SAN DIEGO - The San Diego City Council today tentatively gave the downtown redevelopment agency another 12 years to impound private property as meeded, ostensibly to improve blighted areas.

Eminent domain is the power granted some entities to take private property, at prevailing market rates, for redevelopment purposes.

It has been used to improve a number of formerly blighted areas in downtown, including Little Italy, East Village, Gaslamp Quarter, Cortez and to secure land for Petco Park.

"The power of eminent domain has been a very important tool to implement the redevelopment plan downtown," said David Allsbrook, manager of contracting and public works for the redevelopment arm known as the Centre City Development Corp.

The CCDC's power to invoke eminent domain was due to expire in May.

Eminent domain "has been used to assemble larger parcels of land, to deal with blighted properties and provide public infrastructure," Mayor Dick Murphy said. "I think we need to continue to do it. I think there are safeguards to protect the public from abuse."

Administrators from the redevelopment organization argued that without eminent domain many future projects would be impossible to achieve.

"They need that power to assemble parks and go after what are truly blighted projects in the East Village," said Leslie Wade, executive director of the East Village Association.

But opponents suggested that much of downtown has already been redeveloped.

"The purpose of CCDC is to respond to issues that hurt the city in blighted areas," one speaker told the council. "I would hardly call the Gaslamp Quarter blighted."

The opposition also claimed that eminent domain harms small business and property owners in favor of large developers.

"By continuing to extend this eminent domain (power), we are perpetually at risk of losing our real estate and our livelihoods," one speaker said.

Councilman Michael Zucchet said the agency has been selective in its use of eminent domain.

"While it's rarely used, it is a very important tool to have in your kit," Zucchet said.

However, Zucchet expressed concern that CCDC's redevelopment success downtown has left a deficit in public facilities, as well as police and fire resources.

"I think there are ways to subsidize things like police and fire," Murphy said.

The council voted 7-1 in favor of the extension, but asked CCDC to return with a report on ways to finance city services such as fire and police.

Councilwoman Donna Frye voted against the extension and Councilman Jim Madaffer was absent.

The council will take one more vote before the extension goes into effect.