Held Accountable

The organization created by the city of Irvine to help develop a park at the former ElToro Marine Corps Naval Air Station will operate under the same conflict-of-interest andpublic-records rules as local government.

The open-government rules were incorporated in the bylaws of the Orange County GreatPark Corp., which were approved this week by the City Council.

The nonprofit corporation was created as part of a 2002 voter initiative that derailedplans for a civilian airport at the closed base by allowing commercial and residentialdevelopment there, surrounding a large park. The corporation's board consists of thefive Irvine City Council members and four other Orange County residents appointed by thecouncil.

The city's plans call for the $353 million park to be funded with $200 million indeveloper fees and $153 million in bonds backed by property tax assessments ondevelopments built on former base land.

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