Arcadia City Manager’s Official Announcements

WIND DAMAGES NEW TREES AT NEWCASTLE PARK

Last weekend, we had some significant winds, which caused minor issues throughout town, mostly in the form of twisted streetlights and a few tree limbs falling. Fortunately, we don’t have any reports of injuries or significant damage.

We did have some damage to our newly planted trees at Newcastle Park. In total, 11 trees had fallen limbs or snapped at their trunks. The trees are outside of their original warranty period and wouldn’t be costly enough to file an insurance claim for; we’ll have to replace them ourselves.

Fortunately, we still have trees that were donated by LA County as part of an environmental offset for their work in the debris basin near Wilderness Park. So, we won’t have to pay for the trees, and our staff should be able to install new ones during normal working hours.

DEBRIS BASINS DEBRIS REMOVAL PROJECT COMPLETED

The Debris Basins Debris Removal Project was completed on March 11, taking approximately four weeks to complete. The project began with debris removal at the debris basin located behind 2273 Highland Vista Dr. This portion of the work was completed in two days, during which approximately 90 cubic yards (8 truckloads) of debris were removed. Prior to the work, the inlet structure at this location was completely covered by debris, preventing the proper collection of runoff from the canyon above. Clearing the inlet structure restored its functionality and will allow stormwater to be safely directed away from the driveway and nearby street and into the storm drain system.

In addition, approximately 1,970 cubic yards (196 truckloads) of debris were removed over a period of about 3.5 weeks from the debris basin located at 2225 Canyon Road. Several feet of accumulated debris had covered the basin’s outlet tower, limiting its ability to properly drain water from the basin. The removal of this material restored proper drainage, reduced downstream flood risk, and improved sediment management. The clearing of the debris basin restored its intended flood protection capacity and will help prevent future overflows during storm events, protecting the downstream community from potential mud and debris flows.

In total, approximately 2,060 cubic yards of debris were removed from the two basins, restoring their full operational functionality and reducing the risk of future mud and debris flows impacting surrounding properties

SGVCOG SEEKING BETTER FAREGATES AT METRO STATIONS

Over the years, several Council Members and members of the public have asked about faregates at the Metro stations as a way to discourage loitering on the platforms and riding the lines without a ticket. We have previously even inquired about paying for gates ourselves, which Metro resisted.

Attached is a letter from the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments asking Metro to include funding in the FY 2026-27 budget for fare gates along the Metro A Line. The letter specifically asks for upgrades and taller gates to be installed, but would include a request for gates where none currently exist.

SCHOOL DISTRICT SENDS LETTER ON TAX EXEMPTION

Last week, a former Mayor reached out to inquire about a letter they’d received seeking personal information and alleging it to be a tax benefit. The former Mayor was concerned it might be a scam aimed at seniors.

When we investigated the situation, we were able to confirm that what it actually involved was a tax break that seniors can get for the AUSD’s latest parcel tax. It is completely legitimate and a benefit to certain seniors. Per the terms of Measure A, the District is required each year to send a letter offering seniors the ability to get a waiver for the parcel tax. Here is more information on the tax and the process for getting a waiver: Measure A Parcel Tax Information & Exemption Applications –Local Funding / Parcel Tax – Arcadia USD.

ANNUAL COYOTE REPORT AVAILABLE

Below is the year-end summary of our Neighborhood Coyote Program for 2025, held in partnership with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. For 2025, we had 70 reports submitted and a total of 86 coyote sightings in Arcadia. A summary of the reports and our community outreach is included in the attached document. Overall, 2025 data is showing a 12.5% decline in coyote reports and a 35% decrease in coyote sightings, compared to 2024. Data for 2025 continues the downward trend of less sightings and less reporting, which could be driven by a variety of factors. One thing of note is that this year was the first year we had a Level 4 Report. It is likely an outlier, but we will keep an eye on things there. That being said, the severity of incidents is generally trending downward, which is great.

RACING AT SANTA ANITA GOING STRONG

The following is a press release sent out by Santa Anita Park about their winter meet. It’s been going well despite the weather complications over the past few months.

ARCADIA, CA (March 10, 2026)— Strong gains in on-track attendance and on-track handle have continued at Santa Anita as the Southern California track heads into the final four weeks of its Classic Meet.

On-track attendance is up over 11% from last season, hosting more than 230,000 visitors

through last weekend. The on-track handle, which is important as the track retains a larger

percentage of those dollars bet at Santa Anita to support purses and the overall racing product, has grown more than 2% from last year, which was up substantially from the 2023-24 season. The average handle per race also has risen from last year.

This past Saturday’s 11-race Santa Anita Handicap Day program saw the largest Big ‘Cap crowd in attendance since 2019, with 19,122 on hand to enjoy the wind-swept day. The total handle on Big ‘Cap Day was nearly $15 million, with the on-track handle increasing more than 11% over the 2025 edition. Sunday saw another strong on-track attendance increase, bringing the total crowd for the weekend to nearly 27,000.

Fans, horsemen and women and horseplayers have continued to support the on-track experience since the season began when rain delayed the traditional Dec. 26 opener 48 hours. A crowd of 41,962 – the largest Sunday opening day crowd since 1999 – were on hand to begin the track’s 91st year.

The Santa Anita Park Classic Meet continues through Sunday, April 5, and includes the

prestigious Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, April 4. The Santa Anita Park Hollywood Meet opens on Friday, April 17, with live racing through Sunday, June 14.