HomeMy WebLinkAboutOCTOBER 5,1993
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CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS ARE TAPE RECORDED AND ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY
CLERK
ROLL CALL
M I NUT E S
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA
and the
ARCADIA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 5, 1993
The City Council and the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency met in an
adjourned regular meeting on Tuesday, October 5, 1993 at 5:30
p.m. in the Conference Room of the City Hall Council Chambers.
The primary purpose of this meeting was to consider a special
presentation of Downtown Revitalization design concepts and
timeline by Michael Freedman.
PRESENT:
Councilmembers Fasching, Harbicht, Lojeski, Margett
and Ciraulo
None
ABSENT:
DOWNTOWN Michael Freedman of Freedman, Tung and Bottomley, designers of
REVITALIZA- the Downtown Revitalization Project, presented a review of the
TION design elements for the downtown core area of Huntington Drive
PROJECT between Santa Anita Avenue and Second Avenue. Mr. Freedman
eM. Freedman) introduced his partners, Gregory Tung and Terry Bottomley.
O;;'iSo-o,;) Council requested that Mr, Freedman review the proposed
decorative signal mast arms and the ornamental street lights.
Council also considered a selection of the manufactured street
lights proposed to be placed along the sidewalks. Mr. Freedman
indicated this meeting will help his organization stay on
schedule by obtaining Council direction which will enable them
to return to Council with the final design. This is also an
opportunity to present a general progress report as well as a
schedule report. In addition to presenting photographs of
selected ornamental street lights, Mr. Freedman invited the
Councilmembers to step outside to the front of the Council
Chamber where a scale model of an ornamental street light and
pole were set up for Council's consideration. Consideration was
also given to the "acorn" globes which are in use in a number of
cities. Mr. Freedman explained that the lighting should
complement the landscape and the fixtures must relate to each
other. Councilmembers agreed that they were pleased with one
of the designs in the brochure. Mr. Freedman proposed to obtain
two more light standards and set them up for Council's further
consideration. Mr. Freedman suggested including permanent
brackets to hold large scale banners, although this is not in the
cost estimate. Mayor Ciraulo suggested that flag holder brackets
also be included, since American flags are displayed in the City
on certain holidays.
Mr. Freedman went on to describe his concept to create a garden
like environment which would tie in to certain design elements
of the race track. At 150 feet increments there will be
decorative trees to provide shade or large planters with
flowering shrubs, kiosks, etc.; something different at each
point, without blocking central store front views. Mr, Freedman
will avoid putting too much in any given area, so that
pedestrians will be able to see items for sale in the shops. A
powerful element will be the white fencing which will also ensure
that pedestrians cross the street at the corner open areas. The
fence will look like a white wood fence, but will actually be
galvanized steel. The principal colors along the street will be
green and white which will be similar to the Santa Anita race
track colors which are cream and light green. Colors and
materials will be reviewed again as the project progresses,
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Discussion ensued regarding the parking in the downtown area.
There were concerns on the part of the Councilmembers that
motorists will drive right by on Huntington Drive because of lack
of convenient parking. This is of particular concern to
merchants on the south side of Huntington Drive. Mr. Freedman
pointed out there is a large reserve of parking behind the
businesses on the south side of the street which is not
accessible because they are not well signed or because some of
the small lots are being used for private parking. With
cooperation between the south side merchants, some of these small
lots could be combined and used for public parking and everyone
would benefit. With proper signage. drivers will learn to park
behind the south side businesses or in the north side parking I
areas. Mr. Freedman felt that protected angled parking as
opp~sed to parallel parking could be installed at the City owned
property on Huntington and Second Avenue. Council was concerned
that there might not be sufficient depth for angled parking. If
the City takes more frontage, it could render that property
undesirable. Mr. Freedman described how "protected" angled
parking could be made available at that site. This type of
parking will leave space for drivers to back out without backing
into the line of traffic. He said that the change to angled
parking will immediately benefit the area and with the
revitalization, probably as many as four or five times as many
people will be coming into the area. There was also some
discussion of underground parking, especially with the
possibility of future structures with businesses on the street
floor and residences on the upper (loors. For the lots that
extend to Alta Street there could conceivably be four story
structures on the Huntington side tapering down to two or three
stories on the Alta side, with a developer purchasing as many
parcels as he could get. There is a proven market for this kind
of high density housing. Mr. Freedman pointed out that
underground parking is not feasible for customer parking because
they won't use it, but it is feasible for employees or residents.
