Spirit of Rancho Cucamonga
The Spirit of Rancho Cucamonga Adopted by City Council
On May 6, 2009, the Rancho Cucamonga City Council unanimously adopted The Spirit of Rancho Cucamonga.
Through an extensive public participation process, the City has learned how the community envisions the future of Rancho Cucamonga. Based on this direction, decision-makers have set the course for how this General Plan will create the Rancho Cucamonga of tomorrow. These Guiding Principles provide the foundation for the General Plan and the basis for the goals and policies.
The Rancho Cucamonga General Plan will be written based on these Guiding Principles. Each one affirms the values of our community and provides clear direction to policy-makers, residents, developers, businesses, and others interested in improving the quality of life in Rancho Cucamonga. No principle is more important than another; they are all relevant and work together. Every project will be encouraged to embody and embrace these principles for the purpose of developing higher quality improvements throughout Rancho Cucamonga.
Download a PDF version of the Spirit of RC (PDF file: 390K):
FINAL Spirit of RC Guiding Principles
Spirit of Rancho Cucamonga - Guiding Principles:
The Spirit of Family
Rancho Cucamonga is a people-first community with a focus on families. We strive to create an environment that leads to stable and healthy families.
Our economic development priorities are to support individuals and families by providing high-quality services and facilities.
We continue to develop and maintain a system of high-quality, world-class community parks and sports complexes that appeal to all ages and all interests, from local and regional leagues to national events.
We celebrate the family through community events such as the Founders Day Parade, critically acclaimed performing arts programs, and promotion of other family activities.
We encourage the retention, rehabilitation, and development of a diverse housing stock that caters to residents in all stages of their lives.
The Spirit of Discovery and Knowledge
Rancho Cucamonga is a community committed to lifelong learning that promotes educational opportunities for people of all ages.
Rancho Cucamonga’s schools and colleges are a valuable asset. The quality of our schools draws people to our City. Partnerships among schools, the City, businesses, as well as service, non-profit and faith-based organizations are a model for all California cities
We promote participation in the arts, offering a variety of entertainment and education venues for enrichment, as well as providing opportunities for people to gather with friends and neighbors.
We promote diverse programs and high-quality facilities such as our City-owned libraries and our Community Centers.
The Spirit of Innovation and Enterprise
We are a business-friendly community. We are committed to a fair, entrepreneurial, and successful structure of fees, assessments, and community contributions which provide the funding for the city governance, public safety, and the development and maintenance of quality infrastructure, recreational programs, and open space-related facilities.
We emphasize development of a balanced, integrated, multi-modal circulation system which includes sidewalks, bikeways, streets, equestrian and hiking trails and mass transit. The system is efficient and safe, and connects neighborhoods to jobs, shopping, services, and active and passive open space.
We maximize the industrial economic development power of our rail and highway connections. The Foothill Boulevard, State Route 210, and I-15 corridors are the core of our commercial development and provide both jobs for our families and revenues for our community services. Our economic base maintains a mix of cultural, residential, industrial, and local and regional commercial uses with stable development.
As we mature as a city, infill development will maintain our high standards and will complement existing development.
The Spirit of Community
Through programs such as Healthy RC, we inspire a lifestyle that embraces a healthy mind, body and Earth. We support lifelong learning and enrichment, active and healthy living, and environmental sustainability. These values are reflected in our programs and facilities for our residents and businesses. The high quality of services the City provides strengthens community bonds and contributes to healthy lifestyles.
We depend upon one another and this is demonstrated by encouraging and recognizing volunteerism.
We recognize the importance of our service, non-profit and faith-based organizations and the impact they have within the community.
The Spirit of Heritage
We have an abiding respect for the heritage we share. Our historic communities – Alta Loma, Cucamonga, and Etiwanda – are at the heart of our City and must be preserved, honored, and enhanced. We encourage the preservation and restoration of historical buildings and cultural resources to recognize the contributions of our forefathers.
Foothill Boulevard (Route 66) is the historic thread that ties our community together. We must continually revitalize the corridor while telling the story of the past and balancing preservation. This will be done through the adaptive re-use of buildings, strong architectural design, and public art.
We promote the use of citrus and vineyard plantings to remind us of our agricultural past.
Our outstanding views of the mountains, the varied natural topography of the area, and the trails that allow us to access these open spaces are an asset and must be preserved.
The Spirit of Leadership
Our City is committed to being a leader in providing a safe place to live, work, and play.
We have a strong dedication to community planning. The quality of our built environment is by design. Our government leads by example. We are committed to achieving higher standards for community development, architecture, and landscaping. Our streetscapes reflect the high-quality development that we demand while embracing the concept of water conservation and ease of maintenance.
We promote sustainable neighborhood and building design.
The City promotes a balanced approach towards development that pays attention to long-term economic strength and fiscal responsibility. A sustainable economy requires a diversified employment and fiscal base. We take pride in the fiscal soundness enjoyed by our City as a result of solid development decisions, prudent financial management, and a strong commitment by residents to add value through their efforts.
The Spirit of Tomorrow
Rancho Cucamonga will lead the way to a healthy environment. We are committed to environmental sustainability, which means meeting the needs of the present while conserving the ability of future generations to do the same.
We are dedicated to a sustainable balance in land use patterns (residential, business, educational, agricultural, recreational, open space, and historic uses) and supporting transportation.
We are proactive in the design and use of lands within our Sphere of Influence, being vigilant in maintaining open space wherever possible.
We continue to provide a stable City government which respects the decisions of the past while being committed to long-range planning initiatives and the positive impacts of future development.
