HomeMy WebLinkAbout0004_1_Christensen Park - Staff ReportPage 1 of 2
REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Grant Yates, City Manager
Prepared by: Justin Kirk, Principal Planner
Date:February 14, 2017
PROJECT: Naming of the Christensen Park Site
Recommendation
By motion, approve the name “Christensen Community Park” for the 5.74 acre park site located
in the Canyon Hills Specific Plan.
Background
Hans Christensen, Sr., a 40-year-old emigrant from Denmark arrived in California in the early
1880s. Originally, he settled in Livermore, California, where he had a half-sister, Ellen, married
to Chris Anderson, a farmer. Hans, Sr., decided to head south. Relatives have said he worked
on farms to earn money as he moved to Southern California and, finally settled here in 1882.
Hans Christensen, Sr., was one of the first settlers in the area and settled in the Menifee area
where he found fertile, flat land. He acquired his acreage, small numbers at a time, sometimes
paying as little as $8.50 per acre. The Christensen family owned 5,000 or more acres and leased
additional acreage from other landowners. In the early years, they used horses to farm their fields
of barley. The west boundary of the Christensen property was on Railroad Canyon Road where
the road changes from a four-lane highway to a six-lane road. The eastern boundary is east of
Interstate #215 near the Wooden Nickel Ranch. The property purchased by the Pardee Corp.
ends near Clinton Keith Road may be the south boundary. The Hans Christensen School is
located north of McCall Road in Menifee and may be the north boundary. Today Hans
Christensen, Sr., has more than 30 descendent living and working in Riverside County and
contributing to the community as their ancestors before them.
The subject park is located in Phase 7 of the Canyon Hills Specific Plan and is generally located
southwest of the intersection of Piedmont and Canyon Hills. As part of this project, the developer
is conditioned to construct a 5.74 acre City park. Pardee Homes, LLC is currently in plan check
for the development of the park and will begin construction in the near future.
Discussion
Pursuant to City policy, recommendations to the Council regarding the naming of public facilities.
Members of the Community have requested the park be named in commemoration of the
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Christensen Family who lived in the area and impacts they have had on the community. To be
consistent with other parks within the City, the Community Development Department is
recommending the name “Christensen Park”.
Prepared by: Justin Kirk,
Principal Planner
Approved by: Grant Taylor,
Community Development Director
Exhibits:
A. Conceptual Park Design
B. Council Policy on Park Naming