Grands Ballons

Grands Ballons (//; : Les Grands Ballons [ ]) is a major on the  coast of southeastern Gold Coast in the Sierran Southwest Corridor. As of 2016, its population was 683,384. It is the second most populous city in the Gold Coast and the tenth largest in the Kingdom. It is the seat of St. Anthony County and is an integral part of the Greater Porciúncula Area. In colloquial speech, it is commonly referred to by locals of the Southwest Corridor as GRABA or Graba (from GRAnds BAllons).

Grands Ballons is a major center for tourism, finance, logistics, international trade, culture, commerce, media, entertainment, music, education, and the arts. It is home to the, which together with the neighboring and Port of Little Gibraltar, form one of the world's largest cargo ports. The strong, historical presence of maritime trade and casual boating has led the city to proclaim itself as the "Aquatic Capital of Sierra". In 2011, it was recognized as an. In 2016, the city ranked fourth in Sierra in importance in terms of economic activity, human capital, culture, and political status. It is well known for its strong French and Spanish heritage, and is considered the cultural center of the Saintiana, or the Creole Coast, an interprovincial region of Creole and French culture in the Southwest Corridor. It is also famous for its cuisine, music, and drinking culture (particularly for its s and ), as well as its year-round festivals and international events.

The city is home to over 12 neighborhoods, 9 of which are referred to as wards. Downtown Grands Ballons is home to the most of the city's banks, international firms, and business, and is located along Half Moon Bay. The famous Old Spanish Town is a predominantly Sierran Creole neighborhood and includes the city's oldest buildings and establishments. The colonial Franco-Spanish architecture can be found here, featuring brightly colored homes with balconies and archways, and narrow one-way streets. Northtown is also another predominantly Creole, working-class neighborhood and is the birthplace of Sierran funk and hip hop. The city is home to four beaches, of which the Petite Rivière, a 1.8-mile stretch of resorts and hotels, are lined up, overlooking the Pacific. The Belmont Shore and Naples section of the city is very affluent and is home to some of the nation's wealthiest millionaires and noblemen. Western Grands Ballons is primarily industrial-based and is the site of the Port of Grands Ballons and. The neighboring Porciúncula neighborhood of St. Pierre-Chah is the primary location of the Port of Porciúncula and is where the northern terminus of the Bonaparte–San Pedro Tunnel is (which connects the Sierran mainland to the city of Little Gibraltar on the Channel Islands' Catalina Island).

The 2017 Pawnee earthquake caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure in the city's historic Old Spanish Town and older neighborhoods. As much as $20 million in damages in personal property were incurred as a result of the disaster. Like many other cities in the region recovering from the earthquake, Grands Ballons is undergoing an ambitious renovation project that includes earthquake-proofing the city infrastructure and updating its telecommunications network.

History
Human settlement in the area around Grands Ballons has existed for over 10,000 years. Various Amerindian peoples built their communities around the coastal plains of the, and had a rich maritime culture of boating and fishing. It is believed that although there were no permanent settlements within present-day Grands Ballons' city limits, the area was used for hunting and fishing. When the Spanish arrived to Sierra for the first time, the primary group of Amerindians who inhabited Grands Ballons were the, although there was a minority population of peoples as well. As the Spanish and the French began to establish themselves in the region, the Amerindian population in the region dropped at alarming rates. The Tongva lacked the immunity defense against the diseases introduced by the Europeans, and the survivors were often relocated or sent either to or. In 1784, rewarded a large land grant named  to Spanish soldier. Nieto was a Mexican-born who served at the  and later, Mission San Gabriel. With the land grant, Nieto was allowed to use it for raising cattle and allowing them to graze it. The land grant included nearly all parts of modern Grands Ballons, parts of Porciúncula's Harbor Region, and other parts of St. Anthony County. The original grant included 300,000 acres (1,200 km$2$), but this size was reduced nearly by a half to 167,000 acres (680 km$2$) shortly after the next year. This was made in response after Mission San Gabriel disputed the boundaries of the grant, which overlapped with the mission's southern property areas.

In 1797, Julian Manuel Coronel, a soldier from Mission San Gabriel, and a family friend of Nieto, was granted permission to build a house in present-day Grands Ballons. The Coronel Estate, which remains standing to this day, became the city's first known establishment. Coronel was also responsible for the city's future name, giving his place the name Bola Grande, in reference to a large, spherical rock formation he discovered by the beachfront, a few acres away from his home.

