Simi Valley, California

This article is about the city. For the eponymous valley, see Simi Valley.
Simi Valley, California
General law city[1]

Aerial view of Simi Valley in 2014

Logo

Location in Ventura County and the state of California
Coordinates: 34°16′16″N 118°44′22″W / 34.27111°N 118.73944°WCoordinates: 34°16′16″N 118°44′22″W / 34.27111°N 118.73944°W
Country United States
State California
County Ventura
Incorporated October 10, 1969[2]
Government
 • Type Council-Manager[3]
 • Body City council:[4]
Mayor Bob Huber
Glen T. Becerra
Steven T. Sojka
Mike Judge
Keith Mashburn
 • City manager Eric Levitt[5]
Area[6]
 • Total 42.247 sq mi (109.418 km2)
 • Land 41.480 sq mi (107.433 km2)
 • Water 0.767 sq mi (1.986 km2)  1.81%
Elevation[7] 768 ft (234 m)
Population (April 1, 2010)[8]
 • Total 124,237
 • Estimate (2013)[8] 126,181
 • Rank 3rd in Ventura County
46th in California
 • Density 2,900/sq mi (1,100/km2)
Time zone Pacific (UTC−8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC−7)
ZIP codes 93062–93065, 93093–93094, 93099
Area code 805
FIPS code 06-72016
GNIS feature IDs 1661450, 2411904
Website www.simivalley.org

The city of Simi Valley (from the Chumash word, Shimiyi),[9][10][11] located in the eponymous valley, is situated in the southeast corner of Ventura County, California, United States. Located 30 miles (48 km) from Downtown Los Angeles, Simi Valley is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. The city is adjacent to Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth. The city's 2013 population has been estimated at 126,181,[8] up from 111,351 in 2000. The city of Simi Valley is surrounded by the Santa Susana Mountain range and the Simi Hills, west of the San Fernando Valley, and northeast of the Conejo Valley. It is largely a commuter bedroom community feeding the larger cities in Ventura County to the west and the Los Angeles area and the San Fernando Valley to the east.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where the former president was buried following his death in 2004, is in Simi Valley. Simi Valley has been ranked twice as the 18th most Conservative city in the United States; once by The Bay Area Center For Voting Research[12] and also by GovPro.com.[13] The Reagan Library has been hosting several Republican primary debates, last in 2012,[14] and the first primary debates in 2016 is scheduled to be held at the library.[15] A study done by the University of Vermont ranked Simi Valley as the fifth-happiest city in the United States.[16] According to crime statistics by the FBI in 2013, Simi Valley is the seventh-safest city in the U.S. with a population of 100,000 or more.[17][18] The U.S. Census Bureau of 2012 reported a median household income of $87,894, which is higher than the California median of $70,231 and the national average of $62,527.[19][20]

History

Pre-colonial period

Pictographs in the Burro Flats Painted Cave.

Simi Valley was once inhabited by the Chumash people, who also settled much of the region from the Salinas Valley to the Santa Monica Mountains, with their presence dating back 10,000-12,000 years.[21][22][23] Around 5,000 years ago these tribes began processing acorns, and harvesting local marshland plants. Roughly 2,000 years later, as hunting and fishing techniques improved, the population increased significantly.[22] Shortly after this sharp increase a precious stone money system arose, increasing the viability of the region by offsetting fluctuations in available resources relating to climate changes.[24] The native people who inhabited Simi Valley spoke an interior dialect of the Chumash language, called Ventureño.

Simi Valley's name derived from the Chumash word Shimiyi, which refers to the stringy, thread-like clouds that typify the region.[25][26][27] The name could have derived from strands of mist from coastal fog that move into the Oxnard Plain and wind their way up the Calleguas Creek and the Arroyo Las Posas into Simi Valley.[28] The origin of the name was preserved because of the work of the anthropologist John P. Harrington, whose brother, Robert E. Harrington lived in Simi Valley. Robert Harrington later explained the name: “The word Simiji in Indian meant the little white wind clouds so often seen when the wind blows up here and Indians living on the coast, would never venture up here when those wind clouds were in the sky. The word Simiji was constructed by whites to the word Simi. There are other explanations about the name Simi, but this one was given to me by my brother who worked over 40 years for the Smithsonian Institution and it seems most plausible to me”.[29][30]

Three Chumash settlements existed in Simi Valley during the Mission period in the late 18th and early 19th century: Shimiyi, Ta’apu (present-day Tapo Canyon), and Kimishax or Quimisac (Happy Camp Canyon west of Moorpark College).[31][32][33] There are many Chumash cave paintings in the area containing pictographs, including the Burro Flats Painted Cave in the Burro Flats area of the Simi Hills, located between the Simi Valley, and West Hills and Bell Canyon. The cave is located on private land owned by Boeing, formerly operated by Rocketdyne for testing rocket engines and nuclear research. Other areas containing Chumash Native American pictographs in the Simi Hills are for instance by Lake Manor and Chatsworth.[34]

