HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUGUST 3,1993_2
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35:0202
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CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS ARE TAPE RECORDED AND ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY
CLERK
INVOCATION
PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
MUNDTE
APPROVAL
(July 13 ,1993)
(July 20,1993)
(APPROVED)
ORD. & RES.
READ BY
TITLE ONLY
u(rC)-JOCI'rY /
NSi' METHODIST
, HOSP. 90th
ANNIV.PICNIC
TELECAST
I
l.
PUBLIC
HEARING
TEXT. AMEND.
93-002
(Storage,
Collection
& Loading of
Recyclables
Regulations
Multiple
Fam., Spec.
Use &
Public Use
Zones)
~:.. ~('-c:"
M I NUT E S
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA
and the
ARCADIA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
REGULAR MEETING
AUGUST 3, 1993
The City Council and the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency met in a
regular meeting at 7:35 p. m., Tuesday, August 3, 1993 in the
City Council Chamber.
Chaplain Brenda Peterson, Arcadia Methodist Hospital
City Clerk June D, Alford
PRESENT: Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett and
Ciraulo
ABSENT: None
On MOTION by Mayor Pro tem Lojeski, seconded by Councilmember
Fasching and CARRIED, the minutes of the Joint City
Council/Planning Commission Work Session of July 13, 1993, and
the adj ourned and regular meetings of July 20, 1993 were
APPROVED.
It was MOVED by Councilmember Margett, seconded by Councilmember
Harbicht, and CARRIED that ordinances and resolutions be read by
title only and that the reading in full be WAIVED.
Mayor Ciraulo noted that the City of Arcadia/Methodist Hospital
90th anniversary picnic held a couple of weeks ago has been
. videotaped ,and will be aired by CabieVision on Thursday, August
5, 'and again on Saturday, August '7, 1993 after 'the Council
meeting cablecast.
In 1991 the State passed the California Solid Waste Reuse and
Recycling Access Act to facilitate the collection and loading of
recyclable materials. Accordingly, in March of this year, the
California Integrated Waste Management Board adopted a model
ordinance to provide guidelines for the required recyclab1es
collection and loading areas. In the absence of a local
ordinance, the model ordinance was to take effect on September
I, 1993. On July 28th. the City received notice that the
- deadline was recently extended for one year to September 1, 1994.
The recyclables c~llection and loading areas are to be required
for all new development projects and for those projects that
increase the space of an existing building by 30% or more in any
12 month period. The Planning Commission at its July 27, 1993
meeting held a public hearing and voted approval of Text
Amendment 93.002 to amend the commercial and industrial zones (C-
O, C-l, C-2. CoM, CPD-1, C-C & M-1), the mu1ciple family zones
(R-2 & R-3) and the Arcadia Municipal Code to amend the storage
regulations, and to include regulations for the collection and
loading of recyc1ables. The Planning Commission recommended
that (1) the requirements for the enclosures for recyclables as
well as trash should be more specific with regard to dimensions
so that designers can more readily determine how much space needs
to' be devoted to those facilities; and (2) the regulations for
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8/3/93
2.
ull'-/O.;; nPUBLIC
REARING
WEED
ABATEMENT
CRGS. ON
PRIVATE PROP.
(1992-93
Weed
Abatem<ent
Prograll1)
(APPROVED)
3.
I'l/l 0
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35:0203
the Special Use (A-I) and Public Use (S-2) zones should include
the same requirements as those that are being proposed for all
the other zones, The only area zoned S-l is the Santa Anita Race
Track. Areas that are zoned S - 2 are the Civic Center, County
Park and Golf Course, the Community Center, and the Arboretum.
Mayor Ciraulo declared the hearing OPEN.
No one desiring to be heard, the hearing was CLOSED on MOTION by
Mayor Pro tern Loj eski, seconded by Councilmember Fasching and
CARRIED.
It was MOVEO by Councilmember Harbicht, seconded by Mayor Pro
tern Lojeski, and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows that the
Negative Declaration be APPROVED and FILED; FIND that the text I
amendment will not have a significant effect on the environment,
and will not have any potential for adverse effect on wildlife
resources: that Text Amendment 93-002 be APPROVED: and staff is ,
DIRECTED to prepare the appropriate ordinance.
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
Consideration of public protest to weed abatement charges on
private property (1992-93 Weed Abatement Program). The Los
Angeles County Agricultural Commission has submitted a list of
charges in connection with the cost of abating weeds on each
separate lot or parcel of land as listed. The list has been
posted as required and the public hearing scheduled to hear any
objections to the charges.
Mayor Ciraulo declared the hearing' OPEN.
No one desiring to be heard, the hearing was CLOSED on MOTION by
Councilmember Fasching, seconded by Councilmember Margett and
CARRIED.
It was then HOVED by Councilmember Hargett, seconded by Hayor Pro
tem Lojeski and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows to CONFIRM
the weed abatement charge list as submitted, and DIRECT that the
County Auditor be instructed to 'enter the amounts of the
assessments against the respective parcels of land as they appear
on the current assessment roll.
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Hargett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
I
Jack Saelid, 821 Balboa Drive, former City of Arcadia
Counci1member and Mayor, stated. in part, that he is present to
express his concern about the Memorandum of Understanding
recently agreed up'on by the Council and the Firemen. This
Agreement provides for establishment of firemen salaries based
on the mean average of salaries paid by Los Angeles County and
ten other area jurisdictions. This effectively takes the salary
decision away from the City Council. Since salaries constitute
approximately 80% of the operating budget of the City, he does
not feel this is responsible action on the part of the Council.
Also, he is disturbed by the fact that the Council adopted this
Memorandum of Underscanding by a 3 - 2 vote at a late night
session. The Councilmembers are elected by the voters to
control the City's expenses. Because of this Agreement, this
Council abdicates its position as elected representatives of the
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8/3/93
4.
5.
I Sa.
ROLL CALL
5b.
MINUTE
APPROVAL
(July 20,1993)
(APPROVED)
6.
6a.
PUBLIC
HEARING
DOWNTOWN
REVITALIZATION
STRATEGY
AND
PROGRAM
CONCEPT
(M.Freedman)
(APPROVED
OOH().O:l
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35:0204
citizens of Arcadia. Further. if the City Manager engineered
this agreement. he acted irresponsibly and should be disciplined
or replaced. If the union representative from the Firefighters'
Association suggested this MOU. Council could demand a new union
representative. Mr, Saelid commented that Council has not shown
an inclination to control other costs, noting in particular. the
proposed moving of the water tanks at the St. Joseph Street site
to another location for development purposes.
CITY COUNCIL RECESSED IN ORDER TO ACT AS THE
ARCADIA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
PRESENT: Agency Members Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett and"
Ciraulo
ABSENT: None
On MOTION by Agency Member Lojeski, seconded by Agency Member
Margett, and CARRIED the minutes of the meeting of July 20, 1993
were APPROVED.
JOINT PUBLIC HEARING - CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
The City Council and the Redevelopment Agency have been working
with Mr. Michael Freedman of the San Francisco based firm,
Freedman, Tung and Bottomley, since October of 1992 on the
proposed Revitalization Strategy and Design Concept for downtown
Arcadia. As part of this process Mr. Freedman held four
community workshops. Prior to each of these workshops staff
mailed notices to all property 'owners, business owners, and
residents in the redevelopment project area, as well as to those
properties south of Alta Street to California Street and east to
Fifth Avenue. Notices were also mailed to numerous civic and
homeowner organizations and interested citizens. A press
release was also distributed to local media.
On three occasions Mr. Freedman met with the City Council/Agency
and once with the Planning Commission. City staff met with
various City organizations to discuss the project and obtain
coDiDrent. Michael Freedman has prepared a Downtown Revitalization
Strategy and Program (DRSP), based upon his initial
recommendations, as modified by community and Council/Agency
concerns and comments. The August 3, 1993 staff report sets
forth a summary of the DRSP which was submitted to the
City/Agency by Mr. Freedman, and a recommendation to the
Council/Agency to adopt the Downtown Revitalization Strategy and
Program Concept, if and as amended by the Council/Agency.
The City Manager presented
introduced Mr. Freedman
Development Program for
Revitalization Plan.
an overview
to present
the City
of this agenda
the proposed
of Arcadia
item and
Concept
Downtown
A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PROCEEDINGS HAS BEEN PREPARED
MICHAEL FREEDMAN. presentation.
Mayor/Chairman Ciraulo OPENED the public hearing.
Those IN FAVOR of the proposed Downtown Revitalization Plan.
Beth Costanza., owner of the Cheyenne Supper Club restaurant at
101 South First Avenue. resident of Monrovia, 935 Ridgeside
Drive.
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8/3/93
35:0205
Karen Towner, 320 El Dorado Street, Arcadia
Gordon Maddock, 900 South First Avenue, Arcadia
Art Davis, 814 Fano Street, Arcadia
Mike Ludecke, Ludecke Century 21 Realtor, 610 North Santa Anita
Avenue,
OPPOS ITION:
Steve Kim, regarding access to his property at the southwest
corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita.
At the conclusion of public testimony, the hearing was CLOSED on
MOTION by Council/Agency Member Fasching, seconded by
Council/Agency Member Margett and CARRIED without dissent.
I
MOTION
After considerable discussion, it was MOVED by Council/Agency
Member Fasching, seconded by Council/Agency Member Margett and
CARRIED on roll call vote as follows to:
ADOPT the Downtown Revitalization ,Strategy and Program Concept;
AUTHORIZE staff to implement the Huntington Drive/First Avenue
streetscape improvements including Option 1 of (a) - all new
sidewalks, and Option 2 of (b) - restripe and planters on First
Avenue;
APPROVE a contract in a form approved by the Agency Attorney,
signed by the Executive Director of the Agency between ASL
Consulting Engineers and the Agency for survey work/base maps on
Huntington Drive for a cost of $27,000 ($24,400 plus 10%
contingency) ;
AUTHORIZE a contract in a form approved by the Agency Attorney,
signed by the Agency Executive Director for design and
engineering services for the Huntington Drive/First Avenue
streetscape improvements with Freedman, Tung and Bottomley, using
ASL as a sub-consultant, for an estimated cost of $251,000;
DIRECT staff to report back with a scope of services provided by
ASL Consulting Engineers for the Huntington Drive Rehabilitation
(overlay) and the Huntington Drive water line reconstruction to
be combined with FTB's Huntington Drive/First Avenue streetscape
improvements;
AUTHORIZE Freedman, Tung, and Bottomley to provide assistance
with additional urban design services in the area of: a) land
use/zoning amendments. b) preparation of incentive programs, and
c) implementation of the Downtown Revitalization Strategy and
Program for an estimated cost of $30,000;
DIRECT staff to obtain proposals from experienced qualified I
environmental consultants to assess the Downtown Revitalization
Strategy and Program, and prepare the appropriate documentation.
NOES:
ABSENT:
Council/Agency Members Fasching, Lojeski, Margett and
Ciraulo .-
Council/Agency Member Harbicht
None
AYES
Council/Agency Member Harbicht stated, in part, his reasons for
voting against the proposed Freedman Downtown Revitalization
Concept Plan. In particular, he does not believe the historic
downtown area along Huntington Drive should be a retail area
since there is no demand for additional shops on Huntington Drive
now: the City should not try to limit commercial development in
other parts of the City and direct those existing uses to
Huntington Drive; he is concerned about the proposal to place
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8/3/93
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, ;
6b.
ADJOURNMENT
7.
8.
8a.
8b.
WORK ACCEPTED
(P W
Lighting
Prog. 115 -
Job No. 521)
DELETED
PROGRAM
(P W
Lighting
Prog. 114 -
Job No.506)
o'n 0-<10
8c.
8d.
APPROVED
APPROPRIATION
(City's
Share 90th
Anniversary
Picnic)
,,)/.....,.J...,r,' ;1
8a.
PILOT
BACKYARD
COMPOS TI NG
PROGRAM
(APPROVED)
('i:;.r, "J'
35:0206
seven traffic signals on Huntington between Santa Anita Avenue
and Second Avenue: the elimination of street parking on
Huntington would be the "death knell" for the merchants on the
south side of the street; it would be difficult for the City to
attract large scale development in that area because the property
values are currently quite high, Further, if Council's goal is
to have a downtown where people could walk around and do the
things that the concept plan is designed to do, this should be
done on First Avenue rather than on Huntington Drive, Huntington
drive should be revitalized with small offices and service
businesses, and as suggested by Councilmember Margett,
residential development should also be considered for a portion
of Huntington Drive.
The meeting ADJOURNED to 5:30 p. m., August 10, 1993.
CITY COUNCIL RECONVENED
CONSENT ITEMS
Considered separately (see below)
ACCEPTED Public Works Lighting Program No.5, (the installation
of seven (7) new street lights on Colorado Place from Colorado
Blvd. to San Juan Drive - Job No. 521), and AUTHORIZED final
payment to be made to AAA Electrical Services in accordance with
the contract documents. The revised total contract amount with
the deletion of the installation of the Public Works Lighting
Program No.4 is $42,166.84. The 10% retention payment becomes
due and payable 35 days after Council's acceptance of work and
will only be released by the Director of Public Works; DIRECTED
staff to delete Lighting Program No. 4 (conversion of street
lights from series to multiple circuits along Huntington Drive
from Santa Anita Avenue to Second Avenue and First Avenue from
Foothill Freeway to Huntington Drive - Job No. 506) from the
contract; APPROPRIATED $12,516.84 fr9m Gas Tax Funds to cover the
cost of the materials for Program No.4 which were purchased for
the'project by the contractor. '
Considered separately (see page 6)
APPROVED appropriation of $1,600 from the General Fund to pay
the Cicy's portion of the costs associated with the 90th
Anniversary Community.Picnic.
