Chapter 2.30
URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY
Sections:
I. The Agency
2.30.010 Policy and purposes of the Veneta downtown renewal agency.
2.30.030 Veneta downtown renewal agency.
2.30.040 Membership of the urban renewal agency.
II. Powers and Duties
2.30.120 Powers and duties of the urban renewal agency.
III. Urban Renewal Plan Adoption
2.30.130 Urban renewal plan adoption.
IV. Subcommittees and Citizen Advisory Committees
2.30.140 Subcommittees and citizen advisory committees.
V. Agency Staff
I. The Agency
2.30.010 Policy and purposes of the Veneta downtown renewal agency.
The city of Veneta city council finds and declares as follows:
(1) That blighted areas exist within the incorporated areas of the city;
(2) That there is a need for an urban renewal agency, a public body corporate and politic, to function in the city; and the agency shall focus on the following activities, among others, in carrying out urban renewal projects, pursuant to state law, the City Charter and this chapter:
(a) Maintenance and improvement of viable commercial and industrial business areas including support for small local businesses;
(b) Promotion of stability in residential areas, and provision, conservation or rehabilitation of adequate housing to meet the needs of city residents;
(c) Provision of public facilities, utilities and necessary physical improvements as provided in an approved urban renewal plan;
(d) Promotion of new employment opportunities;
(e) Involvement of citizens in all phases of preparing and implementing an urban renewal plan;
(3) That the Veneta city council elects to have all of those powers granted to and vested in an urban renewal agency by the laws of the state of Oregon, exercised by and vested in the urban renewal agency of the city of Veneta. (Ord. 266 § 1.010, 1984)
2.30.020 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words shall mean:
(1) “Agency” means the urban renewal agency of the city of Veneta, hereinafter to be known as the “Veneta downtown renewal agency.”
(2) “Council” means the city council of the city of Veneta, Oregon.
(3) “City” means the city of Veneta, Oregon.
(4) “Urban renewal area” means a blighted area included in an urban renewal plan.
(5) “Urban renewal project” or “project” means any work or undertaking carried out in an urban renewal area.
(6) “Urban renewal plan” or “plan” means a plan as it is adopted pursuant to ORS 457.085 through 457.160 or is changed from time to time in accordance with ORS 457.220 by the council for one or more urban renewal areas. (Ord. 266 § 1.020, 1984)
2.30.030 Veneta downtown renewal agency.
The Veneta downtown renewal agency is hereby established. The agency shall have the powers and duties described in VMC 2.30.120. (Ord. 266 § 1.030, 1984)
2.30.040 Membership of the urban renewal agency.
The agency shall consist of five members who shall be the mayor and four council persons who together constitute the city council of Veneta as provided by the City Charter. (Ord. 266 § 1.040, 1984)
2.30.050 Terms of office.
The terms of office of agency members shall coincide with their terms of office on the city council. (Ord. 266 § 1.050, 1984)
2.30.060 Vacancies.
Vacancies shall be filled as provided for council members by the City Charter. (Ord. 266 § 1.060, 1984)
2.30.070 Officers.
At its first meeting after appointment, the agency shall select a chairman, vice-chairman and such other officers deemed necessary. Thereafter, such officers shall be elected by the agency’s membership at or before the agency’s first meeting in January of each succeeding year. (Ord. 266 § 1.070, 1984)
2.30.080 By-laws.
The agency shall adopt by-laws and rules of procedure to regulate the conduct of meetings; until such rules are adopted, proceedings of the agency shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order. (Ord. 266 § 1.080, 1984)
2.30.090 Quorum and voting.
(1) Three members of the agency shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.
(2) The agency shall act by a majority vote of the members present at a meeting, excluding members present but abstaining; provided, that no action shall be taken without the affirmative concurrence of three members.
(3) Actions, reports and recommendations adopted by the agency shall be adopted by resolution, signed by the chairman or vice-chairman, or their designated member substitute, and filed with the city recorder. (Ord. 266 § 1.090, 1984)
2.30.100 Disclosure.
Prior to voting on any issue under this chapter, members of the Veneta downtown renewal agency shall publicly disclose the nature and extent of any previous conversation relating to that issue with any person having a pecuniary interest in the matter. (Ord. 266 § 1.100, 1984)
2.30.110 Meetings – Notice.
(1) The agency shall hold at least one meeting per quarter and may hold such other meetings as are necessary to perform its functions.
(2) Before any meeting of the agency, notice shall be given as required by law.
(3) The agency may continue any proceeding, and a proceeding continued to a time, date and place certain requires no additional notice unless such notice is required by law or is ordered by the agency. (Ord. 561 § 1, 2021; Ord. 266 § 1.110, 1984)
