What Irvine is about to decide

The Irvine City Council meets Tuesday, October 13 at 4:00 PM in the City Council Chamber, 1 Civic Center Plaza, with Zoom participation, opening with a closed session (estimated to end at 5 p.m.). Three weeks after it accepted the “Target ’28” deficit plan in concept, the council gets the interim report it asked for — and a staff recommendation to suspend CicloIrvine. These are pending decisions from the posted agenda — not outcomes. Every item links to the official record.

Source: official agenda · staff reports linked item by item below

The headline: the council is asked to adopt the Target ’28 budget balancing plan update, to “immediately suspend CicloIrvine until the City achieves a structurally balanced General Fund budget and the City Council votes to reinstate the event” — a FY 2026–27 saving the staff report puts at approximately $677,000 — and to send every other citywide special event through a commission review. Also up: first reading of an ordinance regulating kratom, and final adoption of the worker retention ordinance (introduced 5–2 on September 22) and of the electronic voting lights requirement.

💰 Target ’28: the interim report

What the plan is. Per the staff report, Target ’28 “balances the deficit beginning FY 2027-28 of $37 million” through $27 million in expenditure reductions ($17 million in payroll savings and $10 million from other department reductions) and $10 million in revenue measures — $5 million in projected revenue from proposed fee increases, “pending completion of the comprehensive cost of services study and City Council consideration in March 2027,” $2 million in user fees already approved, and $3 million in other revenues such as agreements and leases. The financial-impact section gives the exact figures as $27,390,251 in ongoing expenditure reductions and $10,049,919 in revenue measures. Item 4.1
Progress so far. Non-sworn vacancies “have increased from 62 to 68 as of October 6, 2026, representing 69 percent of the June 2027 target of 99 vacancies,” and the City Manager “has eliminated 12 vacant management positions through department consolidations and position assessments.” The report notes management positions grew from 34 to 64 between 2020 and 2026. A status report is promised for February 2027 and the proposed FY 2027–29 budget for June 2027. Item 4.1
CicloIrvine. The recommended action would suspend the event until the General Fund is structurally balanced and the council votes to bring it back. The report calls it “a very successful but expensive community event” and lists its FY 2026-27 cost at $677,011. Item 4.1
Every other special event goes under review. The council would direct the Finance Commission to review the remaining citywide special events, then refer its recommendations to the Community and Library Services Commission, “followed by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee for cultural events and programming,” and would require council approval of the special events calendar by February each year starting in 2027. Per the report, citywide events grew from 13 to 19 between FY 2016-17 and FY 2026-27, “with costs increasing from approximately $600,000 to $2.3 million”; the attached FY 2026-27 list totals $2,272,066, led by the Irvine Global Village Festival at $991,520. Item 4.1
An option on council office budgets. The report also offers, without making it part of the recommended action, the option of amending the council’s policy manual “to discontinue carryovers of unspent City Council office budget beginning in FY 2027-28.” It notes approximately $753,000 in unspent FY 2025-26 council operating budget (about $357,000 from the General Fund and $396,000 from the Great Park Fund) will come to the council separately with the year-end report on November 10, 2026. Item 4.1

⚖ Kratom, worker retention and voting lights

Kratom ordinance, first reading. An ordinance adding Division 24 to Title 4 of the Municipal Code “regulating the sale, distribution, and possession of kratom.” Per the staff report, the council directed the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance that would “(1) prohibit the sale, distribution, or possession of synthetic kratom products and products containing more than 2% 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) within Irvine city limits; (2) permit the sale of natural kratom products only to individuals 21 years of age or older; and (3) establish civil and criminal penalties, including administrative fines and business license revocation for repeat offenders.” Item 4.2
Worker retention, final adoption. Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 26-16, adding Division 10 to Title 3 of the Municipal Code regarding worker retention. The agenda notes that, unless a councilmember directs otherwise, “the vote at second reading will reflect the same vote as at first reading” — on September 22 that was 5–2, with Councilmember Carroll and Vice Mayor Mai opposed, per the draft minutes. On the consent calendar. Item 3.10
Electronic voting lights, final adoption. Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 26-17, revising Municipal Code Section 1-2-316 “to require the use of electronic voting lights for roll call votes.” On the consent calendar. Item 3.11
Zoning and hazardous-materials ordinances, final adoption. Second readings of Ordinance Nos. 26-12 and 26-13 (the 2026 updates to the Zoning Ordinance and Municipal Code) and Ordinance Nos. 26-14 and 26-15 (the citywide requirements for businesses handling hazardous materials that require a Risk Management Plan, and the Risk Management Plan Overlay District), all introduced on September 22. Items 3.8, 3.9

