Suit Aims to Protect Farmland in Irvine

A Newport Beach environmental group has sued the city of Irvine for approving an Irvine Co. project to turn one of the county’s last expanses of farmland into a massive business development.

“We saw this as an absolute affront to reality,” said Bob Caustin, executive director of Defend the Bay of Newport Beach. “They’re not concerned at all with the long-term quality of life for downstream neighbors or their own citizens.”

In May, Irvine council members voted unanimously to rezone 604 acres of agricultural land on the northeast side of the city for research and industrial use. The change clears the way for 10.2 million square feet of office space. The Irvine Co. land currently houses strawberry and bean fields and other agricultural operations.

Defend the Bay, which filed the suit Monday, claims the city violated state law because it failed to address significant effects on open space, water quality, traffic, air pollution, ground water recharge, electricity usage and other issues.

A city spokeswoman declined to comment on the legal action.

“We have not received any lawsuit, so we don’t have anything to respond to at this point,” said Heather Morris.

Attempts to reach Irvine Co. officials were unsuccessful Wednesday.

The lawsuit also says the city failed to evaluate measures that could compensate for harm to the environment. The city also failed to consider less harmful land-use alternatives, failed to address public concerns and did not show that the benefits of the rezoning outweighed the likely impacts--including the loss of farmland and agricultural jobs, the lawsuit stated.

A city study says the project would bring 16,000 jobs to Irvine but displace 2,200 farm workers.

The lawsuit comes after an Irvine Co. settlement with a USC student who sued Orange over a residential project near his hometown.

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From Crops to Offices

Defend the Bay is suing the city of Irvine for approving an Irvine Co. proposal to rezone 604 acres of farmland for commercial development.