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Cerritos, California
 
Cerritos city seal
City nicknames: "The Geographic Center of Southern California"
"The Freeway City" County: Los Angeles County, California Mayor: Paul W. Bowlen (re-elected 2003) Mayor Pro Tem: Laura Lee (elected 2003) City Council: Jim Edwards (elected 2005)
Gloria A. Kappe (re-elected 2003)
John F. Crawley (re-elected 2005) Mottos: "A City With Vision"
"Progress Through Commitment"
"A History In Progress"
"A Prestige Address" Area:
- Land
- Water 8.9 sq. miles / 23 km²
8.6 sq. miles / 22.3 km²
0.3 sq. miles / 0.7 km² Elevation: 34 feet above sea level Population:
- Total (2000)
- Density:
51,488
5,987/mi² Time zone:
- summer (DST) PST: (UTC-8)
PDT (UTC-7) Latitude:
Longitude: 33°51' N
118°5' W City of Cerritos Official website

Cerritos is a planned suburb of Los Angeles County, California, United States on the American west coast, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. The current OMB metropolitan designation for Cerritos is “Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA" but is also adjacent to the Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine OMB designated metropolitan area. According to the California Department of Finance, as of 2005, the City population was 55,074 *. The area code for Cerritos is 562.

History

The area around what is known today as the City of Cerritos was originally inhabited by Native Americans belonging to the Tongva (or "People of the Earth") tribe. Later, the Tongva would be renamed the "Gabrielenos" by the Spanish settlers after the nearby Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. The Gabrielenos were the largest group of Southern California Indians as well as the most developed in the region (Eftychiou 11). The Gabrielenos lived off the land, deriving food from the animals or plants that could be gathered, snared, or hunted, and grinding acorns as a staple (Eftychiou 12).

Beginning in the late 1400s, Spanish explorers arrived in the New World and worked their way to the American west coast with an intent to set up colonies and commercial trade routes to Asia. The colonization process included "civilizing" the native populations in California by means of establishing various missions. On September 8, 1771, Mission San Gabriel Arcangel was established as the fourth mission in California and the one with the most direct effect in the region. Shortly afterwards, a town called El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula (Los Angeles today) would be found and prosper with the aid of Mexican and Native American labor (Eftychiou 18).

Spanish soldiers later petitioned the Spanish crown for additional land to be used for cattle grazing. One soldier, Jose Manuel Perez Nieto, was granted a large plot of land which he named Rancho Los Nietos. It covered 300,000 acres of what are today the cities of Cerritos, Long Beach, Lakewood, Downey, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, part of Whittier, Huntington Beach, Buena Park, and Garden Grove (Eftychiou 19).

California would eventually be under Mexican rule in 1822 and the Nieto family would come to own the rancho exclusively. Trade flourished under the new ranchos and families living on them eventually began living an increasingly comfortable life. The ranchos were eventually divided five ways among Nieto's heirs during the nationalization of church property by the Mexican government, with Juan Jose Nieto retaining the largest plot called Rancho Los Coyotes. Nieto called the area of Rancho Los Coyotes where Cerritos is located today "Sierritos" or "little hills" although no natural hills exist in modern-day Cerritos.

The rancho would change hands several times before and after the United States annexed California, and would eventually wind up in the hands of the Los Angeles and San Bernardino Land Company which encouraged development and rail lines to be built by Henry E. Huntington and his Pacific Electric Railway company. It is through rapid development combined with improved transportation systems that formed the modern-day city of Artesia in Rancho Los Coyotes in 1875, and from it, the city of Dairy Valley.

The city known today as Cerritos was incorporated on April 24, 1956 originally as the City of Dairy Valley, its name symbolizing the more than 400 dairies, 100,000 cows and 106,300 chickens found within its limits. The cows outnumbered the City's 3,439 residents by 29 to one. At its peak, the City produced more dairy than any other place in the nation, surpassing even the entire state of Wisconsin.

Two years later, Dairy Valley voted to become a chartered California city. As land values and property taxes in California rose in the early 1960s, agriculture became increasingly unprofitable in southern Los Angeles County, and development pressures increased dramatically. In a special election held on July 16, 1963, residents voted to permit large-scale residential development. As a reflection of its newly suburban orientation, the City's name formally changed to "Cerritos" on January 10, 1967, after the nearby Spanish land grant Rancho Los Cerritos, which figured prominently in the region before California became a state. The name "Cerritos" is Spanish for "Little Hills."

