No one should have to live with the smell and the danger of toxic fumes.
Yet many residents of North Irvine, especially in the area of Orchid Hills and Portola, have been living with the smell and danger of the toxic fumes produced by the manufacture of rubber products by nearby All American Asphalt. According to many researchers, long term exposure to these fumes can cause headaches, throat and eye irritations, respiratory diseases, and even cancer.
Irvine residents in affected neighborhoods been forced to keep their windows closed at all times, and to curtail or cease outdoor activities such as biking or walking their kids to school. The City of Irvine has sued All American Asphalt to stop this noxious practice, but have not received support from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) or the Orange County Board of Supervisors. This situation is unacceptable.
The Irvine City Council will meet at 3:00 pm on Friday, October 15, 2020, to discuss further steps to resolve this matter, including whether to revoke All American Asphalt’s business license.
All American Asphalt started out as a trucking company. Before the City of Irvine was incorporated, the company bought land that was part of the original Irvine Ranch. The County issued permits to the company to allow it to expand into asphalt production. It appears, however, that the toxic fumes at issue are caused by the manufacture of products that are not a permitted use.
While primary enforcement responsibility lies with AQMD and the City does not have the power to immediately close the plant or eliminate the odor, the City should all possible steps to solve the problem as quickly as possible.
I fully support revocation of All American Asphalt’s business license if they persist in causing toxic fumes to contaminate the air in Irvine neighborhoods.
You can learn more at our new webpage at https://www.cityofirvine.org/community-development/all-american-asphalt-update.
You can help by making an online complaint with the AQMD at http://www.aqmd.gov/home/air-quality/complaints or calling the AQMD Complaint Number at 1-800-288-7664.
Our representative on the AQMD is OC Supervisor Lisa Bartlett. I encourage everyone concerned about this matter to let her know how important it is to you to stop the toxic fumes from All American Asphalt from contaminating our neighborhoods. Let her know at 714- 834-3550 or email her at Lisa.Bartlett@ocgov.com
When McLaughlin heard about the opportunity and told her son, she saw a fire light up in Cheng’s eyes like nothing she had ever seen. He was still mostly silent, but there was a newfound focus – a quiet determination to grab the reins of his life for himself.
Both as a member of the Irvine City Council and as Chair of the Irvine Community Land Trust, I have made it a priority to create more affordable housing, especially for working families, verterans, and people with disabilities. I have worked with legislators in Sacramento to cut taxes on affordable housing construction, and I have made for easier to more working people to become homeowners.
The 2020 Global Village Festival will consist of a series of responsibly planned events that adhere to social distancing guidelines as we navigate these unusual times.
Red and Yellow Ribbons have been placed around the trees for them in the center of the loop, but it would be great to show up for them too!
Dr. Ebony Jade Hilton is Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Virginia Medical School, medical director of 
The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore rankings assess the nation’s 100 largest cities on factors such as park access, acreage, investment, and amenities. 
The Irvine Ranch Conservancy
COVID-19 has impacted both small businesses and housing in California.
The Week of the Young Child (April 11-17) is an annual celebration hosted by the 
The good news is that although 
I’m very happy that 
We will not falter, but we are doing things a little differently to best protect the health and safety of our staff, board members, residents and partners in the community.
I have worked with City of Irvine staff and the coordinator for the Great Park Farmer’s Market to develop a Drive-Thru Farmer’s Market for Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
A traffic safety plan has been developed with the assistance of Public Works & Transportation, Public Safety, and Community Services staff to facilitate anticipated traffic.
When we first opened the Drive-Thru Farmer’s Market at Great Park two weeks ago, I arrived just before 10:00 a.m. and it took e about an hour to get through the line. Since then, City staff and I have discussed ways to try to improve on that time — now, to better facilitate traffic, vendors with packaged products such as kettle corn, bread, nuts and beef jerky will be at the beginning of the drive-through, and vendors with fresh vegetables will be in two lines at the end — but I would still expect to spend about an hour in line in your car.
At this time, there are approximately 23 vendors scheduled to participate with items varying from fruits and vegetables to hummus, bread, beef jerky, honey, and eggs.
I am honored to serve as 
Looking ahead, 2020 is shaping up to be equally exciting as we begin work on our first home ownership community, Native Spring. That will prove to be a real game-changer for us, the city and, of course, the new homeowners! For the first time, the Irvine Community Land Trust will build for-sale homes that hard-working Irvine residents making less than $100,000 can actually afford to buy.
The new law also extends this property tax break to land for owner-occupied affordable home projects. As I told the Orange County Register, “It’s really hard to build these [affordable housing] projects. You have to have a lot of funding, and property taxes can take a significant bite out of that. Even if it didn’t prevent us from doing the [Salerno] project, it lowered the number of units we could do.” Now that’s been changed. Under the new law, property tax rates will be lower at the outset for below-market rate, affordable housing, making it 
Last year, I joined three of my colleagues on the Irvine City Council to 
Veterans Day is a time to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and commitment to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
The ceremony will honor all our service members – past and present Honor Guards from the Irvine Police Department and Irvine’s own adopted 2/11 Marines will lead the opening and closing ceremonies.
