City officials have authorized for the first week of October a previously postponed mail-in vote on whether to reallocate street lighting assessment fees. Residents will vote on a reorganization that would make the payments correspond fairly to the benefits received.
The City Council has created three new lighting assessment zones to replace lighting districts established in the 1970s. Residents will be sent mail-in ballots later this year to decide whether or not to approve changes to fees for street lighting. Lighting costs about $1.15 million a year.
Despite strong backing from the Santa Anita Oaks Homeowners Association, a proposal to replace existing street lights with new ornamental lights was overwhelmingly rejected by residents in a mail-in ballot election. All Arcadia residents will vote on new street lighting assessments in July. Under that measure, all households would pay one of three yearly assessment fees, depending on how they benefit from street lights.
The city is asking residents to vote by mail by July 15 on a plan that would change the way the city splits the cost of street lighting. The city expects street lighting to cost about $1.15 million next year. Single-family homes on lighted streets would pay the most, $25.70 a year. Under the proposal, the assessments would no longer be tied to the value of a home but rather to the benefits that residents receive from street lights. If voters reject the plan, the current lighting assessment districts will expire in 2010. If that happens, the city will be responsible for paying the entire costs of street lighting.
Arcadia mail-in voters reject proposal for new lighting assessment districts. Under the proposal, the single-family homes on well-lit streets would pay up for $24 a year. Those with "sporadic" lighting would pay up to $10.12 a year, while homes on streets without lights would pay nothing. The current lighting assessment districts expire in 2010. Out of 14,600 ballots sent out, about 1/3 were returned. The proposal failed by 70 votes. 2,457 ballots voted yes and 2,530 voted no.
City of Arcadia. Assessment books of the property in the City of Arcadia. Includes legal description, last known owner, value of land, taxes paid. 101 A. Book 1. Assessment no. 1-728. Tax year 1948/49-1954/55. Book 2. Assessment no.729-1721. Tax year 1948/49-1954/55.
101 B. Book 3. Assessment…
Arcadia city officials have approved across-the-board fee increases that are expected to generate $500,000 in revenue this year. Parking tickets will go up from an average of $40 to $50. Other fees going up include building permits, towing fees, business license fees, water, street, and engineering services.
The Arcadia city council endorsed the construction of the second phase of the Gold Line as a light rail transit system. Grade level of the major street crossings was discussed.
Arcadia City Council has voted to impose fees on developers to pay for intersection-widening projects. A chart shows the traffic count at developments, at intersections, and the fee structure.
The Arcadia City Council is considering changes to fees charged by the city through the Development Services Department. One change might be a $25 fee for new business license applications. The fees may increase for design review of new commercial projects and appeals from an architectural review board to the Planning Commission. The General plan amendment fee may drop and tentative tract maps for condos may drop. The city plans to increase fines for code violations.
Arcadia City Council has put out a design contract for landscaping and streetscape design on Baldwin Avenue between Duarte Road and Naomi Avenue. The contract went to Willdan, not to exceed $64,410. Another project proposes widening of the street to four lanes, 75 feet from curb to curb, with landscaped median, curb parking and additional landscaping, along with street resurfacing, to cost $380,000.
Several blocks of Live Oak Avenue will be closed through Thursday while Edison crews remove street lights, traffic signals and wooden power poles that snapped under powerful overnight wind gusts Monday from the Santa Ana winds.
The city council has decided to appropriate $35,000 toward the design of a light rail bridge over Santa Anita Avenue. This is to pay for early design work needed for an environmental impact report. The bridge project is expected to cost the city $10.7 million which may come from a bond. The Construction Authority would pay $18.4 million bringing total bridge cost to $29.1 million.
The proposed site for Arcadia's Gold Line station is just east of Santa Anita Avenue, at the First Avenue/Santa Clara intersection. City leaders want to separate the railroad tracks from the street.