became a collector of customs and Alcalde, or FACT SHEET Mayor of San Diego. The original documents for the concession of Rancho Tijuana have not been MEXICO’S GEOPOLITICAL SYSTEM located. Nevertheless, the existence of the grant Mexico is a federal republic whose states were is confirmed by reference to it in later sources. created after Mexico’s independence from Spain One of the oldest writings related to in 1810. Mexico is divided into 31 states and one Rancho Tijuana is a confirmation of the grant (1) federal district. Each state is divided into issues by Governor Pio Pico in 1846. By 1858, municipalities governed by a Mayor and Juan Bandini, an early settler of San Diego, made City Council, with one city serving as the state arrangements to exchange his capitol. The City of Mexicali is the capitol of the Rancho Guadalupe for that of the Tijuana State of Baja California. Mexico does not have belonging to his father-in-law, counties. Don Santiago Arguello. ADMINISTRATIVE TERMS Tijuana was envisioned to be a planned community, seven times larger than Mexicali and The 1917 Mexican Constitution defines three two and a half times larger than Ensenada. branches of government - executive, legislative, and judicial. The constitution prohibits reelections. The president, senators, and state governors are elected for six-year terms, deputies (the equivalent of representatives) serve three – year terms along with mayors and city council- members. ORIGINS OF THE CITY OF TIJUANA At the turn of the century, the City of Tijuana had a population of 273. The U.S. Enactment of Prohibition of the 1920s led many Americans across the border to partake in legal drinking and gambling. It continues as a popular destination for tourists and Californians alike. In The City of Tijuana is situated in a region once 1925, the City of Tijuana was officially created inhabited by the Kumiai Indians. In centuries and no longer part of Ensenada; yet it was not past, the Baja California peninsula was also until the 1940’s that the federal government inhabited by the Pai Pai, Cochimi, Kiliwa, and established the limits of the City of Tijuana Cucupa. Tijuana was founded as the Town of within 843 acres of the Rancho Tijuana or Zaragoza on July 11, 1889, through a judicial Rancho Tia Juana. The Rancho Tijuana was one resolution by Mr. Santiago Arguello, which of the grants awarded by involved the Rancho Tijuana. Santiago Arguello Governor José Maria Encheandía to retired Moraga was born in 1792 in Monterey, soldiers as a reward for their military service. Alta California. He was the son of Such grants were part of a political and José Darío Arguello, a prominent figure in economic process that began slowly in California politics for many years. Santiago later Alta California after Spanish settlement in 1769. 1 These grants increased dramatically during the KEY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, PLANS Mexican period, especially after secularization of AND RESOURCE ISSUES the missions when more land became available. By the 1950s The City of Tijuana had grown to 1. TIJUANA-ROSARITO CORRIDOR approximately 60,000 people extending east to the area known as La Mesa where the Arguello and Bandini families owned cattle ranches. TIJUANA TODAY In recent decades, the City of Tijuana has experienced high rates of growth. Unfortunately, much of this growth has been “unplanned” or “irregular“, which means it has occurred outside the existing infrastructure. Planned growth supports growth-management strategies, including preservation of prime farmland and sensitive environmental lands, forests, and other green spaces, in conjunction with careful planning for development in The Tijuana-Rosarito Corridor is a $120 million designated areas. dollar project, which includes a four lane highway of approximately 26 miles that connects With a population of over 1.6 million people, the City of Rosarito to the border in the Mesa de Tijuana is the sixth largest city in Mexico. Tijuana Otay neighborhood of Tijuana and the Tijuana- is bordered on the north by the United States, on Tecate toll road. The project provides access to the south by the Municipality of Rosarito, on the 30,000 acres planned for new urban east by the Municipality of Tecate, and on the development in the City of Tijuana, in the area west by the Pacific Ocean. In 2002, the city’s known as Valle de las Palmas. budget was approximately $173 million. Because of NAFTA and Tijuana’s geographical proximity to the U.S., foreign companies have set up their 2. VALLE DE LAS PALMAS URBAN DEVELOPMENT manufacturing operations in newly established This 31,000 acre project is envisioned by urban industrial parks. As a result, Tijuana is now a planners to be the largest satellite city in Mexico. popular destination for people seeking The project will represent an investment of employment from other parts of Mexico. approximately $1.2 billion dollars, and when completed, will accommodate 1 million of new COMPARATIVE DATA people. With a population of 3 million people in the San Diego region and a population of 1.6 million in the City of Tijuana, this border region constitutes the largest urban settlement along the U.S.