I am honored to serve as 
The FIRIS program is fast becoming one of the first air resources requested by Southern California fire agencies when a wildfire breaks out. The ability of the fixed-wing aircraft, equipped with cameras and infrared and radar sensors that can see through smoke, to provide real-time fire perimeter mapping and live high definition video has made a positive difference for incident commanders and decision-makers located in local Command Centers. Data sent from the twin-engine fixed-wing aircraft has also supported the UC San Diego WIFIRE Laboratory that uses its supercomputer to provide a fire spread progression model to be shared with the incident and command center staff.
“Nothing will replace the need for firefighters on the ground battling out of control wildfires. And I appreciate what our men and women do every day,” said Orange County Fire Authority Fire Chief Brian Fennessy. “I am also thankful that through collaboration, the FIRIS technology is helping to make a difference in decision-making which ultimately leads to suppressing wildfires more quickly.”
Recently, using data from the FBI, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the violent crimes rate in the 294 U.S. cities with populations of at least 100,000 — a population-adjusted measure of incidents of rape, robbery, homicide, and aggravated assault — to identify 
According to the most recent FBI data, there were zero murders, 40 rapes, 53 robberies, and 67 aggravated assaults reported in Irvine in 2018. Adjusted for population, there were just 56 violent crimes reported per 100,000 Irvine residents, by far the lowest rate of any U.S. city with a population of at least 100,000 and less than one-sixth the national violent crime rate.
If you’re a supporter of botanical gardens in the Orange County Great Park, please attend the important Great Park Board Meeting on Tues., October 22, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. in the Irvine City Council Chambers.
Of special concern to supporters of Great Park Botanical Gardens is the fact that there is no funding or acreage currently allotted or proposed for a botanical gardens.
I also continue to agree with what Joyce Mann wrote in the 
I appreciate that gardens and museums are not necessarily revenue-producing amenities. But as 
The new legislation, SB 196, which ICLT and I worked on with Senators Jim Beall, Mike McGuire, and Bob Wieckowski to pass in Sacramento, and which has now been signed into law by the Governor, allows properties slated for affordable rental homes to get a tax exemption sooner, saving nonprofit builders between millions of dollars that can instead go toward building more affordable homes. The new law also extends this property tax break to land for owner-occupied affordable home projects. As I told the Orange County Register, “It’s really hard to build these [affordable housing] projects. You have to have a lot of funding, and property taxes can take a significant bite out of that. Even if it didn’t prevent us from doing the [Salerno] project, it lowered the number of units we could do.”
Last year was the first time that the Irvine Global Village Festival, formerly held at Col. Bill Barber Park next to Irvine City Hall, was held at the far more expansive grounds of the Orange County Great Park. This year was the first time that the Festival was extended to two full days.
Irvine Chief of Police Mike Hamel said, “Irvine continues to be a safe community due to the collaboration between the men and women of the Irvine Police Department who work tirelessly every day to identify and respond to criminal activity and quality of life issues, our City leaders who always make public safety a top priority, and our residents who actively participate in crime prevention and community improvement strategies.”
My favorite Irvine cultural event of the year is almost here! Experience sights and sounds from around the world on Saturday, October 12 through –Sunday, October 13, 2019, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., at the Orange County Great Park, at the 
I am thrilled that, for the very first time, the Irvine Global Village Festival will run for two days at the Great Park!
Here are some important Festival details:
I am honored to serve as 
Please join us on Thursday, September 19, at 5:30–6:30 p.m. for the City’s public outreach opportunity regarding the Sweet Shade Ability Center at Sweet Shade Neighborhood Park. 
Universal playgrounds are designed to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible without the need for adaptation or specialized design, including theme-oriented playground equipment, site furnishings, and shade canopies that are well integrated with the existing park, leaving no child on the sidelines.
We build high-quality affordable rental, ownership and special needs housing for the benefit of income-eligible families. Located in the heart of Southern California’s one of the most expensive real estate markets, there is a tremendous need for affordable housing. 
You are invited to attend!
Located in the Irvine Business Complex and developed on a 2.2- acre urban infill site, Parc Derian beautiful multifamily four-story community with a pool, tot lot, private parking, exercise center, computer lab, and onsite resident services. Featuring contemporary architecture that incorporates urban inspired elements and finishes, it is also environmentally conscious and designed to achieve a LEED Gold certification.
One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of as a public official is advocating as a member of the board of directors of the 
Recently, Fire Chief Fennessy was invited by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to present his perspective on emergency management leadership to a national audience.
You’ll be able to find the best and safest route to your child’s school.
The 
Join your Irvine neighbors and the 
Grab a bite on a warm summer night from food trucks that will have items available for purchase.
Formed by the Santiago Dam, built between 1929 and 1931, the lake was originally called the Santiago Reservoir. The dam was built by the Irvine Company and the Serrano Irrigation District (now called the Serrano Water District), and is now owned by both the Serrano Water District and the Irvine Ranch Water District and operated by Serrano Water District. The lake provides drinking water to Villa Park and some parts of Orange, and provides supplementary irrigation water to neighboring ranches. Stocked with largemouth bass, catfish, and trout, the lake opened to fishing by the public in 1941.
This Saturday, June 29, at 10:00 a.m. at Irvine City Hall, California State Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (AD 74), Councilmember Farrah Khan and I will be hosting a 
Did you know that 43% percent of children die in car crashes were improperly restrained?