Category: Irvine

Betty Martinez Franco was sworn in as the Irvine City Council’s newest member on May 13th, and got a good taste of what she’s gotten herself into during the meeting that followed.

She closed by saying, “I am ready to get to work, to collaborate with our Mayor and my fellow Councilmembers to build an Irvine where diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated, where equity is not just a promise but a practice, and where inclusion is not just a buzzword, it’s how we govern.”

Public libraries play a vital role by providing free access to information, fostering literacy, supporting education and lifelong learning, and serving as community hubs for various activities and resources.

To read the full article, click here.

On May 6th, thousands of Irvine residents attended the “State of the Great Park” event where Irvine Councilmember and Great Park Chair Mike Carroll gave the opening address.

To read about the new amenities currently under construction at the Great Park, click here.

On April 22nd, the Irvine City Council voted unanimously to direct City Manager Oliver Chi to move forward with retail developer Almquist to begin construction of The Canopy — a 90,000 square foot retail center that will be built on the corner of Bosque and Great Park Boulevard.

The popular Canadian Asian supermarket chain T&T has announced their first Southern California location will be at The Canopy.

Last April, the City launched a one-year pilot program for a free shuttle bus service to connect Irvine residents to parks, schools, hospitals, and shopping centers.

Pointing to its popularity among residents and increased ridership, the City Council voted unanimously on April 22nd to continue the Irvine CONNECT shuttle service.

When Betty Martinez Franco entered the City Council race in Irvine’s District 5 last December, she was given virtually no chance against two well-known former Councilmembers.

She quickly consolidated Kim’s supporters behind her candidacy, ran an energetic grassroots campaign, and when the results were tallied on April 15th, she came out on top by more than 500 votes.

During his State of the City address last month, Irvine Mayor Larry Agran discussed his goal to make Irvine the “safest, smartest, greenest, healthiest, and kindest city in America.”

Although Irvine is already considered the “Safest City” in the nation based on FBI violent crime data, Mayor Agran sees an opportunity to do more by addressing other public safety concerns. For example, the City recently lowered speed limits on nearly 100 Irvine streets. And, in his State of the City remarks, Mayor Agran called for stepped-up traffic enforcement by the Irvine Police Department (IPD) — to crack down on speeding, street racing, red-light runners, and drunk drivers.

In addition to protecting our City from criminal activity, the Irvine Police Department (IPD) responds to nearly 2,400 mental health-related calls each year.

Now, IPD has established a new resource, the Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement (I-CARE) Team.

During his “State of the City” address, Mayor Larry Agran laid out an expansive vision and a specific action plan for Irvine in front of a packed City Council Chamber.

But then he ventured beyond the dry status report, saying: “We are once again poised to invest in building an even brighter future for our entire Irvine community.”

Six local high school bands — Pelargoniums, 25 After Midnight, Eastla, Chaos Theory, Groundwire,...

The second annual CicloIrvine event is set to take place on Saturday (May 3rd) from 11am until 4pm.

The goal is to promote community engagement, sustainability, and environmentally conscious travel — allowing attendees to experience Irvine’s public spaces and local businesses in a new and re-imagined way. Participants will enjoy live music, informational booths, and a host of family-friendly activities.

The City of Irvine is now offering residents same-day permitting for solar. PermitsDIRECT! is an...