-Mexico border and is among the ten largest metropolis within the NAFTA market. The two States share the old Territory of California. Today, California (formerly Alta California) has a population of about 35 million people, while Baja California has a population of about 3 million people. 2 3. ALAMAR RIVER SPECIFIC PLAN 4. HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS The City of Tijuana’s housing chamber (CANADEVI) estimates 17,000 housing units were The City of Tijuana’s Programa Parcial de constructed during 2006. This represents a Conservación y Mejoramiento Urbano para la 20 percent increase from the 14,000 units built in Zona del Arroyo Alamar: Primera Etapa (First 2005. Most of the developments are being Phase of the Specific Conservation and Urban constructed by large housing developers and are Improvement Plan for the Alamar River Planning being built on the south and eastern fringes of Area) is in the initial draft stages. The the city. preparation of this plan is a joint effort among federal, state, and municipal governments. The A typical new home is 968 square feet with focus of the plan is on riparian restoration, two bedrooms starting at $32,000. The habitat conservation and identifying compatible construction material is a combination of cinder land uses within this riparian corridor. When block exterior walls and wood roof construction. restored and rehabilitated, this area will include Homes at this price are built for the ‘interes an extension of an existing expressway to social’, which is considered the low-to-middle connect downtown Tijuana with the Tijuana- income sector of the housing market. The Rosarito Corridor, as well as a new lineal monthly payment of $245.00 is based on a ecological park along the Alamar River. 10 percent down payment on a 25 year loan at a 9.5 percent interest rate. A 2,100 square foot four bedroom home with a view located in a gated community in Tijuana is approximately $186,000. The monthly payment of $1,500 is based on a 10 percent down payment on a 25 year loan at a 9.5 percent interest rate. Estimates are as high as 30 percent for the number of homebuyers who purchase these homes as first or second homes and live or work in the U.S. The coastal corridor presents different patterns, more oriented toward tourism and foreign retirees. 3 5. SAN YSIDRO - PUERTA MEXICO PORT OF From 1985 to 1994, it handled only northbound ENTRY cargo operations. In 1994, all southbound commercial cargo was rerouted from the Virginia Avenue gate at the San Ysidro POE to Otay Mesa. More than 6 million private vehicles and about 1.3 million pedestrians crossed northbound at the Otay Mesa border station in 2006. Delays in crossing the border have increased and become more unpredictable over time. Otay Mesa POE is the third ranking POE in the U.S.-Mexico border and the busiest commercial port of entry in the California- Baja California border, handling over $24 billion in imports and exports. The San Ysidro – Puerta México Port of Entry 7. EAST OTAY MESA – OTAY II PORT OF ENTRY (POE) is the busiest land port of entry in the world. On a daily basis, it serves up to 50,000 northbound vehicles and 25,000 northbound pedestrians that cross through 24 vehicle and eight pedestrian lanes. A major expansion project is in progress including improvements to access roads. The project is estimated to cost $520 million. Funding in the amount of $34 million was approved in FY 2004 for site acquisition and design. One out of every ten people entering the United States through any land, sea, or air port of entry, does so though San Ysidro. The development of a new port of entry at East Otay Mesa - Otay II is underway and will 6. OTAY MESA PORT OF ENTRY provide an alternate entry for vehicles and commercial traffic east of the existing commercial crossing. This port will be linked to State Routes 905 and 125 through the construction of State Route 11. This port will also connect to the Tijuana–Rosarito corridor, a new highway in Baja California from the coastal area of Rosarito to the U.S.-Mexico border to the east of the Otay Mesa port of entry. The project has 80 acres reserved on both sides of the border to accommodate the new port and access roads. In 1985, the Otay Mesa Port of Entry (POE) was developed as a passenger and commercial POE.