Aliso Viejo, California | |
---|---|
![]() The Aliso Viejo Town Center | |
Etymology: Spanish for "Old Alder Tree" | |
Motto(s): "Live, Work, Learn, Shop and Play." [1] | |
![]() Location of Aliso Viejo within Orange County, California | |
Coordinates: 33°34′30″N117°43′32″W / 33.57500°N 117.72556°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Orange |
Incorporated | July 1, 2001 [2] |
Government | |
• Type | Council-Manager |
• Mayor | Richard Hurt |
• Mayor Pro Tem | Mike Munzing |
• Council members |
|
• City Manager | David Doyle |
Area | |
• Total | 6.93 sq mi (17.94 km2) |
• Land | 6.93 sq mi (17.94 km2) |
• Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
Elevation | 410 ft (125 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 52,176 |
• Density | 7,533.35/sq mi (2,908.80/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
ZIP code | 92656, 92698 |
Area code | 949 |
FIPS code | 06-00947 |
GNIS feature IDs | 252532, 2409683 |
Website | avcity |
Aliso Viejo (Spanish for "Old Sycamore") is a city in the San Joaquin Hills of southern Orange County, California. It had a population of 52,176 as of the 2020 census, up from 47,823 as of the 2010 census. It became Orange County's 34th city on July 1, 2001, the only city in Orange County to be incorporated since 2000. It is bordered by the cities of Laguna Beach on the west and southwest, Laguna Hills on the east, Laguna Niguel on the southeast, and Laguna Woods on the north. It is similarly named to another nearby city, Mission Viejo.
The Acjachemen are the Indigenous people of Aliso Viejo, who lived in the area for thousands of years. The people established numerous villages along Aliso Creek. With the arrival of settlers, the Acjachemen village sites would later become the southern areas of the Moulton Ranch. [5]
The planned community of Aliso Viejo's original 6,600 acres (2,700 ha) were once part of the 26,000-acre (11,000 ha) Moulton Ranch, owned by the Moulton family, who took title in the 1890s to land originally granted to Juan Avila by the Mexican government in 1842. Over the years, portions of the ranch were sold and became Leisure World, Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel. [6]
In 1976, the Mission Viejo Company purchased the remaining 6,600 acres to create a new planned community – Aliso Viejo – with a master plan for 20,000 homes for a planned population of 50,000. The master plan was approved by the Orange County in 1979, and homes were first offered for sale in March 1982. Aliso Viejo's first family moved in that November. As part of the project, 2,600 acres (1,100 ha) were dedicated to Orange County as part of the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, and 800 acres (320 ha) were set aside for local parks, recreation, schools and community facilities. [6]
The Aliso Viejo Community Association (AVCA) was set up to manage the local parks and community open space. It was the first community-wide association of its kind in California and has the unique ability to provide a full range of community services and facilities. [6]
Aliso Viejo was the first planned community in California to plan a balance between the projected resident work force and the number of projected jobs within its borders. Pacific Park, the centrally located 900-acre (360 ha) business park and town center, was expected to ultimately provide more than 22,000 jobs. Every home in Aliso Viejo was located within 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) of Pacific Park, to encourage live-and-work opportunities. [6]
Aliso Viejo had been an unincorporated community since 1979, and incorporated as a city in 2001 due to the efforts of the Aliso Viejo Cityhood 2000 Committee, which was responsible for introducing an initiative on the ballot for the 2001 special election. Voters passed the initiative with 93.3% in favor of incorporation. [7] Carmen Vali-Cave, the co-founder and president of the committee, became the new city's first mayor.
The seal of the city of Aliso Viejo was adopted in 2001 at incorporation. The seal features several mountains, a sunset, a tree, and several buildings. Also, the seal features the slogan "July 2001", in celebration of the city's incorporation date.
Aliso Viejo is a general law city with a council-manager system of government. Day-to-day operations are handled by a professional city manager overseen by a volunteer city council. The City Council of Aliso Viejo consists of five members serving staggered four-year terms. Each year, the Council votes for its next Mayor and Mayor pro tem. The current City Council consists of Mayor Mike Munzing, Mayor Pro-Tem Tiffany Ackley, and Council Members David C. Harrington, Ross Chun, and William Phillips .