Under Spain and Mexico

The first Europeans to visit Simi Valley were members of the Spanish Portolà expedition (1769-1770), the first European land entry and exploration of the present-day state of California. The expedition traversed the valley on January 13–14, 1770, traveling from Conejo Valley to San Fernando Valley. They camped near a native village in the valley on the 14th.[35]

Rancho Simi, also known as Rancho San José de Nuestra Senora de Altagarcia y Simi, was a 113,009-acre (457 km2) Spanish land grant in eastern Ventura and western Los Angeles counties given in 1795 to Francisco Javier Pico and his two brothers, Patricio Pico and Miguel Pico by Governor Diego de Borica. Rancho Simi was the earliest Spanish colonial land grant within Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. The name derives from Shimiji, the name of the Chumash Native American village here before the Spanish.[36] It was one of the largest lands, but later when Mexico became independent from Spain, land was handed out much more freely. The Simi Adobe-Strathearn House, later the home of Robert P. Strathearn, served as the headquarters of the rancho.

José de la Guerra y Noriega, a Captain of the Santa Barbara Presidio, who had begun to acquire large amounts of land in California to raise cattle, purchased Rancho Simi from the Pico family in 1842. A few years after Jose de la Guerra’s death in 1858, the rancho was sold to the Philadelphia and California Petroleum Company headed by Pennsylvania Railroad president, Thomas A. Scott. When no great amount of oil was discovered, Scott began to sell the rancho. In 1887, a portion of the rancho was bought by a newly formed company, the Simi Land and Water Company.[37] The small colonial town known as "Santa Susana del Rancho Simi" throve in the late 19th century and had a Spanish-speaking majority, but since then many Anglo-Americans have arrived to settle. Farms, orchards and groves dominated the valley's landscape until the 1970s.

For a brief time, its postal address was known as Simiopolis, though it was soon shortened again to Simi by 1910. The first public school was built in 1890 in the northeast but was torn down in 1926. There was also a great deal of destruction caused by a flood in 1952. The city incorporated as Simi Valley in 1969, when the area had only 10,000 residents. In 1972, Boys Town West was founded in the eastern end of Simi Valley. The youth camp/home facility is based on an older larger one in Boys Town, Nebraska.

Santa Susana Field Laboratory

1990 Aerial view of the Energy Technology Engineering Center at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Simi Hills, Simi Valley

The 2,848 acres (1,153 ha) Santa Susana Field Laboratory located in the Simi Hills, was used for the development of pioneering nuclear reactors and rocket engines beginning in 1948. The site was operated by Atomics International and Rocketdyne (originally both divisions of the North American Aviation company). The Rocketdyne division developed a variety of liquid rocket engines. Rocket engine tests were frequently heard in Simi Valley. The Atomics International division of North American Aviation designed, built and operated the Sodium Reactor Experiment, the first United States nuclear reactor to supply electricity to a public power system. The last nuclear reactor operated at SSFL in 1980 and the last rocket engine was conducted in 2006. The SSFL has been closed to development and testing. The site is undergoing investigation and removal of the nuclear facilities and cleanup of the soil and groundwater. The Boeing Company, the US DOE and NASA are responsible for the cleanup.[38][39]

In July 1959, the Sodium Reactor Experiment suffered a serious incident when 13 of the reactor's 43 fuel elements partially melted resulting in the controlled release of radioactive gas to the atmosphere. The reactor was repaired and returned to operation in September, 1960. The incident at the Sodium Reactor Experiment has been a source of controversy in the community. Technical analysis of the incident intended to support a lawsuit against the current landowner (The Boeing Company) asserts the incident caused the much greater release of radioactivity than the accident at Three Mile Island.[40] Boeing's technical response concludes the monitoring conducted at the time of the incident shows only the allowable amount of radioactive gasses were released, and a Three Mile Island-scale release was not possible.[41] The case was settled, it is reported, with a large payment by Boeing. In September 2009, The U.S. Department of Energy sponsored a public workshop where three nuclear reactor experts shared their independent analysis of the July, 1959 incident.[42]

The Santa Susana Field Laboratory also hosted the Energy Technology Engineering Center. The center performed the design, development and testing of liquid metal reactor components for the United States Department of Energy from 1965 until 1998.[43]

The Santa Susana Field Laboratory includes sites identified as historic by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and by the American Nuclear Society. The National Register of Historic Places listed Burro Flats Painted Cave is located within the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, on a portion of the site owned by the U.S. Government. The drawings within the cave have been termed "the best preserved Indian pictograph in Southern California."

Rodney King trial

Simi Valley Scenic, 2007, with the Topatopa Mountains in background.

