Irvine to delay ballot decision on Oak Creek after council hears four draft measures

The Irvine City Council continued consideration of proposed ballot measures tied to Oak Creek Golf Course and broader open-space protections to early 2026, after a city attorney presentation and more than two hours of public comment.

City Attorney Jeff Melching presented four draft measures the council had requested on July 22: (1) a combined "voter protection" measure that would require voter approval before specified parks and open-space lands may be converted and that would permit a future redesignation of Oak Creek only if the city acquired at least 315 acres of compensating open space; (2) a protection-only measure that would impose voter approval requirements without the Oak Creek exception; (3) an Oak Creek-exception-only measure that would let the council change Oak Creek's designation if compensating land is provided; and (4) a direct general-plan amendment to redesignate Oak Creek from "preservation" to "medium–high density residential." Melching described the two recurring concepts as "voter protection" and the…