News Details (Posted: February 24, 2006):

Norco council adopts name to draw horse lovers, firms

Full Description:

Horsetown USA ... now it's official NORCO - After being known informally as Horsetown USA for years, the city has adopted the affectionate nickname as its official brand. The City Council, acting as the redevelopment agency, voted to take the name Wednesday. The decision was made in hopes of drawing more equestrian lovers and businesses into the city. "We're a little island out here, maybe they will see that Norco is serious about keeping the impression that we have. I hope developers will see that we're serious about our animal keeping lifestyle," said Mayor Kathy Azevedo, in support of the new brand. "We need to think of fresh new ways to market Norco, Horsetown USA." Funding for the new brand campaign was one of many items in a midyear redevelopment agency budget adjustment. The budget adjustment passed 3-2, with Councilmen Hal Clark and Harvey Sullivan dissenting. The city's redevelopment agency will spend $37,900 to hire a company that will develop a Horsetown USA logo as well as create a visitors guide and retail attraction brochure. Residents, city staff and local organizations will be invited to provide input on the design of the new logo, said Brian Oulman, economic redevelopment director. A second part of the brand campaign was included among multiple amendments to the redevelopment agency's capital improvement program. It allocates that $267,000 be used to replace old monument and directional signs with new signs that will display the Horsetown USA logo. The amendment passed 4-1 with Higgins dissenting and Clark noting that he was not in favor of the Horsetown USA sign amendment. "I don't have a problem with Horsetown USA, but I do have a problem with changing the city logo that's been here since 1964," Clark said. Oulman said the new Horsetown USA brand is not meant to replace the city's current motto "City Living in a Rural Atmosphere," or the city logo. The city logo depicts a horse head in a circle with the city motto and incorporation year. Clark said he is opposed to city signs bearing the Horsetown USA logo because Norco is not purely a equestrian community, but is rather an animal keeping community. He pointed to a recent survey that found less than half of Norco residents own horses. The title of Horsetown USA was introduced to Norco seven years ago, when Bill West and Rob Gosnell of Chaparral Partners were developing their lot on the corner of Sixth Street and Hamner Avenue. When West and Gosnell came before the planning commission to get approval for a split faced block wall, the commission suggested that they look into building the wall and include horse designs on it, the developers agreed. "We all decided that Horsetown USA would be a good brand," said Dave Henderson, who was on the planning commission at the time. Henderson said he is glad the city decided to use Horsetown USA in an official campaign. "I'm not sure outside the community, but within the community that's how we view ourselves," Henderson said. Dana Prechtl, president of the new Norco Valley Chamber of Commerce and visitor's center, also expressed excitement about the new campaign. "It's something that most people take pride in about this town, it's why we get a lot of people moving to this town," Prechtl said. Amy Frye can be reached by e-mail at amy.frye@dailybulletin.com or by phone at (909) 483-9347.