Rancho Cordova, CA

Rancho Cordova is a suburban center situated 12 miles outside California's capital of Sacramento. The city spreads out over 22 square miles of land near the Sacramento River and the Sierra Nevada foothills. Although Rancho Cordova has been a community since the 19th century when gold prospectors mined the area, the city did not incorporate until 2003.

Also known as Cordova Vineyards and Cordova Village, Rancho Cordova has traditionally had a bad reputation for high crime, gang violence and underperforming schools. Since incorporation, however, residents have made efforts to change their city's reputation, primarily by fostering commercial and housing developments and improving public services.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

The city has also used the creation of new, affordable office space as a redevelopment tool. Rancho Cordova has among the cheapest rents in the Sacramento area and is home to nearly 3,000 businesses. The city of Rancho Cordova has recently estimated that there is more available office space there than in downtown Sacramento.

Major industries in Rancho Cordova include:

• Financial services
• Education
• Health
• Transportation

Manufacturing is also an important aspect of the economic landscape in Rancho Cordova. The company GenCorp and its subsidiary Aeorojet are headquartered in Rancho Cordova. Aerojet produces propellants for jets and rocket systems, and has been operating in the city since 1951. In 1979, however, environmental protection officials discovered harmful chemical solvents, notably trichloroethylene and chloroform, in wells near the Aerojet facility; that area has since become a designated Superfund site, compelling Aerojet to engage in a massive cleaning and treatment program dedicated to removing the contaminated water, soil and sludge. A community advisory group meets every other month to discuss the ongoing cleanup.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Rancho Cordova is divided into several distinct neighborhoods, including:

• Anatolia: This area has seen a lot of housing development in recent years and is popular among newcomers to the area.
• Capital Village: This neighborhood, which is full of new homes, bills itself as a "walkable, connected community" near the Highway 50 corridor.
• Lincoln Village: This neighborhood's residents live in detached homes, apartments and mobile homes. Much of Lincoln Village was built in the 1950s and 1960s. This area's youth attend schools in the Sacramento City Unified School District.
• Cordova Towne: This neighborhood is north of Highway 50 in the Riverside area. Most Cordova Towne homes were built in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• Kavala Ranch: This is a newer development of single-family homes. Schools in this area are part of the nearby Elk Grove Unified School District. In the past, Kavala Ranch's proximity to a rendering plant has caused concern among the neighborhood's residents, who have periodically complained to the city about the plant's unpleasant odor.

Rancho Cordova is also home to Ananda Sacramento, a planned spiritual community. It has apartments for individuals and families, and the grounds include gardens, a community pool, a temple and a shared kitchen called the Lotus Café. Ananda residents follow the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, and are affiliated with the Ananda Church of Self-Realization and Ananda Village in nearby Nevada City, California.

GETTING AROUND

In recent years, public transportation projects have become central to Rancho Cordova's redevelopment campaign.

• Rancho Cordova is served by three light rail stations connecting the city to downtown Sacramento, as well as the nearby city of Folsom.
• The light rail stops at the Zinfandel, Sunrise Boulevard and Cordova Town Center stations.
• Local developers hope the light rail will provide opportunities for smart growth for the Sacramento region.

EDUCATION

• Heald College's Rancho Cordova campus offers associate degree programs in business, healthcare, and technology. Established in 1912, the campus serves students from throughout the Sacramento region.

BEST BETS

• Sacramento California Temple: Built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and opened in 2006, this temple occupies roughly 46 acres of prime land and has breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada. It serves members from across the region.
• Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area: This recreation area for people with all-terrain vehicles offers trails and varying terrain, including grasslands, hills and mine tailings. There are beginner and advanced trails, and the range is a habitat for birds and other wildlife.
• Sky High Sports: This trampoline wonderland is popular with both kids and adults. Trampolines line the floors and walls, and visitors can use them for aerobics classes, dodge ball games or just jumping around.
• Granite Arch: California's largest rock-climbing gym, this facility opened in 1996. It is well-known for its classes and for its team-building corporate program.

LOCAL MEDIA

• Rancho Cordova has two local newspapers, the Rancho Cordova Post and the Grapevine Independent Newspaper. The Sacramento Bee also covers the community.
• Nearly two dozen radio stations and about a dozen TV stations from the Sacramento area serve Rancho Cordova.