model as we build out the remaining city areas. We need to return to well planned, balanced development in order to preserve our quality of life, prevent unnecessary taxation, keep the local cost of living in check and maintain healthy positive economic growth.

When I am elected to the Irvine City Council, I will fight for development decisions based on proper planning and concern for the quality of life of Irvine’s residents.

Please visit my website — votemelissafox.com — to learn more about my campaign for Irvine City Council and how you can help Irvine return to balanced, smart growth — so that our quality of life is sustained and enhanced as Irvine grows.

June 16, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Irvine Must Return to Our Traditions of Smart Growth and Planning

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Since 2010, Irvine’s population has grown by 21.2 percent – or by 45,021 people. The Irvine City Council has approved 10,000 new housing units at the Great Park. Of the 21,197 building permits issued by Irvine from 2010 through 2015, 13,079 – more than half – were for apartments or condos.

Growth is good, when there is proper planning and adequate infrastructure. But in Irvine we have seen our City Council allow runaway development without regard to planning, infrastructure, or quality of life. The result has been snarled traffic and overcrowded schools.

The fault is with a City Council that has abandoned Irvine’s longstanding commitment to smart growth and planning.

When I am elected to the Irvine City Council, I will fight for development decisions based on proper planning and concern for the quality of life of Irvine’s families

I am pro-smart growth, which has been our tradition in Irvine for decades. Southern California, and specifically Irvine, needs more housing, especially sustainable housing. As Irvine’s economy grows, our housing must also grow.

What I am against is runaway development without adequate planning, without adequate infrastructure and without adequate schools and local shopping, leading to traffic gridlock, school overcrowding, and the loss of our quality of life – all of which we are now experiencing in Irvine.

Our priorities must be a return to Irvine’s commitment to smart growth and planning, reducing traffic congestion, keeping education and innovation our city’s highest priorities, ensuring that our kids are safe, and celebrating the diversity that makes Irvine such a special place.

February 26, 2016 by Melissa Fox

Residents Work Together to Save Woodbridge Village Center — and Win!

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It feels good when we work together and win!

This week, the Irvine Company announced plans to spend $30 million to revitalize the Woodbridge Village Center, which has not been updated since it was built in 1979. The Center is in the middle of Irvine’s Village of Woodbridge, which encompasses about 9,600 homes and 30,000 residents. According to the Irvine Company, the $30 million reinvestment will “upgrade the retail, dining and entertainment mix to complement longtime favorites, freshen the architecture for a coastal California feel, and create an expansive outdoor setting for dining, relaxing and community gatherings that overlooks North Lake.”

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox and her son, Max, bicycling in Woodbridge.

Last year, 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 – without their input or consent.

In response, a group of residents calling themselves Friends of Woodbridge Village Center formed to fight for their neighborhood.

In an email, they warned that “Big changes are in the works for the Woodbridge Village Center. The Irvine Company is presently evaluating options to replace the Village Center with either a residential development (most likely condominiums), or with a standard shopping center. Regardless of the option selected, the current Village Center will most likely be destroyed.”

The group mobilized residents to oppose any move to demolish the Village Center or change the character of the neighborhood. Students from Lakeside Middle School marched with protest signs to tell the Irvine Company that they loved the Village Center.

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. . . The public interest – in preventing over-crowding, increased crime and 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.”

Now it appears that the residents’ concerns have been heard.

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.

Congratulations to the Irvine Company for listening to Woodbridge’s residents and for re-investing in the Woodbridge Village Center.

Now we must continue to work together to ensure that the beauty, safety and character of our communities are preserved in all of Irvine.

April 10, 2015 by Melissa Fox

Irvine Unified Presents Free Public Concert Series!

The Irvine Unified School District, in partnership with the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, presents the Music Series, which features four free performances by two Irvine high schools.

University High School’s string quartet and Irvine High School’s jazz band will perform on the following dates:

April 9, 6-7 p.m. – Quail Hill Shopping Center (University High School String Quartet).

April 16, 6-7 p.m. – University Center (Irvine High School Jazz Band 1).

April 23, 6-7 p.m. – Orchard Hills Village Center (University High School String Quartet).

April 30, 6-7 p.m. – Woodbridge Village (Irvine High School Jazz Band 1).

Bring your family and friends to enjoy a fun-filled evening of music!

October 17, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Important Message from Seven-Year-Old Amin, My Favorite Campaign Volunteer!

Here is a message to all Irvine voters from seven-year-old Amin, my favorite campaign volunteer.

As Amin says: “I am seven-years-old. I can not vote, but YOU CAN! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote Vote!”

Listen to Amin:

Click here to visit Melissa’s campaign website.

