City of Lancaster 2008 - 2015 OUTLook Timeline 

2008

May
Joint Anti-Gang Task Force Established with L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol

July
City Institutes Advanced Technology-based Traffic Control Measures

Lancaster Sheriff’s Launch the Burglary Suppression Team

August
City and Sheriff’s Deploy the Truancy Car in Partnership with High School District

Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission Established                               

City Launches Facebook Site

City Adds Online Graffiti Reporting Feature to Website

eSolar Launches Sierra SunTower Plant, First in United States

September
Mayor Appoints Lancaster’s Section 8 Commission

City Expands Water Conservation Efforts to City Parks, Allocates $297K in Grant Funds for Improvements

October
Lancaster wins International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) Pinnacle Award for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

Lancaster Secures More Than $250,000 in Federal Funding to Fight DUI Injuries and Deaths

City Implements New Water Urgency Ordinance

City Launches New “Positively Clear” Brand Initiative

November
Lancaster Community Shelter Expands

December
City Adopts Nuisance Property Ordinance

Lancaster’s Part 1 Crime Rate Down 11.3%, 25% Drop for Fourth Quarter*

New “Buy Lancaster” Campaign Launches

2009

January
Serious Crimes Fall 10% in the Antelope Valley

Lancaster Tops List of Least Expensive Cities to Do Business In

Mayor Parris Declared Newsmaker of the Year by AV Press Poll

City Adopts Dangerous & Vicious Dog Ordinance

February
Lancaster’s Sheriff’s Station Established as LA County’s First Research & Development Station

May
Southern California Association of Governments Recognizes City’s Downtown Lancaster Specific Plan with the Furthering The Regional Vision Award

American Public Works Association Honors City Outstanding Project Award for Division Street Corridor Recycled Water Project

June
Piute Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

Division Street Corridor Recycled Water Project Completed

July
Southern California Association of Governments Honors City with Compass Blueprint Award for Downtown Lancaster Specific Plan

August
City of Lancaster/LASD Launch Parole Fugitive Apprehension Team

City Adopts New General Plan Update

City, County, Sheriff and AV Human Relations Task Force Partner to Offer Free Mediation Services

Trend Wellness Home Opens

September
Lancaster Ranks at the Top for Crime Reduction in LA County

City Wins 3CMA Silver Circle Award for Economic Stimulus Program

City Hosts First Annual Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix & Street Festival

City Launches Destination Lancaster

October
Trend Neighborhood Impact Home Grand Opening

City of Lancaster Hosts First Annual BooLVD Halloween & Harvest Festival

November
Grand Opening & Dedication of W. J. Knight Veterans Home of California

December
City of Lancaster and SolarCity Announce One of the Largest City-Initiated Solar Projects in California

2010

January
Vicious Dog Ordinance Contributes to 45% Drop in Violent Gang Crime

February
City of Lancaster Cracks Down on Illegal Massage Operations

City of Lancaster Establishes Building Incentive Stimulus Program to Create Jobs, Encourage Developers

City Breaks Ground for MOAH

March
City Breaks Ground for The BLVD Transformation Project

May
BLVD Transformation Project Enters Phase II

Linda Verde Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

June
City of Lancaster Breaks Ground for Downtown Cinema, Bookstore and Café

July
Lancaster Crime Rate Drops for First Six Months of 2010, Violent Crime Rate Down 12%

City Announces Plans to Partner with SolarCity to Launch Solar Lancaster

City of Lancaster, BYD and KB Home Provide a Look into the Future of Energy Efficiency

Phase One of The BLVD Project Fully Completed

Desert View – Indian Sage Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

Desert View – Kingtree Avenue Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

Lowtree Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

August
City of Lancaster Adds Patrol Deputies to The BLVD

Desert View Wellness Home Opens

September
City Launches Annual UNITE Lancaster Program

Lancaster City Council Approves 25-Acre Lease to Morgan Solar

City Council Adopts Wind-Energy Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

City of Lancaster Featured at International Sister Cities Conference in Tianjin, China

City's Economic Stimulus Program Earns Prestigious Helen Putnam Award

Lancaster Wins Two 3CMA Savvy Awards for Website and OutLOOK Magazine

Lancaster Hosts First Annual Celebrate America on The BLVD

October
Piute Wellness Home Grand Opening

BLVD Businesses Get Holiday Push with "The B Card"

