Speakers at the Sept. 30 Irvine City Council special meeting urged the council to finalize lease terms for cultural tenants at the Great Park and to move more quickly on funding a main library in the Great Park’s northern sector.

Several speakers who requested to address closed‑session items said the city’s negotiations with Orange County Music and Dance and Pretend City Children’s Museum are important steps in activating the Great Park cultural terrace and bringing services to families across Irvine and the region.

“It's our privilege and honor to be part of that,” said Doug Freeman, chief executive officer of Orange County Music and Dance. “We will do whatever we need to do to make sure we get there and that we bring honor to the city.”

Ellen Pace, executive director of Pretend City Children’s Museum, told the council the museum’s move to the Great Park would deliver programs and “world‑class resources and services with amazing local partners to benefit the children and families of Irvine and the entire region.” She also said she expects Farmers & Merchants Bank to back the project.

Several speakers who live near the Great Park raised concerns that money pledged or prioritized for cultural tenants could limit funding for a main library. Amit Modi said the Great Park Board on June 24 “recommended that a resolution be presented for city council consideration to formally incorporate and expeditiously build a central or main library in the northern sector of the Great Park framework plan and explore funding options outside those already allocated in phase 1,” and told the council residents expected progress after that recommendation.

Anita Bhatt, a city commissioner speaking as a resident, said a town hall of roughly 70 Great Park neighbors raised disappointment that a library was not being funded at this time and warned of “opportunity cost” if funds allocated to one project preclude another.

The mayor’s closed‑session announcement before the public comments identified four real‑property negotiation matters on the agenda under California Government Code section 54956.8, including negotiations with Orange County Music and Dance and with Pretend City Children’s Museum over “price and terms of payment,” and a separate property negotiation with the Regents of the University of California for a UCI extension site.

Because those discussions were held in closed session, the council reported no reportable action in open session. Commenters said they were addressing the closed‑session items and requested the council consider the community impacts of any final leases or financial commitments.

What’s next: The council did not announce any final leases or funding decisions during the Sept. 30 meeting. Commenters asked the council to balance cultural tenants and a promised Great Park northern main library; the council did not adopt policy or funding actions at the special meeting.