At the turn of the century, the Spaniards had recognized the value and importance of Grands Ballons' Half Moon Bay. With wide banks and calm surf, it was an ideal place to moor ships. In addition, it was close enough to the Channel Islands, where the French had begun settling just two decades earlier. The Our Lady of Catalina was reported by many French and Spaniard soldiers who were convinced that the region was blessed for further development. Although the apparition was claimed to have appeared over Catalina Island from whence the title owes its name to, further eyewitnesses at Coronel's estate in Grands Ballons also reported seeing it. This event has been attributed as a major factor in Spanish development in the region, which spurred at a phenomenal rate as stories of the account spread across the Empire. With the approval by the Spanish government, Nieto and Coronel worked towards expanding Coronel's residence into a pueblo town which could be a useful link between the Channels and Porciúncula. Recognizing the great economic potential for the region, the demand for Amerindian labor was high. Many Amerindians themselves were interested in the economic opportunities offered by the Spanish, and thus Nieto established a with the help of local tribesmen to attract natives throughout the region.

The majority of Amerindians who were employed and housed at Nieto's ranchería were of Tongva descent. Knowledgeable of their native lands, they provided suggestions and advice on Spanish construction projects. A large, elaborate aqueduct system built around the Porciúncula was largely done by Amerindian labor. Despite their undeniably crucial importance to the entire colonization project, they faced harsh subjugation and treatment at the hands of the Europeans, who regarded them as inferior. The concept of  was prevalent in the Spanish New World and as the Spaniards intermarried with the Amerindian women, a new class of people emerged, which necessitated the development of the Sierran casta system.

In addition to the Amerindians, Coronel offered four rectangles of land (suertes) for farming to each settler, as his townspeople began constructing an aqueduct from the area's various water sources. Wildlife was abundant, and people could freely hunt and eat the various game and fish that roamed the wetlands and hills. Early commerce subsisted on bartering agricultural goods with crafts, animal hides, woven material, and other items.

Geography
Grands Ballons is located at 33° 47' North, 118° 10' West, about 20 miles (32 km) south of downtown Porciúncula. According to the K.S. Royal Bureau of Census, the city has a total area of 51.437 square miles (133.2 km$2$), with 50.293 square miles (130.3 km$2$) of its area being land and 1.144 square miles (2.96 km$2$) of it (2.22%) is water. Grands Ballons completely surrounds the enclaved city of.

The city is situated at the southern coastal plains of the, which contains most of the Gold Coast's population and segments of Orange and the Inland Empire. Facing, Grands Ballons is also the southernmost city in the Gold Coast. It is located directly over the, a seismic fault capable of producing a 7.4 earthquake on the. The 's mouth flows into the Pacific Ocean in western Grands Ballons. The city lies just to the east of the and its. To the east of Grands Ballons is the provincial line between the Gold Coast and Orange, and the Orange city of. The is situated between the two cities and includes Grands Ballons'  district.

Cityscape
The city is generally laid out in the traditional, with the streets in Petite Rivière and the Old Spanish Town running parallel to the coastline in a northwest-southeast orientation. The Circle Area and College Park districts feature more modern, varied street distribution and curvature. The city is bounded by to the east. and are major freeways that run through the entire length and width of the city respectively. These freeways have informally marked the boundaries between the more affluent and less affluent sections of town. Generally, residents living to the south of the I-2B (and areas east of the GR-5 that are south of the I-2B) are more well-off than the opposite side.

Downtown
Downtown Grands Ballons is located immediately north of Half-Moon Bay, east of the Port of Grands Ballons (divided by the ), and west of Alamitos Bay. Its modern layout was developed during the mid-20th century after with the support of private investors and the federal and provincial governments. Downtown includes most of the city's high-rise buildings and corporate offices, city and county government buildings, Soleil Square, the, the , and the.

It is the second most visited part of Grands Ballons, after the Old Spanish Town. It is one of the most pedestrian-friendly parts of the city and is within short walking distance to the beach and other neighborhoods. The newer, more renovated East Village is considered part of downtown, and includes high-rise condos, coffeeshops, bistros, music halls, and cottages. The urban beach setting has attracted artists, writers, and young adults to the area, as well as Sierrans from other PSAs and international immigrants. The 2017 earthquake caused considerably less damage to the downtown area due in part to tougher building regulations and engineering requirements.

