Great Park Corp. Gets New Bylaws

The Irvine City Council on Tuesday approved a revised set of bylaws for the Orange County Great Park Corp., a nonprofit organization the city formed to manage its proposed park at the former El Toro Marine base.

The bylaws had become a source of controversy as critics, including county supervisors, charged that they would reduce public accountability.

Under the rules approved Tuesday by unanimous vote, the corporation will function like a local government agency, abiding by the state conflict-of-interest laws, open-meeting requirements and provisions of the state Public Records Act, which gives citizens access to financial and other records.

The council this month put its five members on the park governing board in addition to four appointed members, instead of creating a total board of seven appointees, as first proposed.

Irvine created the nonprofit in June to develop and operate the park in the 4,700-acre former base, an alternative to a proposed commercial airport. Voters countywide rejected the airport plan in a referendum last year, but a pro-airport group continues to challenge the park plan in court.

The nonprofit is necessary, city officials said, to protect Irvine’s general fund from liability for park expenses.