Mission Statement

"To protect and enrich the quality of life, to make Bellflower an excellent place to live, work and play."

History

The original legal title to the land on which Bellflower now stands dates back to 1784 with one of the first Spanish land grants in California. Several Spanish soldiers petitioned Pedro Fages, the Governor of California and a former commander in the Spanish military, for land on which to graze their herds of livestock. The largest of these grants went to soldier Manuel Nieto, who received all the land between the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers. In 1832, after the Spanish were ousted in the Mexican Revolution, the new Mexican Governor, Jose Figueroa, divided the land into five smaller ranchos to be distributed among Nieto's heirs. Bellflower developed on a piece of land bordered by three of the ranchos: Santa Gertrudes, Los Coyotes, and Los Cerritos. During this time, vast amounts of cattle sustained the economy and beef was cheaper than salt.

To meet the challenges of tomorrow, the City of Bellflower has launched several major renovations to public facilities, streets and sidewalks. Upgrades to public parks and Thompson Park pool, the addition of a new compressed natural gas fueling station, and public art displays serve a key role in addressing the needs of the future. Bellflower also played a pivotal role in the renovation of the County's Brakensiek Public Library, opened the Muriel MacGregor Community Senior Center, and initiated the start of construction to the Artesia Freeway sound wall. Several facilities, such as the Bristol Civic Auditorium and Simms Park Auditorium, are available for rent to residents and businesses for meetings and special events.

Crime in Bellflower has plummeted by more than 50% over the past eight years. With active Neighborhood Watch groups, Volunteers on Patrol and citizen awareness programs, the City's community policing efforts continue to make significant strides to curb crime and illegal activities throughout Bellflower. Fire protection and emergency response times rank among the best in the region, and the City's commitment to Red Ribbon Week, Bellflower's Alternative to Gangs (BAG) and the Jr. Paramedic Program helps steer youngsters toward positive life choices. The City's recent enforcement against illegal fireworks resulted in the seizure of more than 30,000 dangerous explosives, and the observance of "National Night Out" generated significant awareness and participation throughout the community.

A cornerstone of community participation, public events in Bellflower have gained widespread attention as quality offerings for people of all ages. From the City's flagship BRAVO awards to the Summer Streetfest concert series, Bellflower provides ongoing events to engage residents and create a sense of community pride and ownership. Other events such as the Library Rededication, Liberty Day Parade, Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, Halloween carnivals, Norms Sign Relighting ceremony and the recent "Community Concrete Pour" reflect the City's commitment to produce first-rate public events throughout the year.

The City places high value on recognizing residents and businesses that demonstrate outstanding service to the community. The annual BRAVO Awards recognize exceptional bravery and valor in support of public safety. The Bellflower Honors citizen recognition program rewards outstanding community service and volunteerism by individuals, businesses, students and service organizations. Beautification awards are also presented annually to property owners who make significant upgrades to their facilities. Honorees are featured on the City's website, cable news show, community newsletter and public service announcements.

Strategic ongoing media relations has resulted in Bellflower garnering wide-spread positive media coverage for numerous events. The Bellflower Honors ceremony in April 2003 resulted in 49 positive TV and radio news stories, four that ran nationally. Arnold Schwarzenegger's visit to Hollywood Sports Park in August 2003 resulted in another 24 TV news stories, nine that aired nationally. The City's fireworks enforcement efforts were covered on Channel 2 News and Channel 9 News, the Recent Liberty Day Parade was featured on Channel 7 News, and the '9/11' candlelight vigil was featured on Channel 4 News and Channel 34 Noticias, to name a few. Since October 2001, Bellflower has generated more than 40 million positive impressions from television, radio and newspaper coverage.

With economic development as a foremost objective, the City continues to attract quality businesses to meet the growing needs of the community. Two national retailers, Walgreen's and 7-11, recently opened new stores in town, Norm Reeves Honda Superstore and Starbucks will soon be opening one, maybe two, shops in the City. Longtime Bellflower businesses such as Holland-American Market, Glen-L Marine and Koopman's Furniture all recently celebrated more than a half-century of success in town. By offering business assistance programs, a dedicated business website and ongoing training opportunities, the City has taken the lead in helping to serve local merchants. Additionally, the City spotlights businesses every month in The Bellflower Citizen newsletter, on the cable news show All About Bellflower and as part of regular special-event cable broadcasts.

The City of Bellflower's ongoing core objectives center on public safety, economic development and community beautification. In addition, by raising development standards, adding new housing stock, and attracting quality businesses to Bellflower, the City has taken aggressive, proactive steps to meet the challenges of today, in order to create a better tomorrow.