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Mira Monte, California

Mira Monte (Spanish for "Mountain View") is a rural community in Ventura County, California, United States. Mira Monte is located in between the communities of Oak View, Meiners Oaks, and southwest of the City of Ojai, California. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Mira Monte as a census-designated place (CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name. According to the 2020 census, the population of Mira Monte is 6,618, down from 6,845 at the 2010 census.

Geography
The Ventura River forms the western boundary of the community with the base of Sulfur mountain running along the east boundary. California State Route 33 and Route 150 bisect the community. Mira Monte was served by the Ventura and Ojai Valley Railroad from 1898 to 1969.

Education
Mira Monte is served by the Ojai Unified School District. There is one public school within the town, Mira Monte Elementary School.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Mira Monte had a population of 6,854. The population density was 1,494.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Mira Monte was 5,989 (87.4%) White, 43 (0.6%) African American, 61 (0.9%) Native American, 129 (1.9%) Asian, 3 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 406 (5.9%) from other races, and 223 (3.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,254 persons (18.3%).

The Census reported that 6,824 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 30 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 2,800 households, out of which 742 (26.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,436 (51.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 274 (9.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 130 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 115 (4.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 22 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 792 households (28.3%) were made up of individuals, and 439 (15.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44. There were 1,840 families (65.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.97.

The population was spread out, with 1,330 people (19.4%) under the age of 18, 488 people (7.1%) aged 18 to 24, 1,286 people (18.8%) aged 25 to 44, 2,301 people (33.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,449 people (21.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

There were 3,009 housing units at an average density of 655.9 /sqmi, of which 2,227 (79.5%) were owner-occupied, and 573 (20.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%. 5,338 people (77.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,486 people (21.7%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,177 people, 2,619 households, and 1,893 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,705.1 PD/sqmi. There were 2,698 housing units at an average density of 641.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.37% White, 0.53% African American, 0.78% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 5.02% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.25% of the population.

There were 2,619 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $55,377, and the median income for a family was $62,083. Males had a median income of $49,931 versus $36,201 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,393. About 3.6% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

title: Mira Monte, California


text:
Moorpark, California

Moorpark is a city in Ventura County in Southern California. Moorpark was founded in 1900. The town grew from just over 4,000 citizens in 1980 to over 25,000 by 1990. As of 2006, Moorpark was one of the fastest-growing cities in Ventura County. The population was 34,421 at the 2010 census, up from 31,415 at the 2000 census.

Etymology
The town most likely was named after the Moorpark apricot, which used to grow in the area (hence the apricot flower on the town's seal and flag). The apricot, in turn, was named for Admiral Lord Anson's estate Moor Park in Hertfordshire, England; the apricot was introduced in 1688.

Some of Moorpark's previous unofficial and official names include Epworth, Fremontville, Penrose, Fairview, and Little Simi.

History
Chumash people were the first to inhabit what is now known as Moorpark. A Chumash village, known as Quimisac (Kimishax), was located in today's Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park. They were hunters and gatherers who often traveled between villages to trade. The village of Quimisac once controlled the local trade of fused shale in the region. The area was later part of the large Rancho Simi land grant given in 1795 to the Pico brothers by Governor Diego de Borica of Alta California.

Robert W. Poindexter, the secretary of the Simi Land and Water Company, received the land when the association was disbanded. A map showing the townsite was prepared in November 1900. It was a resubdivision of the large lot subdivision known as Fremont, or Fremontville. An application for a post office was submitted on June 1, 1900, and approved by August of that year. The application noted that the town had a railroad depot. The town grew after the 1904 completion of a 7369 ft tunnel through the Santa Susana Mountains. Moorpark was then on the main route of the Southern Pacific Railroad's Coast Line between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The depot remained in operation until it was closed in 1958. It was eventually torn down around 1965.

Moorpark was one of the first cities to run off commercial nuclear power in the entire world, and the second in the United States, after Arco, Idaho, on July 17, 1955, which is the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power. For one hour on November 12, 1957, this fact was featured on Edward R. Murrow's See It Now television show. The reactor, called the Sodium Reactor Experiment was built by the Atomics International division of North American Aviation at the nearby Santa Susana Field Laboratory. The Sodium Reactor Experiment operated from 1957 to 1964 and produced 7.5 megawatts of electrical power at a Southern California Edison-supplied generating station.

Moorpark College opened on September 11, 1967. Moorpark College is one of the few colleges that features an exotic animal training and management program. Moorpark was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1983.

In 1996, Moorpark's Little League All-Star team represented the West Region in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.

In February 2005, a Siberian tiger named Tuffy that escaped from a local residence was shot and killed in one of Moorpark's parks. This created a great deal of uproar, because the animal control officers used a gun instead of a tranquilizer to kill the tiger, primarily because the tiger could not be shot from the proper angle for a tranquilizer to prove effective. Candlelight vigils were held for the late Tuffy. The couple who owned the tiger had moved from a licensed facility in Temecula, California, to an unlicensed facility in the Moorpark area of Ventura County. They lost their U.S. Department of Agriculture exhibitor license because they failed to notify the department of the move within 10 days. The wife pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor count of failing to maintain records of exotic felines. The husband pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, making false statements and failing to maintain proper records. Each was sentenced to home detention, three years probation, and fined $900.

Just a month later, in March 2005, the fairly complete remains (about 75%) of an unusually old mammoth, possibly the rare southern mammoth (Mammuthus meridionalis), were discovered in the foothills of Moorpark at the site of a housing development. The fossilized skeleton is believed to be from a 800,000 to 1.4 million years old mammoth, which is estimated to have had a weight of ten tons.

In 2006, the Moorpark city council transferred governance of their library from the Ventura County library system to their own newly created city library system. The library, which opened in 1912, celebrated its centennial in 2012.

On February 28, 2006, a housing proposal, North Park Village, which would have added 1,680 houses on 3586 acre in the north-east area of the city, was defeated by a landslide in a city election.

Egg City
In 1961, Julius Goldman founded Egg City, the largest chicken ranch in the United States at the time located just north of Moorpark, California. Many chicken coops were spread over acres of concrete, with millions of chickens in them. Local residents were somewhat irked by the farm, when the smell of it wafted to Moorpark on windy days. The odors also commonly flowed to the nearby town of Fillmore. The business suffered a setback in 1972, when millions of chickens were slaughtered because of the threat of Newcastle disease. Egg gathering was done from 36 houses by hand, with workers placing eggs onto plastic flats while riding electric carts. Liquid, dry and shell eggs were processed at the 8,000 sq ft hatchery facility warehouse with yolk and albumen available in individually. The farm finally closed in 1996. In early December 2006, a wildfire destroyed the dilapidated remains of Egg City.

Geography
Central Moorpark lies in a valley created by the Arroyo Simi river. It is situated on flatlands and mesas at the base of numerous hills. It is located immediately west of Simi Valley, California.

The city is divided by Highway 118, locally known as Los Angeles Avenue. Old Town Moorpark (Downtown) is located north of Route 118. Many newer residential communities can be found south of Route 118.

Neighborhoods

 * Downtown is on High Street at the historic center of the city. The pepper trees that line High Street were planted by Robert Poindexter who was responsible for the plotting and mapping of the town. This area also features the High Street Arts Center (a Performing Arts center operated by the City of Moorpark), and various restaurants and businesses.
 * The Peach Hill and Mountain Meadows neighborhoods are south of the Arroyo Simi. Moorpark High School is in this area, as well as many parks, including the Arroyo Vista Park and Recreation Center, the city's largest park. This area contains a large part of the city's population as over 75 percent of homes in Moorpark were constructed after 1980 here and in other new projects.
 * Campus Park is named for Moorpark College. An additional substantial development is occurring to the north of the existing city, in the area of the Moorpark Country Club.

