Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19: Apply for Mortgage Relief
If you are homeowner who has been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be...
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Author: ICNV Staff
Irvine Mayor & Council Majority Rejects Plan for a Veterans Memorial Park on the 125-Acre Great Park “ARDA” Site
During the February 8th Irvine City Council meeting, Councilmember Larry Agran outlined his proposal to build a beautiful Veterans Memorial Park on the 125-acre Great Park “ARDA” site.
Agran’s proposal calls for a vast park filled with a forest of trees, walking trails, memorial gardens, reflecting ponds, and an aviation museum to honor the City’s six-decade military history and our local veterans. (A botanical garden is part of Agran’s proposal.)
After nearly an hour of public comments about Agran’s plan — which included unanimous support from veterans — Mayor Khan and Councilmembers Kuo, Kim and Carroll rejected the proposal and voted instead to build a botanical garden on the entire ARDA site.
After the meeting concluded, one veteran who had spoken in support of Agran’s proposal stated: “Mayor Khan and her Council majority have once again betrayed veterans. First, they took away our Veterans Cemetery that we were promised, and now they want to erase any memory of the El Toro Marine base and those of us who served there.”
Orange County Power Authority Update
In April, all businesses in the City of Irvine will automatically be transferred from their current provider of electricity, Southern California Edison (SCE), and enrolled in the new Orange County Power Authority (OCPA).
Six months later — in October — Irvine’s residential customers will be automatically transferred from SCE to the new OCPA plan.
The success of the Power Authority will depend on Irvine businesses and residents choosing to remain in the OCPA program and not opt-out and return to SCE.
The Power Authority originally told cities that joined OCPA that their residents would be receiving cleaner energy at less expensive rates than SCE. A Fullerton staff report from November 2020 promised “the program would bring millions in savings to residents every year.”
However, OCPA released residential rates on January 11th of this year, it was discovered that Irvine households will pay between $4.25 and $6.38 per month more than they currently pay for energy provided by SCE.
Irvine City Council Establishes a Permanent Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
At the January 11th Irvine City Council meeting, the Council voted to make the temporary...
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All American Asphalt Plant in North Irvine Receives Sixth Notice of Violation
In January, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) issued two new Notice of Violations (NOV) to the All American Asphalt (AAA) plant in north Irvine, for causing odors that impacted the public.
There have now been six NOVs issued to the AAA plant in the past two years.
Since 2019, there have been more than 1,200 complaints filed against the AAA plant, and hundreds of north Irvine families continue to express concerns regarding the health risks associated with living so close to a plant that emits known human carcinogens.
Two community groups — Non-Toxic Neighborhoods and the Stop Toxic Asphalt Pollutants in Irvine — have been leading the charge advocating on behalf of the affected residents.
On the City side, former Irvine Mayor and current Councilmember Larry Agran has repeatedly called for the City of Irvine to take bold legal action to shut the asphalt plant down in Irvine and relocate it to a safer, remote location.
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