Environmental conservation has lost its meaning. Despite backlash from thousands of residents, Irvine Company plans to implement a major urban development project this year, stripping away 400 acres of wildlife corridor from two of the busiest Orange County regional parks. The approved policy will replace the nature strip with 1180 homes, forming a new community called Orange Heights. Although seemingly benign, the plan exemplifies a frequent trend of corporations destroying the environment to make room for monetary profit.
Proposed in 2005, the plan originally included the construction of 4100 homes stretching from East Orange to Irvine Park. Nearly a decade later, the project scaled down to the 1180-single home property between Irvine Regional Park and Peters Canyon Regional Park. According to the company, the land had been classified by environmentalists as “the ideal place for a new community.” However, the stark environmental consequences, as well as public health concerns, suggest otherwise.
Urbanization is simply not suitable for a wildlife habitat. Creating houses in this area would contribute to existing pollutant levels in the foothill communities and further deteriorate the habitats of vulnerable species, which are already burdened by decreased air and water quality.
Furthermore, Irvine Company overlooks burdens placed on the prospective residential communities in Orange Heights. Without any alternatives, wild animals have nowhere to go but into neighborhoods and drainage tunnels that lead into urban spaces. Additionally, the land’s extensive history of frequent wildfires makes new buildings highly susceptible to recurrent damages. Adding amenities to the rural area, such as grocery stores or complete fire stations, would break the budget for the developer and have to be financially covered by the county, increasing property taxes in the surrounding area.
Supporters of the plan argue that urban development is an inevitable part of “county progression.” The plan, however, fails to progress the county’s needs — rather, it promotes the degradation of cultural significance. Both regional parks are home to six archaeological sites preserving nature history. Considering 90% of sites have already been replaced by urban development in Orange County, reported by California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance Inc, preservation of land is an urgent cause. This idea has been reinforced through the voices of Orange residents, who campaign for a proper assessment from the council and a halt to the project’s implementation. Supporters can sign the NO Orange Heights petition by Joel Robinson on change.org, which will be presented to the Orange City Council.
Careless urban development enacted by big corporations amass serious consequences on the environment, wildlife, and people. When negligent decision-making is overlooked by the community, resident voices become further drowned by corporations’ exploitative intentions. It is crucial for Orange County residents to stand together against the environmental destruction.