Cerritos is a prime example of the "fiscalization" of California politics after the tax revolt of the 1970s and the passage of Proposition 13. With property tax increases effectively banned by Prop. 13, and most citizens already feeling that their income taxes and payroll taxes were too high, the only way for California cities to raise long-term tax revenue was to create as many commercial zones as possible to take advantage of the percentage of county sales tax allocated back to municipalities. This means that one cent of every taxable dollar exchanged in Cerritos (taxed at a rate of 8.25%) would go back to the City in the form of sales tax revenue. Cerritos was one of the first cities in Los Angeles County to develop large-scale retail zones and achieved stunning success. Crucial to this strategy was the development of the Cerritos Auto Square, the world's largest auto mall, which generates more than $10 million in annual sales tax revenue today. The sudden large influx of tax revenue fundamentally changed the mentality of the local leaders and many of its residents. Sales tax revenue is the lifeblood of the City and thus guides strict policies that protect against any compromise to this vital source of income.

Since emerging as an agricultural community in the first half of the 20th century, the current progressive nature of the Cerritos government and the unusually strong tax-base is best reflected in its facilities. In 1978, Cerritos dedicated the nation's first solar-heated City Hall complex. In 1993, the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts opened its doors, attracting patrons throughout the state. In 1994, the City unveiled the Cerritos Towne Center project that combines office, retail, lodging, fine arts and dining in an open-air location. In 1997, the City opened the Cerritos Sheriff's Station/Community Safety Center to provide public safety services. In 2002, the City rededicated its public library. The assessed valuation of the City of Cerritos is nearing the $6 billion ($6,000,000,000) mark. *

Between 1970 and 1972, Cerritos was the fastest growing city in California. * The population exploded from 16,000 to 38,000. Since the 1980s, Cerritos has attracted a large number of middle- and upper-middle-class Filipino, Korean and Chinese immigrant families, making it the city with the second largest Asian/Asian-American population in the nation (after Monterey Park, California). The "A-B-C" (Artesia-Bellflower-Cerritos) region, as well as the neighboring cities of Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Lakewood, Long Beach, Norwalk and Signal Hill, are considered one of the most ethnically diverse and rapidly growing areas in the world. According to a study by CSU Northridge, Cerritos was named the most ethnically diverse city of its size.

On August 31, 1986, Aeromexico Flight 498 on approach to Los Angeles International Airport collided with a small Piper aircraft over Cerritos. Eighty-two people died, including 15 people on the ground. Four houses were initially flattened when the DC-9 fell backwards out of the sky, and then eight more were destroyed by the subsequent fire before firefighters could bring it under control. The incident is memorialized in a new sculpture installed in the City's Sculpture Garden.

With large capital projects, memorials, and art programs, the theme of the Cerritos Millennium Library, "Honoring The Past - Imagining The Future," aptly describes the philosophy of the Cerritos experience of today.

Government

Cerritos operates under a Council/Manager form of government, established by the Charter of the City of Cerritos in 1958. The five-member City Council acts as the City's chief policy-making body and as members of the Cerritos Redevelopment Agency.

City Council

Since 1997, elections to the City Council have been held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in March of every odd numbered year. Prior to 1997, elections were held on the third Tuesday in April of every even numbered year. In making the transition, the elections that would have been held in April of 1996 were postponed to March of 1997 (giving the 5 members serving at the time an extra 11 months of service). The Council members are elected by Cerritos voters to serve four-year, overlapping terms (3 council members are elected in the year prior to a presidential election and 2 council members are elected 4 months after a presidential election). Council members who serve two consecutive four-year terms are not eligible, for a period of two years, to seek reelection or be appointed to the Cerritos City Council. The Mayor, selected by the Council, is its presiding officer and serves a one-year term. In the Mayor's absence the Mayor Pro Tempore assumes his or her responsibilities.

The City Council is directly responsible for the employment of only three individuals: the City Manager, Clerk/Treasurer, and the City Attorney. The first two are considered employees of the City, and the latter is considered an outside contractor. *

  • The City Manager ensures the City's policies are implemented and oversees the City's five departments: Administrative Services, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Community Development, Community & Safety Services and Public Works. With the exception of the three individuals positions mentioned above, the City Manager has ultimate oversight responsibility over all city employees.
    The current City Manager is Art Gallucci. Having served since 1990, he has been the longest serving City Manager for the City of Cerritos.
  • The City Clerk/Treasurer is the Election Official, custodian of the City's records and serves as Clerk of the Council. The treasurer's responsibilities include disbursing all checks written by the City.
    The current City Clerk is Josephine Triggs.
  • The City Attorney's responsibilities include representing and advising the City on all legal matters.
    The current City Attorney is Anthony Canzoneri.

Advisory boards, made up of individuals appointed by the Council, provide guidance in determining how to meet the City's needs and include the following: Economic Development Commission, Fine Arts and Historical Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, Property Preservation Commission, Community Safety Committee, Let Freedom Ring Committee, and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts Board of Directors. Commissions and the Performing Arts Board of Directors are composed of 5 commissioners (one commissioner appointed by each council member). Committees are composed of 10 committee members (two members appointed by each council member). Individuals serving on the City's commissions and committees are not considered employees, and must be residents of the City.

