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Home My WebLink AboutCRA #3 - DEMOLITION - CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED11/02/2009 15.05 FA% 714 226 6111 PACIFICARE ~(1=~ '''''~~ "" ~ P~1 2= ~ 1 '~•.' L `s ~ ~ ~ Ta: The Clerk for the Council for From: Alison Young ~ ool The Mayor and City Council Fax: 774647-6956 Pages: 3 (including cover sheet) ~ Phone: Data 11/2J2009 R•: City Council Meeting Tonight CC: ', X Urgent ^ For Review ^ Please Comment ^ Please Reply ^ Please Recycle • Commerce: Please find attached a letter from the Santa Ana Historical Preservation ;society with comment concerning the Station District development project. Please supply this information to the Mayor and Council prior to the Council meeting tonight and contact me at 714/226348 wi#>, any questions. Thank yvu. i CRA #3 11/02/2009 15:05 FAX 714 226 6111 PACIFICARE Santa .Ana His toriC a1 Preservation Society Dr. V~illttlla Howe-Waffle Housc & Medical Museum 120 Ci.~ic tenter Drive Wcsc, Santa Ana, CA 92701-7505 (714} 547-9545 • mwwSanraAnaI~istorycam [~ 002 ~ ~~ ~ ...-d ,^'--~ .-w .. Santa Ana City Council .___, .. ~" 20 Civic Center Plaza ~ Santa Ana, Califomla 92702 - ~~-~ November 2, 2009 -ta _ _-~= N RE: Lacy Neighborhood Demolition for'the Station District _... -- _ _ Dear Council Members. , A month ago the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society successfully appealed to the Council fnr a ~iay of execution on demolition of the city-owned historic houses in the lacy Neighborhood. We appreciate the Council's consideration in allowing more time for the Society to rneet with the City to 'explore alternatives to the wholesale demolition of these properties. hAuch valuable information was exchanged at our October 20~' meeting with Cir.~dy Nelson and Roger 7orriero, also attended by Councilman Benavides_ The Society presented some alternative ideas to ~lemolltion and the City gave their viewpoint on drawbacks to these ideas. The~developer Mr. Torriero made it dear that his hands were tied as far as developing a plan inclusive of historic preservation, because the RFP prepared by the City did not include this as an element. As ~a result of this meeting, the Society was asked by Councilman Benavides to supply a list of houses of greatest concern and to I°ee ff we could develop additional options to the demolition. Cindy Nelson statHd that she would be gpen to hearing alternative options. Representatives of the Society have since attended a number of the Station District community outreach meetings, and we have actively sought the opinions of other intereste~~ groups on the 'passibility of inGusian of historic properties as a part of the Station District plan I 1Ne have made substantial progress in the past few weeks. After conversatian5 with these groups, we ;are happy to say that there is consensus that the existing historic properties sh~~uld be included in ;plans for the Station District project. In addition to Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society, the following groups feel that on site preservation of historic properties should be part of the Station 4;District planning. So far, They include i • Heritage Orange County • SACRED • Logan Neighborhood representatives • Taller San Jose I ~In addition, we understand that the Orange County Historic Commission, witha~at soNcitation from the Society, is in the process of drafting a letter supporting preservation of these properties. Additional groups, including Historic French Park, Heritage Museum, and the Lofts have riot yet had time to 'respond to our inquiries, but we expect support from Them as weN_ Given lime, we are confident that iadditional community groups will also support this cause. A This coalition of organizations. with widely differing viewpoints and objectives, has a vision of revitalizing the Station District area which includes the long range benefits of maintaining the historic character of the area. This group has come up with a number of creative alteniatives to demolition, i 11/02/2009 15.06 FAX 714 226 6111 PACIFICARE ~OOJ ranging ftom purchase of properties by individual community members to incluaian of historic reuse in the developer's plan. We are eager to discuss these ideas with the City. Because the RFP did not include this element, we ask that the City Council incl~~de consideration of on- and off-site preservation and protection of historic properties as part of the Development Agreement currently being prepared. We ask that the City establish a moratorium on demolitions in the area during the planning phase. We ask that the City, perhaps through formaiion of an ad hoC committee of the City Council, take the lead to work to explore preservation opt:~ons with the Society and representatives of this coalition of interested groups, along with discussion of the other needs of these organizations. All of the groups we consulted with are in agreement that we do not want to sta~~ the Statlan District rroject. Revltaliza6on of the area has been needed for a long time. Instead, our goo[ is to ensure that the final project represents the best possible blend of the varying interests of thy. community. We i5elieve the Council has the long term good of Santa Ana's citizens as their prin-:ary motivation, and will ¢upport this approach of consensus building to ensure that this project is of the highest quality and benefit to the people of Santa Ana_ 'Thank you for your consideration of this matter and of efforts toward historic preservation in our city. Sincerely, Alison Young, President SSanta Ana Historical Preservation Society HERNANDEZ Fax ~ 7145422145 Nov 02 '09 16 58 P01 i ~~ ~, ~~ - ~ ~_ ~~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~~~- /~ V ' I I r z~- ~. e~~ V `~.,~ ~ + P~ ,~ /~7L ~/ i I i i ....., .~ .~ C RA #3 HERNANDEZ Fax ~ 7145422145 Nov 02 '09 16 58 P02 League of United Latin American Citizens S~n#d And LU4AC Council #147 EStaWlShed: NetiQnal - 1929 ~ Santa Ana - 1946 Orange County LULAC Dlsttfct ~2 PQ Box 1810, Se~nta Ana, CA 92702-1810 November 2, 2009 Santa Ana clky Council 201Clvit Center Plaza Santa Ana, California 92701 Morborable Mayor and Coundi Members, c~ ~ ~-- -~-~ -.-, ~... ~~ y :~ h, \ .~ N On !behalf of our organization the League of United Latin American Citizens -Santa Ana Co~ndl X147, I wish to provide our support to the request put Forth by the Santa Ana Historical Society regarding certain properties In the eastern area of the tlty, basically In the Lady Neighborhood. Our request is that the Clty Council delay any steps that would lead to the demotidon of hor~tes listed In Agenda Item ~i of the October 5, 2009 meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency -titled "ConFerence with Real Property Negotiator", These properties arej located an FIRh, Garfield, Lacy, Brown, Minter streets and Santa Ana Boutevard. It 1$ appropriate that this delay be granted to allow additional community prpups, In parxlcular the re-established Lacy Nelghbofiood Association the opportunity to provide their Input as to the historical value aF these speclflc homes to the city of Santa Ana. It should also be doted that there remains a sufficient amount of time before any real develapment would occur in these spettflt parcels. As ~rou reallxe there Is a rich history that our city has pravlded to Its residents -these homes arelI a part of this history, It just cannot be "wiped out" without any cerefut consideration on how each dwelling can continue to be a pert of our "Golden City" Santa Ana. r® ahoo.cem If ~ u wish addittonal commentary on this matter, please contact me at zpicehe y or~y telephone at 714-661-4428.