Climate
Like much of the Greater Los Angeles Area, Moorpark has a Subtropical-Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csb on the coast, Csb inland), and receives just enough annual precipitation to avoid either Köppen's BSh or BSk (semi-arid climate) classification.

Ecology
Mountain lions occasionally come down from the hills and wander through the city.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Moorpark had a population of 34,421. The population density was 2,689.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Moorpark was 25,860 (75.1%) White, 533 (1.5%) African American, 248 (0.7%) Native American, 2,352 (6.8%) Asian, 50 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 3,727 (10.8%) from other races, and 1,651 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10,813 persons (31.4%).

The Census reported that 34,421 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 10,484 households, out of which 4,863 (46.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,966 (66.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,113 (10.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 507 (4.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 483 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 58 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,337 households (12.8%) were made up of individuals, and 434 (4.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.28. There were 8,586 families (81.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.55.

The population was spread out, with 9,459 people (27.5%) under the age of 18, 3,631 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 8,825 people (25.6%) aged 25 to 44, 10,051 people (29.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,455 people (7.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

There were 10,738 housing units at an average density of 839.0 /sqmi, of which 8,182 (78.0%) were owner-occupied, and 2,302 (22.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.9%. 26,688 people (77.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,733 people (22.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the 2000 census, there were 31,416 people in the city, organized into 8,994 households and 7,698 families. The population density was 1,651.9 PD/sqmi. There were 9,094 housing units at an average density of 478.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 74.42% White, 27.81% Hispanic of any race, 13.95% from other races, 5.63% Asian, 3.87% from two or more races, 1.52% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.15% Pacific Islander.

There were 8,994 households, out of which 54.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.4% were non-families. 9.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.49 and the average family size was 3.71.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $90,109, and the median income for a family was $96,532. Males had a median income of $55,535 versus $35,790 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,383. 7.0% of the population and 4.3% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy
In 2017, Moorpark had 12,235 jobs (up from 10,820 jobs in 2010) and retail sales of $281 million (up from $264 million in 2010). Most of these retail businesses are located along the community's Los Angeles Avenue corridor, with the community's historic downtown area, known as Historic High Street, as a secondary retail hub.

Several businesses have been opened by celebrity chefs, including Fabio Viviani, a Top Chef "fan favorite," and Damiano Carrara, a third-place finisher on Food Network Star.

Top employers
According to the City's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture
A few events are held in the Moorpark area during the year, most notably Moorpark "Country Days", a single day parade and festival in late September or early October, American Civil War battle reenactments in early-November (in 2019 this annual event was cancelled), an "Apricot Festival", usually in the spring or summer, an annual fireworks celebration on the third of July every year, and the Moorpark Film Festival in August. The "Country Days" parade includes various vendors, entertainment, and family friendly games/crafts. Children march with their schools, sports teams, dance companies, etc. Local businesses are also encouraged to march. The July 3 fireworks are popular around the rest of Ventura County, as people can go to the Moorpark fireworks on the 3rd, and still see their own local city's fireworks on July 4.

The City of Moorpark established an “Arts in Public Places” (AIPP) program in 2005 and later created the Arts Commission in 2006 to support the AIPP efforts. In August 2019, Moorpark engaged the services of ArtsOC to develop an Arts Master Plan. While the initial role of the Arts Commission was to oversee the AIPP program, their role has expanded to include general oversight and implementation of the Arts Master Plan to engage, strengthen, and harness the visual and performing arts in Moorpark.

Parks
Moorpark has 20 parks, all with a variety of amenities. Park hours for unlit facilities are from 6:00 a.m. to sunset. Lit facilities are from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The City's Dog Park is open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST, and 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. DST. The City's Skatepark is open from 10:00 a.m. to sunset on school days, and 8:00 a.m. to sunset on all other days.

Park facilities, including picnic pavilions, ball fields, soccer fields, and tennis courts can be reserved for private use.

 * 1) Arroyo Vista Community Park
 * 2) Campus Canyon
 * 3) Campus Park
 * 4) College View Park
 * 5) Community Center Park
 * 6) Country Trail Park
 * 7) Dog Park
 * 8) Glenwood Park
 * 9) Magnolia Park
 * 10) Mammoth Highlands Park
 * 11) Miller Park
 * 12) Monte Vista Nature Park
 * 13) Mountain Meadows Park
 * 14) Peach Hill Park
 * 15) Poindexter Park
 * 16) Tierra Rejada Park
 * 17) Veterans Memorial Park
 * 18) Villa Campesina Park
 * 19) Virginia Colony Park
 * 20) Walnut Acres Park

Government and politics
The city government operates under a council-manager form of government. The Mayor is elected at-large for two-year terms, and four City Councilmembers are elected to staggered four-year terms. The Mayor and City Councilmember positions are non-partisan. Through 2018, the City Councilmembers were elected on an at-large basis. In April 2019, the City Council voted to transition to a district-based election system for the four City Councilmembers, beginning with the November 2020 municipal election. In the November 2020 election, Daniel Groff (District 2, Western Moorpark) and Dr. Antonio Castro (District 4, Downtown/Central Moorpark) became the first two Moorpark City Councilmembers elected to represent districts.

The city government operates municipal facilities throughout the community, including the Moorpark City Library, Moorpark Active Adult Center, Arroyo Vista Recreation Center and Community Park, Ruben Castro Human Services Facility, Moorpark Public Services Facility, and the Moorpark Police Services Center, which contains offices for the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol. The Ventura County Fire Department provides fire protection for Moorpark, with two fire stations in the city.

In the California State Legislature, Moorpark is in the 27th Senate District, represented by Democrat Henry Stern, and in the 44th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Jacqui Irwin. In the United States House of Representatives, Moorpark is represented by Democrat Julia Brownley in California's 26th congressional district.

In October 2020, there were 23,290 registered voters in Moorpark, with 8,845 registered as Democrats (38.0%), 8,045 registered as Republicans (34.5%), 4,993 registered with no party preference (21.4%), and the remainder split among other parties.

Education
Moorpark is served by Moorpark Unified School District which includes Moorpark High School.

Additionally, there is The High School at Moorpark College, a middle college located on the Moorpark College campus. In this program, students take English and Social Studies classes at the high school level and Math, Science, Foreign Language and other electives at Moorpark College to fulfill the requirements for graduation and the Associates Degree simultaneously.

Moorpark College
Moorpark is the home of Moorpark College, a public community college and part of the Ventura County Community College District. Moorpark College is ranked the highest among the California Community Colleges for degree completion. Moorpark College is also home to America's Teaching Zoo, the Charles Temple Observatory, and the Moorpark College Performing Arts Center, each used for classes and community events.

Transportation

 * The city is serviced by Amtrak California's Pacific Surfliner and by Metrolink's Ventura County Line commuter rail system with service to Los Angeles, with a train station located on High Street in the center of the city.
 * The city of Moorpark has a mass transit bus system, known as the Moorpark City Transit. VCTC Intercity provides intercity bus services between Moorpark and the rest of Ventura County.

Major highways

 * California 118.svg California State Highway 118
 * California 23.svg California State Highway 23

Law enforcement
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for the city.

Crime
Moorpark had the lowest crime rates in Ventura County according to public crime statistics in 2000, and according to Ventura County Sheriff's Department statistics from 2006. The FBI has ranked Moorpark as one of California's safest cities. It was ranked California's 8th safest city in 2017. No homicides were recorded in 2017 nor 2018. The 2018 FBI Uniform Crime Report reported a near record-low crime level.

