The Local Government Commission (LGC) is a local non-profit organization that, among other things, advises local officials and staff, gives presentations and offers conference planning services that support education on various issues that confront local government in California. This week, LGC Executive Director Kate Meis wrote on the LGC web site about how local governments can deal with the…

In a Los Angeles Times column today, entitled "Dying Malls Offer a Chance to Build Something Better", Steve Lopez spoke of the opportunities presented by repurposed shopping malls that offer more than retail and can attract people who don’t even go there to shop. The traditional approach for retail shopping is focused on attracting and maintaining retail tenants. The Times article noted the…

June 24, 2017

On June 22nd at 7:00pm in the Arden Dimick library the Arden Arcade Community Planniing Advisory Council (CPAC) will consider the proposal by the development firm of Merlone Geier to spruce up the Petsmart/Smart&Final/RiteAid shopping center at Arden and Watt. Following a firestorm of public outcry, the proposal has been revised since the CPAC workshop held in April. The changes are not well-…

The Sacramento Business Journal today featured an article on the proposal by developer Paul Petrovich for a shopping center at the SW corner of Howe and Fair Oaks Blvd. Petrovich's "The Boulevard" is billed as a site located at the intersection of two major streets -- one of which crosses the American River -- and amidst thousands upon thousands of people and close by many people who are well-off…

Cross-posted from Nextdoor.com: "Important Community Meeting About (2) Proposed 24-hour drive-thru restaurants (Arden Way/Watt Ave.) PLEASE COME to learn more about the development proposed for the shopping center at the Arden Way and Watt Avenue intersection across from Arden School. The purpose of this meeting is share information and gain community focus. We will discuss the variances requested…

The Merlone Geier speculative shopping center project will be presented at the Arden Arcade Community Planning Advisory Council (CPAC) meeting on 4/27 at 6:30pm at the Arden Dimick Library at Watt & Northrup. From the agenda, it appears nothing in the proposal has changed. Was it delayed in the hope that opposition would go away? The proposal was the subject of our 3/26/17 post "Are we guided by…

Next week (3/23/2017) the Arden Arcade Community Planning Advisory Council (CPAC) holds its regular monthly meeting at the Arden Dimick library. One of the projects on its agenda is particularly interesting because it just screams "urban planning failure". The project, on the agenda as "PLNP2016-00454 Pine Time Extension" is a request to extend for 5 years the time for a developer pipe-dream…

McKinley Village is a new 336-unit infill residential development in the City of Sacramento on 50 acres of land. It offers a variety of owner-occupied single-family residences and condos. There are 6-plex townhomes, zero-lot-line houses with alley-served garages, clustered homes with shared driveways and even a few traditional homes on regular lots. The prices (not counting upgrades) range from $…

September 7, 2016

Time and again Arden Arcade is told to be thankful to get something instead of nothing. So it always grates when it turns out that other communities get better solutions because the local governing body cared. Here's the latest example: The City of Rancho Cordova has proudly announced the opening of Mather Veterans Village. It's a low-income housing project that targets homeless and disabled…

July 10, 2016

A new Quick Quack car wash is about to open on Watt Avenue south of Arden Way. Quick Quack's own web site says this new one, in "Arden Park" will be its 11th location in the region (http://www.dontdrivedirty.com/location_california.php). Let's compare it with one of the other ones. Please look at the two photos below and ask yourself which one looks better, which one seems to fit better in the…

The Fountains shopping center in Roseville is popular and does well. It has an attractive design, with lots of "people places". The stores are nothing special. They are like the ones found locally. But every time people in Arden Arcade ask when this style of shopping center will be built here we are told to "forget it, it will never work". Why is that?

November 30, 2015

October 21, 2015
The Cinemark Theaters are showing "The Martian", which is a terrific movie that's well worth seeing on a big screen. If you go see it now you will find the remaining theaters in the midst of a construction zone. Much of the main parking lot off Ethan is being graded for the new "big box" theater that will replace the iconic mid-century modern domes. Most people in the region are…

September 15, 2015

June 5, 2015

June 5, 2015