| | Published January 18th, 2012
| Transition for the Lafayette Redevelopment Agency
| | By Cathy Tyson | | |
In limbo no more. The Lafayette City Council was waiting to see what the bottom line on the possible dissolution of the city's Redevelopment Agency would be for some time now. In late June of 2011, Assembly Bill 1 X 26 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. Just a few weeks ago, in late December of 2011, the California Supreme Court upheld the validity of the new law.
With a deadline of Friday, January 13, the Council was forced to make a quick decision on who will handle the wind down of the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) - either handling it themselves or opting out of the role and allowing the County to manage it. Neither Orinda nor Moraga has a Redevelopment Agency.
City Attorney Mala Subramanian spelled it out in a detailed staff report. "The successor agency is the community that created the redevelopment agency, unless the community expressly elects not to serve as the successor agency by passing a resolution making such election and filing a copy of this resolution with the county auditor controller no later than January 13, 2012."
Responsibilities of the successor agency include continuing to make payments on enforceable obligations made by the RDA-those obligations include the Mercantile Building and the Lafayette Library and Learning Center- along with several administrative requirements associated with winding down the affairs of the agency. Actions taken by the successor agency will be reviewed and approved by an oversight board.
"It's pretty clear to me that we should become the successor agency," said Council Member Don Tatzin, explaining that the move would help retain local control. Council Member Mike Anderson agreed, "Everyone should be made whole - eventually."
"We appreciate your predicament," said Steve Cortese, developer of the Lafayette Mercantile Building. "From our side of the fence we'd rather work with you than someone else. We'd love to see the City step in."
Library representatives met earlier in the day and also voiced their support of the decision. With a unanimous vote, the City Council approved becoming the successor agency.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA