Assemblyman Forges Compromise on County Courthouse

Assemblyman Richard Robinson on Thursday forged a compromise on the lease of the Orange County Courthouse by the state Court of Appeal that would protect the county Historical Commission’s access for tours while allowing for future expansion of the four-justice appellate court.

But while the Historical Commission would retain access to the courtroom 25 days a month for public tours, the lease terms tentatively agreed to Thursday would save the state $1,465 a month in rent.

Under those terms, the commission still will have to dismantle its long-planned museum in the old courthouse when the appellate court adds two justices. However, the lease would guarantee six months advance warning instead of the 60 to 90 days notice offered by state negotiators.

The state also would be required to give the commission 360 days notice if the court needed additional commission office space for a seventh justice.

“I wouldn’t call it a victory, but I’m pleased that something has been worked out that everyone can live with,” said Historical Commission Chairman Jane Gerber, who, like other commission members, would have preferred a guarantee for a permanent museum.

“I feel like we got the best we could for all concerned,” said Gerber, a longtime Robinson supporter who nearly severed ties with him over this dispute.

The settlement between Robinson, court and county officials was reached reached after about 30 minutes of discussion in the Garden Grove Democrat’s district office. It appeared to end a bitter, four-year tug-of-war over control of the 85-year-old courthouse.

The sandstone and granite building, Southern California’s oldest existing courthouse, once was the hub of Orange County legal and political life.

The settlement comes as $3.2 million in earthquake safety improvements and historical renovations on the building, unoccupied since 1979, are being completed.

Supervisor Roger Stanton, who fought to retain county title to the building and won support to spend county Harbors, Beaches and Parks money for the massive renovation project, said Thursday that he thought the settlement was “very positive.”

“According to Jane Gerber, it looks great,” said Stanton, adding that he believed he could recommend signing the lease when it comes before the Board of Supervisors Oct. 22.

As co-author of a 1981 bill creating the Santa Ana appellate division and author of a 1982 bill that designated the historic courthouse as home to the court, Robinson had a keen interest in breaking the stalemate.

“I think it’s to the benefit of all involved to get a lease signed, construction completed and get inside a renovated building,” Robinson said Thursday.

Under terms of the lease, the state will pay the county $151,800 annually for use initially of 71% of the three-story building. The money will be repaid to the Harbors, Beaches and Parks capital projects fund.

Presiding Justice John K. Trotter Jr., who attended Thursday’s meeting with Judicial Council Deputy Director Burton Oliver, said he was “glad that all of these problems--and they have been small, but nagging ones--have been resolved.”

But in his view, Trotter said, “nothing has really changed. The lease is what was agreed to before.” He said commission fears that the court would demand access to the historic courtroom 30 days a month were groundless.

However, Robinson won agreement to limit sessions to three days a month, with two more days available for emergency hearings upon 24 hours notice. He pointed out that state law already allows the court to take over the courtroom for emergency sessions.

Robinson estimated that $1.4 million in budgeted alterations for the appellate court could be completed and the building ready for occupancy within 18 months.

Trotter, who early this year requested two additional justices to deal with a burgeoning case load, said he thought that the court’s need to expand to occupy 87% of the building would push the museum out fairly soon after moving in.

“Sooner or later we are going to get a fifth, sixth, seventh, maybe even an eighth justice,” Trotter said.