Bill to study Irvine veterans cemetery sites and pick one gets Gov. Newsom’s sign-off
The state can now analyze two possible Irvine locations for a Southern California veterans cemetery and choose one, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill this week authorizing the study.
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, wrote the bill that tasks CalVet, the state veterans affairs department, with evaluating two sites: one within the Great Park that had been planned for a golf course, and one on the park’s northern edge that contains the remains of buildings and runways from the former El Toro Marine air base.
While the Irvine City Council has offered to donate the golf course site to the state for a veterans cemetery, former mayor Larry Agran is leading an effort to designate the northern site, known as ARDA, for the project.
Irvine dedicates, showcases site for Orange County’s first veterans cemetery Irvine voters didn’t like city’s plan for veterans cemetery location 100-acre Great Park golf course site chosen for Orange County veterans cemetery. Paperwork for another ballot measure filed to change veterans cemetery location in Irvine. About $24.5 million in state funds have been earmarked for the cemetery regardless of where it ends up, and Irvine developer FivePoint Holdings has pledged another $28 million toward building at the golf course site.
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