Duarte Road, from El Monte Avenue to the western city limits, will have utility lines placed underground. The cost will be $2.3 million. The issue of undergrounding utilities came up during the January windstorm, when nearly 30 power poles were knocked down on Live Oak Avenue.
Issues discussed at City Council meeting included redevelopment of South Arcadia along Live Oak Avenue and Las Tunas Drive, between just east of 6th Avenue and west of the Arcadia wash. The meeting lasted 18 minutes.
The Habitat for Humanity Program may be a viable option for the city to build low-income housing on property called the "Mounted Police Facility" on Live Oak Avenue next to the Santa Anita Wash.
The City Council has authorized a study to determine whether Live Oak Avenue meets redevelopment law requirements of being a blighted area and whether to include businesses along Live Oak in the central city redevelopment district.
The Live Oak County Library at 4153-55 E. Live Oak Avenue is one of 15 county branches that were saved from closure when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors found an additional $7.7 million for the library department.
Work on building the Arcadia Heritage senior housing project on Live Oak Avenue will probably begin at the end of August. It will be 54 units of low-income senior housing and is being developed by American Senior Living.
Three sites are being considered for senior and/or low-income housing. They are: Marketowne at 150 W. Las Tunas Drive, the old Westerner Hotel at 161 W. Colorado Place, and the old Mounted Police site at 600 E. Live Oak Avenue.
The Arcadia city council endorsed the construction of the second phase of the Gold Line as a light rail transit system. Grade level of the major street crossings was discussed.
About 1000 feet of sound walls will be built by the westbound lanes of the 210 Foothill Freeway between Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue. There is also discussion of future sound wall construction projects.
Harris & Associates will design streetscape and landscape improvements for the Santa Anita Entry Corridor, meaning Santa Anita Avenue from Huntington Drive to the Foothill 210 Freeway and on areas adjacent to the Santa Anita Avenue and Baldwin Avenue freeway ramps. The project will include pavement work. The contract for the project is for $107,211.
The Arcadia City Council has approved in concept a proposal for a Joint Powers Agreement with ten other cities to cooperate on extending the Gold Line to Claremont.
If a 1948 plan by the Rapid Transit Action Group to salvage a portion of the Pacific Electric Red Car system had become a reality, Arcadia and Monrovia would have been enjoying the benefits of light rail transit for the last 54 years. Arcadia Weekly writer Charles Cooper provides historical information and rider statistics of the old rail lines.
The Arcadia City Council debated the issue of more parking on the west side of Baldwin Avenue, next to the Hub Center, between Duarte Road and Naomi Avenue. The Council approved the revision to the adult business ordinance, adopted an anti-loitering measure for gang members, and more.
The Gold Line received federal financial support in the final House appropriations bill. Monrovia, Arcadia and other cities along the planned extension of the route from Pasadena to Claremont have formed a joint powers authority to study grade separations.
Arcadia Planning Commission voted 5-0 to reject a proposal for a crematory to be built on First Avenue, next to Arcadia Mortuary at 500 S. First Avenue. The application came from Jim Larkin, who operates Arcadia Mortuary. The proposal drew criticism from neighbors and other Arcadia residents, with pickets.
Holly Avenue Elementary is the first school in Arcadia to test a year-round program for students. The year-round school began in 1995. Parents are questioning if other schools should follow.