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Arcadia City Council clears way for massive new homes at 29 East Orange Grove Avenue and 1600 Highland Oaks Drive, despite opposition to the increasing "mansionization," from several members of the Highland Oaks Homeowners Association (HOA). City Council voted to move forward with both projects, finding they complied with city's zoning codes and were exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The two homes met the city's design guidelines and met the resolution that governs design in the HOA areas.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34087
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
February 6, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A8
More detail
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
February 6, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A8
Subjects
Arcadia City Council--2010-2019
Arcadia Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)
Arcadia Planning Commission
Architecture
Houses
Mansions
Real Estate
Item ID
34281AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia City Council delays vote on Arcadia Highlands home building projects. Council will address the matter again on February 3, to allow for more time to vet newly received petitions from area residents and a detailed letter from an attorney representing a leading opponent of the developments, that the City received last week. Both projects, one at 1600 Highland Oaks Drive, the other at 29 East Orange Grove Avenue, and both designed by Robert Tong of Arcadia-based Sanyao International Inc., involve the demolition of vintage homes to make room for larger residences.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34076
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
January 22, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 16
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
January 22, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 16
Subjects
Arcadia Highlands Homeowners Association--Architectural Review Board
Arcadia Planning Commission
Houses
Mansions
Real Estate
Tong, Robert
Verlato, April
Item ID
34270AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia resident David Arvizu to challenge city on open meeting law. His letter gives city officials 30 days to respond to alleged open meeting law violations before he files a complaint with the D.A. or a lawsuit against the city. He offered two alternatives to litigation: the Council would either set aside the decisions made in closed session on May 5, or make the meeting minutes available to the public. In a closed session May 5, City Council voted to suspend comprehensive updates to the city's residential and commercial zoning codes, postpone the Neighborhood Impacts Committee, and move forward with a citywide historic preservation survey, excluding the Highland Oaks Homeowners Association. City Attorney Stephen Deitsch said officials did not violate the Ralph M. Brown Act when they voted on three "procedural" items in closed session because they were tied to pending litigation against the city.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34176
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
May 21, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A4
More detail
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
May 21, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A4
Subjects
Arcadia City Council
Arvizu, David
Ralph M. Brown Act
Deitsch, Stephen
Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)
Lane, Arthur
Lawsuits
Save the Arcadia Highlands
Verlato, April
Item ID
34370AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Councilman John Wuo says, "Save the Highlands" latest newsletter is racist.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34182
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
June 4, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 15
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
June 4, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 15
Subjects
Arcadia City Council
Arvizu, David
Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)
Save the Arcadia Highlands
Wuo, John
Item ID
34376AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia City Council approves Arcadia Highlands land development projects at 29 East Orange Grove Avenue and 1600 Highland Oaks Drive. The larger scale new construction of mansions will replace existing homes. The primary bone of contention came down to whether or not property owners' rights to maximize their investment and exercise freedom to build as they see fit should prevail over homeowners associations and residents concerned with maintaining a neighborhood's traditional aesthetic character while protecting neighboring properties' scenic views and privacy.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34086
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
February 5, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 15
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
February 5, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 15
Subjects
Arcadia City Council--2010-2019
Arcadia Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)--Architectural Review Board
Arcadia Planning Commission
Houses
Mansions
Real Estate
Item ID
34280AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Saving Arcadia, the anti-mansionization group, sues City over controversial two-story home proposed at 1101 S. Fifth Avenue. Lawsuit alleges the project violates California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34682
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
September 29, 2016
Pages
p. 1, 11
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
September 29, 2016
Pages
p. 1, 11
Subjects
Arvizu, David
Houses
Mansions
Saving Arcadia (activist group)
Item ID
34874AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Anti-mansionization goes to the ballot. Zoning code issue continues as anti-mansionization group Saving Arcadia (an outgrowth of Save the Arcadia Highlands) takes it to the ballot in April 2018. At issue are Floor Area Ratios (FAR). See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 17, April 7, 2016-initiative did not make it onto ballot because of signature discrepancy.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34516
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
March 31, 2016
Pages
p. 1, 13
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
March 31, 2016
Pages
p. 1, 13
Subjects
Arcadia City Council Elections-2011-2020
Ballot initiatives
Chandler, Roger
Development
Mansions
Real Estate
Tay, Sho
Verlato, April
Zoning codes
Item ID
34708AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia City Council recap: crime is rising in Arcadia and countrywide, with offenses predominantly concentrated in property crime. Council approves home designs at 29 East Orange Grove and 1600 Highland Oaks Drive now that their square footage will be reduced in revised designs. Council also unanimously authorized the $2 million purchase of 3000 acre feet of imported replacement water from Main San Gabriel Basin watermaster for the fiscal year 2015-2016.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34349
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
November 19, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 19
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
November 19, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 19
Subjects
Arcadia City Council Meetings-2011-2020
Mansions
Water
Item ID
34542AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia City Council puts restructure of zoning on hold; exempts Highlands from historical preservation due to ongoing lawsuit that Highlands residents filed against City Council. The lawsuit, filed in March by a group called Save the Arcadia Highlands, seeks to force the City Council to rescind its approval of two construction projects that would replace existing mid-20th century homes with significantly larger homes. Council members Tom Beck, Sho Tay, and Mayor Gary Kovacic voted to move forward with establishing historic preservation guidelines and exempt the Highlands HOA territory from the forthcoming ordinance.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34170
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
May 7, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 18
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
May 7, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 18
Subjects
Arcadia City Council
Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)
Historic preservation
Item ID
34364AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Letter details resident's gripe with Arcadia City Council over alleged transparency law violations.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34229
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
June 25, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 12
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
June 25, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 12
Subjects
Arcadia City Council-2010-2019
Arvizu, David
Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)
Kovacic, Gary
Ralph M. Brown Act
Save the Highlands
Item ID
34423AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia City Council upholds delay of zoning revamp and exclusion of Highlands from historical preservation survey. Divided Council rescinds nonpublic votes, reaffirms stance on zoning delay and historical preservation.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34228
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
June 18, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 6
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
June 18, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 6
Subjects
Arcadia City Council-2010-2019
Arvizu, David
Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)
Ralph M. Brown Act
Save the Highlands
Item ID
34422AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia residents hoping to vote to curb home sizes. Groups want city to have a lot less 'mansionization' and are circulating a petition for a ballot initiative that aims to set square footage regulations for new residential development projects.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34273
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
August 15, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A4
More detail
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
August 15, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A4
Subjects
Arcadia Highlands Homeowners Assocation (HOA)
Houses
Mansions
Santa Anita Village Homeowners Association (HOA)
Thompson, Laurie
Verlato, April
Zoning codes
Item ID
34467AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

