New Arcadia City Council member April Verlato brings a new voice. She is a lawyer born and raised in Arcadia. She has been an activist against mansions. She is president of Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association (AIA). Her goals for her time in office are 1) to address the uptick in residential burglaries and 2) to improve Arcadia's business districts.
Arcadia City Council made three appointments to the Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association (AIA) board of directors. They are Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager and Development Services Director, Tim Schwehr, the city's Economic Development Analyst, and Peter Amundson, City Council member.
Green Leaf Events, launched by San Gabriel Valley native Jerry Diaz, began handling operations for Monrovia's long-standing Friday Night Street Fair earlier this month, in conjunction with LA Party Works, and in November, will assume operations of the Downtown Arcadia Street Market. It features a farmer's market, food vendors, and live entertainment. Open every Saturday, 5-9 pm, beginning November 7, spans 2 city blocks on First Avenue between Huntington Drive and Santa Clara St.
Downtown Arcadia in 2019. Large mixed-use project (38 apartments, 16000 s.f. retail, office, restaurants) at First Avenue and Wheeler Street will finish and open later this year. New restaurant "Trendy Thai 2 Go" opened at 18 North First Avenue (formerly Stacked Sandwich) and Shabu Lin is about to open at 101 South First Avenue (formerly Zapata Vive). Downtown AIA will be implementing several new streetscape beautification projects this year, planning has started on year-round decorative tree lighting on First Avenue.
Arcadia City Council declared its intention to provide seed redevelopment money--provided a state Supreme Court ruling in January frees up such funding--to help the Arcadia Downtown Business Association breathe new life into the city's traditional downtown, by establishing a property-based business improvement district.
Downtown Arcadia business owners establish a Community Benefit District, mandating they each pay an annual assessment on their property taxes to fund marketing programs and activities in hopes of bringing more people to the area. It is called a Property-Based Business Improvement Model. It is a private-sector initiative that bills local businesses by the same criteria used in Old Pasadena--according to their frontage, lot size and scope of any buildings on a given property. 60% of downtown Arcadia owners chose the plan, the result of a three year effort.
Homeless initiative takes a back seat to home improvement grants. Arcadia City Council approved Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program funds for 2017-2018 fiscal year for home improvements and repairs to low and moderate-income residents, about $230,000 and only $20,000 on the Homeless Initiative Program. Mayor Tom Beck expressed concern for the disparity.
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.
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.
The Arcadia City Council unanimously approved a General Plan update that aims to make the future Metro Gold Line station the heart of a revitalized downtown and the plan includes a revitalization of Live Oak Avenue.
Tim Schwehr, City of Arcadia's Economic Development Analyst, highlights Downtown Arcadia's new Business-Friendly Zoning Code, adopted November 2016 as part of a comprehensive citywide zoning update, with the goal of bringing more mixed use development to the area and incentivizing adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Downtown 2000: is the CFRP making a difference? In 1993, Arcadia City Council and the Redevelopment agency implemented the Comprehensive Revitalization Strategy and Program, a project designed to bring a new economic vitality to the downtown district. One of the main components of the program is the Commercial Facade Rehabilitation Program (CFRP), which provides financial assistance to downtown merchants for store-front improvements. Garlan Roberson received $11,000 from the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency for improvements to his business, Sullivan's Paints. Since the facade improvements, Roberson says business has increased significantly.
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.
Arcadia City Council approves proposed downtown development zoning changes, specifically regarding downtown Arcadia mixed-use development. Council member April Verlato recused herself from these discussions.
Arcadia City Council approves Water Master Plan update, presented by Pat Malloy, Public Works Services Director. The guide outlines a ten-year improvement program for over $44 million.
Public Services Director Pat Malloy met with the Highland Homeowners Association to update the residents on the work that has been done after the fire that denuded the hillsides above their homes.
Several members of the Arcadia Chinese Association, in addition to Chinese groups from other cities called a press conference together to discuss the recent proposed trip to Taiwan for Police Chief Ronnie Garner.
Neighbors of 16 year old Russell Simon, killed in August while riding his bicycle home from football practice, are banding together to have a memorial plaque installed at the corner where the high school sophomore was struck by a truck.
Arcadia Downtown Street Market now on Saturdays, 5-9 PM. It is run by Green Leaf Events on First Avenue between Santa Clara Street and Huntington Drive.