THE LEMOORE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY'S
FIVE YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
2005 - 2009
I. INTRODUCTION
General
On October 6, 1993, Governor Pete Wilson signed Assembly Bill 1290 ("AB 1290" or the "Bill"). AB 1290, enacted as Chapter 942 of the Statutes of 1993, took effect January 1, 1994, and was sponsored by the California Redevelopment Association (CRA). Entitled the Community Redevelopment Law Reform Act of 1993, the Bill includes the most significant changes in the California Community Redevelopment Law (CCRL) in years. The changes affect both existing project areas and new plan adoptions, and generally include 1) modifications to the definition of blight, 2) the demise of fiscal review committees and assistance to certain sales tax inducing projects, 3) prohibition against city/county hall construction and/or rehabilitation, 4) time limits on certain Plan fiscal provisions, 5) the repeal of authority to receive sales tax revenues (up to 1%), 6) "use it or lose it" inducements for agencies to spend their Low/Moderate Income (LMI) housing funds (mandatory 20% set aside funds), and 7) requirement for establishing a nexus between inclusionary and replacement housing requirements and implementation plans. The Bill also includes specific authority for commercial rehabilitation loans and assistance to manufacturing facilities.
In September, 1994, Governor Wilson signed emergency legislation intended to "clean-up" ambiguities and inconsistencies contained in the Bill; SB 732 effected numerous clarifications and modifications to the Bill and every attempt has been made to comply with the revised legislation.
Implementation Plan
One of the provisions of the Bill is the requirement that each agency adopt a five-year Implementation Plan. The requirement for implementation plans reflects a strong legislative concern that redevelopment activities should be connected with the blight that justified adoption of the redevelopment plan in the first place. The Implementation Plan is one of several requirements which now direct that redevelopment activities be linked to elimination of blight; agencies need to constantly evaluate their activities to ensure this linkage is maintained. Each agency that has adopted a redevelopment plan prior to December 31, 1993, must adopt, after a public hearing, an Implementation Plan on or before December 31, 1994. Thereafter, the Implementation Plan shall be revised and adopted every five years. In addition, at least once during the five-year period, a public hearing on the Implementation Plan is required.
Among other requirements, the adopted Implementation Plan must describe specific goals and objectives of the agency for the project area, specific programs, including potential projects and estimated expenditures to be made during the next five years, and an explanation of how these goals, objectives, programs and expenditures will eliminate blight remaining in the project area(s) and implement the requirements of 33334.2, 33334.4, 33334.6 and 33413. The Implementation Plan required of agencies with existing project areas must describe how the agency will implement both the requirement to increase, improve and preserve low and moderate income housing and satisfy the inclusionary housing requirement. The section of the Plan addressing the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund must contain the amount available in the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund and the estimated amounts which will be deposited in the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund during each of the next five years and estimates of the expenditures of moneys from the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund during each of the five years. If the Implementation Plan contains a project that will result in the destruction of low or moderate income housing, a separate replacement housing plan must be prepared by an agency that, among other requirements, identifies proposed locations for the replacement dwelling units pursuant to Section 33413.5. (This plan must be prepared not less than 30 days prior to the execution of an agreement for the acquisition of real property, or other specific agreements.)
II. CHRONOLOGY OF THE LEMOORE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND INVENTORY OF PRE AB 1290 AGENCY PURPOSES & OBJECTIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS COMPLYING WITH ARTICLE 2 OF THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT LAW
In 1984 the Lemoore Redevelopment Agency (the "Agency") was established for the primary purpose of providing a vehicle to be used for the elimination of blighting conditions and thus ensure that the City's economic base would prosper. Growth would occur primarily through the development of new public improvements, commercial and industrial projects, and affordable housing. In 1986 the Redevelopment Plan (the "Plan") for the Lemoore Redevelopment Project Area was adopted; in 1990 the Plan was amended to add additional territory to the original Project Area; in 1997 the Plan was further amended to add additional territory to the project (Table 1).
TABLE 1LEMOORE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FACTS
Adoption Date: December 2, 1986 / Ordinance # 8616
Amendment #1 Date: June 19, 1990 / Ordinance # 9009
Amendment #2 Date: June 3, 1997 / Ordinance # 9702
Term of Plan / (1) Pre AB 1290: 40 Years
(2) Post AB 1290: 40 Years
Total Project Area / (1) Original Area: 1,135 Acres
(2) Amendment Area #1 850 Acres
(3) Amendment Area #2 417 Acres
Base Year / (1) Original Project Area: 1986-87
(2) Amended #1 Project Area: 1989-90
(3) Amended #2 Project Area: 1996-97
When the Agency adopted the original Plan, Amendment No. One, and Amendment No. Two to the Lemoore Redevelopment Project it adopted the following purposes and objectives for the Amended Plan and the related redevelopment process:
· Encourage employment opportunities through environmental and economic improvements resulting from the redevelopment activities.
