In 1988, Irvine voters overwhelmingly approved the historic Open Space Initiative, which set the stage for the ongoing protection of more than 16,000-acres of parks and wildlands, while at the same time accommodating phased growth.

The city boasts a legacy of parks, trails and wild open spaces very few American communities can match. More than one-third of the entire city has been or will be eventually preserved as parks, trails and natural wildlands. That's more than any other Orange County city.

One of the key elements that has always distinguished Irvine is thoughtful planning - not just planning for the residential and business communities in our city, but also planning for the equally important open spaces that help to make this such an outstanding place to live and work.

By approving the Open Space Agreement, Irvine residents established their important role in the city's legacy of parks and open space.