CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA

'Coral Springs', officially chartered July 10, 1963, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States, approximately northwest of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2006, the city had a population of 129,805.^[3] It is part of the South Florida metropolitan area, which is home to 5,463,857 people. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006
The city was master-planned and primarily developed by WCI Communities, then known as Coral Ridge Properties. The city's name is derived from the company's name, and was selected after several earlier proposals had been considered and rejected. Coral Springs Town Trivia Book Despite the name, there are no springs in the city; Florida's springs are found in the central and northern portions of the state. Springs of Florida
During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the young city grew rapidly, adding over 35,000 residents each decade. Coral Springs has a distinctive atmosphere among South Florida cities, due in part to its stringent codes designed to maintain the city's aesthetic appeal. The city government's effective fiscal management has maintained high bond ratings, and the city has won accolades for its overall livability, its low crime rate, and its family-friendly orientation.

Contents

History

Geography and Climate

Cityscape

Climate

Demographics

Government and Infrastructure

Economy

Education

Sports

Media and Culture

References

Further reading

External links

History

Coral Springs is a planned community. Prior to its incorporation as a city in July 1963, the area which is now Coral Springs was part of 20,000 acres (80 km²) of marshy lands bought by Henry Lyons between 1911 and 1939. After several floods in 1947, Florida created the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District (now the South Florida Water Management District). Canals and levees drained much of the area upon which Coral Springs was built. After the land was drained and cleared, most of the area was used as a bean farm. Lyons died in 1952 and his heirs moved from beans to cattle. Coral Springs History
A post-World War II real estate boom in South Florida attracted the interest of developers. Coral Ridge Properties, which already had several developments in Broward County, bought of land from the Lyons family on December 14, 1961 for $1 million. The City of Coral Springs was chartered on July 10, 1963. Other names that were considered for the new city included "Curran Village", "Pompano Springs" and "Quartermore". By 1964, the company had developed a master plan for a city of 50,000 residents. On July 22, 1964 the first sale of 536 building lots netted $1.6 million. The landmark covered bridge was built that same year to promote the town. In 1965, Coral Ridge Properties bought an additional 6,000 acres (24 km²) from the Lyons family; the total land area of Coral Springs increased to . The first city government elections were held in 1967.
The city added nineteen public schools, a regional mall, shopping centers and parks during the last three decades of the twentieth century in response to rapid population growth. The construction of the Sawgrass Expressway in 1986 brought even more growth. A museum and a theater opened in the 1990s. The city reached residential build-out in 2003 Corporate Culture and is very close to a commercial build-out.^[4]
The city's historically low crime rate was marred in the early 1990s, when teen gang violence made headlines, with fights and murders reported. The violence subsided and the city returned to its previously peaceful state in 1995.^{[5]
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Coral Springs was ranked as the 27th best city in the United States in which to live by Money Magazine in 2006; Best Places to Live 2006 was named the 10th safest city in the US by Morgan Quitno in 2007; City Crime Ranking by Population Group and was identified as one of the 100 best communities for kids by America's Promise, also in 2007. The 100 Best Communities for 2007

Geography and Climate

Coral Springs is located at (26.270658, -80.259163). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.1 mi² (62.5 km²), 22.2 mi² (61.9 km²) of which is land and 1.91 mi² (4.9 km²) of which is water. Coral Springs is bordered by the cities of Parkland to the north, Coconut Creek to the east, Margate and North Lauderdale to the southeast and Tamarac to the south. To the west lies The Everglades.

Cityscape

A canal in Coral Springs

Coral Springs is a sprawling city, with few tall or prominent structures. The tallest building in the city is a 12 story condominium, with five more buildings topping out at 10 stories, including three office buildings lining University Drive, one of the city's main roads.^[10]
Coral Ridge Properties established strict landscaping and sign laws for the city—a question in the original version of Trivial Pursuit noted that the city hosted the first McDonald's without the distinctive Golden Arches sign. Corporate Culture Restrictions on commercial signs,^[11] exterior paint colors,^[12] roofing materials,^[13] recreational vehicle and boat storage,^[14] and landscaping specifications^[15] are all strictly enforced; consequently, real estate values in the city are significantly higher than the county as a whole. In 2006, the median price of a single family home in Coral Springs was $415,000, while the median price county-wide was $323,000.^[16]

Hurricane Wilma aftermath

The city’s downtown is the focus of an extensive redevelopment plan, estimated to cost close to US$700 million.^[17] The plan to revitalize the city's core started with an open-air shopping and entertainment center—"The Walk"—and progressed with the construction of "One Charter Place", opened April 2007. When completed, the redeveloped downtown area will offer office, retail, and a new government center, encompassing approximately three million square feet of floor space, in addition to approximately 1,000 residential units and a new hotel. West Broward: creating a new sense of place
The City of Coral Springs' Parks and Recreation Department operates over 50 municipal parks, including a water park and a skate park, encompassing over .^[18] Coral Springs' largest park is Mullins Park (70 acres). Of the four conservation areas in the city, Sandy Ridge Sanctuary is the biggest, at 38 acres.

