Politics & Government

Historic Downtown Murrieta Plan on Horizon

Discussions to reignite the city's vision for Historic Downtown are picking up, but county redevelopment funds are on hold through at least the end of the year.

Plans for reinvigorating Historic Downtown Murrieta have not been forgotten.

They will just have to wait a little longer, according to Mary Lanier, community development director for the City of Murrieta. Its funding mechanism is on hold right now, Lanier told the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission Tuesday night.

The volunteer commission is charged with retaining the city's history and cultural resources, such as the downtown area which dates back to the 1880s. Three of five commissioners attended the first meeting held since two new commissioners, Joan Padberg and Jackie Ashby, were appointed. John Hunneman, Nathan Mackin and Richard Whittington continue in their three-year terms.

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"We can't enter into any new contractual agreements; we are at a standstill," Lanier told commissioners about the current plight of the downtown area.

The County's EDA, which oversees redevelopment in several sub-areas of the county, including downtown Murrieta, faces an uncertain future.

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Under Assembly Bill 1x 26, passed by legislators and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in June, redevelopment agencies are done away with. Assembly Bill 1X 27 piggybacks, allowing agencies to exist in limited capacity if they agree to pay $1.7 billion collectively in the first year and $400 million statewide each year thereafter. 

The money garnered from redevelopment is slated to be redirected to fulfill state obligations to schools.

The League of California Cities and the California Redevelopment Association have filed a lawsuit to overturn what they contend are unconstitutional redevelopment elimination bills. 

The lawsuit ties up funds until at least the end of the year, Lanier said, when the suit could be decided.

The Plan

County redevelopment funds have been used for past improvements to Kalmia Street and Washington Avenue. Those completed projects included landscaping, road enchancements, streetlights and sidewalks.

Now the city is seeking to update a specific plan for the area. A plan was developed in 2008, but shelved while the city worked on its general plan update.

Mayor Randon Lane said it is something he has been wanting to see for at least five years.

"We had spent a six months to a year working on it," said Mayor Randon Lane. At the time, he was serving as the chair of the Planning Commission.

"At that time I was very opposed to putting it on the shelf."

Lane said that while the plan remains, it will take $250,000 to $300,000 to update.

When the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission does get the go-ahead, they will have their work cut out for them. Community meetings will also be called, and the Historic Downtown Murrieta Association, made up of local merchants, will be involved as well.

"There are a lot of questions that have come up over the years that we want to explore," Lanier told commissioners.

Decisions to be made include whether to keep buildings at two-story or allow three- or four-story buildings. A centralized design theme will also need to be decided on.

Included in revitalizing downtown is a 21-acre single-family housing development on the southeast corner of New Clay and B streets. It could feature Craftsman-style homes, Lanier said.

Kitty-corner from the development would be the Second Street Park. It is the next park on the list for the city after Torrey Pines Park, Lanier said. It is the site of the city's first schoolhouse, and planners envision other historical buildings being moved to the site.

Commissioner Ashby lives near Historic Downtown and said she was looking forward to giving her input.

"Little towns like this are few and far between," Ashby said. "So I'm trying to give back to my community; hopefully we can leave something to our children."

Commissioner Hunneman, who works as a columnist for The Californian newspaper, has served on the commission since 2009.

"We are really just waiting to restart discussions on the (Historic Downtown) specific plan," Hunneman said.

In seeking inspiration for the area, Hunneman said he has visited Paso Robles several times. Some of the ctiy's historic buildings were destroyed by an earthquake in 2003 but are being rebuilt.

Another commission meeting is expected to be called by the end of the year, according to Lanier.

"We will need a release on the county's stay of redevelopment to proceed," Lanier said.


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