On November 27, 1991, Judge Stanley Weisberg of the California Court of Appeals selected Simi Valley as the venue for the state case against four officers of the Los Angeles Police Department. The officers (Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, and Theodore Brisenio) were accused of using unnecessary force in a March 3, 1991 beating of an African-American motorist "Rodney" Glen King. The case known as the Rodney King Trials was based on footage recorded on home video by a bystander (George Holliday). The now-famous video was broadcast nationally and globally and caused tremendous response because the beating was believed to be racially motivated. Selecting Simi Valley as a venue for the trial is believed to be motivated by the predominantly white ethnic make-up of the city at the time.[44]

On April 29, 1992, a Ventura County jury acquitted three of the four officers (Koon, Wind, and Brisenio) and did not reach a verdict on one (Powell). Many believed that the unexpected outcome was a result of the racial and social make-up of the jury, which, reflecting the area's population demographic, included ten whites, one Filipino, and one Hispanic. None were Simi Valley residents. Among the jury were three who had been security guards or in military service.[45] The acquittal led to the 1992 Los Angeles riots and mass protest around the country.

Geography

California State Route 118 east of Simi Valley, seen westwards

Simi Valley is located at 34°16'16" North, 118°44'22" West (34.271078, −118.739428)[46] with an elevation of 700–1,000 ft (210–300 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.2 sq mi (109.4 km2), comprising 41.5 sq mi (107.4 km2) of land and 0.77 sq mi (2.0 km2), or 1.81%, of it is water.

Simi Valley is located northwest of the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth and approximately 30 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, 380 mi (612 km) south of San Francisco, 160 mi (257 km) north of San Diego, and 350 mi (563 km) south of Sacramento. Commutes to Los Angeles are usually via the Ronald Reagan Freeway (Highway 118) or the Southern California Metrolink commuter train, which makes several daily trips from Simi Valley.

Simi Valley borders the Santa Susana Mountains to the north, Simi Hills to the east and south, Thousand Oaks to the southwest and Moorpark to the west. Simi Valley is connected to the nearby San Fernando Valley by the Santa Susana Pass in the extreme east of Simi Valley.

Climate

Simi Valley has a warm and dry climate during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70’s. Wildfires do also occur here. The city’s climate cools during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 50’s. Because of its low elevation, the Simi Hills typically experience rainy, mild winters. Snow is rare in the Simi Hills, even in the highest areas. The warmest month of the year is August with an average maximum temperature of 96 °F (36 °C), while the coldest month of the year is December with an average minimum temperature of 38 °F (3 °C). Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 38 °F (3 °C), and moderate during winter with an average difference of 29 °F (−2 °C). The annual average precipitation at Simi Valley is 18.3 inches. Winter months tend to be wetter than summer months. The wettest month of the year is February with an average rainfall of 4.6 inches. Simi Valley gets 16 inches of rain per year, while the United States average is 37. Snowfall is 0 inches, while the U.S. average is 25 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 25. On average, there are 277 sunny days in Simi Valley per year. The July high is around 80 °F (27 °C). The January low is 46 °F (8 °C).[47] The record low is 18 degrees Fahrenheit (−8 °C) (recorded in February 1989)[48] and the record high is 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 °C) (recorded in August 1985).[48])

Climate data for Simi Valley, California
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 93
(34)		 94
(34)		 101
(38)		 105
(41)		 113
(45)		 113
(45)		 115
(46)		 116
(47)		 115
(46)		 110
(43)		 99
(37)		 96
(36)		 116
(47)
Average high °F (°C) 69
(21)		 70
(21)		 73
(23)		 78
(26)		 83
(28)		 88
(31)		 95
(35)		 97
(36)		 93
(34)		 84
(29)		 75
(24)		 68
(20)		 81.1
(27.3)
Average low °F (°C) 39
(4)		 41
(5)		 42
(6)		 45
(7)		 49
(9)		 53
(12)		 57
(14)		 57
(14)		 55
(13)		 49
(9)		 43
(6)		 38
(3)		 47.3
(8.5)
Record low °F (°C) 19
(−7)		 18
(−8)		 26
(−3)		 30
(−1)		 33
(1)		 36
(2)		 42
(6)		 42
(6)		 38
(3)		 27
(−3)		 23
(−5)		 20
(−7)		 18
(−8)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.62
(91.9)		 4.81
(122.2)		 2.86
(72.6)		 1.02
(25.9)		 0.31
(7.9)		 0.07
(1.8)		 0.02
(0.5)		 0.05
(1.3)		 0.14
(3.6)		 0.93
(23.6)		 1.34
(34)		 2.76
(70.1)		 17.93
(455.4)
Source: The Weather Channel.[49]
Humidity (%)
High Low
Jan. 70 50
Apr 50 35
Jul. 50 38
Oct. 75 45
Annual 61 42

Prevailing Wind Direction: SW
Average Wind Speed: 7–11 mph (11–18 km/h)

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19608,000—
197056,676608.5%
198077,50036.7%
1990100,21729.3%
2000111,35111.1%
2010124,23711.6%
Est. 2013126,181[8]1.6%

