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Orange’s Public Library System
Orange’s Public Library was founded prior to incorporation in 1885, making it one of the oldest public libraries in Orange County. Postmaster Robert E. Tener donated his collection of about 300 books and ran the library as a private organization, using dues from the members to build and maintain the collection. The library itself was housed in the Post Office Building on South Glassell Street. It remained as a private organization until 1894 when it was turned over to the newly-formed City.
In 1905, the collection needed a new building and was granted a Carnegie building to house the library on the corner of Center Street and Chapman Avenue, where the Orange Public Library & History Center is located today. In 1961, the original Carnegie building was demolished and a 17,000 square foot building was erected, increasing in size to provide service to an anticipated population of 40,000.
An expanded Orange Public Library & History Center opened in 2007. At 45,000 square feet, the library building includes a Children's Library, Teen Zone, Homework Center and a History Center.
ISSUES, GOALS, AND POLICIES
The goals and policies of the Cultural Resources & Historic Preservation Element address five issues: (1) identifying and protecting historic resources , (2) protecting neighborhood character, (3) providing incentives and expanding education efforts for historic preservation , (4) recognizing and protecting archeological and cultural resources within the planning area , and (5) meeting life -long learning needs of residents through provision of library services .
Implementation programs related to these goals and policies are contained in the General Plan appendix.
Architecture and Community Character
One of the most distinguishing features of Orange is the community’s dedication to recognizing, acknowledging, and preserving its past. The N RHP-listed Old Towne Historic District is one of the largest historic districts in California, and provides a strong sense of place in the City and a unique identity within Orange County as a whole. The City recognizes that the architectural strength of Old Towne results from the contextual environment of historic structures, and further recognizes that in some cases , individual structures are best appreciated in a neighborhood context. The City also realizes that some individual structures worthy of protection may not be located within an intact historic neighborhood (for example, historic farmhouses located throughout the City or La Morenita market in El Modena).
Historic preservation in Old Towne has been a significant factor in the revitalization and economic vitality of downtown Orange, resulting in increased property values and low vacancy rates. Old Towne preservation serves as a model for other locations within the City .
Three mid-century modern Eichler Homes Tracts designated as local historic districts have a distinctive identity and sense of place of their own. As with Old Towne, these neighborhoods have enjoyed strong property values and steward ship, and further enrich the collection of ATTACHMENT 6
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historic resources in Orange. The City seeks to build upon the successes of Old Towne , the Eichler Homes Tracts, and the existing historic preservation program, to use new techniques and technologies to assist in historic preservation, and to prepare for a future wherein an increasing number of resources will qualify as potentially historic.
GOAL 1.0: Identify and preserve potential and listed historic resources, including buildings, structures, objects, sites, districts , and archaeological resources citywide.
Policy 1.1: Maintain an accessible inventory of designated and potential historic resources.
Policy 1.2: Promote community education and awareness of the significance of Orange’s potential and listed historic resources.
Policy 1.3: Provide long term assurance that potential and listed historic resources will be used, maintained , and rehabilitated in conformance with Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring and Preserving Historic Buildings (Secretary’s Standards).
Policy 1.4: Encourage alternatives to demolition such as architecturally -compatible rehabilitation, adaptive re-use, new construction, and relocation.
Policy 1.5: Require that no permit for alteration or demolition of properties identified in the Orange Historic Resources Inventory as potential historic resources shall be issued until alternatives to demolition have been duly considered.
Policy 1.6: Promote the preservation of cultural and historical resources controlled by governmental agencies, including those related to City, School District, and other agencies.
Preserving Historic Neighborhood Character
Historic preservation goes beyond protecting a select number of buildings. The overall goal of historic preservation is to link current residents to the City’s rich heritage, create a sense of place, and protect architectural context and diversity. Preservation efforts should enhance neighborhoods by rehabilitating individual structures and addressing neighborhood character in areas that are rich in history but that may not retain enough integrity to qualify as local, state, or national historic districts. While they may not have high integrity, these neighborhoods are culturally, historically, and architecturally significant and feature distinct physical and/or architectural characteristics.
