PIRU : County to Discuss Redevelopment Zone

The tiny community of Piru--hit hard by the Northridge earthquake--could move one step closer to establishing a redevelopment zone to pay for rebuilding under a plan being considered by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

The board today will consider adopting a “survey area” of the proposed Piru redevelopment zone, which would include most residential and business areas in the community of 1,200, said Mary Walsh, a county administrative analyst.

By adopting a survey area before Jan. 1, Walsh said, the county would reserve its right under state law to expedite the process of creating a redevelopment zone at a later date. “It just allows us to keep our options open,” she said.

Meanwhile, a preliminary study has found that the creation of a 20-year redevelopment zone in Piru could generate enough property tax money to pay for a $1.3-million to $1.5-million bond for capital improvements, Walsh said. The community suffered an estimated $3 million in damage in the Jan. 17 quake.

If a redevelopment zone is ultimately approved, it would mean that any new property taxes generated from residential or commercial development would go back to the community to pay for improvements, Walsh said.

Alfonso Gaitan, president of the Piru Neighborhood Council, said Piru desperately needs the redevelopment zone to help rebuild its downtown area.