Arcadia Croons Caruso's Tune

After winding it's way through the various commissions and a pair of extended city council meetings (and who knows how many secret negotiations in the belly of the Masonic lodge), Rick Caruso's uber-development at Santa Anita has the go-ahead (Cara Mia diMassa, LAT). Assuming Westfield, the mall currently next to the track, gets the green light for its own expansion, the whole area could see an increase of nearly 2 million square feet of new retail space and commercial space.

The process generated no small amount of acrimony, with Westfield throwing money behind Arcadia First! and Caruso sweetening the pot by larding on a performing arts space and offices for various city agencies. The opposition did have one minor success; the 98,000 sqaure foot "racinco" got axed from the project. But the rest of the MagnaMall judggernaut proved unstoppable.

That isn't to say that the council wasn't worried about some of the issues raised by protesters. They were ready to grill mall backers on the parking crisis they foresaw and the gridlock that would plauge the streets if the new development went through. Oops, that was Westfield. Regardless, the councilmembers aren't going to let those issues be overlooked. They're taking a stand against the parking problems, by hiring more people to cite your...car.

That's right, apparently the way to solve the continuing parking crisis is just to hand out more citations to folks who make the mistake of parking, without a permit, outside their home from three to six in the morning (Proctor, they need you in Arcadia!). Brilliant. See Mary Gurton in the SGVT for the details on the plan.

Parking and traffic aside, pro-Caruso Arcadians shouldn't get too warm and fuzzy. Since his charismatic speech to the council several weeks ago, he seems to have fallen in love with a new locale. Word has it he spent last week charming the citizens of Miramar, much as he once made Arcadia matrons swoon at the sound of his baritone (you can't miss the Santa Barbara Independent's fawning coverage).

Drop a line in the comments if you've got any further insight into the new projects or Caruso's infidelity.