Climate

Average monthly rainfall is higher from April to September, with January and February as the driest months. The average monthly rainfall ranges from in January and February to in June. The hurricane season is from June to November, with September as the month during which hurricanes are most likely to occur. The most powerful hurricane to strike Coral Springs since its incorporation was Wilma in 2005; the eye of the hurricane passed directly over the city. The city estimated that "as a result of the numerous hurricanes and storms that hit Coral Springs in 2004/2005, and especially as a result of Hurricane Wilma, the tree canopy coverage throughout the City has been reduced by about one third". City of Coral Springs Street Tree Subsidy Program

Demographics

This map shows the city's average number of inhabitants per square mile of land in 2000.

As of the census of 2000, there were 117,549 people, 39,522 households, and 31,301 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,916.5/mi² (1,898.2/km²). There were 41,337 housing units at an average density of 1,728.9/mi² (667.5/km² ). The racial makeup of the city was 81.55% White, 9.16% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 3.53% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.99% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.51% of the population.
There were 39,522 households out of which 48.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.8% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $58,459, and the median income for a family was $64,193. Males had a median income of $45,330 versus $30,898 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,282. About 6.3% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of English as a first language accounted for 74.64% of residents. Other languages spoken as first languages included Spanish (15.01%), French Creole (2.16%), Portuguese (1.41%), French (1.09%), and Italian (0.84%).^[19]

Government and Infrastructure

Coral Springs City Hall

Coral Springs uses the council-manager form of municipal government, with all governmental powers resting in a legislative body called a commission. Coral Springs' commission is composed of five elected commissioners, one of whom is the mayor of the city and another of whom is the vice-mayor.^[20] The mayor and vice-mayor serve a two-year term; the commissioners serve four year terms. The offices are non-partisan; no candidate is allowed to declare a party affiliation. The role of the commission is to pass ordinances and resolutions, adopt regulations, and appoint city officials, including the city manager. While the mayor serves as a presiding officer of the commission, the city manager is the administrative head of the municipal government, and is responsible for the administration of all departments. The city commission holds its regular meetings biweekly.^[21]
As of 2007, the Mayor is Scott J. Brook. The Vice-Mayor is Roy Gold; the other commissioners are Vince Boccard, Ted Mena and Claudette Bruck. The City manager is Michael S. Levinson.
In-city buses are provide free of the charge by the local government. Regional transportation is provided by Broward County Transit. The closest passenger airport to Coral Springs is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, located southeast. The only limited-access highway in Coral Springs is the Sawgrass Expressway (Florida State Road 869), which borders the city on its northern and western edges. Major roads in the city include Atlantic Boulevard, University Drive, and Sample Road.
Coral Springs is served by the North Broward Hospital District, and is home to the 200-bed Coral Springs Medical Center. The hospital received a 99 (out of 100) from the Joint Commission, ranking in the top 2% of over 9,000 surveyed hospitals.^[22]
Coral Springs' water supply comes from the Biscayne Aquifer, South Florida's primary source of drinking water. There are four different water districts within the city; the providers are the City of Coral Springs Water District, Coral Springs Improvement District, North Springs Improvement District and Royal Utilities.^[23] The South Florida Water Management District provides flood control protection and water supply protection to local residents, controls all water shortage management efforts and assigns water restrictions when necessary. Collection and disposal of city's trash or garbage is provided by Waste Management. Electric power service is distributed by Florida Power & Light. Land-based telephone service is provided by AT&T and cable television is provided by Advanced Cable Communications.

