Rancho Santa Margarita, California

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Rancho Santa Margarita, California
City
Rancho Santa Margarita California photo D Ramey Logan.jpg
Rancho Santa Margarita
Flag of Rancho Santa Margarita, California.png
Flag
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Seal
Orange County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Rancho Santa Margarita Highlighted.svg
Location of Rancho Santa Margarita within Orange County, California.
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Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°38′29″N117°35′40″W / 33.64139°N 117.59444°W / 33.64139; -117.59444
Country United States
State California
County Orange
Incorporated January 1, 2000 [1]
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 •  Mayor Carol A. Gamble [2]
 •  Mayor Pro Tem Bradley J. McGirr
 •  City Council L. Anthony Beall
Anne D. Figueroa
Jerry Holloway
 •  City Manager Jennifer M. Cervantez
Area
[3]
 • Total
12.94 sq mi (33.52 km2)
 • Land12.90 sq mi (33.40 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)  0.27%
Elevation
[4]
925 ft (282 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
47,949
 • Density3,714.02/sq mi (1,435.60/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes
92679, 92688
Area code 949
FIPS code 06-59587
GNIS feature IDs 1867054, 2411517
Website cityofrsm.org

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 (22 including spaces), it is the longest city name in California.

Contents

History

The ruins of the Trabuco Adobe in 1967, first built in 1810, at the Acjachemen village of Alume. Trabuco Adobe, Rancho Santa Margarita, Nov 1967.jpg
The ruins of the Trabuco Adobe in 1967, first built in 1810, at the Acjachemen village of Alume.

The area is the ancestral lands of the Acjachemen people. The village of Alume was located in Rancho Santa Margarita, between Trabuco Creek and Tijeras Creek. [6] [7] In 1810, the Trabuco Adobe was constructed near the village as an outpost of Mission San Juan Capistrano. [5]

The city seal has the brands of Rancho Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita and Las Flores on the border, with artwork containing Santiago Peak in the background. The tower in the foreground symbolizes the Rancho Santa Margarita Lake Tower.

Hughes Aircraft Company's Microelectronic Systems Division moved to Rancho Santa Margarita in May 1988 from Irvine. In August 1992, the Hughes plant closed its facilities and moved the division to Carlsbad, California due to budget constraints in the aerospace industry.

Rolling Hills Estates had the longest city name in California with 19 letters until January 1, 2000, when the title was ceded to Rancho Santa Margarita (20 letters) upon the latter's incorporation.

The City is a general law city and operates under the council-manager form of government. Rancho Santa Margarita is a contract city. Police services are provided through contract with the Orange County Sheriff. Fire Protection services are provided through the Orange County Fire Authority.

Geography

Rancho Santa Margarita is located at 33°38′29″N117°35′40″W / 33.64139°N 117.59444°W / 33.64139; -117.59444 (33.641518, -117.594524). [8] It occupies much of a high plateau known as Plano Trabuco.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.0 square miles (34 km2). 13.0 square miles (34 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.27%) is water.

Rancho Santa Margarita is bordered by the city of Mission Viejo on the west, the census-designated places Coto de Caza and Las Flores on the south, the unincorporated Trabuco Canyon on the north, and the Cleveland National Forest on the east.

Vehicular access is provided by California State Route 241 (a toll road), in addition to several surface streets. Santa Margarita Parkway and Antonio Parkway are the city's major thoroughfares, with Avenida De Las Banderas, Avenida Empresa, Avenida De Las Flores, and Alma Aldea being minor thoroughfares. In addition, Alicia Parkway terminates in the city providing access to Mission Viejo.

Major homeowners associations and communities

The majority of the neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita are maintained by larger homeowners associations including SAMLARC, Dove Canyon, Rancho Cielo, Robinson Ranch, Walden and Trabuco Highlands. Dove Canyon, Trabuco Highlands, Robinson Ranch, Walden and Rancho Cielo were all established before Rancho Santa Margarita was an incorporated city. East of Plano Trabuco Road is designated with a Trabuco Canyon (92679) zip code even though the area falls within the City of Rancho Santa Margarita boundary. [9]

Climate

Rancho Santa Margarita, like most of southern California, generally has a Mediterranean climate.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, [10] the top 10 employers in the city are:

#Employer# of employees
1Applied Medical2,700
2O'Connell Landscape Maintenance1,000
3 Saddleback Valley Unified School District 288
4 Target 255
5Lucas & Mercier Construction250
6 Capistrano Unified School District 215
7 Control Components Inc. 200
8 PADI 180
9Santa Margarita Catholic High School175
10Car Sound Exhaust System150