2010

The 2010 United States Census[50] reported that Simi Valley had a population of 124,237. The population density was 2,940.8 people per square mile (1,135.4/km²). The racial makeup of Simi Valley was 93,597 (75.3%) White, 1,739 (1.4%) African American, 761 (0.6%) Native American, 11,555 (9.3%) Asian (2.7% Indian, 2.2% Filipino, 1.2% Chinese, 1.0% Vietnamese, 0.7% Korean, 0.5% Japanese, 0.2% Thai, 0.1% Pakistani), 178 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 10,685 (8.6%) from other races, and 5,722 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10,938 persons (23.3%); 16.2% of Simi Valley is Mexican, 1.2% Salvadoran, 0.9% Guatemalan, 0.6% Puerto Rican, 0.6% Peruvian, 0.3% Cuban, 0.3% Argentinean, 0.2% Honduran, 0.2% Nicaraguan, and 0.2% Ecuadorian.

The Census reported that 123,577 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 482 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 178 (0.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 41,237 households, out of which 16,765 (40.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 24,824 (60.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,659 (11.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,214 (5.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,975 (4.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 291 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 7,087 households (17.2%) were made up of individuals and 3,013 (7.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00. There were 31,697 families (76.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.33.

The population was spread out with 31,036 people (25.0%) under the age of 18, 11,088 people (8.9%) aged 18 to 24, 33,890 people (27.3%) aged 25 to 44, 35,046 people (28.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 13,177 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

There were 42,506 housing units at an average density of 1,006.1 per square mile (388.5/km²), of which 30,560 (74.1%) were owner-occupied, and 10,677 (25.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 93,181 people (75.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 30,396 people (24.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census[51] of 2000, there are 111,351 people, 36,421 households, and 28,954 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,097.3/km² (2,841.9/mi²). There are 37,272 housing units at an average density of 367.3/km² (951.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 81.33% White, 1.26% Black or African American, 0.70% Native American, 6.33% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 6.50% from other races, and 3.74% from two or more races. 16.82% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 36,421 households out of which 42.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% are married couples living together, 10.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% are non-families. 14.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.04 and the average family size is 3.33.

In the city, the population is spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.6 males.

Income

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city is $88,406, and the median income for a family is $91,658.[52] 10.2% of the population and 7.4% of families are below the poverty line.

Government

Local

Simi Valley's government uses the "Council-Manager" form of government.[53] This means that the city council is composed of one mayor, elected every two years, and four council members elected for four-year terms. The city council appoints both the city attorney and city manager, who heads the executive branch of the city government. The city manager appoints the various department heads for the city, and acts as the city clerk and city treasurer.

According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fund Financial Statements, the city’s various funds had $89.3 million in Revenues, $86.3 million in expenditures, $139.9 million in total assets, $26.1 million in total liabilities, and $158.5 million in investments.[54]

The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:[55]

Department Director
City Manager Eric Levitt
Assistant City Manager James Purtee
Administrative Services Director Maureen McGoldrick
Community Services Director Sommer Barwick
Environmental Services Director Peter Lyons
Public Works Director Ron Fuchiwaki
Police Chief Mitch McCann
City Attorney Lonnie Eldridge

State and federal representation

In the state legislature, Simi Valley is in the 27th Senate District, represented by Democrat Fran Pavley, and in the 38th Assembly District, represented by Republican Scott Wilk.[56]

In the United States House of Representatives, Simi Valley is split between California's 25th congressional district, represented by Republican Steve Knight, and California's 26th congressional district, represented by Democrat Julia Brownley.[57]

Politics

In the 2004 presidential election George W. Bush won nearly 61% of the vote, compared to 44% statewide, while John Kerry won 38% of the vote. In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama won 47% of Simi Valley, while John McCain won 52% of the vote.[58] In the 2012 presidential election, Barack Obama won 43% of the vote, while Mitt Romney won 55% of the vote.[59] Republican Bob Huber has been the incumbent mayor since 2010.

Simi Valley was ranked the 18th most conservative city in the country in 2005 by GovPro.com.[60]

Landmarks

Simi Valley is home to two California Historical Landmarks:

Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village (3)

NO. 939 Twentieth Century Folk Art Environments (Thematic) - Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village - This fantastic assemblage is one of California's remarkable Twentieth Century Folk Art Environments. In 1956, Tressa Prisbrey, then nearly sixty years old, started building a fanciful 'village' of shrines, walkways, sculptures, and buildings from recycled items and discards from the local dump. She worked for 25 years creating one structure after another to house her collections. The Mosaic Walkway is embedded with thousands of treasures—tiles, shells, doorknobs, irons, car ornaments, jewelry, dishware, scissors, guns, toys — everything imaginable that creates a timestamp of 1950s post-consumer waste. Bottle Village originally had more than 13 buildings and 20 sculptures. Although severely damaged during the 1994 Northridge earthquake, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. It is located at 4595 Cochran St, Simi Valley.