November
Clear Channel Stadium Installs New Energy-Efficient Lighting System

Antelope Valley Chevrolet Opens for Business in Lancaster Auto Mall

City of Lancaster’s BLVD Transformation Completed

Mariposa Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

December
City of Lancaster Hosts First Annual Magical BLVD Christmas

2011

January
Lancaster Crime Rate Lowest in more than 15 Years

Antelope Valley Subaru Grand Opening in Lancaster Auto Mall

March
City's Anti-Graffiti Team Nets More Than a Dozen Suspects

Joshua Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

April
10% Crime Rate Drop in First Quarter Proves Lancaster is on the Right Track

JetHawks Open Season in Nation’s Most Energy-Efficient Minor League Baseball Stadium, with 340 Kilowatt Solar System

UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities Launches National Program in Lancaster

Joshua Wellness Home Opens

May
City of Lancaster Launches Crime Mapping Website

Lowtree Wellness Home Grand Opening

June
Downtown Facade Improvement Program Begins

City Receives American Planning Association’s Award of Merit for Planning Excellence recognizing the Downtown Lancaster Specific Plan

APWA Honors City with Outstanding Public Works Project Award for The BLVD Transformation Project

APWA Honors City of Lancaster Facility Solar Shade Structure Project with Best Use of Technology Award

July
City of Lancaster and KB Home’s Partnership Launches AV's First Solar Standard Community

Lancaster Partners with Taiwan-based US Topco Energy Inc.

City of Lancaster Wins Prayer Case

August
The City of Lancaster Pronounced a HEAL City

Mariposa Wellness Home Grand Opening

New Laemmle Cinema Brings Hollywood Flair to The BLVD

Farmers' Market Brings Increased Business to The BLVD

BLVD Banner Heroes Unveiling

September
Cedar Center Grand Opening

City Wins 3CMA Savvy Award for the BooLVD Halloween & Harvest Festival

October
The BLVD Listed as One of the "Top 10" Prettiest, Coolest, Most Charming Main Streets along US Route 6

Mayor Parris Presents to SB70 Green Technology Forum

November
Lancaster Unveils New Law Enforcement Aerial Platform System

December
Graffiti Incidences Down16% for 2011

El Dorado Neighborhood Impact Home Opens

City of Lancaster Launches “Project Get Fit” at Five Wellness Homes

2012

January
Lancaster Wards Off Crime with BLVD Birdsongs

Mayor Parris Addresses World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Mayor Parris Presents to Transforming Cities – Establishing Sustainable Communities

City’s BLVD Transformation Project Earns EPA’s National Award for Smart Growth Achievement

February
Lancaster Records Lowest Crime Rates in 20 Years

City’s BLVD Transformation Project Receives Award of Excellence from the California Redevelopment Association

March
Linda Verde Wellness Home Grand Opening

May
Lancaster Museum of Art & History Opens Hollywood Style

August
Lancaster/Parris Declare War on Bloods Street Gang

Lancaster’s Law Enforcement Aerial Platform System Goes Live

California Downtown Association Recognizes City with Award of Excellence for Physical Impact – The BLVD Transformation Project

September
Lancaster Receives the World Energy Globe Award for Solar Achievements

City Wins Helen Putnam Award for Innovative Community Health & Wellness Program (Neighborhood Impact & Wellness Homes)

October
City of Hope Breaks Ground in Lancaster

November
City Launches 2012 Shop More in Lancaster Campaign

December
Anti-Shoplifting Plan Instituted to Crack Down on Retailers & Shoplifters

2013

March
KB Home Builds 1,000^th Solar Home in Lancaster

First Annual Lancaster Corporate Challenge

April
Mayor Parris Speaks at Pathways to 100% Renewable Energy Conference

May
Mayor Presents Asthmapolis to Local Healthcare Providers

City and Lancaster School District Partner to Launch Lunchbox Pilot Program

City Receives International Downtown Association’s Pinnacle Award for The BLVD Transformation Project

June
Mayor Parris Hosts California Energy Commission

City Wins Outstanding Public Works Project Award from APWA for the Solar Lancaster Program

City Wins APWA’s Best Improvement for Public Safety Award for Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project

City Partners with Local Hotels to Form the Lancaster Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID)

