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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - April 23, 2007 - CC, Special MeetingCITY OF AZUSA MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL ' AND THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2007 — 8:40 P.M. The City Council and the Redevelopment Agency Board Members of the City of Azusa met in adjourned session at the above date and time in the Azusa Light and Water Conference Room, located at 729 N. Azusa Avenue, Azusa. Mayor/Chairman Rocha called the meeting to order. Call to Order ROLL CALL Roll Call PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: GONZALES, CARRILLO, MACIAS, HANKS, ROCHA ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE ALSO PRESENT: Also Present City Manager/Executive Director Delach, Assistant City Manager/Assistant Executive Director Person, Economic Development Director Coleman, Tierra West Consultants Jose Ometeotl, and Mike Garcia, Secretary/City Clerk Mendoza, Deputy Secretary/Deputy City Clerk Toscano. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Pub Part ' None. None CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM Agenda Item Moved by Councilmember Gonzales, seconded by Councilmember Hanks and unanimously Requests for carried that the request for certificates of recognition for Jousce Gonzalez, 1 1 year old who Certificates won the 2007 Junior Olympics and Danny Martinez, 22 year old who won all three of his & Proc approved boxing matches in Tahiti and request for proclamation for Jesus Is Lord Church in honor of Its 13Y" Anniversary, be approved. REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AGENDA ITEM Redevelopment Plan Amendment Workshop. Economic Development Director Coleman addressed the issue stating that the 2007 Redevelopment Plan Amendment will include adding territory to the redevelopment project area and Increasing the tax increment cap; that the process has begun as follows: on.February 28`h the Planning Commission approved the Preliminary Plan as well as the Agency Board on March 5'h and they are beginning the Environmental Impact Report and receiving comments from outside agencies. Mr. Mike Garcia of Tierra West addressed the issue presenting the proposed Plan Amendment ' and the Community Guide to Redevelopment. He detailed the history of redevelopment which was set up by law in 1945 to allow cities or counties to create redevelopment agencies. Redevelopment encourages new development, creates jobs and generates tax revenues in declining urbanized areas by developing partnerships between local governments and private entities. There are over 400 California cities and counties which have adopted redevelopment agencies. In 1979 the Health and Safety Code was amended to set aside 20% for Low and Mode Housing purposes. He stated that the money used to redevelop is obtained through tax increment revenue, which is generated as property tax revenue increases in that project area. The document adopted by ordinance for the redevelopment project is the Redevelopment Plan which outlines the powers and authority that the Redevelopment Agency has for operating within that redevelopment area; it gets owner participation rights, methods of relocation and prescribes what can occur within the area. The tax increment revenue is the main source of financing that can be utilized when undertaking the redevelopment projects. Redev item Redevelopment Plan Amend Workshop M. Garcia Tierra West Mr. Garcia talked about bond financing to generate money, called debt financing. He talked about how tax Increment financing works, how it Is shared with other taxing agencies, how to incur debt, and that tax increment can only be used for necessary revitalization projects; he noted some uses and benefits. He stated that Azusa's Redevelopment Agency was established in 1973; the Central Business District was established in 1978 and West End was established in 1983 and the two projects were merged in 1988 which allows the Agency to share tax increments from one project to another. He presented the Redevelopment Plan Amendment process stating that the properties at 9"' and Pasadena are blighted and should be included in the project area; city/agency owned properties on Dalton Avenue and property at Paramount and Azusa are being considered to be Included, which amount to 26 properties. The tax increment cap needs to be examined as It is approximately 114 million dollars; to date they have collected 32 million dollars and they have close to 500 million dollars in projects at this time; there is a need to Increase the cap. He noted that staff spoke to the County regarding the request to increase the cap. He also noted that it will not be used in residential areas. He displayed neaps of the proposed project areas and provided an update on legislative actions that have taken place during the last year. Mr. Garcia advised that the following actions will take place during the next few months: Senate Bill 53 Amendment will be coming for consideration in May, should be adopted by July 1 ". Preliminary Report will outline all the physical and economic blight found in the added and merged project area to allow the addition of territory, look at Increasing the tax increment cap and the draft redevelopment plan will come shortly after. He stated that since there are no residential units within the added areas that have low to mod Income there is no need for a project area committee, but they will continue community Information outreach efforts. Garcia Continued Garcia Continued Discussion was held regarding outside agency board appointments and suggestions were given Discussion to the City Clerk for formal appointments at a future meeting. Brd Appts CouncilmembersBoard Members suggested that the second Council meeting in August be 2nd Mtg August cancelled as well as the Utility Board meeting for that month in order to allow for vacations Cancelled and that the Utility board meeting could be held in conjunction with the first meeting in August Council meeting. City Manager/Executive Director Delach presented tentative dates for Council Orientation and CityMgr City Tour as follows: May 3rd 4" and 5' and asked Council to let him know of their Orientation availability. Moved by Councilmember/Director Carrillo, seconded by Counclimember/Director Hanks and Adjourn unanimously carried to adjourn. TIME ADJOURNMENT: 9:28 P.M. NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 07-C28 (Council) NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 07-RI3 (Agency) 04/23/07 PAGE TWO