City of Irvine 2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, officially adopted by the City of Irvine on October 27, 2020.
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
City Council Adopted Version
October 2020
City of Irvine
2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
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2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
T ABLE OF C ONTENTS CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ................................................................1 PLAN PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY .............................................................................. 1 Federal Authority .................................................................................................................................. 2 State Authority ...................................................................................................................................... 2 PLAN ORGANIZATION AND USE.................................................................................. 3 PLAN GOALS ................................................................................................................. 3 PLANNING PROCESS ................................................................................................... 5 Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee ................................................................................................ 5 Public Engagement................................................................................................................................ 7 Public Review Draft ............................................................................................................................... 8 Plan Revision and Adoption................................................................................................................... 9 Plan Resources ...................................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER 2 - COMMUNITY PROFILE ....................................................11 SETTING AND LOCATION........................................................................................... 11 HISTORY ...................................................................................................................... 11 DEMOGRAPHICS......................................................................................................... 12 ECONOMY AND COMMUTE PATTERNS.................................................................... 15 DEVELOPMENT TRENDS ........................................................................................... 16 MAJOR COMMUNITY ELEMENTS .............................................................................. 18 Residential Uses .................................................................................................................................. 18 Institutional Uses................................................................................................................................. 18 Irvine Spectrum................................................................................................................................... 18 Irvine Business Complex...................................................................................................................... 18 Open Space ......................................................................................................................................... 18 INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT ............................................................................ 19 Electricity............................................................................................................................................. 19 Cabrillo Substation Power Outage....................................................................................................... 19 Public Safety Power Shutoff ................................................................................................................ 20 Fossil Fuel ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Water and Wastewater ....................................................................................................................... 21 Transportation..................................................................................................................................... 22 CHAPTER 3 - RISK ASSESSMENT ........................................................25 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION .......................................................................................... 25 HAZARD SCORING AND PRIORITIZATION................................................................ 29 HAZARD PROFILES..................................................................................................... 31 Aircraft Incident .................................................................................................................................. 31 Dam Failure ......................................................................................................................................... 35 Diseases and Pests .............................................................................................................................. 38 Drought ............................................................................................................................................... 45 Flooding (Sea Level Rise) ..................................................................................................................... 49 Geologic Hazards................................................................................................................................. 53
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Hazardous Materials Release .............................................................................................................. 57 Human-Caused Hazards ...................................................................................................................... 59 Seismic Hazards................................................................................................................................... 66 Severe Weather (Extreme Heat, Severe Wind, Rain) .......................................................................... 75 Wildfire................................................................................................................................................ 81 CHAPTER 4 – THREAT AND VULNERABILITY .....................................85 THREAT ASSESSMENT PROCESS ............................................................................ 85 CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN ............................................ 85 VULNERABLE POPULATIONS .................................................................................... 86 OTHER ASSETS........................................................................................................... 88 THREAT PROFILES ..................................................................................................... 89 Aircraft Incident .................................................................................................................................. 89 Dam Failure ......................................................................................................................................... 90 Diseases and Pests .............................................................................................................................. 92 Drought ............................................................................................................................................... 95 Flooding (Sea Level Rise) ..................................................................................................................... 95 Geologic Hazards................................................................................................................................. 98 Hazardous Materials Release ............................................................................................................ 101 Human-Caused Hazards .................................................................................................................... 104 Seismic Hazards................................................................................................................................. 106 Severe Weather................................................................................................................................. 112 Wildfire.............................................................................................................................................. 113 CHAPTER 5 – HAZARD MITIGATION STRATEGY ..............................117 STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS .................................................................. 117 USE OF HAZARD AND THREAT ASSESSMENT ...................................................... 117 CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT................................................................................... 117 HAZARD MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS............................................... 125 Hazard Mitigation Goals .................................................................................................................... 125 Evaluation of Potential Hazard Mitigation Actions ............................................................................ 125 Prioritization...................................................................................................................................... 126 NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM ........................................................... 13 8 CHAPTER 6 – PLAN MAINTENANCE...................................................1 39 COORDINATING BODY ............................................................................................. 1 39 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................... 14 0 PLAN MAINTENANCE PROCESS ............................................................................. 14 0 PLAN MONITORING AND EVALUATION............................................................................................. 14 1 PLAN UPDATES .................................................................................................................................. 14 1 CONTINUED PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ................................................................................................. 14 3 POINT OF CONTACT ................................................................................................. 14 3 REFERENCES .......................................................................................14 5
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C HAPTER 1 – I NTRODUCTION
P LAN P URPOSE AND A UTHORITY
Hazard events can lead to injuries or death, affect overall health and safety of a community, damage or destroy public and private property, harm ecosystems, and disrupt key services. Although the hazard event itself often gets the most attention, it is only one part of a larger emergency management cycle. Emergency planners and responders can take steps during the response, recovery, mitigation, and preparedness phases of the cycle to minimize the harm caused by a disaster. This Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) focuses on optimizing the mitigation phase of the cycle. Mitigation involves making a community more resilient to disasters so that when hazard events do ultimately occur, the community suffers less damage and can recover more effectively. It differs from preparedness, which involves advanced planning for how best to respond when a disaster occurs or is imminent. For
example, a policy to make homes structurally stronger, so they suffer less damage during an earthquake is a mitigation action, while fully equipping shelters to accommodate people who lose their homes in an earthquake is a preparedness action. Some activities may qualify as both.
