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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/05/2015 Special MeetingARCADIA CITY COUNCIL CONTINUED SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Kovacic called the Continued Special Meeting to order at 6:25 p.m. in the Arcadia Police Department Emergency Operations Room (EOC). ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Council Member Beck, Chandler, Kovacic, Tay and Wuo ABSENT: None CLOSED SESSION a. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1) to confer with legal counsel regarding the matter of Save the Arcadia Highlands v. City of Arcadia, City Council of the City of Arcadia, and Does 1 through 10; and Robert Tong, Bowden Development, Inc., 29 East Orange Grove Avenue, LLC, and Does 11 through 25; Los Angeles Superior Court (Central District — Stanley Mosk Courthouse); Court Case No. BS 154327. The City Council directed the City Attorney to read the following prepared statement into the record in open session: "On or about March 24, 2015, an entity called Save the Arcadia Highlands served on the City of Arcadia, the City Council, and also Developer, Bowden Development Company, Inc., concerning 1600 Highland Oaks Drive, Developer, 29 East Orange Grove Avenue LLC and Architect Robert Tong, a Petition Seeking Administrative Mandamus to overturn the decision made by the Arcadia City Council to approve design review for two separate single family homes. One of the homes is located at 29 East Orange Grove Avenue, and the other at 1600 Highland Oaks Drive. The City Council has unanimously determined to defend this litigation. Until now, the City of Arcadia, at the direction of the City Council, was actively working with zoning and land use consultants to prepare a proposed update of the City's zoning code for presentation to the public at community meetings, and then to the City Council for possible adoption later this calendar year. This project was initiated in July of 2014 and several community meetings have already been held. The City Council had also directed staff to bring back to the City Council for its consideration a proposed historic preservation ordinance. City staff has completed interviews and an historic preservation consultant has been selected for this project. Finally, at the Council's request, City Staff has formed a "Neighborhood Impacts Committee" to discuss the full range of issues facing our single - family neighborhoods and develop recommendations for the City Council. Due to the filing of this litigation against the City by the petitioner, Save the Arcadia Highlands, and the resulting need to obtain a determination by the court of issues that affect the zoning code update, the City Council has determined by a 3 -2 vote that the City must place the zoning code update project and neighborhood impacts community meetings in abeyance until the litigation filed against the City by Save the Arcadia Highlands is resolved. In addition, by a 3 -2 vote, the City Council determined to move forward with consideration of a historical preservation ordinance, however, excluding the Highland Oaks Homeowners Association area. The City Council considers this to be an unfortunate delay in presentation of these projects due to this litigation as well as the staff time and related cost to the taxpayers resulting from this litigation." The Continued Special Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. 05 -05 -15 The Continued Special Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. ,or of t1i dity dArcadia ATTEST: it lerk 05 -05 -15 —.