I also remember those signs on the 133 and didn't know about Laguna Crossing until I drove down the 133 in the summer and saw them paving the land. I was literally hurt to see them building there. They ruined a beautiful area out of greed. I even searched the internet for movements/protests against them building there but couldn't really find anything.
I lived in Irvine all my life. I went to elementary school in Irvine. I think seeing the Laguna Crossing development made me realize that the fundamental tenets of the Irvine Company are no longer. The plan for Irvine was to preserve a third of all the land in its natural form. This is written in so many brochures from the 80's and 90's regarding Irvine that I believed it.
The only people who benefit from Laguna Crossing are developers and the land sellers. Moreover, it is at the expense of nearly everyone else: The residents of Irvine lose because of less open space, home owners lose because increased supply will result in a further degradation of real property value, and the city itself loses because it has sold out its very being, its soul. The very name Irvine has a special place in the mind of the consumer for safety, cleanliness, natural scenery... essentially Irvine is the Promised Land. Tampering with an identity that is tried and true can lead to an identity crisis. It doesn't matter if you're an individual, a business, or a city, but when you turn your back on what you are known for and sell your soul, don't be surprised if your regulars become estranged.
