Searching for Funds, City Finds Blight

Signs of blight in Westminster, dubbed the All-America City not too long ago, are difficult to find. But blight is the term, as defined by a state law, that local officials are using for parts of the city to pay for a proposed $260-million face lift over the next 30 years.

By calling some areas blighted, the city will be able to divert property taxes to a special fund under state redevelopment law. The amount diverted to the redevelopment fund would increase over time as property values rise and tax revenue grows.

“The whole city is not blighted by any stretch of the imagination,” redevelopment consultant Ernie Glover said.

GRC Redevelopment Consultants determined that about three-quarters of the city had inadequate public services such as water and sewer systems, based on “modern standards,” Glover said. Also, about one-third of the city’s buildings were in significant need of safety improvements, he said.

Last year, city planners became serious about making sure the 43-year-old incorporated city with about 83,000 residents would have enough money to support infrastructure needs. Future demands in the areas of water and sewer systems, streets and flood control were examined, and officials say that the redevelopment fund is the best plan.

Glover said determining blighted areas was “just a process of getting accounting systems into place.”

“We looked at ways of obtaining additional funding,” City Manager Don Vestal said. “And this plan was the most promising while not adding any new fees or taxes” for residents.

In a presentation at the City Council meeting last Wednesday, residents were reassured that new taxes or fees would not be assessed and that defining areas as blighted was just a tool for maintaining property values and increasing them if possible.

California cities established redevelopment agencies in the ‘50s to combat the threat of decreasing property values.

At the meeting, the council moved to close public hearings, having held a public hearing Wednesday and four town hall meetings over a four-month period. The council approved having a first reading of the Infrastructure Redevelopment Plan on June 28.

Councilwoman Joy L. Neugebauer said she was pleased with the council’s action.

“It reflects the City Council’s awareness that we do have a long-term need for infrastructure maintenance, improvement and repair,” she said. “This plan appears to be the most well thought out to address those concerns.”

Vestal said the city had been using a redevelopment strategy devised in the early ‘80s. He said he was directed by council members to move forward with a plan that many cities have adopted in dealing with a higher demand in areas for street repair and water and sewer needs.

He said most of the money for redevelopment will not be seen right away and referred to the plan as a “pay-as-you-go project.”

The plan also will make available low-income housing improvement loans.

Alex Murashko can be reached at (714) 966-5974.