ALL OF THE ABOVE CONSENT ITEMS 8b AND 8d WERE APPROVED ON MOTION
BY COUNCILMEMBER FASCHING, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER HARBICHT
AND CARRIED ON ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS:
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
According to the City's Source Reduction and Recycling Element,
the residential sector disposes of 6,195 tons of green waste per
year, or 26% of the residential refuse stream (or 9% of the total
refuse stream). Composting diverts grass clippings, weeds,
leaves, wood chips, and other various types of scraps from the
5
8/3/93
8c.
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
ANNUAL
COUNTRY FAIRE
OCT. 28-30
(Beer
Garden)
(STAFF REPORT
TO BE
PROVIDED)
(I I.~-'o <>,~)
35:0207
City's waste system. The pilot backyard program would consist
of a multi-jurisdictional program between the cities of Arcadia,
Monrovia, and Sierra Madre, This multi-jurisdictional approach
would help the cities to achieve economies of scale in the
purchase of compost bins. The pilot program would consist of the
distribution of 100 "Earth Machine" composting bins. The City
would provide a subsidy of half the cost of each bin to encourage
community participation. The bins would be distributed at a City
hosted composting demonstration where assistance and direction
on composting would be provided to residents.
Councilmember Margett expressed concern wi th regard to the $4,000
expense of the purchase of the composting bins and of subsidizing
half the cost of the bins to residents. He suggested that a
video might be prepared to be telecast before or after one of the I
City Council meetings which would present instruction to the
residents on composting. Staff explained that although this
program alone will only minimally help the City realize its
mandated waste diversion requirements, it is an important
component to the City's overall waste diversion requirements.
The pilot program is recommended in order to ascertain the
feasibility of implementing a city-wide composting program.
Funds are available in the Solid Waste Management Fund.
It was MOVED by Councilmember Harbicht, seconded by Mayor Pro tern
Lojeski and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows to APPROVE the
purchase of 100 "Earth Machine" composting bins at a cost not to
exceed $4,000, and subsidize half the cost of each bin to
residents; PROVIDE a composting demonstration during the Fall,
not to exceed $500, in order to distribute bins and provide
assistance and direction to residents on composting.
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Loj eski, Margett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Country
Faire at Arcadia Park on October 28 through 30, 1993. This year
they would like to add a new feature to the event, and request
formal City Council approval of a beer garden. This is subject
to approval by the County and the A100hol Beverage Control. The
Arcadia Police Department has no objection to the beer garden,
provided such approvals are obtained from the County and the ABC,
and with the understanding that beer will be served exclusively
in one designated area, and that patrons will not carry it to
other park areas. The City Manager stated that it is his
understanding that the approval of the Arcadia City Council is
necessary for the County to continue processing the permit to
conduct a beer garden which will be under the observation of a
police officer, as required. The City Attorney pointed out that
since, under its ordinance, the City does not permit alcoholic
beverages at City parks, the matter of possible liability should
be addressed if this ordinance is not enforced. The Chamber and
the County would have to provide unequivocal "hold harmless"
assurances to the City. Councilmember Harbicht saw no reason to
endorse this beer garden even if there is no liability. If the
County won't act without the City taking a position, that is
unfortunate. Councilmember Fasching felt that if these
conditions were met, there should be no reason to deny the
request.
I
It was MOVED by Councilmember Harbicht, seconded by Mayor Pro tern
Lojeski that the Council TAKE NO POSITION in the matter of adding
a beer garden to the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce annual County
Faire October 28-30, 1993.
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Harbicht and Lojeski
Councilmembers Fasching, Margett and Ciraulo
6
8/3/93
I
I
9.
9a.
REMOVAL OF
CITY OWNED
TREE (182
W. Camino
Real Ave.)
(APPROVED)
C;CI<lC. '1('
9b.
COST
ALLOCATION
PLAN
(Precision
Analysis)
(APPROVED)
03.10- <,(1
35:0208
ABSENT:
None
THE MOTION FAILED
The City Attorney is to prepare a report on the liability issue
and bring it back to the Council for consideration.
CITY MANAGER
Consideration of a request filed by Mr. Ben Lundgren, Landscape
Architect, to remove a parkway tree (Shamel Ash) at 182 West
Camino Real Avenue because the property owner wishes to construct
a sidewalk in the parkway. According to the arborist report,
the tree can be root trimmed to accommodate the sidewalk. The
property owner, through his architect. proposes to replace this
tree at his expense with a 48" box specimen Crepe Myrtle. The
City policy for justified parkway tree removal is that the tree
must be dead, diseased or create a serious public hazard.
However the City Council has on occasion approved an exception
to that policy. Considerable discussion ensued among
Counci1members with regard to this request.
It was then MOVED by Mayor Pro tem Lojeski, seconded by
Councilmember Margett and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows
to FIND that the tree in question (Shamel Ash) is of an
undesirable species, that it is causing a serious nuisance, and
APPROVE an exception to City policy to permit removal of the
westerly parkway tree at 182 West Camino Real Avenue; and REQUIRE
the property owner to pay the costs of removal and replacement
with a 48" box specimen Crepe Myrtle.
Councilmember Fasching noted that Shamel Ash trees are all along
Camino Real Avenue and are very attractive. It is the
responsibility of the Edison Company to trim the trees when
branches grow into the wires overhead. This is not a matter that
this is a destructive tree or a species of tree that is
detrimental to Camino Real Avenue. He will not vote for the
removal of this tree.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
Counci1members Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett and Ciraulo
Councilmember Fasching
None
At both the fiscal year 1992-93 mid-year review and during the
1993-94 budget preparation, a number of potential budget options
were presented to Council. These options, both revenue
enhancements and cost reductions, were presented to begin a
process of developing a financial strategy for the long term
financial health of the City.
Some options were implemented as part of the 1993-94 budget. Two
other options are still being evaluated such as:
Develop and implement a Cost Allocation Plan to properly
recover service~, provided to other funds and programs,
a comprehensive study of fees and charges
fee schedules to recover full cost of services
and
Conduct
implement
provided.
Through a program offered through the Claremont Colleges, a Cost
Allocation Plan was developed and has become available to Arcadia
for $5,000, a greatly reduced cost for such a program.
Considerable discussion ensued with regard to this proposed Cost
Allocation Plan. Councilmember Harbicht felt that the whole
purpose of this is for potential revenue enhancement: the purpose
7
8/3/93
10.
lOa.
ORDINANCE
NO. 1992
(ADOPTED)
03s-a -.3 .,-
lOb.
ORDINANCE
NO. 1993
(INTRODUCED)
'''<)-~)
"'" ~ -,,,,
35:0209
of this allocation program is to raise taxes. He does not think
the City should be raising fees at this time, and he will not
vote for it. Staff noted that at the present time we charge a
number of funds for overhead charges, i. e., we charge the sewer
fund; solid waste, water, redevelopment, etc. We are not sure
at this point whether some of those figures are realistic; they
may be too high. They were established in 1989, a time, for
example, when Redevelopment was more active than they are today.
The proposed study wiil legitimize exactly what the various
departments are charged. The City does not always charge the
actual fee for services; many of these costs are subsidized. By
law the City cannot charge more than the cost to provide
services, and our charges are usually well below that. This
program will enable the Finance Department to determine what the
real costs are.
I
It was MOVED by Mayor Pro tem Lojeski, seconded by Councilmember
Margett and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows to AUTHORIZE
staff to obtain a Cost Allocation Plan, and contract with
Precision Analysis to implement the plan for the City of Arcadia:
and AUTHORIZE an appropriation of $5,000 in the General Fund for
the plan and its implementation.
Councilmember Harbicht stated this Cost Allocation Plan was
originally done for another city. In a computer program, numbers
can show whatever assumption is wanted. This is not an
independent assessment. He reiterated that it is his opinion
that this exercise will result in an excuse to raise fees. Also,
this will not be a one-time assessment; this will be an ongoing
program for the future
Councilmember Fasching agrees that he does not want to raise
fees. However, it is his opinion that this program will be
useful to set goals for each department. Councilmember Fasching
and Mayor Pro tem Lojeski noted that any fee increase will still
have to come before Council for approval.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
Councilmembers Fasching, Lojeski, Margett and Ciraulo
Counci1member Harbicht
None
CITY ATTORNEY
The City Attorney presented for adoption and read the title of
Ordinance No. 1992: "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA. AMENDING THE ARCADIA MUNICIPAL CODE
BY ADDING SECTION 6213.3.1 TO DIVISION 3, PART 1 OF CHAPTER 2,
ARTICLE VI REGARDING PRORATION OF ANNUAL BUSINESS LICENSE FEE",
It was MOVED by Mayor Pro tem Lojeski, seconded by Councilmember
Fasching and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows that Ordinance
No. 1992 be and it is hereby ADOPTED.
I
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Loj eski. Margett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
The City Attorney presented for introduction and read the title
of Ordinance No. 1993: "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ARCADIA. CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTION 6429.3.5 TO ADD A
NEW SECTION 6429.3.5 TO THE ARCADIA MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING
SELF-INSURANCE (LIABILITY)".
It was MOVED by Mayor Pro tem Lojeski, seconded by Councilmember
Harbicht and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows that Ordinance
No. 1993 be and it is hereby INTRODUCED.
8
8/3/93
I
I
10c.
RESOLUTION
NO. 5742
(ADOPTED)
O-(;l('" '.If'!
lOd.
RESOLUTION
NO. 5744
(ADOPTED)
tUIU . 'i~-
10e.
CLAIM OF
F. MENDOZA
(DENIED)
I t:.I '-I()., 10
III" '
lOf.
CLAIM OF
D. CAMPBELL
(DENIED)
;0 Vo. .fa
tV' '\
35:0210
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett
and Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
The City Attorney presented and read the title of Resolution No,
5742: "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE AMOUNTS OF LIABILITY INSURANCE RELATING
TO STREET IMPROVEMENTS PER CITY ORDINANCE NO. 1940 AND REPEALING
SECTIONS II, 16, AND 17 OF RESOLUTION NO. 5677".
It was MOVED by Councilmember Harbicht, seconded by Councilmember
Fasching and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows that Resolution
No. 5742 be and it is hereby ADOPTED.
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
The City Attorney presented and read in its entirety Resolution
NO. 5744: "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA ENCOURAGING THE CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL
DELEGATION TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA".
It was MOVED by Councilmember Hargett, seconded by Councilmember
Harbicht and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows that Resolution
No. 5744 be and it is hereby ADOPTED.
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, 1ojeski, Margett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
On recommendation of the City Attorney the claim of F. Mendoza
was DENIED on MOTION by Councilmember Harbicht, seconded by
Counci1member Hargett and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows:
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Jlarbicht, 1ojeski. Hargett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
On recommendation of the City Attorney the claim of D. Campbell
was DENIED on HOTION by Councilmember Hargett, seconded by
Councilmember Harbicht'and CARRIED on roll call vote as follows:
AYES:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, 10j eski, Margett and
Ciraulo
None
None
NOES:
ABSENT:
Councilmember Fasching commented that in this State it seems
everybody sues everybody .., people are just looking for someone
to sue. This is an incident in which a girl was killed going
north on the street by a person turning left in front of her car.
Re is concerned and sorry for all the people involved.
Nevertheless, the person who turned in front of the lady that was
killed is now coming against the City, and claiming that the City
was negligent because there was no left turn arrow at that
intersection. This sort of claim happens time and time again.
He thinks this system needs to be cleaned up. The City Attorney
noted that the claimant against the City in this case actually
entered a plea for vehicular manslaughter. It would seem that
when there is a criminal case, those people could be barred from
9
8/3/93
11.
12
HARBICHT
(List of
Consultants
to the City)
FASCHING
(Post Office
Boxes Behind
Wheeler St.
Post Office)
FASCHING
(Sportsrock
Cafe)
FASCHING
(Comments
reo Council
Responsi-
bilities
and
Actions)
35: 0211
suing the City.
remarks.
He concurred with Councilmember Fasching's
MATTERS FROM STAFF
None
MATTERS FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS
Councilmember Harbicht noted that Council approves funds for more
and more consultants. He would be interested in seeing a list
of consultants who are hired for a specific purpose, as opposed
to those who are with the City on a ongoing basis to advise
regarding personnel matters, etc. He would like this list to
include what such consultants are doing for the City.
I
Councilmember Fasching would like to see the post office drop
boxes returned behind the newly reopened post office on Wheeler
Street. As it is now, persons wanting to drop mail must park
their cars, get out and deposit their mail. This causes a
certain amount of traffic congestion at the curb, and is an
inconvenience. Counci1member Fasching would like to have a
letter written to the Postmaster requesting that these mail boxes
be returned behind the post office.
In reply to Counci1member Fasching's question, staff responded
that the new owner of the Sports rock Cafe is required to apply
for an entertainment and dance permit. The game machines are
individually owned. but have to be licensed. This will be
handled by the Business License Review Board.