The City of Irvine (City), like other communities, could potentially suffer severe harm from hazard events, and although large disasters may cause widespread devastation, even smaller disasters can have substantial effects. The City cannot make itself completely immune to hazard events, but this LHMP can help make the community a safer place to live, work, and visit. This LHMP provides a comprehensive assessment of the threats that the City faces from natural and human-caused hazard events and a coordinated strategy to reduce these threats. It identifies resources and information that can help community members, City staff, and local officials understand local threats and make informed decisions. The LHMP can also support increased coordination and collaboration between the City, other public agencies, local employers, service providers, community members, and other key stakeholders.
KEY TERMS Hazard event: An emergency as a result of a natural or human-caused event that has the potential to cause harm.
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Federal Authority
The City is not required to prepare an LHMP, but state and federal regulations encourage it. The federal Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act, amended by the Disaster Management Act of 2000, creates a federal framework for local hazard mitigation planning. It states that jurisdictions that wish to be eligible for federal hazard mitigation grant funding must prepare a hazard mitigation plan that meets a certain set of guidelines and submit this plan to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for review and approval. These guidelines are outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 44, Part 201, and discussed in greater detail in FEMA’s Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool .
KEY TERMS Mitigation: Actions that increase resilience and reduce the harmful effects of a hazard. Resilient: Better able to avoid or lessen the harmful effects of a hazard.
State Authority
California Government Code Sections 8685.9 and 65302.6
California Government Code Section 8685.9 (also known as Assembly Bill 2140) limits the State of California’s share of disaster relief funds paid out to local governments to 75 percent of the funds not paid for by federal disaster relief efforts unless the jurisdiction has adopted a valid hazard
mitigation plan consistent with the Disaster Management Act of 2000 and has incorporated the hazard mitigation plan into the jurisdiction’s general plan. In th ese cases, the State may cover more than 75 percent of the remaining disaster relief costs. All cities and counties in California must prepare a general plan, which must include a safety element that addresses various hazard conditions and other public safety issues. The safety element may be a stand- alone chapter or incorporated into another section, as the community wishes. California Government Code Section 65302.6 indicates that a community may adopt an LHMP into its safety element if the LHMP meets applicable state requirements. This allows communities to use the LHMP to satisfy state requirements for safety elements. As the General Plan is an overarching long-term plan for community growth and development, incorporating the LHMP into it creates a stronger mechanism for implementing the LHMP.
California Government Code Section 65302 (g)(4)
California Government Code Section 65302 (g)(4), also known as Senate Bill (SB) 379, requires that the safety element of a community’s general plan address the hazar ds created or exacerbated by climate change. The safety element must identify how climate change is expected to affect hazard conditions in the community and include measures to adapt and be more resilient to these anticipated changes. Because the LHMP can be incorporated into the safety element, including these items in the LHMP can satisfy the state requirement. SB 379 requires that climate change must be addressed in the safety element when the LHMP is updated after January 1, 2017, for communities that already have an LHMP, or by January 1, 2022, for communities without an LHMP.
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This LHMP is consistent with current standards and regulations, as outlined by the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and FEMA. It uses the best available science, and its mitigation actions/strategies reflect best practices and community values. It meets the requirements of current state and federal guidelines and makes the City eligible for all appropriate benefits under state and federal law and practices. Note that while FEMA is responsible for reviewing and certifying this LHMP, and Cal OES is responsible for conducting a preliminary review, it does not grant FEMA or Cal OES any increased role in the governance of the City or authorize either agency to take any specific action in the community.
P LAN O RGANIZATION AND U SE
The Irvine LHMP is both a reference document and an action plan. It has information and resources to educate readers and decision-makers about hazard events and related issues, and a comprehensive strategy that the City and community members can follow up to improve resilience in the City. It is divided into the following chapters: • Chapter 1: Introduction. This chapter describes the background of the Plan, its goals and objectives, and the process used in its development. • Chapter 2: Community Profile. This chapter discusses the history of Irvine, its physical setting and land uses, its demographics, and other important community characteristics. • Chapter 3: Hazard Assessment. This chapter identifies and describes the hazards that pose a threat to Irvine and discusses past and future events as well as the effects of climate change. • Chapter 4: Vulnerability Assessment. This chapter describes the threat of each hazard on Irvine’s key facilities and community members, including socially vulnerable individuals. • Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategy. This chapter lists the mitigation actions to reduce Irvine’s vulnerability to hazard events, as well as provides an overview of the community’s existing capabilities to improve hazard resilience. • Chapter 6: Plan Maintenance. This chapter summarizes the process for implementing, monitoring, and updating the LHMP, as well as opportunities for continued public involvement. FEMA’s Local Mitigation Planning Handbook, last updated in 2013, is one of the key guidance documents for local communities in preparing hazard mitigation plans.
P REVIOUS I RVINE LHMP
On October 26, 2004, the Irvine City Council took action to approve the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan and transmit the plan to Cal OES and FEMA for review and approval. At this time, the plan was considered a Multi-Jurisdictional Plan that included Irvine Ranch Water District as well as the City. On April 27, 2005, the City received FEMA approval for the plan, allowing the City and Irvine Ranch Water District to become eligible for FEMA hazard mitigation grant funding sources. On April 28, 2010 this plan expired.
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Since the adoption of this previous plan, the following changes occurred affecting subsequent updates to the City’s plan:
• FEMA Guidance for Local Hazard Mitigation Planning was updated in 2011, which includes the following new requirements, which were not covered in the 2004 LHMP: o Does the Plan describe a process by which local governments will integrate the requirements of the mitigation plan into other planning mechanisms, such as comprehensive or capital improvement plans, when appropriate? (Requirement Section 201.6(c)(4)(ii)) o Was the plan revised to reflect changes in development? (Requirement Section 201.6(d)(3)) o Was the plan revised to reflect progress in local mitigation efforts? (Requirement Section 201.6(d)(3))
o Was the plan revised to reflect changes in priorities? (Requirement Section 201.6(d)(3))
• City staffing changes since 2005 due to attrition, retirement, and an economic downturn has led to a shift in staff responsibilities, institutional knowledge, and organizational priorities that resulted in minimal plan implementation. Since that time, the City has taken steps to initiate the hazard mitigation planning process and, while the City still coordinates closely with IRWD, their organization’s mitigation strategies are not within the scope of the current plan. Based on these circumstances, the City has developed this plan as a Single Jurisdiction Plan update, which establishes current goals, priorities, and mitigation actions and strategies that address current issues and conditions within the City.
P LAN G OALS
This Plan was developed to broadly increase resilience in Irvine. The following key goals were developed for the City’s LHMP: • Protect against threats from natural hazards to life, injury, and property damage for Irvine residents and visitors. • Increase public awareness of potential hazard events. • Preserve critical services and functions by protecting key facilities and infrastructure. • Protect natural systems from current and future hazard conditions. • Coordinate mitigation activities among City departments, neighboring jurisdictions, and with federal agencies, and • Prepare for long-term changes in hazard regimes.
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These goals reflect a change in the community’s priorities given the amount of development that has occurred in the past 20 years and anticipated new development in areas of the City experiencing growth and change.
P LANNING P ROCESS
State and federal guidance for LHMPs do not require that jurisdictions follow a standardized planning process. FEMA encourages communities to create their own planning process that reflects local values, goals, and characteristics. FEMA does suggest a general planning process the follows these general milestones:
Identify the planning and the resources it contains
Build the planning team
Create an outreach team
Identify the risks and threats to the community
Review the community's capabilities
Develop a hazard mitigation strategy
Implement the plan to create a safe and resilient community
Review and adopt the plan
Keep the plan current
For the City of Irvine, the planning process used to create this plan is described below:
Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
The City established a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (hereafter referred to as the Committee). The Committee is made up of representatives from key City departments as well as stakeholder members that include representatives from local and regional agencies, and companies that are key to hazard mitigation activities. Table 1-1 identifies the members that were invited and/or attended Committee meetings. Key stakeholders that attended these meetings included, Irvine Ranch Water District, Irvine Unified School District, and Orange County Fire Authority. Emergency managers from surrounding cities were also invited but did not attend these meetings.
