The Arcadia City Council has rejected the Asian Pacific American Legal Center's request that the city revoke a rule limiting the amount of space foreign languages can occupy on business signs. Councilman Robert Harbicht noted that the ordinance has been on the books for several years and the city has not received a single complaint about it.
The Asian Pacific American Legal Center, which recently persuaded Temple City, Rosemead and Garden Grove to stop restricting the use of foreign languages on business signs, has requested a change in the Arcadia city ordinance that allows only 1/3 of the area of a sign to be in a foreign language. The new ordinance is more restrictive than the law that was deemed unconstitutional in Pomona in 1989 which required at least 50% of a sign to be written in the Roman alphabet.
Bill requiring cities to pay businesses for signs that are condemned sparks debate. City officials from Duarte, Monrovia, Temple City and Arcadia have sent letters to local legislators opposing the bill.
Many of the local Chinese community, including members of the Arcadia Chinese Association, said they support the city council's decision to keep an ordinance requiring 2/3 of any business sign to be written in Roman letters.