SANTA PAULA : Redevelopment Zone to Get Hearing

The Santa Paula City Council will hold a public hearing next week on a proposed 1,100-acre redevelopment zone, which would encompass the southern third of the city.

If the council approves the district Monday, sidewalks, streets and traffic signals would be upgraded, archaic sewer systems would be replaced and handicapped facilities such as sidewalk ramps would be installed, City Councilman Carl Barringer said. The area includes the Santa Paula Airport and some older homes, and is largely industrial and commercial.

The creation of a redevelopment agency causes property tax revenues in the zone to be frozen for such agencies as the county and school districts that share the funds. These agencies no longer automatically benefit from any increase in property values. Instead, that increment is given to the redevelopment agency.

The 2% yearly increase in property taxes guaranteed by Prop. 13 would account for much of the $250 million in improvements that the city would like to make. In addition, taxes generated when houses are built, sold or remodeled would go to the redevelopment agency.

Negotiators for the city and the agencies that receive the tax revenues have proposed an agreement that would give the agencies a larger percentage of the property tax revenue than they would otherwise receive. For instance, the county would get 30% of the 2% increase allowed annually under Prop. 13.

Santa Paula is one of the last cities in Ventura County to establish a redevelopment agency. Camarillo is the only city in the county without a redevelopment agency, said Santa Paula Councilman Les Maland.