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Table 1-1: Irvine Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
NAME
TITLE
DEPARTMENT
Alex Holt
Senior GIS Analyst
Human Resources and Innovation
Alex Salazar
CIP Administrator
Public Works and Transportation
Alyssa Jago
Program Assistant/PIO
City Manager Office
Andrew Kwon
Safety Specialist
Irvine Ranch Water District
Casey Gnadt
Open Space Administrator
Public Works and Transportation
Christine Tully
Senior PSA/EM
Public Safety
Claudia Landeras
Principal Plan Check Engineer
Community Development
Daniel Yeh
Fire Captain
Orange County Fire Authority
Doug Kind
Manager, Facilities
Public Works and Transportation
Jack Brouwer
Professor
UC Irvine
Jordan Liu
Crime Prevention PSA
Public Safety
Justin Equina
Associate Planner
Community Development
Jaimee Bourgeois
Deputy Director
Public Works and Transportation
Kamlesh Chitalia
Chief Building Official
Community Development
Kerwin Lau
Planning Services Manager
Community Development
Kevin Bodrogi
GIS Intern
Human Resources and Innovation
Linda Fontes
Media Services Coordinator
City Manager Office
Linnea Castaneda
Senior PSA
Public Safety
Lori Thompson
Risk Management Administrator
Human Resources and Innovation
Marika Pointer
Principal Planner
Community Development
Melissa Chao
Senior Planner
Community Development
Melissa Haley
Deputy City Manager
City Manager Office
Michael Sheeran
GIS Supervisor
Human Resources and Innovation
Michael Solorza
Manager, Financial Services
Fianncial Management and Strategic Planning
Nathan Burke
GIS Intern
Human Resources and Innovation
Noelle Smilee
Police Commander
Public Safety
Ray Luna
Plans Examiner
Community Development
Robert Simmons
Emergency Management Administrator
Public Safety
Scott Tullius
Public Safety Assistant
Public Safety
Sean McGilvra
Superintendent of Facilities Maintenance
Public Works and Transportation
Shane Sherwood
Division Chief
Orange County Fire Authority
Steve Sherwood
Assistant City Engineer
Public Works and Transportation
Shawnn Gallagher
Media Services Coordinator
City Manager Office
Stacy DeLong
Senior Project Manager
Public Works and Transportation
Stephen Bayne
Director, Risk Management
Irvine Unified School District
Vu Tran
Senior Civil Engineer
Public Works and Transportation
The Committee held four meetings throughout the plan development process to lay out the methods and approach for the Plan, draft and review content, make revisions, and engage members of the public.
• Committee Meeting #1 ( September 26, 2019 ): The Committee members confirmed the project goals and the responsibilities of the Committee. They revised the community engagement and
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outreach strategy, confirmed and prioritized the hazards to be included in the Plan, and identified critical facilities for the threat assessment. • Committee Meeting #2 ( October 29, 2019 ): Members held a detailed discussion about the results of the hazards assessment and mapping that showed the areas facing an elevated risk. The Committee also reviewed the hazard prioritization results. • Committee Meeting #3 ( December 3, 2019 ): The Committee reviewed the results of the risk assessment to identify the populations and assets that may face greater harm in a hazard event. The Committee also discussed potential hazard mitigation actions to address vulnerabilities. • Committee Meeting #4 ( December 19, 2019 ): The Committee reviewed the draft mitigation measures, made revisions, and assigned priorities. Invitation to Committee meetings, as well as agendas/materials, were provided via email. Appendix A contains copies of invitations, meeting agendas and sign-in sheets, and other relevant materials distributed for these meetings.
Public Engagement
Under FEMA guidelines, local hazard mitigation planning processes should create opportunities for members of the public to be involved in plan development — at a minimum, during the initial drafting stage, and during plan approval. The Committee chose to go beyond minimum standards and conduct more extensive community outreach to help ensure that the LHMP reflects community values, concerns, and priorities. The Committee developed a community engagement and outreach strategy to guide all public engagement activities. To ensure all residents were aware of the project, the City included a description of the project and ways to get inv olved in the City’s newsletter “Inside Irvine,” which is sent to 127,000 mailboxes throughout the City. Appendix B contains a copy of the strategy.
