Elliott and Watson
Irvine Has it All
Roger McErlane
Planning Woodbury
Interesting Facts
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Master Plan
The Irvine Company's decision to initiate a master plan for The Irvine Ranch® was made in 1959, when the company donated 1,000 acres of land to the University of California. William Pereira was commissioned to create a plan for the new campus (completed in 1960) and the surrounding 35,000-acre coastal sector of the Ranch (completed in 1964).
Pereira introduced the concept of the master planned community as a forward-thinking alternative to an extension of the suburbanization in the northern half of Orange County.
Under Ray Watson, who joined the Irvine Company in the 1960s as its first planner, a full-time professional planning staff was established to complete and implement the master plan. The 22,000-acre valley sector was completed in 1970 and the 36,000-acre mountain sector followed three years later.
The Irvine Ranch Master Plan has continued to support economic growth and promote quality of life, including:
- A variety of housing types
- Job centers
- Shopping centers
- Schools
- Generous recreation
- Abundant open space
The Irvine Ranch Master Plan has adapted well to new needs and changing times. The Villages of Irvine are the current reflection of Pereira's original vision and the Irvine Company's commitment to the community.
To read more about the development and specifics of the Master Plan, click here.