Old Spanish Town
The most famous and oldest section of the city is the Old Spanish Town (historically known as the Indian Rancheria or Ranchería India in Spanish), which lies just to the north of central downtown. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and is separately classified as a by the League of Nations. The Old Spanish Town is located on the former Amerindian that Grands Ballons founder Julian Manuel Coronel established in 1797 and this colonial legacy is responsible for its iconic Franco-Spanish colonial architecture. The neighborhood is home to numerous local businesses, art galleries, restaurants, apartments, and offices. It is home to a large population of Sierran Creoles and is generally regarded as the core capital of Saintiana or the "Creole Coast" as it is more commonly called. The town is the recognized birthplace of shoowah music, and has a rich musical scene. Street performances and jazz bands are common throughout the district and occur on a daily basis, serving as attractions in of themselves.

The quasi-governmental organization that manages the district is the Old Spanish Town Preservation Society. The Society officially declares that the neighborhood is bounded by East Rothenburg Street to the north, St. Charles Boulevard to the east, Nieto Street to the south, and the Porciúncula River to the west. Within this zone, there are seventy blocks, and all existing buildings and structures are protected from demolishment. The Society is entrusted with preserving and maintaining these structures, while the municipal government is responsible for the district's roads and public utilities. Renovations to the buildings, whether exterior or interior, must be approved by the Society, and must fit the historical theme and architectural style of the district. New buildings also face similar scrutiny, although the lack of new land and stringent building codes have made this case a rarity.

Petite Rivière
Petite Rivière is bounded by Redondo Avenue on the east, Shoreline Drive and St. Charles Boulevard on the west, and Nieto Street on the north. It follows a 1.7 mile stretch of coastline along Ocean Boulevard. This district is lined up with various resorts, hotels, and upscale apartments on 51 blocks, of which 17 are directly connected to the beach proper. A popular vacationing destination for Sierrans and global travelers alike, Petite Rivière is where the majority of tourists lodge at, and it is within walkable distance to Downtown, the Old Spanish Town, and the Marina District. The district is also serviced by dedicated bus lines, taxi cabs, and bike rentals.

The beach is ideal for sunbathing, surfing, and swimming, and is the site of annual festivals and events. Other on-site amenities are provided to the public for free, including fire pits, volleyball courts, children's playgrounds, active lifeguards on duty, exercise machines, a skate park, and a dog park.

Climate
Although temperature ranges vary depending on location in the city, Grands Ballons can be characterized with having a hot-summer (: Csa) with strong  characteristics. Variance in temperature range increases as one moves further away from the coast, with North Grands Ballons often experiencing summer days that are 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit higher than Downtown Grands Ballons. Like much of the Southwest Corridor, the city frequently experiences cloudy, overcast skies known as "" in the mornings between the months of May and September. This fog formation generally dissipates by noontime, producing the characteristically sunny Sierran skies. Most rainfall occurs in the wintertime, with the heaviest precipitation occurring between the months of December and February.

Government
The government of the City of Grands Ballons operates under a. Citywide elections for most offices are held every two years, with the city divided into six wards. The Grands Ballons City Council includes nine members, six of whom are elected from each of the single-member wards, and three who are elected at-large. The mayor is elected from within the council as a first among equals and is chosen to chair its meetings and represent the city on ceremonial occasions. The current mayor of Grands Ballons is Earl Hughes Delafose (D), who was elected by the council on April 23, 2015. The council is empowered to pass citywide ordinances, adopt regulations, appoint officials in other offices, approve the city budget, set the tax rate, and carry out any other powers granted by the City Charter. In addition, the council appoints a city manager who is responsible for planning and creating an annual city budget, supervising each of the city departments, overseeing public complaints and intergovernmental correspondence, advising the council on operational affairs, organizing public events and meetings, and developing architectural plans for construction projects in the city. The current city manager is Marco Regalado, who was appointed on June 18, 2014.

The Grands Ballons Police Department (GBPD) has a force of over 3,500 sworn officers. The GBPD serves the City of Grands Ballons, as well as neighboring unincorporated communities, and cities which have entered into contract agreements with the department. The Chief of Police is Tyler Bertrand, who was sworn into office on February 8, 2008. Its headquarters is located in Downtown Grands Ballons on 3783 East Broadway, with two other stations in North Grands Ballons and the Old Spanish Town respectively. The Grands Ballons Fire Department has 459 full-time firefighters and works closely with the St. Anthony County Fire Department in fire prevention and firefighting. The city fire department is also responsible for providing, with all of the department's sworn members certified in performing and. Its emergency medical service's members are paramedics and health care specialists employed to performing and assisting the department in ambulance services.

