Orange County environmental issues, land use, and planning collection, 1919-1973, bulk 1960-1970

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Summary

Abstract:

The collection consists of correspondence, reports, court documents, minutes, photographs, and newspaper clippings documenting three major environmental and political issues in Orange County, California, in the 1960s: agricultural preserves, beach erosion, and redistricting. Primary creators and collectors of the documents include the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the Orange County Planning Commission. Documents illustrate political positions, public opinion, and law on land conservation and land use. Aerial photographs depict Pacific coastline erosion, and maps illustrate districting plans.

Extent:

2.9 Linear Feet (5 boxes and 1 oversize folder) and 2.9 linear feet

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

Orange County Environmental Issues, Land Use, and Planning Collection. MS-R65. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of correspondence, reports, court documents, minutes, photographs, and newspaper clippings documenting three major environmental and political issues in Orange County, California, in the 1960s: agricultural preserves, beach erosion and redistricting. Primary creators and collectors of the documents include the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the Orange County Planning Commission. Documents illustrate political positions, public opinion, and law on land conservation and land use. Aerial photographs depict Pacific coastline erosion, and maps illustrate districting plans.

The collection is organized in three subject series: Agricultural Preserves; Beach Erosion; and Special Districts, Redistricting and Planning. Material were originally in three large binders with similar titles and presumably comprised research materials compiled by or for one or more members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Original order of the materials was retained, and it has no discernible logic.

Biographical / historical:

Orange County, California is located on Southern California's Pacific coast between Los Angeles and San Diego Counties. The county was formally established in 1889 when the southern portion of Los Angeles County separated to become Orange County. The City of Santa Ana is the county seat, and Orange County is governed by a Board of Supervisors comprised of five elected officials, representing regional constituencies.

Orange County was heavily agricultural prior to its inception and until the 1960s. Oranges were the primary cash crop, and other crops included lemons, lima beans, tomatoes, walnuts, peppers and beets. From the 1950s through the 1980s, Orange County experienced massive land development, urbanization, and a significant population increase. The completion of a network of freeways contributed to these phenomena, and the land development and the growth of new towns and cities diminished many of the orange groves and open fields of Orange County.

Excessive development and overpopulation are long-standing, major issues in Orange County, and both coastal and environmental issues associated with development have played a major role in local politics and public policy, particularly in the post-World War II era

Missing Title
Date	Event
1933	Orange County Harbor District established under the Harbor Improvements District Act.
1963	Orange County Board of Supervisors authorized participation in the Federal Beach Erosion Control Project.
1963	Local Agency Formation Commission organized.
1964	Phase 1 of Federal Beach Erosion Control Project.
1965	California Land Conservation Act of 1965, also known as the Williamson Act.
1966	California State Constitution amended, giving the legislature power to enact laws pertaining to open space.
1967	California State Constitution amended to provide special tax privileges to preserve land for "the production of food and fiber ..."
1967	UCI-Project 21 Study Team on Coordination of Urban Planning organized.
1967	Phase 2 of Federal Beach Erosion Control Project.
1968	Proposal for the dissolution of the Harbor District and replacement by a County Department of Harbors, Beaches and Parks.
1968	General and special district elections in Orange County.
1968	County Assessor Andrew J. Hinshaw presented findings on double taxation to the Local Agency Formation Commission.
1969	Irvine Ranch and Rancho Mission Viejo agricultural preserves proposed and approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
1971	Following the 1970 census, Orange County reapportioned the supervisorial districts.
1972	California Coastal Zone Conservation Act.
1973	California legislature mandated open space and conservation elements in local general plans.

Acquisition information:

Various officials from the Orange County Board of Supervisors donated records and publications to the UCI Libraries in the late 1970's. Most publications were cataloged in the Government Information Department; the present group of records was placed in the Department of Special Collections to receive archival handling.

Processing information:

Processed by Laura Clark Brown in 1998.

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Environmental policy -- California -- Orange County -- History -- Sources
Agriculture and politics -- California -- Orange County.
Agriculture -- California -- Orange County.
Shore protection -- California -- Orange County -- History -- Sources
Beach erosion -- California -- Orange County -- History -- Sources
Regional planning -- California -- Orange County -- History -- Sources
Land use -- Law and legislation -- California -- Orange County
Land use -- Environmental Aspects -- California -- Orange County
Environmental protection -- California -- Orange County -- History -- Sources
Photographic prints -- California -- Orange County.
Maps -- California -- Orange County.
Places:: California -- California Land Conservation Act of 1965.

Access and use

Restrictions:: Collection is open for research.
Terms of access:: Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.