City of Kelsey Public Policy

City of Kelsey

Community Assessment: City of Kelsey

Community Description The City of Kelsey calls itself an all-American city. Kelsey can be described as an urban- suburban community. Geographically, the city is roughly square, and is bordered by the Kelsey River on the south. The northern and western boundaries of the city meet up with bedroom communities—growing suburban areas, with rural farmland mixed in.

Kelsey covers nearly 200 square miles, and approximately 600,000 people call Kelsey home.

Here is a summary of the City of Kelsey demographics (from the 2000 census)

Total Population 625,233 Caucasian Population 327,309 African American Population 203,201 Asian American Population 20,633 Other Population 74,090 Males 296,986 Females 328,247 Median Age 32.0 # of Households 236,388 Average Household size 2.58 Median House Value $95,718 Median Household Income $33,512 Average Age of Structures 53.5 years Average Annual Precipitation 28.9 inches snow, 31.8 inches rain

Within Kelsey’s borders, you can find areas that meet the definition and spirit of urban with the expected dense population and city living. You also find suburban areas, with residential streets, single-family homes, neighborhood schools and parks, and typical suburban amenities, including shopping centers.

Historically, Kelsey has been the seat of the county government, and this has created a thriving professional base in the downtown area. The city has modernized itself in recent years, and developed the border with the river into a popular Riverwalk, with shops, recreational facilities and an outdoor theater. Baderman Island, home to an all-inclusive

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resort destination, can be viewed from the Riverwalk. The suburbs are home to two large universities, biotech manufacturing operations, and research facilities. The modernization brought expansion, which brought prosperity, and a few problems. When Kelsey was incorporated 78 years ago, the correctional facility was located on the outskirts of town, now the suburbs have grown to surround it. Originally, the airport was in the suburbs, but the expansion demanded that it be relocated, and it is now outside the city limits. The former airport is now the headquarters for a national shipping company.

Asset Inventory (Places and things that are important to the community)

 Riverwalk area – shopping, recreational, and social venues  Convention center with sports arena  Historic area, with documented history from before the state was incorporated  Planetarium with high-power telescope  Medical college, with associated medical center  Biotech center  Top-ranked engineering school  Division-leading basketball team from private university in downtown area  Efficient, modern highway system  Operable, safe rail freight lines parallel to river  Riverfront facilities to store 10 barges  Open government with active community involvement  Professional public safety and emergency services, seamlessly integrated with

active volunteer fire departments  Baderman Island, a self-contained, all-inclusive resort destination

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Points of Interest

(Click on image for interactive map)

Inset Neighborhood maps show additional details with:

 Religious centers  Schools  Community center  Park and recreational areas  Emergency stations -- fire stations, ambulance, police

Daily Activities Kelsey is a city that is quiet between midnight and 6 a.m. as almost everything is closed and there are few people out. The bars downtown and in the Riverwalk close at 2 a.m. and the buses stop running at 2:15 a.m. There are a few grocery stores that are open 24 hrs a day, but they are located in the suburbs. In the downtown area, even the diners and doughnut shops close at 3 a.m.

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Baderman Island attracts many visitors throughout the year. Though Baderman Island is the destination for these visitors, most of them will at least pass through Kelsey, and many of them will also stop, eat, shop, and visit various sites in Kelsey.

Seasonal Variations Kelsey’s proximity to the mountains makes it the ideal gateway for tourists. While winter activities dominate tourism, summer also brings plenty of visitors. The convention center means weekly fluctuations in the visitor population, and effective marketing results in a nearly full schedule. The city’s colleges contribute 26,000 students to the population, but many students stay in the area to work summer jobs or get ahead with their studies.

In the winter, snowfall is expected every few weeks on average and temperatures average 37 °F. In the summer, rainfall is light and temperatures average 74 °F. Due to Kelsey’s geography, most weather-related events are easily predictable. Flooding is a concern as the winter snows melt, but the rainfall is easily absorbed. Tornadoes are rare, but not unheard of. The last earthquake measured 2.1 on the Richter scale and did no damage.