Public Meetings
In- person public meetings were a central component of the City’s engagement efforts. These meetings provided an opportunity for members of the public to learn about wildfire hazards and the LHMP update. These meetings were in coordination with Orange County Fire Authority and the Irvine Police Department. At these meetings, members of the public could speak directly to City staff and other stakeholders and provide detailed feedback. The City held two public meetings, and notices of each meeting were widely distributed in advance in accordance with City notification requirements, the engagement strategy, legal requirements, and best practices. • Public Engagement Opportunity #1 ( October 17, 2019 ) was conducted at Los Olivos Community Center, with 18 people in attendance. • Public Engagement Opportunity #2 ( October 30, 2019 ) was conducted at Portola Springs Elementary School, with 55 people in attendance. Appendix B includes a copy of the flyers used to promote these meetings.
Online Engagement
The City recognized that not all community members are able to attend public meetings and conducted public engagement through social media and online platforms. To assist with engagement, the City set up
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a project website (https://online.flippingbook.com/view/792205/) as a simple, one-stop location for community members to learn about the LHMP. The website included information about what an LHMP is and why the City prepared one. It had links to materials and Plan documents as they became available and allowed members of the public to receive notifications about upcoming events.
The City also promoted the planning process through the following online methods:
City Website
•
• Social Media (Facebook, NextDoor, Twitter) • Two Community Preparedness Presentations conducted throughout the City • Distribution of information to their extensive CERT Member List • Coordination with the Emergency Preparedness Interagency Collaborative , a group of schools that meets quarterly to collaborate on emergency preparedness topics • Article within the City’s periodical newsletter (Inside Irvine) that discusses the LHMP planning process Based on analytics tracked by the City, Facebook and Twitter posts reached an average of 2,500 accounts and 6,200 impressions, respectively. A central part of the engagement strategy was an online survey. This survey asked community members about their experience and familiarity with emergency conditions, their level of preparedness for future emergencies, and preferred actions for the City to take to increase resiliency. The City distributed the survey in English, Mandarin, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Farsi. The survey had responses from 234 individuals, of which 223 were provided in English, five in Mandarin, and 6 in Farsi. A summary of these responses is summarized here: • Nearly 64% of respondents live in the City of, with an additional 28% that live and work in the City. • Over 86% of respondents have not been impacted by a disaster in their current residence. • The top three hazards of concern for respondents were Seismic Hazards, Wildfire, and Human- Caused Hazards. • Approximately 67% of respondents showed concern regarding climate change affecting future hazards.
Appendix B contains copies of all materials used for public outreach, including the full results of the community survey.
Public Review Draft
On June 16, 2020, the City released a draft copy of the LHMP for public review and comment. The document was posted electron ically on the City’s website . Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic incident, City buildings were closed, which prevented the City from allowing residents to review hard copies of the document in person. The City distributed notifications about the public review draft through social media accounts and other online sources.
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Plan Revision and Adoption
The City received public comments on the plan, however none of the comments required edits or modification to the plan content. Following public comment, the City submitted the plan to Cal OES and FEMA. The City then made additional revisions to incorporate comments from state and federal agencies, as appropriate, and submitted the final draft to City decision-makers. The Irvine City Council adopted the final LHMP on October 27, 2020. Appendix C contains a copy of the adoption resolution.
Plan Resources
The City used several different plans, studies, technical reports, datasets, and other resources to prepare the hazard assessment, mapping, threat assessment, and other components of this Plan. Table 1-2 provides some of the primary resources the Committee used to prepare this Plan.
