400 Acres of Wildlife Habitat will Be Destroyed
The Irvine Company plans to destroy 400 acres of undeveloped open space — including natural habitat, a vital wildlife corridor, and a prehistoric Native American village site —to build 1180 residential units with ancillary commercial uses.
READ ON TO LEARN MORE
What we would lose
This development project would remove a vital link between Irvine Regional Park and Peters Canyon Regional Park — for people, wildlife, and resources — thereby reducing habitat and wildlife corridors, degrading the environment, and bringing run-off and other pollution to existing natural watercourses.
What we would gain
Preserving this vital gateway to the Santa Ana Mountains would protect essential habitat and wildlife corridors, connect and expand our regional parks, and help reduce traffic and air pollution in surrounding communities. By safeguarding this land, we can protect biodiversity, improve public access to nature, and ensure a healthier environment for future generations.
What You Can Do
Every action counts—whether you donate, speak out, or sign our petition, your voice helps preserve the land, wildlife, and community we love.
Say No To Orange Heights
This crucial wildlife corridor, located between two of our most popular parks in Orange County, is not an appropriate location for a large-scale development of expensive single-family homes
5 Reasons to Say NO to Orange Heights
Wildfire Hazard
It is located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which burned during the Canyon Fire 2 in 2017.
Say No to Increased Wildfire Risk
Traffic Congestion
Santiago Canyon Rd, Chapman Ave and Jamboree Rd are already impacted by severe traffic congestion and traffic related deaths. It contradicts California’s SB 743 from 2013, which now requires agencies to look at Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) instead of Level of Service (LOS).
Say No to Increased Traffic
Endangered Wildlife
It supports mountain lion, Crotch’s bumble bee, least Bell’s vireo, coastal California gnatcatcher, white-tailed kite and other special status wildlife and plant species. The mountain lion is under review to be listed as Threatened under the California Endangered Species Act.
Say Yes to Protecting Our Wildlife
Cultural and Historical Significance
It features multiple prehistoric Native American archaeological sites, including CA-ORA-556, a village site which qualifies for the California Historic Register and is considered a Culturally Sensitive Area by the Gabrieleno Tongva Band of Mission Indians.
Say Yes to Protecting Our Heritage
Prevent Urban Sprawl
It contradicts the City of Orange’s own efforts to prevent urban sprawl, preserve valuable open space and focus on sustainable infill and redevelopment near transit hubs, jobs and services.
Say No to Urban Sprawl
Canyon Fire 2 burned 9217 acres, including Irvine Regional Park, Orange Heights project site & Peters Cyn Regional Park in 2017.
White-tailed kites (Elanus leucurus) rely on the project site for food. Drastic decrease in population in Orange County. Photo: Tonya Fannon, 2023
On April 3, 2024, at 1:22AM, we captured our 1st trail cam footage of M317, a young male mountain lion who regularly moves through the 400 acres between Irvine Park & Peters Cyn.
Project History
On Nov. 8, 2005, despite widespread opposition, the Orange City Council (Mark Murphy, Carolyn Cavecche, Tita Smith, Jon Dumitru & Steve Ambriz) betrayed our community and voted 5-0 to approve The Irvine Company’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the controversial 4100-home proposed development project in the rural foothills of Orange known as “Santiago Hills Phase II.”
Surprisingly, EIR’s do not expire, which is a major flaw in CEQA. A new Environmental Impact Report (EIR) needs to be drafted and circulated to take into the consideration all of the new housing developments, recent wildfires, wildlife habitat loss, increased pollution, traffic congestion and other issues that have plagued Orange County over the past 19 years. NO Canyon Hills is working to protect the Verdugo Hills from a similar proposed development project that was approved by LA City Council 19 years ago.
The Orange Hills
These irreplaceable rolling foothills of aromatic shrubland, perennial grassland, historic cattle pasture, oaks, and cottonwood-laden streams are nestled between Irvine Regional Park and Peters Canyon Regional Park. Every spring they are adorned with a vibrant tapestry of wildflowers. Residents and park visitors share a profound sense of relief and appreciation for these hills because they serve as a natural buffer between the dense urban development to the west and the undeveloped rural gateway to the Santa Ana Mountains to the east.
They are a vital biological link supporting essential members of the ecosystem, including mountain lion, mule deer, bobcat, gray fox, coyote, spotted skunk, long-tailed weasel, least Bell’s vireo, coastal California gnatcatcher, white-tailed kite, northern harrier, grasshopper sparrow, western meadowlark, California quail, greater roadrunner, western spadefoot, Belding’s orange-throated whiptail, Blainville’s horned lizard, Crotch’s bumble bee, intermediate mariposa lily, many-stemmed dudleya, and many other sensitive species.