· Provide for the rehabilitation of commercial structures and residential dwelling units.
· Provide for participation in the redevelopment of property in the Project Area by owners who agree to so participate in conformity with this Redevelopment Plan.
· Provide for the management of property owned or acquired by the Agency.
· Provide relocation assistance where Agency activities result in displacement.
· Provide public infrastructure improvements and community facilities, such as the installation, construction and/or reconstruction of streets, utilities, public buildings, facilities, structures, street lighting, landscaping and other improvements which are necessary for the effective redevelopment of the Project Area.
· Increase and improve the community's supply of affordable housing.
· Acquire real property.
· Dispose of real property acquired by the Agency in the Project Area, except property conveyed to it by the City.
· Encourage the redevelopment of the Project Area through the cooperation of private enterprise and public agencies.
Since the recent adoption of the Plan and subsequent Amendment No. One and No. Two, the Lemoore Redevelopment Agency has, both unilaterally and through participation in joint public/private partnerships, helped to complete a number of highly successful projects and programs geared towards economic revitalization, Project Area blight reduction and overall achievement of previously adopted purposes and objectives.
III. IDENTIFICATION OF KEY BLIGHTING CONDITIONS
The adoption of AB 1290 substantially changed the definition of blight which can now be used to qualify project areas for adoption on or after January 1, 1994; the Lemoore Redevelopment Project and Amendments No. One and No. Two to the Lemoore Redevelopment Project were adopted prior to this date and qualified under previous definitions. Pre AB 1290 conditions of blight are described in detail within the Agency's Report to the City Council prepared for the Redevelopment Plan for the Lemoore Redevelopment Project Area and for Amendment No. One to the Lemoore Redevelopment Project. The Agency's Reports to Council are incorporated herein by reference and copies of the same are available at the Lemoore City offices located at 119 Fox Street, Lemoore, CA.
Conditions within the Project Area, with the exception of improvements caused by the implementation of Agency sponsored projects and programs and those projects described below (Table 2) that have been implemented without Agency assistance, remain the same as when the original Plan and subsequent amendments were adopted in 1986, 1990 and 1997, respectively. A photo survey of those conditions within the territory added to the original Project Area by Amendment No. One is contained in Appendix F of the Agency's Report to the City Council prepared for Amendment No. One to the Lemoore Redevelopment Project. It is the Agency's intent to focus on the remedy of those remaining blight conditions as defined under the new blight definitions included as part of AB 1290 related legislative reforms; sections 33030 and 33031 of the CCRL which codified the new blight definitions are incorporated herein by reference.
TABLE 2NON-AGENCY ASSISTED PROJECTS
Liberty Middle School
Kmart/Savemart Shopping Center
New Candlewick Water Well
Heritage Park/Ponding Basin Land Acquisition
Lemoore Avenue Reconstruction
Trinity Hall
Railroad Crossing Improvements at Fox, Lemoore and 19th Avenues
Hanford-Armona Road Widening
Recycling Market Development Zone
Grace Court Subdivision 12 single family homes
19th Avenue Recycling Center
19th Avenue Mini Storage
Cambridge Park 52 Single Family Homes
Bressler CPA Office
SK Foods Expansion
CSD Call Center
Motel 6
Vineyard Inn Expansion
Holiday Inn Expansion
Chevron Station Remodel
Commercial Building at “D” and Armstrong (Domino’s Pizza, Nail Attic, etc.)
Dr. Thorbus Medical Building
Dr. Yahne Façade Remodeling
Addition to Lemoore Center (Country Waffles, Radio Shack, etc.)
Addition to Lemoore Center (Dollar Tree, Sally Beauty, etc.)
Multi-purpose Building at MIQ
Kennedy Mini Storage
Andrade Mini Storage
Quick & Easy/Spec Building
B & D Dry Cleaners
Generally, those blighting conditions that remain within the Project Area as defined within Sections 33030 and 33031 of the CCRL are shown below in Table 3.
