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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20130124_2013-01_1584ESantaClaraAvTO GOVERNMENT CODE § 6103 EXEMPT FROM FEES PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE § 6103 • ROH - 01/24/13 RESOLUTION NO. 2013-01 A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA SUGGESTING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE CITY PURCHASE THE SEXLINGER FARMHOUSE AND ORCHARD ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1584 EAST SANTA CLARA AVENUE, SANTA ANA BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The Historic Resources Commission of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines and declares as follows: A. The Sexlinger Property is rectangular in shape, approximately five acres in size, and includes a 1,350 square foot Craftsman-style farmhouse and a Valencia orange grove of approximately 250 trees. The residence was • constructed in 1914 by Perry V. Grout, but was sold shortly thereafter to George and Sophia Sexlinger. Members of the Sexlinger family resided in the home until 2006. B. The legal description for the subject property is attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated by this reference as though fully set forth herein. C. On June 4, 2012, the City Council placed the Sexlinger property, located at 1584 East Santa Clara Avenue, Santa Ana, on the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties. D. On June 11, 2012, the owners of the Sexlinger property, the Concordia University Foundation and the Lutheran High School of Orange County, applied for permits to demolish the residence and orchard on the property. E. Section 30-7 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) requires that the Historical Resources Commission review all applications for demolition permits for historical properties, and investigate all feasible alternatives to demolition. F. SAMC Section 30-7(a)(4) presents the alternative that the Historic Resource Commission suggests to the City Council that the city purchase the property when private preservation or relocation is not feasible. • Resolution No. 2013-01 Page 1 of 4 EXEMPT FROM FEES PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE § 6103 • Section 2: The Historic Resources Commission of the City of Santa Ana after conducting the public hearing hereby urges the City Council that the city purchase the Sexlinger Property. After consideration by the Historic Resources Commission Ad Hoc Committee, it was determined that neither private preservation nor relocation is a feasible alternative to demolition given the limited timeline available. Our urging is based upon the evidence submitted at the above said hearing, which includes, but is not limited to: the Staff report and exhibits attached thereto; and the public testimony and correspondences, particularly the letter from Steve Ray dated January 24, 2013, all of which are incorporated herein by this reference. ADOPTED this 24~h day of January 2013. BI ~ O'Callaghan Vice Chairman • • APPROVED AS TO FORM: Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney By: AYES: Commission members: Bustamante, Christy, Hitterdale, Morfin. O'Callaghan, Yrarrazaval (6) NOES: Commission members: None (0) ABSTAIN: Commission members: None (0) NOT PRESENT: Commission members: Schaefer (1) Resolution No. 2013-01 Page 2 of 4 EXEMPT FROM FEES PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE § 6103 • CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARTHA RAMIREZ, Commission Secretary, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No. 2013-01 to be the original resolution adopted by Historic Resources Commission of the City of Santa Ana on January 24, 2013 _ . /. Date: ,~2_ ~~:~~ ~l "t Lni~~ ~. omi>~ission Secretary City of Santa Ana • • Resolution No. 2013-01 Page 3 of 4 EXEMPT FROM FEES PURUSANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE § 6103 LEGAL DESCRIPTION APN Address Owner Names Legal Description 396-052-14 1584 East Santa Clara Concordia CHAPMAN TR LOT BLK A Avenue University E1/2 N 10 AC W 50 AC S Foundation and 210.27 Lutheran High School of Orange County • Exhibit A Resolution No. 2013-01 Page 4 of 4 January 24, 2013 City of Santa Ana Historic Resources Commission Re: The Sexlinger Orchard and Farmhouse The Historic Resources Commission of the City of Santa Ana is tasked with the responsibility to identify, investigate and suggest alternatives to the proposed demolition of the Sexlinger Orchard and Farmhouse. The property has been designated as historic by the Santa Ana City Council. The hearing before the Historic Resources Commission will be held on January 24, 2013. The Staff Report for the HRC hearing recommends that the commission suggest that the City buy the property to preserve it. The Old Orchard Conservancy supports this recommendation. In support of the recommendation the Conservancy offers five potential scenarios through which the City may engage in the purchase and preservation of the property. This list of scenarios is certainly not exhaustive but should provide formative discussion on the potential methodologies to acquire the property. 1) City Purchase and Preservation. The City could purchase the property and through appropriate city agencies/departments plan and execute a preservation plan for the Sexlinger Orchard and Farmhouse. The Old Orchard Conservancy and other community groups could support and assist in the preservation process. 2) City Purchase and Private Restoration and Management Under this public/private partnership, the City would purchase the property and contract with a private non-profit entity (the primary candidate being The Old Orchard Conservancy) to restore and manage the property. The contract partner would create a vision plan and a master plan to be approved by the City, perform restoration of the orchard and rehabilitation/renovation of the farmhouse, develop community and education programs, manage and maintain the site and acquire necessary funding for all these activities. A successful model for this scenario is the Shipley iQature Center in Huntington Beach, apublic-private partrrership between the City of Huntington Beach and the Friends of Shipley Nature Center. 3) City Purchase with Private Buyout This scenario would closely mirror the scenario in Scenario 2 above with the additional provision that the City would, after the purchase of the property, contract with the private non-profit entity to acquire funds and purchase the property from the City at some future time specified in the agreement between the parties. 4) City Loan to Private Enfity for Purchase Given the relative brevity of time to purchase and preserve the property, the City could make a loan to a private non-profit partner for purchase of the property by the private entity with a lien held by the City until the loan is repaid. Restoration and management of the property will follow the same outlhies discussed in Scenario 2 above. 5) Private Entity Purchase with City Loan Guarantee This scenario would enable the private non-profit partner to acquire the property through traditional mortgage financing with the City guaranteeing the loan to the lending institution. The private partner would acquire funds to repay the loan per the terms of the financing agreement. Restoration and management of the property will follow the same outlines discussed in Scenario 2 above. Other possible variations on any of the above scenarios and additional unenumerated scenarios may also be explored and discussed between the City and the private non-profit partner. As timing is of the essence, discussions should begin forthwith. The Old Orchard Conservancy is committed to preserving, restoring and managing the Sexlinger Orchard and Farmhouse, and if possible, to acquire it. This last remaining intact family-owned orange orchard in Orange County needs to be preserved and used to benefit the public. This old orchard is not only a valuable historic asset for the City of Santa Ana, but it can also be a valuable economic and educational benefit to the community. The Old Orchard Conservancy requests that the Historic Resources Commission strongly suggests that the City purchase the Sexlinger Orchazd and Farmhouse and also propose that the City Council consider the above scenarios as the means to achieve the realization of this valuable historic asset. Thank you. Steve Ray Boazd Member The Old Orchazd Conservancy