Volunteers in Policing
The City provides a "Volunteers in Policing" (VIP) program that formally engages citizens in supporting the police department and the community that began in 1994. In 1994 the program began with an attempt to open a police storefront run by the Volunteers in policing. Now the volunteers do a wide variety of non-dangerous tasks in an effort to assist the local sheriff's department including: parking enforcement, wellness checks, and traffic enforcement.

In popular culture
A number of movies have been filmed in Moorpark. Kings Row (1942) starring Ronald Reagan featured a scene filmed at Spring Road and Los Angeles Avenue. The film Paranormal Activity 3 has a portion taking place in Moorpark. J.J Gittes (Jack Nicholson) gets shot at an orchard in a scene in Chinatown (1974), which was shot at Trident Ranch. The big game scene in The Best of Times (1986) was shot at Moorpark Memorial High School, while scenes in The Great Man's Lady (1942) were filmed at Joel McCrea's ranch. Scenes from the TV series Super Soul Sunday starring Oprah Winfrey are filmed at Apricot Lane Farms. In 2018, the documentary The Biggest Little Farm was released, telling the story of Apricot Lane Farms. A special, "The Biggest Little Farm: The Return", was released in 2022. The Disney movie Magic Camp has scenes filmed in the High Street Arts Center on High Street.

In 2016, Mike Winters, the Vice President and Historian of the Moorpark Historical Society, published a revised history of Moorpark that covers the years from Moorpark's beginnings to the 1930s. The book, published by Arcadia Publishing is entitled Images of America: Moorpark.

Notable people

 * Brian Blechen, professional football player for the Carolina Panthers
 * Kelli Berglund, actress
 * Walter Brennan, screen actor
 * John Chester, documentary filmmaker, TV director, and cinematographer
 * Jan Ebeling, German-American equestrian, who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics
 * Sean Gilmartin, MLB pitcher
 * Tim Hanshaw, former NFL player (1995 drafted in the 4th round by the San Francisco 49ers)
 * Rick Jason, actor
 * Drake London, wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons
 * Zach Penprase (born 1985), Israeli-American baseball player for the Israel National Baseball Team
 * Dennis Pitta, former professional football player
 * Dillon "Attach" Price (born 1997), professional Call of Duty player
 * Gary Sinise, actor
 * Paul Winchell, ventriloquist, inventor, and the voice of Tigger.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Moorpark, California


text:
Oak Park, California

Oak Park is an unincorporated community in southeastern Ventura County, California, United States. When developed in the Simi Hills in the late 1960s, a single road provided the only access to the community from Agoura Hills, California, in neighboring Los Angeles County. As of the 2010 census, Oak Park had a population of 14,266, down from 14,625 at the 2000 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Oak Park as a census-designated place (CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name.

Oak Park is the biggest unincorporated community in Ventura County. Residents of the community have through votes declined to set up an independent city, and also declined to be annexed into neighboring Thousand Oaks.

History
Oak Park has had human occupation from about 5500 B.C. to the present day. It lies within a zone including the early Millingstone Horizon and inland Chumash Indians. Indians camped throughout the area as they collected acorns, yucca, and other food. The sites in the area include major villages, smaller camps and several rock shelters. Chumash people lived here for thousands of years prior to European contact. They lived off of trading, gathering and hunting. The Chumash originally settled in Oak Park due to an abundance of natural resources, including fresh water, acorns and rabbit-hunting. It is one of the oldest occupied places in California.

The location of Oak Park was originally part of Rancho Simi, a Spanish land concession in Alta California given in 1795 to Francisco Javier Pico, a soldier of the Santa Barbara company, and his two brothers, Patricio Pico and Miguel Pico by the Spanish government. Lindero Canyon Road follows the western border-line (lindero in Spanish) of the land grant.

Throughout the 20th century, studios used the area to film movies and in particular westerns. Movies filmed locally include The Red Pony and A Walk in the Sun.

Oak Park was formed from ranchland owned by Jim and Marian Jordan, stars of the radio show Fibber McGee and Molly. The land was purchased by Metropolitan Development Corporation in the 1960s. Homes were developed starting in the late 1960s. Kanan-Dume Road (named after a local family) was the only access road to the community, from Agoura Hills, California, in neighboring Los Angeles County. As such, the community was served by police and firefighters based in the nearest Ventura County city, Thousand Oaks, 10 mi away, with L.A. County services responding when able.

In 1967 Ventura County officials who were concerned about the isolation of the community proposed a land swap with L.A. County, but they were rebuffed. The isolation—coupled with the distance to junior and senior high schools—also drove down the property values, and homeowners found it difficult to sell their properties.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors created a Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) in 1975 to represent the community to County agencies. The MAC persuaded the Ventura County Board of Supervisors to trim Metropolitan Development Corp.'s initial development plan from a population of 26,000. Today there are about 15,000 residents. All available land within Oak Park has now been developed, with the remaining vacant land owned by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

The community was initially served by the Simi Valley Unified School District, with the nearest post-elementary schools being Sinaloa Junior High (about 20 mi away) and Royal High (about 22 (35 km) miles away). Since the Simi Valley Unified School District had no plans to build post-elementary schools in Oak Park, the residents seceded and formed Oak Park Unified School District in June 1977. Medea Creek Middle School started at the current location of the school district in 1980 using portable classrooms. The campus was affectionately called "Bungalow Hill" by students. The middle school was grades 6-8, with sixth-graders spending morning hours at Brookside Elementary and afternoons at the middle school. The following year when Oak Park High School opened for classes, Medea Creek Middle School shared the campus. Oak Park High School's class of 1983 was the first graduating class. They were the maiden class; they were upperclassmen each year ninth through 12th grade.

In 1999 the United States Postal Service assigned Oak Park its own ZIP code, 91377. Oak Park previously shared the ZIP code 91301 with its neighboring town of Agoura Hills.

Geography
Oak Park is situated in southeastern Ventura County. It is bordered on the west by North Ranch (Thousand Oaks) and on the south by the LA County cities of Agoura Hills and Westlake Village. It borders the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to the east and north.

Oak Park is located at 34°10'18" North, 118°45'28" West (34.171756, -118.757899). It is bordered by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area on the north and east and Rancho Simi Open Space on the south. It sits within valleys in the Simi Hills capped by Simi Peak which borders the community to the north. The elevation in Oak Park varies from 960 to 2,157 feet above sea level. (Does not include Simi Peak at 2,450 ft)

The CDP has a total area of 5.29 mi2. All of the area is land and none of it is covered by water. However, there are many small creeks in the area. The largest of these creeks are Medea Creek and Lindero Creek, which are tributaries of Malibu Creek, the only waterway that pierces the Santa Monica Mountains. The Malibu Creek watershed covers 105 square miles and contains 225 stream segments.

Demographics
As of 2012, Oak Park was home to 14,300 residents and 5,200 housing units.

2010
At the 2010 census Oak Park had a population of 14,266. The population density was 2,610.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Oak Park was 11,473 (83.1%) White, 141 (1.0%) African American, 32 (0.2%) Native American, 1,556 (11.3%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 162 (1.2%) from other races, and 438 (3.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 826 people (6.0%).

The census reported that 14,625 people (100% of the population) lived in households, and none (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 5,158 households, 2,112 (40.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,054 (59.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 590 (11.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 184 (3.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 204 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 34 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,046 households (20.3%) were one person and 258 (5.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68. There were 3,828 families (74.2% of households); the average family size was 3.14.

