UPDATE 8:35 p.m. Sept. 4:
Murrieta City Council voted 4-0 in favor of formalizing a $1 million sale of land to Temecula for its construction of French Valley Interchange, with Councilman Randon Lane absent.
"...Both cities agree this was a prudent approach," said Murrieta City Manager Rick Dudley about the deal.
Murrieta in turn plans to put the money toward construction of the Jackson Avenue-Warm Springs Creek Bridge. The four-lane bridge will connect Jackson Avenue to Ynez Road, offering an alternate north-south route.
Both projects will benefit both cities, Dudley said.
ORIGINAL POST:
Murrieta City Council will vote tonight on selling a $1 million piece of land to Temecula.
The land is necessary for the city of Temecula to build the French Valley Interchange, Murrieta city staff wote in a report, and Temecula has agreed to pay the city of Murrieta $1,082,452.
With Temecula as the lead agency on the project, it needs five parcels of land for the construction the new Interstate 15 southbound off-ramp just north of Winchester Road, as well as for the connection to Jefferson Avenue, Murrieta City Engineer and Public Works Director Pat Thomas wrote in a report.
of the project is already under construction.
Adjacent easements are also necessary, according to Thomas.
The land was purchased by Murrieta several years ago for right-of-way purposes for the interchange, Thomas wrote.
"Other property, such as the building on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Auto Mall Parkway, was purchased to expand automotive uses in the area," Thomas wrote.
"Staff has worked with staff from the city of Temecula to obtain appraisals and negotiate the sale of the city-owned parcels at fair market value, which is the appraisal amount," Thomas wrote, of the sales price.
In a previous Murrieta City Council meeting, it was discussed that the proceeds of the sale could be used to help The long-planned bridge—at a price tag of $5.5 million—would provide another north-south connector route between the two cities.
The Murrieta City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Murrieta City Hall, One Town Square. Also on the agenda are labor agreements and pension modifications with Murrieta General Employees Association, Murrieta Supervisors Association and Management and Confidential Employees.
To view the full agenda, click here.
