In 1988 Irvine voters enshrined a deal between the city and Irvine Company setting aside various parcels of land for permanent open space in return for intensified development elsewhere.
No one thought much about this until a proposal to build a new village at Oak Creek Golf Course was raised. Many people pointed out the obvious–Oak Creek was one of the open space areas protected by the 1988 vote. The council has been grappling with how to reconcile the need for more housing with the public vote requirement (which the city attorney says may not actually be necessary).