ORDINANCE NO. 795

 

AN ORDINANCE OF THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE MERGER OF REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREAS Nos. 4-1986, 4-1987, AND AIRPORTS-1988

 

 

 

            WHEREAS, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors (the “Board of Supervisors”) has received from the Redevelopment Agency for the County of Riverside (the “Agency”) a Report to the Board of Supervisors for the Redevelopment Project No. 4-1986, Amendment No. 1, Thousand Palms Sub-Area (the “Report to the Board of Supervisors”), which includes material relating to the proposed merger (the “Merger”) of Redevelopment Projects No. 4-1986, No. 4-1987 and Airports-1988 (the “Existing Project Areas”) into a single merged Desert Communities Redevelopment Project (the “Merged Project Area”); and,

 

            WHEREAS, a copy of said Report to the Board of Supervisors is on file with the Clerk of the Board at the Office of the Clerk of the Board, Riverside County Administration Center, 4080 Lemon Street, Riverside, CA 92501, which includes the reasons for merging the Redevelopment Plans and a discussion of certain other matters as set forth in Section 33352 of the California Health and Safety Code including a plan for the relocation of business owners and tenants who may be temporarily or permanently displaced under the Redevelopment Plan, the report and recommendations of the Riverside County Planning Commission (the “Planning Commission”), the minutes of consultations with affected taxing agencies, the Environmental Impact Report on the Redevelopment Plan, and an implementation plan as required in the Report to the Board of Supervisors; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors and the Agency held a joint public hearing on June 29, 1999, concerning the adoption of the Merger, and the approval of the Environmental Impact Report prepared thereon (the “Environmental Impact Report”); and

 

            WHEREAS, notice of the hearing was duly and regularly published in the Press Enterprise, a newspaper of general circulation in Riverside County, once a week for four (4) successive weeks beginning on June 1, 1999, in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 33452, and a copy of said notice and affidavit of publication are on file with the County Clerk of Riverside County and Secretary of the Agency; and

 

            WHEREAS, copies of the notice of joint public hearing were mailed by first class mail to the last known address of each assessee, as shown on the last equalized assessment roll of the County of Riverside, of each parcel of land in the Existing Project Areas, to each resident in the Existing Project Areas, and to each business in the Existing Project Areas not less than thirty (30) days prior to the joint public hearing; and

 

            WHEREAS, copies of the notice of joint public hearing were mailed by certified mail with return receipt requested to the governing body of each known taxing agency which receives taxes from property in the Existing Project Areas; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors has considered the Report to the Board of Supervisors, the Merger, and the Environmental Impact Report; and has provided an opportunity for all persons to be heard, and has received and considered all evidence and testimony presented for or against any and all aspects of the Merger; and

 

            WHEREAS, the Agency and the Board of Supervisors have reviewed and considered the Environmental Impact Report for the Merger, prepared and submitted pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq. and Health & Safety Code Section 33352, and certified said Environmental Impact Report on July 13, 1999, by Riverside County Resolution No. 99-222.

 

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Supervisors does ordain as follows:

 

            SECTION 1:  The purpose and intent of the Board of Supervisors with respect to the Plan is to merge the existing Redevelopment Project Areas No. 4-1986, No. 4-1987, and Airports-1988 into a single Desert Communities Redevelopment Project Area.

 

            SECTION 2:  The Board of Supervisor’s overall goals for redevelopment activities are not proposed to be changed by this action.  Efforts to revitalize commercial and industrial areas, strengthen existing residential neighborhoods, and provide for development of affordable housing continue to be top priorities of the Agency. 

 

            SECTION 3:  The Board of Supervisors hereby finds and determines that:

 

a)         The Merger will allow continued redevelopment activities to occur in the Existing Project Areas in conformity with the Community Redevelopment Law (Health and Safety Code Section 33000 et seq.) and in the interests of the public health, safety and welfare.  Furthermore, and based on the evidence presented to this Board in the Agency’s Report to the Board of Supervisors, blight in the Existing Project Areas cannot be eliminated without the extension of certain time limits included in the existing Redevelopment Plans, and the merger of the Existing Project Areas, which extensions and merger are part of the Merger.

 

b)         The adoption and carrying out of the Merger is economically sound and feasible.  This finding is based, in part, on the fact that with the passage of the Merger, the Agency will engage in activities within the financial capability of the Agency based upon the revenues that will be available to the Agency. 

