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.
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The Continued Special Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
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ATTEST:
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