In the California State Legislature, Aliso Viejo is in the 37th Senate District , represented by Democrat Dave Min, and in the 72nd Assembly District , represented by Republican Diane Dixon. [8]
In the United States House of Representatives, Aliso Viejo is in California's 40th congressional district , represented by Republican Young Kim. [9]
Aliso Viejo is a swing city at the presidential level. According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 22, 2018, Aliso Viejo has 27,699 registered voters. Of those, 9,210 (33.25%) are registered Republicans, 8,800 (31.77%) are registered Democrats, and 8,388 (30.28%) have declined to state a political party/are independents. [10]
Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
---|---|---|---|
2020 [11] | 56.48%15,754 | 41.30% 11,519 | 2.22% 619 |
2016 [12] | 51.63%10,968 | 40.99% 8,708 | 7.37% 1,566 |
2012 [13] | 47.27% 9,430 | 50.09%9,991 | 2.64% 527 |
2008 [14] | 52.65%10,645 | 45.54% 9,207 | 1.81% 366 |
2004 [15] | 40.73% 7,648 | 58.39%10,964 | 0.88% 166 |
Aliso Viejo is located at 33°34′30″N117°43′32″W / 33.57500°N 117.72556°W (33.575096, -117.725431) [16] in the San Joaquin Hills of Orange County. According to the Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.5 square miles (19 km2), all of which is land. Aliso Viejo is one of several cities bordering Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park. Aliso Creek forms part of the city's boundary with Laguna Niguel to the south, and Wood Canyon Creek forms part of the city's western boundary. Much of the city rests on the east slope of the San Joaquin Hills, which are a coastal mountain range extending for about 15 miles (24 km) along the Pacific coast.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | 7,612 | — | |
2000 | 40,166 | 427.7% | |
2010 | 47,823 | 19.1% | |
2020 | 52,176 | 9.1% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [17] |
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 [18] | Pop 2010 [19] | Pop 2020 [20] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH) | 28,599 | 29,538 | 29,044 | 71.20% | 61.77% | 55.67% |
Black or African American alone (NH) | 790 | 892 | 949 | 1.97% | 1.87% | 1.82% |
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 107 | 82 | 48 | 0.27% | 0.17% | 0.09% |
Asian alone (NH) | 4,367 | 6,902 | 8,509 | 10.87% | 14.43% | 16.31% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 78 | 75 | 155 | 0.19% | 0.16% | 0.30% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 102 | 136 | 323 | 0.25% | 0.28% | 0.62% |
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 1,443 | 2,034 | 3,312 | 3.59% | 4.25% | 6.35% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,680 | 8,164 | 9,836 | 11.65% | 17.07% | 18.85% |
Total | 40,166 | 47,823 | 52,176 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The 2020 United States Census reported a population of 52,176. The racial makeup was 68.3% White, 2.7% African American, 15.4% Asian, and 18.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race. [21]
The 2010 United States Census [22] reported that Aliso Viejo had a population of 47,823. The population density was 6,400.4 inhabitants per square mile (2,471.2/km2). The racial makeup of Aliso Viejo was 34,437 (89.0%) White (77.8% Non-Hispanic White), [23] 967 (2.0%) African American, 151 (0.1%) Native American, 6,996 (14.6%) Asian, 89 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,446 (5.1%) from other races, and 2,737 (5.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,164 persons (17.1%).
The Census reported that 47,354 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 450 (0.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 19 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 18,204 households, out of which 7,095 (39.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,358 (51.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,966 (10.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 791 (4.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 987 (5.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 206 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,416 households (24.3%) were made up of individuals, and 638 (3.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60. There were 12,115 families (66.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.16.
The population was spread out, with 12,395 people (25.9%) under the age of 18, 3,739 people (7.8%) aged 18 to 24, 17,138 people (35.8%) aged 25 to 44, 12,003 people (25.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,548 people (5.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
There were 18,867 housing units at an average density of 2,525.1 per square mile (974.9/km2), of which 11,049 (60.7%) were owner-occupied, and 7,155 (39.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.6%. 29,819 people (62.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,535 people (36.7%) lived in rental housing units.
As of the census [24] of 2000, there were 40,166 people, 16,147 households, and 10,689 families residing in what was, at the time, a Census Designated Place (CDP). The population density was 3,927.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,516.5/km2). There were 16,608 housing units at an average density of 1,624.0 per square mile (627.0/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 78.16% White, 10.99% Asian, 2.06% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 3.51% from other races, and 4.66% from two or more races. 11.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 16,147 households, out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01.
