The Irvine City Council is poised to approve — in April — a massive land deal to acquire and remove the All American Asphalt plant in north Irvine. The 12-acre asphalt plant and hundreds of acres surrounding it will become part of a 700-acre open space preserve that has been dubbed the "Gateway Preserve."

“I am proud that my office heard the voices of the community early on and fought alongside north Irvine residents to help get this deal done,” said Councilmember Larry Agran, who is a longtime public interest attorney specializing in environmental law.

The key to the deal is the Irvine Company's dedication to the City of nearly 500 acres of land surrounding the plant. The dedication includes 80 acres that the City will sell to residential developers to cover the cost of acquiring and dismantling the asphalt plant — and paying for the planning and establishment of the Gateway Preserve. Accordingly, the deal will not cost Irvine taxpayers anything.