urgent call to action

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show up>   speak up>

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protect our city's historic resources!

prevent the weakening of our local preservation laws

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Friends,

On Tuesday, October 28 at 6:00PM the City Council will discuss amendments to the municipal code to limit the Design Review Committee’s purview to historic projects only. While on its face, this change may appear a positive move, the manner in which these amendments are written will weaken local protections for historic resources across our city. The Old Towne Preservation Association and Orange Legacy Alliance strongly oppose this action in that it hands significant authority over to the Community Development Director in determining which projects may or may not impact historic resources and greatly reduces the public’s ability to weigh in on these decisions. The action is not supported by our City’s General Plan, ignores mandatory mitigation measures identified in that General Plan, and does not comply with State Law.

OTPA and OLA are both supportive of the establishment of a Historic Resource Commission.  It is not, however, supportive of this action when it compromises proper consideration and preservation of our city’s historic and cultural resources. Last October, the City entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with OTPA & OLA to draft an Historic Preservation Ordinance that would both meet a number of the Council’s concerns but also implement a wide range of unfulfilled commitments included in our General Plan. Although that ordinance is complete, the Council has suddenly sidestepped that process with these proposed changes that will reduce existing protections and oversight of historic resources.

 
We urgently request your assistance in opposing this action. Please commit to one of the following actions in order to maintain our existing protections. You can help by speaking up and asking the Council to stop with the proposed changes to the existing municipal code, and instead return to the partnership outlined in the City’s MOU with OTPA and OLA!

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have your voice heard!

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Attend the Council Meeting in person on Oct 28 —at City Hall, 300 East Chapman.  
Your presence matters even if you don’t speak!

To submit an online e-comment, go to: 
1.  cityoforange.org 
2.  Click on City Council Agenda 
3.  First item is Orange City Council. Go to the right and click on eComment 
4.  You will be redirected to a Meeting page - go to the bottom and click on page 3 
5.  Scroll down to Item 8.1 - Public Hearing to consider introduction and First Reading... 
6.  Click on the Comment to the right under that section 
7.  Select OPPOSE 
8.  You may then type your comment

Bottom line: If you agree that preserving our city’s past is important, please SHOW UP on  Tuesday, Oct 28 and speak or send your e-comment by the end  of the day on Monday, Oct, 27. 

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