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 approved an ordinance amendment loosening store display restrictions and decided to maintain the first floor retail restrictions on buildings in the downtown business district.
City Council approved closing First Avenue between Alta and California Streets from 6 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays from April 18 through Oct. 31. for a Farmer's Market.
The Arcadia Business Association has requested a moratorium on beauty and nail shop in the downtown business district. There are reportedly 16 salons downtown and another 8 more on First Avenue south of California.
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.
In a split vote, City Council approved an ordinance that effectively doubles business license fees bringing Arcadia to roughly the mid-point in fees charged by other Los Angeles County cities.
The Saturday Farmers Market will continue for at least another six months. Arcadia Business Association operates the event and estimate that 22,000 have visited the market in the last 8 months.
A draft ordinance has been submitted to the City Council that would allow Arcadia residents to conduct businesses out of their homes if certain criteria are met and a permit is approved. According to current law, such businesses are illegal.
The changing face of Arcadia--commercial brokerage firm NAI submits proposal for downtown districts. The City of Arcadia hired NAI to assess the city's five business districts and make recommendations to improve them and bring in appropriate, compatible businesses. See hard copy in VF Business and Industry.
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.
The Massage Therapist Regulations ordinance, approved November 5 by City Council, places regulations on the licensing of massage therapists and the activities of businesses offering massage services. It regulates business hours, uniforms, customers' bodily coverings and suggestive ads.