Defense sites could be excluded from blight totals

Guidelines for the accounting of blighted properties would be revised under a bill advanced from general file March 11.

LB1012, introduced by Ogallala Sen. Ken Schilz, would permit cities to exempt redevelopment projects utilizing formerly used defense sites when determining the amount of blighted land in their municipalities.

Currently, metropolitan, primary and first class cities cannot designate more than 35 percent of the city as blighted. Second class cities may not designate more than 50 percent of the city as blighted and villages may not designate more than 100 percent of the village as blighted.

Schilz said that by excluding formerly used defense sites when calculating percent limitations of blighted property, the bill would allow cities to make land outside of their corporate boundaries eligible for tax increment financing.

Senators advanced the bill to select file on 30-0 vote.