2.68.060 Redevelopment necessary.
The Council hereby finds and determines that:
A. The project area is a blighted area, the redevelopment of which is necessary to effectuate the public purposes declared in the California Community Redevelopment Law (Health and Safety Code Section 33000 et seq.). This finding is based upon the following conditions which characterize the project area:
1. The existence of buildings and structures used or intended to be used for living, commercial, industrial or other purposes, which are unfit or unsafe to occupy for such purposes and therefore conducive to ill health, transmission of disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency, and crime due to one or a combination of the following factors: deterioration, dilapidation, age, obsolescence, mixed character, or shifting of uses; defective design and character of physical construction; faulty interior arrangement and exterior spacing; inadequate sanitation, open spaces and recreation facilities;
2. The existence of properties which suffer from economic deterioration and disuse because of:
a. The existence of inadequate public improvements, public facilities, utilities and open spaces, including inadequate and insufficient traffic circulation, parking, drainage, streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and sewers, which cannot be remedied with private or governmental action without redevelopment;
b. Lots (parcels) subdivided and sold of irregular form, shape and inadequate size for proper usefulness and development;
c. Lots (parcels) laid out in disregard to contours, topography, or physical characteristics and surrounding conditions;
d. Lots (parcels) subject to flooding;
e. Economic dislocation, deterioration or disuse resulting from faulty planning; and
f. A prevalence of depreciated values, impaired investments and social and economic maladjustment.
Such conditions are causing and will increasingly cause a reduction and lack of proper utilization of the area to such an extent that it constitutes a serious physical, social or economic burden on the City which cannot reasonably be expected to be reversed or alleviated by private enterprise acting alone, requiring redevelopment in the interest of the health, safety and general welfare of the people of the City and the State. This finding is based on the fact that governmental action available to the City without redevelopment would be insufficient to make any significant correction of the blighting conditions, and the fact that the nature and costs of the public improvements and facilities required to correct the blighting conditions are beyond the capacity of the City and cannot be undertaken or borne by private enterprise, acting alone or in concert with available governmental action, among other reasons.
To the extent there are any lands, buildings, or improvements within the project area which are not detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, they are hereby included in the project area because they are necessary for the effective redevelopment of the area of which they are a part.
B. The redevelopment plan will redevelop the project area in conformity with the Community Redevelopment Law and in the interests of the public peace, health, safety and welfare. Among other reasons, this finding is based upon the fact that the purposes of the Community Redevelopment Law would be attained by the proposed project: through the elimination of blighting influences; by the provision of streets and other public improvements necessary to alleviate poor traffic circulation, drainage, and other deficiencies and to promote development by private enterprise; by development of the project area in a manner consistent with the General Plan and the redevelopment plan; and promotion of the objective to revitalize and upgrade a significant area within the City in order to increase sales and business tax revenues, reduce the cost of providing services, create jobs for area residents, assure economic stability, eliminate the depressing effects of physical blight, promote aesthetic and environmental actions and improvements and make the City a better place to live, work and enjoy leisure time.
C. The adoption and carrying out of the redevelopment plan is economically sound and feasible. Among other reasons, this finding is based on the fact that under the redevelopment plan no public redevelopment activity will be undertaken unless the Agency can demonstrate that it has adequate revenue to finance the activity.
D. The redevelopment plan conforms to the General Plan of the City. This finding is substantiated by the report of the Planning Commission that the redevelopment plan conforms to the General Plan of the City.
E. The carrying out of the redevelopment plan will promote the public peace, health, safety and welfare of the City and will effectuate the purposes and policy of the Community Redevelopment Law. Among other reasons, this finding is based on the fact that redevelopment will benefit the project area by correcting conditions of blight and by coordinating public and private actions to stimulate development and improve the economic, social and physical conditions of the project area.
F. The condemnation of real property, to the extent provided for in the redevelopment plan, is necessary to the execution of the redevelopment plan, and adequate provisions have been made for the payment for property to be acquired as provided by law. This finding is based upon the need to ensure that the provisions of the redevelopment plan will be carried out and to prevent the recurrence of blight, and the fact that the redevelopment plan limits the Agency’s use of the eminent domain power to that which is necessary to accomplish the goals set forth therein.
G. The Agency has a feasible method and plan for the relocation of families and persons who might be displaced, temporarily or permanently, from housing facilities in the project area. This finding is based upon the fact that the redevelopment plan provides for relocation assistance according to law, the fact that the Agency has adopted relocation guidelines pursuant to the law, and the fact that minimal or no displacement of residents is contemplated.
H. There are, or are being provided, within the project area or within other areas not generally less desirable with regard to public utilities and public and commercial facilities and at rents or prices within the financial means of the families and persons who might be displaced from the project area, decent, safe and sanitary dwellings equal in number to the number of and available to such displaced families and persons and reasonably accessible to their places of employment. This finding is based upon the fact that implementation of the redevelopment plan will result in the relocation of few residents, if any, and the fact that no person or family will be required to move from any dwelling unit until suitable replacement housing is available.
I. There are no noncontiguous areas contained in the project area. All areas of the project area are either blighted or necessary for the effective redevelopment of the project area and are not included for the purpose of obtaining the allocation of taxes from such area pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 33670 without other substantial justification for their inclusion.
J. Inclusion of any lands, buildings or improvements which are not detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare is necessary for the effective redevelopment of the entire area of which they are a part, and any such area is not included for the purpose of obtaining the allocation of tax increment revenues from such area pursuant to Section 33670 of the Community Redevelopment Law without other substantial justification for its inclusion. Among other reasons, this finding is based upon the fact that the boundaries of the project area were chosen as a unified and consistent whole to include lands that were underutilized because of blighting influences or affected by the existence of blighting influences and land uses significantly contributing to the conditions of blight, the inclusion of which is necessary to accomplish the objectives and benefits of the redevelopment plan.
K. The elimination of blight and the redevelopment of the project area could not reasonably be expected to be accomplished by private enterprise acting alone without the aid and assistance of the Agency. This finding is based upon the existence of blighting influences, including the lack of adequate public improvements and facilities, and the inability of individual developers to economically remove these blighting influences without substantial public assistance in providing adequate public improvements and facilities, among other reasons.
L. The redevelopment plan for the project area will afford the maximum opportunity, consistent with the sound needs of the City as a whole, for the redevelopment of such area by private enterprise.
M. The redevelopment plan contains adequate safeguards so that the work of redevelopment will be carried out pursuant to the redevelopment plan, and it provides 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 redevelopment plan, which this Council deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of the Community Redevelopment Law.