Arcadia City Council rejected objections filed by Los Angeles County and declared a redevelopment district for South Arcadia. The district, which covers business properties along Las Tunas and Live Oak, will be operated as a non-contiguous part of the Arcadia downtown redevelopment district. The City Council declared the area does suffer from both economic and physical blight, and hope to spend $12 million to upgrade the district.
Arcadia city officials adopt a 5-year redevelopment plan. The major goals are the expansion of the Rusnak Mercedes Benz auto dealership, development around the future Gold Line station and several affordable housing programs. The city demolished the Church of Arcadia's old building at 21 Morlan Place in September to make room for a parking lot that could be used by Rusnak.
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 loses a redevelopment battle with Los Angeles County. The ruling stated that the Las Tunas Drive - Live Oak Avenue area in South Arcadia did not meet the criteria to be declared blighted in order to receive redevelopment funds.
The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency will review proposals by four developers interested in building multi-family homes on Live Oak Avenue for low-income residents.
The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency will vote on awarding $152,126 to Mariposa Horticultural Enterprises, Inc., to build a bus shelter and provide landscaping at the Arcadia Public Library.
Arcadia wants to declare a section of Live oak Avenue and Las Tunas Drive in south Arcadia a redevelopment zone to qualify for county funding. The County says area is not blighted and does not meet qualifications for funding.
The City Council has authorized a study to determine whether Live Oak Avenue meets redevelopment law requirements of being a blighted area and whether to include businesses along Live Oak in the central city redevelopment district.
City Council was briefed on Arcadia's redevelopment efforts which includes the construction of a new police station, creation of affordable housing and improvements to the city's business districts.
The City of Arcadia has acquired half of the land originally promised for Rusnak's Mercedes Benz expansion. Arcadia Self-Storage and Church in Arcadia are selling to the city but the Elks Lodge and Rod's Grill refused to sell. The city expects Rusnak to produce a minimum of $700,000 each year in sales tax for 10 years, or until the loan is repaid.
City of Arcadia lost its lawsuit against the county to establish a redevelopment area in South Arcadia. The county determined the area did not fit legal definition of a blighted area.
The City of Arcadia wants to assist in the redevelopment of South Arcadia businesses around Live Oak and Las Tunas. The city will hold a hearing July 3 for the environmental impact report on a plan that has been proposed. The area in question covers 75 acres.
The Community Redevelopment Agency is still considering an 11-acre project around the former Foulger Ford property, now owned by car dealer Paul Rusnak.
The four-acre Foulger Ford site and the 5.73-acre Santa Anita Inn were discussed by the Arcadia City Council as properties that are not living up to their economic potential.
In a joint venture, the Monrovia and Arcadia redevelopment agencies have created a new logo which reads "Huntington Crossing" and it will top the sign where the 210 Freeway crosses Fifth Avenue.
Local transit authorities are preparing to move forward with the Gold Line Foothill Extension to the Azusa-Glendora border and local cities are planning to place residential and commercial developments along the line. Those developments are intended to prepare for future population growth. The first phase of the extension is slated to be completed by 2014, adding new stops in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa. Some plans near those stops could be scaled back due to the down economy. Arcadia officials are looking to build commercial developments centered on a planned station just east of Santa Anita Avenue. Arcadia's challenge will be land acquisition. Because Arcadia has ordinances limiting the use of eminent domain, Arcadia officials have to rely on negotiating land deals, a difficult process with limited redevelopment funds.