In a unanimous vote, Arcadia City Council deals a blow to builder KVH Design Group, rejecting the developer's appeal and their plans to build a nearly 7,000 square foot two-story single-family house at 211 Monte Place. The Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA) Architectural Review Board (ARB) had turned down the plans on grounds that the proposed home was "incompatible in mass and scale to the surrounding buildings in the neighborhood." Arcadia City Council agreed.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34042
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
December 18, 2014
Pages
p. 1, 20
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
December 18, 2014
Pages
p. 1, 20
Subjects
Arcadia City Council
Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)--Architectural Review Board (ARB)
Houses
KVH Design Group
Mansions
Verlato, April
Von Hatten, Kurt
Item ID
34236AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia Highlands Home Owners Association (AHHOA) holds annual meeting on Dec 6 and Highland Oaks Elementary at 10 Virginia Road.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper35322
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
November 8, 2018
Pages
p. 3
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
November 8, 2018
Pages
p. 3
Subjects
Arcadia Highlands Home Owners Association (AHHOA)
Homeowners Associations (HOA)
Item ID
35512AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Arcadia City Council does not pursue ballot iniative on home building rules. As the city's effort to update the zoning code continues into the new year, the Arcadia City Council briefly considered sponsoring its own voter initiative to rival a measure from residents that is currently the subject of a petition to qualify for an upcoming election ballot, but City Council decided against pursuing its own ballot iniative because the petition process would not conclude in time to qualify for the April ballot.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34407
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
December 24, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 16
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
December 24, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 16
Subjects
Homeowners Associations (HOA)
Mansions
Verlato, April (photo)
Item ID
34599AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Experts say city violated Brown Act meeting law. Arcadia City Council made three housing policy decisions in closed session without public input. At the meeting last week, officials voted to shelve a comprehensive update to city's residential and commercial zoning codes, postpone the Neighborhood Impacts Committee, and move forward with a citywide historic preservation survey, sans the Highlands Homeowners Association. City Attorney Stephen Deitsch said the decisions came as a result of a lawsuit filed against the city targeting mansionization.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34174
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
May 16, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A4
More detail
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
May 16, 2015
Pages
p. A1, A4
Subjects
Arcadia City Council
Arvizu, David
Aviles, Kelly
Brown Act
Deitsch, Stephen
Highlands Homeowners Association (HOA)
Lawsuits
Item ID
34368AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

