Arcadia : Residents’ Fee Overturned

The City Council voted unanimously last week to stop requiring residents to pay fees for access to Arcadia Wilderness Preserve on weekends, but non-residents will still be charged.

In September, council members voted to close the park to people without reservations, citing complaints from neighbors that the foothill park was overrun by outsiders and was developing a crime problem. Critics accused the council of being elitist and racist.

The Nov. 2 vote reversed a decision in September to charge a $10 fee for small groups of residents to use the park’s picnic areas on weekends. A $15 fee for non-residents will continue, city officials said.

Residents must still pay $50 to use a large sheltered area with cooking facilities and seating for 75, officials said. Non-residents pay $75 for the facilities.