Council Ready to OK Face Lift for Broadway : Renovation: The city will save money by creating an assessment district for the street improvements now. But business owners say the plan would create further economic hardships.

Despite opposition from property owners, the Glendale City Council appears ready to approve a controversial $2.3-million street improvement project along four blocks of Broadway near the Glendale Civic Center.

But city officials said legal challenges may delay the work.

During more than two hours of debate Tuesday, the City Council twice voted 3 to 2 to form an assessment district that would levy a portion of the project’s cost against property owners.

Each time, council members rescinded the action because of questions about whether untaxed government property can dilute the legal strength of objections by private property owners, and about the term of the proposed bonds to fund the project.

Clarified resolutions are expected to be brought to the council Tuesday.

The project calls for new paving, gutters and storm drains, as well as installation of patterned sidewalks and crosswalks, new lights, trees, and benches along Broadway between Louise Street and Glendale Avenue.

Although less elaborate, the plans are similar to the recent beautification of Maryland Avenue between Broadway and Wilson Avenue in the Exchange, a renovated two-block area of the downtown redevelopment zone.

Property owners and tenants along Broadway have argued that they cannot afford the cost of beautification and that disruption from construction would create even more economic hardships in a recession.

City planners counter that the timing is ideal because recession-plagued contractors are willing to do the work for less. The low bid is 16% below the city’s estimate, a $436,000 savings if the city does the project now rather than waiting a year or two, said George Miller, public works director.

In an effort to satisfy property owners, the city has devised a plan to delay assessment payments for at least two years. The delay would cost the city about $23,000 in interest, Miller said. Several council members suggested that project savings could be used to help support businesses or speed construction, which should be completed by next fall.

The city plans to pay about 85% of the total project cost, with the remaining 15%--about $358,000--to be levied against 25 property owners along Broadway. The cost to private owners is estimated at $235 per frontage foot, to be assessed over a period of 10 years at 6.5% annual interest, Miller said.

The improvement project “is going to happen some day, we might as well do it now . . . while it is cheaper,” Councilman Dick Jutras said.

The arguments led to the 3-2 council split Tuesday, with Mayor Ginger Bremberg and Councilman Carl Raggio voting against the measures. Bremberg said the delay in assessments would mean taxpayers would have to bear the burden for private landowners. Raggio said he sympathizes with the economic troubles of landlords and tenants. Both indicated that they are unlikely to change their stance next week.

Council members Larry Zarian and Eileen Givens joined Jutras in voting for the project. Givens said she did so reluctantly because she wants the city to reduce the disruption during construction and speed completion to reduce the impact on merchants.

The vote raised the question of whether a simple majority is sufficient to form the assessment district. State law requires that four out of five council members approve formation of an assessment district if the majority of property owners object to the project.

John and Nita Brown, attorneys who own property in the proposed assessment district, said more than 50% of the private landowners have filed objections, which would require the four-fifths council vote.

But three major government holdings--the Glendale Civic Center, a U.S. Postal Service facility and a Los Angeles County Courthouse--are in the district. The three properties account for 44% of the land but would not be assessed for improvements because they are taxpayer-owned, officials said.

Lumped in with the government holdings, private landowners account for only 28% of the protest, said Glendale City Atty. Scott Howard, who determined that a 3-2 vote is sufficient. But Howard warned the question could lead to a legal battle, further delaying the project.

Broadway Improvement Plan

The proposed $2.3 million project calls for improvements to a four-block area along Broadway between Louise Street and Glendale Avenue. It provides for new paving, gutters and storm drains, and installation of patterned sidewalks and crosswalks, new lights, trees and benches. Ownders of 25 parcels along the street would be assessed for a portion of the project cost.