Irvine council approves option to buy 2-acre county parcel to smooth Gateway Village layout for $9.3 million credit
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Summary
The City Council authorized an option and an addendum that will let the city acquire about 2 acres of county land adjacent to the Gateway Village for $9.3 million, to be taken as a credit against infrastructure fees the county owes the city.
The Irvine City Council authorized a city option to purchase roughly 2 acres of County of Orange land adjacent to the Gateway Village and approved an addendum that will let the county take a $9.3 million credit against infrastructure fees it owes the city.
Council action: The council authorized the city manager to execute an option-to-purchase agreement and an addendum to Implementation Agreement No. 2 that memorializes a $9,300,000 credit to the county against Marine Way construction fees. The action was approved unanimously.
Why the city moved: Staff said the 2-acre county “notch” along the eastern edge of the Gateway Village creates an irregular property line that complicates neighborhood-level planning, street layout and amenities. Bringing the parcel into the city project would allow a more efficient neighborhood plan and smoother transition between the Gateway Village and the proposed Gateway Preserve.
How it will be paid for: City staff said the county will accept a $9.3 million credit against payments it owes the city for Marine Way construction, rather than a direct cash payment. No additional city cash appropriation was authorized at the meeting; the transaction instead uses a credit arrangement documented in the addendum.
Background and schedule: City staff summarized progress on the larger Gateway program: closure and remediation of the All American Asphalt site, development of a preserve management plan, a recently published draft EIR for the Gateway Village, and plans for grading and site work to begin in 2026 with model homes opening in late 2027. If the option is exercised after entitlements are achieved, the city would proceed with annexation steps with the county.
Speakers and attribution: Assistant City Manager Pete Carmichael and Deputy City Manager Lilliana Bogdanovich presented the item. No public comments were filed on the item at the time of the vote.
Ending: The option is intended to remove a planning constraint on the Gateway Village layout; staff said it would return with annexation documents and implementing approvals as site entitlements are completed.
