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- 15 prevalence of impaired investments and economic maladjustments which led to a reduction of, or lack of, proper utilization of the areas to such an extent that it constituted a serious economic burden on the community. Some of the lots or areas were also subject to being submerged by water. These conditions of blight and the overall underproductivity of the Project Area had placed its properties in a very unfavorable competitive position with respect to newer and more comprehensive development at the time of the plan adoption. 2. Historic Blighting Conditions — Amendmenf Area #1 This area suffered from the same poor vehicular circulation as the Gateway subarea in the original Project Area such as inadequate access and a functionally inefficient lot and block layout created by the railroad. In addition, the buildings on James Avenue were on small lots that were not conducive to larger scale development. There had also been a shifting of uses in properties fronting onto EI Camino Real. The most significant indicator of blight in the area, however, was the existence of inadequate public improvements: for example, the creek bed located behind the James Avenue buildings was open, unsightly and had flooded in the recent past. 3. Historic Blighting Conditions — Amendment Area #2 This area encompassed a broad range of land uses, including residential, commercial, industrial, and public/institutional uses. The area also had a concentration of auto-related uses along EI Camino Real. � At the time the Amendment was adopted, Area #2 showed a prevalence of buildings and structures that were in varying states of deterioration and obsolescence, and/or which were unfit or unsafe to occupy because of building or fire code violations, and other structural problems associated with an aging building stock. The area also had a concentration of incompatible or mixed character buildings such as along Brewster Avenue and in the vicinity of Veterans Boulevard, Whipple Avenue and Winslow Street. The close proximity of certain commercial uses, e.g., service stations, auto body shops, and industrial facilities, to residential areas created negative environment conditions. Many buildings in the Amendment Area were also constructed with little regard to lot coverage, setbacks and sideyards or were on irregularly shaped parcels, resulting in faulty spacing or structures on lots. In general, properties in the area suffered from deterioration and disuse due to irregularly formed or shaped lots and the inadequacy of such lots for proper usefulness and development. This situation resulted from historic residential subdivision pattems and development patterns in the commercial sectors. In the Amendment Area, the non-uniform street grid system created a prevalence of irregular sized and shaped blocks and parcels which made it difficult for new Keyser Marston Associates, Inc. 18610.001\030-003; 12/6/2004; DRAFT 4