Tentative OK Reached on O.C. Jail Expansion

In a breakthrough on one of the largest jail expansions in Orange County history, county officials announced Wednesday that they have reached a tentative agreement with the city of Orange that resolves a dispute over the Theo Lacy Branch Jail expansion and sets the stage for the county to move forward with the project.

Under the proposed agreement, which must be approved by the Board of Supervisors and the Orange City Council, the county would slash the number of jail beds to be built by nearly half. The county would also offer the city more than $10 million in economic incentives.

“What we have put together is a compromise,” said Supervisor William G. Steiner, who negotiated the deal. “A compromise that recognizes the need to balance the desires of a community for its economic well-being, as well as for the safety of its residents, with the need to preserve the integrity of the justice system in Orange County.”

Under the proposed agreement, Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates would be able to expand the 1,326-bed facility in Orange by another 1,660 beds, instead of the 3,320 beds he originally requested. City officials have tentatively agreed to support the scaled-back expansion and drop a pending lawsuit over the housing of maximum-security inmates at the facility in exchange for more than $10 million in financial incentives.

But even if the proposed agreement is approved, county officials say they do not have the funds to build the entire multimillion-dollar expansion. The most the county can afford is “double bunking” beds in the existing facility, which would add only 358 beds.

“We need to get serious about finding money for a jail expansion,” Steiner acknowledged.

Nonetheless, city and county officials were elated that the dispute over the Theo Lacy expansion appeared to be resolved.

“I fully support this compromise because the county has taken significant steps to reduce the capacity from what was originally proposed,” said Orange Mayor-elect Joanne Coontz. “We appreciate the economic advantages that are coming forth.”

The economic package the county is prepared to offer Orange includes:

* Waiving the city’s jail booking fees, which currently total about $250,000 a year.

* Providing the city about $500,000 over the next four years for park improvements.

* Committing $3 million for traffic improvement near The City Shopping Center, which is across The City Drive from the jail.

* Spending up to $6 million to relocate an animal shelter that could be razed because of the expansion.

Gates said he felt “like a load of bricks has been taken off my right shoulder.” He praised the tentative agreement and said it was a “small step that will give us some immediate relief.”

Gates, however, said more still needs to be done to ease jail overcrowding and minimize a dangerous condition that forces him each year to release more than 10,000 inmates from jail early.

He said the county needs to build new jails, not just expand old ones, if it is to keep pace with the growing number of inmates flowing into the system, especially since the state’s “three strikes and you’re out” legislation was enacted this year.

Gates has repeatedly warned county officials that the jail overcrowding situation is a powder keg ready to blow. Recent disturbances among inmates at both the Central Men’s Jail and Theo Lacy are an indication of the volatile climate in the county jails.

Steiner, who lives in Orange, said he knows “this expansion is a tough pill (for Orange residents) to swallow, but I think it’s the right thing to do if we are truly concerned about our public safety.”

One issue that was hotly debated during the six months of negotiation between county and city officials was the placement of maximum-security inmates in the Theo Lacy facility. Earlier this year, Orange officials sued the county over the issue.

That lawsuit will be dropped as part of the proposed agreement. Additionally, the county has agreed to cap the number of maximum-security inmates at Theo Lacy at 1,152--about 38% of the maximum jail population.

County officials have also said they will not release the maximum-security prisoners directly from Theo Lacy. Those inmates will be taken back to the main jail in Santa Ana to be released.

Steiner said the county is also prepared to assign a deputy to patrol the parking garages near Theo Lacy, other county facilities and UCI Medical Center.

Steiner said he hopes the deal will be completed by the end of the year. Both city and county officials say the agreement must be legally binding.

In the meantime, county planners will proceed with an environmental review of the expansion project. That study, which must be completed before any construction occurs, should be concluded by April, county officials said.

Jail Agreement

Orange County and Orange city officials have tentatively agreed to a Theo Lacy Branch Jail expansion that both sides can live with. Among some of the major points:

* County will cut the number of proposed new jail beds from 3,154 to 1,660.

* City will drop its lawsuit against the county over the housing of maximum-security inmates.

* County will limit the number of maximum-security inmates to 1,152.

* County will give the city more than $10 million to encourage retail development, improve traffic circulation and enhance city parks and relocate an animal shelter.