Amphitheatre Lease, Great Park CFD Tax, and More On the Agenda

  • September 28, 2021, 10:14 am America/Los_Angeles

The Great Park Board will be meeting today, September 28, 2021 at 2pm, followed by the City Council meeting at 4pm with two full agendas. For info on how to participate in the Great Park Board meeting click here. For info to participate in the City Council meeting click here.

City Council Agenda

Here are the September 28, 2021 City Council agenda items that may be of interest:

Per the staff report:

The City is underway on two planning exercises that will significantly influence the production of workforce housing. The first is the update of the Housing Element, a component of the General Plan that outlines strategies for the delivery of workforce and affordable housing. The document is scheduled for completion later this year and includes the identification of new sites for workforce housing throughout the City.

The second key project underway is an update to the Master Affordable Housing Plan with the Irvine Company. This document guides the planning and delivery of affordable housing on Irvine Company-owned land. The pending update of this document can address the City’s workforce housing need through the extension of expiring affordable unites and the creation of new units. Staff will address both of these planning exercises in more detail when this workforce housing item returns to the City Council.

  • Agenda Item 4.5 – Consideration of a Request by Mayor Khan and Vice Mayor Kim to Discuss Community Facilities Districts in Great Park Neighborhoods

There is no staff report for this agenda item.

Irvine Watchdog reported on the background of the Community Facility Tax in this article, Why Property Taxes Are Significantly Higher in the Great Park Neighborhoods: CFD 2013-3. And It Doesn’t Sunset.

  • Agenda Item 4.6 – Consideration of a Request by Mayor Khan and Councilmember Carroll to Discuss Commercial Trucks Using City of Irvine Roads

There is no staff report for this agenda item.

 

 

Great Park Board Agenda

This month’s Great Park Project Development Report is the most comprehensive report we’ve received this year. Take a look at all the upcoming plans. Here are some items that may be of interest:

  • Amphitheater Lease Extension

FivePoint is proposing to approve a two-year lease extension while working with City on a permanent location. Alternative parking arrangements needed in Year 2 as neighborhoods to the east are developed. Permanent amphitheater locations, funding options, and general terms are being evaluated.

The City of Irvine released this update on social media on September 27, 2021 due to recent noise complaints:

After a relatively quiet 2021 concert season at FivePoint Amphitheatre, the City saw a spike in noise complaints earlier this month, with 80% of complaints tied to two concerts in particular. The City has been working closely with Live Nation, the operator of the venue, to implement changes as soon as possible to better control noise levels in the community, including:

  • Adjusted placement and direction of amphitheater speakers.
  • Enhanced monitoring of the speakers and soundboard during concerts.
  • Installation of sound absorption blankets on the back of and between bleachers.

In addition to these short-term measures, the City is also reviewing its noise ordinance to ensure that the low-end bass tones that have generated many of the complaints are properly regulated.

Should community members experience further noise or disruption during concerts at the amphitheater, call the Irvine Police Department Dispatch at 949-724-7000. For general information, call Code Enforcement at 949-724-6326.

  • Great Park Renaming & Signage

The City Council approved the Great Park name change on August 10, 2021, by a vote of 4 to 1, with Councilmember Larry Agran dissenting. The city has begun the tasks of completing this name change.

On September 16, 2021, the zoning ordinance and General Plan Amendment to update was approved by the Planning Commission. Next, the zoning ordinance, General Plan Amendment, and Municipal Code Amendment will go before the City Council in October. The By-Laws update will go before the Great Park Board in October as well.

The city is preparing a schedule and estimates for updating the Great Park signs to reflect the recent name change. They are also identifying additional sign opportunities on key facilities including the Great Park Ice, as well as developing designs for park gateways. But residents are still left wondering why this name change decision was expedited and brought forth to begin with.

  • Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

A request for proposal has been issued for an installer/operator for 72 Level 2 chargers at the Cultural Terrace parking lot (Lot 8) and approximately 185 additional chargers on four other parking lots through Southern California Edison program. The goal is to have a contractor selection to the Great Park Board in November.

  • Additional Items on the Development Report: