Amended in Senate June 29, 2016

Amended in Senate May 23, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138

Introduced by Assembly begin delete Member Lackey end delete begin insert Members Lackey and Wilk end insert

(Coauthor: Senator Runner)

February 16, 2016

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 138—Relative to the Larry Chimbole Memorial begin delete Highway. end delete begin insert Highway and the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 138, as amended, Lackey. Larry Chimbole Memorial begin delete Highway. end delete begin insert Highway and the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway. end insert

This measure would designate a specified portion of State Route 138 in the County of Los Angeles as the Larry Chimbole Memorial begin delete Highway. end delete begin insert Highway and a specified portion of highway from Interstate 5 to State Highway Route 14, commonly known as the Cross Valley Connector, as the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway. end insert The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing begin delete this special designation end delete begin insert these special designations end insert and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, Lawrence “Larry” Chimbole was born in New
Haven, Connecticut, on May 22, 1919, and graduated from
Stamford High School in 1937. During World War II, Chimbole
served as a B-29 radio operator in the Army Air Corps on the
Pacific Island of Tinian. After World War II, he moved to
California and settled in the City of Glendale, before migrating
west to the San Fernando Valley, and begin insert then end insert moving to the
community of Palmdale in 1957; and

WHEREAS, When Larry arrived in the Palmdale area, the
population was approximately 7,100 people. There was no
incorporated City of Palmdale or City of Lancaster, no Antelope
Valley Freeway, no California Aqueduct, no Antelope Valley,
Crystalaire or Rancho Vista country clubs, no begin delete Antelope Valley
Mall, end delete begin insert mall, end insert no begin delete Paraclete, Quartz Hill, Highland, or Littlerock end delete high
schools, no begin delete AV Courthouse, end delete begin insert courthouse, end insert no begin delete Antelope Valley end delete Board
of Trade, no begin delete regional end delete county library, no hospital, no Palmdale
Amphitheater, no DryTown Water Park, no Poncitlán Square, and
no Palmdale Auto Mall; and

WHEREAS, Larry became the owner of a hardware store in
Palmdale and almost immediately became involved in Palmdale’s
civic affairs as president of the Palmdale Kiwanis Club, begin insert and end insert then
begin insert as end insert president of the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce in 1961; and

WHEREAS, Larry was instrumental in leading the City of
Palmdale into incorporation as one of the “50 Grand Men,” who
each donated money to fund the process. After the city was
successfully incorporated in 1962, he was elected as the city’s first
mayor. He helped bring the Lockheed assembly plant to the
Antelope Valley and was instrumental in the development of the
Antelope Valley and its freeway system; and

WHEREAS, begin delete Mayor Chimbole, running end delete begin insert After serving as mayor,
Larry Chimbole ran end insert as a Democrat in a highly Republican area,
went on to serve two begin insert consecutive end insert terms in the California State
Assembly from 1974 to 1978, begin delete inclusive, end delete and was the first Antelope
Valley resident to ever be elected to the State Legislature. He begin delete also end delete
begin insert then end insert served a total of 12 years on the Palmdale City Council, where
he represented the city as the president of the California Contract
Cities Association and as president of the Los Angeles County
Division of the League of California Cities. In 1974, Larry was
responsible for arranging the National Guard Armory to be located
in the City of Palmdale instead of the City of Lancaster; and

WHEREAS, After begin delete being defeated end delete begin insert serving end insert in the begin delete 1978 Assembly
election, end delete begin insert Assembly, end insert Larry Chimbole continued to serve his
community by serving as a member of the State Board of
Landscape Architects, the Antelope Valley Healthcare District
Board of Directors, and the Antelope Valley Fair Board of
Directors; and

WHEREAS, In 1996, the Desert Mailer had the front page
headline, “Chimbole just keeps on tickin’.” In the article, when
asked how he would like to be remembered, Larry Chimbole

begin delete answered, “I would most like to be remembered that I was active
as hell around here in 1960. In 1996, I’m just about as active or
more so and I think that’s my legacy”; and end delete begin insert stated that his legacy
would be how active he was in 1960 and that he remained just as
active for the rest of his life; and end insert

WHEREAS, Former Mayor Chimbole continued to be active
in his community. In 1999, he served as campaign chair of the
United Way Antelope Valley begin delete Region. In 2006, city officials
immortalized the “50 Grand Men” when they formally presented
a beautiful plaque that is currently on display at the Chimbole
Cultural Center; and end delete begin insert Region; and end insert

begin insert

WHEREAS, In 2006, city officials immortalized the “50 Grand
Men” when they formally presented a beautiful plaque that is
currently on display at the Chimbole Cultural Center; and

end insert

WHEREAS, On August 24, 2012, Larry Chimbole was a
featured guest at the City of Palmdale’s 50th anniversary
celebration held at Poncitlán Square that was attended by
thousands. In 2013, more than 100 friends and family members
gathered to celebrate his 94th birthday at the Chimbole Cultural
Center that bears his name. At 94, Larry Chimbole was still very
active in the community, where he attended many local community
events; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, a committee was formed to raise funds
to create a series of bronze statues called “Legendary Locals.” The
first statue in the series was to be of Larry Chimbole. The statue
was dedicated on October 8, 2015, across from the Palmdale City
Hall on a bench in Poncitlán Square. More than 200 people
witnessed the unveiling of the statue entitled “The First Mayor”
which depicts Chimbole seated on a bench with one arm resting
atop the back of the bench to encourage visitors to sit and visit
with a “local legend”; begin delete now, therefore, be it end delete begin insert and end insert

begin insert

WHEREAS, The residents of the nearby City of Santa Clarita
also owe a great deal of gratitude toward the men and women of
their community who bravely served in the United States Armed
Forces; and

end insert begin insert

WHEREAS, The Santa Clarita Valley is home to more than
10,000 military veterans and their families; and

end insert begin insert

WHEREAS, Men and women veterans of that community served
their country by making tremendous sacrifices to preserve our
freedoms and independence, and by keeping our country strong;
and

end insert begin insert

WHEREAS, Our selfless men and women veterans are deserving
of our recognition to commemorate their courage and patriotism;
and

end insert begin insert

WHEREAS, These veterans greatly contribute to the quality of
life in the City of Santa Clarita through their investment and
involvement in the community and by volunteering for a variety
of civic activities; now, therefore, be it

end insert

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the portion of

begin delete State Route 138 in the County of Los Angeles from the interchange
at State Route 14 to 40th Street East in the City of Palmdale as the
Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway; and be it further end delete begin insert highway
that extends from the junction of Newhall Ranch Road and
Interstate 5 to Golden Valley Road and Golden Valley Road from
its conjunction with Newhall Ranch Road to this junction with
State Highway Route 14, commonly known as the Cross Valley
Connector, as the Santa Clarita Veterans Parkway in honor of the
service that veterans have provided to our great nation; and be it
further end insert

begin insert

Resolved, That the Legislature designates the portion of
State Route 138 in the County of Los Angeles from the interchange
at State Route 14 to 40th Street East in the City of Palmdale as
the Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway; and be it further

end insert

Resolved, That the sign posted to commemorate begin delete this highway end delete
begin insert the Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway end insert additionally state begin delete below end delete
“Larry Chimbole Memorial Highway: First Mayor of Palmdale”;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the
signing requirements for the state highway system showing begin delete this
special designation end delete begin insert each of these special designations end insert and, upon
receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover begin delete that
cost, end delete begin insert the cost of the signs for which the donations are made, end insert to
erect those signs; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.