Advocates of an ordinance advocating English as the official language for Arcadia squared off in heated debate with opponents before the Arcadia City Council.
Arcadia business people apparently favor a no-smoking ordinance in principle, but might have difficulty with it in practice, according to a Chamber of Commerce survey recently delivered by City Manager George Watts. Sixty percent favored an ordinance controlling smoking. However, 60% also said they would not be able to provide segregated areas for smokers and non-smokers.
The Arcadia City Council will review a study of a possible ordinance pertaining to commercial signs in foreign languages at its July 2 meeting. It has been suggested that foreign language signs be translated into English.
Arcadia has won a round in court to force the owners of 2-deck newsracks featuring sexually orients publications to remove them. The same publications could still be sold, however, if placed in single-deck racks.
Arcadia is going to have to pay more money to fight a continuing legal challenge to its ordinance forbidding two-story newsracks commonly used by purveyors of sexually-oriented publications.
Arcadia may follow the lead of Pasadena, Los Angeles and other communities by considering the possibility of adopting a no-smoking ordinance. According to City Manager George Watts, the council has not decided on any specific rules and probably will not receive a study report from staff until mid-November.
Arcadia's City Council is having second thoughts about its regulation requiring the removal of burglar bars in town and has sent the whole ordinance back to staff for further study.
Arcadia's Planning Department is studying a city-wide ordinance to prevent private property owners from cutting down trees on their land. According to Mayor Charles Gilb, "there's a lot of people that move into town that because of their background . . . cut all the trees down so the spirits can't get in it."
Arcadia won a round in a legal battle against a firm that distributes sexually explicit newspapers on stands throughout the city. A Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of the city regarding Arcadia Newsrack Ordinance regulations relating to the appearance and height of newsracks.
Citing complaints he has received of 3 or 4 families living together in single family homes in Arcadia, City Councilman Robert Harbicht has proposed redefining the term "family" in the city zoning code.
Home and business owners of satellite dish antennas will have 180 days from receipt of notice to bring their antennas into conformity with city regulations.
A moratorium on stores selling liquor in Arcadia within 150 feet of residential zones has been imposed by the City Council. During the moratorium, the city will be studying whether to impose conditional use permit reviews on such stores due to noise, litter, and loitering problems they tend to create.
Pending approval of the Arcadia City Council, guest houses on Arcadia properties will be limited to 600 square feet and will not be allowed to be combined with other accessory buildings.
A proposed ordinance regulating foreign languages and English on business signs in Arcadia will not only require that English be included-it also will require English cover the largest part of the sign.
The proprietor of a company that distributes sexually explicit newspapers has filed a request with the California Supreme Court to have Arcadia delay enforcing the portion of its newsrack ordinance which governs the appearance of such racks until the matter can be settled in the Court of Appeals.
Representatives from the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society presented City Council with a draft no-smoking ordinance that would prohibit smoking in all enclosed public places.
Some individuals and businesses in Arcadia who own satellite dish antennas will now have to screen them from view, following a unanimous vote by the Arcadia City Council. The ordinance, which may affect the Steerburger Restaurant, the 100 to One Restaurant, and the Santa Anita Inn, was devised to combat the proliferation of unsightly satellite dishes throughout the city.