By John Backer

 

Council Members of the City of Orange,

I feel it is important to make you aware that The City of Orange adopted a Comprehensive Master Plan in 1996.  The City of Orange has not adopted another master plan.  To my knowledge the City of Orange has not amended the current master plan.   It is my opinion that many of you are not aware the City of Orange has a master plan nor have you been presented with a copy of the master plan by our City Manager since you were elected.

I would like to share with the basis of the Plan from PAGE 2 of the Comprehensive Plan –

 There was a steering committee that was composed of City of Orange residents whose purpose was to oversee the Master Plan, provide insight and guidance, and ensure the Planning Team understood the residents’ needs.  Most importantly, the Committee identified realistic and supportable implementation actions.  Each member of the Steering Committee chose two peers to act as a “sounding board” for the Master Plan ideas.  This group was called the Focus Group .

The Steering Committee chose the following specific Master Plan Elements:

• Land use and transportation
• Historic Preservation
• Old Town Center and Waterfront Development
• Community Facilities
• Economic Development

Additional Elements can be added to the Master Plan in the future

 IT IS CRITICAL to the City’s LONG TERM ECONOMIC HEALTH AND VITALITY that it DIRECT its FUTURE and DESTINY.

 Council – This plan was methodically put together and took over a year of gathering data and information based upon countless hours of public input and interviews following the guidelines listed above.  You are about to embark on making a proposed 8 million dollar decision on the future of the City of Orange.  I beg of you, DO NOT TAKE this decision likely!

 You owe it to the Citizens of Orange and to the future of our City to obtain a copy of the adopted Comprehensive Master Plan and read it before you consider spending one dollar of an 8 million dollar debt you are asking the Citizens of Orange to repay.  Citizens of the City of Orange need to part of the spending process if the City of Orange expects us to pay the debt!

 

John Backer is a concerned citizen of the city of Orange.