Agoura Hills, California Explained

Agoura Hills, California
Settlement Type:City
Motto:"The Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains"[1]
Named For:Don Pierre Agoure
Pushpin Map:Los Angeles#USA California#USA
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Agoura Hills in the Los Angeles metropolitan area##Location of Agoura Hills in California##Location of Agoura Hills in the United States
Pushpin Label:Agoura Hills
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:California
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Los Angeles
Subdivision Type3:Region
Subdivision Name3:Conejo Valley
Government Type:City Council/City Manager[2]
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Illece Buckley Weber
Leader Title1:Mayor pro tem
Leader Name1:Penny Sylvester
Leader Title2:City Council
Leader Title3:City Manager
Leader Name3:Nathan Hamburger
Established Title:Settled (by the Spanish)
Established Date:1700s
Established Title3:Incorporated
Established Date3:December 8, 1982[3]
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[4]
Area Total Sq Mi:7.82
Area Total Km2:20.25
Area Land Sq Mi:7.80
Area Land Km2:20.19
Area Water Sq Mi:0.02
Area Water Km2:0.06
Area Water Percent:0.37
Elevation Footnotes:[5]
Elevation Ft:922
Elevation M:281
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:20299
Population Density Sq Mi:2603.77
Timezone:Pacific Time Zone
Utc Offset:−8
Timezone Dst:PDT
Utc Offset Dst:−7
Postal Code Type:ZIP Codes
Postal Code:91301, 91376–91377[6]
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:747/818[7]
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:[8]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature IDs
Blank1 Info:,
Population Density Km2:1005.37

Agoura Hills is a city in the Santa Monica Mountains[9] region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its population was 20,330 at the 2010 census,[8] which decreased to 20,299 in 2020.[10] It is in the eastern Conejo Valley between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. The city is in western Los Angeles County and is bordered to the north by Bell Canyon and Ventura County. It is northwest of Downtown Los Angeles and less than 10miles west of the Los Angeles city limits at Woodland Hills. Agoura Hills and unincorporated Agoura sit next to Calabasas, Oak Park, and Westlake Village.

History

The area was first settled by the Chumash Native Americans around 10,000 years ago.[11] The Alta California (Upper California) coast was settled by Spanish Franciscan missionaries in the late 18th century.

In about 1800, Miguel Ortega was granted a Spanish grazing concession called Rancho Las Virgenes or El Rancho de Nuestra Señora La Reina de Las Virgenes. The grant was abandoned after Ortega's death in 1810, and José Maria Dominguez was given Rancho Las Virgenes as a Mexican land grant in 1834. Maria Antonia Machado de Reyes purchased the rancho from Dominguez in 1845. (The "Reyes Adobe" ranch headquarters sits today in central Agoura Hills, where it is part of the Reyes Adobe Museum built around 2004 and owned by the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department.[12])

By 1900, the area was being used as a popular stage stop for travelers because of its natural spring.

In the 1920s, the community was briefly known as Picture City, as Paramount Pictures owned a ranch known as Paramount Ranch used for filming Westerns.[13] To obtain a post office of their own, the residents were required to choose a one-word name, and in 1927 chose the shortest name proposed: a misspelling of the last name of Pierre Agoure, a local Basque man and French immigrant who had settled in the area in 1871 to live the lifestyle of the Mexican rancher. Styling himself Don Pierre Agoure, he was a successful sheep herder and had a reputation as a swashbuckler.[14] [15]

Agoura began to grow in the late 1960s after the Ventura Freeway section of U.S. Route 101 was built through the area, dividing the community into northern and southern sections. The first housing tracts in Agoura were Hillrise, Liberty Canyon and Lake Lindero. Rapid growth continued during the 1970s when schools were built and much of downtown erected.

In 1982, the residents of the proposed city voted in favor of cityhood by a 68% majority. Agoura Hills became the 83rd City in Los Angeles County. Elected to the first City Council were Mayor Fran Pavley, Mayor Pro Tem Carol Sahm, Councilmembers Ernest Dynda, John Hood, and Vicky Leary.[16] Incorporating a year after neighboring Westlake Village, the drive for cityhood in the region was largely based on public discontent with the county's failure to limit residential development of the area, motives that influenced Calabasas to follow suit in 1991.[17]

The 1980s was a period of growth, with large land areas being subdivided into housing tracts. In the 1990s, businesses set up shop downtown including shops and restaurants.

In 1995, the murder of Jimmy Farris (the infamous Brandon Hein case) awakened the city to a rising drug problem and petty theft by its young. As a result, the city began sponsoring live music competitions and concerts in local parks.