Scandal and Corruption

While Cerritos city politics has usually been free of corruption, there have been exceptions. Former councilmember Grace Hu voted on a senior housing project, which directly benefitted her financially (under law, she must have recused herself from the vote). She tried to hide her association with the project, by having an outside escrow agency get paid by the city, and then pay her escrow agency subcontracting fees. Hu eventually reached a settlement with California's Department of Corporations whereby she agreed to pay a $40,000 fine and relinquish control of her escrow agency for one year.

Cerritos Redevelopment Agency

The Cerritos Redevelopment Agency was established on November 19, 1970. The Redevelopment Agency's primary purpose is to promote sound new community development and prepare and execute plans designed to address blighted areas within the City.

The Cerritos Redevelopment Agency has two project areas: the Los Cerritos Project Area, and the Los Coyotes Project Area. *

  Los Cerritos
Project Area 		Los Coyotes
Project Area
Area (acres) 940 1,600
Location within the citywestern halfeastern half
Expiration May 2016 May 2016

Sheriff/Community Safety

The Cerritos Sheriff's Station/Community Safety Center provides safety services to Cerritos residents around the clock. Located in the Civic Center, the Station houses the City's Community Safety Division and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department personnel. The station was constructed by a referendum in 1996, and inaugurated in 1997.

In 2004, an extension of the Cerritos Sheriff * opened in the Los Cerritos Center mall in order to increase a visible presence at the shopping destination.

There are also two firefighter stations located at both the east and west ends of town. The fire stations are operated by the County of Los Angeles under contract with the City.

Geography

Cerritos is located at (33.868314, -118.067547).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the City has a total area of 23.0 km² (8.9 mi²). 22.3 km² (8.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (3.04%) is water.

Cerritos lies along the Los Angeles County and Orange County border. The cities bordering Cerritos on the Los Angeles County side include Artesia in the center, Bellflower, La Mirada, Lakewood, Norwalk, and Santa Fe Springs. Buena Park and La Palma border the City on the Orange County side. Other cities in the region include Cypress in Orange County, and Hawaiian Gardens, Long Beach, and Signal Hill in Los Angeles County.

The former postal ZIP code of Cerritos was 90701 and was shared with the City of Artesia; however, it was later changed to an exclusive 90703 as a result of the increasing number of new addresses in the City during the mid-1990s.

There were talks of merging Cerritos and Artesia in the late 1960s to create one larger Cerritos. Both city councils were in favor of the merger, but when 69% of the Artesia voters cast their ballots, 1,362 voted "no" and only 1,140 voted "yes." Many Artesians feared being part of a newer community and losing their historic identity. Others worried that their established homes would be overrun by the Cerritos Redevelopment Agency.

Climate

The average temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 °C). *

The City of Cerritos, as well as most of Southern California, has a Mediterranean climate. The name derives from its similarity to the climate of areas along the Mediterranean Sea, which supports much of the same natural vegetation. Only three other areas of the world share these characteristics: the Southern tip of Africa, Central Chile, and parts of Southern and Southwestern Australia. Summers are warm to hot, and winters are cool, rarely falling below freezing. Precipitation in Cerritos occurs predominantly during the winter months.

Even within Southern California, Cerritos has a unique climate pattern: "semi-marine". The fog that typically covers the beach cities rarely reaches Cerritos, but the breeze that comes along the San Gabriel River from the Pacific Ocean has a significant cooling effect. Cerritos is rarely affected by the smog, Santa Ana winds, and smothering heat of the Los Angeles Basin. *

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 51,488 people, 15,390 households, and 13,650 families residing in the City. The population density is 2,306.2/km² (5,974.0/mi²). There are 15,607 housing units at an average density of 699.1/km² (1,810.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the City is 26.90% White, 6.67% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 58.44% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 3.75% from other races, and 3.78% from two or more races. Approximately 10.39% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 15,390 households out of which 40.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.9% are married couples living together, 10.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 11.3% are non-families. Nearly 8.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 3.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.34 and the average family size is 3.54.

In the City, the population is spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the City is $73,030, and the median income for a family is $76,944. Males have a median income of $50,103 versus $37,421 for females. The per capita income for the City is $25,249. About 5.0% of the population and 4.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 5.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

According to a study by Applied Development Economics in early 2006, the average annual income of a household is $87,700 (approx. 15,900 total households as of 2006).

Economy

Employment within the City of Cerritos is primarily located in two districts, Los Cerritos Center and Cerritos Industrial Park. Businesses found in the Industrial Park provide jobs in light manufacturing and assembly of electronic and automotive parts, among other things. United Parcel Service, the City's largest employer with a staff of 6,000, is located in the Industrial Park. * Los Cerritos Center provides for more than 2,500 full and part-time positions and the Cerritos Auto Square employs 1,900 people. Retail and industrial trades are responsible for the City's $2.6 billion taxable retail sales and the $6 billion assessed property valuation.

