SANTA ANA : County to Formalize Jail Expansion Pact

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday directed the county’s attorney to formalize the terms of a tentative agreement reached last week with the city of Orange that would allow the county to move forward on a Theo Lacy Branch Jail expansion.

The board, which met in closed session to discuss the expansion, had no objections to a deal negotiated by Supervisor William G. Steiner. It calls for the county to scale back its original plans by nearly 1,500 jail beds and give the city more than $10 million in economic incentives.

“I’m happy to have a vote of confidence from my colleagues,” Steiner said. “There’s still some work that needs to be done by the county and the city, but I think that this could be put to rest by the end of the year.”

In exchange for the county’s promise to scale back the project and provide financial assistance, city officials have said they will drop a lawsuit against the county over the housing of maximum security inmates at the facility and back the expansion project.

Both the Board of Supervisors and the Orange City Council still need to formally approve the agreement.

“This is on the fast track,” said Steiner, who added that the county’s attorney started drafting the agreement Tuesday.

Under the agreement, County Sheriff Brad Gates would be able to expand the 1,326-bed facility in Orange by 1,660 beds instead of the 3,154 beds that he originally proposed. The economic package the county is prepared to offer includes waiving the city’s jail booking fees, providing $500,000 in park improvements, committing $3 million for traffic improvements near The City Shopping Center in Orange and spending up to $6 million to relocate an animal shelter that could be razed by the expansion.