Councilmember Harbicht expressed his concerns about tying the
downtown design into the Santa Anita race track design. He feels
that horse racing is a dying business. He questions that a
large number of people will come to walk around Huntington Drive
just because there are a lot of trees and kiosks. There are
thousands of cars going by on Huntington Drive, and it is not the
kind of atmosphere in which people will wish to sit outside and
have coffee. If we look at the downtown area, there is nothing
wrong with the median nor with the street trees. The buildings
are unattractive. Mayor Ciraulo noted that the downtown
revitalization has been approved, and Council is now addressing
specifics of that plan.
Mr. Freedman said his firm is moving this project along as fast
as possible, and a great deal of expectation has been built up
in the community. If Council is not happy with some of the I
details, they can still be changed. Council did not feel ready
to approve the light fixtures; more options will be provided.
Aside from doing the angled parking or not, Council likes the
plan and a precise plan will be prepared ... land use, parking,
sign guidelines, etc. and he will bring it to Council at a study
session.
In addressing the progress report and schedule, Mr. Freedman said
that he has assembled a working team of firms including
architecture, landscape architecture, civil and electrical
engineers, lighting design consultant, horticulturist and
irrigation engineer, geotechnical, structural and traffic
engineers. Six of these firms are Arcadia firms. They will
coordinate the process with the City. The City has moved swiftly
to accomplish all the contractual items necessary, and has
contracted separately with ASL engineers for a street survey
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CITY MANAGER
(Utility Tax
Cellular
Tel.Access)
ADJOURNMENT
ATTEST:
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which was completed and delivered to Mr. Freedman October 4,
This was a major benchmark in beginning the project. A project
schedule was recently presented to the City, and is currently
under review by City staff and the other design and engineering
firms, October 15 is the cutoff point for finalization of the
schedule. Mr. Freedman said the proposed schedule is doable,
Any necessary changes in the schedule will be reported to Council
at once. In response to a question from Councilmember Fasching,
Mr. Freedman indicated that if the contracts are awarded
according to the schedule in May of 1994, and anticipating a six
to eight month construction period, the project should be
completed the early part of 1995.
In response to questions from Council regarding flow of traffic
on Huntington Drive, Mr. Freedman does not recommend turn lanes
or turn pockets. The signals on Huntington Drive will be
synchronized. He does not recommend any pedestrian push buttons
because it is necessary to get rid of any bottleneck between
downtown and the track so that more cars can pass through and
businesses will have more visibility. This will also help to get
rid of a regional bottleneck. There will be more places to
cross, but pedestrians will have to wait their turn. This whole
concept will only work if there are no push buttons. During
racing season the Police Department may wish to change the timing
of the signals, and that option will be built in. It will be
possible for the signals to be manually controlled as they are
currently, and the timing can be changed as desired.
Some discussion ensued regarding a design to improve the railroad
bridge and provide an attractive entry way into Arcadia. The
design originally presented was that of the Santa Anita race
track horse racing motif on one side with the COMMUNITY OF HOMES
and City seal on the other. This original concept was estimated
at $180,000. Councilmember Fasching suggested a less expensive
design. Originally there was a possibility of the railway bridge
being remodeled or replaced within a four or five year time
period. More recent information indicates that it will be a
longer period of time before any changes may be implemented.
The City Manager informed Council that two people have called
expressing opposition to adding the utility tax to telephone
cellular service. This is to be considered at a public hearing
at the regular meeting this evening.
At 6:53 p. m. the meeting ADJOURNED sine die.
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J . Alford, Ci Clerk ~,
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