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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMaterials distributed in meeting Arcadia Resolution 6770 Section 2. In accordance with the Arcadia General Plan directive to protect and preserve the character and auality of its neighborhoods by requiring harmonious design, and to implement Arcadia's Single-Family Residential Design Guidelines... California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) : Single-family residence projects are exempt from an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) except for: Unusual Circumstances or Significant Impacts Historical Resources — do not have to be registered Cumulative Impacts —from even minor changes To Protect and Preserve a Neighborhood and to Understand the Historical and Cumulative Impacts on it, you have to : 1) Know it's Character and Quality 2) Know the Irrevocable Changes that Threaten it The Arcadia Highlands Neighborhood �' T: .�- �,5i - =ms s ., .r r R _ ,` y' �'( �r16k. , NA- 1 Aki t_A t • ' * .413?;*' 4" if,.. I/4 '...'...for_ .-- ., 1 ter __ +�. .,* �•- �.Ai � i ..r ' ^ © t �� ..j yam__ L•-.—_., .:. -,.. i_ pr—r--n-i tst * t , - r The Predominant Home Style is : single-story ranch The Typical Home Size is : 2,595 sf 14,674 sf lot (0.33 acre) The Floor Area/Lot Ratio is : 18% FAR . ' rR'.Er ,ay r . Ai „„ .*. ”. s� r.r ^` . �' ,�. ` I 95% of all homes < 4,200 sf 1. 4 y 1 .{{■ kiiq fll .....v..r. . a Iran', Tirr-77-11."T'vl'7-1"1` 7, _ • _ 98% of all homes < 5,000 sf Highlands HOA Home Size Distribution (836 Homes g Homes) 1 I 1 "Typical" Highlands Home FAR 18% 2,595 sq ft 14,674 sq ft lot (0.33 acre) jI 68% of All Homes (1 o) I <3,400 sq ft '1\ ,• 95% of All Homes (2 6) •, <4,200 sq ft \ • 98% of All Homes (3 a) •I <5,000 sq ft 4. 1 � v 1200 2200 3200 4200 5200 6200 Home Sq Ft only 16 homes > 5,000 sq ft New Home Projects by Year 18 6 16 - Construction is increasing . . . 14 12 y=0.43309165x Exponentially R2= 0.995 10 +. $ 7 CO 6 E 4 3 0 Z 0 2 - 1 0 . .w 2002-2011 2012 2013 2014 Year 7000 New Home Size (Avg Sq Ft) 50% New Home Lot Coverage (Avg FAR) CD 45% 6000 ! 5818 _ 2 5530 5451 Q 40% o o - ° 0 37/0 36% 37/ 5000 O 35% - Ca 4000 — CU 30% U Q N "O 25% - a) 3000 - 2595 0 18% E U- 20% jr. I . 2000 I c 15% CC Qii 1000 L _1; E 5% 0. 0 , HHOA 2012 2013 2014 HHOA 2012 2013 2014 Avg Ye a r Avg Ye a r The Arcadia Highlands is being Altered Permanently • Home Tear Down / Rebuilds are Growing Exponentially • The average New Size has doubled : 5600 vs 2600 sqft • The average New Lot Coverage has doubled : 37% vs. 18% Home Size and Density must be addressed to preserve the Highlands Neighborhood per the protection directive of the ACC in Resolution 6770 and the Arcadia General Plan 29 E Orange Grove 6,522 sf on 17,779 sf lot = 37% FAR 1600 Highland Oaks 6,140 sf on 18,765 sf lot = 33% FAR These projects are not Harmonious or Compatible with the Arcadia Highlands Neighborhood 0 City Council Hearing 1-20-15 Good evening Mr. Mayor and members of the city council My name is Bruce McCallum. I have lived in the Highlands for over 42 years. I am here to speak in favor of the Planning Commission's decision and to discuss the grossly improper actions of the Highlands Homeowners Assn. and its ARB. The Association does not represent me nor does it represent any of my friends who live in the Highlands. Most of the 850 property owners in the Highlands have no idea what is going on with the ARB and that their property values are being eroded by the actions of a very few people. I sent you the results of a study I did in our area. I would like to take a few moments to summarize the results of that study. I took 20 streets at random from the Highlands and selected one house on each street at random. I then went to Zillow.com and looked at the value of each house one year ago, just before the present ARB took over. I then looked at the value of the same houses last week. The results for these homes was an almost 12% decrease in value. Is this part of a general trend in the area? Absolutely not. Zillow shows that for the 91006 Zip code in total, property values have increased almost 10%. So the values in the Highlands have had a net loss of about 20% since the present ARB has been in control. Based on property values in December a year ago each of the property owners have lost about $150,000 to $200,000 in value. One of the important functions of the city council is to protect property values. Yet a small group of people who have taken over our ARB — using the authority delegated to them by the city council — is significantly eroding our property values. • , It's no wonder this is happening. To my knowledge our ARB has not approved a single design presented to it. In fact, even after the property owner makes the changes the ARB asked for, the ARB finds even more changes it wants made. The city council and planning commission have heard several appeals already and there is every indication that this will continue. I and many property owners are turning to you for protection. I know the members of this council are vigilant about keeping water rates and trash rates at the lowest possible level. And I appreciate that. But a savings of$30 - $40 a year in these bills pales in comparison to a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in property value. Therefore, I respectfully request the council immediately retract the authority previously granted to this Assn. and its ARB. Were the council to do this I am of the opinion our home values would immediately increase and reflect their true value. You may be hesitant to do this feeling we residents should solve our own problems. Normally I would agree. But I'll tell you why that simply cannot be done. You will recall how loud, outspoken, completely out of control some of these people have been at recent street hearings. Remember that at one such hearing one member of the previous ARB resigned on the spot saying - - - I won't take this "stuff" any more. A second member resigned the following day and about a week later the chair of the ARB resigned Unbelievably, the Bd of Dir. of the Assn. subsequently appointed several of these outspoken people to the ARB. Unbelievable........but true. During the annual meeting of the Assn. last month each person up for election to this year's Bd was asked to talk about their qualifications and thoughts about development of the Highlands. When the chair of the ARB had the floor, John Murphy asked if he could ask a few questions. The candidate said yes. But when John began to ask some questions he was cut short when the ARB chair said Quote "We don't need a heckler." This comment effectively ended the discussion. I suggest no one, repeat, no one could ever accurately described John Murphy as a "heckler." Anyone who knows John knows he is a true gentleman. This is another example of the arrogance of this Assn. and its ARB With this control and attitude on the part of a few people I again respectfully suggest this council immediately retract the authority it previously granted this Assn. and its ARB. It is proven that we citizens cannot correct the situation. This council is our last hope for relief from the few. Thank you for your kind consideration of my opinions.