The age distribution was 3,622 people (26.2%) under the age of 18, 1,004 people (7.3%) aged 18 to 24, 3,031 people (21.9%) aged 25 to 44, 4,981 people (36.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,173 people (8.5%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 41.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

There were 5,297 housing units at an average density of 1,001.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 3,842 (74.5%) were owner-occupied and 1,316 (25.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.5%. 10,706 people (77.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,104 people (22.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census, there were 14,625 people in approximately 5000 households. The population density was 3,567 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 92.41% White, 0.01% African American, 0.26% Native American, 6.41% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 2.59% from two or more races. 4.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

49.7% of the households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.5% were non-families. 8.7% of households were one person and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 2.83.

The age distribution was 33% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 5% 65 or older. The median age was 36.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median household income was $106,921 and the median family income was $121,170. Males had a median income of $91,698 versus $42,083 for females. The per capita income for the town was $33,905. 7.5% of the population and 5.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 8.4% were under the age of 18 and 0.0% were 65 or older.

Education
Among residents age 25 or greater, 11% have no education beyond a high school diploma, 22% have some college education without earning a degree, 10% have an associate degree, 35% have a bachelor's degree, and 18% have advanced degrees.

The community is served by the Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD), which has three elementary schools K-5 (Brookside Elementary, Oak Hills Elementary and Red Oak Elementary), a middle school 6-8 (Medea Creek Middle School), Oak Park High School (9-12), Oak Park Independent School (K-12), and Oak View High School (an alternative high school for ages 16 and above). Oak Park Unified School District was originally part of the Simi Valley Unified School District, but successfully seceded from SVUSD via election in 1977.

Oak Park High School offers a variety of sports including baseball, boys and girls basketball, cheer, Cross Country, dance, football, golf, lacrosse, boys and girls soccer, softball, boys and girls tennis, track and field, and boys and girls volleyball. Oak Park is in the Tri-Valley and Frontier League depending on the sport. Oak Park High School's music program includes band, choir, and marching band.

Notable people

 * Doja Cat, singer and rapper
 * Zachary Gordon
 * Peyton List
 * Christopher Hoag
 * Zack Thornton, baseball player
 * Curran Walters

Flora and fauna
An Environmental Impact Assessment of Oak Park was conducted in 1982 which recorded local flora and fauna

Fauna
85 species of birds have been observed with breeding activity of 32-64 probable. 12 species of raptors were observed. Nesting of 7 was confirmed including American kestrel (Falco sparverius), barn owl (Tyto alba), screech owl (Otus asio), red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus). The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) and the prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) breed on adjacent slopes. Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperi) and northern harrier (Circus cyanus) may nest in Oak Park. Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) lack suitable nesting habitats and probably live in nearby areas. Two non-raptor birds are classified as sensitive including coastal black-tailed gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura californica). Possibly less than 1600 pairs of this bird remain alive. The second is grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum).

5 species of reptiles were observed including the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) and western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) and more may exist.

Three species of amphibians were observed in Oak Park: western toad (Bufo boreas), Pacific treefrog (Hyla regilla), and bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). 8 other amphibians occur in this area and may be present.

35 mammals may be present including bobcat (Felis rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), and desert cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni).

The Oak Park area and the Simi Hills are part of a wildlife corridor that link the San Gabriel Mountains (Los Padre National Forest) and Santa Susana Mountains to the Santa Monica Mountains. This is a critical path between mountain ranges where animals can find others of the same species for mating.

Flora
Oak Park ecosystems include several within the chaparral (inland sage scrub, rocklands, northern slope chaparral scrub, southern slope chaparral scrub) and riparian woodland (coast live oak riparian forest, valley oak woodland, southern willow scrub, walnut stands, and oak savanna). Southern California grassland has largely disappeared from the site by overgrazing and housing.

The chaparral and grassland are frequently altered by fires started by natural causes and humans. Both Indians and ranchers have altered the local landscape through fire and grazing. Oak Park had a large uncontrolled fire on October 8, 1982. The most recent uncontrolled fire was the Woolsey Fire on November 8–9, 2018 that burned through Oak Park and surrounding areas.

The recorded flora during the last EIR of Oak Park included 202 vascular plant species distributed among 52 families. Half are found in 5 families: sunflower(Asteraceace), grass (Poaceae), pea (Fabaceae), Mustard (Brassicaceae) and figwort (Scrophulariaceae). Non-native plants constitute 13% of the flora. There are 4 plants classified as sensitive: Catalina Mariposa Lilly (Calochortus catalinae), Wind poppy (Stylomecon heterophylla), Santa Susana Tarweed (Hemizonia minthornii ), and Nolina Parii

Infrastructure
Water is provided by the Calleguas Municipal Water District though the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District. Oak Park sewage is collected and treated by the Triunfo County Sanitation District at the Tapia Water Reclamation Facility on Malibu Canyon Road in Los Angeles County. A joint venture of Calleguas, Las Virgenes and the Triunfo built a pipeline and pump station in 1994 to distribute reclaimed water for landscaping and golf course irrigation.

Libraries
Public Libraries: Ventura County Library—one of their branches is in Oak Park; Oak Park Library and also, the nearby Agoura branch of the County of Los Angeles Public Library.

Recreation
Open space and parks in Oak Park are managed by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

Open Space

 * Rock Ridge Open Space
 * Sunrise Meadows Open Space
 * Wistful Vista Open Space

Parks

 * Chaparral Park
 * Deerhill Park
 * Eagle View Park
 * Indian Springs Park
 * Mae Boyar Park
 * Medea Creek Park Trail
 * Oak Canyon Community Park
 * Oak Park Community Garden
 * Oak Park Community Center and Gardens
 * Valley View Park

Trails

 * Canyon Cove Trail (to Wistful Vista Ridge)
 * China Flat / Simi Peak
 * Golden Eagle Trail aka Rock Ridge Trail West
 * Medea Creek Trail
 * Oak Canyon Community Park Nature Trail
 * Palo Camado Canyon / Doubletree
 * Sandstone Hills Trail
 * Suicide aka Rock Ridge Trail East
 * Sunrise Meadow Trails - Creekside and Ridge
 * Wistful Vista Trail

Oak Park borders the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Trails are used for hiking, running, horseback riding, climbing, and mountain biking.

title: Oak Park, California


text:
Oak View, California

Oak View is an unincorporated community in Ventura County, California, United States. The community is located along the Ventura River in a narrow valley between the towns of Casitas Springs (south) and Mira Monte (north). Lake Casitas and the community of Ojai are also nearby. At the 2010 census, the population of Oak View was 4,066, down from 4,199 at the 2000 census, making it the third largest community between Ojai and the city of Ventura. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Oak View as a census-designated place (CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name.

Etymology
Oak View was given its name in 1925 due to the garden-like appearance of its many oak groves.

History
The town of Oak View was established as a 'bedroom community' during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily home to local oil industry workers who found work in nearby Ventura. Besides nearby downtown Ojai, Oak View is the only other town in the Ojai Valley with a discernible "downtown", which has developed along the Ventura Avenue/Highway 33 corridor. Oak View's 'downtown' has a number of businesses and services that have withstood the test of time and economic conditions. Among them, you'll find a post office, a grocery store, a grocery mart, one bank, a Thai restaurant, a coffee house/restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, a pizza parlor, two automobile repair shops, two tire shops, two self-serve gasoline stations, two coffee shops, an equipment rental yard, several hair stylists, a pet supplies store, a liquor store, a walk-in medical office, a car wash, and a laundromat.