Other companies that have headquarters in Cerritos include: Delta Dental, Bunn Corporation, Xerox Corporation, Advanced Data Processing (ADP), Cingular Wireless, Izusu, and Memorex.

According to the California State Board of Equalization, Cerritos residents are the second highest retail spenders in California (second to Beverly Hills) averaging $36,544 per resident. Applied Development Economics, in a presentation for the Cerritos Economic Commission on February 14, 2006 states that total annual household spending on retail is about $365 million a year with new car dealerships, grocery stores, department stores, service stations and eating places having the strongest demands. *

The City of Cerritos is a long-standing center for regional retail uses. In a business survey conducted by Applied Development Economics in February 2006, retailers reported their customer base. The results of the regional market capture of total retail sales in Cerritos is broken down to: 25 percent of retail sales accounted for by residents from other parts of Southern California, about 21.9 percent accounted for by Cerritos residents, commuters make up 18 percent, neighboring communities contribute about 16 percent of the total retail sales, 13 percent from business to business/employee transactions, residents from Orange County constitute 10 percent, 5 percent from households from outside of Southern California, mainly to purchase vehicles from the Auto Square.

Cerritos Auto Square

The Cerritos Auto Square is a planned motorcar retail mall combining all auto dealers within the City into one, large three-block center accessible through two freeways.

During 1979, the Cerritos Redevelopment Agency worked on the improvement of Studebaker Road, and in October S & J Chevrolet broke ground for the first auto dealership in the Cerritos auto mall, directly west of the 605 Freeway, between 183rd and South streets. In 1988, the Los Cerritos Redevelopment Agency purchased the 8.5 acres from the General Telephone Company and spent $1.2 million for road improvements, landscaped medians and parkways, rocky waterfalls, and decorative street lights. The site was soon the new home of Moothart Chrysler-Plymouth and Victory Pontiac-GMC. Eventually it would be joined by other dealerships in buildings that featured a distinctive "New Orleans" style. The Auto Square, the world's largest with 27 dealerships, provides the City with approximately $10 million a year in sales tax, and is the single largest source of revenue for Cerritos. In 2004, the Auto Square sold 52,856 automobiles, totaling over $1.2 billion in sales, or half of the total retail sales in the City.

It is interesting to note that due to existing California laws, BMW and Mercedes Benz cannot have an Auto Square location despite a high demand for such cars because an Auto Square location would make both dealers come within 10 miles of existing BMW/Mercedes Benz dealerships.

Current capital projects for the Auto Square include:

  1. The construction of a parking structure located on the grounds of the Power Toyota dealership
  2. The construction of a new Jaguar/Land Rover dealership adjacent to Valley Christian High School.

Los Cerritos Center

Since September 1971, the Los Cerritos Center has been an integral source of revenue. Prior to the arrival of the mall, shopping in Cerritos was centered around several neighborhood shops anchored by supermarkets. The total gross lease area is 1,288,245 square feet and is the City's second largest retail-revenue source, producing $485 per square foot ($368 million total) in sales a year. The tax revenue generated from the Los Cerritos Center totals to approximately $3.7 million a year.

Accessible by two major freeways (and close to Interstate 405, Highway 22 and Highway 105), constant population growth in surrounding communities, new management under the Macerich Company, and close proximity to the Cerritos Auto Square help explain the steady increase in popularity.

In 2004, 13 million shoppers visited the mega mall with December 23 marking the biggest day of the year with 96,956 visitors. The Los Cerritos Center attracts thousands of people a day and is the most financially successful mall in the Southeast Los Angeles region.

Cerritos Towne Center

On the site of the former "Golden Triangle" section in the middle of Cerritos, debate as to what to place in the final, large undeveloped parcel of land persisted through the 1970s and 1980s. Rejected plans for the area included: making it an upscale shopping center similar to Newport Beach's Fashion Island (upscale stores were on the decline at the time, however), a donut-shaped shopping mall (declined because it would rival the Los Cerritos Center), or a Polynesian cultural center complete with artificial ocean and erupting volcanoes (high costs, potentially polluting, and lack of public support stymied such a proposal).

The final and most acceptable decision was the Cerritos Towne Center, a power centre which combines offices,retail, *" target="_blank" >a 203-room Sheraton Hotel and more than one million square feet (93,000 m²) of office space. The retail portion of the project includes several anchors and specialty shops.[http://www.vestar.com/newsite/Assets/PropertyAssets/CerritosTC/Photos/p_97-046-01%20blockbuster%20mus.jpg The project is bounded by 183rd Street to the south, Bloomfield Avenue to the west, Shoemaker Avenue to the east, and the Artesia Freeway (Route 91) to the north. The Towne Center, including the Cerritos Center, generates revenue in excess of $200 million a year.

Capital projects in the Cerritos Towne Center for the 2005-2006 fiscal year include: 1) A parking structure to be added to an expanded cineplex, 2) the construction of two additonal anchors and 3) construction on a grand office building on the site of the current Farmer's Market. Upon completion, the office building will be the largest structure in the City.

