The city's efforts to save homes beneath the fire-ravaged hillsides from a flood of mud and debris have been praised, but mud and debris are still flowing onto Highland Vista, Monte Place, Vista and Santa Anita Avenues.
After months of preparation and more than $300,000 expenditures in the aftermath of the Santa Anita II fires that diverted a wall of mud from homes, the fire-ravaged hillside seemed to be holding despite the rain storms.
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.
Santa Anita Park race track requested that the City Council delay acting on legislation that would govern its nighttime operations. Public hearings will be held so that the track's stance can be explained to neighboring homeowners.
Deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects to be done this summer include roofing, re-roofing, painting, kitchen and plumbing work at area schools.
The new landscaping and bus shelter for the west side of the Arcadia Public Library will cost $152,126.03 and will be done by Mariposa Horticultural Enterprises Inc.
48th Annual Arcadia Festival of Bands will be held Saturday, November 17. The event, which showcases the finest high school instrumental music talent in Southern California, has been a proud tradition in Arcadia since 1953. Dennis Davies, who recently retired after serving 39 years as a music director in Arcadia Unified School District, has been named Grand Marshal.
Residents of Santa Anita Village will get a chance to register their opinions on limiting the size of new houses in their area. Homeowners are asking for a 35 percent floor area ratio rule to be in place.
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) recently evaluated the Arcadia Fire Department and reconfirmed its designation as a "Class 1" department. This is the second time Arcadia has been so honored. Only 41 fire agencies in the country have this elite distinction.
Beth Costanza, Executive director of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, has received positive feedback from chamber members after she published a piece called "Arcadia's meanest spirited businesses," in which she took to task such companies as Washington Mutual, Bank of America, Ralphs and Sav-On.