At various times over the years, some locals have considered incorporating as a city, as an alternative to County of Ventura governance. Some considered a name change to "River City." But, until the town has the ability to provide the same services as an incorporated city, this won't happen.

A volunteer Civic Council -- Oak View Civic Council --- which is a non-partisan, non-sectarian, and non-political organization, acts as a coordinating group to work with locals and advance civic, cultural, educational, philanthropic, and social goals of the community. Yearly Council-sponsored activities include two long-held events: the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, and the Memorial Day Parade. Other events have included BBQ events with all locals invited, family days, pageants of excellence, Oak View History days. The Council Website URL is http://oakviewciviccouncil.org. The site has a local resources link: http://www.oakviewciviccouncil.org/local_resources.html. Also, an online Oak View Community Forum exists where locals can post ideas and suggestions: http://oakviewciviccouncil.org/forum/index.php. Finally, a Website focused on Oak View can be found at https://www.oakviewca.org/

Geography
Oak View is located at 34.3975°N, -119.3°W (34.397416, -119.300127).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.0 sqmi, all of it land.

Education
Although Oak View is located within the Ojai Valley, the town itself is located within the boundaries of the Ventura Unified School District. There is one school in Oak View, Arnaz Elementary (aka, Sunset Elementary), which is located on the south western portion of the town, at 400 Sunset. Previously, two schools served the town. However, Oak View Elementary School, located between Prospect Street and Valley Road, and between Mahoney Avenue and Santa Ana Boulevard (Click here to see the Google map of the former Oak View Elementary), was closed by the district. The County considered selling the property to a housing developer who planned to build a high-density development (up to 33 houses) meant to serve low-income owners / renters. Instead, a successful local ballot initiative was passed, which places a parcel tax on Oak View residential property owners. The yearly tax helps to pay down the long-term purchase of the school from the County. The former school property was renamed, "The Oak View Park and Resource Center," (http://www.ovparc.org) which maintains the property and manages non-profit and for-profit organizations serving the community.

Libraries
Public Libraries: Ventura County Library - 14 locations with three branches in the Ojai Valley: Oak View Library, Ojai Library, and Meiners Oaks Library.

2010
At the 2010 census Oak View had a population of 4,066. The population density was 2,072.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Oak View was 3,227 (79.4%) White, 11 (0.3%) African American, 63 (1.5%) Native American, 34 (0.8%) Asian, 3 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 575 (14.1%) from other races, and 153 (3.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,217 persons (29.9%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 1,419 households, 495 (34.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 790 (55.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 139 (9.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 106 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 104 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 12 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 262 households (18.5%) were one person and 82 (5.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.87. There were 1,035 families (72.9% of households); the average family size was 3.24.

The age distribution was 971 people (23.9%) under the age of 18, 356 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 1,013 people (24.9%) aged 25 to 44, 1,310 people (32.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 416 people (10.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.

There were 1,523 housing units at an average density of 776.3 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,015 (71.5%) were owner-occupied and 404 (28.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%. 2,834 people (69.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,232 people (30.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
According to the census of 2000, there were 4,199 people, 1,430 households, and 1,069 families in the CDP. The population density was 2,153.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,466 housing units at an average density of 751.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.57% White, 0.57% African American, 1.67% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 8.31% from other races, and 2.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.50% of the population.

Of the 1,430 households 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 16.6% of households were one person and 5.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.31.

The age distribution was 28.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.

The median household income was $56,786 and the median family income was $61,613. Males had a median income of $48,750 versus $39,554 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,534. About 5.3% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

title: Oak View, California


text:
Ojai, California

Ojai (Chumash: ’Awhaỳ) is a city in Ventura County, California. Located in the Ojai Valley, it is northwest of Los Angeles and east of Santa Barbara. The valley is part of the east–west trending Western Transverse Ranges and is about 10 mi long by 3 mi wide and divided into a lower and an upper valley, each of similar size, surrounded by hills and mountains. The population was 7,637 at the 2020 census, up from 7,461 at the 2010 census.

Ojai is known for its boutique hotels, recreation opportunities, hiking, and farmers' market of local organic agriculture. It has small businesses specializing in local and ecologically friendly art, design, and home improvement. Chain stores are prohibited by city ordinance to encourage local small business development and retain the town's character.

The name Ojai is derived from the Mexican-era Rancho Ojai, which in turn took its name from the Ventureño Chumash word 'Awha'y, meaning "Moon". The city's self-styled nickname is "Shangri-La" referencing the natural environment of this health and spirituality-focused region as well as the mystical sanctuary of the 1937 film adaptation of James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon.

Chumash
Ojai sits on the traditional territory of the Chumash, a Native American people who inhabited the central and southern coastal regions of California, in portions of what are Morro Bay in the north to Malibu in the south and the Channel Islands. Before the arrival of European settlers, at least 10,000 Chumash people lived in over 150 independent villages, speaking variations of the same language. Starting in 1769, Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived to colonize the California coast, Christianize the native population, found military presidios and relocate Chumash people from their villages into Spanish missions.

Due to violence and imported disease, Chumash people died at devastating rates under Spanish rule. According to George Tinker, a Native Scholar, “The Native American population of coastal population was reduced by some 90 percent during seventy years under the sole proprietorship of Serra’s mission system.” Whether due to Spanish rule or as part of the California Genocide under the land's eventual control by the United States, by 1900, the Chumash population had declined to just 200, while current estimates of Chumash people today range from 2,000 to 5,000.

The name Ojai is derived from the Ventureño Chumash word ʼawha'y meaning "moon." A 1905 book on place names in the United States records the name Ojai as being derived from an Indigenous word meaning "nest", though the specific Indigenous language is not identified.

Rancho Ojai
In 1837, Fernando Tico, a Santa Barbara businessman, received the 17,716-acre Rancho Ojai Mexican land grant, which included both the lower and upper Ojai valleys. Tico operated a cattle ranch on the land and moved his large family to an adobe in the lower valley. Tico sold the entire Rancho Ojai in 1853. The rancho changed hands several more times before it was purchased in 1864 by Thomas A. Scott, a Pennsylvania oil and railroad baron. The petroleum exploration of the Ojai Basin was the result of a report of oil seeps (oil springs) along the Sulphur Mountain area. In 1866, Scott's nephew Thomas Bard used a steam-powered cable-tool drilling rig on the north side of Sulphur Mountain. On May 29, 1867, Ojai No. 6 produced an oil gusher, at a depth of 550 feet, and the Ojai Field eventually produced 10-20 barrels of oil a day. Also in 1866, Leland Stanford's brother Josiah dug oil tunnels on the south side of Sulphur Mountain, producing 20 barrels a day for the Stanford Brothers refinery in San Francisco. For economic reasons, falling oil prices at the end of the Civil War and cheaper imports from the east, Scott and Stanford ceased oil exploration in the valley area. Thomas Bard then began selling the surface rights to parcels of Rancho Ojai in late 1867. As the president of Unocal, Bard would return in the 1890s to dig about 50 oil tunnels into Sulphur Mountain, which produced until 1998.

Nordhoff
The town was laid out in 1874 by San Buenaventura businessman R.G. Surdam and named Nordhoff in honor of the writer Charles Nordhoff who had written a book about California titled, California for Health, Pleasure and Residence: A Book for Travelers and Settlers. Most early settlers to the valley had one or more family members who were ill, particularly with respiratory illnesses, and the Ojai Valley developed a reputation for having healthy air quality. Many did get well after moving to the valley. Charles Nordhoff had not visited the Ojai Valley when his book came out in 1873, but made several visits to his namesake town in the early 1880s, and he mentioned the Ojai Valley in the revised 1882 version of his popular book. The discovery of hot springs in Matilija Canyon and subsequent development of hot springs resorts in the late 1800s contributed to the valley's healing mystique.

