PIRU : County Supervisors OK ‘Survey Area’

More help is on the way for the community of Piru, which suffered $3-million damage in the January earthquake.

The County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to establish a “survey area” for a proposed Piru redevelopment zone, which will include all residential and commercial areas in the community of 1,200 residents. This is the first step toward creating a redevelopment zone--a move likely within two or three months, officials said.

In such a zone, any new property taxes from residential or commercial construction would go to the county to pay for community improvements.

A preliminary study has found that a 20-year redevelopment zone could generate enough money to repay $1.3 million to $1.5 million raised through a bond sale for capital improvements.

Supervisor Maggie Kildee, whose district includes the tiny community, said she is confident that a redevelopment zone will eventually be approved.

“There are no other resources available for Piru,” Kildee said. “It doesn’t have a big tax base, and it doesn’t have a city council to figure out ways to generate money. Redevelopment was designed to help communities like Piru.”

By adopting a survey area, officials said the county would protect its right under state law to expedite the creation of a redevelopment zone at a later date.

Meanwhile, county officials said they will begin working with community leaders to determine which public improvement projects could best help in the rebuilding efforts.