NO. 979 Rancho Simi - This is the site of the headquarters of the Spanish Rancho San José de Nuestra Senora de Altagarcia y Simi. The name derives from 'Shimiji,' the name of the Chumash village here before the Spanish. At 113,000 acres (460 km2), Rancho Simi was one of the state's largest land grants. Two prominent Spanish and Mexican family names are connected with the Rancho: Santiago Pico who first received the grant, and José de la Guerra who purchased the Rancho in 1842. Two rooms of original adobe remain, part of the Strathearn home built in The Strathearn Historical Park and Museum, an open-air park that is owned and maintained by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, and is operated jointly with the Simi Valley Historical Society. The house is maintained as a historic house museum with typical period furniture and household displays. In addition to the Simi Adobe-Strathearn House, there are various historic buildings and structures that have been moved from their original site to the park, including the a 1924 children's playhouse with toys, the 1902 St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, the original Simi Valley Library and two barns with farm tools and equipment. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-78000825.[37] Location: Robert P Strathearn Historical Park, 137 Strathearn Place, Simi Valley.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley

Simi Valley is also home to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which has been visited by more than 1 million people since it opened. After a major state funeral in Washington, D.C., President Reagan was buried at the library in June 2004. The library adjoins a hangar in which the Boeing 707 SAM 27000 (Air Force One), which served presidents Nixon through G.W. Bush, is housed and available for tours. In the pavilion are various automobiles used to transport the president, as well as Marine One, the presidential helicopter.

The former Corriganville Movie Ranch and its Fort Apache film set, now Corriganville Regional Park, is located near Simi Valley. Many television series were filmed there during the 1950s, such as Richard Carlson's Mackenzie's Raiders though that program was set at the former Fort Clark near Brackettville in southwestern Texas.[61]

Infrastructure

The Montalvo Cutoff, a railroad line opened by the Southern Pacific Railroad on March 20, 1904, to improve the alignment of its Coast Line, runs east-west through the valley.[62] In 1905, the longest train tunnel in the United States at that time was completed at the east end of Simi Valley. Tunnel #26 still stands today linking Simi Valley and the San Fernando Valley. The area was originally served by the Santa Susana Depot which was also opened in 1904 as a combination passenger and freight depot built by the Southern Pacific and located on Los Angeles Avenue near Tapo Street. The station remained in use for the following 60 years until changes in the business model for railroads evolved that rendered the depot useless to the railroad.

Simi Valley Station is used by Amtrak and Metrolink on the railroad's Ventura County Line, after the line was purchased from Southern Pacific. The station is located at 5050 Los Angeles Avenue, west of Stearns Street. Simi Valley Transit buses stop on Los Angeles Avenue in front of the station. There are connections from Simi Valley north to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, and south to Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties. These trains, as well as the buses, run 7 days a week and stop in Simi Valley several times each day. The Simi Valley station is unstaffed; however, tickets are available from automated ticket dispensers, conductors on board the trains, travel agents, by telephone, or from the Amtrak and Metrolink websites.

The United States Postal Service operates the Simi Valley Post Office at 2511 Galena Avenue,[63] the Kopy King Post Office at 2157 Tapo Street,[64] and the Mount McCoy Post Office at 225 Simi Village Drive.[65]

The city operates its own police department, and contracts with the Ventura County Fire Department to provide fire protection services. There are six fire stations within Simi Valley, and the city recently built a state-of-the-art police station. American Medical Response, in conjunction with Ventura County Fire Department, provide Emergency Medical Services at the Advanced Life Support (ALS) level.

Economy

In Simi Valley there are two main areas of industry — one in the eastern part of the city and the other one in the west. The primary industry is machinery and tools with 69 firms, and the secondary is the metal Industry with 51 firms, both situated in the eastern and western industrial areas. Other industries such as Lumber/Wood Products, Food, Plastic Products, Apparel/Textiles and Minerals, are also concentrated largely in these industrial areas.

The largest division of Countrywide Home Loans, now Bank of America, Loan Administration, has been headquartered in the city since the mid-1990s. Operating from Madera Road in a building that once housed the apparel company Bugle Boy, the company also has facilities on Tapo Canyon Road, and First Street. At its height, Countrywide had approximately 10,000 employees in the city.

The Volkswagen of America Design Center was once in an industrial complex across from the Costco wholesale club near Madera and Cochran. The VW Design Center California or DCC, moved to Santa Monica, California in the spring of 2006. Such notable automotive designers as Jay Mays, now (2007) VP Design for Ford and Freeman Thomas, co designer with Jay Mays of the original Audi TT, once called the DCC in Simi Valley their place of work. The original concept for the New Beetle from Jay Mays, had its genesis there.

Transportation

Simi valley train station at dusk from tracks

Rail Simi Valley Station is used by Amtrak and Metrolink on the railroad's Ventura County Line, after the line was purchased from Southern Pacific. The station is located at 5050 Los Angeles Avenue, west of Stearns Street. Simi Valley Transit buses stop on Los Angeles Avenue in front of the station. There are connections from Simi Valley north to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, and south to Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties. These trains, as well as the buses, run 7 days a week and stop in Simi Valley several times each day. The Simi Valley station is unstaffed; however, tickets are available from automated ticket dispensers, conductors on board the trains, travel agents, by telephone, or from the Amtrak and Metrolink websites.