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1990 11,390—
2000 47,214314.5%
2010 47,8531.4%
2020 48,1190.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [11]

2020

The 2020 United States Census reported a population of 48,119. The racial makeup was 75.5% White, 2.2% African American, 10.9% Asian, and 21.7% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2010

The 2010 United States Census [12] reported that Rancho Santa Margarita had a population of 47,853. The population density was 3,683.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,422.1/km2). The racial makeup of Rancho Santa Margarita was 37,421 (78.2%) White (67.0% Non-Hispanic White), [13] 887 (1.9%) African American, 182 (0.4%) Native American, 4,350 (9.1%) Asian, 102 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,674 (5.6%) from other races, and 2,237 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,902 persons (18.6%).

31.8% of the population possessed a bachelor's degree, with 16.4% possessing a Graduate or Professional Degree. The educational attainment level in Rancho Santa Margarita significantly exceeds the averages throughout the rest of California.

The Census reported that 47,851 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 16,665 households, out of which 7,699 (46.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 10,144 (60.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,703 (10.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 700 (4.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 747 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 103 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,199 households (19.2%) were made up of individuals, and 761 (4.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87. There were 12,547 families (75.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.33.

The population was spread out, with 13,879 people (29.0%) under the age of 18, 3,793 people (7.9%) aged 18 to 24, 13,706 people (28.6%) aged 25 to 44, 13,764 people (28.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,711 people (5.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

There were 17,260 housing units at an average density of 1,328.4 per square mile (512.9/km2), of which 11,906 (71.4%) were owner-occupied, and 4,759 (28.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.6%. 35,737 people (74.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,114 people (25.3%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Rancho Santa Margarita had a median household income of $104,113, with 3.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line. [13]

Government and politics

Rancho Santa Margarita city vote
by party in presidential elections
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2020 [14] 47.91% 13,31049.88%13,8572.22% 616
2016 [15] 42.76% 9,56450.24%11,2387.01% 1,567
2012 [16] 36.99% 7,91460.78%13,0042.23% 478
2008 [17] 42.82% 9,49455.29%12,2591.89% 420
2004 [18] 31.81% 6,67167.33%14,1190.86% 181
2000 [19] 33.70% 6,11763.40%11,5082.90% 526

State and federal representation

In the California State Legislature, Rancho Santa Margarita is in the 38th Senate District , represented by Democrat Catherine Blakespear, and in the 71st Assembly District , represented by Republican Kate Sanchez.

In the United States House of Representatives, Rancho Santa Margarita is in California's 40th congressional district , represented by Republican Young Kim. [20]

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Rancho Santa Margarita has 28,462 registered voters. Of those, 11,877 (41.73%) are registered Republicans, 7,511 (26.39%) are registered Democrats, and 7,819 (27.47%) have no political party preference/are independents. [21]

Rancho Santa Margarita has voted Republican in every presidential election since the city's incorporation.

Education

The city is served by Saddleback Valley Unified School District and the Capistrano Unified School District.

Television

The television series The Real Housewives of Orange County , although based in Coto De Caza, is mainly filmed in Rancho Santa Margarita where many of the housewives do business, shopping, commuting, dentistry, and dining. [22]

The Dove Canyon, Rancho Cielo, and Robinson Ranch neighborhoods, while all part of the city, have a zip code of 92679, although the 92688 ZIP code is far more common in the Rancho Santa Margarita area.

A map of Orange County seen in season four of Arrested Development places the fictional Bluth Company-developed community of Sudden Valley northeast of Mission Viejo and Las Flores, in the approximate location of Rancho Santa Margarita.

Notable people

Jonathon Blum Jon blum 2.jpg
Jonathon Blum

Controversies

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coto de Caza, California</span> Place in California, United States

Coto de Caza is a census-designated place (CDP) and guard-gated private community in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 14,710 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Forest, California</span> City in California, United States

Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 85,858 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Flores, California</span> Place in California, United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mission Viejo, California</span> City in the United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Ana Mountains</span> Mountain range in California, United States

The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 61 miles (98 km) southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trabuco Canyon, California</span> Unincorporated community in California, United States

Trabuco Canyon is a small unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in eastern Orange County, California, and lies partly within the Cleveland National Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladera Ranch, California</span> Place in California, United States