The public junior high and high school in Ojai is Nordhoff Junior High and High School. The former public middle high school, named "Matilija", formerly served as Nordhoff Union High School and still features large tiles with the initials "NUHS" on the steps of the athletic field.

Railroad
The Ventura and Ojai Valley Railroad connected Ojai to the national rail network near Ventura station in 1898. The Southern Pacific Railroad acquired all the capital stock in the Ventura and Ojai Valley Railroad in April 1898. A nine-day Pineapple Express with rainfall intensity reaching 6.2 inch per day caused floods destroying the rail line in January 1969. The former rail line was converted to the Ojai Valley Trail in 1989.

Libbey
Nordhoff became a popular wintering spot for wealthy Easterners and Midwesterners. The elite Foothills Hotel, which catered to them, was built on a mountain overlooking the town in 1903. Visitors enjoyed dining, music concerts, horseback riding, and hunting and fishing trips into the back country. Some of these businessmen built homes in the valley and contributed to the community's development. Among these winter visitors were Edward Drummond Libbey and his wife Florence. Their first winter in Ojai was in 1907. Libbey was the owner of the Libbey Glass Company of Toledo, Ohio. He fell in love with the valley, bought property in the Foothills tract in 1909, and built a Craftsman-style house designed by Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey.

Steeped in City Beautiful ideals, Libbey began thinking about what could be done to beautify the existing rustic town. He bought up all the properties on the south side of Ojai Avenue (where Libbey Park is today) and most of the buildings there were demolished. In 1916, he hired the architectural firm of Frank Mead and Richard Requa of San Diego to transform Nordhoff into the Spanish-style town center seen today. The project included a Mission-style arcade along the main street, a bell-tower reminiscent of the famous campanile of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Havana, Cuba (also known as the Havana Cathedral), and a pergola with two arches opposite the arcade.

In March 1917, just after completion of the renovation project, the name of the town was changed to Ojai. The valley had always been known as "The Ojai". Leading up to and during World War I, American sentiment became increasingly anti-German. Across the United States, German and German-sounding place names were changed. Some Ojai writers in the past have speculated that anti-German sentiment contributed to the name change of Nordhoff to Ojai in 1917. There is no clear evidence that this was the case for the name change in Ojai.

To thank Libbey for his gifts to the town, the citizens proposed a celebration in the new Civic Center Park (later changed to Libbey Park) that they wished to call "Libbey Day," but Libbey suggested "Ojai Day" instead. The first Ojai Day took place April 7, 1917. Ojai Day was celebrated each year until 1928. Local schoolteacher Craig Walker revived Ojai Day in 1991 and it has been celebrated since. The Ojai Day celebration takes place in October.

In 1917 two fires struck the community. The first started in Matilija Canyon on June 16 and burned 60 buildings in its path, including many homes and the Foothills Hotel. The newly Spanish-style structures in the downtown were not affected. On November 28, 1917, a fire started in a gasoline stove in a store in the Arcade and the stores in the western half of the Arcade burned down. Part of the Arcade suffered smoke damage but did not burn down. A new Spanish-style Foothills Hotel was built in 1919–1920 to replace the one that burned down.

Housing
The Taormina neighborhood was established as the first historic district in the city in 2016. The housing development was built in the style of French architecture of Normandy in the 1960s and 1970s by members of the Theosophy movement adjacent to the Krotona Institute of Theosophy. Taormina's founder, theosophist Ruth Wilson, envisioned the development as a retirement community for fellow theosophists but in the early 1980s a court ruling required the community to be open to residents of all faiths and backgrounds. The majority of homes in the city were built between 1940 and 1980 with about a dozen mobile-home parks included in the housing stock. With rapid growth in the 1970s, a slow-growth ordinance was passed. From 2008 to 2018, there were no new multifamily developments with a single six residential unit apartment being built in 2019.

Geography
Ojai is situated in a small east–west eponymous valley, north of Ventura and east of Santa Barbara. The city is approximately 745 ft above sea level and borders the Los Padres National Forest to the north. It is approximately 15 mi inland from the Pacific Ocean.

The Ojai Valley lies within the Topatopa Mountains on the north and south and is actively shaped by a web of earthquake faults. The Sisar fault in the valley was the epicenter of a magnitude 5.1 earthquake on August 20, 2023. The Santa Ynez Mountains lie to the north, while Sulphur Mountain and the lower Black Mountain lie to the south. Nordhoff Ridge, the western extension of the Topatopa Mountains, towers over the north side of the valley at more than 5000 ft. Sulphur Mountain creates the southern ranges bounding the Ojai Valley, a little under 3000 ft in elevation. The Sulphur and Topatopa mountains are part of the Transverse Ranges system. The Ojai Valley and the surrounding mountains are heavily wooded with oak trees.

The mountains to the west of the Ojai Valley are drained by the Coyote, Matilija and Santa Ana creeks. These empty into the Ventura River. The Matilija Dam, Casitas Dam and Lake Casitas Reservoir alter the historic drainage of these creeks and the river. The creeks that drain the mountains directly north of Ojai empty into San Antonio Creek, as does Lion Canyon Creek that lies between Black Mountain and Sulphur Mountain. San Antonio Creek drains into the Ventura River just north of Casitas Springs. The Ventura River flows through the Ventura River Valley and empties into the Pacific Ocean at the city of Ventura. The Ventura River was once known for its steelhead fishing before Matilija Dam and Lake Casitas were constructed, eliminating habitat for this trout species.

The eastern part of the Upper Ojai Valley is drained by the Sisar and Santa Paula creeks. These creeks flow into the Santa Clara River at Santa Paula. The high mountains above the Ojai Valley and further east are drained by Sespe Creek, which empties into the Santa Clara River at Fillmore. In 1991, 31.5 miles of the 55-mile-long Sespe Creek was given federal Wild & Scenic River status.

Climate
The climate of Ojai is Mediterranean, characterized by hot, dry summers, at times exceeding 100 F, and mild, rainy winters, with lows at night falling below freezing at times. During dry spells with continental air, morning temperatures, due to Ojai's valley location, can drop well below most of Southern California, with the record being 13 F on January 6–7, 1913. In contrast, Ojai is far enough from the sea to minimize marine cooling, and very hot days can occur during summer, with the record being 119 F on June 16, 1917 – when it fell as low as 65 F in the morning due to clear skies and dry air.

As is typical for much of coastal Southern California, most precipitation falls in the form of rain between the months of October and April, with intervening dry summers. As with all of Southern California, rain falls on few days, but when it does rain it is often extremely heavy: the record being 9.05 in on February 24, 1913, followed by 8.15 in on January 26, 1914. During the wettest month on record of January 1969, 25.76 in fell, with a whopping 23.46 in in eight days from January 19 to 26. In contrast, the median annual rainfall for all years in Ojai is only around 18.1 in and in the driest "rain year" from July 2020 to June 2021, just 5.46 in fell in twelve months. The wettest "rain year" was from July 1997 to June 1998 with 48.29 in.

2010
The city's population dropped between the years 2000-2010. The 2010 United States Census reported that Ojai had a population of 7,461. The population density was 1,695.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Ojai was 6,555 (87.9%) White, 42 (0.6%) African American, 47 (0.6%) Native American, 158 (2.1%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 440 (5.9%) from other races, and 218 (2.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,339 persons (17.9%).