Table 1-2: Key Resources for Plan Development
Section
Key Resources Reviewed
Data Incorporated from Resource
Multiple
Cal-Adapt
Science and background information on different hazard conditions Records of past disaster events in and around Irvine Current and anticipated climate conditions in and around Irvine Projections of future seismic conditions and events
• • • • • • •
•
California Department of Conservation
California Geological Survey
•
California Office of Emergency Services California State Hazard Mitigation Plan
•
City of Irvine General Plan
•
FEMA Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Guidance National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
•
National Weather Service
• • •
US Geological Survey
US Census Bureau 2013-2017 American Community Survey US Census Bureau 2013-2017 American Community Survey City of Irvine General Plan Background Reports
Community Profile
Demographic information for Irvine and Orange County
•
•
History of the region
•
• • • • •
Economic trends in Irvine Commute patterns in Irvine Local land-use patterns
California Energy Commission
•
Background information on utilities serving Irvine Data on aircraft incidents in and around Irvine Mapping of dam failure inundation areas Profiles and conditions of dams in and around Irvine Science and historical records of disease outbreaks
Hazard Assessment (Aircraft Incidents) Hazard Assessment (Dam Failure)
Federal Aviation Administration
•
•
Irvine Ranch Water District Orange County Water District US Army Corps of Engineers
• • • • • • • • • •
•
•
Hazard Assessment (Disease and Pest Hazards) Hazard Assessment (Drought) Hazard Assessment (Flood Hazards)
California Department of Public Health
•
Centers for Disease Control World Health Organization
Cal Adapt
Historic drought information Current drought conditions
• • •
US Drought Monitor
FEMA Map Service Center
Records of past flood events in and around Irvine
Orange County Flood Control District
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Locations of flood-prone areas in Irvine
•
Hazard Assessment (Human-Caused Hazards) Hazard Assessment (Hazardous Materials Release Hazards) Hazard Assessment (Seismic Hazards)
Global Terrorism Database
Historical records of terrorism
•
•
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Location and dates of past hazardous materials release Effects of hazardous materials release
•
•
•
Southern California Earthquake Data Center The Third California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) California Department of Water Resources
Locations of fault zones
•
• •
Records of past earthquakes
•
Hazard Assessment (Severe Weather Hazards)
Science and background information on extreme weather events Historical record of extreme weather events in and around Irvine
• • •
•
US Drought Monitor
Western Regional Climate Center
•
Hazard Assessment (Wildfire Hazards)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention Fire and Resource Assessment Program
Records of past fire events
•
• •
• Location of fire hazard zones in and around Irvine Note: Sections that are not individually called out in this table relied primarily on sources identified in multiple sections.
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C HAPTER 2 - C OMMUNITY P ROFILE The Community Profile section of the LHMP is a summary of Irvine, including information about the community’s physical setting, history, economy and demographics, current and future land uses, and key infrastructure. The Community Profile helps to establish the baseline conditions in Irvine, which inform the development of the hazard mitigation actions in Chapter 5.
S ETTING AND L OCATION
The City of Irvine is located in southern Orange County, adjacent to the cities of Newport Beach, Lake Forest, Tustin, Santa Ana, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, and Laguna Beach. Situated at the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains to the east, the San Joaquin Hills to the west and south, and the low-lying flatlands of central Orange County to the north, the City has a diverse geographic setting. Located approximately five miles south of the City of Santa Ana (Orange County Seat), the City is in a key job center for both Orange County and southern California. 1
H ISTORY
Southern California and the land that Irvine is situated upon has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years, though sources differ on the earliest presence of humans. Most archaeological evidence establishes prehistoric man in the Irvine area at least 12,000 years ago, possibly even 18,000 years ago. Gabrielino Indians moved into the Irvine area 2,000 years ago, establishing dozens of villages. One village was located near the present San Joaquin marsh and another near the San Joaquin golf course. Gaspar de Portola, a Spanish explorer, entered the San Joaquin Valley in 1769, abruptly ending the tranquil life of the Gabrielinos. With the Spanish came forts, missions, and herds of cattle. The King of Spain began to parcel out lands for missions and for a few large, private land grants. In 1831, after gaining independence from Spain, the Mexican government secularized the missions, assumed control of land holdings, and began distributing ranchos to Mexican citizens who applied for grants. In 1837, San Juan Capistrano mission lands were granted to Don Jose Sepulveda, later becoming Rancho San Joaquin. Rancho Lomas de Santiago was granted to Teodosio Yorba in 1846. In that year, the Mexican army was defeated in the final battle of the Mexican American War. The Treaty of Guadalupe was signed, and California was annexed to the United States. During the mid-1800s, when landholders were forced to reapply to gain valid titles for their ranchos, Rancho de Santa Ana ran into troubles but was eventually divided among sheep rancher claimants, which included James Irvine. By 1878, Irvine eventually acquired his partners’ interests stretching his 110,000- acre ranch 23 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Santa Ana River. In 1886, James Irvine died leaving the ranch in flux until 1893 when his son, James Irvine, Jr., came into full possession of the ranch. A year later, this ranch was incorporated into The Irvine Company. After that, James Irvine, Jr. began shifting ranch operations to field crops, olive, and citrus orchards. During WorldWar I, agriculture had intensified, and by 1918, some 60,000 acres of lima beans were grown on the Irvine Ranch. During World War II, two Marine Corps air facilities were built on land sold to the
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government by The Irvine Company. James Irvine, Jr. died in 1947 at the age of 80. Presidency of the company fell to his son Myford, who began opening small sections of the ranch to urban development, until his death in 1959.
