Resolution Number 91-9-3-6RESOLUTION NO. 91-9-3-6
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA, CONDITIONALLY APPROVING
THE FINAL WORKING DRAWINGS FOR THE HISTORIC DEPICTION
PROGRAM FOR ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL 89-02 (CAPISTRANO
COLLECTIONJCARLSON)
WHEREAS, the applicant, Mr. Dick Carlson, 1400 Quail Street, Suite 270,
Newport Beach, California, 92660, has submitted an application for approval of the final
working drawings for the Historic Depiction Program for Architechural Control 89-02
located on the south side of Ortega Highway east of the Forster Mansion (Capistrano
Collection); and,
WHEREAS, the City's Cultural Heritage Commission reviewed the conceptual
Historic Depiction Program on April 23, 1990, and requested the item be brought back
for consideration of the specific wordine for the or000sed olacue: and.
WHEREAS, the City's Planning Commission reviewed and approved the
location of the conceptual Historic Depiction Program for Architectural Control 89-02
on October 24, 1989; and,
WHEREAS, the City's Design Review Commission reviewed and approved the
location of the conceptual Historic Depiction Program for Architectural Control 89-02
on June 7, 1990; and
WHEREAS, the City's Cultural Heritage Commission reviewed the conceptual
Historic Depiction Program on August 13, 1991, and recommended approval, subject to
certain modifications to the plaque wording and the inclusion of subscripts beneath each
photograph on the plaque; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council hereby finds and determines as follows:
1. The Historic Depiction Program integrates San Juan Capistrano's history
into the development of the city by incorporating a plaque into the wall
of the building which includes photographs of the Forster family and a
narrative describing a history of the Forster family and Mansion located
west of the commercial center.
2. The Historic Depiction Program incorporates representations of the
area's cultural heritage into the everyday life of the community by
utilizing a plaque with a narrative describing a history of the Forster
family, a prominent family of early San Juan Capistrano, which will be
highly visible and greatly accessible to the general public.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of
San Juan Capistrano does hereby approve the final working drawings for the Historic
Depiction Program for Architectural Control 89-02, subject to the following conditions:
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Certificate of Occu anc - The Certificate of Occupancy for Capistrano
Collection Architectural Control 89-02) shall be issued only upon
installation of the Historic Depiction Program which includes the
"Graphics -Plus" plaque and associated plaque wording as written in
number 2 below. The Land Use Manager or his designee shall -rify the
installation of the Historic Depiction Program prior to the ....;uance of
the Certificate of Occupancy.
2. Plaque Language
The final language for the plaque describing a history of the Forster
family shall read as follows:
The Forster family moved to San Juan Capistrano in 1844 when
Englishman John Forster bought the San Juan Mission and the surrounding
area at auction from Pio Pico, the last of the Mexican Governors of
California. Forster, then known as Don Juan Forster who was married to
Pico's sister, Ysidora, moved his family into the south wing of the
Mission where they occupied it for the next twenty years. In 1865
President Lincoln restored the Mission to the Roman Catholic Diocese of
California at which time Don Juan moved his family to the Rancho Santa
Marguerita in San Diego County.
Upon the death of Don Juan in 1882 his son, Don Marcos Forster,
returned to San Juan along with his sons Marcus, Frank, John and George,
where they engaged in the family business of ranching and farming on
Rancho Boca de la Playa.
Frank Ambrosio Forster built the Mansion immediately to the west. He
hired the prominent Los Angeles architectural firm of Train and Williams
who designed the Mansion in the popular Mission Revival style. The
significance of the Mansion is noted in a L.A. Times article of March 28,
1909, which states: "Train and Williams have followed the designs of the
designers of the historic mission at San Juan Capistrano for the new
Forster home, and as reinforced concrete will be used in the
construction, the new structure will be one of the handsomest private
dwellings in the southern end of the state. The structure will cost about
$12,000." The original artist's rendering from the Times article is
reproduced here on this monument.
Frank married Ada Haskell in 1894 and raised five children named Alice,
Marco (Tom), Ynez, Lucana and Hugo. After completion and move -in in
1910, the Mansion became the social hub of the Capistrano Valley.
Townspeople flocked to the gala barbecues and piano recitals hosted by _
the Forster family. Frank lived in the Mansion until his death in 1939,
while his widow remained in the residence until her death in 1950.
At one time the Forster family had several mansions in San Juan
Capistrano. The others have been demolished leaving the Frank A.
Forster Mansion as the sole survivor of a bygone era.
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3. The plaque shall include subscripts beneath each of the photographs for
clarification of their contents. The wording for the subscripts shall read
as follows:
a. Photograph A - Frank and Ada Forster, F. M. "Pancho" Forster and
Ynez Forster Romer (1922).
b. Photograph B - Forster Mansion circa 1920.
C. Photograph C - Frank and Ada Forster, F. M. "Pancho" Forster,
Marco F. (Tom) Forster and Ynez Forster Romer (1922).
d. Photograph D - Don Juan Forster circa 1880.
e. Photograph E - Frank A. Forster on his horse, Ronie, circa L930.
4. The Los Angeles Times logo and newspaper circulation date (March 28,
1909) shall be included as a caption above the reproduced L.A. Times
artist rendering.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 3rd day
of September , 1991.
ATTEST:
i
KENNETH E. FRIESS, MAYOR
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss
CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO )
I, CHERYL JOHNSON, City Clerk of the City of San Juan Capistrano,
California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of
Resolution No. 91-9-3-6 adopted by the City Council of the City of San Juan
Capistrano, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 3rd day
of September , 1991, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmen Jones, Hausdorfer, Vasquez and
Mayor Friess
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Councilman Buchheim
(SEAL)
CHERYL JONS , CITY CLERK
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