Glendale approves community benefit districts

The Glendale City Council this week gave communities the ability to assess themselves and to use that money to pay for improvements.

The so-called community benefit districts would act in a similar way to the more well-known business improvement districts, in which business owners assess themselves a fee or tax each year and then use that money to pay for infrastructure upgrades and other amenities.

Participating property owners in a community benefit district would contribute money and then decide which improvements they’d like made using those funds, including marketing materials, extra security and additional litter removal beyond what the city provides.

The districts, which may be formed voluntarily, were strongly backed by the local business community.

-- Jason Wells, Times Community News

Twitter: @jasonbretwells