Gold Line pays Monrovia $40.6 mil.

The Gold Line agreed Thursday, Feb. 23, to pay $40.6 million to obtain land held by the City of Monrovia and the Successor Agency to the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency to settle the eminent domain case and acquire the remaining land needed for the Gold Line’s project’s maintenance and operations facility.

The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority agreed to pay the actual amount (up to $15.75 million) needed to make public improvements around the 24-acre maintenance facility, as required under the City’s Transit Village Planned Development Area.

The agreement includes settlement of all lawsuits and claims related to the land acquisition and all current and future claims and objections by the City related to this land acquisition. The Successor Agency and City agreed to reimburse the Authority up to $200,000 for legal expenses related to the Excalibur Property Holdings, LLC case and $650,000 environmental remediation costs associated with mitigating contamination on the land.

The City and the Authority agreed to arrangements related to the planned parking facility for the future Monrovia Gold Line station.

The agreement is actually a “Stipulation for Entry of Judgment in Condemnation” and will now be sent to the Superior Court judge overseeing the eminent domain case for final approval and judgment. Once approved, the Authority will have the ownership rights it needs for 100% of the land required for the maintenance facility.

— By Scott Hettrick