Brentwood

Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population is 66,854 as of 2022, an increase of 287% from 23,302 at the 2000 census. The community is still known throughout the Bay Area for its agricultural products - primarily its cherries, corn and peaches. Due to urban sprawl many of the old farms and orchards have been replaced by suburban developments since 1990. Brentwood is increasingly residential, with the rate of population growth in the triple digits during the 1990s and 69% from 2000 through 2010. The city broke ground for a new civic center in November, 2009. The Mission-style architectural inspiration for City Hall, the main building, was the 1910 Brentwood Hotel. The $60 million project, completed in May 2012, includes the 58,000-square-foot City Hall and state-of-the-art City Council Chambers. The Streets of Brentwood, an outdoor lifestyle retail center, opened in Brentwood in 2008. It received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification for amenities such as green roofs, biosales, permeable paving and infiltration planters. The Brentwood water tower perhaps symbolizes the city's transition from a rural farm community to a modern bedroom community. This landmark on Walnut Boulevard, across the street from the Brentwood Park and Ride lot, is the tallest structure in the city. It no longer used for its original purpose, but now serves as a cell phone tower.

History

Brentwood was originally laid out on land donated from property owned by John Marsh, an East Contra Costa County pioneer who acquired Rancho Los Méganos, the land grant that Brentwood is built upon, in 1837. Brentwood was named after Marsh's ancestral home, the town of Brentwood in the County of Essex, England. The city broke ground for a new civic center in November, 2009. The Mission-style architectural inspiration for City Hall, the main building, was the 1910 Brentwood Hotel. The $60 million project, completed in May 2012, includes the 58,000-square-foot City Hall and state-of-the-art City Council Chambers. City water is stored in large tanks atop hills outside the city. City departments began moving into the new facility in October 2011, and the former city hall was demolished during November 2011. During the 1990s, many types of retail stores were built along the Brentwood/Antioch border on Lone Tree Way, on both sides of SR 4 B, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from downtown Brentwood. The Streets of Brent Wood, an outdoor lifestyle retail center, opened in 2008. The Brentwood water tower perhaps symbolizes the city's transition from a rural farm community to a modern bedroom community. The water tower is no longer used for its original purpose, but now serves as a cell phone tower. It is located on Walnut Boulevard, across the street from a Brentwood Park and Ride lot.

Indigenous History

The Julpun were Native Americans who were a part of the Bay Miwok tribes who spoke the same language. The Julpun believed that everything in the world had a life or spirit and were very in tune with the nature around them. They set things as sacred where they would pray at as part of their religious beliefs, they ended up coining Mt. Diablo, or as they call it Supremenenu, as the birthplace of the world. In present time the Julpun tribe have more or less settled around the Bay Area. They (the Julpun) are working with the National Park Service, where they united under one federally recognized tribe called the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. They weren't mainly concentrated but spread out from the San Joaquin River to the bottom part of Marsh Creek which is now the southern part of Brentwood. They may have went back to their territory and ended up working under John Marsh on the land where their home once was. They are now living in specific groups, while others are living in society where they are preserving their native culture even though they may be away from their tribes. Back then the Julpuns were never reached out too by ethnographers or linguists when the Jul puns still retained their language, the BayMiwok. Back in 1806-1808 few of the Jul Pun migrated over to Mission San Jose with about 100 or so went by 1813. Later on Milliken listed down that about 141 Julpun members were baptized by 1819.

Geography

Brentwood is located on the alluvial plain of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The wet season is generally October through April, though there may be a day or two of light rainfall in June or September. The landscape on the west is marked by rolling hills, non-native grasses, oak trees, fruit orchards, and vineyards. The East Bay Regional Park District is a special San Francisco Bay Area district operating in the East Bay counties of Alameda County and Contra Costa County. Brentwood has a total area of 14.81 sq mi (38.4 km²) of which 14.79 sq mi is land and 0.02sq mi (0.05km²) or 0.13% is water. It is located in the rain shadow of Mt. Diablo and receives less rainfall than many of its neighbors. Summer heat is often moderated by the Delta breeze, especially in the late afternoon, causing temperatures to cool rapidly. It borders on the Mediterranean (Csa) and Semi-arid climates (Bsh). Like most of East Contra Costa. County, Brentwood lies in theRain shadow of Mount. Diablo. It receives less rain than most of. its neighbors, but receives light rain in June and September. It also has a number of public golf courses, including a golf course at the Brentwood Country Club. The town has a population of 2,000, with the majority of residents living in Brentwood and its surrounding areas.