In November 2018, the Woolsey Fire occurred during Santa Ana winds burning through the community.[18] One victim was found on Tuesday November 13 in the 32000 block of Lobo Canyon Road.[19] [20]

Music

Agoura Hills is known regionally for its live music scene and originality in the nu metal scene, a fame that has given rise to such acts as Linkin Park, Dub Thompson, Skye Aspen, Incubus, Hoobastank, and Fort Minor.

Agoura Hills is home to The Canyon Club, a concert venue that hosts touring acts such as Peter Frampton, Smash Mouth, Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper, REO Speedwagon, X, Steel Pulse, The New Cars, Asia, Boyz II Men, Alan Parsons, Foreigner, Bret Michaels and The Smithereens.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km2) of it (0.37%) is water.

Agoura Hills has a mountain called Ballard Mountain named after pioneer settler and freed slave John Ballard.[21] The name of the mountain was officially changed from Negrohead to Ballard in a ceremony on February 20, 2010.[22] Ladyface Mountain is another prominent mountain on the west side of the Conejo Valley and stands at an elevation of 2031feet.

Agoura Hills is called the "Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area".[23]

Environment

Natural areas of Agoura Hills are part of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion and are covered by hundreds of local plant species, some of which are very rare, and others of which have become popular ornamentals. The range is host to an immense variety of wildlife, from mountain lions to the endangered Southern California Distinct Population Segment of steelhead.[24] The mountain lion population within the Santa Monica Mountains (which includes the Simi Hills & Santa Susana Pass) is severely depleted with only seven known living adult individuals. The primary cause of the decline is due to a combination of traffic-related mortality (three from the area were killed within a matter of months,) anti-coagulants ingested from human-poisoned prey (two individuals within the Simi Hills), and attacks by other, more dominant mountain lions (an elder male, known as P1, killed both his son and his mate, this is thought to be due to a lack of space available.) The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a proposed vegetated overpass spanning the Ventura Freeway and Agoura Road at Liberty Canyon on the east end of the city. Snakes are common but only occasionally seen. Local species include the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (the only venomous species), Mountain Kingsnake, California Kingsnake, Gopher snake, and Garter snake. The mountains are also home to the Western fence lizard.

Invasive species

In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that the New Zealand mud snail had infested watersheds in the Santa Monica Mountains, posing serious threats to native species and complicating efforts to improve stream-water quality for the endangered steelhead trout. According to the article, the snails have expanded "from the first confirmed sample in Medea Creek in Agoura Hills to nearly 30 other stream sites in four years." Researchers at the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission believe that the snails' expansion may have been expedited after the mollusks traveled from stream to stream on the gear of contractors and volunteers.[25]

Climate

Demographics

2010

At the 2010 census Agoura Hills had a population of 20,330. The population density was 2599sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of Agoura Hills was 17,147 (84.3%) White, (78.6% Non-Hispanic White), 267 (1.3%) African American, 51 (0.3%) Native American, 1,521 (7.5%) Asian, 24 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 590 (2.9%) from other races, and 730 (3.6%) from two or more races. There were 1,936 Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race (9.5%).[26]

The census reported that 20,242 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 15 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 73 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 7,327 households, 2,799 (38.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,565 (62.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 726 (9.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 302 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 263 (3.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 36 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,346 households (18.4%) were one person and 438 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76. There were 5,593 families (76.3% of households); the average family size was 3.15.

The age distribution was 4,904 people (24.1%) under the age of 18, 1,582 people (7.8%) aged 18 to 24, 4,465 people (22.0%) aged 25 to 44, 7,089 people (34.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,290 people (11.3%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

There were 7,585 housing units at an average density of 969.7 per square mile, of the occupied units 5,715 (78.0%) were owner-occupied and 1,612 (22.0%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%. 16,111 people (79.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,131 people (20.3%) lived in rental housing units. The median household income was $107,885, according to the 2010 United States Census, with 7.1% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

At the 2000 census there were 20,537 people in 6,874 households, including 5,588 families, in the city. The population density was 2511.8sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 6,993 housing units at an average density of 855.3sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 86.96% White, 1.32% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 6.50% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.09% from other races, and 2.78% from two or more races. 6.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[27]

Of the 6,874 households, 47.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.7% were non-families. 13.8% of households were one person and 3.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.30.

