Arcadia city officials will consider changes to its General Plan, a 25-year blueprint for land-use decisions. The new plan aims to revitalize the city's downtown (First Avenue and Huntington Drive) as well as the Live Oak Corridor in the city's southern end. "We're making it easier to develop the downtown and the area around the (future) Gold Line station," said Council Bob Harbicht. If approved, it would allow for mixed-use commercial and residential complexes, commercial square footages could double and the height limit would increase from 40 to 45 feet.
Arcadia launches the new Arcadia Downtown Business Association, with plans to revitalize the downtown district. Matt McSweeney is the association's chairperson and owner of Matt Denny's Ale House Restaurant on East Huntington Drive. City officials will spend about $90,000 on a parking study and about $18,000 in redevelopment funds to get Arcadia Downtown Business Association off the ground. The revitalization plans should work nicely with the slated opening of the Gold Line station at the northwest corner of North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street by 2014.
City of Arcadia has been revising its General Plan and the first public draft was released last week. The General Plan, a 25-year blueprint for how the city could develop was last updated in 1996. The plan addresses the Gold Line station and allows for mixed-use residential and commercial development north of Huntington Drive in the downtown area, and on Live Oak Avenue. The plan must go before the Planning Commission, then the City Council for approval.
Arcadia City Council Recap. Project approved: a large mixed use (residential and commercial) at Duarte Road and First Avenue. Approved: replacing utility poles with an underground system at Morlan Place, adjacent to Rusnak Mercedes Benz dealership.
New Live Oak Library dedication in Arcadia November 2. The building was purchased, not leased. Los Angeles County Supervisor helped make this new library a reality.
Last month's California Supreme Court decision that eliminates redevelopment agencies may jeopardize the Rusnak Mercedes-Benz dealership's expansion plans. Last year, Arcadia's redevelopment agency acquired the final piece of a two-acre site to sell to owner Paul Rusnak to expand his business to 6 acres. Rusnak is one of the city's top sales tax generators and wants to open a 40,000 square foot showroom on Santa Anita Avenue, just one block from the future Gold Line station downtown.
Gold Line stations planning parking charges. Metro official says parking fee pricing structure at Duarte and Arcadia stations will reduce crowds in lots. Starting June 3, Metro will charge $3 a day or $59 a month to park at Duarte and Arcadia station lots.
Downtown Arcadia businesses create "Community Benefit District." Each business owner would pay extra in property taxes to go into a fund to better market the area to customers and visitors. With the Gold Line Station at North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street scheduled to open in 2015, efforts to help brand the area have been fast-tracked.
Inaugural Arcadia Christmas Market a delight. Downtown Arcadia came alive with traditional holiday atmosphere, featuring music, unique gifts, food, and activities last Saturday. It will continue every Saturday night until Christmas, with a European-style Christmas Market. Arcadia's Best Foundation organized it and was sponsored primarily by Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority and Forest Lawn, with support from City of Arcadia and Matt Denny's Ale House Restaurant. It will be open 5-9pm December 14 and 21.
Spotlight on Downtown Arcadia business Vendome Wine & Spirits, a bar, coffee, and bottle shop owned by Jeff Musial. It is across from Arcadia Metro Gold Line Station. His business partner is Charles Tran.
Arcadia wrestles with homeless issue. Metro Gold Line is seen as factor by some in the growing numbers camping nearby. In 2016, the Arcadia Station of Metro Gold Line opened and police began seeing a marked increase in calls for service regarding homelessness, said Sergeant Dan Crowther.
Metro responds to concerns over paid parking at Arcadia Gold Line Station. It costs $3 to park there but it had been free. Now that there is a cost to parking at Arcadia Station, there are more open spaces and this was Metro's anticipated and desired effect.
Trainspotting in Arcadia. First tests of Gold Line light rail between Pasadena and Azusa start. Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension conducted the first of many clearance tests involving actual Metro Gold Line train from Sierra Madre Villa Station (in Pasadena) to Azusa. The train was a $4 million Ansaldo Breda P2250 with specialized gear to test clearances, wheel/rail interface, rail switches, and Overhead Catenary System.
New state-of-the-art library coming to Arcadia. The Los Angeles County Public Library will replace the current branch in unincorporated Arcadia (4153 East Live Oak Avenue) sometime in 2017 at a new site at 22 West Live Oak Boulevard. It will cost about $9 million from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors capital projects funding.
The county Metropolitan Transportation Authority will sell naming rights to all rail lines, bus lines, and transit stations, such as the Gold Line Monrovia Station (in photo) and Foothill Gold Line Arcadia Station (in photo). The Corporate Sponsorship/Naming Rights Program was approved by the Metro board. CEO Phil Washington wants to stretch revenue; board member objects to commercialization.
All aboard: Arcadia gets into training. The Metro Gold Line Station in Arcadia will have a grand opening on Saturday, March 5. The light rail Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa will be offering free rides on March 5.
Arcadia City Council approves $70,000 to help the Downtown Business Association set up a business-improvement district. The district would tax commercial property owners to revitalize the area.
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension officially starts March 5. The extension runs from its current terminus at Sierra Madre Villa Station in Pasadena to Azusa Pacific University/Citrus College Station.
Metro Gold Line Foothill train set to roll on March 5. The 11.5 mile extension from East Pasadena's Sierra Madre Villa Station to Azusa/Glendora border is expected to have 13,600 riders per day and trains to arrive every 12 minutes. The new stations are Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte/City of Hope, Irwindale, Azusa Downtown, and Azusa Pacific University.