| While "urban sprawl" and "smart growth" seem to be | | | | edging to just under 16,000 people by 1970, only three |
| key phrases in the news these days-especially among | | | | years after the city officially changed its name to |
| politicians and environmentalists, the truth is "smart | | | | Cerritos (chosen because it was located in close |
| growth" can only happen when there is a plan in place | | | | proximity to the original land grant Rancho Los |
| to grow. "Smart growth" is not a reaction to a housing | | | | Cerritos). Seeing the potential problems with continued |
| boom. Neither is it a way to boost a city's economy as | | | | population growth, Cerritos wanted to continue to grow |
| it begins to slide into a slump. Truly smart growth is a | | | | in a well-developed manner under a policy of continual |
| new city's plan to, over years, accommodate more | | | | environmental improvement. The standards and goals |
| people and businesses, without comprising its natural | | | | of the policy laid out ways to achieve a park-like |
| resources or the quality of life for those who are | | | | community and still allow for commercial, industrial, and |
| already there. Despite what many people are labeling | | | | residential development. The first Cerritos General Plan |
| as "smart growth" in an effort to pad their own bank | | | | was adopted in October of 1971, to provide for a |
| accounts or please their more powerful constituents, | | | | controlled urban development. The plan itself |
| smart growth can happen. And it has in the California | | | | guaranteed convenient access to shopping near |
| city of Cerritos. Cerritos is an unassuming city, less | | | | homes, locations for a multitude of services, attractive |
| attention-hungry than its bigger brothers Los Angeles | | | | neighborhoods, and parks for recreation. A revised |
| and Hollywood. Nestled just northeast of Long Beach | | | | version of the General Plan was adopted in January |
| and northwest of Anaheim, the city of Cerritos isn't | | | | of 2004. So how did they do it? Approximately half of |
| well known. Most Americans wouldn't know that it's | | | | the city's land is designated for residential development. |
| home to Cerritos College (the third largest | | | | This didn't slow Cerritos down. From 1970 to 1972, |
| Hispanic-serving community colleges in the country), | | | | Cerritos became California's fastest growing city with |
| Isuzu Motors America, Inc.-well-known for its | | | | a population increase from 15,800 to 37,700. But it |
| top-of-the-line SUV "Ascender" and pickup trucks, and | | | | wasn't just the residential development that was being |
| United Postal Services (which employs approximately | | | | focused on. Cerritos opened the first solar-heated City |
| 5,000 people in Cerritos alone). California Business | | | | Hall complex in U.S. history in 1978. The City developed |
| Magazine named Cerritos one of the best 100 Cities to | | | | the Cerritos Auto Square in the early '80s, which now |
| do business in the state. Incorporated in 1956 as The | | | | generates $10 million+ in sales tax revenue annually. In |
| City of Dairy Valley, Cerritos' original name reflected | | | | 1997, Cerritos opened a state-of-the-art Cerritos |
| the community's agricultural focus. At that time, dairy | | | | Sheriff's Station/Community Safety Center to the tune |
| cattle outnumbered the residents of the city nine to | | | | of $10 million to provide residents with public safety |
| one as there were less than 5,000 people living in the | | | | services 24-hours-a-day, 365 days a year. In March of |
| incorporated city. Cerritos received its charter to | | | | 2002, the Cerritos Library was dedicated-an |
| become a California city two years after its | | | | 88,000-square-foot building featuring art collections, |
| incorporation, which marked the beginning of its "smart | | | | educational displays and beautiful conference center s. |
| growth." Approximately eight years later, rising | | | | As anniversary gifts commemorating 50 years as a |
| property taxes and land prices began to take their toll | | | | city, The Cerritos Sculpture Garden and a fitness |
| on dairy operations, and by the early 1960s the | | | | wellness center at the Cerritos Senior Center were |
| agricultural crux of Cerritos was beginning to falter. In | | | | dedicated in 2006 to the community. |
| March of 1965, the citizens decided, in a special | | | | For the ultimate in sports utility vehicles check out Isuzu. |
| election, to permit homes to be built under strict | | | | Many drivers are finding out that owning an Isuzu SUV |
| residential development guidelines. This change led to a | | | | is a smart choice for saftey and getting a higher gas |
| spurt in the population growth, with the population | | | | milage. Go to a showroom today! |