Bill Text: CA SCR71 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: City of Anaheim: Little Arabia.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-08-21 - Re-referred to Com. on TRANS. [SCR71 Detail]
Download: California-2019-SCR71-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Concurrent Resolution
No. 71
| Introduced by Senator Chang |
August 14, 2019 |
Relative to Little Arabia.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 71, as introduced, Chang.
City of Anaheim: Little Arabia.
This measure would, upon local designation by the City of Anaheim or the County of Orange, designate specified exits on Interstate 5 in the County of Orange for reaching the cultural landmark of “Little Arabia.” The measure would request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost for appropriate cultural landmark signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee: NOBill Text
WHEREAS, The City of Anaheim is home to a population of thousands of residents of Arab heritage who, according to the United States Census, make up at least 1.5 percent of the total population and who have made significant cultural and historic contributions to the city; and
WHEREAS, Within the City of Anaheim in the County of Orange, the area of Brookhurst Street between Interstate 5 and Katella Avenue is a haven of businesses owned and operated by Arab Americans and is sometimes referred to as “Little Gaza,” which was a play on the original designation of this area as the “Garza Island”; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, local Arab American groups launched a social media campaign to build momentum around designating this area as Little Arabia; and
WHEREAS, Little Arabia is one of the largest Arab business areas in the nation, offers unique shopping experiences and diverse restaurants, and provides goods and services that continue to attract customers and tourists; and
WHEREAS, Little Arabia provides a safe and healthy environment for community gatherings such as Eid Festival, a celebration of many cultural events and a fundraiser to support humanitarian relief causes; and
WHEREAS, The general public and the media commonly recognize the area of Brookhurst Street between Interstate 5 and Katella Avenue as Little Arabia; and
WHEREAS, There is widespread community support to name the area as Little Arabia, already having privately funded signage identifying Little Arabia installed in Brookhurst Plaza on Brookhurst Street and Orange Avenue; and
WHEREAS, Formally designating this area as Little Arabia will honor the contributions of Arab American entrepreneurs to the city’s economy and recognize how Arab American business owners have improved the area; and
WHEREAS, The recognition of Little Arabia as a cultural designation through the placement of freeway signs will encourage the continued attraction of customers and tourists to this important component of cultural diversity in the City of Anaheim, now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby, upon local designation by the City of Anaheim or the County of Orange, designates Exit 113, the Brookhurst Street; La Palma Avenue north and south exits on Interstate 5, as the defined route for reaching the landmark “Little Arabia”; and be it further
Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to determine the cost of the appropriate cultural landmark signs, consistent with the signing requirements of the state highway system, showing this designation, and upon receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost, to erect the cultural landmark signs; and be it further
Resolved, That Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for appropriate distribution.
