Surf City hits population mark

Huntington Beach has officially hit a population of 200,000, making

it the 18th city in California to reach that mark.

Growing at a rate of 0.9% from January 2004, Huntington Beach

added about 1,700 new residents in the 12 months that followed, a

recent report from the California Department of Finance found.

“It’s definitely a benchmark,” finance department analyst Daniel

Sheya said. The department calculated the number by taking data from

the 2000 census and combining it with major housing changes in the

area.

A slate of new homes behind the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa

helped the population increase. A total of 186 homes were built and

sold in 2004 as part of the Waterfront Residential housing complex.

In the same year, the city also gained 28 additional single family

homes, 74 duplexes and four-plexes and 107 apartments.

Huntington Beach is the largest coastal city in Orange County and

the fourth largest coastal community in California. It’s the third

largest city in Orange County behind Santa Ana and Anaheim, which are

respectively the ninth and 10th largest cities in California.

With a little more than 3 million residents, Orange County is the

second largest county in California, far behind Los Angeles County,

with its whopping 10 million residents.

While hitting 200,000 residents is certainly a benchmark for

Huntington Beach, the city won’t likely make it to 300,000 -- or even

250,000.

Planning officials said Huntington Beach is more than 95% built

out and will be at full capacity by 2020 with 230,000 residents.

The report also projected California’s population at 36.8 million,

adding 539,000 new residents from last year. Californians now

represent 12.5% of the United States population, roughly one out of

every eight Americans.

Diversity to be

discussed at city forum

Huntington Beach Police Chief Ken Small and the Human Relations

Task Force are holding a special forum at City Hall to discuss hate

crimes and the impact they have on the community.

The panel discussion will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. in council chambers at

City Hall. The panel will explore the nature of hate crimes, the

motivation behind such acts and what people are doing to combat hate

and celebrate diversity.

For more information, call the Community Services Department at

(714) 374-5307.

Police Department

holds an open house

The Huntington Beach Police Department will be holding an open

house May 21. Visitors will be able to take tours of the department

throughout the day to see its equipment and resources. The police

helicopter and the department’s vintage vehicles will be on display,

and members of the SWAT team and K-9 unit will be there to answer

questions.

Children will have an opportunity to have their pictures taken on

a police motorcycle and visit puppies at the Orange County Animal

Control’s Adopt-a-Puppy van.

A recruiting booth will be set up for those who may be interested

in joining the Huntington Beach Police Department.

The open house will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call

Susie Wajda at (714) 536-5933.