Community Overview HISTORICAL OVERVIEW In 1869, William Mendenhall developed a new town when the first train went through what is known as the Livermore Valley. The only direct route from San Francisco to the gold fields and Sacramento was through this area. Mendenhall named Livermore in memory of his good friend, Robert Livermore, who once owned a 20,000 acre land grant called Rancho Las Positas in the area. In the 1870s, Livermore experienced a population surge due to the arrival of several different immigrant groups. When the City incorporated on April 1, 1876, it resembled a traditional western town with wooden sidewalks and horse-drawn buggies. By the 1880s, cattle, sheep and horses grazed the hillsides, and Livermore’s valued hay and grain found eager buyers, even in Europe. More importantly, the planting of grape cuttings in the region’s sandy and gravel filled soil would be the beginning of the valley’s successful wine industry. As Livermore flourished, so did education. Livermore College, a private high school, was established followed by Livermore Union High School, the first Joint Union High School in the State of California. In 1902, Livermore became the first town in California to establish a free municipal public library. The Carnegie Library, designed by William H. Weeks, opened in 1911. After the turn of the century, Alameda County founded a hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis, and the United States government established a Veterans’ Hospital. The Livermore Rodeo was established which benefitted the American Red Cross during World War I. The Livermore Stockmen’s Association continues to hold an annual rodeo the second weekend of June. In the 1950s, the University of California established a Radiation Laboratory at the previous site of the World War II Naval Training Station at East Avenue and Greenville Road. The Radiation Laboratory expanded into the world-renowned Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). A few years later, Sandia National Laboratories opened to provide engineering expertise for the original Radiation Laboratory, and continues to collaborate with LLNL. Today, Livermore’s agricultural, science and technology, cultural arts, and vibrant wine heritage provide a unique blend of small-town ambience with urban amenities. Livermore consistently receives high resident survey ratings. In 2014, 92% of resident respondents rated Livermore as an “excellent” or “good” place to live, and 96% rated the City as a great place to raise children. For 146 years, the City of Livermore remains a desirable place to reside, work or visit. FISCAL YEAR 2015-16 & 2016-17 TWO-YEAR FINANCIAL P LAN UPDATE PAGE | 18 Community Overview ABOUT LIVERMORE Livermore is a general law city with a Council/Manager form of government. With a population of 85,990, Livermore is surrounded by award-winning wineries, farm lands and ranches that mirror the valley’s history. The City of Livermore encompasses 24 square miles, and is the easternmost city in the San Francisco Bay Area. Protected by the coastal mountain range, Livermore Valley enjoys a mild, Mediterranean climate that promotes the pursuit of a healthy, relaxed lifestyle. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Livermore is the only city in the U.S. with two national laboratories: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. The laboratories’ missions span several national programs, including homeland security, combustion and renewable energy, water resources and biosciences. Research efforts include developing the vehicles of the future, decoding the human genome, and studying global warming. Many exciting collaborations between the laboratories and the community developed over the years. The Livermore Valley Open Campus allows open science, business and academic collaborations on such topics as energy, cyber-security and high-performance computing. The i-GATE iHUB, a regional business incubator, connects local and lab entrepreneurs and start-ups with desired local resources. THE ARTS The Livermore community supports a well-established, large, diverse collection of cultural arts organizations. Music lovers enjoy the local symphony orchestra, opera company, or chamber ensembles at the downtown Bankhead Theater, a 500-seat performing arts venue. Residents also delight in ballet, modern and other types of dance as well as comedic and dramatic plays or musicals. The City appoints a Poet Laureate as an expression of its commitment to the literary arts; the City Council Chambers and the Livermore Public Library host rotating exhibits of paintings and photographs. Colorful quilts hang from trees during the well-renowned summer quilt festival at a local garden nursery, and tree sweaters adorn downtown trunks in the fall. FISCAL YEAR 2015-16 & 2016-17 TWO-YEAR FINANCIAL P LAN UPDATE PAGE | 19 Community Overview VITICULTURE Livermore Valley Wine Country is the first and oldest wine region in California. Less than an hour east of San Francisco, Livermore Valley Wine Country’s picturesque canyons and ridges welcome locals and visitors to the valley’s vineyards and tasting rooms, which are an integral part of Livermore’s quality of life. The Livermore Valley area boasts over 50 wineries. Popular wine bars, tasting rooms and lovely wine stores thrive in downtown Livermore as well. DOWNTOWN Livermore residents love their downtown. In a recent survey, 87% of respondents rated this popular, vibrant family-friendly destination as excellent or good. Downtown Livermore includes a variety of restaurants, two multi-screen cinemas, boutiques, bars, galleries, spas, and other retail and office space. The Bankhead Theater serves as a focal point for the downtown along with the beloved Lizzie Fountain. SPORTS AND RECREATION Livermore offers more than 1,750 acres of parks and open spaces for residents to enjoy. The collaboration between the City of Livermore and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) has resulted in over 41 park venues, including community and regional parks, trails, sports fields, and golf courses. In March 2015, Cayetano Park opened in North Livermore. The new 11.82 acre park includes open grass fields, basketball courts, a dog park, and traditional park amenities. Additionally, LARPD offers preschool and teen programs, youth and adult sports, aquatics, and senior services. The 71,000-square-foot Robert Livermore Community Center includes a meeting and activity rooms, a full-size double gymnasium, a 400-seat banquet hall and two outdoor pools. FISCAL YEAR 2015-16 & 2016-17 TWO-YEAR FINANCIAL P LAN UPDATE PAGE | 20 Community Overview COMMUNITY EVENTS The Livermore Rodeo and Parade and the Wine Country Downtown Street Fest are two long-running annual special events. Residents also enjoy the annual Downtown Halloween Carnival, Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting, downtown Independence Day firework, and weekly farmers’ markets. Livermore also attracts popular events with regional, national and international fans which have included the Amgen Tour of California professional bike race and the Little League Intermediate World Series. TRANSPORTATION Livermore is conveniently located near two major freeways—I-580 and I-680, and is close to the metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. In addition to its proximity to the Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose international airports, the City of Livermore owns and operates the Livermore Municipal Airport. This general aviation airport services private and corporate customers, and records more than 117,698 takeoffs and landings annually. The Livermore Municipal Airport celebrated its 50th anniversary in October 2015. EDUCATION The Livermore Public Library supports a variety of educational programs and resources, including a one-on- one literacy tutoring program, a popular summer reading program for all ages, the Homework Help Center at the Rincon Branch Library, and many print and online informational resources. Librarians also provide computer classes and one-on-one eBook training as well as research instruction for students in their local classrooms. The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) serves more than 12,600 students in transitional kindergarten through the 12th grade at eight elementary schools, two K-8 school, three middle schools, two comprehensive high schools, and two alternative schools. The LVJUSD features International Baccalaureate Programmes K-12. The mission of the LVJUSD is that each student will graduate with the skills needed to contribute and thrive in a changing world. Las Positas College enrolls more than 8,500 students and is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the country. The College offers curriculum for students seeking transfer to a four-year college or university, career and technical training for those entering the workforce, and basic skills education. The College is also nationally recognized for its Veterans’ First Program. FISCAL YEAR 2015-16 & 2016-17 TWO-YEAR FINANCIAL P LAN UPDATE PAGE | 21 Community Overview BUSINESS Livermore has a diversified business community, and one of the most talented workforces in the world. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories are premier research facilities which conduct some of the nation’s most innovative science. Their proximity attracts technology and industrial companies as well as professional services businesses. World-renowned businesses and fast growing emerging industries call Livermore home. Microbreweries have also discovered Livermore and are