A 10-part series celebrating the people and milestones in and around Great Park Neighborhoods as the community celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Sustainability: Being Great by Going Green
October 4, 2023
Five-year-old twins Oliver & Kesler Aslanian may have never met their great grandfather, but there’s a beautiful reminder of his military history and presence in their community near the intersection of Bosque and Cadence at Great Park Neighborhoods.
After sending an application to Great Park Neighborhoods’ Adopt A Heritage Tree program in 2021, the Aslanian family was designated a Jacaranda tree and named it “Louie” to honor their great grandfather (a World War II veteran) and grandfather (a Vietnam veteran) who both served in the Marine Corps.
The boys’ great grandfather flew in and out of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, and their grandfather used to take their mom Karyn to air shows on the base. The land is now home to Great Park Neighborhoods and the City of Irvine’s Great Park.
“Being able to tell my dad the story behind the tree was really cool,” said Karyn Aslanian, a resident of Parasol Park. “It’s so personal to us. We frequently take walks over there and say hi to Louie.”
“Since the launch of the Adopt A Heritage Tree program…about 350 residents have participated.”
Arguably the most recognizable of the decades-old heritage trees exists in the Aslanian’s neighborhood: the parasol pine. It is a towering landmark that became the namesake and focal point of one of Great Park Neighborhoods’ nine parks, Parasol Park.
FivePoint’s joint venture (Heritage Fields El Toro, LLC) has preserved nearly 1,000 heritage trees and replanted them throughout the individual neighborhoods.
In total, more than 7,000 trees have been planted across Great Park Neighborhoods’ streetscapes, parks, schools and open spaces.
“In total, more than 7,000 trees have been planted across Great Park Neighborhoods…”
A commitment to sustainability at Great Park Neighborhoods extends far beyond planting and preserving trees. It is woven into every element of the community. In honor of its 10th anniversary, here are 10 examples of eco-friendly initiatives that contribute to this healthy and thriving community:
10
Compost club
Great Park Neighborhoods has a thriving compost club where participants turn kitchen scraps into garden goodness.
9
Walkable & bikeable
The community was planned and intentionally built with wider sidewalks to make neighborhoods walkable and bikeable. Every new household is offered a signature Great Park Neighborhoods-branded orange bike as a welcome gift (from FivePoint’s joint venture) as part of its homebuyer program, further encouraging residents to get outdoors and leave the car behind.
8
Energy efficiency
Homebuilders have instituted a variety of energy-efficient measures and materials ranging from eco-friendly doors, windows, appliances, heating and AC units, solar panels and tankless water heaters.
7
Landscaping
The community adopts smart, California-native, drought-tolerant landscaping, which is aesthetically appealing and less dependent on water.
6
Smarter irrigation
Computer-managed irrigation systems adjust watering based on weather patterns to minimize overspray, and high-efficiency spray heads are used to circulate recycled water.
5
Greenhouses and gardens
Residents have access to community gardens and greenhouses in Pavilion Park and Parasol Park.
4
Wildlife corridor
In collaboration with environmental organizations, FivePoint is nearing completion of all grading, planting, landscaping, irrigation, fencing, and crossings in and around a 2.5-mile portion of a 6-mile wildlife corridor east of Great Park Neighborhoods. The corridor, once fully completed, will encourage biodiversity and provide a vital connection point for native species between the Santa Ana Mountains and Laguna coastline.*
3
Great Park trails
The 1.5-mile Great Park Trails along Bosque was introduced in 2019, providing a connection between Great Park Neighborhoods and the adjacent Great Park.*
2
Runways into greenways
Approximately 276,000 tons of concrete from the former military base aircraft runways at the Great Park have been removed, crushed, and recycled for use as base material for local roads, allowing for raw material conservation and reductions in landfill waste.
1
Agua Chinon
A formerly degraded, single-use flood control channel called Agua Chinon was also reimagined as an open-space stream corridor with multiple beneficial uses, including ecosystem restoration, habitat mitigation, and flood conveyance. An award-winner for its sustainable engineering, Agua Chinon is also accessible to Great Park Neighborhoods residents as a passive recreation area.*
*Built and funded by Heritage Fields El Toro LLC (a joint venture of FivePoint) on City of Irvine land as part of a public-private partnership with the City of Irvine.
Fun Fact: Great Park Neighborhoods was the recipient of the 2023 Commitment to Sustainability Award from the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce.
