Property Owners to Vote on Community Benefit District to Spruce Up Downtown

The Arcadia City Council voted last week to send out ballots to local property owners to determine if a community benefit district should be established in an effort to revitalize the city's downtown.

The city has worked with a consultant for the last year to develop a plan to create the Downtown Community Benefit District and the idea has gained enough traction to be voted on by downtown businesses. The district is designed to spruce up downtown by providing public relations and marketing support, holiday decorations, sidewalk and gutter cleaning and other beautification services, according to a city staff report.

Local attorney April Verlato, who has an office on Huntington Drive, spoke in support of the district at last week's regular council meeting.

"I’m excited to see that there’s a prospect of improving and revitalizing the area," Verlato said. "I think that having a community benefit district would give a competitive edge to the downtown business district."

The budget for the first year of the district—amounting to more than $117,000—would be raised through a property assessment on participating businesses. Those assessments are based on the linear frontage and square footage of businesses.

The boundaries of the district would be Santa Anita Avenue to the west, Second Avenue to the east, St. Joseph Street to the north and California Street to the south, encompassing 12 city blocks and 108 parcels.

Property owners will have 45 days to cast their ballots, and votes will be counted on Aug. 6.