Economy

Office buildings One Charter Place and Preferred Exchange Tower

Of residents aged 16 years and over, 72.6% were in the labor force; 95% were employed and 5% unemployed. 39.5% of the population worked in management, professional, and related occupations; 32.9% in sales and office occupations; 12.8% in service occupations; 7.6% in construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations; 7% in production, transportation, and material moving occupations; and 0.1% in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. The industries for which Coral Springs inhabitants worked were 17.6% educational, health and social services; 16.1% retail trade; 12.9% professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services; 10.1% finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing; 8.2% arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services; 7.0% manufacturing; 6.6% construction; 5.0% wholesale trade; 4% transportation, warehousing, and utilities;, 4.9% other services (except public administration); 3.7% information; 3.6% public administration; and 0.2% agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining. 85.2% of workers worked in the private sector, 9.6% in government, 5% self-employed in unincorporated businesses, and 0.3% as unpaid family workers. The predominant method of commuting was driving alone in own car, accounting for 81.5% of commuting trips, followed by 11.2% who were carpoolers and 7.4% who used other methods or worked from home.
Fitch,^[24] Moody's,^[25] and Standard & Poor's S&P Raises Coral Springs, FL's GO Bond Rating to 'AAA' rate Coral Springs bonds as "AAA".^[26] Standard & Poor's, in a 2004 report, noted that Coral Springs had a "vibrant regional economy with above-average wealth levels and consistently low unemployment" and praised the city administration. S&P Raises Coral Springs, FL's GO Bond Rating to 'AAA' In 2004, the city's industrial and commercial base represented 24% of the city valuation—50% higher than the previous decade. The city's tax rate of 3.8715 mils is the lowest in Broward County of cities with more than 70,000 people.^[27] The city has twice received the Florida Sterling Award for excellence in administration. Governor's Sterling Award Recipients First Data and Alliance Entertainment are the largest companies that have offices in the Corporate Park of Coral Springs. ABB Asea Brown Boveri and Royal Plastics Group have subsidiaries headquartered in the city as well. The biggest shopping mall in the city is Coral Square, which opened in October 1984 with of retail space and more than 120 stores. Preferred Exchange Tower is the tallest and largest office building in the city—it has 10 floors and . Aquila Property Company Announces Sale of Landmark Coral Springs Property

Education

J.P.Taravella High School

According to the 2005 American Community Survey (conducted by the US Census Bureau), 39.2% of all adults over the age of 25 in Coral Springs have obtained a bachelor's degree, as compared to a national average of 27.2% of adults over 25, and 91.7% of Coral Springs residents over the age of 25 have earned a high school diploma, as compared to the national average of 84.2%. Coral Springs city, Florida Fact Sheet
Coral Springs had approximately 29,900 students in 2006.^[28] Three charter schools offer both primary and secondary education. Higher education is offered by Barry University, Nova Southeastern University and Broward Community College through a partnership with Coral Springs Charter School.^[29] Public primary and secondary education is handled by the Broward County Public Schools District (BCPSD). Coral Springs at a Glance The BCPSD operates 3 high schools, 4 middle schools and 12 elementary schools within the city limits.^[30] In 2006 the Florida Department of Education awarded all public elementary and middle schools in the city "A" grades based on their performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test; the high schools were awarded "B" grades. School Grades - Florida Schools 2006 Ramblewood Elementary School received a Florida Sterling Award for its efforts that same year. Ramblewood Elementary School Profile

Sports

Coral Springs Youth Soccer League Game, Cypress Park

Coral Springs does not have any professional sports teams, but has more than 25 amateur sports leagues.^[31] Coral Springs Youth Soccer had more than 3300 players in their 2006 season, About CSYS playing for 284 teams in 20 separate leagues, divided by age group and sex. The Honda Classic golf tournament was played at the TPC at Eagle Trace from 1984 to 1991 and 1996 and then at the TPC at Heron Bay from 1997 to 2002. The short-lived professional soccer team Coral Springs Kicks (USISL) was based in the city.
The regional Sportsplex has a jogging path, an aquatic center, tennis courts, ice rinks and a dog park. The NHL's Florida Panthers call the Incredible ICE, part of the Sportsplex, their official home and conduct much of their training there. Florida Panthers Practice Information The International Tennis Championships—an ATP International Series men's tennis tournament was held at the Sportsplex from 1993 to 1998.
Two professional athletes are from Coral Springs: MLS soccer player Stephen Herdsman of the Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew, and NFL football player Dan Morgan of the Carolina Panthers. Three NCAA athletes hail from the city: Florida State University sprinter Walter Dix, Florida Atlantic University baseball player Robbie Widlansky, and University of Notre Dame football player Sam Young.

Media and Culture

The Museum of Coral Springs History started as a real estate office

Coral Springs is a part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood media market, which is the twelfth largest radio market^[32] and the seventeenth largest television market^[33] in the United States. Its primary daily newspapers are the ''South Florida-Sun Sentinel'' and ''The Miami Herald'', and their Spanish-language counterparts ''El Sentinel'' and ''El Nuevo Herald''.
The city is home to two local weekly newspapers, the ''Coral Springs Forum'' and ''Our Town News''. Both publications focus on local issues and human interest stories. Of the two the ''Coral Springs Forum'' is more notable; founded in 1971 by local high school students, the publication was sold after their graduation to local residents. Later the company became a subsidiary of the Tribune Company, the ''South Florida-Sun Sentinel'' publisher.
The Coral Springs Center for the Arts opened in 1990. Originally planned to be a gymnasium, a $4 million renovation in 1996 added a 1,471 seat theater.^[34] The theater presents a program of popular shows and a yearly Broadway series. The Coral Springs Museum of Art has a small number of exhibits and focuses on art classes and programs for the local community.^[35] There are two public libraries in the city, the Northwest Regional Library and the smaller West Atlantic Branch, both affiliated with the county-wide Broward County Library system. Chad Gilbert, the guitarist for the band New Found Glory, is from Coral Springs, and the band was formed in the city.^[36]