We recognize there is an interdependent relationship between an educated citizenry, economic development, and a thriving community.
On May 6, 2009, the Rancho Cucamonga City Council unanimously adopted The Spirit of Rancho Cucamonga.
Through an extensive public participation process, the City has learned how the community envisions the future of Rancho Cucamonga. Based on this direction, decision-makers have set the course for how this General Plan will create the Rancho Cucamonga of tomorrow. These Guiding Principles provide the foundation for the General Plan and the basis for the goals and policies.
The Rancho Cucamonga General Plan will be written based on these Guiding Principles. Each one affirms the values of our community and provides clear direction to policy-makers, residents, developers, businesses, and others interested in improving the quality of life in Rancho Cucamonga. No principle is more important than another; they are all relevant and work together. Every project will be encouraged to embody and embrace these principles for the purpose of developing higher quality improvements throughout Rancho Cucamonga.
Download a PDF version of the Spirit of RC (PDF file: 390K):
FINAL Spirit of RC Guiding Principles Spirit of Rancho Cucamonga - Guiding Principles:
The Spirit of Family
Rancho Cucamonga is a people-first community with a focus on families. We strive to create an environment that leads to stable and healthy families.
Our economic development priorities are to support individuals and families by providing high-quality services and facilities.
We continue to develop and maintain a system of high-quality, world-class community parks and sports complexes that appeal to all ages and all interests, from local and regional leagues to national events.
We celebrate the family through community events such as the Founders Day Parade, critically acclaimed performing arts programs, and promotion of other family activities.
We encourage the retention, rehabilitation, and development of a diverse housing stock that caters to residents in all stages of their lives.
The Spirit of Discovery and Knowledge
Rancho Cucamonga is a community committed to lifelong learning that promotes educational opportunities for people of all ages.
Rancho Cucamonga’s schools and colleges are a valuable asset. The quality of our schools draws people to our City. Partnerships among schools, the City, businesses, as well as service, non-profit and faith-based organizations are a model for all California cities
We promote participation in the arts, offering a variety of entertainment and education venues for enrichment, as well as providing opportunities for people to gather with friends and neighbors.
We promote diverse programs and high-quality facilities such as our City-owned libraries and our Community Centers.
The Spirit of Innovation and Enterprise
We are a business-friendly community. We are committed to a fair, entrepreneurial, and successful structure of fees, assessments, and community contributions which provide the funding for the city governance, public safety, and the development and maintenance of quality infrastructure, recreational programs, and open space-related facilities.
We emphasize development of a balanced, integrated, multi-modal circulation system which includes sidewalks, bikeways, streets, equestrian and hiking trails and mass transit. The system is efficient and safe, and connects neighborhoods to jobs, shopping, services, and active and passive open space.
We maximize the industrial economic development power of our rail and highway connections. The Foothill Boulevard, State Route 210, and I-15 corridors are the core of our commercial development and provide both jobs for our families and revenues for our community services. Our economic base maintains a mix of cultural, residential, industrial, and local and regional commercial uses with stable development.
As we mature as a city, infill development will maintain our high standards and will complement existing development.
The Spirit of Community
Through programs such as Healthy RC, we inspire a lifestyle that embraces a healthy mind, body and Earth. We support lifelong learning and enrichment, active and healthy living, and environmental sustainability. These values are reflected in our programs and facilities for our residents and businesses. The high quality of services the City provides strengthens community bonds and contributes to healthy lifestyles.
We depend upon one another and this is demonstrated by encouraging and recognizing volunteerism.
We recognize the importance of our service, non-profit and faith-based organizations and the impact they have within the community.
The Spirit of Heritage
We have an abiding respect for the heritage we share. Our historic communities – Alta Loma, Cucamonga, and Etiwanda – are at the heart of our City and must be preserved, honored, and enhanced. We encourage the preservation and restoration of historical buildings and cultural resources to recognize the contributions of our forefathers.
Foothill Boulevard (Route 66) is the historic thread that ties our community together. We must continually revitalize the corridor while telling the story of the past and balancing preservation. This will be done through the adaptive re-use of buildings, strong architectural design, and public art.
We promote the use of citrus and vineyard plantings to remind us of our agricultural past.
Our outstanding views of the mountains, the varied natural topography of the area, and the trails that allow us to access these open spaces are an asset and must be preserved.
The Spirit of Leadership
Our City is committed to being a leader in providing a safe place to live, work, and play.
We have a strong dedication to community planning. The quality of our built environment is by design. Our government leads by example. We are committed to achieving higher standards for community development, architecture, and landscaping. Our streetscapes reflect the high-quality development that we demand while embracing the concept of water conservation and ease of maintenance.
We promote sustainable neighborhood and building design.
The City promotes a balanced approach towards development that pays attention to long-term economic strength and fiscal responsibility. A sustainable economy requires a diversified employment and fiscal base. We take pride in the fiscal soundness enjoyed by our City as a result of solid development decisions, prudent financial management, and a strong commitment by residents to add value through their efforts.
The Spirit of Tomorrow
Rancho Cucamonga will lead the way to a healthy environment. We are committed to environmental sustainability, which means meeting the needs of the present while conserving the ability of future generations to do the same.
We are dedicated to a sustainable balance in land use patterns (residential, business, educational, agricultural, recreational, open space, and historic uses) and supporting transportation.
We are proactive in the design and use of lands within our Sphere of Influence, being vigilant in maintaining open space wherever possible.
We continue to provide a stable City government which respects the decisions of the past while being committed to long-range planning initiatives and the positive impacts of future development.
We recognize there is an interdependent relationship between an educated citizenry, economic development, and a thriving community.