October 16, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Listen to Melissa Fox’s Interview on KUCI’s ‘Ask a Leader’

Here is the interview I did on October 14 with Claudia Shambaugh on the program Ask a Leader on KUCI-FM about my campaign for Irvine City Council and the future of the City of Irvine.

We discussed development and over-development, traffic congestion, infrastructure, protecting Irvine’s villages and local businesses, the Irvine Barclay Theatre, improving our bikeways and the iShuttle, environmental issues, losing one of farmers’ markets, my Irvine Food Tours, the OCTA’s irresponsible toll road decision, and more.

I hope you’ll listen and let me know what you think!

October 1, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Traffic Congestion Causes Irvine to Drop to 14th Place in America’s Best Places to Live

Irvine’s national standing as one of America’s best places to live has declined sharply in the last few years, from 4th place in 2008, to 6th place in 2012, and now a precipitous drop out of the Top Ten to 14^th place in Money Magazine’s recent “Best Places to Live 2014.”

The problem: while Irvine still receives raves for its “more than 54 miles of bike paths and 20,000 acres of parks and preserves” as well as for our master plan, “median home prices top $650,000, and traffic can be a brute during rush hour.”

What this means is that Irvine’s terrible – and increasing – traffic congestion problem is no longer our own little secret.

The rest of the country has noticed, and is re-evaluating the desirability of living in Irvine accordingly.

In the short run, Irvine’s drop to 14^th best place to live – slotted between Centennial, Colorado, and Newton, Massachusetts – will primarily impact our civic pride.

But in the middle and longer run, the decline in Irvine’s reputation because of traffic congestion – and the serious underlying problem of over-development without adequate planning – could have far more dire, and costly, consequences.

Our real estate market could be adversely affected, as well as our ability to attract companies and business that are looking for the best quality of life for their executives and employees.

Most important, Irvine’s fall to 14^th place in Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live” is the canary in the coal mine, warning us of worse to come, as the rest of the world notices our rapid over-development without proper planning or infrastructure and our increasingly over-crowded schools.

We should take heed now, while we still can, and return to the principles of planning and measured , smart growth that not very long ago made Irvine Number One.

We want Irvine to be America’s “Best Place to Live” now and in the future, not just in the past.

September 10, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Save Woodbridge

Woodbridge residents are gravely concerned that new development will soon add unwanted housing and traffic congestion to Woodbridge and forever change the character of their beautiful community – without their input or consent.

Here is what the group Friends of WVC (Woodbridge Village Center) recently said in an email: “Big changes are in the works for the Woodbridge Village Center. The Irvine Company is presently evaluating options to replace the Village Center with either a residential development (most likely condominiums), or with a standard shopping center. Regardless of the option selected, the current Village Center will most likely be destroyed.”

Melissa and her son, Max, bicycling in Woodbridge.

Bicycling with my son, Max, in Woodbridge.

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.

By any measure, Woodbridge has been a fantastic success.

Community spirit has been,and continues to be tremendously high. Sure, there are a few problems and some things that people would like to see changed or improved. For example, many people would like to see a new anchor store in the Village Center and new coffee houses and restaurants.

And, like most of Irvine, the WVC could use more ample and more secure bicycle parking, especially since Woodbridge has some of the most used and beautiful bikeways in the City.

But these few problems and suggested minor changes are very small in comparison to the great sense of community belonging and community pride shared by the residents of Woodbridge. Woodbridge remains one of Irvine’s most walkable, bikeable, and beautiful communities.

And, as someone wrote in OC Housing News, “the Woodbridge Center is an integral part of Irvine, connected to both lakes, Woodbridge high school and walking trails, literally in the center of Irvine.”

With Woodbridge Village Center business owner Bob Bibee at Pedego Electric Bikes Irvine.

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

What people may not realize is that the City Council has the full legal power to tell the developer that it can’t do whatever it wants to the Woodbridge Village Center, and specifically that it can’t unilaterally change the fundamental character of the community.

In fact, I believe it is the obligation of the City Council to ensure that the public interest – in preventing over-crowding, increased crime and 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.

As another Woodbridge resident put it in OC Housing News, “The great recession is behind us. Time to dial back to measured growth and masterful planning such as the community was built on.”

I could not agree more.

September 2, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Questions and Answers with Irvine City Council Candidate Melissa Fox

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox

Irvine Community Services Commissioner and City Council candidate Melissa Fox

Melissa Fox for Irvine City Council

Q. What are the three things people should know about Melissa Fox?

I’m a wife, mother and daughter. I’m an attorney and I run my own law firm in Irvine. And I’m Irvine’s most enthusiastic cheerleader.