II. Powers and Duties
2.30.120 Powers and duties of the urban renewal agency.
The agency shall:
(1) Have such powers and duties as are authorized by law and set forth in Chapter 457 ORS, including, without limitation, the power to:
(a) Carry out any work or undertaking and exercise any powers which a housing authority is authorized by law to perform;
(b) Carry out any rehabilitation or conservation work in an urban renewal area;
(c) Acquire real property, by condemnation if necessary, when needed to carry out the plan; provided, however, that no such real property shall be so acquired by the agency unless the urban renewal plan, as approved by the council, specifically provides for such property acquisition or the council amends the approved urban renewal plan specifically to provide for such property acquisition;
(2) Exercise of this authority shall be in accord with the following criteria among others:
(a) The need to construct public services including, but not limited to, new streets, sewer lines, water lines, or storm drainage facilities;
(b) The need to provide public facilities including, but not limited to, public structures, parks, open space, parking or pedestrian walkways;
(c) The need to realize more efficient uses of lands;
(d) The need to clear any areas acquired, including the demolition, removal, rehabilitation or conservation of buildings and improvements;
(e) The need to install, construct or reconstruct streets, utilities and site improvements in accordance with the urban renewal plan;
(f) The need to carry out plans for a program of the voluntary repair and rehabilitation of buildings or other improvements in an urban renewal area in accordance with the urban renewal plan;
(g) The need to assist in relocating persons living in, and property situated in, the urban renewal area in accordance with the approved urban renewal plan, and to make relocation payments;
(h) The need to dispose of, including by sale or lease, any property or part thereof acquired in the urban renewal area in accordance with the approved urban renewal plan;
(i) The need to plan, undertake and carry out neighborhood development programs consisting of urban renewal project undertakings in one or more urban renewal areas which are planned and carried out on the basis of annual increments in accordance with the provisions of this chapter for planning and carrying out urban renewal plans;
(j) The need to accomplish a combination of the things listed in this chapter to carry out an urban renewal plan;
(3) Provide for public involvement in all stages of the preparation and development of an urban renewal plan;
(4) Forward an urban renewal plan and accompanying report to the city planning commission for recommendations prior to presenting the plan to the council for approval;
(5) Prepare a statement by August 1st of each year containing:
(a) The amount of money actually received during the preceding year as “tax increment financing” revenue under subsection (4) of ORS 457.440, and the amount of indebtedness incurred during the preceding year from obtaining loans and advances under subsection (6) of ORS 457.440;
(b) The purpose and amounts for which any monies received under subsection (4) of ORS 457.440, and from indebtedness incurred under subsection (6) of ORS 457.440 were expended during the preceding fiscal year;
(c) An estimate of monies to be received during the current fiscal year under subsection (4) of ORS 457.440, and from indebtedness incurred under subsection (6) of ORS 457.440;
(d) A budget setting forth the purpose and estimated amounts for monies which have been or will be received under subsection (4) of ORS 457.440, and from indebtedness incurred under subsection (6) of ORS 457.440, are to be expended during the current fiscal year;
(e) An analysis of the impact of carrying out the urban renewal plan on the tax rate for the preceding year for all taxing bodies that levy a tax on property inside urban renewal areas;
(6) The statement required under subsection (5) of this section shall be filed with the council, and notice shall be published that the statement has been prepared and is on file with the city recorder and the agency, and that the information contained in the statement is available to all interested persons. The notice shall be published once a week for not less than two successive weeks before September 1st of the year for which the statement is required in the newspaper having the greatest circulation in the city, and which is published in the city. The notice shall summarize the information required under subsections (5)(a), (b), (c) and (d) of this section, and shall set forth in full the information required under subsection (5)(e) of this section;
(7) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be given to the agency by law, provided such other powers and duties are not in conflict with the provisions of ORS Chapter 457, the State Urban Renewal Law, the Charter of the city of Veneta, or other provisions of this chapter;
(8) The agency may:
(a) Incur indebtedness, including obtaining loans and advances in carrying out an urban renewal plan;
(b) Irrevocably pledge any or all of that portion of the taxes received as tax increment financing revenue under ORS 457.420 through 457.450 for payment of principal of and interest on indebtedness incurred. (Ord. 266 § 2.010, 1984)
III. Urban Renewal Plan Adoption
2.30.130 Urban renewal plan adoption.
Upon receipt of a proposed urban renewal plan and report from the agency, and after public notice and hearing and consideration of public testimony and recommendations by the planning commission, the council may approve the urban renewal plan. The approval shall be by nonemergency ordinance which shall incorporate the plan by reference. The ordinance shall include determinations and findings for each urban renewal area that:
(1) The area is blighted;
(2) The rehabilitation and redevelopment is necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare of the municipality;
(3) The urban renewal plan conforms to the comprehensive plan of the municipality as a whole, and provides an outline for accomplishing the urban renewal projects the urban renewal plan proposes;
(4) Provision has been made to house displaced persons within their financial means in accordance with ORS 281.045 through 281.105 and, except in the relocation of elderly or handicapped individuals, without displacing on priority lists persons already waiting for existing federally subsidized housing;
(5) If acquisition of real property is provided for, that it is necessary;
(6) Adoption and implementation of the urban renewal plan is economically sound and feasible; and
(7) The municipality shall assume and complete any activities prescribed it by the urban renewal plan. (Ord. 266 § 3.010, 1984)
IV. Subcommittees and Citizen
Advisory Committees
2.30.140 Subcommittees and citizen advisory committees.
The chairman of the agency may establish and appoint from the membership of the agency such advisory subcommittees as are deemed appropriate or as directed by the agency.
The chairman of the agency may appoint one or more citizen advisory committees consisting of persons who are owners or tenants of property located in the urban renewal area to act as advisors to the agency on matters related to the urban renewal plan and projects of the agency in each urban renewal area. (Ord. 266 § 4.010, 1984)
V. Agency Staff
2.30.150 Agency staff.
The city administrator and persons designated by the city administrator shall serve as staff for the agency and its subcommittees and shall provide such administrative and technical assistance as may be required. The agency may also contract for such services as it requires. (Ord. 266 § 5.010, 1984)