Westside areas on road to redevelopment

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- Seven Westside areas could be the target for

improvements funded by property taxes or even the use of eminent domain

by the city.

The City Council, acting as the city’s Redevelopment Agency, is

scheduled to consider studying the areas Monday to decide if any meet

redevelopment requirements.

“This is what’s needed in several different areas,” Redevelopment

Agency Chairman Gary Monahan said Friday. A study “is just the next step

until we really get into the nitty-gritty.”

Redevelopment could involve the city using the area’s property taxes

to improve the area or taking land using eminent domain.

Laws governing eminent domain, the city’s right to take possession of

land, would require the city to reimburse property owners and to relocate

occupants.

To qualify to be redeveloped, areas must be considered physically and

economically blighted.

The areas recommended for study are virtually all commercial,

industrial and multifamily properties.

The seven areas include West 19th Street, from Anaheim Avenue to

Monrovia Avenue; Placentia Avenue, from Victoria Street to 19th; West

18th Street, near Wallace Avenue and Pomona Avenue; Pomona and Wallace,

from 19th to Hamilton Street; industrial areas surrounding 17th Street

and Placentia; the industrial area between Monrovia and Whittier Avenue;

and the industrial area west of Whittier Avenue.

“We simply marked off geographically logical neighborhoods that have

similar characteristics, and gave them a name and a number so they can be

combined based on what the community feels should be done,” said Don

Lamm, deputy city manager and director of development services.

Eva Marin, apartment manager of the Daisy Apartments on Placentia

Avenue, which is one of the areas to be considered, said the diversity of

homes and businesses in the area would be an obstacle.

“I think what we need to do is basically take care of our business and

improve our properties,” she said. “Things have already gotten better,

and I think we just need more enforcement of the codes and more tickets.”