SANTA ANA : $78,000 Voted for Redevelopment Plan

Beginning an innovative effort intended to help rebuild and expand local schools, the City Council has approved spending $78,000 to hire an environmental consulting firm and create a community advisory committee to monitor the redevelopment project.

The council voted earlier this week to hire the West Covina-based environmental consulting firm of David Evans & Associates to compose an environmental impact study as a prelude to a proposed 30-year redevelopment project. The study will cost $53,000.

A 1991 Santa Ana Unified School District report showed that it has one of the fastest growth rates in the state and that enrollment is expected to increase by 22,000 students by the year 2000, requiring 680 new classrooms. The project aims at improving the district’s facilities and those in parts of the Garden Grove, Tustin and Orange unified school districts that are within the city. Improvements are also planned for Rancho Santiago Community College.

By placing them in a redevelopment area, city officials have estimated that $1.5 billion in redevelopment money for the districts could be generated over the next 30 years through the sale of bonds. More revenue from the resale of city property, expected to increase in value, would go to the Redevelopment Agency to repay the bond debt.

The council also authorized creating a 30-member project area committee to include residents, business owners and representatives from community groups and school districts. The council approved spending $25,000 for advertising and printing tied to the committee.

According to a report to the council, residents will vote on panel members in a February election. Only those whose homes, businesses or properties are within the project area will be eligible to run for election or to vote. The group will review the redevelopment plan before it is adopted and provide a forum for gathering and disseminating information.