Local Revenue

The two major sources of revenue for Cerritos are from retail sales tax and interest income from the City's General Fund. Revenue sources (FY 2005-2006) for the City of Cerritos is broken down to include *:
  • 37.2% from general fund taxes
    • Sales taxes
    • Business licenses
    • Documentary
    • Transient occupancy
  • 16.4% from use of money and property
    • Interest income
    • Commissions
    • Ground rent
    • General site improvements
    • Facility rental
  • 11.6% from fees from services
    • Trash collection
    • Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts box office
    • Recreation and registration fees
  • 8.5% from intergovernmental sources
    • Reimbursement from other agencies
    • Motor vehicles in lieu
    • Library grant
  • 14.6% proprietary
    • Water sales
    • Interest income
  • 7.3% from miscellaneous sources
  • 4.4% from special/restricted revenue sources
    • Gas tax
    • Proposition A and C funds

The Magnolia power project

In early 2001 the uncertainty regarding the statewide supply of electricity resulted from several factors, including record demand levels driven by economic growth; a relative lack of natural gas availability for electricity generation; reductions in available hydroelectric power supplies from the Pacific Northwest; the complexities of California's deregulation process of 1996, which resulted in limitations of retail rates without corresponding restrictions of wholesale costs; a frequent lack of generation capacity within the state; possible market manipulation; and ultimately unsuccessful business decisions made by the state's public utilities and outside suppliers. *

Although the State of California was able to negotiate contracts in an attempt to safeguard a reliable supply of power, these supplies were procured at very expensive rates. This short-term purchase has contributed to the State's budget problems in the early years of the 21st century.

This uncertain state of availability of electricity in California over the past five years prompted the City of Cerritos on February 13, 2003, in conjunction with the cities of Anaheim, Burbank, Colton, Glendale and Pasadena, to participate in the Magnolia Power Project, which authorized the construction of a 310-megawatt power plant in the City of Burbank. *

Operational since July 2005, the project delivers 10 megawatts to Cerritos, or 4% of the total output. The electricity generated from the plant powers public facilities, park lighting, traffic signals and water wells. The City plans on selling the excess power (approximately 5 megawatts) to public and/or private agencies. Southern California Edison continues to provide power to residents and businesses.

The Magnolia Power Plant provides a locally controlled, clean, reliable and lower-cost electricity resource for Cerritos and the other participating cities at a time when California continues to face long-term electricity supply uncertainty.

The operational costs of the power plant (amounting to $764,600 a year) is expected to be recovered by project revenues.

Transportation

The City of Cerritos owns a fleet of federally funded circulators known as the Cerritos On Wheels (or COW). The acronym, "COW," is a nostalgic tribute to the City's origins as Dairy Valley. For a fare of 50 cents, the COW provides access to points of interest. The COW also connects to the Long Beach Transit, Orange County Transportation Authority, Norwalk Transit or Los Angeles MTA Buses at overlapping stops on the border of the City. Wi-Fi Internet access is also accessible on the buses. The COW vans run on propane fuel, providing an environmentally sound alternative to conventional gasoline.

In conjuction with the COW, the City also provides a Dial-A-Ride service for its disabled and elderly commuters.

Cerritos is directly served by three major California freeways:

  • Highway 91 (The Artesia Freeway) cuts through the center of the City.
  • Interstate 605 (The San Gabriel River Freeway) runs along the west side between the Los Cerritos Center and Auto Square.
  • Interstate 5 (The Santa Ana Freeway) grazes Cerritos at the northeast border.

The major thoroughfares in Cerritos are Artesia Boulevard, Bloomfield Avenue, Carmenita Road, Del Amo Boulevard, Norwalk Boulevard, Pioneer Boulevard, Shoemaker Avenue, South Street, Studebaker Road, and Valley View Avenue.

The nearby Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach are major ports of entry from the Pacific Ocean for importing and exporting goods.

Airports that serve Cerritos include: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Ontario International Airport, and the Long Beach Municipal Airport.

Orangeline Maglev

The City of Cerritos is a member of the Orangeline Development Authority and a strong advocate for the creation of the 33-mile long Orangeline magnetic-levitation (maglev) rail line, which will connect Downtown Los Angeles and communities in Orange County along an abandoned Pacific Electric right of way. According to backers, the train would travel at maximum speeds exceeding 250 miles per hour and will stop at various points of interest throughout the Southland, however, the amount of stops planned for the route would mean that the top speed would be significantly less than the maximum capable speed. Backers claim a positive impact in reducing commute times and traffic in the exceedingly congested region, while opponents cite the cost and unproven technology in maglev compared to conventional transportation improvements like light rail and freeway expansion. Cerritos is a leader in the Orangeline Corridor Development Project in conjunction with 14 other Southern California cities.

