Former oil field poised to become vital open space through community-led planning
What once powered Orange County’s growth is now being reimagined as a place of renewal, connection, and healing. The Randall Preserve, formerly called Banning Ranch—a prior oil field undergoing extensive remediation—is entering a new chapter, and the public is being invited to help shape its future.
From Extraction to Restoration
For decades, the Randall site operated as an active oil field. Like many post-industrial properties across California, it now faces a complex remediation process. Soil must be treated, old oil infrastructure must be safely removed, and buildings must be leveled. The former oil operators are responsible for cleaning up the site. Once cleaned, the site will be ready for managed public access, education and interpretation programs, and restoration…