In addition to city government and services, Grands Ballons is the seat of St. Anthony County. The St. Anthony Sheriff's Department, the St. Anthony Fire Department, Superior Court of St. Anthony County, St. Anthony County Jail, St. Anthony's Department of Human and Health Services, and other county institutions are all based in the city. The county's Board of Supervisors conduct their daily meetings at the county offices in the Civic Center in Downtown Grands Ballons.

Crime and public safety
Like most major cities, crime has always been a serious issue for Grands Ballons. Violent crimes are mainly concentrated in the city's less affluent neighborhoods, especially North Grands Ballons. The murder rate has historically been higher than the national average, although a large percentage of murders were the result of gang-on-gang violence. The number of homicides reached its peak in the 1970s when the city saw 279 murders in 1977. In response to increased crime, the city passed a series of ordinances to crack down on gang violence, including the banning of attire that depicted gang symbols and colors. In 1981, the city was listed at third place for the Top 10 Murder Cities in the country, behind Bernheim and Porciúncula.

Aside from murders, other major violent crimes committed in the city include, , , and. Although violent crime as a whole has been in decline, the city has seen a steady rise in cases, and misdemeanors by the city youth. Throughout the city, special emergency hotline poles have been installed. Brightly lit during the nighttime, citizens witnessing or escaping an active criminal act can press the pole's button to alert law enforcement authorities, and help bring attention to the location. Since the installment of the poles, crime has dropped significantly around these poles, and the police has been able to capture more criminals in such areas.

To prevent crimes against private property, many city businesses are heavily fortified with metal bars and armed with s and alarms. Since a 2009 ordinance, all lodging establishments have been required to deny any non-guests access to any parts of the establishment except the lobby or its affiliated restaurants or stores. In addition, a citywide curfew has periodically been issued for underaged minors to halt nighttime youth gang activity, including the Old Spanish Town (parentally supervised children and adolescents are exempt). Some have taken further measures on controlling access at the front door by manually locking it, and only allowing access to cardholders and other individuals at a case-by-case basis from a security officer. Despite this, many bars and restaurants have had very lax standards regarding public safety. Due to city tolerance, these establishments may stay open past midnight and may continue serving alcohol until 3 am.

The city also sees some of the highest rates in larceny and car-related theft, which is not limited to the underdeveloped parts of town. Theft has become an increasingly problematic issue in the more tourist-friendly parts of Grands Ballons. Local authorities caution visitors to be vigilant about and con artists. These criminals frequently take advantage of tourists' unfamiliarity with the city and crime. First-time tourists and international tourists are especially vulnerable due to their general assumption of safety in being in a public, tourist section of town.

Elections and politics
Grands Ballons has been a reliable base for the Democratic-Republican Party since 1953. It has voted for Democratic-Republican prime minister candidates since the 1953 election, with 57.2% Sierran Creole voters choosing Henry Faulkner over Royalist incumbent and rival Christopher Roux. The city has also elected Social Democrats into office, mostly at the local and provincial level, with the highest support for Social Democrats in North Grands Ballons and the Old Spanish Town neighborhoods. Since 1996, the city has had uninterrupted Democratic-Republican control over the municipal government. This parallels with the County of St. Anthony and the Province of the Gold Coast, which has primarily been under Democratic-Republican control since that same year. Despite this, some of Grands Ballons' most affluent neighborhoods, including Naples, have strong Royalist support, and are represented by Royalist policymakers in Parliament and the Gold Coast Provincial Legislature. In addition, among the city's whites, Asians, and hapas, more than half vote for Royalists or Libertarians.

Sister cities
Grands Ballons has nine sister cities, and the year of initial partnership is provided:
 * Flag of Colombia.svg, (1992)
 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg, , (1996)
 * Flag of Texas.svg, Brazoria (1972)
 * Flag of Japan.svg, (2005)
 * Flag of the United Commonwealth.svg, , United Commonwealth (1969)
 * Flag of France.svg, (1981)
 * Flag of Rainier.svg, , Rainier (1988)
 * Flag of Hani.svg, Hani (2001)
 * Flag of China.svg, (2004)