Some funding for preliminary engineering and environmental studies for the Orangeline has been secured by local US Representatives in August of 2005. However, the project has received no funding plans for construction and no groundbreaking date has been set.

Arts and culture

The Cerritos Fine Arts and Historical Commission has an "Art in Public Places Program" where the City commissions artists to create sculptures and fountains to be displayed in public points of interest, commercial property, and gateways into the City. Local landmarks and public art pepper the cityscape, lending a distinct cultural identity to its residents.

Tournament of Roses parade

Since 2002, the City of Cerritos has participated in the Tournament of Roses Parade that is held every New Year's Day in Pasadena. The City's 2003 float entitled, "Learning Can Be Magical," was awarded the Judges' Special Trophy for Showmanship and Dramatic Impact. In 2004, the City entered a float entitled "Rhapsody in Blue" which was awarded the Craftsman Trophy. For its 2005 float, "Families Make a Community," it was awarded the Tournament Special Trophy for exceptional merit in multiple categories.

The City's 2006 Rose parade float celebrated the Tournament of Roses Parade theme of "It's Magical" with a float entitled "Magical Music Machine". The concept of the float salutes the wide variety of musical entertainment offered by the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in addition to commemorating the City's 50th anniversary. It was awarded the Animation Trophy for best animation and motion.

Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts

The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) features performances in music, magic, comedy, dance and drama. The centerpiece of the Cerritos Towne Center since 1993, the 154,000 square foot (14,300 m²) arts center is known to be a sophisticated theater. With movable seats, floors, ceilings and stage areas, the theater can transform into six distinctive seating configurations, ranging in capacity from 921 to 1,800 seats, ideal for dance, cabaret, theater, solo, jazz, classical and popular music events. The facility also houses three additional meeting and banquet areas.

The decision to build the CCPA originated before the City Council in 1984. The plan was to either create a large theater to rival the Long Beach Terrace, Orange County Center for the Performing Arts, and Los Angeles Music Center, or to build a modest community center and recital hall. Initial fears included having an audience of 300 people rattling around in an enormous white elephant, but once the decision was made to proceed with the construction of a world-class performing arts center, it received unamious backing from the City Council.

As construction on the CCPA continued through the late 1980s, the cost of the project more than doubled the original budgeted $17 million. This was mainly due to the addition of artwork and state-of-the-art seating, lighting, and versatile rooms. The City Council elected to have a broad venue for the CCPA's opening season.

Towards the end of construction in the early 1990s, the creation of the CCPA had reached over $40 million. The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts would serve as a cultural icon for people in the community and formally opened its doors on January 9, 1993 with a four-day gala performance by Frank Sinatra.

The CCPA collected four prestigious awards for design shortly after its opening and is named one of the top grossing theaters in its category in the United States.

Cerritos Museum

In an attempt to underscore the importance of life-long education, the City of Cerritos studied the feasibility of a world-class Cerritos Museum with an emphasis on civilization, history, science, technology and art in 2004. In association with the Smithsonian Institute, part of the exhibits will be rotating and seasonal, and at the same time, display a permanent City collection. It will be located near the same Civic Center as the Cerritos Millennium Library, Cerritos Towne Center, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Cerritos City Hall, Cerritos Sheriff Station, and Cerritos High School. The Museum will be architecturally similar in design as the adjacent Cerritos Millennium Library, namely in utilizing titanium.

In 2004, the State of California planned to issue a $15 billion deficit reduction bond sale and take one-quarter of cities' sales tax revenue to secure the bond payments in order to pay the State Debt. The State promised, but did not offer a constitutional guarantee, to pay back the funds with future property tax proceeds in a scheme called the "triple flip". Under the triple-flip, Cerritos would lose nearly $6.5 million annually in sales tax revenue to the State, which is equal to 8.6 percent of its operating budget.

Due to the uncertainty with the state's budget and its impact on the City, construction on the Cerritos Museum will commence FY 2006-2007.

Cerritos Millennium Library

In 1956, the original City Council of Dairy Valley made a promise to the 3,500 residents of the City that no local taxes would be levied upon them. The then-city manager recommended withdrawal from the Los Angeles County Public Library in order to save the residents about $20, and to build a municipal library instead.

The Cerritos Library originally opened to the public in September 17, 1973 with a "First Ladies" theme (in recognition of former First Lady Patricia Nixon's home in the community). Eight years later, the City made its first renovation to the library for $6.6 million. Twenty-one thousand square feet (2,000 m²) were added for $5.4 million, and the remaining $1.2 million was spent on furniture and equipment. The 1981 renovation also included a "knights and castles" themed children's library and a multipurpose room, which the local school district utilized to teach students about the local history of Cerritos.

