Archive for the 'Neighborhood and City events/highlights' Category
Richard Branson Launches Eco-Consulting Group
September 4th, 2008 categories: Green Events, Neighborhood and City events/highlights, Real Estate New
Branson Plans to create a Zero Carbon Resort and emerges also with an Eco-Consulting Group. Branson plans to turn Mosquito Island in the British Virgin Islands into the most environmentally friendly resort in the world. Located off Virgin Gorda close to his Necker Island, an uninhibited Island, imagines it being a beachfront with restaurants and 20 villas powered by solar and wind.
Thermal airflows will completely rid the need for air conditioners in the restaurant’s, while food will come from an organic orchard on which vehicles will run on biofuel.
The response from the government has been enormously positive to become the most environmentally friendly island.
Branson also says he is creating an eco consulting group called Virgin Green Owls. Which will advise governments and corporations in carbon neutral projects beginning in August.
Following the British government’s criticism of British Airways last year.
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Anaheim Hills
April 20th, 2008 categories: Neighborhood and City events/highlights
Anaheim Hills
The History of Anaheim
When Anaheim was given its name in 1857, it was derived from two words. The name “Ana” from the nearby Santa Ana River and the German word “Heim” means “Home.” translated, the name Anaheim can be interpreted to mean “home by the river” which adequately describes the city of Anaheim.
Founded by Bavarian families in 1857, Anaheim was originally called Campo Alemán (Spanish for German Camp). The city was incorporated on February 10, 1870, and was actually California’s very first planned community. Anaheim’s founders hoped to make the area a wine-growing region, but their vineyards were destroyed by insects in the late nineteenth century.
Orange groves eventually replaced the dying vineyards. With the orange growers’ labels advertising a sunny, California lifestyle, the city grew to over 5,000 residents by 1920. After World War II, Anaheim continued to grow as returning servicemen who trained in the area came back to build their homes.
It is true that the settlers of Anaheim were farmers working in the vineyards, farm work was not actually what defined these settlers. The first residents of Anaheim were also scholars, musicians, artists and writers. The first public buildings to be erected in Anaheim was a school and an opera house.
A major turn in the history of Anaheim happened in 1955 when Disneyland opened, setting off a chain of events that would change the Anaheim forever. Because Anaheim property was so inexpensive and interest rates were so low, visitors and investors began buying up real estate as quickly as the deals could be made and the area experienced an explosion of population.
From the early fifties to the early sixties, Anaheim’s population increased from just 14,456 to that of 105,000 residents. The increase in population drew big business into the area and Anaheim would never be the same.
In 1970, Anaheim made another monumental decision and the community established another 4,200 acres to create the community of Anaheim Hills. The neighborhood development was an awe-inspiring success and all homes sold out in just two years.
Today, Anaheim Hills is a distinguished community unlike any other. The area has the lowest crime rate in the city and one of the lowest in all of Orange County. The exclusive community environment provides its residents, with a safe and quiet place to call home. Featuring an abundance of shopping venues, entertainment selections and dining establishments, Anaheim Hills puts all conveniences within just minutes of its residents.
Anaheim Hills continues to grow and new construction opportunities are available. By the year 2008, the area is expected to reach a population of 100,000. Considering Anaheim Hills isn’t even an official city, that’s an impressive number.
There’s no doubt - Anaheim Hills may very well be one of the most desirable and esteemed communities in all of Orange County, perhaps even all of California.
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East Anaheim
April 20th, 2008 categories: Neighborhood and City events/highlights
East Anaheim
Anaheim is now the tenth largest city in California, which began in 1857 as colony of German farmers
and vintners. Founding member George Hansen surveyed the original 200 acres, which now comprises the city’s downtown area, bounded by North, South, East and West streets.
Between 1880 and 1960, Anaheim was host to several orange growers and processors who used their orange crate labels to identify their brand and advertise a golden California lifestyle.
The city was incorporated in 1876 with a population of 881. In the 1920’s, the population had risen to 5,526, an agricultural community. In 1887, the construction of the Santa Fe depot linked Anaheim’s citrus growers with the East, providing markets for their golden crops.
A local tradition, which began in 1924 and was recently restarted, again is the Anaheim Halloween Parade. At the height of its popularity, over 150,000 spectators would view the parade along the downtown streets.
