A lawyer who lives in the Old Orange Historic District is asking a state judge to stop the city of Orange from buying the First Financial Bank on 16th Street. The petition filed in the Orange District Clerk’s Office says the city’s plan to move city hall violates the City Charter and Comprehensive Master Land Use Plan.
260th State Judge Buddie Hahn has set a hearing on Tuesday. The petition says a restraining order or injunction will “preserve the status quo until a trial is held.”
Leslie Barras, along with the non-profit group Historic Orange Preservation Empowerment (HOPE), filed for the injunction against the city. Also listed as defendants are each individual city council member and City Manager Shawn Oubre.
The council on January 12 voted unanimously to buy the First Financial Bank building on 16th Street for $2 million. The building will be used as city hall, replacing the 1920s mansion on Green Avenue in downtown. The mansion has been used as city hall for more than 70 years.
In the petition for the restraining order and injunction, Barras said the public first learned of the sale agreement when the council agenda was posted the afternoon of January 7.
Barras appeared before the council that day and asked the members to slow down on the deal. She also pointed out the deal does not follow the city’s adopted master plan. However, without a public discussion, the council voted unanimously to abandon the current city hall and buy the bank building. The bank plans to build a new building in the next block of 16th Street.
In the petition, Barras said a 1996 master plan establishes the “Old Town Center/Waterfront” with “the seat of municipal government” as an “important asset” of the area. The city paid a consultant $50,000 for the plan.
The plan included moving all municipal offices near the current city hall on Green Avenue and designing new buildings to blend with the historic look of the mansion.
Since that time, a new police station, fire station and public works building have been constructed within feet of city hall. All were designed to blend with the historic look of city hall.
The master plan was adopted after public hearings and votes through city commissions and ultimately by the city council.
“The City Charter is very clear regarding the legal effect of the Comprehensive Master Plan,” the petition says. The city has legal outlines for changing the master plan through hearings and public votes.
Barras contends the city council did not change the master plan and therefore moving city hall violates the city charter.
Part of the city charter is attached to the petition. The charter includes “Any future amendments or adoptions of the comprehensive plan must be done by ordinance. An ordinance adopting or amending the comprehensive plan shall not be approved until after a joint public hearing with the City council and Planning and Zoning Commission on the matter at which parties in interest and citizens have an opportunity to be heard.”
According to the charter, the Planning and Zoning Commission will make recommendations on the changes to the comprehensive plan. Plan changes require votes by the commission and the city council. -Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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