In today’s podcast, Councilmember Larry Agran discusses great news! The Great Park Board unanimously directed staff to study the 125-acre ARDA Site for the Botanical Garden and Veterans Memorial.

In other news, Mayor Khan and Larry have co-sponsored a discussion of the Veterans Memorial Park for the February 8 City Council agenda.

Tune in to today’s episode to hear more!

On January 11th, 2022, Councilmember Larry Agran helped expand and make permanent Irvine’s new standing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Also, even though Irvine’s a sports-crazy town, we missed a couple! Irvine’s badminton community provided public comments that helped Larry and the City Council kickstart a plan to give every sport space in the City. Tune in to hear Larry tell Irvine’s story of increasing inclusion for everyone.

At a City Council meeting on December 14, 2021, Councilmember Larry Agran raised crucial questions about the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA). Since Larry's return to the Council, he has made numerous attempts for the City to receive "a full public presentation at a City Council meeting" by the Power Authority on its business plan and operations.

Larry believes that Community Choice Energy is an important initiative, and he wants the public to have confidence the Joint Power Authority will launch successfully.

As the goal of the City is to provide businesses and residents with 100% renewable energy by 2025, Larry wants the Authority to reach this target at an affordable price. So far, the OCPA has presented the Irvine City Council with no price for the cost of the renewable energy or schedule of rates.

"It is important for citizens to know how this will work..if the rates offered by the OCPA are considerably higher than SCE [Southern California Edison], then who's going to stay in the Power Authority?"

Larry and the City's residents are committed to the Power Authority's success, but energy procurement is a risky business. That's the reason why he's been asking his City Council colleagues for the Orange County Power Authority and their consultants to brief the City Council on their energy procurement policies and projected costs.

Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran has a clear message about Irvine's #1 chemical polluter: "The only way we are going to deal effectively with All-American-Asphalt and its toxic emissions is by shutting that plant down."

Hear why the code enforcement hotline Larry proposed at the Nov. 9th meeting of the Irvine City Council is the City's first necessary step.

“My Council colleagues objected to the fact that a public health hotline might cost the City as much as $8000,000 in a year. My reaction was: $800,000 to protect the health and safety of thousands of Irvine residents, you've got to be kidding, this City spends $800,000 just to turn the lights on in the morning.”

Also, "The Orange County Power Authority will fail...and take our $7.75 million with them if they cannot successfully compete with Southern California Edison." Irvine needs a public presentation from the OCPA, explains Larry in the latest episode of Conversations with Councilmember Larry Agran, so that a positive initiative, Community Choice Energy, does not devolve into higher rates and dirtier energy at the hands of mismanagement.

On October 26th, 2021, Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran opposed a resolution the Irvine City Council adopted (4-1) to support the placement of the Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim Hills. Tune in to hear Larry explain why his vote upheld the people of Irvine’s directive for the ARDA site at the Great Park, and why we should start honoring our veterans with a perimeter park surrounding the ARDA site.

Listen to Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran discuss the October 12th City Council meeting where he expressed his concerns with the Orange County Power Authority. 

Join Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran as he discusses a possible botanical garden at the Great Park, and ways to enforce truck routes carrying possible toxic emissions from the All American Asphalt plant. 

Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran recaps the contentious September 14 City Council meeting with updates on Irvine's rule of two and the All American Asphalt plant 

This is the first episode of our audio series Conversations with Larry, produced by the office of Irvine Councilmember Agran.

Get ready to hear Larry talk about what's really happening regarding the All American Asphalt plant and the growing public health concerns from residents in the northern part of Irvine.

"I believe the city government should be on the side of legitimately aggrieved residents….not finding reasons not to help them out."