"We had a former Mayor and citizen speak to us in the five
minutes reserved for those in the audience this evening. His
comments were directed to, basically as I interpreted them, the
financial irresponsibility on the part of this Council. His
comments were directed to the water tanks and the cost of moving
those tanks, something that is strictly only under study at this
time, the downtown revitalization program, and the finances
concerning that, and comments on our Memorandum of Understanding
with the Fire Department. That I discussed at our last Council
meeting. It was the feeling of thtee members of this Council
that to judge someone's pay, such as the Fire Department
persbnnel, you always relate to other cities and their pay
schedules; and if you didn't do that, I don't know what else you
would do. But, in these comments ... and everybody is certainly
privileged to make their comments ... but when I interpret these
comments as beginning an orchestration of character
assassination. that's when I draw the line. And also in those
comments here this evening there were references to our City
Manager and his irresponsible attitude and other things
concerning him. This to me is character assassination of our
City Manager. That procedure was started several weeks ago by
Councilmember Harbicht. He was quite outspoken in his
assassination of our City Manager's abilities. I just hate to
see this taking place within our City. And leveling these
charges of irrespo~sibi1ity also toward this Council.
I
"And I might point out that this Council has acted very
responsible in all areas of fiscal management and also
development of this City's long term goals. We have just passed
tonight the downtown program which has been long overdue. We
have looked at financing concepts in the interest of the City.
We have not passed or adopted any of them. But is behooves us
to explore all possibilities of financing and funds.availab1e to
do projects within the City. That's our responsibility. We are
presently looking at Civic Center improvements over the next few
years. We balanced our budget and had some terrific help on the
part of our employees and our City Manager in arriving at that
10
8/3/93
I
I
p
LOJESKI
(Excused
from Mtgs.)
LOJESKI
(Television
Dish
Antennas)
LOJESKI
(Orange
Grove Ave.)
LOJESKI
(Freedman
Presentation)
13.
ADJOURNMENT
(Aug.lO,1993
5:30 p.m.)
ATTEST:
35:0212
budget for this year. We are in the process of architectural
design review public hearings in South Arcadia. We have
exercised a tremendous work load on this Council in study
sessions on alternate Tuesday nights to the Council meetings.
We've begun the telecasting of our Council meetings, And we are
going to have our private access channel at the first of the
year. Along the line we have probably the top rated Police
Department. We have also initiated and put into effect a state-
of-the-art dispatching system for Fire and Police. And set up
cooperative programs with the City of Monrovia to help fund those
programs by dispatching their fire engines, And along the line
we have also helped to create a Class One Fire Department within
our City which has the distinction of being only one of sixteen
in the nation. Now if that says that this Council is not doing
its job, and we are not fiscally responsible, I take exception,
and I abhor the fact that people can keep this up and keep
presenting it in a public forum and on television and as long as
they continue to do so, I am going to come right back and say my
piece."
Councilmember Lojeski asked to be excused from the August 24,
1993 Study Session as well as the August 17, 1993 Council
Meeting.
In response to a question from Councilmember Lojeski, staff
replied with regard to television dishes on commercial buildings,
there is no specific location where they are required to be
placed in the middle third of a building. No specific screening
is required. Councilmember Lojeski has had comments that some
of these dishes are unsightly.
Councilmember Lojeski noted from the July 22 City Council
Newsletter that the Public Works Director is keeping Council
updated on the Orange Grove Avenue repair. The next information
should be in October.
Councilmember Lojeski would like to say for the record that he
is very impressed with the expertise and professionalism of the
presentations on the downtown revitalization project by Michael
Freedman, his staff and City staff.
At 11:03 p. m. the City Council meet~ng ADJOURNED to 5:30 p. m.,
- Tuesday, August 10. 1993 in the Conference Room of the Council
Chambers for an Adjourned Regular Meeting (Work Session) and to
conduct the business of the Council and any Closed Session
necessary to discuss personnel, litigation matters and evaluation
of properties.
J
~
,
}
11
8/3/93
T RAN S C RIP T
(Insofar as decipherable)
RELATING TO
JOINT PUBLIC HEARING - ARCADIA CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
ITEM NO. 6a - CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
STRATEGY AND PROGRAM
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 3, 1993
I
CITY COUNCIL MEETING - AUGUST 3, 1993
ITEM NO, 6a - JOINT PUBLIC HEARING - CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION STRATEGY AND PROGRAM
MAYOR
CIRAULO
This, tonight, will be a joint public hearing of the Arcadia
and the City Council acting as the Redevelopment Agency.
public hearing, as I indicated. Mr. Duckworth,
City Council
And it is a
CITY MANAGER
DUCKWORTH
Yes, Mr, Mayor and members of the Council. I'd like to introduce this item
tonight by referring generally to the staff memorandum which we've included
in your packets, which reviews the background of the downtown revitaliza-
tion strategy and program and the development of that program. Of course,
we used the urban design firm of Freedman, Tung and Bottomley to conduct
much of the technical assistance and the urban design assistance on that
program, and Mr. Michael Freedman is here with us again tonight to review
his program and present it for formal Council adoption. In order to help
focus the discussion a little bi't, I would refer to that staff memorandum
in which we reviewed the estimated cost breakdown of the revitalization
strategy and program. Specifically Mr. Freedman has identified for us
through the use an engineering sub-consultant the actual cost of the
Huntington Drive street-scape improvements. We have also identified in
the process of that cost a number of options that the Council would have
to consider, as you consider that street-scape improvement. and those
would present different cost aspects to the Council.
I
We've also included in a comprehensive cost estimate. beyond the actual
construction costs which Mr. Freedman has presented to us, the cost of
design engineering and construction-related costs. In other words, the
development of the plans and specifications for the improvement project.
We have included the costs and a conceptual description of the actual
incentive programs which we are proposing to draw people and businesses to
the downtown area to recruit and relocate businesses into the downtown
area in order to provide a more vital economic foundation in the downtown.
We've also identified a number of other project costs which are also
important components of the recommendation that we're making tonight.
Principally among those is the additional services of Michael Freedman to
review the text and rules and regulations which we currently operate under
for development in the downtown area, to try to remove roadblocks to some
of that development. We've had a number of complaints, I'm sure you're
all f4llliliar with, about the inadequate nature of some of the sign
regulations and some of the outdoor eating regulations, as well as some of
the parking difficulties and how those are actually controlled in the
Code, and we need to revise and update some of that language so that we
create a comprehensive structure of being able to attract business into
our downtown. Also included in the program which the memorandum reviews
is the use of and the passage of environmental review, so that as we go
through the project here we make sure that we're consistent with all
necessary environmental (inaudible) regulations. There is available for
any members of the audience that would care to know it, there is detailed
information ready tonight that Mr. Freedman and Mr. Kinnahan can address
about the revenue projections that would relate to the downtown improve-
ment. So we can talk about payback under three alternative scenarios: a
minimal development improvement scenario; a moderate development
improvement scenario: and a major development improvement scenario. So we
can talk about payback timeframes and how that would occur, and we're able
to answer questions about that tonight.
In order to help focus some of the discussion as I introduce Mr, Freedman,
I would like to summarize our eight recommendations from the staff to the
City Council. The first recommendation is, of course, that we conduct a
public hearing tonight to allow the public to have an active part in this
process. That has been the hallmark, I think, of this process that we
began some months ago, and that was to try to make public business
participation in the process. We have long felt that the business owners
and citizens that are out there can best guide the City's efforts in terms
of revitalizing downtown Arcadia.
1
MICHAEL
FREEDMAN
(Freedman, Tung
& Bottomley)
Second, we're recommending that you approve the downtown revitalization
strategy and program concept, and I would emphasize again that this is a
concept at this point. What you will be doing tonight in approving that
concept is authorizing us to proceed to develop the specific plans and
specifications that we'll be bringing back for your review and direction
as to (inaudible) process.
The third part of our recommendation is that we provide some guidance with
respect to the options we've identified for both sidewalk widening and
First Avenue restriping, as well as the railroad bridge gateway feature
option. We are recommending at this time that we not proceed with the
railroad bridge gateway feature, pending some resolution of the Blue Line
question which is underway at the MTA level.
We are recommending tonight that you authorize staff to enter a contrac
with ASL Engineers, a local engineering firm, to begin to complete th
necessary survey work that would enable this construction to take place
a timely fashion. ,The estimated cost of that work would not exce
$27,000.
Fifth, we're recommending that you authorize staff to enter into a
contract approved by the City Attorney that will provide for design and
engineering services to bring back the specific design information for
street-scape improvements to the Council. So, in other words, that work
would be the development of the actual construction plans which would
allow a contractor to be solicited to enter into a bid relationship so
that we could have the actual work done on Huntington Drive.
Sixth, the work that we're recommending tonight does not include two
separate projects that the Council has already approved in your Capital
Improvement Budget. One of those is the actual surface of the roadway,
improvement of that street work through the Gas Tax Budget. The seco~c
part is the re-do of the lining of a waterline in the middle of Huntington
Drive. We feel we have to improve that right now so that once the street
and the street-scape improvements are completed there would be no further
need to go into the downtown area and tear up the street after the work
has been done. We're recommending that you authorize us to bring back to
you, at your next meeting, specific proposals for engineering services in
both of those set projects.
Seventh, we're recommending that you approve the use of Michael Freedman
to complete the zoning ordinance text amendments that need to be made and
undertaken and implemented in order to make the downtown environment more
business-friendly.... Also, Mr. Freedman will be completing the specific
language and provisions of any incentive programs that we would recommend
to Council for your in-depth, detailed consideration and adoption at a
future Council meeting. All this work is estimated at a cost not to
exceed $30,000.
Last, we're recommending that you authorize us to conduct environmental
reviews as appropriate and approved by the City Attorney as we go through
the process, so that we are consistent with the CEQA process. With that
beginning focus. I'd like to introduce Mr. Michael Freedman so that he
offer some comments about the specifics of his recommendations.
Your Honor Mr. Mayor and Members of the City Council, it's nice to be bac
In an effort to set aside as much time for Council discussion and continu
public input as possible, and since we've had a lot of slide shows and
explanation in past meetings, I'm going to try to do what I've been asked
to do, which is summarize the program and talk about some of the new
pieces that you've asked for, just right here at the microphone, and then
hopefully pick up the details in the question-and-answer phase.
Council will recall that over the course of three Council study sessions
we have presented on behalf of City staff, community workshop partici-
pants, and the consulting team, a course of action to achieve the whole
revitalization of downtown. It is the purpose of this program to ensure
very substantial, very visible and tangible results that are achieved
right at the beginning of the program in a visible enough way to change
the way business is done and the amount of investment captured by the
2
downtown. And to then maintain a high level of commitment and mOmentum
until the district is attracting a proper market share of the private
investment on its own. In other words, for the public sector or the City
to get involved quickly in a dramatic way, change the amount of investment
that comes on its own, and then get out so that the downtown can be
operating in the way that you want it to with the free market doing and
accomplishing the long-term City goals on its own. That's what the
program is about.
That course of action, as you will recall, has really three maj or
components. There's the overall downtown revitalization strategy, There
is a completed design concept for the complete transformation physically
of the visual character of Huntington Drive, as well as public improve-
ments for First Avenue. And the third component, of course, we are also
recommending a set of incentive programs to help, again, kick-start the
smaller scale investments immediately in the downtown. This overall
course of action, again, Council will recall, is the result of four
community workshops, three Council study sessions, several City staff
workshops, and a Planning Commission hearing, as well as the result of an
economic report that was done, combined with the experience of my partners
and myself in doing downtown revitalization around the State.
We believe that, since this is the first time we have had a formal public
hearing. it is worth restating the overall program goals that we have
gleaned from talking to Council and the community. In our words, we now
understand the entire purpose of undertaking this effort to be pretty much
as follows.
First of all, to restore the historic center of the City as simply the
social and symbolic heart of town. In other words, for there to be a
heart of the City again. We heard that "heart of the City" phrase a lot
in the community workshops.
Second of all, to eliminate blight... that is. to enhance the overall
identity of the City as a whole by eliminating the highly visible
deterioration that has happened at the center of the City and that puts
forward, really, an unflattering and really unfair image and a very
visible part of a very, very high quality City.
Number three, to reverse the forces of disinvestment that is operating in
the downtown business district and establish an economic climate, or
really re-establish an economic climate in that downtown that promotes
renewed and continued reinvestment, increased sales per square foot.
Fourth of all, to establish Huntington Drive as a central spine of the
City and even the region. so that it is really clear that that is really
the singular roadway that links together the downtown core, the civic
center, Santa Anita Race Track, Fashion Park Mall, Arcadia County Park, as
well as major medical facilities, that highlights the regional and local
significance of that spine.
I
Fifth. to implement the City's long-term vision for enhanced quality of
life by embracing policies and programs that support regional mass transit
and the creation of a less automobile-dependent locality.
And last of all. and again based on the direction of the Council, to
really create a public or community-driven planning process from now on.
It's been clear that Council directed us from the very beginning to listen
first to the community and develop recommendations after hearing what the
community wanted to do. So again, as a goal, to place the control over
the forces of change operating in downtown Arcadia in the hands of its
community, establishing community participation at the center of the
downtown planning process.