Buses Simi Valley Transit

Top employers

According to the City's 2012-13 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[66] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Simi Valley Unified School District 2,177
2 Simi Valley Hospital & Health Care 832
3 City of Simi Valley 529
4 AeroVironment Inc. 465
5 Rancho Simi Parks & Recreation District 408
6 Vons Grocery Stores 354
7 Meggitt Safety Systems 330
8 Milgard Manufacturing 287
9 Albertson's 244
10 Polytainer, Inc. 224

Hazards

An aspect of Simi Valley's location, situated beside the Simi Hills, is that it lies in a high-risk area for the wildfires that sweep through Southern California's mountain ranges every few years.

Simi Valley is also at risk for earthquakes. The valley is surrounded by earthquake faults; the closest ones being the Santa Rosa Fault to the Northwest, the Northridge Hills Fault to the Northeast, and the Chatsworth Fault to the South. In 1994, portions of Simi Valley received significant damage from the Northridge earthquake.[67]

See Nuclear Accident at SSFL for information on the accident and associated risk(s) to residents.

Wildfires

Southern California has a high fire risk, due to hot weather and high winds.

A 2005 fire started on September 28 and burned an estimated 7,000 acres (28 km²). On September 29, the fire was estimated to be 17,000 acres (69 km²). More than 1,000 firefighters worked against the tricky combination of dry brush, low humidity and temperatures in the high 90s along the line that divides Los Angeles and Ventura counties. About 45 evacuees gathered at Canoga Park High School in the San Fernando Valley where the Red Cross had set up cots and provided meals. One firefighter was struck on the head by a 40-pound boulder and was taken to a hospital, officials said. The fire was later brought under control and extinguished, without serious injury. Three homes were lost in outlying areas, but none within the city limits.

Education

Simi Valley is served by the Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD).

Santa Susana High School has been named as a silver medal winner in U.S. News & World Report's "Top 500 Schools in America" for 2013 and 2014.[68]

Simi Valley High School was ranked among MSNBC's Top 1000 High Schools in the country.[69]

Schools of higher education located nearby include Moorpark College, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Channel Islands, California Lutheran University, University of LaVerne, University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), Ventura College, Oxnard College, Eternity Bible College, Louis Brandeis Institute of Justice, Pepperdine University, University of Southern California (USC), Caltech, Valley College, American Jewish University, Loyola Marymount University, University of La Verne, and UCLA.

There are five high schools located in Simi Valley: Royal High School, Grace Brethren High School, Santa Susana High School, Simi Valley High School, and Apollo High School.

There are three middle schools located in Simi Valley: Hillside Middle School, Valley View Middle School, and Sinaloa Middle School.

There is also one continuation school (Apollo High School, one adult school Simi Adult School and one cosmetology school.

Libraries

After splitting from the Ventura County library system, the Simi Valley Public Library opened in July 2013, operated by the City of Simi Valley. In its first year operating as a municipal library, it welcomed over 200,000 patrons into the library.[70]

Recreation

Simi Valley has 20 city parks and five county parks to preserve large swaths of open space in the nearby Santa Susana Mountains, locally known as the "foothills." The city boasts six golf courses and the Kanan Ranch home development has nature trails for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians to enjoy. Two collegiate baseball teams: The Simi Valley Senators and the California Oaks of the California Collegiate League in Thousand Oaks, provide sports action to local fans.

To the East, Rocky Peak has a trail system for Mountain Biking, Hiking and Equestrian activities. The trail is accessed just off the 118 freeway at Kuehner Road, Yosemite Road (about 1-mile (1.6 km) North) or Rocky Peak. Trailheads are: The Hummingbird Trail, Rocky Peak Fire Road or The Chumash Trail. These trails are not recommended for beginners, due to fairly steep grades and some technical sections on the trail. A technical downhill mountain bike run known as the G Spot can be accessed via Rocky Peak Fire Road.

To the West, numerous trails are accessible for Mountain Biking, Hiking and Equestrian activities. The main access point is at the intersection of Wood Ranch Parkway and Long Canyon Parkway. The trail system travels as far west as highway 23, as far east as the Rocketdyne facility and connects to the Lang Ranch trail system (Westlake Village) and Chesebro trail system, which begins in Agoura Hills. Simi Peak (the highest peak in Simi Valley) is accessible from this trail system via China Flats in the Chesebro trail system. Ahmundson Ranch connects to this trail system, again via the Chesebro trail system. Bridlepath, a private trail system also connects to the main fire road.

Wildlife

Mountain lions can for instance be sighted at the Long Canyon Trail at the west end of Simi Valley.