Q. What kind of law do you practice?

I’m a litigator – a lawyer who actually goes to court. My clients are usually businesses, large and small, as well as individuals who have business and contract issues. I’m also a specialist in fighting fraud – preventing bad guys from stealing, scheming or taking advantage of people through deceit and misrepresentation.

Q. Why do you choose to live in Irvine?

I was born in Orange County and first came to Irvine when I was 16 years old as a freshman at UCI. I moved away to finish school at Brandeis University in Boston and then Tulane Law School in New Orleans. I moved back to Irvine with my husband Michael when he was selected to be among the first Ph.D. students in the UCI School of the Arts. Irvine’s great schools and stellar public safety record were major factors in choosing to live here. And we loved the commitment to open spaces and parks and amazing cultural diversity. Our neighborhood is composed of people from all over the world. Irvine truly is a global village.

Q. How do you like being an Irvine Community Services Commissioner?

I love being an Irvine Community Services Commissioner! I was brought up to believe in public service. My father was in the United States Air Force flying bombers in the Korean War. Afterwards, he became a police officer and then an inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My mother was a nurse and then a librarian. My parents instilled in me a strong belief in public service. I’ve been an Orange County Reserve Park Ranger, a volunteer with Cub Scouts and Sea Scouts, and a board member of Beckman High School Football and Wrestling Boosters. I’m an active member of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce, where I love celebrating new business openings. So when I had the opportunity to become an Irvine Community Services Commissioner, I jumped at the chance.

Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox welcoming OC Blues FC to Irvine

As a Commissioner, I’ve been able to make sure that new developments provide ample open space and park facilities for both children and adults. I’ve also been able to work with community leaders on planning and getting the go-ahead for a new Adventure Playground. Plus, I really love supporting Irvine’s community events — from the Irvine Korean Festival to the Diwali (Indian) celebration to New Year’s at the Irvine Chinese School to the Memorial Day ceremonies at Bill Barber Park and the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial. I have the privilege of representing our City at many of these events.

Q. Tell us about the “Irvine Food Tours” you’ve led as a Commissioner.

Irvine is home to scores of remarkable locally-owned restaurants featuring cuisine as diverse as Irvine’s population. But many people who live in Irvine aren’t aware of the great restaurants we have, or perhaps they’re a little uncertain about trying food they haven’t eaten before. So UCI Professor Catherine Liu and I decided to create the Irvine Food Tour, where we visit a local restaurant and the owner or chef selects the menu and explains the food as it is brought to us. So far, we’ve done Food Tours to Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, and Middle Eastern restaurants. The Irvine Food Tour is also a great way to support local businesses and to connect local business owners with the community. I definitely plan to continue with the Irvine Food Tour after I’m elected to the City Council.

Q. You were very active in the movement to create a Veterans Cemetery in the Great Park. Why does that cause matter so much to you?

rvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox with her father, Korean War veteran Stan Kay, at Memorial Day ceremony at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox with her father, Korean War veteran Stan Kay, at Memorial Day ceremony at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park

As the daughter of a combat veteran, I know what veterans have sacrificed for our nation. Orange County veterans do not have their own official military cemetery and those who want to visit a veteran’s grave in a veterans cemetery must travel to Riverside, San Diego or Los Angeles. When a bill introduced in the Assembly to remedy this problem by creating a Veterans Cemetery in Orange County, I decided to do whatever I could to make it a reality. It’s time that Orange County offered its veterans a final resting place close to their families and loved ones. And, as an Irvine resident, I strongly believe that a portion of the Great Park in Irvine, which was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, is the perfect location for a Veterans Cemetery and a fitting memorial to Irvine’s proud military heritage.

I spoke to the City Council in support of a Veterans Cemetery in March, April and May, and attended the subcommittee meetings. It often seemed to me that the Council majority cared more about developers’ desire for more profit than about the veterans. I was thrilled when the City Council in July voted 5-0 to approve 125 acres in the Great Park as a military cemetery. Our veterans won a great victory, but the battle isn’t over. The developer still will not allow a Veterans Cemetery to be located in the Great Park unless the pressure from the veterans continues and the Council backs the veterans. That’s not going happen with the current pro-developer Council majority. So we need to stay vigilant and we need to make our support for a Veterans Cemetery clear with our vote in November.

We also need to do more for our veterans across-the-board. Irvine is home to thousands of military veterans. They should be represented within Irvine’s city government by an advisory committee expressly dedicated to the unique needs and perspective of the men and women who have served and are serving in our nation’s armed forces. That’s why one of the very first things I’ll do once I’m elected to the City Council is create a permanent Irvine Veterans Advisory Council to provide advocacy for veterans and to advise the Council on issues of importance to veterans and their families.