In 1959, the University of California asked The Irvine Company for 1,000 acres for a new campus. The Irvine Company agreed, and the State accepted the land and purchased an additional 500 acres. The University's consulting architect, William Pereira, and Irvine Company planners drew up master plans for a city of 50,000 people surrounding the university. The area would include industrial zones, residential and recreational areas, commercial centers, and greenbelts. The Irvine Industrial Complex West (now known as The Irvine Business Complex) opened, and the villages of Turtle Rock, University Park, Culverdale, the Ranch and Walnut were completed by 1970.
An aerial view of UCI in 1967, being transformed from the Irvine Ranch. Photo courtesy of KCET. https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/terraforming- the-irvine-ranch-and-the-construction-of-uc-irvine
On December 28, 1971, the residents of these communities voted to incorporate a substantially larger city than that envisioned by the original Pereira plan in order to control the future of the area and protect its tax base. In May 2015, the City of Irvine had a population of more than 250,000, making it one of the 80 most populous cities in America. Its total area has grown to 66 square miles. By 2035, the City is expected to have approximately 318,000 residents. 2
D EMOGRAPHICS
The data used in this section comes from the most comprehensive American Community Survey (ACS), administered by the United States Census Bureau (US Census) completed in 2017. Based on this dataset, Irvine’s 2017 population was estimated to be 256,877, with a median age of 34, which is three years younger than Orange County. Comparatively, the number of senior residents aged 65 and older is less than the rest of Orange County, while Irvine residents are wealthier. In addition, a high proportion of Irvine residents rent compared to Orange
The City of Irvine has continually been recognized as The Safest City in America for a city of its size. https://legacy.cityofirvine.org/civica/filebank/blobdl oad.asp?BlobID=27043
County. Table 2-1 shows the basic demographics for Irvine and Orange County. It should be noted that more recent population estimates place the City’s population at approximately 282,572 residents, which is an increase of over 33.3% from the last census in 2010, suggesting the City has experienced significant population growth in the last decade. 3
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City of Irvine
2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
TABLE 2-1: BASIC DEMOGRAPHICS, IRVINE AND ORANGE COUNTY (2017) 4 DEMOGRAPHICS IRVINE ORANGE COUNTY Total population 256,877 3,155,816 Percent of residents that are children (less than 10 years) 12.30% 12.1% Percent of residents that are senior citizens (65+ years) 9.9% 13.5% Median age 34.4 37.5 Total households 92,869 1,024,976 Median household income $95,573 $81,851 Percent of rental households 51.80% 42.6% Note: Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal. In terms of its racial and ethnic composition, Irvine is a white-majority city, with 47.7% percent of all Irvine residents identifying as white. The second-largest population is Asian, with 41.8% percent of all residents identifying as such. This population makeup contrasts greater Orange County, due to a high proportion of white and Latino populations. Table 2-2 shows the racial and ethnic composition for all groups in Irvine and Orange County. TABLE 2-2: RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION, IRVINE AND ORANGE COUNTY (2017) 5 RACE OR ETHNICITY IRVINE ORANGE COUNTY POPULATION PERCENTAGE POPULATION PERCENTAGE White 122,639 47.0% 1,960,484 62.1% Black or African American 5075 2.0% 53,262 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native 332 0.10% 14,468 1.1% Asian 107,297 41.8% 621,178 21.9% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 463 0.20% 9,620 0.7% Another race 7,384 2.90% 373,605 12.7% Two or more races 13,687 5.30% 123,199 3.9%
Latino/Latina (of any race) *
25,025 256,877
9.70% 100%
1,079,172 3,155,816
34.2%
Total 100% * The US Census Bureau does not currently count persons who identify as Latino/Latina as a separate racial or ethnic category. Persons who identify as Hispanic or Latino are already included in the other racial or ethnic categories Note: Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal.
Irvine residents have attained higher education levels in comparison to Orange County. For example, a larger proportion of the population has attained b achelor’s and professional degrees, roughly 67.5% of the City’s residents versus 39.10% of the County’s residents. Other categories also differ, such as a much lower percentage of people not having education past 9th grade and a lower percentage of people not having graduated high school. Table 2-3 shows all levels of educational attainment of residents 25 years of age or older in both Irvine and Orange County.