GOAL 2.0 Identify and preserve neighborhoods that are culturally and historically significant but do not retain sufficient integrity for eligibility as a local, state, or national district.
Policy 2.1: Encourage identification and listing of Neighborhood Character Areas within the El Modena, Cypress Street Barrio, Railroad/Packinghouse Corridor , and Orange Park Acres neighborhoods.
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Policy 2.2: Promote community and visitor awareness and education concerning the unique and special history and architecture found in Neighborhood Character Areas.
Policy 2.3: Ensure that those qualities that contribute to the historic character of designated Neighborhood Character Areas are retained through application of design guidelines consistent with the local context and key physical attributes of each neighborhood.
Incentives and Education
Historic resources throughout the City provide opportunities for both rehabilitation and adaptive reuse as commercial, residential, or office spaces. Encouragement and incentives to achieve long -term preservation and context -sensitive reuse of historic buildings will be provided through financial, planning, and zoning tools that assist property owners seeking to rehabilitate and preserve their homes and buildings. Many of these resources also provide opportunities to promote community awareness and support for historic preservation through public education.
GOAL 3.0: Provide incentives and expand education efforts for historic preservation.
Policy 3.1: Expand education efforts to facilitate and encourage historic preservation and recognition of the City’s historic resources.
Policy 3.2: Provide incentives to encourage and support historic preservation.
Policy 3.3: Actively seek funding for historic preservation activities.
Policy 3.4: Leverage recognition of the City’s historic preservation program, participate directly in federal and state historic preservation programs, and gain access to designated historic preservation funding.
Policy 3.5: Explore additional funding sources for maintenance and rehabilitation of historic resources.
Archaeological and Cultural Resources
Orange County is rich in human history, with a record of occupation by many cultures. The City recognizes the importance of preserving archaeological resources and making them accessible for educational purposes as a means of understanding our cultural heritage.
GOAL 4.0: Identify and preserve archaeological and cultural resources.
Policy 4.1: Identify, designate, and protect historically and culturally significant archaeological resources or sites.
Policy 4.2: Recognize the importance of Santiago Creek as an archaeological resource.
Policy 4.3: Encourage curation of any cultural resources and artifacts recovered in the City for public education and appreciation.
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Policy 4.4: Celebrate the cultural history of the community by increasing community awareness through the design features of public projects and facilities such as parks, plazas, and community buildings.
Policy 4.5: Encourage private development to celebrate the cultural history of the community through project design.
Policy 4.6: Provide additional resources and promotion for the Orange Public Library Local History Collection.
Library Services
The Orange Public Library has been providing library services to residents since 1885. The Library has always played a central role in the development of civic life in Orange, and continues to do so today and in the future through its presence as both a formal and informal community gathering place. This role will become increasingly important as the population of Orange continues to grow and diversify.
GOAL 5.0: Meet the educational, cultural, civic, information, recreation, business, and life-long learning needs of residents through the provision of library resources.
Policy 5.1: Continue to expand, coordinate and modernize the City’s public library system, ensuring that it becomes the premier information and learning resource for the City to meet the needs of Orange’s growing and diverse population.
Policy 5.2: Support the strategies and recommendations of the Public Library Facilities Master Plan 2002-2020, and continue to explore new strategies that make the library accessible to all members of the community.
Policy 5.3: Work with the community to assess, select, organize, and maintain desired collections of library materials and information sources and make these materials available to the public free of charge to promote information literacy.
Policy 5.4: Promote collaborations among community groups, educational institutions and the Library to enhance sharing of information, resources and financial support for library facilities, services and programs.
Policy 5.5: Provide friendly and welcoming library facilities that support the creation of both formal and informal neighborhood commons.
CULTURAL RESOURCES & HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN
Orange has traditionally focused its historic preservation efforts primarily on Old Towne.
Since 1982, when the City of Orange undertook its first historic resources survey, enacted its first historic preservation element, and established the Old Towne Historic District through a zoning overlay, historic preservation has been a significant factor in the revitalization and economic vitality of Orange’s historic downtown. The current process of establishing an historic district is through a zoning overlay as outlined in the Zoning Ordinance; the City does