Right of Way Still Not Cleared for Maintenance Yard

By Susan Motander
Despite the fact that the Gold Line Construction Authority (GLCA) has reached an agreement with George Brokate and his wife Diana over the sale of their property to the Authority, the way is still not completely clear for the building of the Gold Line Maintenance Yard in Monrovia.
The City of Monrovia in its own right holds title to part of the land needed. In addition, the now defunct Monrovia Redevelopment Agency (MRA) also owned part of the land needed. The City has appointed itself the Successor Agency to the MRA and as such should be able to negotiate for the sale of that land. However, there are obstacles to closing the deal.
According to Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz, prior to the State Legislature forcing the turn over of all the assets of the redevelopment agencies statewide, the MRA and the city had reached an agreement with the GLCA for the sale of the city and MRA owned properties needed for the Maintenance Yard. Lutz said “The negotiated deal is The Deal as far as we and the Gold Line are concerned.” She pointed out, however, that the city could not yet act upon that negotiated agreement.
The actions of the state legislature which disbanded the redevelopment agencies called for successor agencies to oversee the payment of debts owed the agencies and the disposal of their assets. However, in disposing of the assets (such as selling land to the GLCA) the actions of the Successor Agencies had to be approved by an Oversight Board. Each Redevelopment Agency would have a Successor Agency and each Successor Agency would have its own Oversight Board.
While the City of Monrovia has declared itself the Successor Agency to its own redevelopment agency, an Oversight Board has not yet been created. As provided by the state, the city has two appointments to that Board. The county has two appointments as well. The county Board of Education, the head of the county Sanitation District, and the Chancellor of the State Community College System, each have one appointment. Only the city has named its two members of the seven member Oversight Board. Mayor Lutz and Darlene Sanchez, Senior Project Manager of what was the MRA are the two appointed to the Board.
Until the rest of the members are appointed to the board and until the legislature has outlines exactly how they are to act, any action of the Successor Agency cannot be approved.
Even such an approval is not enough to give the city the ability to sell the property. The approval of the State Department of Finance is also required.
While the problem of the sale of the Excalibur held property has been resolved. There are still hurdles to overcome before all the land required for the Maintenance Yard can be obtained by the GLCA.

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