So those are the goals that this seeks to achieve. You will recall that
we presented a fairly detailed downtown revitalization strategy over the
course of the study sessions, and you will remember that we were
evaluating different revitalization strategies. We had an A and a B, and
now, of course, we're recommending a preferred one that is based on all of
the input that we got. Some highlights of that preferred revitalization
3
strategy are to promote the concentration of retail, restaurant, theater,
art gallery, personal and business services in a compact and dynamic
cluster in the very center of downtown. In order to do that, the strategy
will require policy changes which control and help direct investment to
where ground-level shops could be clustered in the core, and therefore
existing land use, parking, sign control guidelines have got to be
revised. There is absolutely no doubt that one of the reasons downtown is
having problems is that there are still old, existing land use, parking.
and other policies conditioning development in the downtown that are now
hurting downtown's ability to bring in investment. Those destructive
planning policies Were put into place long before anybody currently on
City staff was here, but nevertheless we have all now inherited them and
they are at loggerheads with the community's goals for the revitalization
of the district.
Another highlight of the strategy is to prime the investment pump, set th
stage for investment with a very powerful and highly visible capit
improvements project right in the core. Also in the revitalizati
strategy, to provide opportunities for investment or incentives f
investment at a variety of scales. So we are recommending incenti
programs to promote new investment in small-scale shop frontsulike
business relocation, design assistance, and business recruitment, which
I'll talk about a little bit more in a moment--and we are also recommend-
ing that opportunities for large-scale, particularly retail, development
and mixed-use development are identified and aggressively pursued by the
City. For example, the southwest corner site, the Foulger Ford site,
etcetera.
The downtown revitalization strategy recommends at its core that we
consolidate a specialty and convenience retail market niche for the
downtown that complements rather than tries to compete with Fashion Park
Mall. If we try and compete with Fashion Park Mall we will lose, but we
are instead going to have to find a niche for downtown that can coexist
and complement the Mall's niche, as well as attracting patrons from and
making the most of the opportunity represented by Santa Anita Race Track.
Finally, we are recommending that that niche is consolidated in a way that
it provides a good fit with the real, existing demographic profile of the
City.
The revitalization strategy also recommends that we enhance the visibility
and convenience of the public parking areas in the downtown core, because
the fact of a large reserve of parking is not made clear to the person in
the automobile right now. We are recommending a number of ways of doing .
that, as well as making the fairly irregular pattern of the supply of
public parking more accessible to people on foot and in their cars.
The revitalization strategy goes on to recommend that we provide a very
visible link between the downtown core and the substantial visitor
population immediately to the east of the railroad tracks by creating
better connections, because now it feels like a barrier and a different
p1ace--for example, where the Embassy Suites population is.
The downtown revitalization strategy also recommends that we support the
creation of a core that is active throughout the day and evening, and tl
means--and this is critica1--to increase the population of people liv'
and working very close in. That, again, implies somewhat sweeping la
use changes, and again that goes along with our recommendation that
policies now conditioning development in the core be revised. I want
highlight that we are not recommending that additional regulations be put
on the downtown. In other words, we're not saying you need more
regulation. We are simply saying you need different regulations. A good
example is, we believe that currently the parking requirements in the
downtown, which probably made sense a couple of decades ago, are now
preventing people from opening up a store... entirely preventing them,
That's got to be rewritten. That doesn't mean there's more parking
regulations; it just means the current requirements are, in fact, wrong if
you want to revitalize ground-level retail. So that's the kind of example
I mean.
4
The revitalization strategy, again, that we have presented to you has also
recommended that a site for the future downtown transit center be selected
in a way that stimulates private investment, increases sales in the core,
and enhances transit system ridership to boot. The downtown revitaliza-
tion strategy that we've presented in the past has recommended that we
locate new public buildings in the downtown whenever possible, because the
downtown is the most public district in the City. And finally, to create
a welcoming attitude to business by trying to streamline the development
and review process, which is probably near and dear to all of your hearts,
in any way we can,
The second major piece presented to Council, the revitalization strategy,
was the piece that involved the street improvement. I put up a couple of
the graphics that were connected to that project. I am not going to
revisit the specifics of the design now, since our most recent Council
study session went into great detail on that. Instead, I'd be happy to
respond to any questions whatsoever about the details of that in question
and answer. Doug Thompson from ASL, a local civil engineering firm that
you all know, is also here. He will be there to answer questions as well.
Suffice it to say at this point that we are recommending that public
improvements for what we are calling the first phase would be implemented
as soon as possible, which would be on Huntington Drive between Second
Avenue and Santa Anita Avenue, and on First between Santa Clara and
California.
The third major element of our recommendations has to do with incentive
programs in the downtown. You will recall that in our last Council study
session Council asked us to provide in writing some text in the revital-
ization program document that described the types of things that would be
included in those kinds of programs and the potential associated costs.
We have done that on page 34 of the document. I know you all got this
quite a few days in advance. I won't drag you through the descriptions we
wrote in there, but instead. again, make myself available for questions,
because I'm not sure what it is you would like to ask about that. Just
for the benefit of the formal public hearing, we are recommending that a
business recruitment and relocation program is implemented; a design
assistance program is implemented; a downtown marketing program is
implemented; and that you consider centralized retail management for the
core. There are staff resource implications, and there are funding
implications that are made clear in the document that you got.
I
On page 37 of the downtown revitalization program document, we have
highlighted what we have recommended needs to be accomplished simulta-
neously and immediately in order to kick off a renaissance in the center
of the City. We recommend that the high priority actions that have to be
undertaken simultaneously are as follows. First of all, implement the
focused capital improvement project to entirely transform the visual
character of Huntington Drive between Santa Anita and Second as soon as
possible, and to implement the improvements on First Avenue, again, as
soon as possible. We recommend that you revise your land-use, parking,
signage control, and design policies for the downtown so that you have
policies that support revitalization objectives rather than work at
loggerheads to them. Thirdly, we recommend that you implement the
incentive programs that we've listed. And fourthly, we recommend that you
continue to support staff and authorize staff to aggressively pursue
investment in new construction on the opportunity sites that we have
identified in the maps and in the previous, particularly the second,
Council study session.
D
Finally, Council has asked that we put together a program document that
brings all of this together, which you have before you. In that program
document we have not only brought forward with text and pictures all of
the things that have been brought to you on behalf of the community
workshops and staff and ourselves, but we have also added a couple of new
pieces that Council has requested at the last study session. As I said,
we added the descriptions and costs connected with the incentive programs.
We have also added the final economic report put out by Mundie and
Associates, which is in Appendix A; and we have worked with Mundie and
Associates to put together a cashflow analysis, both with sales tax to the
City as well as revenue and cashflow for the Redevelopment Agency, which
5
is an analysis of three potential development scenarios that could result
from implementing this program. For the purposes of my summarizing that
piece, I would call your attention to the following. The revenue
projection analysis, again, is based on three development scenarios, So,
what I'm talking about is in the booklet that you have, which is Appendix
B. Appendix A is the fully up-to-date economic report; Appendix B is the
revicalizacion program revenue projections.
The three scenarios are called Minimal Investment. Moderate Investment,
and Major Investment. What that means is as follows. In the scenario
called Minimal Investment we said, well, what if the revitalization
program has an effect but it's not really successful--in other words, it
does not create the catalyst that results in the amount of investmenc that
we predicted it should fairly easily. In that scenario, which is a not-
as-successful scenario, which is called Scenario One, you have a reven
analysis and impact on sales tax and revenue analysis for the Agency,
In Scenario Two, Moderate Investment, that means that if the de onto
revitalization program is moderately successful...that is, if it is
successful as it reasonably should easily be.. .if we do everything that
should do, this is the amount of new investment that we believe we can
count on, it's reasonable to count on, then what would happen. And you
have your revenue analysis for that.
Finally, Scenario Three, called Major Investment. We said, well, what if
we're even more successful than that. That's not as successful as we
could be.. .we could be even more successful, but we wanted to create a
conservative scenario, and so even the third one is saying, what if we are
even more successful than we can count on.. .not wildly successful, but
even more successful than we can count on, then what would happen. Since
Scenario Three did that, we decided to test something else. In Scenario
Three we took out the lumber yard, and specifically not because it's the
lumber yard, but because it generates a lot of sales tax, and we replaced
that with an office building which doesn't. And we did that simply to be
as conservative as possible and to highlight to the Council as big a
variety as we could to help you in your decision-making process. Rather
than, again. dragging you through what the revenue projection analysis
means, since I can't forecast what your questions would be, I'll stop
there, just on describing the scenarios, and wait to find out what it is
you would like to ask about those.
Summing up, you have before you a document that recommends a series of
fairly immediate actions. You have the COStS associated with them. Oh,
and I forgot to say. the other thing the Council asked for us to put
together additionally was a detailed construction cost analysis of the
street design concept, which as you know is in Appendix C. So you have
the costs associated, all of the known costs associated with the programs,
with the recommended Phase One street improvements, and you have a revenue
projection analysis as requested. We have organized your documents so
that all of the recommendations are in the chapters up front, ar.d the
broad analyses that they resulted from and the additional analyses that
Council requested are all in the appendix. We hope that we have packaged
this together in a clear way and that all of the questions and information
that you have requested are before you, and, I am here and happy to anSI
any questions that I can and that I am able, along with Doug Thompson f
ASL, in dealing with this particular program. It's been a pleasure to
a part of it, and I await to find out what your questions are. Thank
very much.
CIRAl1LO
Thank you, Mr. Freedman. I believe that before we have any questions of
the report, I'm going to deviate from the norm in this case. It might be
beneficial to all of us to hear the public input first, before we have the
questions. So at this time I am going to open the public hearing. So if
there is anyone in the audience who would like to speak in favor of the
downtown revitalization program, please come forward to the podium and
state your name and address.
BETH
COSTANZA
Hi. I'm Beth Costanza. I live at 935 Ridgeside Drive, Monrovia. Mr.
Mayor and members of the City Council, first I would like to express my
excitement at being here at the starting gate at post time of the rebirth
6
of downtown Arcadia. Also, the Arcadia Business Association, I wish to
thank you for your efforts to begin the revitalization of downtown
Arcadia, Our association of business and professional people stands
behind you 200 percent. I would like to show you a banner right over here
that represents, probably, only a couple of days that this was up in Amy
Towner's coffee shop; and this is signed by many, many members of the
community and we just wanted you to see how much people are excited about
this and how behind you they are. They are behind the City Council 100
percent. You need to see all these posters, too, because we have lots of
posters. But we just thought that you would like to see that we're behind
you, and we thought that would really be nice. Would you like us to read
a couple things off of here, or would you just like us to roll it up and
to give it to you as a gift?
CIRAULO
As part of your presentation. if you'd like to read some of those you can.
It is highly irregular for us to allow signs in the Council Chambers,
However, under the circumstances, if you don't go beyond your seats with
the signs and if you would like to read some of those, that would be fine.
COSTANZA
O.K. Maybe we should have Amy [Towner!, or have somebody that can...
because I don't know how you would do this other than just say, "Right now
is the time," by Rick Martin. And, Amy, did you have something?
AMY
TOWNER
Yes, I have, "I've been hoping this would happen since 1966." "Go
now," "Just do it. "Dreams come true." "Keep up the good work."
you for your efforts." "We need it." "We appreciate your insight
future." "Just can't wait."
for it
"Thank
to our
COSTANZA
"It's about time."
TOWNER
Let's see here.. . "Make it happen." "Turn downtown into the class act it
should be." And, let's see... "This is a great plan, go for it." And
these are just some of the things. You can look at it. ...
COSTANZA
We just wanted you to see the enthusiasm that has come about through what
you have been doing for the downtown business district. This banner is a
grass roots effort by a growing group of citizens who applaud their
foresightedness. As you see, there is a citizen enthusiasm to make a
revitalized downtown area become a reality. We encourage a unanimous vote
in favor of the revitalization project, and thank you for the many hours
of effort in behalf of downtown Arcadia. Ladies and gentlemen, the race
is on, and it looks like a new era of good will and of...the race is on
and the new era of good will and confidence is off and running in the City
of Arcadia. Good luck to us all, and may this be a race we all will win.
Thank you.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mrs. Costanza.
CIRAULO
Is there anyone else in the audience that would like to speak in favor of
the project?
KAREN
TOWNER
Karen Towner, resident of Arcadia, 330 El Dorado Street, number ten. Mr.
Mayor, members of the City Council, Mr. Duckworth, I too, as a business
person in Arcadia, want to say thank you to all of you for, one, choosing
Mr. Freedman, who I think is one of the best in the State, if not in the
nation, in doing something like this--he's an expert. As you can see, as
Beth said, we in Arcadia are 100 percent behind you. When you have people
like John and June Fee signing your banner, Gloria and Dean Horstman,
Gordon Maddock, who will be right up here after me, President of the
Chamber of Commerce, Peggy Allison, John Row from Baldwin Realty, Lisa
Allison from Allison Realty, Rincar Construction...we have all walks of
businesses here that are supporting you. You are doing something that
will affect the future of everybody here in Arcadia, and we want to thank
you, we want to say we're 100 percent behind you. Let's do it now.
I
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mrs. Towner. Let me just say for the audience, I understand
and appreciate your enthusiasm; however, let's not applaud after each
speaker.
7
GORDON
MADDOCK
My name is Gordon Maddock. Our address is 900 South Firs t Avenue in
Arcadia. I'm President of the Chamber of Commerce for this year, The
Board of Directors, on behalf of its 700 members, has unanimously voted to
approve and support the downtown revitalization strategy and program. We
wish to compliment a lot of people on this. First, the City staff for all
their efforts and all the after-hours that they put in at the meetings
that were held. I would like, and we would like, to certainly also
compliment the consultant, Michael Freedman, and his firm. I think he did
an excellent job of drawing out from the citizens that attended those
meetings their ideas, their concerns, and brought together I think a
consensus of the people that were there. And I think he did a great job
and I was really impressed with his work. We would like to thank you, the
Councilor the Agency, whichever you'd like to call yourself, for the
courage to encourage change in the City of Arcadia and for encouraging
citizens. All of you were out trying to get us out to those meetings s
that you had the input that I think really helped make the plans of Mr.
