04/17/2001 RA RPT 06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM Honorable Mayor & City Council And Redevelopment Agency Date: April 17, 2001 Item No.: 6 Subject: Request Authorization to Set a Joint Public Hearing on the Proposed Casa Blanca Redevelopment Plan Amendment Background The Casa Blanca Redevelopment Project Area was originally adopted by the City Council on November 9, 1976. The Redevelopment Plan for the Project Area was subsequently amended in 1990 to extend the Agency's authority to use eminent domain in the acquisition of property, and to increase certain time and bonded debt limitations. The Redevelopment Plan was amended again in 1994 to reflect administrative changes mandated by the Community Redevelopment Law Reform Act of 1993 (also known as AB 1290). The AB 1290 Amendment established certain new time limitations, which were not previously required nor included in the Plan. Among these new time limits was a limitation on establishing debt. The Redevelopment Agency commenced the processing of a third amendment to the Casa Blanca Redevelopment Planin the fall of 2000. The amendment is administrative in nature and does not propose to change the boundaries of the Casa Blanca Project Area, or change the policy direction of the Plan. Specifically, the amendment would change the deadline by which the Agency must incur debt from the current deadline of 2004 to 2014, would extend the Agency's eminent domain authority for an additional 12 years, and would update the Redevelopment Plan Map to reflect the current General Plan. The current and proposed amended limitations on the Casa Blanca Redevelopment Plan are summarized on the enclosed schedule entitled "Plan Limits Summary." Following award by the Agency of a consulting contract to assist with the processing of the Redevelopment Plan Amendment, staff sent an informational newsletter to Project Area residents and businesses, held a community- wide meeting, held meetings with the Project Area Committee, and prepared the majority of the required documents in draft form, including required environmental documents. In accordance with CEQA and the CRL, staff members have prepared an Initial Study, which indicated that a Negative Declaration is the appropriate environmental determination for the administrative amendment to the Casa Blanca Redevelopment Plan. A draft Negative Declaration for the proposed Project Amendment has also been prepared and circulated for public review, which will end on April 27, 2001. A public hearing to be held by the Planning Commission on the environmental documents is scheduled for May 3, 2001. Staff has also prepared a draft amendment to the Redevelopment Plan and a Report to the City Council on the amendment and its processes. These documents will be considered by the Agency and the City Council at the joint public hearing.