Illegal lot splits in the area of deep residential lots has been causing many headaches for the City. City Attorney Phillips feels that most illegal splits occur because of ignorance of the law by owners and buyers. The City does not learn of the deal until it has been finalized.
Deed restrictions designed to maintain architectural and landscaping standards for the Santa Anita Oaks area have been replaced by the Arcadia City Council with a special zone designed to accomplish the same end.
The Planning Commission and ultimately the City Council are going to have a very difficult time prohibiting further lot splits in areas where splits were OK'd before the present laws limiting this practice.
Residents fed up with the so-called "mansionization" of their neighborhood are proposing limits that would curb the proliferation of large houses on small lots.
Mansionization vote soon. Officials say no to economic impact study (on how home size affects property value) amid update to city's zoning code. Opponents and proponents packed into City Council Chambers. Resident Lee Marshall said more stringent regulations (in building height, floor area ratio (FAR), setbacks, hillside standards) would add value to homes by encouraging more harmonious development. Resident Polly Wong said she built her dream home in Arcadia and the new recommendations might significantly hurt her investment. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 16, March 17, 2016 for "No economic study for zoning code changes."
Real estate pros weigh in on Arcadia home size debate. Explains Arcadia residential land investment. Real estate professional Eric Rosa says big homes are not hurting real estate values and warns that the proposed ballot measure for April 12 to enact tougher limits on square footage, would be policy that can't be overturned by elected officials and would require a ballot initiative in 2018 to rescind voter-approved code amendments.
A public hearing Wednesday night before the Arcadia City Council on a draft Environmental Impact Report for an extensive addition to Whispering Pines Estates drew a mixed reaction from the audience and many questions from Councilman Jeff Dring. After lengthy discussion, the council members, on a 3-1 vote, agreed that a soils study could be postponed until after submission of the final EIR.
Los Angeles County home prices and sales continue to decline. The median price of a Los Angeles County home fell in October to $339,910, down 2.6% from September's price of $349,040. However, Arcadia led all California cities with a 40% jump from last year's median price. Currently the median home price in Arcadia is $856,000. Other San Gabriel Valley area median home prices are given.
Zoning codes: Arcadia measure on mansionization qualifies for ballot. If adopted the initiative would create a citywide floor area ratio (FAR) which would set much tighter restrictions on square footage. Lisa Mussenden said it could be on the ballot as soon as November 2016 or as late as April 2018. Saving Arcadia is the group behind the initiative.
New Arcadia city housing standards approved, new zoning codes effective as law May 20, 2016. Included in Arcadia's new standards is a sliding-scale floor-area ratio (FAR) for the first time in the city's history. The FAR is a development tool that helps determine how large a home can be built on any given lot based on a percentage of the land.