In the late 1990s, Cerritos recognized the ever-changing innovation in information technology and the Internet and plans for a second renovation were approved. *

Library staff encouraged the involvement of the community, including local corporations like Verizon and Cingular, the ABC Unified School District, the State Library, Cerritos College and futurists. During the reconstruction, all materials were moved off site to temporary trailers in the parking lot of the Towne Center for two years. The second renovation and expansion was completed on March 16, 2002.

At the time of its rededication, the newly renamed Cerritos Millennium Library was the first building in North America to be coated in titanium panels (the design inspired from the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao). This $40 million library features an elaborate interior design, with themed reading rooms in a variety of Old World and ultramodern styles. A third floor was added to include several conference rooms and an outdoor terrace.

The library is the first "Experience Library" (inspired in part by the book, The Experience Economy (B. Joseph Pine et. al., Harvard Business School Press, 1999)) and welcomes 2.1 million visitors a year. The interior utilizes neon lighting, stainless steel, marble, wood, and glass. Computers for Web surfing and catalog access are scattered throughout the library.

The Cerritos Library currently holds a Smithsonian Affiliation. It has been awarded American Library Association/American Institute of Architects "Award of Excellence" back in 1989. It was also honored with Reader's Digest's 2004 Best Library Award.

Education

The majority of Cerritos is under the jurisdiction of the ABC Unified School District. In 1965, Artesia (founded in 1875), Bloomfield (founded in 1885), and Carmenita (founded in 1902) School Districts unified and became known as the ABC Unified School District.

There is a small portion on the west side of the City bounded by Palo Verde Avenue on the west, the San Gabriel River on the east, Artesia Boulevard on the north, and South Street on the south that is under the jurisdiction of the Bellflower Unified School District *.

Children in Cerritos attend a neighborhood elementary school before going onto a larger middle school or high school. The area is served by several high schools, one adult school, and one community college. Cerritos College is named after Rancho Los Cerritos, a ranch that served prominently in the region in the 19th century. The college serves as part of the inspiration for the renaming of the City from Dairy Valley to Cerritos.

Eighty-five percent of high school graduates go on to higher education. Ten percent of the total population has an associates degree, 26% get a bachelors degree, and 11% get an advanced degree.

Parks and Recreation

Cerritos Olympic Swim & Fitness Center

The Cerritos Olympic Swim & Fitness Center provides year-round, indoor recreational, instructional and competitive swimming. The Fitness Center offers a multi-max station, treadmills, stair climbers, lifecycles and locker room facilities.

The swim center underwent renovations in late November 2005 with pool recementing and skylighting updates.

The Swim Center was used by Olympians for swimming practices during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Cerritos Senior Center at Pat Nixon Park

The Cerritos Senior Center pays tribute to the late First Lady. Patricia Nixon, wife of the 37th President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, lived in Artesia. However, due to boundary changes, the site of her old home (the Senior Center) is now in Cerritos.

The City of Cerritos undertook this project in 1993 to create a state-of-the-art public facility dedicated to its seniors, age 50 or older, with social events, services and life enriching programs. The Senior Center also provides intergenerational activities, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and a variety of club opportunities. The Senior Center also hosts an annual citywide Holiday Boutique, a Senior Health Fair, Grandparents Week and Monte Carlo Night.

The Senior Center dedicated a new and expanded fitness and wellness facility on March 11, 2006 significantly expanding the center's area.

Cerritos Sculpture Garden

The Cerritos Sculpture Garden was dedicated on March 11, 2006 and included a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by representatives from as far as Cerritos' Sister City, Loreto, Baja California Sur. It is located to the west of the Sheriff/Community Safety Center in the Civic Center and was designed to house approximately 20 sculptures to be phased in over the coming years. At the time of the dedication ceremony, only three sculptures were in place. The layout of the garden was made to be able to accommodate future sculpture installations and is to designed to have lush landscaping *.

Neighborhood parks

Cerritos has 18 neighborhood parks located adjacent to most of the housing stock.

The 18 neighborhood parks include:

Community Parks

Cerritos Park East (CPE) is the "central park" of the City. The Olympic Swim and Fitness Center is located on the grounds of CPE. Funds have been set aside for the construction of a rubberized jogging track for the park in the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Heritage Park, a community park in the center of the City, pays tribute to Revolutionary America and the founding of the country. It had a grand re-opening to the public in 2002 complete with a refurbished colonial themed play island and moat.

Liberty Park, another community park in the western part of town, underwent massive renovation and reopened to the public in February 2005 and features an updated community center, fitness center, rubberized jogging track, and children's playground. Camp Liberty, a children's amphitheater located within Liberty Park, is slated to be renovated during the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Cerritos Regional Park houses the Cerritos Sports Complex, the skate park, and outdoor swimming pools. The unique characteristic is an artificial lake complete with sporting fish. Los Angeles County maintains 75 percent of Regional Park and Cerritos oversees the remaining 25 percent.

Iron-Wood Nine is the local executive golf course. The driving range is lighted and offers the option of hitting off grass or mats. The course also rents out clubs and hand carts.