The population was distributed with 26.1% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 48.8% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 3.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the CDP was $92,280, and the median income for a family was $99,853. [25] Males had a median income of $61,316 versus $44,190 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $35,244. About 2.3% of families and 2.8% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
Companies located in Aliso Viejo include:
According to the city's 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, [26] the top employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of employees |
---|---|---|
1 | United Parcel Service | 1,000 |
2 | Pacific Life | 811 |
3 | Capistrano Unified School District | 679 |
4 | Fluor | 630 |
5 | Quest Software | 600 |
6 | QLogic | 490 |
7 | Renaissance Hotels ClubSport Aliso Viejo | 259 |
8 | Pepsi Beverages Company | 215 |
9 | Smith Micro Software | 200 |
10 | Merit Property Management | 199 |
11 | Buy.com | 185 |
12 | Lennar | 175 |
13 | Target Corporation | 170 |
14 | Bausch & Lomb | 160 |
15 | Ambry Genetics | 777 |
16 | The Covington | 153 |
17 | LenSx Laser | 150 |
18 | Lowe's | 130 |
Aliso Viejo city officials famously came close to banning polystyrene cups in 2004 after a paralegal working for the city discovered the dhmo.org parody website and learned that they contain "dihydrogen monoxide", failing to realize that this is simply an alternative name for water. [31]
In October 2005, the city gained national media attention once again when 19-year-old resident William Freund donned a cape and mask, and murdered two of his neighbors, 22-year-old Christina Smith and her father Vernon, before killing himself. [32] [33] Freund had Asperger syndrome and posted on an Internet message board for people with the disorder, in which he talked of suicide and acts of violence. [34] On November 17, 2006, the family of the two victims sued Freund's parents for "wrongful death and emotional distress." [35] Freund lived with his parents at the time of the shooting and had a history of mental disorders including Asperger syndrome and attention deficit disorder, but the court ruled that Freund's parents were not liable for his actions because he was an adult at the time and the attacks were unforeseen. [36]
In September 2006, Charles Salter, the principal of Aliso Niguel High School, Aliso Viejo's high school, gained widespread media attention when he banned all school dances until further notice. Salter came under fire for his decision. The decision was based on the school's "Welcome Back Dance", at which several students arrived intoxicated, while others engaged in "freak dancing", which Salter views as inappropriate at a school dance. At the end of the month, Salter stood his ground and cancelled the school's annual Homecoming Dance, which gained both Salter and the school notoriety. [37] A story on the school was featured on the national television program, Geraldo at Large and the BBC also covered the dance ban. In late November, it was announced that the dances would return to the school, but under new rules that banned "freak dancing". [38]
In 2008–early 2009, Aliso Viejo residents were protesting the United States Postal Service's plan to build a large mail distribution facility. The proposed facility would have up to 500 employees and USPS trucks traveling over residential streets 24 hours per day. Residents were concerned about damage to city streets, traffic and the trucks traveling through city neighborhoods. On March 9, 2009, the USPS announced that it would not move forward with plans to build the distribution facility due to the economic outlook at the time. [39]
Fire protection in Aliso Viejo is provided by the Orange County Fire Authority with ambulance service by Care Ambulance. Law enforcement is provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
A tiny portion of the city, the Bells Vireo neighborhood of El Toro Road, are contracted out to the Laguna Beach Unified School District in Laguna Beach. Due to the city's inaccessibility at times, students who live in that portion may choose to attend the Capistrano Unified School District, which includes these schools:
Elementary
Middle school
High school
Orange County is a county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, and more populous than 19 American states and Washington, D.C. Although largely suburban, it is the second-most-densely-populated county in the state behind San Francisco County. The county's three most-populous cities are Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Irvine, each of which has a population exceeding 300,000. Santa Ana is also the county seat. Six cities in Orange County are on the Pacific coast: Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and San Clemente.
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wayne Airport edge city, one of the region's largest commercial clusters, with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light manufacturing. The city is home to the two tallest skyscrapers in Orange County. The population was 111,918 at the 2020 census.