Government

The City of Brentwood operates under the City Manager form of government. The City Manager serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the city. Brentwood established its own city police department in 1948, when it was primarily a small farming community. It now serves an area of 14 square miles (36 km²), divided into 4 geographic areas. Fire protection is provided by the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD), which reports to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. The fire district had to close two fire stations in 2015 because of funding issues. One station remains open in Brentwood, Oakley, and Discovery Bay. The Delta Patrol Station has occupied a 1920s era building for over four decades. It has been looking for a larger facility in East County to serve the growing population for faster response in unincorporated Contra Costa county areas (e.g., Byron, Discovery Bay and Knightsen). Response time for Bethel Island is expected to remain the same. The city has signed an agreement with the County of Contra Costa to move its existing office from Oakley to a larger space in Brent Wood. The Brentwood Police Department was established in 1948. The current police chief is Tom Hansen, a 23-year veteran of the BPD. He was appointed acting police chief in April, 2017, after then-chief Mark Evenson went on medical leave. City Manager Gus Vina announced that Hansen would become the permanent chief, effective December 16, 2017. His other specialized training includes participating in the West Point Leadership Program, the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute of Police.

Education

Brentwood's public education system has about 7 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools. The Brentwood Union School District has many schools designated as a California Distinguished School. The temporary Brentwood branch of the Contra Costa County Library, located at 104 Oak Street, across from the Civic Center and City Park, was razed early in 2017. The new 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) facility was completed in 2018, and serves a population of more than 50,000. The library offers a number of programs for all ages, including storytimes for babies and toddlers. Brentwood Center has acquired property in the southwest part of the city, where it plans to build a new 18 acres (7.3 ha) campus. Construction is expected to begin in 2018 and classes are expected to start in the spring of 2020. The city is served by three school districts: Brentwood, Knightsen School District, and Liberty Union High School District. It also has a community college, Los Medanos College, which began operating a satellite facility at Sand Creek Road and Brentwood Boulevard in the city in the 1990s. It is also home to the Brentwood High School, which has a full range of Advanced Placement courses and the highest Academic Performance Index (California public schools)(API) score in the area. It has stellar performing arts programs, and championship athletic teams. Heritage is also a solar school. The 2.38 kW photovoltaic project installed at Heritage High School is designed to demonstrate the benefits and opportunities created by renewable energy technology.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Brentwood had a population of 51,481. There were 17,523 housing units at an average density of 1,183.6 per square mile (457.0/km²), of which 16,494 were occupied, of which 12,580 (76.3%) were owner-occupied, and 3,914 (23.7%) were occupied by renters. The median income for a household in the town was $97,202. The racial makeup of the town. was 75.38% White, 9.40% African American, 0.75% Native American, 6.99% Asian, 5.96% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.34% of the population. The population was spread out, with 16,058 people (31.2%) under the age of 18, 3,854 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 13,991 people (27.2) aged 25 to 44, 11,703 people (22.7) aged 45 to 64, and 5,875 people (11.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11, and the average family size was 2.93. The town's population was 23,265 at the time of the 2000 census, and it is expected to grow to 50,000 by the 2010 census.