Freedman's work as good as it was.
We need a vision...I think I've said this in the City of Arcadia for man
years.. .you need a vision of downtown, where you want to go and what yo
want to do with it. You need a plan, and I think we're getting there
right now. And you need a strategy, and that strategy we approve. You're
not always going to please everybody, as you've probably all learned in
the past, but we feel that what has been developed by this process is an
excellent plan for the downtown area and for the City of Arcadia as a
whole. On behalf of the Chamber. while we have everybody here, we look
forward to the additional businesses, the consultants and people that will
be working on this job, and I'm sure that you'll encourage all of them to
join the great Chamber of Commerce in the City of Arcadia. Thank you.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Maddock. Is there anyone else? Is there anyone who wants
to come and address the City Council in favor?
ART
DAVIS
My name is Art Davis. and I live at 814 Fairview in Arcadia. Mr. Mayor and
Councilmembers, thank you for this opportunity this evening. I'm sure all
of you have seen those old western movies where they show the street and
there's dust blowing down the street and tumbleweeds. Well, my business
is at the end of Second Avenue, the eastern end of Second Avenue, and
sometimes when I step out in front of my business and I look west on
Huntington, that's what I envision, this little western town. So when I
heard about these meetings I was so excited. Also, I go into Pasadena on
Friday nights, Old Town Pasadena, and that place is.. .it's just amazing
what's happening there. So that also makes me excited. ..1 believe that
this can happen in Arcadia also. Possibly on a smaller scale, yet it can
happen, and I believe it will be good for the entire community. Thank
you.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Davis.
MIKE
LUDECKE
Mr. Mayor, Council, my name is Mike Ludecke. I am the owner-broker of
Century 21 Ludecke at 610 North Santa Anita Avenue. My business used to
be at 25 South First, and I was there for about six years. I had the
opportunity to go through a number of revitalization plans during tha
period of time, including the refacing of facades and so on, and w
ultimately disappointed and moved to my present location. I would ha
loved to have stayed where I was because I thought we were in the cent
of everything that was going to happen, but unfortunately it didn't.
have opportunity now to really make it happen. And I want to tell you,
it's been since the 1960's since I carried a placard before, so you've got
to know it's an important cause. So I'm behind you 100 percent, and as
past President of the ABA and knowing that group very well, we're totally
behind you, too. Thank you.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Ludecke. Is there anyone else that would like to speak in
favor of the downtown revitalization? Seeing no one else. is there anyone
in the audience that would like to speak against the downtown revitaliza-
tion program? Please state your name and address for the record.
8
STEVE
KIM
CIRAULO
KIM
CIRAULO
ASSISTANT CITY
MANAGER FOR
ECONOMIC DEV.
KINNAHAN
I
KIM
CIRAULO
My name is Steve Kim. I have a store at Santa Anita and Huntington in
Arcadia. I also am a resident of Arcadia. 645 Fairview. I am not here
against the plan. I am here for" .let's talk about something. I was here
since 7: 30. I only saw about half of the people who have a business
between Santa Anita to Second Avenue. which means. I don't know if they
don't know about this plan or they don't realize there's a meeting or
something. But I do know one thing is... if they want to close,.. I
reviewed the plan and I also spoke with the City Manager Mr. Peter
Kinnahan.. . and I know one thing is.. .if they want to plan on this and they
say the driveway., . because I have a driveway on both sides, which is a
Huntington driveway on the Huntington side and Santa Anita. , . and they say
they're going to close up everything, and it's going to hurt a lot of
things. And just speaking of my business, 70 percent of my business comes
from that way, which is Huntingt~n Drive, so nearly.. .after this plan is
drawn. my business will be going down the tubes. So speaking of my
business. it will be cut down. Plus. we have other tenants in the
shopping center. and we are very worried about the possible closing of
driveways. because we also have a couple of other tenants and they're
going be out of business right away.
So I'm not here against the plan. but I'd like to have some suggestions
about what you're going to do about these small matters. I'd like to be
in favor of this plan. I'd like to be, others and myself,. .are you going
to. . .what the City is going to do about these small matters. This is a
small matter for just me and myself and 15 employees, which happen to be
residents of Arcadia. If this will happen, about 50 people, Arcadia
residents, which is including myself and my family and my' employee, are
going to lose their jobs. And I don't know if this is going to be good
for Arcadia, or is it good for.. . the way I look at it is, this kind of
small problem has to be addressed somehow and has to be announced or
stated so small businessmen like us have a business without worries.
Because I worry so much, I can't sleep, I can do nothing. And so does my
employee and so does my associate.
(Inaudible) Excuse me. Continue. Mr. Kim. Are you finished?
Yes. So, today I'd like to voice out about.. .how you're going to go about
(inaudible).
Thank you for your comments, Mr. Kim. I understand your concerns. If you
just stay put for a minute. I believe Mr. Kinnahan has already addressed
your concerns. ..and, Pete, if you could, for the benefit of the audience,
tell us what you told Mr. Kim.
Yes, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Kim has expressed his concerns both to Dale Connors
of my staff and myself, and we have both met with him on different
occasions to assure him that there is no intention on the part of the
Agency or the City to close off those driveways in any place, unless the
owner or the tenant willingly consents to do that. That's certainly true
in your case. I have also met with the owner of the site, Mr. Cheng, to
assure him of the same thing, and I've also written a letter to that
effect. I'll be happy to give you a copy of that letter in which I also
have said this. I've also contacted the broker for this site, who was
also concerned, and indicated the same thing to him. So I'd like to.
hopefully, once and for all lay this to rest, that the Agency has no
intention at this time of closing off your driveway. We are truly aware
of the fact that you must have that driveway to get access to your
facility. We hope that you understand this, so we don't....
Well, like I said. I've been told a lot of different ways, and I'd like to
know...we'd like to have (inaudible)...I don't have to worry about, ..as
well as some other people who belong to (inaudible).. . they don't have to
worry about these matters. But overall, I'd like to say I am not against
it and that me and my association and a lot of other peop1e...they want to
vote for this development.
We are very sensitive to your concerns and the other merchants, and we
will be taking it into consideration. Is there anyone in the audience who
would like to speak against this issue? Mayor Pro tem Lojeski.
9
MAYOR PRO rEM
:_OJESKI
CIRAULO
COUNCIUlEMBER
FASCHING
CIRAULO
COUNCIUlEMBER
MARGETT
CIRAULO
FASCHING
MARGETT
CIRAULO
MARGETT
CIRAULO
FASCHING
FREEDMAN
CIRAULO
FREEDMAN
If I may just also address Mr. Kim's concern. The letter that Pete and his
staff.. . which I thought was an excellently written letter and very
simplistically drew out the points that Pete alluded to" .but the
important paragraph says, "However, these are only concept plans prepared
by the Agency's urban design consultant so the public and City Council
could see in general what could be done with frontage on Huntington." And
where he also states that driveway entrances will not be closed off. He
has informed the tenant, Mr. Kim of Drive-In Liquor.. ,seems to be a
continuous concern about this issue. The letter was written to Mr. Cheng,
and the broker, Mr. Scott Williamson of CBM (inaudible). Again, it's a
conceptual plan at this point. This is not cast in stone as far as the
driveway entrances and access. There is no intent to close those vital
driveways off.
Mr. Fasching, you wanted to comment, too?
Well, I was going to mention that letter that Dennis referred to. But
think that... we have a Standard Station at the corner of First an
Huntington and we couldn't close the driveway down. His business is a
the corner of Santa Anita and Huntington (inaudible) and we wouldn't b
trying to disrupt that or change the style of that business at all. So,
my way of thinking is we shouldn't say we're not considering it at this
time...I don't think we would ever consider closing them down.
Mr. Margett.
Mr. Mayor, I thought maybe it would be appropriate, if you thought there
was sufficient time, to have Mr. Freedman briefly review these sketches,
because many people out in the television audience have not been able to
see what's being offered. How do you feel about that, do you think....
I think that's probably a good idea; however, we still have a public
hearing. The chair at this time will entertain a motion to close the
public hearing if there's no one in the audience that would like to
address the issue.
So moved, Mr. Mayor.
Second, Mr. Mayor.
It has been moved by Councilman Fasching, seconded by Councilman Margett,
to close the public hearing. So ordered. Now we can get into questions,
gentlemen, and you would like to have Mr. Freedman explain the diagrams on
the wall?
Briefly, Mr. Mayor. yes.
Mr. Freedman, would you be so kind as to come up and perhaps walk us
through very briefly the drawings you put on the wall.
Mr. Mayor, (inaudible).
Mr Mayor do I have to have a microphone or can I just go over there and
:Ot:::k t~ere's one on the end. ..you can use Mr. Kinnahan's micrOPhonel
Essentially, what we were asked to do is recommend to the community a w
of investing capital improvement dollars that would affect the business
environment. So this is very different from a beautification project. It
wasn't meant to be a beautification project, although we believe that this
will make downtown look good. All of the money that we are recommending
be spent is entirely directed at creating an environment that will support
a mix of businesses that you intend to have or direct, or wish to have, in
the downtown core. So the single biggest problem right now is that you
have a configuration of buildings in the downtown, as you know, that are
shop-front buildings and they are now on a road that is very highway-
like.. .in other words, it's a big, wide road with a lot of cars going by
very fast. So what we had to do was recommend the sort of improvements
that would keep the capacity, if not improve the capacity of automobiles
10
so that as many people as possible could see the stores that you have
there, but also create an environment that people would like to get out of
their cars and wander around, maybe even sit outside in outdoor eating
areas. As you know and as you can see in this picture of existing
conditions, there is no way in the world that anybody is going to end up
putting, for example, an al fresco dining zone out there now because it's
too exposed to the arterial environment.
So in order to achieve both of those objectives, what we have recommended
is, first of all, to increase capacity, to make this an even better and
more visible place for motorists. We are recommending that the conflicts
that result from the parallel parking on both sides be removed, Because
as downtown continues to revitalize, there will be more and more conflicts
until this entire section between Santa Anita and Second becomes an
immense bottleneck, which will be detrimental to the Track, it will be
detrimental to all of the uses along Huntington, and probably not real
good for the businesses along it either. As we remove the parking zones,
we are recommending that the sidewalk areas be widened to create an area
that no longer feels like a skinny little area where people are shoved up
against the buildings while the cars move real fast by them. and that that
widened sidewalk area be protected from the moving traffic area by a
decorative fence, which we also believe will help make the design of this
section of street very unique and very dramatic. So that when one, let's
say, is coming from Monrovia, as soon as one comes under the railroad
trestle, we are recommending a design that will feature the decorative
white fences all along the sides of the sidewalks, the environment in the
sidewalks that has enough amenity and space in order to create and host a
variety of activities from lingering and walking to outdoor dining. One
will see new, fairly large palm trees spaced evenly at the back of the
curb; Decorative planting, flowering plants, benches, and the rest of the
ameni ties behind the fence and the palms. And in the center of the
street, decorative signals, mast arms, and replaced ornamental street
lights in the median.
The current median will remain as it is. It has been taken care of very
well, it has been landscaped very attractively. The only difference will
be that we will have to break through the median two times in the center
of both of the long blocks in the downtown in order to add two additional
signalized intersections in the downtown. What we are after there is
breaking the exorbitantly large blocks up into what would feel to the
pedestrian like a more ordinary six-block downtown, than a two-block,
locked-up, fortress-like block pattern. One of the main reasons we are
doing that is, as you know.. . this is Denney's here and this is the first
block between First and Santa Anita. The biggest reserve of existing and
future parking is really all locked up in the block face that includes the
Denney's over here, and that is in fact the northeastern block face in the
project on Huntington. Right now, if someone actually gets to that
parking reserve and comes through and finds himself in mid-block and wants
to go to a business on the other side of the mid-block, he'll have to walk
all the way to the corner, which is very 10ngu these are the longest
blocks we've ever seen in a downtown--cross over, and come all the way
back.
I
In order to make that parking more accessible to the businesses at mid-
block, we are recommending again the addition of these signalized
(inaudible) intersections so that people on foot can move around in a much
more convenient way, cross back and forth and be safe. And in order for
that not to ruin the capacity of the street, and in order for that not to
get rid of the high visibility of those shops to the motorists, we are
recommending that there be no pedestrian pushbuttons, but that the
pedestrians get their turn as part of a slow-changing time set at
intersections. In addition to that, the decorative fences that happen
along the curbside will again help with that jay-walking, because you
won't be able to get across at non-signalized crosswalk areas. One of the
new props that we've created for this meeting combines the enlarged
photograph of the existing conditions with a new sketch of the on site,
what will it look like. And this hasn't been seen before. It's in your
booklets, and this is the first time we've brought it here, or I put one
together, where you can see the decorative street lights, the small-scale
pedestrian decorative lights (inaudible), the more monumental ones in the
11
intetsection, and the kind of amenity we're talking about on the
sidewalks. What Council has to decide tonight, if you so choose, is to
decide among a couple of the remaining questions. For example, you have
two different kinds of things that you can do as far of pavement
treatment. We can simply add more gray pavement outward to the existing
curb, and just widen the sidewalks that way, and that's very inexpensive.
