Reedley

the city-owned-and-operated Reedley Airport and the Reedley College Aviation Department. And the city partnered with CalTrans (California Dept. of Transportation) and the Fresno Council of Governments to receive some funding for two fully electric airplanes – the first of their kind in the U.S. Operating out of the city of Reedley, the planes completely eliminate green- house gases expelled into the atmosphere by jet fuel, and will serve as the catalyst to support addi- tional aviation sciences, technologies, and training at Reedley College and beyond.The airplanes, themselves, are scheduled to arrive by the end of summer, and Sustainable Aviation Pilot training courses, through Reedley College’s Aviation Main- tenance program, are set to begin in 2018. The sky’s literally the limit for the city’s future. In 2014, Reedley adopted its 2030 General Plan that focuses on orderly growth, neighbor- hood connectivity and walkability, mixed-use development, preservation of the city core, and support for a diverse and active community economically, socially, and recreationally. It includes a policy that blocks annexation of land into the city unless more than 80 percent of the REEDLEY, CALIFORNIA PREFERRED VENDOR n Quincy Engineering Inc. www.quincyeng.com city limits are being fully developed. At this point, Reedley is just above 90 percent developed, due to a very consistent effort. Terry says, “We know the positive impact that has on the city and its services, and it works to quell sprawling development that creates additional challenges. That doesn’t mean we aren’t work- ing with developers to provide housing opportu- nities for our residents; we absolutely do that.We are just very conscious of the balance we need to maintain in the community.Our population is growing, but we work hard with the development community, our city council, our planning commis- sion, and the public at large to make certain we are at the appropriate level of growth.” He adds,“It’s been common in the San Joaquin Valley in the past generation to build quickly and have several hundred units in a community our size come in every sixmonths or so.You then have a lot of vacancy, and what ends up happening is the value doesn’t hold for those who purchased into those homes. It can be bad for the developer and the individual property owner.” Terry sums up the city with a poignant descrip- tion: “Reedley is absolutely the gem of Fresno County.We have amenities here that are not found anywhere else in the San JoaquinValley.In fact, we’re jokingly referred to as having the onlybeach in central California,‘ReedleyBeach,’on the banks of the Kings River–which is flowing better nowthan it has in about seven years, after a long drought. So, if there is one phrase that highlights the essence of Reedley, it would be ‘big town amenities deliv- ered with small town care.’”