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1-3 Lo <br /> PREFACE <br /> It is the particular nature of a market economy, in land and buildings <br /> as well as in other commodities, that decisions about how resources <br /> should be used are made for one piece of property at a time and by <br /> individuals who base their decisions on the pattern of land use known <br /> to them at that particular point in time. The individual <br /> decision-maker is free to ignore the effect of his decision on other <br /> people and other properties not directly involved. <br /> The pattern of land use in Orange County is the result of the <br /> cumulative impacts of individual decisions regarding the use of land in <br /> the past. The land use planning process and the Orange County Land Use <br /> Plan which emerged from the process seek to coordinate the individual <br /> decisions impacting on the land, into a County-wide perspective as to <br /> the desired and appropriate patterns of land use and development in <br /> Orange County. <br /> The perception that + land use planning is both important and <br /> necessary is not a false or unfounded perception. The magnitude and <br /> direction of change in Orange County requires an appropriate and well <br /> thought-out response regarding the future pattern of land use and <br /> development in the County or the end result may not be as desirable as <br /> development patterns in the past. <br /> The_Orange County Land Use Plan seeks to manage the forces of change to <br /> insure an appropriate and desired pattern of land use. It is not the <br /> result of an arbitrary set of decisions, but is based on an analysis of <br /> economic and demographic forces contributing to the existing land use <br /> pattern. It presumes that the County can exert some measure of control <br /> over the future character of the County through understanding the <br /> factors which defined its past and present character and by making <br /> conscious decisions about what is desirable and appropriate concerning <br /> the management, growth and development of Orange County in the future. <br /> Essential to this decision-making process about the future character of <br /> the County is the participation of County citizens in the land use <br /> planning activity. The citizen participation strategy adopted by Orange <br /> County considers the citizen involvement experience as one that <br /> provides the opportunity for achieving a more responsive and effective <br /> public decision-making process. It is through the open and inclusive <br /> participation of the County residents that broad support of the Orange <br /> County Land Use Plan and process and its effective implementation can <br /> be assured. <br />