Or We can take all of the pavement out to the buildings and put in new
decotative pavement. The second is.. . the reason that we have presented
that as an option is, as far as the community workshops. we heard a lot of
ideas from community members like, wouldn't it be nice if we could embed
in the sidewalks public art. Somebody suggested that one thing we might
want to do is a race horse walk of fame right in the pavement. If Council
wants to keep those things as really serious alternatives, it would be in
your interest to totally redo the sidewalks. We are not recommending a
very expensive pavement material, because we do not believe that you ge
much value, or bang for your buck, in flatwork. So we're recommending,
simply, if you want to do that, it's a more expensive option, that
still simply be poured in place, concrete with a special coloring, and no
do the pavers which would be very expensive. This gives you a sense 0
how pretty much those pavement treatments all add up. Another option tha
the Council has, which is...1 don't know if this is mysterious or not, but
this is all reflected in Appendix C. ..the construction cost analysis.
CIRAULO
Mr. treedman, I think we've got to be cautious that, in the interest of
time we don't get involved in: too much detail at this time. 1 think the
purpose right now is to explain to the home audience some of the drawings
that are on the wall. The second design concept drawing, as you said,
it's the first time we've seen it, and I think it's an exciting concept of
what we imagine Huntington Drive to look like, and I think for the people
at home and in the audience to see that, it's very significant. You might
want to discuss the kiosk further on down for the people at home and some
of the other things, rather than getting into too much of the detail
concerning the whole project.
FREEDMAN
All tight. At every corner and crossing where you will have the greatest
collection of people, we have recommended that that's where we focus a
little extra capital improvement money in order to highlight an overall
downtown map of the available shops, services, and entertainment
facilities in the downtown, very much as a shopping mall. ..shopping malls
have known for a long time that stores can gain a great deal of benefit
from putting attractive, very visible, and very convenient maps of the
offerings in the downtown. As you can see from the design of this
(inaUdible) as well as the design of the traffic mast arms and the other
portions of the design, we're drawing heavily on what was identified in
the community workshops as one of the great opportunities that is a missed
opportunity for downtown, that is drawing heavily on some of the imagery
of Santa Anita Race Track and some of the best buildings that are already
in the downtown in order to create a destination. a central place, and a
theme for the downtown so that no one will feel like, well, the Race Track
is yet another facility outside the downtown but will begin to draw
together a number of facilities along Huntington Drive within an overall
aesthetic theme. So creating that linkage is being done on some of the
more visible pieces, like the mast arms and the kiosks.
The last thing I would call your attention to is that we are all
recommending that First Avenue between Santa Clara and California
changed from a four-lane street to a two-lane street and that ang1
parking be added on both sides of the road in order to help promote thi
entire area as the zone for small-scale offices, for services, and for
residential and neighborhood and all the convenience facilities in that
area. 1 think that pretty much wraps it up. Special furniture at the
corners and crosswalks. Overall dramatic treatment for the motorist no
matter what direction one is coming from. Potential for sidewalk or not.
The fences at the edge that are decorative that also draw on the Race
Track imagery, and all the angled parking reserve that is on First, which
is also highly visible off of Huntington Drive to motorists. Did I miss
anything?
12
CIRAULO
No, I think that was a very good capsulation. Thank you, Mr. Freedman,
I'd just like to say that, you know, we've been working on this for eight
months now, and I think we've already discussed in great detail every
possibility. And with a great deal of effort, the Council has attempted
to notify all segments of our community about this plan. As has been
said, we scheduled four community workshops. We've had four Council study
sessions exclusively addressing this issue. We've had a Planning
Commission hearing. We've had numerous meetings with staff. And I think
the time is now, gentlemen, for us to stand up and make decisions that
will affect our community for a long time. And it is now open for any
questions or discussions of the project. Mr. Margett.
MARGETT
Mr. Mayor, do you want me to kick this off?
CIRAULO
It's all yours.
MARGETT
All right. I think that for years the City of Arcadia has collected tax
increment in the downtown area. I think it is now time to put that back
into use and correct a blighted area. I think that Freedman, Tung and
Bottomley present an excellent economic and objective, and even a
subjective approach to the challenge that we have in the downtown area.
I feel the results of the citizens, merchants, Chamber of Commerce,
Planning Commission and staff participating together as a team has truly
provided the (inaudible) for economic change in the downtown area. I
think that it's going to be absolutely essential to have the cooperation,
the interest, and the spirit to continue this essential project for the
City of Arcadia. I guess I also want to fulfill some of my campaign
promises, and I'd like to clean up and enhance the Huntington Drive
entrance to the City of Arcadia.
I think that we should develop an economic and user-friendly atmosphere
for the policies at City Hall so that we can get with it in the downtown
area. I want to establish a theme. I think that the idea that we can
cash in on Santa Anita is excellent. ..it's an excellent motif, and I think
that that would be very beneficial to bring things together in the
downtown area. I think (inaudible) created, to establish design standards
for signage, for renovation, and new construction is absolutely essential,
I think that staff is going to have its hands full, but nevertheless we're
going to have one shot at this, and I think that it should be done, and
done correctly. I think to make it attractive to invest and do business
in Arcadia is going to be another key.. . another absolute necessity for the
downtown area. We as an Agency, I feel, should be 100 percent in our
commitment, and I feel that business programs for recruitment, design
assistance, and refurbishment should be made available to the downtown
businessman. I would certainly encourage that these businessmen collect
together in their associations and make sure that they contribute back to
the City of Arcadia those things that will promote business in the
downtown area--things like sidewalk sales, parades, merchant involvement
to make this a true community effort.
I
I think that we should make a special endeavor not to collide, as was
mentioned earlier, with the merchants in the mall. We can certainly
supplement to the merchants in the mall the activities for the downtown
area. Let's work together, let's make sure that we complement the
activities in Arcadia so all businesses can thrive. Now, there is no
guarantee that this redevelopment will be successful. A lot of redevelop-
ment in other communities has not been successful, and I think we should
be ever cognizant of this. And I think that as long as we enter this with
caution, a conservative approach to things, and we can be united in the
Redevelopment Agency's approach to the problems and commitment to the
project, I think would certainly enhance the possibility for success of
the downtown area. I would like to see the area comfortable to the
public, to shop, to meet friends, and to have a classy street theme on
Huntington Drive.
I think that municipal government should locate offices in the downtown
area, and I think it would add as a pedestrian generator, something that
the economic report mentioned. And I think it could be the Water
Department, it could be the Public Works, or some other entity in the
downtown area and, again, the City would be making a commitment to that
13
CIRAULO
COUNCILMEMBER
HARBICHT
portion of our community for additional economic activity, I have had my
concerns, really, about the downtown area. I'm at war with my conscience.
I've also thought that, well, maybe we have lost our land use for the
downtown area, and I thought maybe we should not be trying to revitalize.
But with the reports coming back from the economic study from the
excellent work that has been done by the consultants, and by the interest
that is shown by people in the community, and especially by the merchants,
I am certainly in back of this project 100 percent.
And last, I think that the staff at City Hall, especially our City
Manager, who in the short period of time that he's been here has been able
to put this project on line, bring it to the point that it is right now,
collect consensus, and do the job that he has done to get this here in an
eight-month period of time, he needs to be congratulated. And I think
that, Don, for everything that has been said, I want to say personal
that I think you have done an outstanding job of getting this project t
the point that it is right now. That's all I had to say, Mr. Mayor,
O.K., thank you, Mr. Margett. Comments from anyone else on the Counci ,
Mr. Harbicht.
Yes. I'd like to start out by saying that the Council unanimously agrees
that we want to revitalize downtown. We've discussed it several times and
we unanimously agreed to hire Michael Freedman. And so I think there is
currently agreement over the goals of what we're trying to accomplish down
there. Michael has done a good job, particularly in drawing the public in
the process here. But I have some real concerns about the recommendations
here. I think we all want something done, and our goal going into this
was to make downtown something that we could be proud of, rather than
something that we're ashamed of. I don't think there's any disagreement
on that goal. What I'm concerned about is the recommendation that we try
to turn this into a retail center.
The one thing that hasn't been mentioned is the recommendation that we
spend approximately $4,000,000 this year on these street improvement
incentive programs. I guess the thing that I'm concerned about is that
the whole things hinges on, if we spend this $4,000,000 widening the
sidewalks and putting up street trees and various things like that, that
investment will flow into downtown, it will attract businesses there and
make (inaudible) be a successful center. And the concern I have is that
I think that for at least 30 years now or longer than that, downtowns in
cities across the nation have been dying. The entire trend in retail is
toward shopping malls and shopping centers and away from downtown. And
city after city has tried to revitalize their downtown into a retail
center again, and Mr. Freedman told us when we started that 90 percent of
those cities have failed in doing that. His contention was they failed
because they did it wrong. I don't know if that's true.. .when there are
9 to 1 odds against you, I think that's pretty long odds.
.
I've watched cities like Burbank that, it must have been about 30 years
ago, decided that their downtown was dying, and it was; and so they closed
it off to all traffic and put in.. . the entire thing became an open-a'
mall. After most of the businesses went out of business they opened it
to traffic again and did some other things, and now they've gone to
regional enclosed shopping center and kind of given up on their downto
Fresno did exactly the same thing. And I think that if you just think
cities, any city that you can think of and the number that have a hea1t
retail (inaudible) in the downtown, other than resort cities, you just
can't name very many. So that's the thing that I'm concerned about. And
I guess.. .I'm a marketing and research consultant and that's what I've
been doing for a living for the last 30 years, and I think if I went in to
one of my clients and suggested that they market a product that consumers
have been rejecting for 30 years consistently, they'd laugh me out of
there.
So I think that we're on the right track in terms of what we want to do or
what we want to accomplish, but I think we're on the wrong track in trying
to make it a retail area. I don't see what makes us think that this is
going to succeed. We're swimming upstream against what's been the trend
14
for, as I said. 30 or 40 years in downtown areas. We have a spec ial
problem here in Arcadia, the busiest street in town goes right through the
middle of it. And that, to me, is the opposite of what you want if you're
going to make a walking around, strolling around, sit-on-the-sidewalk-and-
eat area. And finally, we're betting $4,000,000 that simply jazzing up
the area is going to draw new investment.
I'm a detail person and I'd like to talk about some of the details because
I think the details are critical to the program here. First, Mr.
Freedman.. .in their report they say the demand isn't there. There's no
demand for additional shops on Huntington Drive now. And so, not only are
we trying to swim upstream against what the trends are, but (inaudible) no
demand there and so the recommendation is that we significantly increase
housing density south of Huntington Drive and possibly north of Huntington
Drive. And I guess the question I have for Council.,. is that what we
want? We've grown in the last 10 years approximately 5 percent, which is
certainly a very slow growth relative to the rest of Los Angeles County,
And probably as often as I hear complaints about Huntington Drive, I hear
complaints about growth (inaudible) that we encourage the population
growth.
Another recommendation is that we take steps to limit commercial
development in other parts of the City, and direct those USes to
Huntington Drive. I don't know how the merchants in the other parts of
the City feel about that, but ,the fact is that those businesses help draw
business to all businesses, and I think limiting commercial development in
the other parts of the City has to work to the detriment of the other
areas in West Arcadia, Duarte Road....
I'm concerned about having seven traffic signals between Santa Anita and
Second. I see that as an absolute nightmare when the horse races are on.
But I also see it as a nightmare just on a normal day... seven traffic
signals in that short area. I don't know how they can physically be
coordinated to move the traffic through in both directions.. .it's a
concern that I have. I'm also concerned that there's very little money in
here for promotion for incentive programs. I think those are critical for
the success of this if we were to go ahead with this. I really don't
believe that just beautifying the public part of this is going to
automatically draw new investment in. We did that in a pilot program
about eight years ago, and it didn't draw just new investment. We put in
new street trees, we put in new street furniture. we put in a new median,
we put in crosswalks...a number of the things that are talked about here.
Not to the same extent, and I'm not suggesting that that had anywhere near .
the potential that this might have, but the fact is it didn't draw any new
investment at all.
I
I think eliminating the street parking is really going to be the death
knell for the merchants on the south side of Huntington.. .that's virtually
all the parking that they have. And finally, talking about trying to get
large-scale development in there, the report says that that's not
economically feasible because of the property values. The property values
on Huntington Drive are currently quite high. And that independent
investment coming in and buying up and making a large investment, which
would not happen because it's not economically feasible. So that pretty
much says that the City is going to have the Redevelopment Agency spend a
half of a million on (inaudible).
I think that if our goal is to have a downtown area where people could
walk around and do the things that this is designed to do, we're doing it
in the wrong place. I think it should be First Avenue. First Avenue
doesn't have near the traffic, it has the width there, it could easily be
narrowed down to one lane, perpendicular parking or head-in parking could
be put in. I think with Huntington Drive we really should be recognizing
reality, and reality is that downtown retail areas don'C succeed. And you
should look at what's happening to Huntington Drive, and I think that we
could revitalize it by turning it into a street which is primarily
designed for small offices and for the services that would service those
offices, such as print shops and coffee shops and stationery stores and
things like that. I think that would be a much more doable thing, I think
15
it would require far less investment than this going in, so we're not
betting $4,000,000,
And I guess, finally, part of Huntington Drive, Mr. Margett suggested some
time back that we might want to consider part of that for residential.