In the early 1950’s, a man by the name of Walt Disney had an idea of creating a park for families, a unique playground where they could find happiness and escape the pressures of the day. He first took his idea to the city of Burbank, who denied his request, concerned that the project would become a permanent carnival.
Lucky for us, he drove down the Santa Ana Freeway to Orange County and found that Anaheim was a lot like his boyhood home in Marceline, Missouri. On April 2, 1954, construction of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, was announced. Opening day would be July 17, 1955.The grand opening was less than auspicious. About 33,000 people showed up while millions witnessed ABC’s live broadcast. Many things did go wrong that day, but they were all corrected and after only seven weeks after opening, Disneyland’s one-millionth guest passed through the turnstiles, into the tunnel and onto Main Street.
Anaheim became a modern day boomtown by the end of the 1950’s. Anaheim’s reputation as a good place to live, work or run a business has turned Anaheim into the 2nd largest city in Orange County, the 10th largest city in California and the 59th largest in the nation. The fact that the city operates it’s own utilities is one of the main reasons many of the businesses have relocated to Anaheim. The city has directly negotiated lower rates with companies as an enticement to relocate. Anaheim residents also pay considerably lower utility bills than their neighbors in surrounding cities.
In the 1960’s, Anaheim joined the major league baseball by announcing the Angels would start the 1966 season in a brand new stadium in Anaheim. Ground was broken on August 31, 1964, on the new stadium and the rest is history. Many changes have been made to the stadium since it was first built. The first major change came when the Los Angeles Rams football team moved to Anaheim and the stadium was enclosed and enlarged to 70,500 seats for the 1980 football season. After the Rams moved to St. Louis, the stadium was once again remodeled to it’s present look and renamed the Edison International Field of Anaheim.
Another impressive achievement that the city has produced is the building of the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. Groundbreaking was held on November 8, 1990 on this $103 million area. In March on 1993, Walt Disney Company announced that the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim would begin playing in the Anaheim Arena in the fall of 1993. The arena has been used to host several events from concerts to sporting events.
The latest change to the Anaheim area has been the renovation of the resort area, the redevelopment of the downtown area and the building of Disney’s California Adventure Theme Park and the Grand Californian Resort Hotel.
Anaheim has been transformed from a small farming community to a major sport, entertainment, recreational, and industrial community. Anaheim is truly the best place to live, work and play.
Government The City operates under a City Charter with a Council-Manager form of government. The four City Council members are elected to four-year terms in alternate slates every two years. The Mayor is elected every four years and presides over meetings of the Council and has one vote.
The City Council appoints the City Manager who heads the executive branch of government, implements Council directives and policies, and manages the administrative and operations functions through the various departmental heads appointed by the City Manager.
Anaheim’s city hall is located at 200 South Anaheim Boulevard.
On July 17, 1955, the gates of Disneyland open before a live national television audience.About 33,000 people attend the event. In 1957, the City of Anaheim celebrates its centennial.
In 1960, Anaheim business leaders convene to form the Anaheim Visitor and Convention Bureauto maximize Anaheim’s year-round attraction.
On April 9, 1964, the Gene Autry-owned Angels announce their intention of movingto Anaheim for the 1966 Major League Baseball season.
On April 9, 1966, the Angelshost their first game in Anaheim Stadium, an exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants. Willie Mays hits the first home run in the stadium.
On July 12, 1967, the Anaheim Convention Center opens.
On January 12, 1967, while appearing at MelodyLand Theater, Jack Bennyand Johnny Carson were named “Honorary Mayors” and presented with a key to the city.
On June 7, 1970, the first rock concert performed at Anaheim Stadium is headlined by The Who.
In 1972, construction starts on the Anaheim Hills Planned Community by the Grant Company. The development was subsequently completed by Texaco Anaheim Hills and encompassed 4,200 acres and 15,000 homes.
In 1974, the General Plan Task Force was created to design a development plan for the futuregrowth of the hill and canyon area. The plan was adopted by the City Council in 1977.
In 1976, development started on the 402-acre Bauer Ranch, now called East Hills.The Planned community included 945 homes and a regional shopping center at Weir Canyon Road and Santa Ana Canyon Road
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