Expansion of Jail in Orange Will Resume : County government: Officials, armed with appellate court approval, go ahead with plans to expand the Theo Lacy Branch Jail in Orange.

Now that a state appellate court has given the county the go-ahead to expand the Theo Lacy Branch Jail, officials are forging ahead with plans to add five four-story buildings capable of housing twice the number of prisoners now there.

Wednesday’s ruling by the 4th District Court of Appeal ended a two-year battle by the city of Orange to prevent the expansion because of safety concerns for residents who live near the jail, at 501 The City Drive. County officials hope that expansion of the branch jail will ease the strain at the Orange County Jail in Santa Ana.

Stephen Blaylock, who oversees jail construction for the county, said expansion plans call for five additional four-story buildings that will include barracks-style lodging for minimum-security prisoners, expanded areas for visitation and dining, and administrative offices. Most of the added square footage, however, will be used as cell space for medium-security prisoners and for group counseling and other general activities, county officials said.

The expanded Theo Lacy complex will be able to accommodate an inmate population of 1,326. It currently handles 622 prisoners.

The Theo Lacy branch construction is part of a $148-million jail and court expansion at the 71-acre jail and court complex. The complex includes a juvenile court, a family law and probate court, a 60-bed juvenile intake facility and two parking structures, all of which are under construction.

The entire project is expected to be completed by December, 1991, with the Theo Lacy expansion being the last phase. The eight- to 10-week bidding process for a contractor must begin anew because the original contractor, Construction Group Inc. of Los Angeles, asked to be released during the protracted court battle.

However, a proposal to put the $41.5-million Theo Lacy project up for bid faces almost sure approval by the Board of Supervisors at its March 13 meeting, Chairman Don R. Roth said.

“The main things left hinge around some (minor) questions,” Roth said. “I’ve been in marathon meetings with the mayor and city manager of Orange, and we have hammered out (a tentative) agreement that I think will be acceptable to both sides.” City and county officials said they are nearing a compromise concerning a limit on the number of inmates, among other issues.

City officials were equally optimistic that negotiations with the county would produce an agreement within a few weeks.

“Within a week or two, I’m sure we can get back about our business,” said Orange Mayor Don E. Smith. “We want assurances that the jail will only be used to house low- and medium-security prisoners, and we want to make sure there is a cap on the number of prisoners except in emergency situations.”

City officials have insisted on a cap on the inmate population except in times of extreme overcrowding at other facilities.

County and city officials said they have been negotiating for more than a year to resolve the dispute. In February, 1989, the city of Orange and a shopping center and office complex across the street from the jail filed suit against the county to block the proposed expansion. They asked for and received an injunction against expansion. The appellate court lifted the injunction Wednesday.