Established in 1986, the Governor's Historic Preservation Awards are presented annually under the sponsorship of the State Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and California State Parks to individuals, organizations, companies, and public agencies whose contributions demonstrate notable achievements in preserving the heritage of California. The 27^th annual Governor's Historic Preservation Awards ceremony was held at the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park on November 29, 2012.

Left to right: California State Parks Director Major General Anthony Jackson, USMC (ret.); Jeff Henderson, Planner/Project Manager, PMC (formerly of AECOM); Mary Maniery, Historic Archaelogist, PAR Environmental Services, Inc.; Robert Chattel; Anna Pehoushek, City of Orange Principal Planner; Ed Knight, City of Orange Interim Community Development Director; Carol Roland-Nawi, State Historic Preservation Officer

Along with representatives from the City of Orange and other team members, Chattel was presented the Governor's Historic Preservation Award for their work on the City of Orange Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation Element of the General Plan.


A home in one of three Eichler Homes tracts in Orange

As part of this work, Chattel completed a historic resource survey and preparation of preservation policies for the Historic Preservation Element of the General Plan. Chattel surveyed nearly 4,000 properties citywide, including updating the previous survey of Old Towne Orange, the largest National Register-listed historic district in the western United States, and four outlying areas: El Modena, a former Quaker settlement turned Mexican-American neighborhood; and three tracts of postwar Eichler Homes. Chattel also developed detailed historic context statements for each area.

The Fairhaven tract of Eichler Homes in Orange, 1960

A map of Eichler Homes Fairhaven tract in Orange

Additionally, Chattel wrote a “Historic Preservation Issues and Opportunities Paper,” analyzing the City’s existing preservation policies and presenting opportunities and constraints associated with a variety of preservation options. The element includes a comprehensive, city-wide historic context statement and innovative policies to identify and preserve neighborhood character areas. Chattel also worked with archaeological sub-consultant PAR Environmental Services, Inc. to identify and develop techniques to protect archaeologically sensitive areas in Orange. Chattel’s efforts for the City of Orange led to a series of creative, state-of-the-art policies, goals and objectives included in the Preservation Element.