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You Can Email the Planning Commission

Irvine residents are deeply concerned about the upcoming residential development deals at Great Park. Below are some of the issues voiced by our residents. Please help us amplify our voices by sending an email to the Planning Commission, who are meeting on Nov 6 to vote on the deal (see flyer). Our City and residents deserve better than what is being offered and we should ask our representatives to fight for more benefits to our community.

Please feel free to use any of the 5 email templates below or tailor it to your own experiences and hopes for our community. Your voice carries more power than you think!

Email to: PlanningCommission@CityofIrvine.org, IrvineCityCouncil@CityofIrvine.org, LarryAgran@cityofirvine.org, JamesMai@cityofirvine.org, MelindaLiu@cityofirvine.org, WilliamGo@cityofirvine.org, MikeCarroll@cityofirvine.org, BettyMartinez@cityofirvine.org, KathleenTreseder@cityofirvine.org

Email Subject: PA51 Proposal Fails to Uphold Master Plan for Open Space

Message to Copy:

To the Irvine Planning Commission,

I am writing regarding the 1,814-home proposal for PA51. This plan falls short of Irvine's master planning principle of preserved open space.

The Great Park was intended as the central open space for all residents, but it remains a construction zone, more than $500 million short of its required funding (as of the Sept 2025 Framework Plan).

Historically, new entitlements in PA51 have included funding for the Great Park. This proposal is a missed opportunity for a win-win partnership to finally complete the park promised to residents.

I urge you to reject this proposal until it includes a fair contribution to the Great Park.

Respectfully, [Your Name]

Copy Text & Email the Irvine Planning Commission and City Council

Email Subject: School Overcrowding and the 1,814-Home Proposal in PA51

Message to Copy:

To the Irvine Planning Commission,

I am writing to express my concern about the 1,814-home proposal's impact on our schools, a key part of Irvine's master plan.

Over 1,100 of these proposed homes would be zoned for Great Park schools, which are already operating near capacity and are severely resource constrained. Portola High (+750 students), Beacon Park Elementary (+400 students), Solis Park Elementary (+300 students), and Cadence Park Elementary are all undergoing significant expansions, with schools losing blacktop and playground space to add new classrooms.

Critically, Woodbury families are facing a difficult school re-zoning proposal as a result of ongoing, unbridled housing development. This is a broken promise to the families who live there. The schools are under-staffed, under-resourced, and overwhelmed.

This proposal adds thousands of new residents without a plan for new schools. I ask you to suggest the developer and City explore building new school capacity, not just expanding already-crowded campuses.

Respectfully, [Your Name]

Copy Text & Email the Irvine Planning Commission and City Council

Email Subject: An Unfair Deal for Residents - Proposal for 1,814 Homes in PA51

Message to Copy: To the Irvine Planning Commission,

I am writing to express my concern about the proposed 1,814 new housing units in Districts 2 and 6 of Planning Area 51.

While this proposal benefits the developer and helps the City meet housing goals, it's an unfair deal for current residents. We are left to face the burdens of increased traffic, more strain on our busy shopping centers, the removal of playground space for new classrooms, and broken promises resulting in a painful school re-zoning proposal for Woodbury families.

Critically, this proposal provides no new funding for the Great Park, which has been a standard requirement for prior development agreements in PA51. The Great Park is the open space for families across Irvine.

I ask that you please vote against any proposal that fails to provide the meaningful community benefits needed to offset the significant impact of 1,814 new homes.

Respectfully,
[Your Name]

Copy Text & Email Irvine Planning Commission and City Council

Email Subject: We Need Housing, But This is the Wrong Deal for Irvine Residents

Message to Copy:

To the Irvine Planning Commission,

I am writing about the 1,814-home proposal for PA51. I understand that Irvine needs more housing and that this plan aligns with the City’s overall housing goals.

However, this specific proposal falls short of Irvine’s master planning principles. It provides no funding for our underfunded Great Park, it adds 1,100+ homes to already-crowded IUSD schools, it's the root cause of a painful school re-zoning proposal for Woodbury families, and it removes previously promised retail space for the area.

While housing and the housing type is the right use for this site, this is the wrong deal for Irvine residents. I ask you to please consider the long-term impact on residents and send this back to the developer to present a plan that provides commensurate community benefits to support the housing increase.

Respectfully, [Your Name]

Copy Text & Email the Irvine Planning Commission and City Council

Email Subject: Uphold Master Plan for Walkable Shopping in PA51

Message to Copy:

To the Irvine Planning Commission,

I am writing about the 1,814-home proposal for Districts 2 and 6 and its failure to meet Irvine's master planning principle of walkability to shopping areas.

In October 2024, a plan for the Crescent area of District 6 was approved that included 25,000 square feet of retail space.

The current proposal is a new entitlement that includes a large parcel in the Crescent—yet it omits the promised retail component. This will only add more strain and traffic to existing shopping centers.

I ask you to ensure that any new plan for this area includes the retail space needed to support these new neighborhoods.

Respectfully, [YourName]

Copy Text & Email the Irvine Planning Commission and City Council

Quick Talking Points:

Current plan for the Main Library at Great Park is not budgeted until AFTER 2036!
Let’s raise awareness for the City Council that a new library building is urgently needed in this growing part of the city.
Help us spread the word and keep each other informed about City decisions.

What can I do?

The Planning Commission will review a proposal for 1,814 new homes in Great Park with no plans for new schools, no new retail, and no funding for Great Park. This will impact our schools and community resources.
Let’s encourage the City to build sustainably. Community resources, such as a new main library has been in the Framework Plan for Great Park from the beginning. It’s time to find a way to make it a reality.
Spread the word, invite neighbors, and friends!
November 6, 5:30 PM at City Hall - Planning Commission Meeting

What's happened so far?

Sept 15: Townhall at Beacon Clubhouse with Councilmembers William Go and Melinda Lui, The Great Park Director Luis Estevez, and City Librarian Julie Zeoli. 70+ GP residents showed up to ask them questions about the plan for the GP Library.
Oct 14: City Council Meeting: City Librarian presented the Feasibility Study conducted over the summer. 11 members of the public, including 6 from the Great Park Neighborhood spoke about the importance and the urgent need for a Main Library in the Great Park
Oct 15: IrvineMainLibraryFOL.org website went LIVE!
Oct 28: City Council Meeting: City Council voted 7-0 to adopt a resolution to formally incorporate and expeditiously build a central or main library branch in the Northern sector of the Great Park Framework Plan and explore funding options outside of those already allocated in Phase 1. This is a major first step in the right direction! Now, let’s continue to build on this momentum and make the library a reality.
Nov 6: Planning Commission Meeting to review proposal for 1,814 new home.

Email City Council members

Join a growing number of Irvine residents in support of building a new Main Library in Great Park.

Please feel free to use the template below or tailor it to your own experiences and hopes for our community. Your voice carries more power than you think!

This is our most effective action right now!

Email Subject: Support for an Irvine Main Library in Great Park

Message to Copy:

Dear Honorable Council Members,

I am writing as an Irvine resident to express my strong support for building a Main Library in the northern sector of the Great Park as indicated in the current Great Park Framework Plan. Please include its design in the budget process for 2026 and start fundraising efforts of the Framework Plan construction.

I respectfully urge you to support the Main Library construction at the Northern Sector of Great Park and include it in the budget process for fiscal year 2026.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to your support at the upcoming City Council Meeting.

Copy Text & Email Irvine City Council Members