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City of Irvine
2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Table 2-3: Educational Attainment of Residents 25+ Years of Age in Irvine and Orange County (2017) F 6
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
IRVINE
ORANGE COUNTY, CA
NUMBER
PERCENTAGE
NUMBER
PERCENTAGE
Less than 9 th grade
3,478 3,117
2.10% 1.90% 8.30% 13.5% 6.70%
181,950 144,085 369,128 437,417 166,462 537,600 295,516
8.5% 6.8%
9 th grade to 12 th grade (no diploma) High school graduate or equivalent
13,746 22,472 11,181 63,193 48,877 11,329
17.3% 20.5%
Some college (no degree)
Associate degree Bachelor’s degree
7.8%
38.10% 29.40% 100.0%
25.2% 13.9% 100%
Graduate or professional degree
Total
2,132,158
Note: Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal.
Irvine has a wide range of different non-English languages that are spoken at home among its residents, with varying levels of proficiency. Generally, Asian and Pacific Islander languages are the second most- spoken languages in Irvine, with a bit more than 41% who are not fluent in English, which is 10% less than the level of English fluency among the Countywide population of Asian and Pacific Islander language speakers. Indo-European languages are the third most-spoken languages in Irvine, with a quarter of these speakers unable to speak English fluently. This is like the rest of Orange County, where a majority of Indo- European language speakers can speak English fluently. Table 2-4 shows the most spoken languages in Irvine and the levels of fluency among speakers age five and older in Irvine and Orange County. Table 2-4: English Proficiency and Languages Spoken at Home Among Residents 5 Years or Older in Irvine and Orange County (2015) 7 LANGUAGE IRVINE ORANGE COUNTY, CA NUMBER OF SPEAKERS NUMBER OF SPEAKERS
PERCENTAGE NOT FLUENT IN ENGLISH
PERCENTAGE NOT FLUENT IN ENGLISH
English only
122,519 14,257 27,850 67,916
-
1,615,355
-
Spanish
18.90% 25.60% 41.20%
766,744 121,533 430,720
42.90% 26.90%
Indo-European* Asian and Pacific Islander* All other languages
51%
8,581
33.70% 100.0%
32,492
33.30%
Total
241,123
2,966,864
100%
Note: Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal. * Census data does not break down the specific languages for these regions
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City of Irvine
2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
E CONOMY AND C OMMUTE P ATTERNS
Irvine has a diverse economy of employers from a variety of sectors, including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical equipment and devices, computer hardware and software, semiconductors, financial services, automotive design, communications, and education. With a total employment base of 235,100, the top employer in the City is the University of California Irvine, which employs nearly 20,000 people. The second-largest employer is the Irvine Unified School District, with more than 4,700 employees. The next
The University of California Irvine is the largest employer in Irvine.
top three employers are Blizzard Entertainment INC., a video game developer; Broadcom, a designer, developer, manufacturer and global supplier of semiconductor and infrastructure software products; and Edwards Lifescience Corp., a medical technology company. Table 2-5 shows the top five employers in Irvine in 2018.
Table 2-5: Top Employers in Irvine (2018) 8
EMPLOYER
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT
University of California Irvine Irvine Unified School District Blizzard Entertainment Inc.
19,625
8.3% 2.0% 1.1% 1.1% 1.1%
4,709 2,622 2,604 2,575
Broadcom Corp.
Edwards Lifescience Corp.
Note: Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal.
As of 2017, over 93,000 Irvine residents are employed, with approximately 26,272 (28%) of them working within the City. This local workforce accounts for 9.7% of the entire workforce, with the remaining workforce coming from surrounding cities throughout the region. Table 2-6 shows the top five cities that contribute to Irvine’s workforce, which accounts for over 25% of those employed within the City. Table 2-6: Top Five Cities-of- origin for Irvine’s Workforce (2010) 9 CITIES-OF- ORIGIN FOR IRVINE’S WORKFORCE NUMBER PERCENTAGE Irvine 26,272 9.7% Santa Ana 15,313 5.7% Anaheim 11,899 4.4% Los Angeles (City) 10,951 4.1% Huntington Beach 8,177 3.0% Total 72,612 26.9% Note: Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal.
While the majority of Irvine’s residents commute outside the city for work, most of those residents (55.7%) travel less than 10 miles to reach their place of employment. Approximately 10% of commuters traveled 50 miles or more, with most of those trips heading into the Los Angeles or San Diego areas. The
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