Village Cottage Native Garden - Watercolor Illustration

A MASTER-PLANNED VISION FOR OAK CREEK

Through community engagement and a commitment to the “Irvine way” of balanced master planning, a new vision for the privately owned Oak Creek Golf Club property has been established. The plan represents an alternative approach to addressing state housing mandates through an expansive nature park, a lower-density village and comprehensive transportation solutions.

Explore the Plan

The nature park and village plan features mature landscaping, walking paths, a school and a range of homes that will connect directly to the expansive nature park and Jeffrey Open Space Trail.

Nature Park
Features trails, woodlands and gardens
New Elementary School
For the village and community
Pedestrian Bridges
New Jeffrey Open Space Trail bridges
Single-Family Homes
3,600 to 6,500 sq. ft. lots
Condos & Flats
For first-time buyers and empty nesters
Village Parks
With play areas, pools and clubhouses
Apartment Homes
Connected to high-tech jobs

Illustrative site plan of Oak Creek Nature Park & Village with a numbered legend of parks, homes, school, and trail bridges. — The Oak Creek Nature Park & Village plan: a nature park, elementary school, pedestrian bridges, single-family homes, condos & flats, village parks, and apartment homes.

The plan is situated east of Jeffrey Rd., south of I-5, and north of Irvine Center Dr.

IMAGINING IRVINE’S LARGEST NATURE PARK

Based on community feedback, initial planning evolved to include what will become Irvine’s largest nature park with miles of nature trails, creek, woodlands and wildlife viewing areas. Explore these illustrations of community-driven nature park priorities.

Click the image to the left to view a brief video with resident perspectives on the nature park, then scroll on to see their ideas come to life.

An expansive seasonal meadow would become the centerpiece of the nature park with native flowers changing colors throughout the year. As planned, it would be the largest designed seasonal meadow in California.

Nature Park Creek Oak Grove Trail - Watercolor Illustration

Miles of new trails would connect to the Jeffrey Open Space Trail. As requested by the community, the trails are envisioned as separated to ensure access and safety for both cyclists and hikers.

Botanic gardens and walking paths would extend from the nature center. These gardens would provide a more formal display of native plant and flower species, many that attract pollinators like the Monarch butterly and hummingbirds.

Nature Park Creek Wildflowers - Watercolor Illustration

A meandering creek would wind near the nature park. Riparian woodlands – like sycamores and cottonwoods – would provide a shaded canopy over creek-side trails.

Nature Park Boardwalk - Watercolor Illustration

Elevated boardwalks, shaded by California sycamores, would wind through the nature park’s wildlife viewing area. Native and riparian plant species would attract birds like the Great Blue Heron or Red-tailed Hawk.

Master Planning a Balanced Irvine Village

Connected to the nature park and inspired by the Santa Barbara architectural style, the village features a range of homes, including single-family detached homes, townhomes, and an apartment community seamlessly integrated into an adjacent high-tech office campus.

A couple strolling through a village garden

Landscaped paseos wind through the village, connecting to the school, trails and nature park.

The village’s natural beauty can be experienced at outdoor gathering areas.

The village’s single-family detached homes are planned on lots ranging from about 3,600 to 6,500 sf. Today, the entire south village (along Irvine Center Dr.) is planned as single-family detached with a density of about 6 homes per acre.

Townhomes and single-level flats are designed for first-time buyers and empty nesters. The village will be composed primarily of single-family, for-sale homes.

Innovation Office Park - High Tech Office Campus

The village’s apartment homes are integrated into an adjacent high-tech office campus to place homes next to jobs. A new park and trail is planned to connect the community into the office campus and its cafe.

Loma Ridge Elementary School - Irvine, CA

A new public elementary school is designed for the village and surrounding community.

Santa Barbara’s architectural style is embraced throughout the village and nature park through arches, red-clay tiles, wrought-iron details and white walls.