The age distribution was 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[28] the top employers in the city are:

Employer
  1. of Employees
1Las Virgenes Unified School District468
2National Veterinary Associates, Inc.339
3Westlake Financial Services280
4PennyMac Financial Services264
5Teradyne205
6Nuance (Formerly Touch Commerce)143
7Motor Vehicle Software Corp/VITU132
8Wood Ranch115
9Cydcor LLC100
10Zebra Technologies96

Government

Agoura Hills is governed by a City Council/City Manager form of government. A five-member City Council is elected by the residents to oversee city operations and guide the development of the community. Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms.[29] The terms are staggered so that a measure of continuity is maintained from one Council to the next. The role of Mayor rotates among the Councilmembers. The Mayor is chosen by the City Councilmembers to serve a one-year term.[29] The City Manager is appointed by the City Council to supervise the administrative personnel and contract services.[30]

As of May 2024 the Agoura Hills City Council consists of Illece Buckley Weber (Mayor), Penny Sylvester (Mayor Pro Tem), Jeremy Wolf, Deborah Klein Lopez, and Chris Anstead.[31] The City Manager is Nathan Hamburger[32] and the city attorney is contracted through RWG Law.[33]

State and federal representation

In the California State Legislature, Agoura Hills is in, and in .[34]

In the United States House of Representatives, Agoura Hills is in .

County representation

The Board of Supervisors is the governing body of the County of Los Angeles, a charter county. Lindsay P. Horvath is the Supervisor for Los Angeles County's 3rd District where Agoura Hills is incorporated. [35]

Infrastructure

Las Virgenes Water District serves Agoura Hills along with Westlake Village and other parts of western Los Angeles County. State water provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the sole source used by the district.[36]

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Malibu/Lost Hills Station in Calabasas, serving Agoura Hills.[37] [38]

The United States Postal Service Agoura Hills Post Office is located at 5158 Clareton Drive.[39]

Education

The Las Virgenes Unified School District serves Agoura Hills.

Sports

Agoura Hills is the corporate headquarters of the Los Angeles Rams since 2016.[43]

Events

Agoura Hills is home to the Great Race of Agoura Hills, an annual running event held at Chumash Park in Agoura Hills in March of every year.[44] The Great Race was established in 1986 and features six races including Pacific Half (half-marathon), Chesebro Half (half-marathon), Old Agoura 10K, Deena Kastor (5 kilometers), Kids 1 Mile, and the Family Fun Run (1 mile). The Chesebro Half was voted best half-marathon in the U.S. in 2011.[45]

