City May Merge 5 Redevelopment Areas
Amendments to plans for five redevelopment project areas are under consideration as part of an effort to revive the city’s Redevelopment Agency and help generate revenue to pay for future projects.
One proposal is to merge the five project areas, which include Main-Pier, Huntington Center, Oak View, Talbert-Beach and Yorktown-Lake, into one redevelopment zone, said Stephen V. Kohler, redevelopment project manager.
A merger would increase the agency’s financial flexibility and pool resources to help areas not doing well financially, Kohler said.
Kohler said the merger is one of several plan amendments proposed. Others include extending the time in which the agency can incur debt and collect tax increment revenue.
The Redevelopment Agency’s five project areas currently face an annual deficit of about $1.9 million for 1995-96, according to a city report.
The next step toward merging the project areas comes at the City Council on Monday. The panel, acting as the Redevelopment Agency, will consider spending as much as $200,000 to hire as a consultant the Rosenow Spevacek Group Inc. of Santa Ana.
Kohler said it will take nine months to prepare documents, seek public comment and present the amendments at a City Council hearing.
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