The Santa Ana City Council will be considering what to do about the Sexlinger Farmhouse and Orange Orchard at the City Council meeting on Feb. 4, 2014, according to an organization that is trying to save the Sexlinger Orchard, which is bounded roughly by East Santa Clara Avenue to the north, Portola Park on the east, Avalon Avenue to the south, and Concord Street on the west.
On June 4, 2012, the City Council approved a resolution that listed the Sexlinger Farmhouse and Orchard on the Santa Ana Register of Historic Properties. The action designated the site as “Key” because it met the selected criteria of being 50 years or older and was connected with a business or use which was once common but is now rare. The Sexlinger site is the last intact orange grove in Santa Ana remaining from the period of time when orange growing was the predominant business and land use in this area and exemplifies an important period in the City’s history, according to the City of Santa Ana.
There are actually six other remaining orange orchards in Orange County, according to the OC Weekly.
There is also a municipal orange grove just up the street from the Sexlinger Orchard. It is the Robert D. Hoyt Municipal Orange Grove, at Hart Park. Hoyt, was once the Mayor of Orange and his story is very interesting. You can read about him by clicking here. And you can see a few pictures of this grove by clicking here.
I can’t see the City of Santa Ana coming up with the money to buy the Sexlinger Orchard and the folks who are trying to save it appear to be broke too. I don’t see any historical value in this site. There are other such sites, as referenced earlier in this post, and what this really comes down to is a bunch of old trees and a dilapidated house. The City Council needs to stop screwing around with the property owners and let the demolishing begin. Just because something is old doesn’t mean it has any value.
Here is the latest update from the folks trying to save the Sexlinger Orchard:
Sexlinger Farmhouse & Orchard Development Project
Public Hearing Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2014 @ 5:45 PM
Santa Ana City Council Chambers @ 22 Civic Center Plaza
Over the last several months, The Old Orchard Conservancy’s Boardmembers have met with the property owners, City staff, Council members, potential donors, various supporters and community groups, all with the same goal in mind – that of saving this important historic resource, the Sexlinger Farmhouse and Orchard, from development. Although we have not raised enough funds to purchase the property from the current owners, we have developed a plan that could satisfy all sides – the owners, the Conservancy and the City. Our plan calls for a thoughtful development that blends with the historic sense of the site as well as the preservation of at least half of the orchard where educational programs, including sustainable food production methods, can be taught and practiced, for the benefit of all in our community.
The city has placed the Sexlinger Farmhouse & Orchard Development Project on the agenda for its February 4 meeting. We look forward to this opportunity to address the Council and the public regarding our preservation alternative for this historically designated, rare example of our agricultural past.
We hope that you can attend this meeting. You can also show your support by sending comments addressing the inadequacies of the new alternative the City has proposed or writing a letter to the City Council expressing your views about the importance of preserving this one-of-a-kind community resource. Please forward this email to others in your circle.
Status of Environmental Documents
The City has analyzed another alternative in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the project. This new alternative, which has been dubbed the “Historic Preservation Alternative” by the City, would only preserve the farmhouse and a handful of trees. It seems the City has forgotten that the five-acre orchard and farmhouse was designated as an historic resource in the City of Santa Ana and as such, destroying 95% of it can hardly be considered “preservation.” No public review period is required for this additional analysis, however your comments will be accepted until the City Council considers certifying the EIR, which will most likely happen at its February 4 meeting. If your comments are received by January 17, they will be included in the staff report presented to the City Council for this item.
Click here for the link to the new analysis.
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The Old Orchard Conservancy on the Web
Please visit our site to find out more about the orchard and our efforts.
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