Dana Point is a city located in southern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 33,107 at the 2020 census. It has one of the few harbors along the Orange County coast, and with ready access via State Route 1, it is a popular local destination for surfing.
La Habra – archaic spelling of La Abra – is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California, United States. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239.
Laguna Beach is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Located in Southern California along the Pacific Ocean, this seaside resort city has a mild year-round climate, scenic coves, and environmental preservation efforts. The population in the 2020 census was 23,032.
Laguna Hills is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. Its name refers to its proximity to Laguna Canyon and the much older Laguna Beach. Other newer cities nearby—Laguna Niguel and Laguna Woods—are similarly named. The population was 31,374 at the 2020 census.
Laguna Niguel is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the words "Laguna" and "Niguili". As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,355. Laguna Niguel is located in the San Joaquin Hills in the southeastern corner of Orange County, close to the Pacific Ocean, and borders the cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, and San Juan Capistrano.
Laguna Woods is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 17,644 at the 2020 census, up from 16,192 at the 2010 census, with a median age of 74.5.
Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 85,858 at the 2020 census.
Las Flores is an unincorporated census-designated place (CDP) in Orange County, California, located adjacent to the City of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,625 at the 2000 census. Las Flores does not have its own ZIP Code and is served by the same ZIP Code as adjacent Rancho Santa Margarita, 92688. The Rancho Santa Margarita dog/skate park is located in the CDP and is served by the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. and Orange County Fire Authority. Although Las Flores lies in the land grant of Rancho Mission Viejo, it is named after the land grant about twenty-five miles (40 km) south Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores.
Mission Viejo is a commuter city in the Saddleback Valley in Orange County, California, United States. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado in size. Its population as of 2020 was 93,653.
Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California, United States. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master-planned community. The population was 47,853 at the 2010 census, up from 47,214 at the 2000 census. Although it is named for Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores, which was in San Diego County, the city limits fall within the borders of Rancho Mission Viejo. At 20 characters long, it is the longest city name in California.
Tustin is a city located in Orange County, California, United States, within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. In 2020, Tustin had a population of 80,276. The city does not include the unincorporated community of North Tustin.
Westminster is a city in western Orange County, California, United States. Westminster was founded in 1870 by Rev. Lemuel Webber as a Presbyterian temperance colony and was incorporated in 1957.
Ladera Ranch is a master-planned community and census-designated place located in south Orange County, California, just outside the city limits of Mission Viejo.
Saddleback Valley refers to the flat and foothill areas west-southwest of the Saddleback double peak of the Santa Ana Mountains and east-northeast of the hilly Crystal Cove State Park in southern Orange County, California. The region primarily encompasses the cities of Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, and Rancho Santa Margarita, as well as the communities of Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch. The cities of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Woods, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Niguel, as well as some of Orange County's eastern canyon communities, partially reside within the valley. The southeastern portion of Irvine also encroaches upon the area, but the two are not typically associated with each other.
Aliso Niguel High School (ANHS), which is part of the Capistrano Unified School District, is located in the city of Aliso Viejo, California. Most of its students reside in the communities of Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel. The school is a California Distinguished School, a National Blue Ribbon School, and a New American High School. Aliso Niguel was ranked as number 252 in Newsweek's 2016 list of the top 500 high schools in the nation.
Aliso Creek is a 19.8-mile (31.9 km)-long, mostly urban stream in south Orange County, California. Originating in the Cleveland National Forest in the Santa Ana Mountains, it flows generally southwest and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Laguna Beach. The creek's watershed drains 34.9 square miles (90 km2), and it is joined by seven main tributaries. As of 2018, the watershed had a population of 144,000 divided among seven incorporated cities.
Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park is a major regional park in the San Joaquin Hills of Orange County, California in the United States. Comprising 4,500 acres (1,800 ha) of rugged coastal canyons, open grassland, and riparian woodland, the park borders the suburban cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel and lies within a portion of the ancestral homeland of the indigenous Acjachemen people.
The 2022 Orange County Board of Supervisors elections were held on June 7 and November 8, 2022. Three of the five seats of the Orange County, California Board of Supervisors were up for election. This was the first set of elections held after the 2020 redistricting cycle. County elections in California are officially nonpartisan. A two-round system was used for the election, starting with the first round in June. Runoffs were held in all three districts, as no candidate managed to reach the 50% + 1 threshold.