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 Unified School District (SVUSD) is a public school district in South Orange County, California. It includes 23 elementary schools, four intermediate schools, four comprehensive high schools, and four alternative schools. It serves all of Lake Forest and Laguna Hills and serves parts of Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and a very small portion of Irvine. It also serves the unincorporated communities of Trabuco Canyon and Modjeska. Also, while Laguna Woods has no schools due to it being a retirement community, students who live with relatives in the area may choose to attend schools in the Saddleback Valley district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saddleback Valley</span> Large valley in Orange County, California

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Area code 949</span> Telephone area code for southern Orange County, California

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Rancho Mission Viejo is an active 23,000 acres (9,300 ha) ranch and farm, habitat reserve, residential community, and census-designated place in South Orange County, California. Rancho Mission Viejo originated as a series of land grants to John Forster in 1845. The remaining part of Rancho Mission Viejo consists of a nearly 17,000-acre (6,900 ha) nature reserve and multiple residential communities slated to open in phases between 2010 and 2030. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 10,378.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell Canyon</span> River in California, USA

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Rancho Trabuco was a 22,184-acre (89.78 km2) Mexican land grant in present-day Orange County, California. The five square league grant consisted of two square leagues given in 1841 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Santiago Argüello plus three square leagues given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to John Forster. The name "trabuco" means "blunderbuss" in Spanish. The grant extended along Trabuco Creek and Trabuco Canyon, and encompassed present-day Coto de Caza. The grant was bordered by Rancho Cañada de los Alisos on the west, and by Rancho Mission Viejo on the east.

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References

  1. ↑ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Mayor and City Council". Rancho Santa Margarita. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  3. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  4. ↑ "City of Rancho Santa Margarita". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Brigandi, Phil (2013). Orange County chronicles. Charleston. ISBN   978-1-62584-588-7. OCLC   914181947.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ↑ Merriam, C Hart (1968). Heizer, Robert F. (ed.). University of California Archaeological Survey (PDF). Berkeley: University of California Archaeological Research Facility. p. 123.
  7. ↑ Koerper, Henry; Mason, Roger; Peterson, Mark (2002). Catalysts to complexity : late Holocene societies of the California coast. Jon Erlandson, Terry L. Jones, Jeanne E. Arnold, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. pp. 64–66, 79. ISBN   978-1-938770-67-8. OCLC   745176510.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ "City Zoning Map". Archived from the original on October 4, 2007.
  10. ↑ "City of Rancho Santa Margarita California Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Year Ending June 30, 2020".
  11. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Rancho Santa Margarita city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Rancho Santa Margarita (city) QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Precinct results" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  15. ↑ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  16. ↑ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  17. ↑ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  18. ↑ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  19. ↑ "SOV.xls" (PDF). www.ocvote.com. 2000. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  20. ↑ "California's 40th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC.
  21. ↑ "CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019" (PDF). ca.gov. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  22. ↑ "BRAVOtv.com: The Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 3 (Home)". Archived from the original on October 28, 2007.
  23. ↑ Perkes, Courtney (July 23, 2008). "Ex-Olympian battles rheumatoid arthritis". The Orange County Register . pp. Life, etc. 2.
  24. ↑ "Baseball-Reference". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Not Angry No More | OC Weekly". www.ocweekly.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Carson Palmer, QB for the Arizona Cardinals". NFL.com. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  27. ↑ Witz, Billy (September 12, 2008). "A Strong Arm and a Strong Mind". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Teemu Selänne Youth Sports Foundation" . Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Klay Thompson Player Profile, Golden State Warriors". RealGM Basketball. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Former Rancho Santa Margarita city attorney was asked to resign, councilman says". The Orange County Register . March 17, 2008. pp. Local News.
  31. ↑ Sforza, Teri (April 21, 2010). "Councilman to explain $300,000 'errors'". The Orange County Register . pp. Local News.
  32. ↑ "Rancho council to replace member on military duty". The Orange County Register . February 24, 2011. pp. Local News.
  33. ↑ Park, Jeong (September 20, 2019). "Residents start a recall process against Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Tony Beall". The Orange County Register . pp. Local News.
  34. ↑ "Fair Political Practices Commission Stipulation, Decision And Order" (PDF). California Fair Political Practices Commission. November 5, 2019.
  35. ↑ "Fair Political Practices Commission Stipulation, Decision And Order" (PDF). California Fair Political Practices Commission. December 19, 2019.
  36. ↑ "Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor and Longtime City Councilmember Admits to Falsifying Nomination Paperwork to Run for Re-election". Orange County District Attorney. October 30, 2024.
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