Arcadia City Council has accepted a grant for $42,026 from the MTA in Proposition C funds to help operate Arcadia Transit. Other City Council items were discussed.
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.
Arcadia City Council approved the first of a projected series of ten annual 5% increases in the city water rate. Sewer and trash rates will also increase.
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.
City council members refute charges that they met in private with a developer and property owner. Arcadia councilman Bob Harbicht said council did not meet in closed sessions, but met only with city staff to discuss land located in the parking lot of Santa Anita Park. The Council has never met privately with Caruso Affiliated or Magna Entertainment.
City Manager Bill Kelly presented a "flat line budget" to the city council. Kelly said current uncertainties in state funding will not be resolved until after the election. The city will revisit the budget at midyear.
The Arcadia City Council has approved an ordinance to upgrade the recycling efforts of commercial haulers in the city. The ordinance decreases the number of permitted commercial haulers in the city to 3. The ordinance adds language to clarify how recycling diversion is calculated, and requires free recycling containers and public education.
At a candidate forum, Arcadia City Council candidates Roger Chandler, Bob Harbicht, Gary Kovacic, Gail Marshall, and John Wuo discuss issues such as Arcadia's sign ordinance that governs the use of multi-language material, school crowding, firefighters, mansionization, the city's budget, and a bond issue for a Performing Arts Center.
The Arcadia City Council will decide on an ordinance to regulate massage therapy. Provisions will regulate massage therapists, practitioners or technicians, and require them to have identification cards from the police and a business license. The ordinance contains other restrictions.
Arcadia Unified School District and the city are collaborating on a $150,000 effort to open a youth center at the Arcadia High School cafeteria and extend school library hours for after school hours. This would take some afternoon pressure off the Arcadia Public Library.
Arcadia considers joining Monrovia in reviving the Blue Star Program, in which families of men and women in the armed forces can display a symbol of that fact on their home. The matter will be put on a city council agenda in the future.
The City Council voted against a proposed 6-unit development of condominiums on First Avenue. This caused some conflict as applicant Hank Jong had received approval for the project until a second check showed the zoning he was relying on conflicted with the general plan.
The City Council will likely approve Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita's mall expansion for the outdoor section known as The Promenade if Westfield can resolve parking issues that will arise during construction.
A lengthy public commenting period caused the City Council vote on the proposed mall The Shops at Santa Anita to be delayed until 8:00 AM on Tuesday, April 17, 2007.
Arcadia City Council has approved a new contract with the Pasadena Humane Society (PHS) to provide animal services to Arcadia. The contract is for $69,838, a 3% increase over the current year's agreement. The city has contracted with PHS since 1994. PHS handles dog licensing, answers calls for service and offers low-cost spay and neuter clinics. Other items were approved, including a contract with Engineered Plumbing Inc. for water mains and valves, the purchase of Mobile Data Terminals for the Arcadia Fire Department from Nida Companies, and massage therapist permits.
Opponents of the proposed mall The Shops at Santa Anita have filed a complaint accusing the City Council of breaking open meeting laws. An attorney for Arcadia First! asked the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office to investigate whether negotiations between the city and developer Caruso Affiliated violated the Brown Act because they were held outside of public view.