They are a place where wolves once hunted pronghorn and the Tongva and Acjachemen people thrived for thousands of years. Hidden amongst the vegetation and soil lies a prehistoric Native American village site, known as CA-ORA-556, which qualifies for the California Register of Historical Resources. The site is considered a unique archaeological resource for the purposes of California Environmental Quality Act, thereby contributing an ancient cultural foundation to the heritage of Irvine Regional Park, our state’s oldest regional park. Against the wishes of the community, The Irvine Company wants to sever this precious lifeline by building 1180 single-family homes. The significant impacts of such a large-scale development cannot be adequately mitigated.
Donate Today!
Your financial contribution to stopping the Orange Heights development is crucial. There are many ways to contribute to our cause. Choose an option below and follow the instructions for completing your transaction. All donations to No Orange Heights are processed through our fiscal sponsor, Naturalist For You. Naturalist For You (NFY) is a 501(c)(3) environmental education non-profit. All donations are tax-deductible.
Make a Credit Card or Bank Transfer Donation Here Without transaction Fees
July Fundraiser
Support the Fight to Save Orange Heights!
All proceeds from these incredible donations go directly to funding NOH litigation to stop destructive development and protect open space. If you are interested in any of the items below, please contact noorangeheights@gmail.com or text 714-798-4392 to arrange for the purchase.
Upcoming Walks, Hikes & Biosurveys
Join local experts and naturalists for guided walks, hikes, and biosurveys that explore the diverse wildlife, history, and ecosystems of our regional parks. These free public events are a chance to discover the plants, animals, and stories in your own backyard—while enjoying the beauty of Southern California’s open spaces. All ages and experience levels welcome!
RSVP: 714-639-8480 (landline) or jrobinson@naturalist-for-you.org. For more FREE public tours, tell us the location/topic (plants, wildlife, etc.) & the date/time when available.
Bird Watching Walk @ Peters Canyon
Fri, July 11, 2025 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Peters Canyon North Trailhead, 8548 Canyon View Ave, Orange, CA
Click here for details
Peters Canyon Walk & Talk @ Irvine Regional Park with John Hill
Wed, July 16, 2025 2PM – 4PM
Peter’s Canyon (North Park Entrance), 8548 E. Canyon View Avenue, Orange, CA
Click here for details
Scorpion Night Wander @ Black Star Canyon
Sat, July 19, 2025 7:30PM – 9:30PM
Black Star Canyon Falls Trailhead, 13333 Black Star Canyon Rd, Silverado, CA
Click here for details
Beginner Digital Plant, Bird, Organism ID Discovery Tour with Moe & Chris
Sun, July 20, 2025 8AM – 10AM
Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, CA 92869
Click here for details
MUST SECURE RSVP: CALL 714-639-8480 or EMAIL jrobinson@naturalist-for-you.org with # in party to confirm participation.
Cactus Wren Hike @ El Modena Open Space
Sat, July 26, 2025 8AM – 10AM
East Patria Court & North Cannon Street, Orange, CA 92869
Click here for details
MUST SECURE RSVP: CALL 714-639-8480 or EMAIL jrobinson@naturalist-for-you.org with # in party to confirm participation.
Roadrunner & Snake Hike @ Peters Canyon
Sat, August 16, 2025 8AM – 11AM
Peter’s Canyon (North Park Entrance), 8548 E. Canyon View Avenue, Orange, CA
Click here for details
MUST SECURE RSVP: CALL 714-639-8480 or EMAIL jrobinson@naturalist-for-you.org with # in party to confirm participation.
Horseshoe Loop Walk & Talk @ Irvine Regional Park with John Hill
Wed, August 20, 2025 2PM – 4PM
Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, CA
Click here for details
MUST SECURE RSVP: CALL 714-639-8480 or EMAIL jrobinson@naturalist-for-you.org with # in party to confirm participation.
Beginner Digital Plant, Bird, Organism ID Discovery Tour
Sun, August 31, 2025 8AM – 10AM
Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, CA
Click here for details
MUST SECURE RSVP: CALL 714-639-8480 or EMAIL jrobinson@naturalist-for-you.org with # in party to confirm participation.
Volunteer
The proposed Orange Heights Development will impact all of us in some way or another. Your actions to help preserve this important wildfire break and wildlife resource will make a huge difference. There are many ways to take action, ranging from simple activities that take as little as a minute of your time, to more involved activities. Please take a read through the various ways you can help support our campaign. Choose an action from each category, or select a few to try over a certain period of time. We greatly appreciate any action you can offer.
Fill out our Volunteer Form here!
NOH Volunteer Form
Roadrunner Level: Quick Actions that take 1-5 minutes
- Sign and share our petition.
- DONATE to our legal & PR fund.
