After a 13-hour meeting, Arcadia City Council voted unanimously to approve the outdoor mall to be built on the Santa Anita Park race track parking lot, a development known as The Shops at Santa Anita. Opponents may push a referendum and possibly file lawsuits to block the project.
The Arcadia City Council debated the issue of more parking on the west side of Baldwin Avenue, next to the Hub Center, between Duarte Road and Naomi Avenue. The Council approved the revision to the adult business ordinance, adopted an anti-loitering measure for gang members, and more.
Arcadia City Council has accepted a grant for $42,026 from the MTA in Proposition C funds to help operate Arcadia Transit. Other City Council items were discussed.
Arcadia City Council has approved a new contract with the Pasadena Humane Society (PHS) to provide animal services to Arcadia. The contract is for $69,838, a 3% increase over the current year's agreement. The city has contracted with PHS since 1994. PHS handles dog licensing, answers calls for service and offers low-cost spay and neuter clinics. Other items were approved, including a contract with Engineered Plumbing Inc. for water mains and valves, the purchase of Mobile Data Terminals for the Arcadia Fire Department from Nida Companies, and massage therapist permits.
Arcadia City Council voted unanimously to give the final approval on Rick Caruso's The Shops at Santa Anita mall. The City Council also approved an expansion project for the Westfield mall with one condition.
The Arcadia City Council will decide on an ordinance to regulate massage therapy. Provisions will regulate massage therapists, practitioners or technicians, and require them to have identification cards from the police and a business license. The ordinance contains other restrictions.
Arcadia resident and business owner Fawaz Elmasri, who was born in Lebanon, conveyed a message that Muslim people are peaceful and the Islam religion condemns killing of civilian people and the destruction of property. He explained that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were acts against God.
City council members refute charges that they met in private with a developer and property owner. Arcadia councilman Bob Harbicht said council did not meet in closed sessions, but met only with city staff to discuss land located in the parking lot of Santa Anita Park. The Council has never met privately with Caruso Affiliated or Magna Entertainment.
The City Council will likely approve Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita's mall expansion for the outdoor section known as The Promenade if Westfield can resolve parking issues that will arise during construction.
City Manager Bill Kelly presented a "flat line budget" to the city council. Kelly said current uncertainties in state funding will not be resolved until after the election. The city will revisit the budget at midyear.
The expansion plan for Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita raises traffic concerns with City Council members. Kenneth Wong, president of Westfield America maintains composure as he answers. The proposed expansion is called The Promenade, an outdoor 100,000 square feet area that would be between Nordstrom and Macys.
Issues discussed at City Council meeting included redevelopment of South Arcadia along Live Oak Avenue and Las Tunas Drive, between just east of 6th Avenue and west of the Arcadia wash. The meeting lasted 18 minutes.
A lengthy public commenting period caused the City Council vote on the proposed mall The Shops at Santa Anita to be delayed until 8:00 AM on Tuesday, April 17, 2007.
Opponents of the proposed mall The Shops at Santa Anita have filed a complaint accusing the City Council of breaking open meeting laws. An attorney for Arcadia First! asked the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office to investigate whether negotiations between the city and developer Caruso Affiliated violated the Brown Act because they were held outside of public view.
Responding to allegations made by Westfield-funded Arcadia First! that Caruso representatives met privately with City Council, Caruso Affiliated spokesperson Julie Wong said Arcadia First! should apologize and get their facts straight. Sung Tse, Arcadia First! spokesperson said there is nothing to apologize for.