I'VE LIVE HERE FOR 27 YEARS, I MOVED UP HERE TO GET AWAY THE L.A. TRASH, NOW THEY MOVING UP. IT WAS NICE WHY IT LASTED, TIME TO MOVE OUT OF STATE.PLEASE THE LAST TRUE AMERICAN LEAVING CALIF. PLEASE CLOSE THE GATE SO THE TRASH DOESN'T FOLLOW YOU. AMERICA (AKA) MELTING POT, AV VALLEY, RUDE PEOPLE, DRIVERS RACING TO THEIR JOBS DAILY. DRUGS, HOOKERS,SOMEONE BUY MY HOUSE SO I CAN GET THE HELL OUTA HERE GOOD LUCK.

I am glad I took additional time to read all of your thesis instead of scan reading like I had planned. You did connect most of your points while your history and documentation were quite accurate. If you choose to update this I would highly recommend you consider facts and figures concerning the lack of parks and recreation in the Antelope Valley. While attending Fresno State in the 1980's I met a gentlemen who had written his thesis in the 1960's on the amount of parks the Antelope Valley would need to support its population. It was apparent in the 1980's that county and city planners had acquired or developed far less park space per acre foot versus the number of single-family unit homes then the thesis recommended. Adding to this problem, bond measures were passed by citizens who wanted more parks, only to see the county delay spending the money, then developing only fractions of the park space that was agreed to.

Second, I need to strike up issue with your problem points coming back to single-family home dwellings as the culprit. I would argue that most cities and communities in the US are only beginning to understand and plan their solutions to sprawl, especially those in California where westward expansion contributing to sprawl might have ended as late as 1990. The maturation point to sprawl however begins with the redevelopment of inner zones. Again, unfortunately California has had little time and experience with this. You were stymied by the implied statement of Lancaster with the police station downtown, however you didn't attempt to understand why.

To that point and finally; The Antelope Valley may never be a cultural center. With respect to your societal statement identifying the Antelope Valley as a commuter suburb to Los Angeles, in reality, most people here and now have no time or interest for engaging in a renaissance. Doing so means history takes presidence over today or the future. Many are fast working to the car, to work, to home, then to bed. But some are fast working to have the Antelope Valley become the premier aero research development test and information center. Concerned with past recessions, city leadership did attempt to wean the Antelope Valley from its military aerospace dependencies in the 1990's by building new manufacturing parks for businesses. Who came instead are innovative companies looking to be part of an early aero development age business center. This will not resemble Silicon Valley manufacturing or Aerospace manufacturing, rather more of a fusion of information and products. Aerospace engineers are combining with computer engineers under disciplined national defense plans to create these dynamic business abilities. The Antelope Valley has the natural setting with dry lakes and open space to ensure a safe and secure environment for large scale testing. And several hundred million dollars have already been spent for resources and solutions on environmental issues to ensure conservation and pollution prevention are repaired and being readied. Yes,... many leave the Valley and drive over the hill to jobs today. But in the near[ing] future, those who live here must find their place here, make a life here, and pay whatever the price will be to stay here. Otherwise, when the time comes, they will eagerly sell high, leave the Valley, and buy low somewhere else creating sprawl there -- say like, Los Angeles.

Sidenote: I always felt the movie "Paint Your Wagon" got radical urban theory right.

I happen upon this thesis while looking for a decent restaurants in the Antelope Valley. I'm a recent transplant from Los Angeles to Palmdale. We grew tired of paying rent and wanted a place of our own and could only afford a house in Palmdale. We bought a house that was built at the end of 1989. We often wonder how Palmdale supports more housing and the availability of water. I wish I didn't have to commute to and fro to my work in W.Los Angeles. Fortunately, I ride in a vanpool and that helps. But I would love it if they would put in a high speed electric rail system and I hate to say this, also a real working airport.

Your thesis is interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing it on the internet.

Lyn

This guys a racist!! He's ignoring that this State and
Country is a "melting pot". The Antelope Valley findly reflects the diversity of our wonderful nation...God Bless America!

LMG

Mr. Jalbert, while "surfing" the web, I happened to land at the site that
contains your thesis report on the Antelope Valley. Let me say, you did an
outstanding job of reporting the situation that happened, and continues to
happen in the A.V. I was very impressed at both the depth of research and
the look into the problem of urban sprawl.
As an "ex-resident" of the A.V., I was very interested in the report because
I witnessed all that occured in the 80's and 90's, and have never discussed
the atrocities with anyone. I always sensed an urge by the residents to
ignore the subject, my family included.
I know the report was done a long time ago, but if you don't mind, I have
some comments on the subject.
My father moved to the A.V. in the late 60's seeking employment with the
aerospace industry. He will retire from Lockheed next year. He purchased
land in the early seventies in the Fairmont area, 27 miles west of
Lancaster. We have our own well, therefore we contribute to the depletion of
the underground water table. But we've never had a lawn!
When I was in the sixth grade, new faces started showing up at my school in
huge numbers. It wasn´t long before the "L.A. Transplants" represented a
majority of students at my rural junior high school. This brought a whole
host of various problems. When I graduated high school in 1994, the
recession was lifting, but I was focused on another aspect. I was one of a
few students who had attended that small country elementary/jr. high school.
Of the 800 plus graduates in my class, only a dozen or so went to grade
school with me . This was never brought to anyone's attention, by me or
anyone else involved that I know of. It was just accepted. A small "tragic"
side effect of urban sprawl, swept under the rug by social, economic, or
some other force(s).
I am currently a graduate student at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in the
Agricultural Education Dept. and I am very interested in teaching future
students about the effects of urban sprawl on our state and our planet.
Could you recommend some good sources of information to accomplish this
task?
Another comment I wanted to make is how interesting it would be to read a
follow-up of your report. I visit the Antelope Valley occasionally, as my
parents still live there, and it is so transformed that I don't even
consider it my home anymore. I have only been away for 4 years!!!
You are the first person that I know of to report on the effects of urban
sprawl in the Antelope Valley, including the effects on long-time residents.
This was so interesting to me that I felt I had to say something. Again, I
hope you mind. It just really hit home, that's all.
Superb Job, Excellent Report!
Sincerely,
Jon F.

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