Irvine Co. Gives Hilltop Near Laguna to Public

A 60-acre parcel of prime hilltop land near Laguna Beach is being donated to Orange County by the Irvine Co. for permanent public use, the company announced Wednesday.

“Part of our philosophy is looking at communities as a whole rather than just something to build on,” company spokesman Rich Elbaum said. “This gift will benefit the community and the county by providing, for decades to come, a place where people can come to enjoy the incredible views.”

Eric Jessen, chief of the county’s Harbors, Beaches and Parks Department, expressed enthusiasm over the gift. The parcel, he said, is a “spectacular piece of land. . . . The county is very pleased.”

The hilltop parcel, which the company values at about $30 million, is just north of the city beside 1,451 acres the company gave the county last year to expand Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. Near the park’s highest point, the parcel includes Guna Peak, which Jessen described as “one of the most prominent features in the local wilderness,” one offering a view of the breaking surf.

Previously slated for a housing development, the land remained undeveloped until last year, when the Laguna Beach County Water District began building a 5-million-gallon underground reservoir there. The aim is to ensure an adequate water supply for firefighters during canyon blazes like the devastating 1993 Laguna Beach fire.

During construction of the reservoir, nearby homeowners and members of the Laguna Beach City Council approached the water district with a request that the land be dedicated for public use. The water district relayed the request to the Irvine Co.

On completion of the reservoir, probably later this year, the water district plans to restore the hilltop’s natural contours and vegetation.