And I think that that's something that should be considered also, because
we have a low-cost housing obligation that's coming due here in 1996 with
our Redevelopment Agency. Perhaps this would be a way to discharge that
obligation and meet those needs. Just to sum up, I don't think there's
anybody that's against revitalizing downtown and making downtown better
than it is. But I think that. ..1 wonder how many people who signed the
banner knew that it was going to cost $4,000,000 the first year, And I
wonder how many really thought about what's the return on investment, or
is there a return on investment .in doing that. Because if we're wrong,
we're wrong 100 percent. If it doesn't work, all we've done is investe
a lot of money in making the public improvements look better and had n
effect on the street itself. And that's the concern that I have, it's
big bet to make. And we're putting everything on the (inaudible).
CIRAULO
Mr. Freedman, is there any part of that that you'd like to respond
comment on?
FREEDMAN
Yes, Mr. Mayor, there are a number of things that Counci1member Harbicht
said that I agree with quite a bit. Downtown....
[End of Side 2, Tape 1 -- beginning of Side 3, Tape 2]
...throughout the study sessions is that if we're going to do this we need
to go into this with our eyes open, because this is a hard thing to
achieve, and that is exactly right. The reason you are doing a downtown
revitalization program is because. ..what Mr. Harbicht has said is in fact
right on the money...downtowns left to their own will not revitalize. The
market will not make you a downtown that works. However, if you ask
someone who goes to California where do they like it, they like it in
Santa Barbara downtown. If you're talking about Southern California, they
only talk now about Pasadena downtown and about Santa Monica's downtown.
And if you ask them about Northern California, they all like to hang out
in Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Burlingame. Mountain View is the newest
one, and I did revitalize that and it was in at least as bad a condition
as the one that's here. It was a different program, but similar types of
things.
So what we have found overall is this. If cities, for reasons that have
to do with what the community envisions for itself, if cities define in
part that acting in the public good is revitalizing downtown. even though
the private market won't do it on its own, the public sector or the city
can in fact influence or change what the market does by acting on its own
and changing the share of investment that comes, you might say unnatural-
ly, to your downtown. That has been done in Pasadena, Santa Monica, Santa
Barbara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Burlingame, etcetera. There are not a
lot of success stories, and therefore the few that there are are ones that
the cities sort of took the reins--:he downtown happened in all of the
ones I mentioned except Santa Barbara- -and made something happen that
couldn't happen on its own. They did that by investing in intelligel
ways.
The business that retail won't work because there isn't enough demand
again a very insightful point. What this program does is it recommen
that certain, what we call, strong-medicine activities be applied so that
you actually can draw sufficient retail to the downtown. We have been
very out-front about the "fact that in some cases you're just going to be
stealing customers from other towns, and in some cases even from parts of
this city, and relocating them or reorganizing the pattern of retail
development in your own center. So we are not saying that in order to be
successful you need to create more demand than there is. We are simply
saying that you need to act as the public sector to cause the reorganiza-
tion of the pattern of that retail development. And as you know, you can
do that. The reason, in fact, that you have the pattern of retail
deve lopment now that the communi ty is, as we heard in the workshops,
largely dissatisfied with, like they are in most of the cities where
16
downtown has fallen apart, is because in fact you do have policies that
have directed it into strip centers and into malls, The reason that
downtowns have been destroyed is not the malls. The malls started it, but
the strip centers are the ones that now really compete directly head-on
with downtown. By overzoning so much land along arterials for commercial
development in our metropolitan areas, ....e, ....ith public policy, have
unwittingly killed downtowns. That land, as we all know, was zoned
initially to accommodate auto services like gas stations, No one in those
days., .30,40 years ago.. .in their wildest dreams thought that all of the
stores would end up locating on the arterials. They did, and before ....e
knew it downtown fell apart. That wasn't because anybody wanted it to;
that's because our regulations unwittingly allowed it. We can change
those regulations to begin to reverse those forces, because ....e have always
been affecting the pattern of retail development even though if ....e didn't
kno.... ....hat ....as going to result; it is the public sector that actually has
created the strip center, not the free market that did so. What we are
suggesting is, if for reasons again other than sales tax revenue, other
than Redevelopment Agency revenue, and other than simply making as much
money in the City as possible. ..but for reasons like eliminating blight
and creating a ....alkable downtown, one wants to reorganize the pattern of
retail development. it has been demonstrated that it is ....ithin your power
to do so. But it has also been demonstrated that it is not enough to
change the policies., . that is to say, we cannot legislate a reorganization
of retail activity. That's only part of it. The City also has to set the
stage by spending significant seed money to do so.
The last point I ....ould like to address is the point. . .oh, I ....anted to say
something about large-scale development is not feasible. Large-scale
development.. . it doesn't say that.. .large- scale development is in fact
feasible. What....e have seen is that, right no...., because, as you pointed
out, because of land costs and other costs associated with large-scale
development and the revenues that one can no.... make... in other ....ords,
revenues attainable based on existing trends...the projects don't pencil.
It is the purpose of the downtown revitalization program to change the
amount of revenue that is attainable on those sites by investing up front
public dollars. That changes the bottom line on the pro forma for the
developer. Nevertheless, you may be right. You may find that staff comes
back to you with the proposal land write-downs or gap financing. We will
predict that that will happen. And so we want to caution you that. again,
Councilmember Harbicht is right, that this will not work if Council feels
that if ....e go ahead and do these first programs, ....e' re done. Councilmember
Harbicht is correct that it is very reasonable to assume that there will
be more things to do and to pay for down the line. So that although the
largest measure of investment is up front, the possibility of land write-
down, gap financing. which are all standard redevelopment agency
activities to prime the pump for investment are likely to come about. So
....e are not saying that a street improvement project and modest incentive
programs will then create a flood of market activity, and if I have put
forward that idea, I made a mistake, because you are again correct, that
will not work.
I
Last but not least is the issue of doing downtown on First Avenue.
Couldn't agree more. Every downtown that we see is actually a perpendicu-
lar road to an arterial. All of them. And the one that I mentioned that
....e're very proud of having revitalized in Mountain View. California, is no
exception. First Avenue is very well positioned to be a downtown. The
difference in Arcadia seems to be t....ofold. Number one, we believe that if
that happens on First Avenue, the blight on Huntington Drive which is
eminently more visible in the City will get worse. The second half of it
is, what is the City's vision for Huntington Drive. There is no way we
can use all that business stock and upgrade it with small offices and
services. You'll end up with vacuum cleaner, sewing repair, and all the
kinds of uses which are good downtown uses but belong on side streets, not
highlighted on your main street. So that ....ill not create a significant--
and I'm positive about this--it will not create a significant enough
economic engine. It will shrink the engine even smaller from the program
that I believe you're saying isn't going to work anyway. It will shrink
the options for investment in that area even smaller.
17
So the reason that we are recommending it on Huntington Drive is because,
for the benefit of the City as a whole, we kept hearing the community say,
"Not only do we want to revitalize downtown, but we want to display the
high quality of our community where so many mocorists go by," So since it
is attainable to do downtown revitalization on Huntington Drive, and since
there are so many people to market to, we can do unorthodox things that
have never been tried to my knowledge, and that is make an environment
that is simultaneously pleasing to motorists and to people on foot by
changing your sign ordinances and not doing downtown-type signs but doing
really visible signs to people going 30, 35, and 40 miles an hour, which
is not the typical sign guidelines and sign design, and do a design
program which contains ornamental fences that allow people to feel
comfortable on the widened sidewalk, which they wouldn't feel comfortable
on where just a curb was. Examples like the ornamental fences and the
changes in the sign guidelines have never been done in a downtown before,
So you're breaking new ground. You are again breaking new ground t
attain that public good of reversing the blight there. So if you want
to put the downtown on First Avenue and you said, "Yell, I don't know ho
we're going to fix the blight on Huntington, but could we do downtown 0
First Avenue, my answer as the Council's consultant is, "Yes, we coul
succeed at that as well. " That's a different vision and I don't know
then if there is an answer for Huntington Drive. But that is a reason-
able, attainable, doable, downtown revitalization scheme as well.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Freedman. Mr. Fasching, you had a comment?
HARBICHT
I can't respond to this?
CIRAULO
The chair was recognizing Mr. Fasching, he had a question. If you would
like to respond, please do.
HARBICHT
Michael. it's interesting here that you and I seem to agree on just about
everything, and all of these people are mad at me and behind you. I'm not
suggesting that this be done on First Avenue. I was saying, if this were
to be done, I think First Avenue would be a better candidate than
downtown. But going back to the original goal, which was to eliminate the
blight on Huntington Drive, that's the original goal. That's why this
whole thing is being done. And my conclusion is that we would be better
off to try to turn that into an office area than a retail area. It would
be far less costly and have a much higher chance of success. When you
were talking about First Avenue and if we did that what would it do to
Huntington Drive, I'm not suggesting that we do that. I was just saying
if we want to do it (inaudible). My concern is that after seeing city
after city after city try to reestablish downtown as a retail area, it
rarely works. And that's the concern that I have. If you look at what's
happening in retail today, where are the successes? Enclosed shopping
malls, they're in shopping centers, and they're in the big box retail, the
discount retail. That's where everyth:ng is happening in retail today.
It's not happening in the old-fashioned cowntown area, that's the concern
that I have. So I just wanted to c1ari~y that point. I'm not saying
let's do this on First Avenue and forget :!untington Drive.
CIRAULO
Mr. Fasching.
In listening to everything that's been said this evening and a lot of I
we've gone through before on study sessions, public sessions, with t
program. ..I'm only reminded of a couple of things here with, ..this i
revitalization program. And I look at the picture in the book here, ci
1945, of Huntington Drive in the area we're talking about. And with the
exception of the year of the automobiles and the median that goes down the
street (inaudible), it's an exact replica today of what was existing
practically 50 years ago. What I'm saying is, here we're looking at the
main entrance into the City. I agree that I haven't got the magic answer
that says that this program will revitalize and bring us a lot of money
from a sales tax standpoint or other things in this area, but like the
turtle, if we don't stick our neck out we're never going to get anywhere.
And referring back to Mr. Ludecke, who had a real estate office on First
Avenue in the '60's and kept hearing about what the City was going to do
with che downtown area, and nothing ever transpired, and he moved out.
And now he's happy to see we've finally got around to where we're going to
FASCHING
18
I
do something about it.,.1 think makes a lot of sense. I think that you
have to look at this also.,. and I was talking to a business owner in
downtown this morning., .is that I have COncerns not only for Huntington
Drive, which is my top priority, however; but I have concerns for Baldwin
Avenue, Duarte Road, and also Live Oak Avenue insofar as creating a
better, beautiful atmosphere in this City to show that there has been some
progression. However, I think that in some of those areas, the amount of
restoration that we could do would be in the forms of new street lighting
and landscaping, and not as complex a situation as Huntington Drive. But
I have a great concern for the entire City and the other business
districts strictly from a standpoint of the City as a whole, where we are,
where we've gone, and what we're going to look like in the years to come.
Mr. Harbicht is very detail OI;iented, and I appreciate his remarks
concerning liability and the possibility of not reaching some of the
attainable goals. However, in two areas there I think I'd like to
comment, that the concept here is that, in the long range perhaps this
street will develop after we set the impetus to start with development,
with the same office concepts that you're talking about, only they'll be
upstairs. The businesses will be downstairs. And in that environment the
offices to bring people to the downtown area (inaudible). And the
increase of the residential area south of Huntington Drive encroaching
toward First Avenue and closer to Huntington, which also brings more
people to the area to shop downtown. And I think that makes a very good
concept. Then, from a detail standpoint, fine, we have to stick our neck
out, but we have to be people oriented as well as detail oriented. And
people, to me, are the entire population of this City, and how the City is
viewed.
I think that we're finally, in this last year, taking a hold of the
situation in our City which has been neglected sadly for a lot of years.
We're recognizing the things that have not been done. We're recognizing
things that we've talked about.. . the civic center and City Hall that needs
more space for people, the Police Department that is becoming fast
outdated... we have a whole lot of projects that we have to do. And this
is to make this City the kind of city that it should be, to live up to the
prestige it has in California, but yet our physical attributes are lagging
far behind in my estimation. In this area here, to rejuvenate this area,
do the plan as presented...but we can go back and discuss little issues
such as the overhead lights...but to give a go-ahead to the concept, is
that we have created in my estimation the first step in building this City
the way it should be for the next 50 years. I think that businesses can
be successful, businesses in cooperation with offices in the same area,
residences in the same area to rejuvenate the area...I think it's
something that we can be very proud of and a good investment.
We're talking, what, $4,000,000? We're talking $4,000,000 every time we
turn around. We're talking $3,000,000 for a fire station: we're talking
$4,000,000 to put some additional space onto the Library; we're talking
$12,000,000 when the time comes if we need a police station; we're talking
$2,000,000. . . everything is in the millions, but that's an inves tment.
That's a long-term investment in this City, a City of which the people of
this community can be proud of. And I think the investment in downtown,
far overdue, is not exceptional at all with the figures that have been put
forward here tonight. So I'm not going to elaborate any more, but this is
vital, vital to the bloodline and the lifeline of this City.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Fasching. Are there any other comments? Mr. Lojeski.
LOJESKI
Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a couple of comments, and not to be redundant
by the comments that have been made around the table already. There was
a comment that this particular scope of the report and the study that had
been done, the recommendations, held some very minor incentive programs
and relocation plans. Well, I don't consider it as very minor to look
into this report and it states that the business recruitment and
relocation program estimated cost over a 10-year period is somewhere in
the neighborhood of $275,000. That's a commitment, that's an investment.
