As a result of the forest fires in Agoura-Malibu and Mandeville Canyon, the City Council will reopen the topic of non-combustible roofs on new buildings in Arcadia.
The City Council agreed to allow home owners in the residential-mountainous area of Arcadia to keep their existing roofs, although new developments may face new restrictions. At issue is the use of shake roofs that are not treated to fire retardant.
New roofs and additions or alterations involving 50% of the total square footage of the roof must conform to Class A standards for buildings in hazardous fire areas, the foothill areas. Home owners in non-hazardous fire areas will be allowed use of either Class A or Class B roofing materials. In addition, alterations or repairs involving 25% or less of a roof area may use any existing material. The Council gave final approval by a three to one vote. (See 1603AN for correction.)
Tonight Arcadia City Council will decide on whether the city should pursue an economic impact study before adopting new residential zoning regulations. The zoning code recommendations are concerned with floor area ratios (FAR) in 4 different parts of the city, building height, setback and hillside standards.
Ordinance governing roofs given first reading by City Council Tuesday night. Following second reading and 30-day waiting period, Arcadians who construct new roofs will be required to use specific fire-retardant materials.
The first of several public hearings was held in re the Environmental Impact Report on proposed hillside development north of Foothills Junior High School. This represents one of the first tests of the city's new RM (Residential-Mountainous) zone.
Mansionization vote soon. Officials say no to economic impact study (on how home size affects property value) amid update to city's zoning code. Opponents and proponents packed into City Council Chambers. Resident Lee Marshall said more stringent regulations (in building height, floor area ratio (FAR), setbacks, hillside standards) would add value to homes by encouraging more harmonious development. Resident Polly Wong said she built her dream home in Arcadia and the new recommendations might significantly hurt her investment. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 16, March 17, 2016 for "No economic study for zoning code changes."
A group of Arcadia hillside residents have formed a group to protest further hillside development in Arcadia. They will push hard for adoption of strong restrictions in future developments.
Arcadia warns empty-home owners: non-compliance subject to "summary abatement." This is the largest overhaul of abatement regulations since they were imposed on the City in 1972. A citation and fines will be issued and fines will increase for each day no one responds (on residential construction sites that have ceased construction, been abandoned). See correction to errors on April 6, 2017 issue of Arcadia Weekly.
Arcadia will no longer permit wood roofs for new construction and replacement throughout the city. The City Council has restricted all new roofing to Class A. Final vote was 3-2, with Councilmen David Hannah and Dick Haltom against the ban on wood roofs and Mayor Don Pellegrino joining Councilman Jeff Dring and Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Lojeski on the winning side.
As required by election regulations, the candidates for the Arcadia City Council have filed statements showing contributions they have received and expenditures they have made.
A moratorium on stores selling liquor in Arcadia within 150 feet of residential zones has been imposed by the City Council. During the moratorium, the city will be studying whether to impose conditional use permit reviews on such stores due to noise, litter, and loitering problems they tend to create.
The Library Board of Trustees voted to post a PATRIOT Act notice, as required by the act. The notice reads, "Although the Arcadia Public Library makes every reasonable effort to protect your privacy, under the federal USA PATRIOT Act (PL107-56), records of the books and other materials you currently have on loan from this library, your inter-library loan requests placed during the past year, or the Internet sites and e-mails that you access through our computers may be obtained by federal agents. That federal law prohibits library workers from informing you if federal agents have asked about or obtained your records.
The City Council approved an ordinance that will limit houses built in the future to a height of 30 feet or less and increase side-yard setbacks to put more space between the property line and the building. (Complete information of the exact stipulations is included in this article.)
The Planning Commission is endeavoring to make Arcadia's General Plan more flexible and more consistent with zoning regulations. The Commission will submit its changes to the City Council for final approval.
Captured Images Photography (CIP) will produce senior portraits and provide materials for photography classes and the yearbook. The Governing Board also adopted a new search policy.
By a 6 to 1 vote the Planning Commission on May 24 approved a new zone: R-M (single-family mountainous residential). The proposed ordinance will need to go before the City Council for adoption.