At the May 12, 2020 meeting, the Irvine City Council ended the six-year battle by adopting the citizens’ initiative to rezone the ARDA site exclusively for the Southern California Memorial Park & Cemetery. This is the original City-owned 125-acre “ARDA” site on the former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro at the Great Park.
The 4-1 vote was an amazing victory for the all-volunteer grassroots Build the Great Park Veterans Cemetery committee that eliminated the need for a ballot measure.
The citizens’ committee — made up of hundreds of Irvine residents — has worked tirelessly for years to make sure that Irvine delivers on a promise it made back in 2014 to build the Southern California Veterans Memorial Park & Cemetery on the ARDA site.