Q. Why are you running for Irvine City Council?

Melissa Fox for Irvine City Council

As a business owner, attorney and City Commissioner, I understand the relationship between strong, pro-resident leadership and our Irvine quality of life. Runaway development is negatively impacting our schools, traffic flow, public safety, and our quality of life – all the reasons we choose to make Irvine our home. We need smarter growth that protects and preserves what has made Irvine such a special place to live, work and raise our families.

I also want to safeguard Irvine’s standing as a world-class city in education and public safety. I want to ensure every public dollar is wisely budgeted and accounted for, using my skills as a business attorney specializing in fighting fraud. I want to promote Irvine businesses, large and small.

And, finally, I’m going to make very sure that a Veterans Memorial Park and Cemetery is actually created in the Great Park.

I will keep my eyes focused on Irvine’s future – creating opportunities, solving real problems, and producing concrete results.

August 9, 2014 by Melissa Fox

It’s Official! Melissa Fox Files for Irvine City Council

It’s official! Yesterday I filed the paperwork to qualify as a candidate for Irvine City Council.

Here is the press release we sent out:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jason Mills (714) 576-4303

Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox Files for Irvine City Council

Irvine Business-Owner and Attorney the Top Fundraiser Among Candidates

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox announced her filing for Irvine City Council on Friday. Fox has also filed her campaign finance reports, showing her to be the top fundraiser among all candidates – even outpacing two council incumbents running for re-election.

“I’ve been tremendously encouraged by the support our campaign has received,” Fox said. “People in Irvine are responsive to a message that focuses on restoring smart growth and community-oriented planning. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done so far and excited about ramping up our campaign and focusing on the November election.”

An Irvine business-owner and attorney, Fox has also been holding neighborhood meet-and-greets across the city after opening up her campaign committee last year. In listening to residents from across the political spectrum, she has heard the same complaints about the direction of the city.

“People think that the current council is rubber-stamping too much development in the city. New housing tracts and apartment buildings are springing up over-night — they aren’t seeing the thought and planning that has made Irvine so special,” Melissa added. “People don’t move to Irvine to sit in traffic and send their kids to over-crowded schools. As a member of the City Council, I pledge to address the runaway development that’s threatening our quality of life. I will be a strong pro-resident voice on the Council.”

Fox also pledges to ensure every public dollar is wisely budgeted and accounted for using her skills as a business attorney specializing in fighting fraud; promote Irvine businesses, large and small; and safeguard Irvine’s standing as a world-class city in education and public safety.

Melissa Fox is the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran and has been active in advocating for a Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park in the Great Park.

Melissa Fox lives with her husband, Dr. Michael Fox, their son, Max, and their Siberian Husky, Scout, in the Northwood Park area of Irvine.

January 7, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Congratulations to Irvine — Selected as America’s “Best-Run City”

Congratulations to us – the City of Irvine – for being selected as America’s “Best-Run City”!

Among the key factors cited by the online financial news and opinion publication 24/7 Wall St. in selecting Irvine as the best-run among America’s 100 most populous cities in its annual ranking of the “Best and Worst Run Cities in America,” are our high level of education, our high median income, our high home values, and our outstanding public safety record.

Here is what 24/7 Wall St. had to say:

1. Irvine, California
Population: 230,000 (86th largest)
Credit rating: not rated
Violent crime per 100,000: 51 (the lowest)
2012 Unemployment rate: 5.7% (tied-10th lowest)

Irvine has a very well-educated population. Last year, 97% of Irvine adults had at least a high school diploma, and more than two-thirds had at least a bachelor’s degree. The city is home of the University of California, Irvine, which is the top local employer. The heavy concentration of well-educated adults has also led to higher incomes. Irvine’s median household income was around $96,000 last year, exceeding that of nearly every other large city. The typical Irvine home cost about $630,400 last year, more than any other large U.S. city except San Francisco. The city was also one of the safest in the nation, with only 51 violent crimes per 100,000 people.

While this is the first year that Irvine has been rated first in the 24/7 Wall St. rankings, Irvine was ranked third last year and second two years ago, demonstrating that Irvine’s success is the result of our long-term commitment to careful planning and our faithfulness to Irvine’s traditional long-range vision of promoting both economic growth and high quality-of-life.

In addition to the factors listed by 24/7 Wall St. as leading to Irvine’s number one ranking as the best-run city in America, I would add Irvine’s long-standing commitment to open spaces, parks, and bicycle paths; our support for the arts, such as the Irvine Barclay Theatre; our support for youth sports and recreation; our great cultural diversity; our services to seniors; our commitment to green technology and protecting our environment; our dynamic and thriving small business community; our dedicated and conscientious city employees and staff; our dedicated parents and community volunteers; our tradition of civic pride and civic engagement; and – of course – all the warm and friendly people who truly make Irvine the best city in America.