Community Collaboration

Renowned park planners Jenny Rigby and Sean O’Malley have guided the community planning process, hosted by Irvine Company at a dedicated design studio. Here are the results:

Workshops
& Public Meetings

Planning
Studio Participants

Online
 Survey Responses

Mailed-in
 Survey Responses

Resident Perspectives

“I’ve lived in Irvine for 30 years and fully support the plan to convert privately owned fairways with public meadows and woodlands that everyone can enjoy.”

— Tim C.

“A nature park at this location would provide families with a wonderful environment where children can safely enjoy the outdoors, learn about nature and spend quality time with their families.”

— Ryan L.

“The planned park and tie-in to the Jeffrey Open Space Trail would continue Irvine’s great tradition of providing something so needed in our complex world: a place to touch nature and remember our place in it.”

— Sheila G.

“Irvine has always been a city that thinks ahead, and I believe this is one of those moments. I’d love to see the Oak Creek Golf Club reimagined as a nature park, a space that any resident can enjoy freely.”

— Kimberly G.

“I can visualize a day when residents can walk or bike ride from the northeast of our city using the JOST, stopping at a Nature Park, and then possibly connecting to the San Joaquin trails in order to arrive at the Pacific Ocean!”

— Jon W.

Questions & Answers

How has the plan evolved?

In the past year, community feedback has resulted in the creation of the nature park to provide public open space in central Irvine, and a focus on single-family for-sale options for a range of residents – from first-time buyers, move-down retirees and families. The overall density is now 9 homes per acre across the overall plan. A number of refinements have also been made to enhance connectivity and mobility.

How will the nature park anchor a new residential village?

The nature park would anchor a lower-density village featuring a new public school. This balance of public open space and a new village aligns with Irvine’s traditional master planning principles and serves as a model for addressing state housing mandates.

What transportation plans are you incorporating?

New Connectivity: The completion of Oak Canyon and Progress will serve as the primary “in-and-out,” leading trips to I-5 and job centers, and away from existing villages.
New Bridges: New pedestrian and bicycle bridges will improve traffic flow, reduce delays and increase safety.
Synchronize Local Intersections: New light synchronizations are part of a broader plan to synchronize intersections on Sand Canyon Ave.
Multiple Entry Points: Multiple entry/exit points will disperse car trips rather than concentrating them at a single intersection.
Regional Transportation Planning: The plan is part of a regional strategy totaling hundreds of millions in investment, including the widening of I-5 in central Irvine.

How can the nature park complete the Jeffrey Open Space Trail?

The “missing middle” of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail will be completed through central Irvine as a result of the plan. The city’s Jeffrey Trail bridge over the I-5 will connect to the nature park. From there, new bridges over the railway line and Irvine Center Drive will allow the trail to continue to Irvine’s northern mountains and coastal hills.

Who are the planners?

Irvine Company has partnered with acclaimed master planners Jenny Rigby of The Acorn Group and Sean O’Malley of SWA, who have facilitated workshops, led tours and conducted surveys to turn your ideas into a shared plan.

Master Planning Timeline

Summer 2024
In response to state housing mandates, the City of Irvine approved its General Plan, which allows up to 5,000 apartments on portions of the Oak Creek Golf Club and adjacent properties.
Spring 2025
Irvine Company kicked off a yearlong community engagement program to understand local priorities and identify alternatives to the high-density apartment plan.
Summer 2026
The community-driven vision for the nature park and village plan, with 2,400 predominantly single-family homes, was submitted to the city, kicking off the preparation of required environmental studies.
Spring 2027
The City will review the proposal and environmental studies during multiple public hearings.

Share Your Ideas

Please let us know your perspective and feedback.

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Which of the plan’s revisions and updates do you value most?*

Creation of a 50-acre nature park

Completion of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail

Reduction in the number of homes

A range of for-sale home sizes and styles

Apartment homes near office campus

Mobility and transportation improvements

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