CRA 4 - LETTER OF OPPOSITION (10-05-2009)

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10/05/2009 13:57 FAX 714 226 6460 IT FINANCE 0001 ALegacy of Pres e Santa Ana City Council 120 Civic Center Plaza San#a Ana, California 92702 ;October a, 2008 Santa Ana Historical Preservation So~~~ ]Dr.1~ilIcliIa Howe-~T/affle Home & M a ° use ~~ 120 Civic Cex-ter Iarive `TGest, Santa Ana, CA 92701-75~~ ~ i` (' ~ _ ~ . (714} 547-9645 • ~.SantaAnaIr~r~tr1 ~ < < _, ', Rf~: Lacy Neighborhood Demolition for the Station District Dear Council Members: IThe Santa Ana Historical Preservation Societyr is appealing to the Council for a stay of execution on the city-owned historic houses in the Lacy Neighborhood. Without your intervention that area will be leveled at the end of this month, with no input by the community. eleven city-owned properties have been offered to the Society for salvage of materials prior to demolition. The Society feels That these properties are valuable historic resources and has attempted since July to work with city staff to evaluate them for possible inclusion in the Station District Project. IWe requested the opportunity to share our ideas with the Developer, but assume that this request has been denied since city staff has ignored it. t.ate last week {on October 1) we were informed by the Community Development Agency Thai salvage ion these properties must be completed by October 29, or demolition will commence regardless. Given that there is not yet even a plan for the project: we do not understand th8 rush toward demolition. ~We understand that a community outreach effort for the Station District will take place during the month of October. These meetings will not be completed until October 21. The purpose of these meetings has been stated as obtaining input from key neighborhood groups regarding the 'development of the 48 agency-owned parcels and the enhancement strategy for the larger district ~area_ The Society has not been invited to participate in these meetings. !Regarding the Station District, we were #old by Cindy Nelson that "the Renaissance Plan does ,encourage historic preservation, as well as preservation of the neighborhood's character. We have jevery intention of meeting these objectives with this strategy plan...." Further, when we expressed (displeasure with the lack of community involvement in the planning process for this area, we were told "...initial community/neighborhood meetings are being organized far the month of October." Immediate demolition of the historic properties is completely incongruous with both the idea that the Renaissance Plan encourages preservation, and the idea of community input regarding the development. Commencing salvage on the properties, let alone demolition, prior to getting input from the community groups completely removes the idea of preservation from the table, and does not give ;the public the chance to give their opinion on the metier. As for meeting the objectives of the 'Renaissance Plan, we fail to see that any historic preservation whatsoever is being considered in the Station District. In fact, the Society was asked to give city staff the "top three° properties we would like 'to see preserved, and in a mailer of three weeks we were informed that this would not be feasible, even though no firm plans for the project have been developed. Finally, the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society is disappointed and disheartened by the appearance that "community outreach" is being carefully orchestrated, potentially even to the point of i ~ '