- WRITE LETTERS – Use the following template links:
- City of Orange Mayor & Council
- Vice President Jamie Yoshida – The Irvine Company
- Chairman Donald Bren – The Irvine Company
- Attorney General Rob Bonta
- Senator Steven Choi
- Congresswoman Young Kim
- Orange County Board of Supervisors
- WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITORS
- CONTACT THE MEDIA: Reach out to television personalities, news channels, online news media outlets, and radio stations:
- INFLUENCERS: Reach out to social media influencers
- NOH T-SHIRT: Order and wear our t-shirt ($20 donation).
- YARD SIGN: Order and post our custom yard sign ($10 donation).
Horned Lizard Level: Involved Activities that take 1-5 hours
- HOST OUTREACH TABLE: Set up table with promotional materials at popular trails, farmers markets, grocery stores and other busy community gathering places. Get passersby to sign our petition, donate, join our mailing list, write letters and/or volunteer.
- CANVAS: Go door to door to engage residents who will be impacted by the development.
- DISTRIBUTE brochures, postcards and flyers at businesses, public gathering areas, events.
- DOCUMENT ANIMALS & PLANTS: Collect photos/videos of wildlife (birds, bugs, reptiles, mammals, amphibians) and plants on the land and upload to iNaturalist. Even roadkill needs to be documented.
- MAKE NATURE REELS: Create reels/videos of the plants, wildlife and landscape of the threatened 400 acres and share on social media.
- ENGAGE WITH LOCAL BUSINESS: Encourage local businesses to publicly support the opposition to the development, possibly displaying flyers or posters in their establishments.
If you are interested in any of the activities listed above, fill out this form and get in touch.NOH Volunteer Form
Bumble Bee Level: Quick Actions that take 5-10 minutes
- POST SELFIE REELS/VIDEOS expressing your concerns on our petition and social media, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, etc.
Mountain Lion Level: Involved Activities that take 3-5 hours
- ORGANIZE COMMUNITY EVENTS: Host gatherings or workshops featuring speakers, screenings &/or other activities to educate and involve more participants in our campaign.
- COORDINATE A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: Use local radio stations, community boards, and newsletters to spread the word about the opposition to the development.
- COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES: Engage students and faculty in conservation efforts, possibly incorporating the issue into school projects, research, or volunteer activities.
- PETITION FOR A COMMUNITY VOTE: Work towards getting the development issue placed on a local ballot to give the community a direct say in the matter.
- LAUNCH A LETTER-WRITING MARATHON: Organize a coordinated letter-writing campaign where community members write letters simultaneously to flood the offices of key decision-makers.
- DEVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE INFORMATIONAL PACKETS: Create detailed packets that outline the reasons for opposition, including scientific data, to distribute to city officials, residents, and potential allies.
- ENGAGE WITH RELIGIOUS AND CIVIC GROUPS: Connect with local churches, synagogues, mosques, and civic groups to broaden the base of support.
- YOUR IDEAS: What else? We welcome your creativity, passion, skills, knowledge and expertise to fuel this campaign.
NOH Volunteer Form
If you are interested in any of the activities listed above, fill out this form and get in touch.
A Look at the Numbers
400 Acres of wildlife habitat will be destroyed. This area is home to endangered wildlife, including mountain lions, Crotch’s bumble bee, Bell’s vireo, coastal California gnatcatcher, the white-tailed kite, and other species.
1180 multi-million-dollar single-family homes are proposed to be built on this site, increasing the traffic congestion in an already congested area and contributing to urban sprawl, contrary to the stated goals of the City of Orange.
No Orange Heights has raised $30,415 towards its goal of $50,000. This money will be used to file a lawsuit against the City of Orange to stop this development. Every dollar raised will be used to prevent this development from being built.
More than 25,000 people have signed our petition to stop the Orange Heights project from moving forward. Can we count on your support? Visit our Petition site to add your name to our cause. Every person’s voice matters!
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
~Margaret Mead
Letters From Supporting Organizations
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger
Center for Biological Diversity
Channel Law Group
San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians
Native Plant Society
Shirts & Signs
Womens T-Shirt
$12.00
Available in many sizes and colors. Check out our Zazzle store for options and to purchase. All proceeds benefit the NoOrangeHeights Campaign
Unisex T-Shirt
$11.74
Available in many sizes and colors. Check out our Zazzle store for options and to purchase. All proceeds benefit the NoOrangeHeights Campaign
Yard Signs
Starting at $13.62
Available in a few different sizes. Check out our Zazzle store for options and to purchase. All proceeds benefit the NoOrangeHeights Campaign
Trucker Hat
$11.74
Available in a variety of colors. Check out our Zazzle store for options and to purchase. All proceeds benefit the NoOrangeHeights Campaign
Download & Print Signs with QR Codes
Save Our Hills Flyer
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Say No to Orange Heights Brochure