UPDATED: The Irvine Co. Gift That Keeps on Giving
UPDATED WITH PHOTOS FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING . . .
He's got a gift. Donald Bren, the secretive, aging multi-billionaire who chairs The Irvine Co., has an undisputed gift for preservation. He sets aside, and preserves, and then preserves yet again the mostly steep, landslide prone, unbuildable portions of his sprawling ranch lands, which stretch from the Pacific Ocean more than 20 miles inland to the Riverside County border.
Time and again, company press releases have trumpeted the dedication of thousands of acres of pristine open space by the chairman of the board. Limestone Canyon has repeatedly been dubbed Orange County's "Grand Canyon" and "crown jewel." And over nearly two decades, Bren has also used the open space set asides to cut development deals in endangered species habitat, win the largest conservation easement tax breaks in U.S. history, and wreathe himself and his legacy in laurels from federal and state parks officials.
Now, the Irvine Co. chairman really wants to give it to the people of Orange County. This time, the press releases proclaim that he is ready to turn over, once and for all, 20,000 acres of rugged wild lands at the county's eastern edge to the public.
Not so fast, says the county's conservation community. Like Bren, some are now in their late 70s, and they've been battling him as long as he's been bulldozing sage scrub for master planned tract homes. For them, any gift from The Irvine Co. is worth examining closely to see what strings might be hiding under the tidy bows and shiny wrappings.
Two weeks ago, the county parks commission unanimously approved accepting the 20,000 acre gift, and outsourcing if possible the management of the open space. Since then, conservations groups have been begging county officials to slow down and take a closer look.
"This is a great idea, we just want you to be cautious, to lay out the costs too," said Carolyn Wood, president of the Laguna Canyon Conservancy, addressing the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning.
She and others worry about the financial liability to a strapped county parks department, and possible additional crime and destruction of wild lands if they are opened up willy nilly to the public. They point to damage on other lands donated by the company in the past because of a lack of tax dollars for maintenance. And they worry who will control the supposedly public lands. A clause in the letter of intent put to the board for a vote on Tuesday could ensure that Bren's hand-picked, handsomely paid Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff would continue to oversee the lands. The remaining $4.6 million of $50 million that he set aside to manage the lands could end up in paychecks and expenses for his own foundation.
Michael O'Connell, IRC's director, said his salary was not paid for out of the $50 million, but was part of a separate donation. He said while his group might handle the transition phase, he was not even sure they wanted to manage the lands long-term. O'Connell earns nearly $300,000 in salary, benefits and expenses each year, records show. Despite their short track record, the group has won praise from community groups, docents and others for aggressive fire prevention, land restoration and trail development.
Irvine Co. vice president Dan Miller said the aim of the gift was pure and simple, to turn over the land to the public. In fact, he said, it was partly aimed at eliminating criticism that a real estate developer was overseeing open space. He also said there was no intent to rush a
deal through.
"We still have a lot of work to do," he told the board. "We understand that."
Most supervisors and county parks officials praised the proposed donation, saying they were "honored, even humbled" by the "incredible" and "glorious" gift of "stunning proportions."
The land is unquestionably beautiful, all sides agree, with rugged ravines, hillsides strewn with massive live oaks, golden eagle habitat, and mountain lions, bobcats and rare songbirds in residence.
Fourth District supervisor Chris Norby was a bit more sanguine. Norby, who represents the county's heavily populated, northern urban areas where there is little open space, noted that ancient wisdom was divided between "don't look a gift horse in the mouth," and "beware of
Greeks bearing gifts."
"I believe this is somewhere in between," he said. "This is a gift horse. But we have looked it in the mouth, and we like what we see."
 |
| Photo by Keith May |
| County Supervisor Bill Campbell, whose district includes the Irvine Co. land in question, is amused by a speaker at Tuesday's board meeting in Santa Ana. |
He's got a gift. Donald Bren, the secretive, aging multi-billionaire who chairs The Irvine Co., has an undisputed gift for preservation. He sets aside, and preserves, and then preserves yet again the mostly steep, landslide prone, unbuildable portions of his sprawling ranch lands, which stretch from the Pacific Ocean more than 20 miles inland to the Riverside County border.
 |
| By Kathryn Hyatt |
| Don Bren: giver |
Now, the Irvine Co. chairman really wants to give it to the people of Orange County. This time, the press releases proclaim that he is ready to turn over, once and for all, 20,000 acres of rugged wild lands at the county's eastern edge to the public.
Not so fast, says the county's conservation community. Like Bren, some are now in their late 70s, and they've been battling him as long as he's been bulldozing sage scrub for master planned tract homes. For them, any gift from The Irvine Co. is worth examining closely to see what strings might be hiding under the tidy bows and shiny wrappings.
 |
| Photo by Keith May |
| Supervisor Chris Norby says he's looked this Bren gift horse in the mouth . . . and likes it. |
"This is a great idea, we just want you to be cautious, to lay out the costs too," said Carolyn Wood, president of the Laguna Canyon Conservancy, addressing the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning.
She and others worry about the financial liability to a strapped county parks department, and possible additional crime and destruction of wild lands if they are opened up willy nilly to the public. They point to damage on other lands donated by the company in the past because of a lack of tax dollars for maintenance. And they worry who will control the supposedly public lands. A clause in the letter of intent put to the board for a vote on Tuesday could ensure that Bren's hand-picked, handsomely paid Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff would continue to oversee the lands. The remaining $4.6 million of $50 million that he set aside to manage the lands could end up in paychecks and expenses for his own foundation.
Michael O'Connell, IRC's director, said his salary was not paid for out of the $50 million, but was part of a separate donation. He said while his group might handle the transition phase, he was not even sure they wanted to manage the lands long-term. O'Connell earns nearly $300,000 in salary, benefits and expenses each year, records show. Despite their short track record, the group has won praise from community groups, docents and others for aggressive fire prevention, land restoration and trail development.
 |
| Photo by Keith May |
| Irvine Co. vice president Dan Miller addresses the supervisors. |
deal through.
"We still have a lot of work to do," he told the board. "We understand that."
Most supervisors and county parks officials praised the proposed donation, saying they were "honored, even humbled" by the "incredible" and "glorious" gift of "stunning proportions."
The land is unquestionably beautiful, all sides agree, with rugged ravines, hillsides strewn with massive live oaks, golden eagle habitat, and mountain lions, bobcats and rare songbirds in residence.
Fourth District supervisor Chris Norby was a bit more sanguine. Norby, who represents the county's heavily populated, northern urban areas where there is little open space, noted that ancient wisdom was divided between "don't look a gift horse in the mouth," and "beware of
Greeks bearing gifts."
"I believe this is somewhere in between," he said. "This is a gift horse. But we have looked it in the mouth, and we like what we see."
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