 

c)         The Merger conforms to the Riverside County Comprehensive General Plan including, but not limited to, the Housing Element thereof.  This finding is based, in part, on the finding of the Riverside County Planning Commission that the Merger conforms to the Riverside County Comprehensive General Plan.

 

d)         The Existing Project Areas are blighted areas in the community as previously established at the time of their adoption.

 

e)         Carrying out the Merger will promote the public peace, health, safety and welfare of Riverside County and will effectuate the purposes and policy of the Community Redevelopment Law.  This finding is based on the fact that under the Merger, the Agency will be able to correct continuing conditions of blight and, by coordinating public and private actions, to stimulate development, contribute toward needed public improvements, improve economic and physical conditions of the Existing Project Areas, and increase employment opportunities in the Existing Project Areas and the County.

 

f)          The project is reasonably related to the proposed projects to be implemented in the Redevelopment Project Areas No. 4-1986, No. 4-1987, and Airports-1988, and to the ability of the Agency to eliminate blight within the Redevelopment Project Areas No. 4-1986, No. 4-1987, and Airports-1988.

 

g)         The Merger continues to contain adequate safeguards so that the work of redevelopment will be carried out pursuant to the Merger, and it continues to provide for the retention of controls and the establishment of restrictions and covenants running with the land sold or leased for private use for periods of time and under conditions specified in the Merger, which the Board of Supervisors deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of the Community Redevelopment Law.

 

            SECTION 4:  The Board of Supervisors continues to be satisfied that permanent housing facilities will be available within three (3) years from the time occupants of the Existing Project Areas, if any, are displaced, and that pending the development of such permanent facilities, there will be available to any such displaced occupants temporary housing facilities at rents comparable to those in Riverside County at the time of their displacement.  No persons or families of low-or moderate-income shall be displaced from their residence unless and until there are suitable housing units available and ready for occupancy by such displaced persons or families at rents comparable to those at the time of displacement.  Such housing units shall be suitable to the needs of such displaced persons or families and dwellings.  The Agency shall not displace any such persons or families until such housing units are available and ready for occupancy.

 

            SECTION 5:         Any written objections to the Merger filed with the County Clerk during or before the public hearing, and all oral objections presented to the Board of Supervisors at the hearing, having been considered, are hereby overruled.

 

            SECTION 6:

            The merger of the Existing Project Areas pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 33486 into a merged entity to be known as the “Desert Communities Redevelopment Project” is hereby approved and adopted.

 

            SECTION 7:

            In order to implement and facilitate the effectuation of the Desert Communities Redevelopment Project as hereby approved, the Board of Supervisors hereby (a) pledges its cooperation in helping to carry out the Desert Communities Redevelopment Project, (b) requests that the various officials, departments, boards and agencies of Riverside County having administrative responsibilities in the Existing Project Areas likewise cooperate to such end and exercise their respective functions and powers in a manner consistent with the redevelopment of the Existing Project Areas, (c) affirms that it stands ready to consider and take appropriate action upon proposals and measures designed to effectuate the Desert Communities Redevelopment Project, and (d) declares its intention to undertake and complete any proceeding necessary to be carried out by the Riverside County under the provisions of the Desert Communities Redevelopment Project.

 

            SECTION 8:

            The County Clerk is hereby directed to send a certified copy of this Ordinance to the Agency, whereupon the Agency is vested with the responsibility for carrying out the Amended Redevelopment Plans.

 

            SECTION 9:

            The County Clerk is hereby directed to transmit a copy of the Ordinance to the auditor and tax assessor of the County of Riverside, to the governing body of each of the taxing agencies that receives taxes from property in the Existing Project Areas, and to the State Board of Equalization.

 

            SECTION 10:

            This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect thirty (30) days from and after the date of final passage.

 

            SECTION 11:

            If any part of this Ordinance, or the Merger which it approves, is held to be invalid for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this Ordinance or of the individual Redevelopment Plans for each of the Existing Project Areas, and the Board of Supervisors hereby declares it would have passed the remainder of this Ordinance or approved the remainder of the Amended Redevelopment Plans if such invalid portion thereof had been deleted.

 

SECTION 12:

This Ordinance shall be introduced at least five (5) days prior to the Board of Supervisors meeting at which this Ordinance is to be adopted.  The full text of this Ordinance shall be published and/or be posted as required by law in accordance with Government Code Section 36933.

 

 

 

Adopted:  795  Item 3.17 of 07/20/1999  (Eff: 08/19/1999)