Public gymnasiums

Organized sports and activities are available at two community gymnasiums, built through the cooperation of the City of Cerritos and the ABC Unified School District. Each gym contains 2 full-size basketball courts, 2 volleyball courts, and 6 badminton courts. They are located on the Cerritos and Whitney high school campuses.

Capital Improvement Projects

About $17.7 million will be set aside by the Cerritos Redevelopment Agency for capital improvements throughout the City for the 2006-2007 fiscal year (ending June 30, 2007).* These include:
  • The creation of a new community park adjacent to the ABC School District headquarters ($3 million)
  • Installation of new street furniture and landscaping, and a new freeway sign for the Cerritos Auto Square ($1 million)
  • Demolition of a building on Studebaker Road ($175,000)
  • Conversion of potable water services to reclaimed water services ($25,000)
  • Construction and design of a parking structure for 550 parking spaces at the Los Cerritos Center mall ($5.1 million)
  • Creation of a war veterans' memorial at the Civic Center ($380,000)
  • Installation and commission of a 50th anniversary commemorative art piece at the Sculpture Garden ($425,000)
  • Installation of a rubberized jogging track at Cerritos Park East ($225,000)
  • Refurbishing restrooms at Cerritos Park East ($150,000)
  • Renovation of Camp Liberty and remodelling of Liberty Park raquetball courts ($600,000)
  • Cerritos Sheriff's Station 5,000 square feet expansion ($400,000)
  • Refurbishment of light poles and traffic signals at the Cerritos Towne Center ($100,000)
  • Creation of a new traffic signal at Beach Street and Carmenita Road ($150,000)
  • Construction and design of a new parking structure at the Cerritos Towne Center ($3 million)

City Image

Well-maintained public right-of-ways are often cited as one of Cerritos' unique characteristics as a planned community. Prime examples of this come in the form of strictly enforced ordinances and customs. Some include:
  • Meandering sidewalks, which help maintain a park-like environment.
  • "Little hills" located on public and commercial property so as to reinforce the idea of cerritos and maintain aesthetics.
  • A public artwork fund in which local business must contribute to if they choose not to commission a piece of art on their premises (equal to one-half of 1% of the assessed total value of the property site).
  • Cleaning pet waste.
  • Constructing landscaped medians on all major roads.
  • Keeping trash cans out of sight until trash day.
  • Replacing parkway trees at no cost and meticulously maintaining lawns of neglectful residents.
  • Conducting a yearly competition, the City Wide Pride program, to recognize outstanding property upkeep.
  • Citing owners of inoperable vehicles who keep their cars within public view.
  • Having strict and limited sign-posting ordinances.
  • All utility lines placed underground to prevent blight and damage.
  • Prohibiting billboard advertising.
  • Restricting store signage that is not lit well at night and fall on top of an opaque background.
  • An ordinance that outlaws drive-through windows.
  • No parking on all City streets between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM every day (waived the week of Thanksgiving and the second half of December). This ordinance is intended to discourage abandoned vehicles, and encourage residents to park their cars either in their garages or their driveways. Exceptions are given to households with 5 or more vehicles. Each household is allowed up to 30 days of overnight parking per year.

Trivia and Quick Facts

  • According to the California Association of Realtors (CAR), the median price of a single-family home in Cerritos is approximately $690,000 as of August 2005.
  • The last dairy building in Cerritos was demolished in March 1989.
  • Cerritos Avenue does not pass through anywhere in the City of Cerritos, but rather, runs generally east-west just south of Cerritos in Orange County.
  • The name "Cerritos" was voted in on January 10th, 1967 in order to establish a romantic tie to California's past. Other names that were considered were "Los Coyotes" (turned down because of a negative connotation, though more historically accurate), and "Freeway City" (lacked the sophistication and class that the Cerritos Chamber of Commerce desired).
  • Cerritos has the first and largest deployment of a wireless-fidelity Internet network (Wi-Fi) in the world. The coverage area completely encompasses all 8.9 square miles and allows subscribers with a wireless Ethernet card to access the Internet from anywhere within the city boundaries.
  • Troy Aikman a famous former football player, lived in Cerritos until the age of 12.
  • The most celebrated audience member has been His Royal Highness Charles, Prince of Wales, attending a performance of Henry VI by the Royal Shakespeare Company, in November 1994.
  • The City of Cerritos has received the title of "Tree City USA" for the seventh straight year by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The honor is given to select cities throughout the country for their outstanding community forestry programs and commitment to their urban forest. Among the program requirements are the existence of a tree commission, a current tree ordinance, a comprehensive forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.
  • The City of Cerritos has an active sister city relationship with the City of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The program is administered by the City Manager's Office.
  • According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), the following productions have either been partially or entirely filmed in Cerritos:

See also

References

External links

Cities in Los Angeles County

Cerritos | Cerritos

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Cerritos, California".

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