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TABLE 3POST AB 1290 BLIGHT CONDITIONS
REMAINING WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA
PHYSICAL BLIGHT
(33031(a)) / ECONOMIC BLIGHT
(33031(b)
· Unsafe Buildings / · Economically Obsolete Buildings/Lots
· Obsolete Structures / · Abandoned Buildings
· Neglected Buildings / · Inadequate Public Improvements
· Incompatible Land Uses / · Lack of Commercial Facilities
· Irregularly Shaped Parcels / · Excessive Business Vacancies
· Inadequately Sized Parcels / · Low Lease Rates
· Possible Brownfield Properties / · Possible Brownfield Properties
IV. PROPOSED AGENCY FIVE-YEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Section 33490(a)(1) of the CCRL states that the Implementation Plan shall contain the specific goals and objectives of the Agency for the Project Area(s). In addition to the Purposes and Objectives previously adopted by the Agency and declared in Section II of this Implementation Plan, the Lemoore Redevelopment Agency has outlined the following specific Goals and Objectives intended to remedy the remaining blighting conditions within the Project Areas.
Goal No. 1 Preserve and enhance the economic prosperity of the community and aid business development and retention
Objectives
a. Establish a commercial exterior rehabilitation matching, forgivable loan/grant program.
b. Continue to promote the industrial development loan and grant programs offered through the Agency and Kings County Economic Development Corporation (Kings County EDC).
c. Provide development assistance for commercial and industrial development programs as needed to encourage new economic investments in the community.
d. Commission a re-use study of underutilized shopping centers (i.e. Pioneer Square, Lincoln Square).
e. Initiate ongoing promotional activities to attract targeted business development (i.e. marketing campaigns, special events, etc.).
f. Initiate ongoing activities to aid business retention. Partnering may include the Chamber of Commerce and/or Kings County EDC.
g. Increase the capacity of both water and wastewater treatment facilities to accommodate new business development.
h. Improve circulation at strategic City Street/State Route intersections.
i. Determine location of possible Brownfields and provide Agency assistance as appropriate.
Goal No. 2 Encourage the development of sales tax generating activities within the Project Area (retail users)
Objective
a. Promote available retail property and buildings by sponsoring special events and marketing campaigns to increase public participation.
b. Continue to support a business retention and attraction program utilizing Agency, County, State and Federal funding sources as available.
Goal No. 3 Continue to Assist in the Revitalization of the City's Central Core Area
Objectives
a. Work with the affected business community to identify necessary funding requirements and provide Agency assistance as appropriate.
b. Identify areas of inadequate infrastructure and provide Agency assistance as appropriate.
d. Identify long-term maintenance requirements and provide Agency assistance as appropriate.
e. Initiate an infill program of vacant property north of railroad tracks (i.e. between Fox Street and Lemoore Avenue).
Goal No. 4 Promote Safe and Affordable Housing and Related Amenities for All Segments of the City's Population Base
Objectives
a. Provide that at least 15% of all new and substantially rehabilitated dwelling units developed within the Project Area by public or private entities or persons other than the Agency shall be at affordable housing cost to persons and families of low or moderate income.
b. Support a Homebuyers Assistance Program, Citywide, for low and moderate income persons.
c. Continue to support sweat equity programs, where appropriate.
d. Continue to provide financial assistance for the rehabilitation and conservation of the City's existing single family and multi-family housing stock.
e. Support the construction of a new low and moderate income multi-family housing project.
f. Promote and financially support the construction of infill housing, Citywide.
Goal No. 5 Increase the Supply of Senior Housing Units
Objectives
a. Provide direct and/or indirect Agency assistance for senior citizen housing projects, as needed.
b. Initiate an infill program to encourage senior housing within the City's Central Core area.
Section 33490(a)(1)(A) of the CCRL requires that each Implementation Plan prepared by an agency contain "...explanation of how the goals and objectives... will eliminate blight within the Project Area...."
Table 5 shows the relationship of the Agency's specific five-year goals and objectives to the eradication of remaining blight, as defined within CCRL Sections 33030 and 33031, within the Project Area.
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TABLE 4GOALS1 NEXUS TO BLIGHT ELIMINATION (POST AB 1290)
Physical Conditions / Economic Conditions / Infrastructure
Goals2 / Unsafe
Buildings / Physical
Obsolescence / Incompatible
Uses / Irregular
Lots / Low Property
Values/Hazardous
Waste / Economic
Obsolescence / High Crime
Rate / Abnormally
High
Business
Vacancies / Abnormally
Low
Lease
Rates / Inadequate
Public
Improvements
1. Preserve/Enhance Prosperity of Community, Aid Business Development & Retention / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / ·
2. Encourage the Development of Sales Tax Generating Activities Within the Project Area (Retail Users) / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / ·
3. Continue to Assist in the Revitalization of the City's Central Core Area / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / ·
4. Promote Safe and Affordable Housing for All Segments of the City's Population Base / · / · / · / · / · / · / · / ·
5. Increase the Supply of Senior Housing Units / · / · / · / · / · / ·
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