Susie Tae and I, David McDonald, as part of the AV CSDs project team, attended the Leona Valley Cherry Parade and Festival last month to talk to people, increase awareness and give out information on the AV CSDs project. It was small town fun at its best! Iris Chi and Jennifer Mongolo of the Environmental Planning and Sustainability Section were also there to talk to folks about the update to the Significant Ecological Areas (SEA) Program.
Leona Valley has been known for more than 50 years for its cherry orchards, where people come from miles around to pick their own cherries at the numerous orchards that offer both sweet and sour cherries fresh. Most orchards in town are pesticide-free and some are certified organic.
For more than 40 years on the first Saturday in June, the Leona Valley Improvement Association has sponsored the annual Cherry Parade and Festival in the heart of town. From antique cars, horses, floats and beauty queens it is small town fun for the whole family.
Regional Planning was honored to take part in the Festival this year. We had a booth with information on the local zoning ordinance, called the Community Standards District (also referred to as the CSD). Several communities, including Leona Valley, have a CSD and have requested it be updated to reflect the current needs of the community as part of the larger AV CSDs project. Other communities have requested to create a CSD for their communities. We spoke to Leona Valley and other Antelope Valley residents and heard their concerns for the future of their communities and gave them information on the project. Iris and Jennifer had a lot of information on the SEA Program, another current county project with local interest and relevance.
The Leona Valley Cherry Parade and Festival was a wonderful opportunity to participate in the festivities. We had the chance to sample some of the local cuisine, including the famous and fabulous cherry burritos, and see the parade with its equestrian units, classic cars, floats and beauty queens. Indeed it was a Saturday of fun for everyone!
Regional Planning will be present at future events in various communities in the Antelope Valley. Please check in with our website regularly for updates on the AV CSDs project and other local happenings and community events.