July
Showtime Network Features Mayor Parris in Climate Change Interview

City Launches the Downtown Lancaster Property-Based Improvement District (PBID)

August
California Resource Recovery Association Recognizes City’s 24-Hour Recycling Center as Most Outstanding Household Hazardous/Universal & E-waste Waste Program

September
Mayor Gives Keynote at Energy Storage North America (ESNA) Conference

October
The BLVD Transformation Project Garners International Downtown Association Award

Mayor Parris Addresses Net-Zero Irvine Conference

November
Morton Manufacturing Grand Opening

City of Hope Grand Opening

Lancaster named “Most Business-Friendly City in LA County for Second Time”

The BLVD Recognized by Author of “Completing our Streets”

City of Lancaster Hosts First Annual Field of Drafts Beer Festival

2014

January
Lancaster Becomes First City to Mandate Residential Solar Energy

February
Mayor Parris Addresses Solar Power Generation (SPG) Conference

March
KB Home Introduces Zero House 2.0

Lancaster City Park's Recycled Water Project Completed

City of Lancaster Appeals to PUC regarding Water Rates

Mayor Parris Address Ahwahnee Conference Attendees

City and Antelope Valley Partners for Health Announce Welcome Baby Program

City Launches OneLINC Program

City of Lancaster Hosts Los Angeles County Air Show

April
San Fernando Valley Business Journal Awards BLVD with Best Redevelopment Project

City of Lancaster and sPower Showcase Upcoming 17 Megawatt Summer Solar Facility

New 100-Acre Solar Farm Breaks Ground

Mayor Parris Talks Solar Power at Getty, Addresses LA Business Council Sustainability Summit

California Governor Jerry Brown Helps BYD Showcase its Breakthrough Battery Technology During Unveiling of State’s First Ever Long-Range Electric Bus Factory in Lancaster, California

May
City of Lancaster Adopts Ordinance to Establish Community Choice Aggregation

High Desert Regional Care Center Opens New Doors

June
City of Lancaster Welcomes New Marriott TownePlace Suites Hotel

City Refurbishes JetHawk Stadium Plane

Mayor R. Rex Parris Honored with Prestigious Awards at 2014 Spiritual Leadership Conference

July
City of Lancaster Offers Housing Assistance Grants to Disabled Veterans

Mayor Parris Speaks at Intersolar North America Conference in San Francisco

August
City of Lancaster City Council Approves SASH Program

Chinese Consulate General Tours Lancaster

Grand Opening of Restored Cedar Center for the Arts

Mayor Parris Speaks at California Adaptation Forum in Sacramento

September
Mayor Parris Featured on Future of Energy National Teleconference

October
BYD Lancaster EBus Unveiling in Houston

City Launches Communitywide You Only Live Once “YOLO” Campaign

State-of-the-Art Kaiser Permanente Medical Offices Grand Opening

City Announces MOAH EV Charger & Storage

USC Stem Cell Treatment Clinical Trial Announced

November
City’s 24-Hour E-Waste Recycling Program Launches

City of Lancaster and JetHawks Announce New Club Ownership

Mayor Parris Presents Keynote to WEST (Water, Energy, Smart, Technology) – Net Positive Call to Action

City, County, Metrolink and Metro Regional Rail Partner to Enhance Lancaster Metrolink Station Security

December
City of Lancaster Reels In Two American Public Works Association Awards, Including “Best Environmental Project”

City Promotes Sustainable Developments with Better Built Home Program

City of Lancaster Reaches 54% of Net Zero Phase One Goal

American Heroes Dog Park Opens

Mayor Parris Addresses Renewable Energy Markets (REM) Conference

City and County Partner to Collaborate with Local Entities in the Transformation of the Old MACC into a Homeless Services Facility

2015

January
Murders down 20 percent last year in Valley

Administrative Citation Program Launched

Environmental Protection Agency Recognizes Lancaster as a Green Power Partner

February
Award Winning Documentary, “The Future of Energy” Goes On Air

Lancaster Jobless Rate Declines to 10.7%, from 12.5% a year earlier

March
Mayor Parris Welcomes Foreign Investors at Garcetti Gateway to the USA Event

Second Los Angeles County Air Show Returns to Lancaster, CA

May
City Rollout of Lancaster Choice Energy to Municipal Accounts       

October
City Rollout of Lancaster Choice Energy to Residential and Commercial Accounts