On November 26, 2024, the Irvine City Council voted to approve an ordinance to establish objective design standards that apply to residential and residential mixed-use projects citywide. This ordinance introduced a new chapter within the Irvine Zoning Ordinance to establish the purpose, applicability, and key provisions of the Objective Design Standards and incorporates an Objective Design Standards Manual by reference.
On February 10, 2026, the Irvine City Council voted to approve an ordinance to modify the objective design standards to lower the applicability of the Objective Design Standards Manual to multi-family residential projects with a minimum density of 15 dwelling units per acre, introduce new design standards, and modify existing standards in response to feedback from the development community.
Objective Design Standards Regulatory Documents:
- Objective Design Standards Manual
- Objective Design Standards Zoning Ordinance Requirements
- Objective Design Standards Checklist
Approval History:
- September 19, 2024: Planning Commission Staff Report
- November 12, 2024: City Council Staff Report - First Reading
- November 26, 2024: City Council Staff Report - Second Reading
- December 4, 2025: Planning Commission Staff Report
- January 27, 2026: City Council Staff Report - First Reading
- February 10, 2025: City Council Staff Report - Second Reading
For questions about the City's Objective Design Standards, please send an email to the City of Irvine Planning Team at planning@cityofirvine.org or call 949-724-6308.