Arcadia Planning Commission voted to support the Rancho Santa Anita Homeowners Association's Architecture Review Board (ARB) in its decision to reject changes in Ibraham Irawan's home under construction at 821 San Vicente Road.
The Arcadia City Council introduced an ordinance on February 4 that targets over-sized houses and would reduce the scale, mass and bulk of single-family homes. The city wants to avoid the mansionization trend.
City Council was briefed on Arcadia's redevelopment efforts which includes the construction of a new police station, creation of affordable housing and improvements to the city's business districts.
The 25-year-old City Council chambers will undergo its first major renovation, a project that will relocate meetings for the next few months to the Arcadia Public Library. Renovations will be completed in February.
The Arcadia City Council unanimously approved a proposal to allow Santa Anita Park to broadcast televised horse races and other events indoors until 1:30 AM.
As part of Arcadia's 2003 centennial celebration, each council member has served as mayor for a three-month period of time. Mickey Segal will lead the city for the last three months until after the April 13 City Council election.
In a Council meeting frought with political tension, Gary Kovacic was chosen for his second term as Mayor, and new-comer Mickey Segal was named Mayor pro tem.
Most of the seven candidates competing for two seats for the City Council support adopting a floor-to-area ratio, or FAR, in an effort to halt "mansionization."
Council member Gino Roncelli is unable to vote on race track decisions due to a conflict of interest. Some rival candidates for council question whether he should run for re-election.
The peafowl population in Arcadia continues to grow and annoy some residents living near the Arboretum. Others defend the peafowl. A census three years ago found there are 228-250 peafowl in the city.
An outdoor courtyard, a 1220 space parking structure, and numerous shops would be added to Westfield Shoppingtown - Santa Anita under an expansion plan under review by the City Council.
In what is expected to be a hotly contested race, seven candidates will vie for two open council seats in the April elections. They include: incumbant Gino Roncelli, Sheng Chang, Mary Dougherty, Charles Chivetta, Vince Foley, James MacDonnell and Mark "Mickey" Segal.
The Arcadia City Council is considering changes to fees charged by the city through the Development Services Department. One change might be a $25 fee for new business license applications. The fees may increase for design review of new commercial projects and appeals from an architectural review board to the Planning Commission. The General plan amendment fee may drop and tentative tract maps for condos may drop. The city plans to increase fines for code violations.