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.
The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency will review proposals by four developers interested in building multi-family homes on Live Oak Avenue for low-income residents.
Santa Ana winds estimated at up to 80 mph, toppled 29 utility poles along Live Oak Avenue from Santa Anita to 10th Avenue in Arcadia. Arcadia was the hardest hit of the San Gabriel Valley cities.
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.
Habitat for Humanity proposed building 20 homes on city-owned land in South Arcadia that was previously used by the Arcadia Police Department horseback unit. The parcel's access would be via Live Oak Avenue. Assembly Bill 637 requires Arcadia to develop low-income housing. City Council did not make a decision, leaving options open.
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.
Op-ed on the South Arcadia redevelopment and why the County should not be challenging the city's request for the area to be changed to a redevelopment zone in order to qualify for county funds.
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.
Southern California Edison (SCE) officials say that the Santa Ana winds caused the third largest power outage in the company's 113-year history. All electrical services are back along Live Oak Avenue in Arcadia.
Arcadia city officials will consider changes to its General Plan, a 25-year blueprint for land-use decisions. The new plan aims to revitalize the city's downtown (First Avenue and Huntington Drive) as well as the Live Oak Corridor in the city's southern end. "We're making it easier to develop the downtown and the area around the (future) Gold Line station," said Council Bob Harbicht. If approved, it would allow for mixed-use commercial and residential complexes, commercial square footages could double and the height limit would increase from 40 to 45 feet.
The Arcadia City Council unanimously approved a General Plan update that aims to make the future Metro Gold Line station the heart of a revitalized downtown and the plan includes a revitalization of Live Oak Avenue.