Notable people

Notes and References

  1. Web site: City of Agoura Hills, California . City of Agoura Hills, California . August 11, 2012 . July 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200711005944/http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/ . dead .
  2. Web site: Council Members . City of Agoura Hills, CA . December 16, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203205/http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/government/city-council/council-members . September 23, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. Web site: California Cities by Incorporation Date . Word . California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions . August 25, 2014. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc . November 3, 2014.
  4. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files . United States Census Bureau . October 30, 2021.
  5. October 16, 2014.
  6. Web site: USPS – ZIP Code Lookup – Find a ZIP+ 4 Code By City Results . January 17, 2007.
  7. Web site: Number Administration System – NPA and City/Town Search Results . January 18, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070926212032/http://www.nanpa.com/nas/public/npa_city_query_step2.do?method=displayData&cityToNpaModel.stateAbbr=CA&cityToNpaModel.city=Agoura%20Hills . September 26, 2007 . dead . mdy-all .
  8. Web site: Agoura Hills (city) QuickFacts . . March 26, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150329004551/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0600394.html . March 29, 2015 .
  9. Web site: Santa Monica Mountains . May 20, 2021 . Mapping L.A..
  10. Web site: QuickFacts: Agoura Hills, CA . December 21, 2021.
  11. C. M. Hogan, 2008
  12. Web site: Reyes Adobe. February 15, 2012. March 20, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060219125536/http://www.laokay.com/halac/ReyesAdobe.htm. February 19, 2006. dead.
  13. Web site: City of Agoura Hills General Plan – 2035 Environmental Impact Report. City of Agoura Hills. February 2010 . January 16, 2018. January 17, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180117053315/http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=8137.
  14. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions: Agoura Hills . www.colapublib.org . January 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010504193325/http://www.colapublib.org/history/agourahills/faq.html . May 4, 2001 . dead.
  15. Web site: LOS ANGELES COUNTY'S 86 CITIES . RASMUSSEN . CECILIA . December 26, 1989 . Los Angeles Times . February 7, 2021 . The name Agoura comes from the Pierre Agoure family, whose ranch encompassed 16,880 acres of Rancho Las Virgenes. .
  16. http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/history.html http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/history.html
  17. http://desperado.scvnet.com/~philh/scope/articles/inthenews/lat-smm-1.html http://desperado.scvnet.com/~philh/scope/articles/inthenews/lat-smm-1.html
  18. Web site: Cheseboro Bridge – Destroyed By Woolsey Fire – Reopens And Gets Renamed. May 3, 2019. CBS LA. en. May 4, 2019.
  19. News: Woolsey fire death toll increases to 3, body found in charred Agoura Hills home. November 14, 2018. The Mercury News. San Gabriel Valley Newspapers. Gonzales. Ruby. Cain. Josh. November 14, 2018.
  20. News: Sierra Fire erupts near Los Angeles as death toll rises in Woolsey Fire: The latest death brings the statewide total to 51, which is mostly attributed to the 48 who have been confirmed killed in the Camp Fire 500 miles north in Butte County. November 14, 2018. NBC News. Li. David K.. November 14, 2018.
  21. News: Meares. Hadley. June 23, 2021. Homesteading Los Angeles: The Wild West Land Give-Away That Shaped Southern California. June 24, 2021. LAist. en.
  22. News: Calif.'s Negrohead Mountain renamed for pioneer . Associated Press . February 20, 2010 . Newsvine . February 21, 2010. March 24, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120324123004/http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2010/02/20/3927658-califs-negrohead-mountain-renamed-for-pioneer.
  23. Web site: City of Agoura Hills, California. City of Agoura Hills, California. August 12, 2016. July 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200711005944/http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/. dead.
  24. Web site: South-Central/Southern California Coast Steelhead Recovery Planning Domain 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation of Southern California Coast Steelhead Distinct Population Segment . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . 2011. December 3, 2013.
  25. News: Los Angeles Times. March 30, 2010. July 20, 2018. Jill . Leovy. Hard-to-kill snails infest Santa Monica Mountain watersheds.
  26. Web site: The United States Census – QuickFacts – Agoura Hills city, California. August 1, 2016.
  27. Web site: U.S. Census website . . January 31, 2008 .
  28. Web site: City of Agoura Hills CAFR.
  29. City of Agoura Hills Website: Local Election Information. Web site: Archived copy . August 20, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110813145155/http://ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=6913 . August 13, 2011 .
  30. City of Agoura Hills Website. Web site: City of Agoura Hills : Council Members . August 20, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110608021901/http://www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/index.aspx?page=24 . June 8, 2011 .
  31. Web site: City Council – City of Agoura Hills, CA. www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us.
  32. Web site: City Manager. August 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161115110008/http://ci.agoura-hills.ca.us/government/departments/city-manager. November 15, 2016. dead.
  33. Web site: Home Page. www.rwglaw.com. February 18, 2019.
  34. Web site: Statewide Database . UC Regents . December 8, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html . February 1, 2015 . dead .
  35. Web site: https://bos.lacounty.gov/.
  36. Barlow, Zeke (February 3, 2009) "With drought expected to worsen, water officials drawing up rationing rules" Ventura County Star
  37. "Malibu/Lost Hills Station ." Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Retrieved on January 21, 2010.
  38. "Calabasas city, California ." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 21, 2010.
  39. "Post Office Location – Agoura Hills ." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  40. http://www.sumacelementary.org/ Sumac L-STEM Elementary School
  41. http://www.willowelementary.org/ Willow Elementary School
  42. http://www.yerbabuenaelementary.org/ Yerba Buena Elementary School
  43. News: Klein. Gary. Rams' temporary offices in Agoura Hills are open for (non-football) business. LA Times. April 4, 2016. April 27, 2016.
  44. Web site: SoCal's Most Beautiful Courses; Run April 1, 2023! Limited Space. Great Race.
  45. Web site: Find & Register for Races, Local Events & Things to Do . active.com.
  46. Web site: Kirk Cameron's House. Virtual Globetrotting. December 6, 2008.
  47. Web site: MTV . https://web.archive.org/web/20160425101924/http://www.mtv.com/artists/elizaveta/ . dead . April 25, 2016 . MTV Viacom International. June 29, 2015.
  48. Web site: Top-40 Charts . Top-40 Charts . November 3, 2013.
  49. News: Orozco . Lance . November 11, 2022 . Well known comedian who was longtime Conejo Valley resident dies . November 13, 2022 . KCLU . en.
  50. News: McClain. James. September 30, 2020. Taylor Lautner Buys Striking Agoura Hills Mansion. August 3, 2021. Variety. en-US.
  51. Web site: Berlin's Terri Nunn: An Agoura Girl at Heart. Agoura Hills, California Patch. November 23, 2011.