City Council Eyes Redevelopment Funds for Public Improvements

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the Council discussed a series of resolutions that would allow for the use of property tax increment funds for the financing of certain public improvements.

The Redevelopment Law states that the use of tax increment funds can be used to finance public improvements as long as they meet three criteria: 1) Any proposed public improvement needs to be a benefit to the project area, 2) That there are no other means for funding the project other than redevelopment funds and, 3) That the project will assist in the elimination of blight conditions.

The availability of these funds may be temporary if California Governor Jerry Brown has his way. As part of a plan to close California’s budget deficit, Brown hopes to eliminate the state’s more than 400 redevelopment agencies and use the local tax money to help schools, police and fire departments and other local services. As a result, any tax increment funds available for redevelopment projects including street repairs, blight control and other public safety projects may be lost if not utilized.

Jason Kruckeberg, the Assistant City Manager and Development Services Director, presented a few projects for Council to consider including public safety improvements to be made to the Downtown Gold Line Station area and the Transit Plaza project. This may comprise of walkway improvements, handrails, signals and lighting.

A second project would be street repairs to Huntington Drive in the area near Colorado Place and Santa Anita Avenue.

“This is a significant project and there are no other funds available for this project,” Kruckeberg said. The repairs would include widening of the street and the addition of a turn lane.

A third project in consideration would be the construction of a Public Safety Joint Training Facility and overflow parking lot at the site on Live Oak Avenue. The facility would serve both the Police and Fire Departments. Other projects proposed included beautification projects at the off ramp of the 210 Freeway at Santa Anita and landscape improvements to the area along Huntington and 1st Avenue where trees have caused damage to the sidewalk.

Not all the projects were met with enthusiasm from council members.

“I am quite frankly not convinced that the Gold Line is going to have any significant impact on our Downtown area. I haven't seen it at any of the other stops. To spend $800,000 for pedestrian improvements…I have real concerns about that,” Councilman Bob Harbicht said during the discussion. 

Kruckeberg reminded Council that they have two years to decide on the Gold Line project and other projects can be considered to replace it as long as they meet the three criteria and there is adequate reason given on why a particular project has been abandoned.

City Council agreed to adopt all resolutions on this matter and will have further discussions on the projects proposed in future meetings.