A design assistance program, which will be, again, an ,estimated cost over
10 years of $195,000 (inaudible) per year. But those are two substantial
investments into two very, very important programs which are part of this
19
whole process, which I want to believe is almost as important, if not more
important, than actually going through the gingerbread effects of what you
can do just from a public improvement standpoint. So I think those are
very key things. A downtown marketing program, spending $10,000 over a
10-year period in marketing the area. A publicity and special events
program, another $30,000 over 10 years. A business development program,
again, estimated cost over 10 years $100,000. So these are key invest-
ments and key, critical commitments the City Council will be making into
those efforts.
I can probably speak to the deterioration of downtown Arcadia better than
anyone--and I won't bore anyone by telling you the number of years I've
lived here--the thriving metropolis that downtown Arcadia was many, many
years ago. Councilman Fasching alluded to the photograph, the circa 1945
photograph, and I wish downtown Arcadia was in that position today, wit
the number of cars piling and packing up on the streets. You look at th
small businesses that have gone in there and they were flourishing
those days. Now I think tonight is maybe a decision to create a change'
what we see happening or has been happening in downtown Arcadia. May
that change is the return, some day, to the busy atmosphere that we onc
had in the downtown area. I can tell you, for the last 15 or 20
years. . .15 to 20 years ago the City made a commitment to get into the
business of redevelopment and made some promises to some big players. One
of those big players was Embassy Suites. And those promises were, "Come
on in, be the pioneer in the area, and we're going to get serious with
redevelopment and we're going to improve, from a public image standpoint,
what's happening in our area." I think the Council has been very frugal
and very persistent and it has done a good job between Fifth Avenue and
Second Avenue.
It's now time to proceed ahead and, again, let's revitalize the old
downtown area. This has not been just a frivolous effort. It was
mentioned this has been an eight-month process which has incorporated the
staff members here at the City Hall, the Council, the commissioners,
business people, and the residents of this community. This is a first.
I can't think of another consultant who has been hired who has handled
things to that degree of expertise and to that degree of integrity and
detail. For every one of those categories, we as Counci1people knew when
those meetings were and we could be there if we elected to. Some of us
attended all of them, some members of this Council elected not to. But
that was the time to give input and listen, to hear the pleas and requests
of the citizens and the businessmembers in the area. I've had a business
down in that area for the last 21, 22 years. I can tell you first-hand
there have been many, many businesses that came into downtown Arcadia with
a hope and a promise that something was going to be done to improve a lot
of things, and one was just to get into that downtown area.
Well, I had the pleasure, or the displeasure as it would be, to walk from
my office and walk easterly on Huntington Drive, and when I got
down. . . there was a gentleman who came up earlier and talked about his
business and tumbleweeds that he could envision rolling down the street.
I've got to tell you, if you want to see blight and you want a good
definition of blight, walk down and look at some of those boarded-u
stores. Look at the sidewalk, look at the conditions of what is ther
It's time that this has to be improved, and we owe that type of commitme
to the citizens and the business people in this community. It's abo
time we also come up with what I look at here as a true, long-ra
plan...a real plan of what could be done. Not a zoning plan, but
actual plan of what hypothetically could be put into process.., a true
master plan. And, again, I think it's about time that we start function-
ing and looking at things in some kind of a master-ized type of look, not
just piecemealing it as has been done before, but let's get on with this
type of a thing. I feel it's affordable, I feel if we're going to do it
let's do it right, let's do it first class. Arcadia has always done
things in a first-class fashion, and to quibble over maybe a $1,000 here
or $1,000 there. ..let's get the process going, let's give our approval
tonight, and let's get on with the whole project. And I'm excited that
it's finally, finally going to happen.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Lojeski. Mr. Fasching.
20
FASCHING
Mr, Mayor, may I make one more comment from a business standpoint. a
dollars and cents standpoint, with regard to this area. We for years now
have been sitting with considerable redevelopment property, meaning
property that the City owns.. . the corner of Second and Huntington, behind
the Embassy Suites,. .we have a lot of property that should be developed.
In good part due to the economy in the past few years, a lot of that
property still sits there vacant and no development on it. Conversely, if
you were an investor wanting to relocate your business or headquarters or
theater complex, and you come to this City and say, "Is this where we want
to be," and you take a look at our downtown area, I hardly think that's
where you want to be. You have vacant property, you have deteriorated
businesses, you have an area that hasn't kept pace in today's time. Now,
we do the concept here of the sidewalks, the landscaping, the streets, the
striping, and the parking on First Avenue. Now an investor comes here and
he says, "That's the place we want to be. They're going somewhere." And
I'll tell you, just the development of those redevelopment properties we
have now, if done properly with retail and office buildings, will pay the
tab for this whole thing.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Fasching, I'd just like to comment, without repeating
anything. This is a real opportunity for us. The time is right. This is
a vision for the City of Arcadia that will eventually enhance the lives of
our citizens in the business community and will payoff economically in
the future. And without belaboring the point, the chair at this time will
entertain a motion. Mr. Margett.
HARGETT
May I make just one comment here in conjunction with what Mr. Harbicht
said. There's an advantage of speaking first, and then there's a
disadvantage of speaking first. First of all, Bob, there has been a lot
of successful redevelopment cities...the City of Monterey for one. The
City of Ventura increased their assessed valuations substantially and got
rid of a lot of blight. The City of Napa is another community where
they've done an excellent job. That's issue number one. Issue number
two, I referred to affordable housing, not low-cost housing. And there's
a substantial difference. And hopefully. . . and we're in this redevelopment
game, so we're going to have to, as you indicated, and very knowledgeably,
we're going to have to consider shortly affordable housing for the
community.
CIRAULO
Thank you, Hr. Hargett. Hr. Fasching.
FASCHING
Hr. Mayor, I'd like to HOVE that we APPROVE this project.. . and I hope I'm
covering the right items here (inaudible). Item No.1, street-scape
improvements, Huntington Drive street-scape improvements, street lights,
mid-block mast arms, palms, benches, landscape, and crosswalk striping,
and curb fencing, etcetera, I won't go through the whole thing. Reserving
the fact that in previous [sic] discussion we will be reviewing all of
these items plus the concept (inaudible) on Item 1. We include Item
No.2, the sidewalk construction, Option 1, completely new sidewalk--
storefront to the curb. That was recommended by the consultant, and
that's Item No.1. And on First Avenue we approved, under No.3, Option
2, the lane restriping, trees in planters, also recommended by the
consultant.
I CIRAULO
FASCHING
Hr. Fasching, may I ask, did you also plan to indicate that we not
consider the railroad bridge-scaping feature at this time?
No.
CIRAULO
O.K.
that
with
So you are saying, then, if I understand you
we approve the eight recommendations suggested
the two options so indicated.
correctly, you move
in the staff report
FASCHING
Yes.
LOJESKI
And it includes all contingencies as outlined in the report? Construction
contingencies is Item 5.
CIRAULO
I would think all items, 1 through 8.
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LOJESKI
As previously stated by the City Manager?
FASCHING
I'd like to MOVE that we APPROVE Items 1 through 8 which deals with the
(inaudible) physical program. The incentive programs, I don't know if
Council wants to approve those entirely this evening or if we'll have time
to come back (inaudible).
LOJESKI
Isn't that part of the process of (inaudible) staff level more or less
(inaudible) .
CIRAULO
Let's ask Mr. Duckworth.
DUCKWORTH
Yes, Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, that's exactly the program.
Your approval of these eight items gives us all the conceptual approvals
that we would need to move forward to develop the specific plans an
specifications on one hand to undertake the street reconstruction. We
understand your selection of options is provided in Recommendation No.
We will be bringing back for you under Item 7 the specific land-us
regulation changes and amendments that we'll be recommending, as well a
a specific description of the incentive programs that we would b
recommending. So all of that would be, again, your (inaudible).
FASCHING
Mr. Mayor, may I amend the motion? I'll MOVE that we approve Item 1, Item
2, Option 1 under Item 2....
CIRAULO
Under Item 3, I think.
FASCHING
No, Item 2, sidewalk construction, Option 1 under Item 2....
CIRAULO
If I understand correctly, Mr. Fasching, look under the last page of your
report, the second-to-the-last page under "Recommendations." Look under
Recommendations in the staff report. I think Item 3 indicates the
sidewalk options and the First Avenue restriping options.
FASCHING
O.K., we're going to approve from the second page on?
CIRAULO
We're going to approve from that page through Item 8 with the indicated
options under Item 3 that you have mentioned.
FASCHING
That's my MOTION.
CIRAULO
O.K.
FASCHING
(Inaudible)
DUCKWORTH
With the exception of the third?
CIRAULO
Yes.
MARGETT
SECOND the motion, Mr. Mayor.
CIRAULO
It has been
to approve
discussion?
MOVED by Councilman Fasching,
the downtown revitalization
Mr. Harbicht.
seconded by Councilman Margett
plan. Is there any furthe
HARBICHT
00 I understand your motion, George, is to put in all new sidewalks at
cost of $557,000 rather than adding to the existing sidewalks at a cost
$112,000?
FASCHING
Well, I'm for the first option of new sidewalks.
HARBICHT
The $557,000. Your motion also includes, on First Avenue, restriping and
planters for $153,000 rather than just restriping at $29,000.
FASCHING
Correct.
CIRAULO
Is there any other discussion? Mr. Harbicht, were you finished?
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HARBICHT
CIRAULO
FASCHING
HARBICHT
FASCHING
CIRAULO
FREEDMAN
CITY ATTORNEY
MILLER
t~~
Well, I guess I just have to reiterate that I am in 100 percent agreement
in terms of trying to do something to Huntington Drive, but I can't
support this because I don't think that this is going to succeed as a
retail center. I think we're going to have $4,000,000 worth of public
funds spent down there this year and that's going to be most of what we're
going to see happen there. So I'm not at all agains t the concept of
revitalizing downtown, it's this specific plan that I can't support.
Any further discussion? Mr. Fasching.
Mr. Mayor, one comment I'd like to make before you take the vote is that
on all of the items that are contained in that first item, street-scape
improvements, all of those will be discussed fully more so at another
study session on this. In other words, anything that.. ,you had a comment
tonight about the overhead signalization. We may want to discuss that,
maybe eliminate (inaudible), things of that nature, (inaudible) we can do.
But, what we're doing here is giving approval of the entire concept.
As a matter of fact that's not true. The motion that you've made has in
there such things as hiring Freedman, Tung and Bottomley for a quarter of
a million dollars to do the specific design and engineering. It has in
there hiring ASL Consulting Engineers to do the survey work and the base
work. Everything in here is specific and specific direction to staff to
go ahead. This isn't saying, "We approve the concept, we'll talk about
the details later."
No, no, no. It doesn't say we can't maybe find one or two items in here
that we can say that we don't want to do and we'll save some money. If we
want to do that. The door is open. So, we are going ahead with the
program, but if you want to discuss the overhead lights we can do that.
Let's ask Mr. Freedman for clarification.
That's correct. I discussed that, in fact, today with the City Manager,
and he has made it clear that it's very important that when we begin the
design development phase, it begin with a Council study session and any
other input that is necessary so that everyone involved under-
stands.. . speak now or forever hold your peace...is this the final form you
want to build? So it is not a closed issue, you are correct in your
assumption--although it's not made clear because you haven't seen that
item--but you are correct in your assumption that the design concept is
not a closed issue. You could eliminate signals, you could change the
design of specific features, all within what it is you're approving now.
So that will be included as the very first step along with beginning the
street survey, is finalizing the design concept with Council.
Mr. Mayor, if I might, I'd like to answer the question for clarification.
1 think it's necessary, in view of the discussion, that these items will
all be subject to an environmental assessment and appropriate environmen-
tal review in terms of any final definitive action on a project basis.
Isn't that correct? And tonight is a conceptual go-ahead to do all of
these things, including to hire and retain somebody to conduct the
required environmental assessment under CEQA.
That's correct. But just to clarify your clarification, for me anyway--I
may be the only one that doesn't get this, but--the only project in the
overall program. ..number one, I guess it is, or one and two, approves the
whole program in concept. It sort of blesses all the ideas in that
formally. But the only actual project that you are approving going ahead
with that could have environmental impact and needs environmental review
is the beginning of a proj ect to prepare a bid package to build the
street. Once that bid package is prepared and you do intend to build a
specific street, you definitely have a CEQA requirement to address, Now,
whether or not you actually have to file an environmental impact statement
is something, as you know, that mayor may not be the case. It may be
negative dec, it may be mitigated, whatever. But that is the only thing
that is implied here. As far as policy changes or whatever, that won't
happen until, in fact, there is a policy document with land-use change and
the rest of it, and then again you'll have to address the CEQA issue. 1
think that's what you're saying, and that is right. And, therefore,
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, .
number eight, that issue is addressed simply saying that since you are
doing a street project and there is going to be physical change out there,
the CEQA issue has to be addressed and staff is asking permission to begin
to address that by bringing on board an environmental consultant,
MILLER
Thank you, that's exactly what I was trying to say. We need....
CIRAULO
Thank you, Mr. Freedman.
FASCHING
That doesn't include the railroad trestle.
CIRAULO
There is a motion and a second on the floor.
discussion?
Is there any further
ROLL CALL
AYES:
NOES:
Fasching, Lojeski, Margett, Ciraulo
Harbicht
LOJESKI
Call for the question.
CIRAULO
The question has been called for. Madam City Clerk, may we have the ro
call, please.
CIRAULO
The motion is carried. We have a downtown revitalization program.
..
I
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