The Covered Bridge was the first permanent structure in the city

The "Our Town" Festival has been continuously held since 1979, first sponsored by the Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce, and promoted by a non-profit organization since 1997. Our Town America History The event has a car show, a beauty pageant and carnival rides. The festival attracted more than 100,000 attendees in 1984,
Our Town is Success in Springs and the city estimated 200,000 visitors at the 1990 event.
'Our Town' Festival in Coral Springs a Soggy but Happy Event for Hundreds A parade was added to the event in 1985;
Coral Springs Adds Parade to 'Our Town' Festivities since 1994, the parade has been run as a separate event during the Christmas season. Coral Springs, Wendy Wangberg and Kevin Knutson, , , Arcadia Publishing, 2003, ISBN 978-0738515052 Several other festivals are held throughout the year, such as "Fiesta Coral Springs", a Hispanic culture celebration, and the Festival of the Arts. Coral Springs Festival of the Arts and Howard Alan Events At Coral Springs' 25th Anniversary Party, the Guinness World Record for "Largest Hamburger and Milkshake" was broken on July 10, 1988.^[37] The hamburger measured 26 feet in diameter and weighed 5063 pounds. The record stood for just over a year.^[38]
Coral Springs has two designated Florida Heritage sites. Florida Historical Markers Program, Broward County The Covered Bridge was the first structure built in the city, in 1964. The steel bridge, in length, is the only covered bridge in Florida in the public right-of-way. The American Snuff Company provided two historical designs for the bridge sides, to make the structure appear aged. The Covered Bridge is depicted in Coral Springs' seal. The Museum of Coral Springs History started as a real estate office. Built outside the City limits, the single-room wooden structure was moved to Coral Springs and became its first administration building. Later it was used as the first police station, and as a Jaycees clubhouse; it was moved to the city dump in 1976, where it was used as a fire department training site for smoke drills. After it was inadvertently set on fire, public outcry prompted the building's relocation to Mullins Park for restoration. Since 1978, it has housed the city's history museum. The exhibits in the museum are historic items and city models. Museum of Coral Springs History Wangberg, Wendy
Coral Springs is a sister city of Paraíso, Costa Rica.^[39]

References

1. Coral Springs at a Glance
2. Coral Springs, FL Profile
3. Coral Springs city, Florida Fact Sheet
4. EDF Background and History
5. Tales Of A Teen Crime Wave -- In Comfortable Coral Springs
6. Eight Charged In Knife Attack On Springs Teen
7. Dozen Teens Arrested At Coral Springs Plaza
8. Coral Springs Graffiti Has Police Wary Of More Gang Violence
9. Big Majority In Springs For Curfew, Survey Says
10. Buildings of Coral Springs
11. Ordinances in Brief: Sign restrictions
12. Ordinances in Brief: Paint Color Approval
13. City Commission minutes, 7 Feb 2006"
14. Ordinances in Brief: Vehicle Parking
15. City of Coral Springs Landscape Manual
16. Sales plunge, but prices hold on
17. Dream of building a Coral Springs downtown bears fruit
18. Parks and Recreation Site Map
19. Modern Language Association Data Center results for Coral Springs, FL
20. Coral Springs City Commission
21. Coral Springs Meeting Schedule
22. NBHD Commitment to Quality
23. Utility Map
24. Fitch Ratings
25. Moody's Ratings
26. Community Resource Guide
27. 2006 State of the City (page 18)
28. Figure includes charter schools and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. This school is not located in Coral Springs, but part of the city is in its attendance area.
29.
Coral Springs College Partnerships
30. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Westglades Middle School, and Park Trails Elementary School are located in neighboring Parkland, Florida, but part of the city is in their attendance area.
31. Coral Springs Sports Leagues
32. Top 50 Radio Markets Ranked By Metro 12+ Population, Spring 2005
33. Top 50 TV markets ranked by households
34. Coral Springs Center for the Arts: About Us
35. Best Museum in Broward (2002)
36. New Found Glory
37. It's a Bird, It's a Plane, no, It's the world's largest hamburger!
38. Hamburgers in History
39. Online Directory: Florida, USA

Further reading

★ Coral Springs: The first twenty-five years, Stuart McIver, , , Donning, 1988, ISBN 978-0898657142

★ Coral Springs, Wendy Wangberg and Kevin Knutson, , , Arcadia Publishing, 2003, ISBN 978-0738515052

External links