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Council authorizes due‑diligence license for county ‘100‑acre’ site near Great Park
Summary
Council approved a one‑year license agreement to allow city staff to conduct due diligence on roughly 60–70 acres the County once held adjacent to the Great Park; the action does not commit the city to buy or lease the land.
The City Council authorized the city manager to execute a license agreement with Orange County that will allow city staff to conduct predevelopment due diligence on the County’s approximately 60–70 acre “County 100” site adjacent to the Great Park. The action passed 6-0.
Why it matters: The license enables geotechnical, environmental and planning studies needed to evaluate whether the city should pursue a ground‑lease or joint‑development arrangement with the County. The County previously pursued other development plans for the site and later scrapped them; both jurisdictions now are re‑engaging on master‑planning opportunities.
Staff presentation: Assistant City Manager Pete Carmichael briefed the council on the site’s history and said the license is limited to due‑diligence activities (geotechnical borings, environmental review, conceptual planning). The license term in the County draft is one year plus 45 days; the agreement does not obligate the city to any acquisition or development commitments. Staff noted that the site was last actively proposed for development in 2014 and that County data will be shared under the license.
Council discussion and public comment: Councilmembers asked whether the County would cooperate and whether the site overlaps proposed rail yard plans; staff said the site is adjacent to but does not include the rail yard parcel. A single Zoom commenter asked whether the site is the same location discussed for a Metro rail yard; staff confirmed adjacency but not identity.
Council action: The council authorized the city manager to execute the license agreement to allow the city to proceed with due diligence. Staff will return with findings and, if appropriate, proposals for a ground‑lease or joint‑development approach.
