Imperial Beach, California
City of Imperial Beach | |
|---|---|
 "Surfhenge" in Imperial Beach | |
| Nickname: I.B. | |
| Motto: "America's Most South-Westernly City" | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Diego |
| Founded | June 1, 1887 |
| Incorporated | September 17, 1956 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Jim Janney |
| • City Council | Fred McLean Mayda Winter Patricia McCoy Lorie Bragg |
| Area | |
| • City | 4.5 sq mi (11.7 km2) |
| • Land | 4.3 sq mi (4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Population (2003 - 2007 incl. Tijuana)[1] | |
| • City | 27,151 |
| • Density | 6,324.2/sq mi (6,324.2/km2) |
| • Metro | Incl. Tijuana: 4,922,723 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 91932 |
| Area code | 619 |
| FIPS code | 06-36294 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1660788 |
| Website | www.ci.imperial-beach.ca.us |
Imperial Beach is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. The population was 26,992 at the 2000 census.
Every year the city holds the annual Sand Castles event, which draws about 400,000 people over three days. Template:Mapit-US-cityscale
Geography
Imperial Beach is located at 32°34′42″N 117°7′2″W / 32.57833°N 117.11722°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (32.578255, -117.117111)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.7 km² (4.5 mi²). 11.1 km² (4.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (5.53%) is water.
The city occupies the extreme southwest corner of the continental United States: bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and Mexico on the south.
Known as a biker town for its rough atmosphere and seedy beachfront area throughout the 70s, Imperial Beach has undergone a significant makeover in the last ten years and the city has done much to become more visitor-friendly, commercially viable and overall more aesthetically pleasing. However, the city is still a low-key beach community. For years the city was controlled by pro-growth elected officials, but over the years environmentalists and other activists helped elect a group of smart-growth and no-growth officials. The City of Imperial Beach is now implementing an ambitious community redevelopment plan to improve the badly developed commercial corridor along Palm Avenue and Seacoast Drive.
Imperial Beach was the location of fierce environmental battles in the 1970s and 1980s over plans to develop the Tijuana Estuary and build a breakwater to control beach erosion. Former Mayor Brian Bilbray, who later became a U.S. Congressman, lost both battles. The Tijuana Estuary is now a National Estuarine Research Reserve and State Park. The cessation of plans to build the breakwater was officially the first major victory of the then fledgling Surfrider Foundation, now an international organization with 45,000-members. While the International Boundary and Water Commission wastewater plant completed in 1999 has greatly improved water quality during dry weather, the biggest obstacle to the renewal of Imperial Beach is the continued pollution of the Tijuana River and beach closures just south of the city during wet weather.
Surfing is popular in Imperial Beach with activities concentrated north and south of the Imperial Beach Pier and in front of the Tijuana Estuary at the famed Boca Rio beachbreak. The Tijuana Sloughs, a fabled big-wave surf spot is now almost unrideable due to raw toxic sewage that flows into the break from the Tijuana River. WiLDCOAST, a coastal conservation organization based in Imperial Beach, launched a grassroots "Clean Water Now" campaign to support a comprehensive plan to clean up the Tijuana River and reduce beach closures along the U.S.-Mexico border.
References in popular culture
Kem Nunn's novel, Tijuana Straits, provides insight into the culture of the border and surfing in Imperial Beach and the Tijuana River Valley, and the environmental problems that impact both the poorest and wealthiest residents of Tijuana, Imperial Beach and Coronado.
The HBO television series John from Cincinnati was about a dysfunctional surfing family in Imperial Beach set against the backdrop of the U.S.-Mexico border. The series (from Executive Producer David Milch, writer Kem Nunn, and director Mark Tinker) was filmed at a variety of locations in Imperial Beach and in the Tijuana River Valley.
FOX TV's Secret Millionaire, Gregory and Cole Ruzicka are sent to Imperial Beach to immerse themselves amongst the poorest of the city. Cole and Gregory get construction jobs, and Cole plays guitar on the pier for tips.
Demographics (2000 census)
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 26,992 people, 9,272 households, and 6,453 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,440.7/km² (6,324.2/mi²). There were 9,739 housing units at an average density of 880.6/km² (2,281.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 62.26% White, 5.26% African American, 1.10% Native American, 6.55% Asian, 0.60% Pacific Islander, 17.77% from other races, and 6.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.08% of the population.
There were 9,272 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,882, and the median income for a family was $37,352. Males had a median income of $29,692 versus $24,201 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,003. About 14.1% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
Current estimates
According to estimates by the San Diego Association of Governments, the median household income of Imperial Beach in 2005 was $49,104 (not adjusted for inflation). When adjusted for inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census data above), the median household income was $39,874.
Politics
In the state legislature Imperial Beach is located in the 40th Senate District, represented by Democrat Denise Moreno Ducheny, and in the 79th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Mary Salas. Federally, Imperial Beach is located in California's 53rd congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +12[2] and is represented by Democrat Susan Davis.
Famous residents
- Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray grew up in Imperial Beach and was mayor - Mar Vista High Graduate, 1970
- Author Robert Clark Young grew up in Imperial Beach.
- Software entrepreneur Charlie Jackson grew up in Imperial Beach - graduated Mar Vista High in 1967.
- Film actor Matthew Modine attended High School in Imperial Beach.
- Film actor Lou Meza grew up in Imperial Beach.
- Eleanor Mariano, retired USN Rear Admiral and physician to the President of the United States at the White House for 9 years. (http://edition.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/09/23/cnna.mariano/) Dr. Mariano graduated Mar Vista High School, 1973 (http://www.mvalumni.com/)
External links
- Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce
- WebCam from The San Diego Coastal Ocean Observing System
- The City of Imperial Beach
- Imperial Beach Online Community
| To the North: Silver Strand (San Diego) |
California State Beaches | To the South Border Field State Park |
References
- ^ World Gazetteer – San Diego-Tijuana
- ^ "Will Gerrymandered Districts Stem the Wave of Voter Unrest?". Campaign Legal Center Blog. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
