In his last official regular meeting of the City Council as Mayor and on the City Council, Gary Kovacic oversaw a rather simple a low-key vote on an otherwise major milestone for Arcadia — unanimous City Council approval of an update of the residential zoning code that will limit the size of homes that can be built in the city.
“Tuesday’s night’s unanimous vote on the Residential Zoning Code Update was an exciting and positive conclusion to a long, and often contentious, process,” Kovacic said in a media statement. “The regulations adopted are fair, balanced, and equitable, and will greatly enhance Arcadia’s quality of life and sense of community. The process included substantial public and professional input, and I really appreciate the participation and perspectives offered by the many Arcadians who voiced their opinions throughout this notable chapter in the life of our community.”
A vote was actually taken on this matter on April 5 when it was approved by a 3-2 vote. In accordance with State Law, revisions to an ordinance must come before the City Council for a second public reading. This time at the request of Council member Sho Tay the revised ordinance included clarifying wording to note that homes already proposed for development under the former ordinance will be grandfathered in to continue under those guidelines and approvals processes. On Tuesday the previous dissenters — Council Members Tay and Roger Chandler — voted in favor of the ordinance revision, which officially goes into effect on May 20.
The result is an average allowable home size of about six percent less than at present on a 20,000 square-foot lot with a 7,800 sf home, for example, or an average of 468 square feet smaller. (It was nearly a unanimous vote on April 5 until Kovacic and Council Member Tom Beck successfully convinced a conflicted Council Member Mickey Segal to go along “as a compromise” with a last-minute revision to allow for double-counting of “interior volume” space towards the overall square footage where ceiling heights are more than 14-feet in height, sparking Council Members Tay and Chandler to vote against it that night.)
The City of Arcadia put out a statement today, Thursday, April 19, noting that:
The unanimous vote (on Tuesday, April 19) comes after two years of research, numerous community meetings and discussions, and well‐researched recommendations from a citizen committee, the Planning Commission and the City Council. “This is a very exciting time because we know that residential zoning standards have been a discussion in the community for 30 years. We hope that the new ordinance will shape the community for the next 30 years,” said City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto. “The new code responds to the issues raised by the residents and represents all view points in the community.” An update to single‐family residential zoning regulations was first authorized by the City Council in June 2014 in response to growing concerns about the size of new homes being built in the community, their relation to nearby residences, and cohesiveness within neighborhoods. In the process of starting a Zoning Code Update, the City was resolute in making sure all of the different voices in the community were heard and considered. Through a series of public community meetings held in 2015, the City gathered feedback, suggestions, and comments that were relayed to the Zoning Review Committee, an advisory group of resident stakeholders specially chosen for their diverse background and wide‐ranging viewpoints. In all, the Zoning Review Committee met for three‐and‐a‐half days to develop a set of recommendations. The suggested amendments then moved on the Planning Commission where a few additional revisions were submitted before being presented to the City Council for final approval and adoption.
The Residential Zoning Code Update addressed seven major topics: setbacks, height, basements, parking, hillside standards, floor area ratio (FAR), and hedges/landscaping in front yards. The most notable change to the current zoning standards was the creation of a floor area ratio, which establishes the percentage of land a home may occupy based on the size of its lot. Although a longstanding regulation in neighboring cities, Arcadia had previously not established such a standard. With the new zoning regulations in place, the four adopted floor area ratios are more consistent with similar cities, and maximum home sizes will vary by neighborhood and property size to ensure compatibility while still enhancing home values. The specific recommendations approved by the City Council, as well as additional information on public outreach, community survey results and publications, can be found under the news section on the City website www.ArcadiaCA.gov.
It’s unclear whether newly-elected City Council member April Verlato will continue her support of a far more restrictive pending ballot measure regarding the size of new homes. Two of the three Council members who initially voted in favor of the revised zoning code on April 5 — Mayor Gary Kovacic and Council Member Mickey Segal — are leaving the Council later this month. Newly-elected former Mayor Peter Amundson is known to be supportive of more controls on house sizes as well.
— By Scott Hettrick