The Census reported that 7,281 people (97.6% of the population) lived in households, 48 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 132 (1.8%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,111 households, out of which 876 (28.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,396 (44.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 366 (11.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 128 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 151 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 25 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 992 households (31.9%) were made up of individuals, and 496 (15.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34. There were 1,890 families (60.8% of all households); the average family size was 2.95.

The population distribution was spread out, with 1,520 people (20.4%) under the age of 18, 515 people (6.9%) aged 18 to 24, 1,446 people (19.4%) aged 25 to 44, 2,547 people (34.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,433 people (19.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.

There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 768.5 /sqmi, of which 1,717 (55.2%) were owner-occupied, and 1,394 (44.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 4,243 people (56.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,038 people (40.7%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,862 people, 3,088 households, and 1,985 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,773.0 PD/sqmi. There were 3,229 housing units at an average density of 728.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.01% White, 0.60% African American, 0.50% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 6.26% from other races, and 2.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.84% of the population.

There were 3,088 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for households in the city was $44,593, and the median income for a family was $52,917. Males had a median income of $40,919 versus $30,821 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,670. About 7.9% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Ojai is a tourism destination known for its boutique hotels, recreation opportunities, hiking, and farmers' market of local organic agriculture. The 306-room Ojai Valley Inn, which opened in 1923, is situated on 220 acres with a golf course and tennis courts. There are just 12 hotels within city limits but short-term vacation rentals (STVR) were banned in 2016. A few accommodations are available in the surrounding unincorporated area where the county has placed similar restrictions on STVR. It has small businesses specializing in local and ecologically friendly art, design, and home improvement. Chain stores are prohibited by city ordinance to encourage local small business development and keep the town unique.

Cannabis
Under the legalization of the sale and distribution of cannabis in California, Ojai is one of two cities in the county that initially allowed retail sales. Voters approved a 3% tax on retail marijuana sales on 2020, which could eventually grow to a 10% tax. State law says local governments may not prohibit adults from growing, using or transporting marijuana for personal use but they can prohibit companies from growing, testing, and selling cannabis within their jurisdiction by licensing none or only some of these activities. The state requires cities to allow deliveries. By the end of 2018, three recreational marijuana storefronts were open in close proximity to each other. In 2020, there were two manufacturing businesses that were going through the permitting processes and the city was considering allowing on-site cannabis consumption.

Arts and culture
Ojai's culture is heavily focused on ecology, health and organic agriculture, NIMBYism,  walking/hiking, spirituality, music and local art. Weekends may include exhibiting classic cars or motorcycle clubs touring the area. On July 8, 1999, former Apollo astronaut Pete Conrad, one of the twelve men who walked on the Moon, died of injuries suffered from a motorcycle accident in Ojai.

The Ojai Music Festival (founded in 1947) is an annual festival of performances by some of the world's top musicians and composers, and occurs on the first weekend after Memorial Day. Notable appearances include Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Pierre Boulez, who was festival director in 2003. The outdoor bookshop Bart's Books, subject of news programs and documentaries, has been in Ojai since 1964. Ojai is home to the annual Ojai Playwrights Conference, a two-week playwrights festival that brings professional writers and actors from across the country to Ojai. The community is served by the Ojai Valley News, a weekly newspaper, the Ojai Valley Guide (formerly the Ojai Valley Visitors Guide) and the Ojai Quarterly, magazines published every three months.

In early June, often coinciding with the Music Festival, the Ojai Wine Festival is held at Lake Casitas. Over 3,000 wine lovers sample the products of more than 30 wineries. Proceeds go to charity.

Parks and recreation
The town of Ojai and the surrounding area is home to many recreational activities. Los Padres National Forest borders the town on the north, and many back country areas within the forest are accessible from Highway 33, the major north–south highway through town. Matilija Creek is a spot to enjoy splashing under waterfalls and backpacking. To the west, the Lake Casitas Recreation Area offers camping, picnicking, hiking, boating, fishing, and has a water park.

The valley has several public tennis courts in downtown Libbey Park. There are also two major golf courses: the Soule Park Golf Course, and the Ojai Valley Inn Golf Course. The town completed a new park, Cluff Vista Park, in 2002, which contains several small themed regions of California native plants, two water features, and three public art works. The park is located on a small hill which has a view of the mountains surrounding the town.

Sarzotti Park is a 10 acre city park that is home to the City of Ojai Recreation Center. The center was formerly the Boyd Clubhouse which was built in 1903 and located on the south side of Ojai Avenue east of Libbey Park. The Boyd Club was a men's athletic and activity club. The Boyd clubhouse was moved to Sarzotti Park in 1957. The city's recreational program offers soccer, softball, football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, exercise programs, and many other classes.

In April, the Ojai Tennis Tournament is held. It is the oldest tennis tournament west of the Mississippi River (founded in 1896) and has been an early competition for many players who went on to earn one or more Grand Slam titles. The Wall of Fame in Libbey Park honors players who competed and went on to win at least one Grand Slam. William Thacher (brother of Sherman Thacher) founded the Ojai Valley Tennis Club in 1895. There were five years when the tournament was not held: 1924 because of a hoof-and-mouth epidemic and from 1943 to 1946 during and just after World War II.

Ventura County parks in the area include Foster Park near Casitas Springs, Camp Comfort on Creek Road, Soule Park and Soule Park Golf Course, and Dennison Park on the Dennison Grade.

Annually, in early April, the town hosts a bicycle race that draws professional and amateur teams from around the country. The "Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix" began in 2004 as a tribute to a 22-year-old cyclist from Ojai who died racing his bicycle in Arizona the previous year. The race is held on a 1 mi circuit that circumnavigates Libbey Bowl in the heart of downtown Ojai.

Law enforcement
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for the city. No homicides were recorded in 2015–2018.

Public schools

 * Ojai Unified School District
 * Chaparral High School
 * Nordhoff Junior High and High School
 * Meiners Oaks Early Education School
 * Mira Monte Elementary School
 * Summit School
 * Topa Topa Elementary School

Other schools
The Ojai Valley is home to several private boarding schools as well as other private and alternative school programs:

 * Besant Hill School of Happy Valley (formerly Happy Valley School)
 * The Thacher School
 * Ojai Valley School
 * Villanova Preparatory School
 * Oak Grove School
 * Weil Tennis Academy
 * Monica Ros School (preschool through 3rd grade)
 * The Montessori School of Ojai
 * Valley Oak Charter School (a WASC accredited K-12 public homeschool hybrid charter)
 * Laurel Springs School (distance education and homeschooling)
 * Rock Tree Sky (a self-directed learning community)
 * Global Village School (a homeschool and private school hybrid using self-directed, distance education)
 * Camp Ramah in California (a Jewish summer camp)
 * Also, the Summer Science Program was formerly hosted at the Besant Hill School (2000–2009) and at The Thacher School (1959–1999).

Media
The Ojai Valley News is a weekly, community-oriented newspaper that has been published since October 27, 1891. The newspaper was called The Ojai until 1958. A newspaper called The Ojai Valley News was founded in competition to The Ojai in 1949. In 1958, J. Frank Knebel bought The Ojai, The Ojai Valley News and another small paper called The Oaks Gazette. He called this combined paper the Ojai Valley News and Oaks Gazette. A competition newspaper called The Ojai Press was founded in 1959 and another called The Oaks Sentinel came out the following year. When both of these papers floundered a group of over 100 people called "Voice of the Valley" pitched in to take over these papers and began publishing the Press Sentinel. Members of the Voice of the Valley group felt strongly that there needed to be an alternative viewpoint in the valley from the views expressed in Knebel's paper. The Press Sentinel was published for two years. When Fred Volz purchased The Ojai Valley News and Oaks Gazette in 1962, changing the name to Ojai Valley News, the Press Sentinel ceased publication.