John Wuo resigns from Arcadia City Council, "due to personal and health reasons." City and residents settle "Save the Arcadia Highlands" lawsuit, which highlighted the issue of mansionization. City Attorney Stephen Deitsch announced the terms of the settlement, which include these key highlights: 1) Bowden Development must submit a revised design for the 1600 Highland Oaks Drive home that will not exceed 5800 sq. ft. and is a single-story house. 2) The revised plan for 29 E. Orange Grove Avenue from Mur-Sol Construction must not exceed 5775 sq. ft. with a single story that won't exceed 17 feet, 6 inches. 3) The council will approve or disapprove the revised plans. 4) The developers must pay Save the Highlands' attorney fees. 5) The council will vote on resuming the residential zoning update and the Highlands portion of the historical survey at its next public meeting.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34330
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
October 8, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 17
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
October 8, 2015
Pages
p. 1, 17
Subjects
Arcadia City Council-2010-2019
Lawsuits
Segal, Mickey
Wuo, John
Item ID
34523AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

New Arcadia City Council member April Verlato brings a new voice. She is a lawyer born and raised in Arcadia. She has been an activist against mansions. She is president of Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association (AIA). Her goals for her time in office are 1) to address the uptick in residential burglaries and 2) to improve Arcadia's business districts.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34571
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
May 26, 2016
Pages
p. 1, 16
More detail
Newspaper
Arcadia Weekly
Date
May 26, 2016
Pages
p. 1, 16
Subjects
Arcadia City Council members
Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association (AIA)
Verlato, April
Item ID
34763AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

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.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34505
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
April 1, 2016
Pages
p. A1, A4
More detail
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
April 1, 2016
Pages
p. A1, A4
Subjects
Arvizu, David
Houses
Mansions
Midgley, Richard
Real Estate
Saving Arcadia
Thompson, Laurie
Verlato, April
Zoning codes
Item ID
34697AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

Six candidates vying for two seats on Arcadia City Council in the April 12 all-mail-in ballot. Current Mayor Gary Kovacic is terming out this year and Councilman Mickey Segal is not seeking re-election. Among those running are three former city councilman-- Peter Amundson, Bob Harbicht, and Sheng Chang. Also running are Burton L. Brink, Paul Van Fleet, April Verlato, an attorney and community activist. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 15, January 28, 2016.

https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/newspaper34426
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
January 22, 2016
Pages
p. A3
More detail
Newspaper
Pasadena Star News
Date
January 22, 2016
Pages
p. A3
Subjects
Arcadia City Council elections-2011-2020-April 2016
Amundson, Peter
Brink, Burton
Chang, Sheng
Harbicht, Bob
Van Fleet, Paul
Verlato, April
Item ID
34618AN
Collection
Newspaper Index
Less detail

20 records – page 1 of 1.