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Arcadia Developer Hungry for Change
Arcadia Weekly Apr 09, 2010
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Nunez wants to derail Tuesday's Election
On April 4th, Easter Sunday, local real estate developer Henry Nunez officially began a hunger strike which he intends to continue until all polls are closed in the Arcadia City Council election, to be held next Tuesday, April 13. By way of this drastic, highly publicized move, Nunez is hoping to convey his distaste with the incumbent or previously elected council members running for re-election, particularly former Mayor Bob Harbicht.
“You’ve had your turn. It’s time to let in the new blood!” Nunez said, referring to Harbicht and candidate Mickey Segal, in front of reporters and community members who had gathered for a press conference held Tuesday April 6 at the intersection of First and Santa Clara Avenues, site of Arcadia’s future Gold Line station.
Nunez takes particular issue with Mr. Harbicht because of what he calls his “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude displayed throughout the campaign.
Nunez has said he believes that this approach to the governance of Arcadia is lacking in pro-active vision for the future development of Arcadia. The station yard at First and Santa Clara offered the perfect setting for Nunez’s press conference, as he believes that a lack of planning and development in this particular area is leaving Arcadia far behind the likes of other cities along the coming Foothill Extension railway. Most notable of those would be Monrovia who has undertaken a number of new developments in anticipation of the Gold Line’s arrival, and even donated a swath of land to the MTA for use as a maintenance yard, something that was a sticking point for MTA board members during early negotiations.
Another particular point of contention between Nunez and Harbicht is the future building and density practices of in the City of Arcadia. Nunez was part of a citizen’s advisory commission that met to discuss what they believed should be the limits on and expectations for development within the city. Harbicht told that commission that he wanted to maintain the height limits on downtown buildings as they currently are set. Nunez disagrees with this strongly, favoring more development in the downtown area and the area surrounding the coming Gold Line station.
As of Wednesday, Mr. Nunez had been subsisting on nothing but water, coffee, Mountain Dew and an energy rink concoction prepared for him by a citizen supporting his cause.
Mr. Nunez said that his doctor was very unhappy with his decision to undertake the hunger strike, but that he was staying in contact in order to monitor his health conditions. Nunez intends to continue his strike until all the polls close in Arcadia on Tuesday night.
