Part I: People are so busy these days - events and developments come and go. Before you know it, you've lost track and are wondering what is going on ;) Never fear - your trusty Palmdale Realtor is here with a run down of the goings-on at City Hall and Palmdale in general. Check back regularly for a concise and informative view of local activities:

Palmdale has experienced phenomenal growth in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. 2005 was a banner year for the Parks and Recreation Department in particular - the department will celebrate grand openings for all of the "Vision for the Future" park projects including the Palmdale Oasis Park and its recreaton center and swimming pool, DryTown Water Park, the swimming pool at Marie Kerr Park and the Best of the West softball complex. One of my children is a lifeguard for the city of Palmdale's Parks and Rec Department, and so I have firsthand knowledge of the excellent programs the city offers for kids of all ages.

Budget highlights for 2005-2006 indicate that the City will spend approximately $158.5 million. Of that amount, $65.3 million will be spent in the general fund. The general fund is the main fund and includes revenue to provide for services like law enforcement, recreation and special events. The remaining amount of the total budget will be used for capital improvement projects and debt service. General fund expenditures look something like this:

Public Works 29%
Law Enforcement 25%
Parks and Rec 10%
Administration 18%
City Attorney 4.5%
Finance and Personnel 3.5%
Planning 3%
Building and Safety 3%
Technology 2%
Palmdale Playhouse 2%

Copies of the City budget are available for review at City Hall and at the Palmdale City Library. The full 661-page budget is also available on the City's website at www.cityofpalmdale.org


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
Palmdale's average resale home prices have increased significantly, and affordable housing has made a favorable impact on Palmdale's residents and their disposable income. As of August 2005, there were 17 builders constructing 58 new housing tracts in the City, and the average price for both new and resale homes in Palmdale was $291,250.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT:
Located in the Fairway Business Park, Delta Scientific processed an application to add another 60,000 square feet less than a year after it opened its 125,000 square foot facility. The $5 million, 41,000 square foot FedEx Ground distribution center opened at the end of the summer. In addition, more than 50,000 square feet of light industrial and commercial spec space is planned at the business park. The City of Palmdale will open the South Valley WorkSource Center in October. The center will better meet the needs of employers and job seekers in Palmdale and the south Antelope Valley areas. It is directly funded by Los Angeles County. For more information, call 661-265-7421.

AEROSPACE:
The AERO Institute is a partnership among the NASA-Dryden Flight Research Center, the California Space Grant Foundation and the City of Palmdale. The City provides 7,000 square feet of office space at no cost to the institute. In March, the AERO Institute announced that it would provide two graduate level programs at its Palmdale Courthouse location. A master of business administration degree from California State Polytechnic University Pomona and graduate-level engineering degree programs from Purdue University's College of Engineering are now offered in Palmdale. The Palmdale site will also continue to offer teacher workshops and aerospace materials for educators in kindergarten through 12 grades.

The City of Palmdale is also seeking volunteers to help maintain the Palmdale Plant 42 Heritage Airpark. Volunteers assist with disassembling, transporting and restoring donated aircraft piece by piece before reassembling for display. Many of the current volunteers are retired aerospace workers. Others are college students, a former judge, Eagle scouts and law enforcement officers. Community members who are interested in being a part of the rich aerospace heritage in Palmdale are encouraged to sign up for the Airpark Volunteer Program by calling 661-267-5115. For more info about the Airpark, log on to www.cityofpalmdale.org/airpark

The US Air Force Plant 42 is the second largest regional employer and a moving force in the local economy. The number of employees totaled 6,805 in December generating more than $481 million in payroll. Both Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are currently working on several multimillion dollar contracts at their respective sites while Boeing Company continues to provide cutting edge products and services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense.


FURTHER EDUCATION:
Antelope Valley College offers classes in Palmdale. Fall classes are available at Antelope Valley College's new South Valley site located at 1529 E. Palmdale Blvd. Information about registration and class schedules is available on the college's website at www.avc.edu

Stay tuned for Part II ... and let me know if there is any information you need to make a move, either within Palmdale and the Antelope Valley OR as a relocation.


Sandee Conley
www.real-estate-palmdale.com
Thanks to Palmdale News: Barbara La Fata, Editor and Jenny Peterson, Assistant Editor.