ARCADIA: The City Council gave unanimous final...

ARCADIA: The City Council gave unanimous final approval to a $4.1-million make-over this summer for the city’s downtown area. The project, known as Downtown 2000, stretches along Huntington Drive between Santa Street and 5th Avenue and 1st Avenue between California and Wheeler streets. The council approved final designs for lighting, seating and landscaping. The project is scheduled to be completed between June and autumn, when Santa Anita Park’s racing season begins, city officials said.

IRWINDALE: The City Council voted to change the date of municipal elections to the Tuesday after the first Monday in March of odd-numbered years. Elections had previously been on the second Tuesday in April of even-numbered years. As a result, current council members will have an extra 11 months in their terms.

MONROVIA: The City Council unanimously approved construction of a CompUSA and Office Depot on 4 1/2 acres next to the Foothill (210) Freeway, land owned by World Vision. The council, with Mayor Robert Bartlett absent, rejected an appeal of a planning commission decision that authorized a conditional use permit for the project. To make way for the stores and 217-space parking lot, apartments for low-income residents will be knocked down.

MONTEREY PARK: A residents group has begun a petition drive to qualify an initiative maintaining the city’s ban on billboards. Members of the group, Residents Against Billboards, say their efforts are a response to plans by Regency Outdoor Advertising Inc. to place large billboards along the city’s freeways by having the City Council overturn a 5-year-old billboard ban. A council majority has already voted to have staff negotiate an agreement with the firm. The group must gather 3,500 signatures, representing 15% of registered voters.

TEMPLE CITY: The City Council passed an ordinance that would allow administrative approval of conditional use permits for drive-in businesses, restaurants and service stations, in place of public hearings. Applicants can now obtain approval from the community development director, who will then send notices to neighboring property owners. If any object, they can appeal the decision to the planning commission and, if necessary, to the council.