A collaborative blog covering local news, The Ojai Post, also once existed.

Utilities
In 2013, a plan to take over the private water system was approved by voters. Up to $60 million in bonds would be issued and a special tax district would be formed. This was approved by almost 90 percent of voters but it was tied up in court by the private water purveyor, Golden State Water Company. Casitas Municipal Water District took over management of the Ojai water system by purchase of the franchise from Golden State Water Company in April 2017. The Ojai Valley Sanitary District treats the sewage from the city and surrounding areas. In 2020, the city banned new hook-ups to natural gas except for restaurants and pools.

Libraries
Public libraries: Ventura County Library—14 county locations, with three branches in the Ojai Valley:

 * Ojai Library
 * Oak View Library
 * Meiners Oaks Library

Transportation
The City of Ojai operates the Ojai Trolley bus system. Gold Coast Transit connects Ojai with Ventura.

In popular culture
The title characters of the TV series The Bionic Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man (Jaime Sommers and Col. Steve Austin) are described in the series as having been childhood sweethearts in Ojai. In these series, a sign on the highway entering Ojai reads "Welcome to Ojai, home of American astronaut Steven Austin."

The Ojai Valley Inn (a historic Ojai institution) was featured in the 1990 movie The Two Jakes (starring Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel).

"Ojai" was mentioned frequently in the TV Series Brothers & Sisters (2006-2011). The family business was named "Ojai Foods," which operated in Los Angeles but had roots in the Ojai Valley. The Walker family had a cabin in Ojai that they used to visit.

The city of Ojai served as the main location setting for the 2010 film Easy A, starring Emma Stone. Ojai was also mentioned in the 2017 Taylor Sheridan film Wind River.

Notable people

 * Bud Abbott, actor, producer, and comedian
 * Beth Allen, professional golfer
 * David Allen, author, Getting Things Done
 * June Allyson, actress
 * Colman Andrews, writer and editor
 * Ethel Percy Andrus, founder of AARP
 * Sergio Aragonés, cartoonist
 * Daniel Ash, musician
 * Alan Ball, film and television writer and producer
 * Irene Bedard, actor, musician
 * Ed Begley Jr., actor
 * Lucy Bellwood, cartoonist and illustrator
 * Max Bemis, comic book writer and lead singer of the band Say Anything
 * Paul Bergmann, football player
 * Elmer Bernstein, film and television composer
 * Jon Bernthal, actor
 * Bruce Botnick, engineer and producer for The Doors
 * Ingrid Boulting, artist, actress
 * Pierre Bouvier, singer of Simple Plan
 * Eileen Brennan, actress
 * Eric Burdon, singer-songwriter and actor
 * Tim Burton, film director
 * Rory Calhoun, actor
 * Mario Calire, Grammy Award-winning drummer
 * Julie Christensen, singer
 * Julie Christie, Oscar-winning actress
 * Cory Coffey, BMX rider
 * Glenn Corbett, actor
 * Michael Crooke, professor of strategy, consultant, former CEO Patagonia, Inc., former Navy SEAL
 * Ted Danson, actor
 * Anthony de Mello, spiritual leader
 * John Diehl, director, actor in Stargate and The Shield
 * Vernon Dvorak, meteorologist, Dvorak Technique for tropical cyclone analysis
 * Dave England, Jackass star
 * Peter Farrelly, film director, writer, and producer
 * Maynard Ferguson, jazz musician, composer
 * Joe Flanigan, actor
 * Robben Ford, blues/jazz guitarist and vocalist
 * Mark Frost, screenwriter and television writer
 * Sharon Gabet, actress
 * Lindy Goetz, music manager (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
 * Larry Hagman, actor in I Dream of Jeannie and Dallas
 * Anne Heche, actress, director, and screenwriter
 * Otto and Vivika Heino, ceramic artists, "The Pottery"
 * Toby Hemingway, actor in The Covenant and Feast of Love; moved to Ojai with his mother when he was 13
 * Richard Jefferson, Australia-based molecular biologist, open source science advocate, founder of CAMBIA
 * Mikael Jorgensen, keyboardist for Wilco
 * Steve Kanaly, actor who played Ray Krebbs on the TV drama Dallas
 * Cody Kasch, actor and SAG award winner for Desperate Housewives
 * Byron Katie, founder of The Work
 * Roger Kellaway, jazz pianist and composer
 * Linda Kelsey, actress in Lou Grant
 * Ed Kowalczyk, lead singer for Live
 * John Krasinski, actor
 * Jiddu Krishnamurti, philosopher
 * James Kyson Lee, Korean-American film actor, educated at Villanova Preparatory School
 * Diane Ladd, actress, writer, director nominated three times each for Emmys and Oscars
 * John Langley, creator of COPS
 * Harry Lauter, character actor in film and television
 * Zachary Levi, actor in Chuck and Less Than Perfect
 * Ted Levine, actor in The Silence of the Lambs and TV's Monk
 * Larry Linville, actor in M*A*S*H
 * Lissie, singer/songwriter
 * Jackie Lomax, musician, first artist signed to Apple Records, a label started by The Beatles
 * Noah Lowry, former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
 * Johnny Mandel, composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz
 * S.A. Martinez, singer/rapper of the group 311
 * Stacy Margolin (born 1959), tennis player
 * Dave Mason, English musician, singer and songwriter
 * Elisabeth Maurus (aka Lissie), folk-rock musician
 * Orpheo McCord, drummer/percussionist for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
 * Malcolm McDowell, actor
 * Charles Millard Pratt, oil industrialist and philanthropist
 * Rodney Mullen, skateboarder
 * Bill Paxton, actor in Aliens and Apollo 13
 * Paula Jean Myers-Pope, Olympic diver
 * Caspar Poyck, actor, producer, chef, speaker and psychodigestive therapist
 * Anthony Quinn, actor, painter, and writer
 * Betsy Randle, actress, Boy Meets World
 * Rick Rossovich, actor in Top Gun and Roxanne
 * Louise Sandhaus, graphic designer
 * Peter Scolari, actor in Newhart and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
 * Alex Sheshunoff, author
 * Jan Smithers, actress in WKRP in Cincinnati
 * Mary Steenburgen, actress
 * Donna Steichen, Roman Catholic journalist and critic of feminism
 * Izzy Stradlin, guitarist, formerly in rock group Guns N' Roses
 * Peter Strauss, actor in The Jericho Mile and Rich Man, Poor Man
 * George S. Stuart, sculptor
 * Chuck Testa, taxidermist and subject of an internet meme
 * Caroline Thompson, screenwriter and director
 * Christopher Trumbo, screenwriter
 * Rodney Walker, mid-century modern architect
 * Beau Weaver, voice actor, narrator
 * Anson Williams, actor, Happy Days
 * Reese Witherspoon, Oscar-winning actress and producer
 * Beatrice Wood, artist, teacher at the Happy Valley School
 * Dana Wynter, actress, Invasion of the Body Snatchers
 * James Wysong, author
 * Loretta Young, actress and TV hostess
 * Chloé Zhao, filmmaker and Oscar winning director,
 * David Zucker, director of Airplane!, Top Secret!, and The Naked Gun
 * Eugene Cole "Gene" Zubrinsky, Master Genealogist and Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists (FASG)

title: Ojai, California