🏠 Leases, a youth jobs grant and a tract map

Gem-Pack Berries farming lease. Authority for the City Manager to execute a new farming lease with Gem-Pack Berries, LLC, which per the staff report farms approximately 35 acres of city-owned land near Alton Parkway, Barranca Parkway, Marine Way and Jeronimo Road. The lease “formalizes a month-to-month tenancy beginning November 1, 2026, and continuing through June 30, 2028, with an initial rent of $7,020 per month.” Item 3.4
Amtrak at Irvine Station. A second amendment to the city’s lease with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for about 400 square feet at Irvine Station. Per the staff report, Amtrak has occupied the space on a holdover basis since its lease ran out on March 31, 2023; the amendment memorializes that tenancy, extends the term through October 31, 2027, and allows two more one-year extensions by mutual agreement. The 2001 lease set annual rent at $1 plus Amtrak’s share of utilities. Item 3.5
Youth Service Corps. Receive and appropriate $1,490,400 from the state’s California Volunteers Youth Service Corps Program “to continue the One Irvine Workforce Program,” which per the staff report employs youth aged 16 to 30 in summer internships and fellowships under an agreement running through December 31, 2027. Item 3.6
Tract Map No. 19424 (receive and file). Notice that the City Engineer is reviewing a final tract map in the Irvine Business Complex near Alton Parkway and Von Karman Avenue. Per the staff report, it subdivides 25.4 acres into one lot, “proposed for development of 426 residential units”; it is “a ministerial matter and there is no discretionary action to be taken by the City Council.” Item 3.7
Community Partnership Fund grants: Councilmember Treseder — University High School Instrumental Music Boosters ($1,000); Councilmember Carroll — Segerstrom Center for the Arts ($6,000). Item 3.12

💬 Council-initiated items and committees

A standing Charter Review Committee. Councilmember Liu’s memo proposes a standing committee “to comprehensively evaluate the Charter and to recommend amendments for consideration by the voters at the November 2028 general municipal election.” Discussion and direction only. Item 5.1
Secondhand smoke at home. Councilmember Martinez Franco’s memo asks the council to direct the City Manager, with the City Attorney, to review the city’s smoking rules “and return to the City Council with options to strengthen protections from secondhand smoke in residential settings.” The memo notes the Municipal Code already bans smoking on patios and balconies of multi-unit residences but “generally permits smoking on private residential property.” Discussion and direction only. Item 5.2
Library Advisory Committee bylaws. A resolution adopting the bylaws of the committee the council created by Ordinance No. 26-10 in July, per the staff report. Item 4.3

🔒 Closed session

Real property negotiations, 8065 Marine Way: agency negotiators Sean Joyce, City Manager; Pete Carmichael, Assistant City Manager; and Jeffrey Melching, City Attorney. Negotiating parties: the City of Irvine and Arthur Kazarian, Chief Executive Officer, Tierra Verde Industries. Under negotiation: “Price and Terms of Payment.” Item 1.1
Anticipated litigation: initiation of litigation under Government Code § 54956.9(c), two cases. The agenda does not identify them. Item 1.2

🪑 Also on the agenda

Approval of the minutes of the September 22 special meeting and of the regular meeting and special joint meeting with the Great Park Board; a warrant and wire transfer resolution (no total stated on the agenda); and a proclamation of October 23–31, 2026, as “Red Ribbon Week.” Items 3.1–3.3
Presentations (estimated start 5:15 p.m.): employee recognition for 20 and 30 years of service, and the Irvine Unified School District. Items 2.1, 2.2
How to take part: in person; by Zoom (Meeting ID 160-043-4844, passcode 272906) or by phone at 669-254-5252 or 669-216-1590; or in writing to clerk@cityofirvine.org. Non-agendized public comments have an estimated start of 6:15 p.m. and the consent calendar 6:45 p.m. At 11 p.m. the council decides which remaining items can be finished before midnight.

Council Brief summaries are produced from official public records by our automated newsroom and reviewed before publication. Items are described as posted; the council may amend, continue, or remove items at the meeting. Spot an error? hello@councilbrief.com — we publish corrections.