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Council delays vote on transferring brownfields authority to CRA administrator
Summary
Councilmembers debated transferring authority to identify Polanco Act brownfield sites from the CRA board to the CRA administrator and continued the item to July 6 to allow the incoming administration and mayoral office to weigh in.
The Los Angeles City Council on June 27, 2001, continued consideration of a request to transfer authority for identifying Polanco Act brownfield sites in CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) areas from the CRA board to the CRA administrator until July 6, 2001.
Councilman Mark Holden asked that the matter be continued so the incoming city administration could review the proposed transfer of authority and determine whether it wished to retain the board-based arrangement or authorize the administrator to lead site identification and funding decisions. "I think that we should wait until new administration is in place and let them decide whether or not they would like to transfer that authority," Holden said during debate.
Councilman Tony Hernandez, who supported moving the request forward through committee, said CRA has been playing a lead role on brownfields issues in CRA areas and noted the $425,000 block grant (described in committee materials) was part of the block-grant process and would continue through Community and Economic Development review. Patricia Carey of the City Administrative Office (CLA) said CRA—s executive team and the Brownfields resource team typically identify potential sites and that there are "two or three" projects currently under consideration.
After discussion, the council agreed to continue the item to Friday, July 6, 2001, allowing the mayor's office and the incoming administration time to comment and assuring continuity for any brownfield applications currently in process.
Councilmembers framed the issue as administrative and procedural rather than fiscal: proponents argued CRA has the staff expertise, while opponents urged the incoming administration should have the opportunity to confirm organizational authority for site selection and execution of Polanco Act-related activities.