The Simi Hills are the most critical wildlife corridor linkage from the Santa Monica Mountains — to the Santa Susana Mountains, and beyond to the Topatopa Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, and other Transverse Ranges further east. The Simi's undeveloped native habitat provides routes that protect larger land wildlife of the Santa Monicas from genetic isolation. Large sections of the Simi Hills are protected by parks and open space preserves. Animals in the area include mammals such as the Virginia opossum, ornate shrew, broad-footed mole, mountain lion, mule deer, bobcat, spotted and striped skunk, California badger, southern California weasel, California raccoon, ringtail cat, black bear, Botta's pocket gopher, desert cottontail, valley coyote, gray fox, California vole, brush rabbit, California ground- and California grey squirrel, as well as several species of mice (California pocket mouse, western harvest mouse, brush mouse, deer mouse, and house mouse), rats (agile kangaroo rat, dusky-footed woodrat, black rat, roof rat, and brown rat) and bats (long-eared myotis, long-legged myotis, California myotis, small-footed myotis, western pipistrelle, Brazilian free-tailed bat, western mastiff bat, and Tejon myotis).[71] Some of the reptiles in the area include several species of snakes (coachwhip, southern Pacific rattlesnake, San Diego night snake, striped racer, California black-headed snake, two-striped garter snake, San Diego gopher snake, coast mountain kingsnake, California kingsnake, coast patch-nosed snake, ringneck snake) and lizards (western fence lizard, California side blotched lizard, western skink, western whiptail, San Diego horned lizard, California horned lizard, San Diego alligator lizard, silvery legless lizard).[71] There are ten species of amphibians in Simi Valley: the California newt, western spadefoot, California toad, arroyo toad, California slender salamander, arboreal salamander, American bullfrog, California red-legged frog, California treefrog, and the Pacific treefrog.[72]

Birds in Simi Valley include Anna's hummingbird, Canada goose, mallard, California quail, common egret, great blue heron, American bittern, American coot, killdeer, mourning dove, roadrunner, belted kingfisher, black phoebe, barn swallow, cliff swallow, common raven, common crow, white-breasted nuthatch, cactus wren, mockingbird, robin, cedar waxwing, phainopepla, starling, least Bell's vireo, hooded oriole, western tanager, several species of blackbird (western meadowlark, Brewer's blackbird and brown-headed cowbird) and woodpeckers (common flicker, Nuttall's woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, and yellow-bellied sapsucker). Raptors include turkey vulture, white-tailed kite, American kestrel, poor-will and several species of hawks (Cooper's hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, marsh hawk, red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, and the common nighthawk) and owls (great horned owl, short-eared owl, long-eared owl, barn owl, and the burrowing owl). Grosbeaks, finches and sparrows include black-headed grosbeak, house finch, American goldfinch, lesser goldfinch, California towhee, Savannah sparrow, sage sparrow, dark-eyed junco, white-crowned sparrow and the house sparrow.[72]

