Land Use and Urban Form
Land Use + Urban Form CHAPTER 3: LAND USE + URBAN FORM The City of Palmdale is situated in northern Los Angeles County, in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California, nestled against the San Gabriel Mountains. It is roughly 60 miles (or just over one hour) driving distance from downtown Los Angeles. This proximity has attracted many families looking for affordable ownership housing within commute distance of major employment centers in Los Angeles. As of 2017, the American Community Survey (ACS)estimates a population of 157,358 for the City of Palmdale. Collectively, the population of Antelope Valley (including the City of Lancaster and surrounding unincorporated communities) exceeds half a million residents. Thousands of years ago, the Antelope Valley was a major trade route for Native Americans traveling from Arizona and New Mexico to California’s coast. Modern settlement of Palmdale began in the mid-1800s, fueled by the gold rush, cattle ranching, arrival of stagecoaches, and completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad line in 1876. Serious population growth did not occur until the California aqueduct was completed in 1913, which attracted a substantial number of farmers. Palmdale became the first community in the Antelope Valley to incorporate, in 1962. Today, Palmdale retains elements of its agricultural past but its economic base is now substantially supported by aerospace and defense industries. CITY OF PALMDALE UPDATE GENERALCITY PLAN This page is intentionally left blank. This page is intentionally left blank. CHAPTER 3: LAND USE + URBAN FORM Form-givers are those elements which define and bound the physical environment of the City, including the physical topography of the landscape, roadway and transportation patterns, built form patterns, and the distribution of land uses.
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