Palmdale OKs Funds to Purchase 11 Acres

The Palmdale City Council has authorized an expenditure of $2.25 million to purchase land about a block from City Hall for a planned $25-million indoor recreation center long sought by residents.

In a 5-0 decision Thursday night, the council told city officials to begin looking at a two-block, 11-acre area bounded by Avenues Q-10 and Q-12, and 9th and 10th Streets East, now filled with a mix of old houses and small apartment buildings.

A city spokesman said the money would not be enough to buy all the land. Full funding to purchase the site and build the project could come from a citywide assessment proposed by the city; it would cost homeowners $40 to $60 a year over a 30-year period.