In film

See also

References

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  2. ↑ "California Cities by Incorporation Date" (WORD). California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Departments". City of Simi Valley. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  4. ↑ "City Council". City of Simi Valley. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ "City Manager's Office". City of Simi Valley. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  6. ↑ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files – Places – California". United States Census Bureau.
  7. ↑ "Simi Valley". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Simi Valley (city) QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  9. ↑ Lynne McCall & Perry Rosalind (eds.). 1991. The Chumash People: Materials for Teachers and Students. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. San Luis Obispo, CA: EZ Nature Books. ISBN 0-945092-23-7. Page 29.
  10. ↑ Johnson, John R. 1997. Chumash Indians in Simi Valley in Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time. Simi Valley, CA: Simi Valley Historical Society. Page 8-9. ISBN 978-0965944212.
  11. ↑ Metcalfe, Coll (April 24, 1998). "When It Comes to Saying Simi, There's a Pronounced Difference". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ↑ https://alt.coxnewsweb.com/statesman/metro/081205libs.pdf
  13. ↑ http://americancityandcounty.com/administration/study-ranks-americas-most-liberal-and-conservative-cities
  14. ↑ http://www.vcstar.com/news/republican-presidential-candidates-debate
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  16. ↑
  17. ↑ "2013 - A Year in Review". Simi Valley News :. City of Simi Valley. January 21, 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  18. ↑ http://www.simivalley.org/ftp/cm/2014SotC.pdf
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  23. ↑ Gamble, L. H., & Enki Library eBook. 2008. The Chumash World at European Contact (1st ed.). University of California Press. Page 26.
  24. ↑ Johnson, John R. 1997. Chumash Indians in Simi Valley in Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time. Simi Valley, CA: Simi Valley Historical Society. Page 6. ISBN 978-0965944212.
  25. ↑ Kroeber, Alfred Louis. 1917. Arapaho dialects, Volume 12. Oakland, CA: University of California Press. Page 58.
  26. ↑ Gudde, Erwin Gustav. 1960.California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names. Oakland, CA: University of California Press. Page 311.
  27. ↑ Lynne McCall & Perry Rosalind (eds.). 1991. The Chumash People: Materials for Teachers and Students. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. San Luis Obispo, CA: EZ Nature Books. ISBN 0-945092-23-7. Page 29.
  28. ↑ Johnson, John R. 1997. Chumash Indians in Simi Valley in Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time. Simi Valley, CA: Simi Valley Historical Society. Page 8. ISBN 978-0965944212.
  29. ↑ Harrington, Robert E. 1969. Indian Caves here may be preserved. Marlborough, MA: Enterprise-Sun News. Page 33.
  30. ↑ Johnson, John R. 1997. Chumash Indians in Simi Valley in Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time. Simi Valley, CA: Simi Valley Historical Society. Pages 8-9. ISBN 978-0965944212.
  31. ↑ http://www.simivalley.org/index.aspx?page=33
  32. ↑ Appleton, Bill. 2009. Santa Susana. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781439638200. Page 9.
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  34. ↑ http://scahome.org/publications/proceedings/Proceedings.26Knight.pdf
  35. ↑ Bolton, Herbert E. (1927). Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769-1774. HathiTrust Digital Library. pp. 267–268. Retrieved July 2014.
  36. ↑ The Chumash
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Simi Valley Historical Society
  38. ↑ Energy Technology Engineering Center Closure Project
  39. ↑ Department of Toxic Substances Control - Santa Susana Field Laboratory Cleanup Program
  40. ↑ Hirsch, Daniel (September 18, 2008). "Statement of Dan Hirsch, President, Committee To Bridge The Gap, Before The Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate, Oversight hearing" (PDF). Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  41. ↑ Christian, Jerry D (July 26, 2005). Chemical Behavior of Iodine-131 during SRE Fuel Element Damage in July 1959. Response to Plaintiff’s Expert witness Arjun Makajani. (PDF). Retrieved April 2, 2009.
  42. ↑ U.S. Department Of Energy. "Major Radiological Operations timeline". Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  43. ↑ Energy Technology Engineering Center Closure Project
  44. ↑ Cannon, Lou. (1999).Official Negligence : How Rodney King and the Riots Changed Los Angeles and the LAPD. Basic Books: ISBN 0-8133-3725-9
  45. ↑ "Jury Sworn In for Police Beating Case". New York Times. 1993-02-23.
  46. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  47. ↑ U.S. Department of Agriculture (C. Robert Elford). 1970. Soil Survey: Ventura Area, California. Oakland, CA: University of California Press. Pages 142-143.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USCA1060
  49. ↑ "MONTHLY AVERAGES for Simi Valley, CA". The Weather Channel. May 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2008.
  50. ↑ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Simi Valley city". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  51. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  52. ↑ 2007 American Community Survey: Simi Valley
  53. ↑ http://www.simivalley.org/Org._Charts_-__12-06_.pdf
  54. ↑ City of Simi Valley 2008-09 CAFR retrieved 2010-11-29
  55. ↑ City of Simi Valley Website: Contact Us retrieved 2010-11-29
  56. ↑ "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  57. ↑ "Communities of Interest - City". California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  58. ↑ http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2008_general/ssov/5-pres-by-political-districts.pdf
  59. ↑ http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2012-general/ssov/pres-by-political-districts.pdf
  60. ↑ http://govpro.com/content/gov_imp_31439/
  61. ↑ Billy Hathorn, "Roy Bean, Temple Houston, Bill Longley, Ranald Mackenzie, Buffalo Bill, Jr., and the Texas Rangers: Depictions of West Texans in Series Television, 1955 to 1967", West Texas Historical Review, Vol. 89 (2013), pp. 112-113
  62. ↑ Donovan L. Hofsommer, The Southern Pacific, 1901–1985, Texas A&M University Press (1986), p. 18
  63. ↑ "Post Office Location - SIMI VALLEY." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  64. ↑ "Post Office Location - KOPY KING." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  65. ↑ "Post Office Location - MOUNT MCCOY." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  66. ↑ City of Simi Valley CAFR 2012-13
  67. ↑ http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/events/1994_01_17.php
  68. ↑ Santa Susana High School
  69. ↑ America's Top 1000 Best High Schools; The Daily Beast; May 20, 2012
  70. ↑ http://simivalleylibrary.org/sites/default/files/uploads/2013-2014%20Annual%20Report%20FINAL.pdf
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 Johnson, John R. 1997. Chumash Indians in Simi Valley in Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time. Simi Valley, CA: Simi Valley Historical Society. Page 488. ISBN 978-0965944212.
  72. ↑ 72.0 72.1 Johnson, John R. 1997. Chumash Indians in Simi Valley in Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time. Simi Valley, CA: Simi Valley Historical Society. Pages 488-489. ISBN 978-0965944212.
  73. ↑ Freeman, Roberta (October 31, 2003) Stuff of dreams goes up in smoke at movie ranch Ventura County Star

External links

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Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park