Economy

Brentwood underwent a strong economic boom from 2000 through 2008. There is no heavy industry and only a small light industrial area in the northeastern part of the city. Brentwood has established close relations with the national labs and is a member of i-GATE, which is a regional partnership designed to promote tech-oriented business growth connected with the labs. In 2013, Brentwood's economy displayed renewed economic vigor with substantial new activity in residential and commercial/retail construction. According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. The overall improvement in the Bay Area economy and anticipation for the 2015 completion of eBart and highway improvements in East Contra Costa County are playing a part in the revival of strong economic growth in Brentwood. The city's population expanded from 23,302 in 2000 to about 48,000 in 2006, a higher growth rate than other communities in theBay Area. The largest homes with many upgrades nearing $1M are sold for $500K to $1.5M. The average home price in the area is about $200,000 to $300,000, with the largest homes beginning in the $500,000s to $600,000 range. The most expensive homes are the $1 million to $800,000 mark. The highest-end homes sell for as much as $900,000. The town has a population of about 50,000 and is located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Transportation

Public transportation is very limited, so the principal roads leading into the city are very congested with commuter traffic. No freeways served Brentwood directly until February 2008, when the John Marsh Heritage Highway was built. There is no passenger rail service to Brentwood. A light rail Bay Area Rapid Transit expansion from Bay Point to Hillcrest Avenue, serving East Contra Costa County, known as eBart, was put into regular service in August 2018. The nearest Altamont Corridor Express train station is in Livermore, and the nearest Amtrak station is at Antioch. There are no commercial airports in Brentwood, but there are several private airports. It takes about two hours for the bus to reach Pittsburg/Bay Point BART from the Brentwood Park & Ride lot on Walnut Street. The Brentwood area is home to the San Francisco International Airport and the Sacramento International Airport. The San Jose International Airport is only a few miles from Brentwood on the other side of the San Joaquin Valley. The Contra Costa Airport is the largest private airport in the area, serving more than 2,000 passengers a day. It is located on the eastern edge of Brentwood and serves the cities of Antioch, Livermore and Stockton, as well as parts of San Francisco and San Jose. The airport is also home to San Diego International Airport, which serves the city of San Diego and the San Diego-San Francisco Bay area. It has a private airport that serves the San Jose-San Diego area.

Attractions and lifestyle

Brentwood is one of only 23 such cities in California and only three in Northern California. The city is home to the Brentwood Art Society, which sponsors events such as the annual Art, Wine, and Jazz Festival. A farmers' market is held on First Street in downtown Brentwood on Saturday mornings from April through October. The Brentwood Parks and Recreation Department reports that it is responsible for 72 city parks. Only four of these exceed 10 acres in size, while 23 parks cover less than one acre each. A host of local vintners, wineries, and brewers participate in the annual Brentwood Wine Festival in late August. Brentwood has many parks and miles of jogging trails, to support healthy lifestyles. The visual and performing arts are well represented in Brentwood, with a theater company producing Broadway musicals and musical reviews in venues around the city. In spring 2014, a major art gallery was opened in the Streets of Brentwood shopping center. A historic home, currently not open to the public; managed by the John Marsh Historic Trust, is located in the city's East Contra Costa Historical Society and Museum. The town is located on the banks of the San Joaquin River, which flows into the San Francisco Bay Area. The San Francisco River runs through the city, which runs into the Bay Area's East San Francisco neighborhood. The downtown area is the site of a number of restaurants and bars, as well as a shopping center and a movie theater. In 2010, Brentwood was named one of 212 cities designated by KaBOOM! as a Playful City USA.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Brentwood, Contra Costa County, California = 25.3. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 35. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 30. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Brentwood = 5.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 64,292 individuals with a median age of 32.8 age the population grows by 113.76% in Brentwood, Contra Costa County, California population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 4,325.06 residents per square mile of area (1,669.87/km²). There are average 3.19 people per household in the 15,624 households with an average household income of $87,524 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 11.50% of the available work force and has dropped -5.07% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 18.36%. The number of physicians in Brentwood per 100,000 population = 232.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Brentwood = 13.2 inches and the annual snowfall = 0 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 55. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 260. 91 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 36.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 55, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Brentwood, Contra Costa County, California which are owned by the occupant = 75.27%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 8 years with median home cost = $293,240 and home appreciation of -18.55%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $7.60 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,437 per student. There are 23.6 students for each teacher in the school, 4724 students for each Librarian and 849 students for each Counselor. 7.75% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 14.64% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 5.65% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).