Arcadia bids farewell to board members and welcomes newly appointed. Maki Hsieh, the Director of Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation, is leaving Arcadia for Seattle. Newly appointed are Gary Brewer (Arcadia Beautiful Commission), Kaitlyn Jeong (Human Resources Commission), Brad Thompson (Planning Commission) and Peter Chu (Recreation and Parks Commission).
Arcadia Woman's Club president Cheryl Alberg was installed for the 2018-2020 term. First Vice President is Marilyn Daleo, Second VP Linda Mokler, Third VP Cindy Aguilar and other officers.
Changes for Arcadia Transit's Dial-a-Ride. The new two-tiered system reserves the Dial-a-Ride for senior citizens and the disabled, while three new fixed routes will serve the general public. Includes history of Dial-a-Ride in Arcadia.
Zoning codes: Arcadia measure on mansionization qualifies for ballot. If adopted the initiative would create a citywide floor area ratio (FAR) which would set much tighter restrictions on square footage. Lisa Mussenden said it could be on the ballot as soon as November 2016 or as late as April 2018. Saving Arcadia is the group behind the initiative.
Rides are hard to find for seniors. Dial-a-Ride, meant for home-bound elderly, being misused shuttling school children. In 2014 consultant group IBI Group recommended three changes--new fixed routes for the general public, a shuttle service from the Metro Gold Line station to popular locations in the city, and a return to Dial-a-Ride service to seniors and disabled. The changes were planned to coincide with the Gold Line opening in march but after hearing concerns from students and parents, city officials agreed not to cut off the Dial-a-Ride service to the general public until the end of the school year.
Arcadia residents hoping to vote to curb home sizes. Groups want city to have a lot less 'mansionization' and are circulating a petition for a ballot initiative that aims to set square footage regulations for new residential development projects.
Sierra Madre and Arcadia engaged in water fight. Sierra Madre accused Arcadia of stealing water from a shared East Raymond Basin. Holly Whatley, Sierra Madre's assistant city attorney, said the California Supreme Court divided the east and west Raymond Basin in a 1944 judgment. Arcadia spent $2.8 million to build its Anoakia Well in 2001 and its Colorado Well in 2007. Hydrogeology expert Tim Thompson said although Arcadia's two wells reside on the eastern side, the wells actually draw ground water that originates from the West Raymond Basin. He said there is very little water traveling from the east and west basins because of a hydrogeological barrier, and a scientific look at the ground shows that Arcadia is taking adjudicated water from the West Raymond Basin. See hard copy in VF Water.
Arcadia city officials are cracking down on "maternity tourism" boarding houses by dedicating a full-time police detective to investigate the issue. Maternity or birth tourism is a phenomenon in which women, often from China, pay a handsome fee to have their babies in the United States, so the children can be citizens. While that is not illegal, at least five establishments have been shut down for violations, such as unlawfully operating boarding house businesses in residential zones.
Representative David Dreier (R-San Dimas) announced his nominees for U.S. military academies. From Arcadia, he has nominated Alex Wei Lee and Gregory Mak for the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO.; Patrick Chen, Alex Wei Lee and Casey Thompson for the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD.; Kenneth Moore to U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY.