Mission Viejo, California

Mission Viejo (anglicized pronunciation /ˈmɪʃn viˈeɪhoʊ/) is a city located in southern Orange County, California. As of the 2006 census, the city had a total population of 97,997.

Mission Viejo is suburban in nature and culture. It is mainly residential, although there are a number of offices and businesses within its city limits. The city is planned and features a very large number of single-family homes, some condominiums, a college, and a regional mall.

The mall, The Shops at Mission Viejo, is located off Interstate 5 freeway and Crown Valley Parkway and serves the residents of south Orange County. It is the southernmost mall in Orange County and the Los Angeles Metro Area. The mall features major stores including Nordstrom, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gap, Tommy Bahama, Old Navy, Abercrombie and Fitch, Apple Store and others. The city's name is a reference to Rancho Mission Viejo, a large Spanish land grant from which the community was founded.

Mission Hospital is the largest hospital in south Orange County and serves as the areas regional trauma center. Also it is one of two CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County) locations providing outstanding care to children. It is one of Orange County's best hospitals and is a critical asset to the region. it has had a large expansion, doubling in size its emergency room and adding several new buildings in matching architecture as the main tower. Other medical facilities and offices have clustered around the hospital. It is located off the Crown Valley Parkway exit about half a mile from the freeway set on top of a hill.

It is mistakenly believed by some local residents that "Mission Viejo" is a Spanish translation of "Old Mission"; however, the correct Spanish translation of "old mission" is "la misión vieja."

Recreational activities abound; the city has numerous parks; there are about two per square mile. The city has three golf courses, The Mission Viejo Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course, and the recently finished Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club. At the center of the city is a man-made lake, Lake Mission Viejo, a private association for Mission Viejo residents with custom waterfront homes, condominiums, boat rentals,and swim beaches.

Mission Viejo is rated the third safest city in the USA for its outstanding low crime rates.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Neighborhoods
5 Sports
6 Education
7 External links
- 7.1 Schools

[edit] History

The hilly region which Mission Viejo occupies was primarily used as cattle and sheep grazing land, as it was of little use to farmers. It was one of the last regions of Orange County to be urbanized due to its geologic complexity. Englishman Juan (John) Forster, husband of Mexican Governor Pío Pico's sister Ysidora, acquired the Rancho Trabuco (future Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita) from Santiago Arguello. Forster provided fresh horses to American military forces led by Commodore Robert F. Stockton and General Kearney on their march from San Diego to retake Los Angeles during the Mexican-American War. The force camped in Lake Forest and in Olive along their march.

Early developers in the 1960s dismissed most of the land in the area as simply "undevelopable". In the early 1970s, urban planner Donald Bren, who would later become the president of the Irvine Company, drafted a master plan which placed roads in the valleys and houses on the hills, and contoured to the geography of the area. The plan worked, and by 1980 much of the city of Mission Viejo was completed. During the late 1970s and the 1980s, houses in Mission Viejo were in such high demand that housing tracts often sold out before construction even began on them. The houses and shopping centers in the city are almost uniformly designed in a Spanish mission style, with "adobe"-like stucco walls and barrel-tile roofs. Many point to Mission Viejo as the first and largest manifestation of Donald Bren's obsession with Spanish architecture, which would again become apparent with his developments in Irvine and Newport Beach.

In the late 1990s/early 2000s, Mission Viejo became a major suburban city, one of the many communities bringing attention to "South (Orange) County"

It has been suggested that Seal of City of Mission Viejo, California be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

[edit] Geography

Mission Viejo is located at 33°36′46″N, 117°39′22″W (33.612739, -117.656038)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.3 km² (19.0 mi²). 48.3 km² (18.7 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (1.94%) is water. A significant portion of the surface water is held in Lake Mission Viejo, an artificial lake stretching approximately one mile from Olympiad Road to Alicia Parkway along Marguerite Parkway.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 93,102 people, 32,449 households, and 25,212 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,926.4/km² (4,990.1/mi²). There were 32,986 housing units at an average density of 682.5/km² (1,767.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.15% White, 1.15% African American, 0.37% Native American, 7.73% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 3.82% from other races, and 3.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.10% of the population. "Mission Viejo, a safe place! For you and your money" was a common slogan adopted by locals and city council members during the sixties and early seventies and helped to create the thriving Masonic population that settled within the region during the time. There were 32,449 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $78,248, and the median income for a family was $86,902. Males had a median income of $61,849 versus $38,743 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,302. Though the city and its surrounding area is largely comprised of wealthy families, still about 2.3% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

According to a 2006 FBI crime statistic survey, Mission Viejo is the third safest city in the US. [1]

[edit] Neighborhoods

Snow atop Saddleback Mountain over Lake Mission Viejo

Pacific Hills is a tract community of 602 homes. The style of the homes is Mediterranean and feature views of the Saddleback Mountains, city lights, and Pacific Ocean. There are walking trails and parks throughout the neighborhood. Homes here sell from $800,000 to about $1.6 million.

San Marino Estates is an upscale neighborhood surrounding Lake Mission Viejo. It features 74 custom lakefront homes with private boat docks and views. Homes here sell from $2-3.5 million.

Andalusia is located above San Marino and is a tract community with sweeping views of Lake Mission Viejo. Located on the popular Lake Walk. Homes here sell from $900,000-1.4 million.

Canyon Crest is a large newer gated community located near Lake Mission Viejo above Florence Joyner Olympic Park. It features large tract and custom homes selling from $800,00-2.2 million.

Tres Vistas is another gated lakefront community of 64 custom homes selling from $1.8-3.2 million and features private beach, RV storage, and tennis courts.

Mallorca is a gated lakefront condomium community featuring a private beach, boat docks, and pools selling form $700,000- 1.2 million.

Finisterra on the Lake is a gated condominium community with private beach and pools from $400,000-$750,000.

Madrid Del Lago are 527 spacious tract homes located on the hill to the west of Lake Mission Viejo with panoramic views and single loaded streets from $750,000-1.4million.

La Paz Region features Mission Viejo's first homes with large lots and easy freeway access. The character of these homes is preserved by the families who keep the homes updated, clean, and remodeled. The smallest unremodeled homes start at $625,000 and go up to $1 million for a remodeled one with a swimming pool.

Stoneridge is located in north Mission Viejo and is one of the newest and most upscale gated neighborhoods. It features very large homes often with city views from $1.5-2.5 million.

Painted Trails located on the northern border off El Toro Parkway features a master plan with swimming pool, gardens, sport court, parks, and walking trails around Oso Reservoir. The townhomes start at $550,000 and the single family homes go up to 1.2 million.

Aegean Hills is a large development of homes in north Mission Viejo bounded by the 5 freeway on the west, La Paz on the south, Los Alisos on the north, and the metorlink on the east. The wide array of homes here come in all sizes and sell from $550,000 to 1 million.

Mission Ridge and Baja Oso is some of the most unique and desired property in the city. The homes overlook the Mission Viejo Country Club and feature panoramic views and unique architecture from Mediterranean to Traditional. Homes here sell from $750,000 to 1.150 million.

Madrid Fore surrounds the north portion of the country club where homes rarely come on the market. Cresta Verde is a small semi custom neighborhood located next to it of eight front row homes. Madrid Fore features 66 front row homes, with many others with views from above. Homes here can go anywhere from $750,000-1.8 million in Cresta Verde and Madrid Fore.

Quail Run is a gated community located on one of the city's highest hills with sweeping views from $850,000-1.2 million.

Califia is a large Mediterranean tract community of 1,003 homes with parks and schools from $850,000-1.2 million.

Granada between Crown Valley Parkway, the 5 freeway, and Mission Ridge tract is a community of small semi-custom homes near excellent shopping and services. From $625,000-850,000.

Cortez, Auburn Ridge, and Galica are located between Margeurite Road, Oso Parkway, and Felipe Road. Features Barbadanes Park and goes from $800-1.2 million.

Next to Capistrano Valley High School and Saddleback College is the small neighborhood of Coronado. This neighborhood benefited from the construction of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club giving residents at the edge of the ridge golf course views. Unremodeled homes sell for $625,000 and go to $900,000 for a remodeled one with a golf view.

Madrid is the same tract homes as Madrid del Lago, but these 975 are located south of the lake. Bound by Felipe to the east, Marguerite to the west, Oso Parkway to the south, and Jeronimo to the north. Costs from $750,000- 1.2 million.

California Colony is a community of starter homes with small yards that sell from $500,000-650.

El Dorado surrounds El Dorado Park and Montivideo Elementary School. The abundant homes here go from $650,000-$800,000.(Does not include the Madrid Tract which is to the east of Via Luisa.

Wilderness Glen is the collection of Madrid Tract style homes overlooking the Wilderness Glen nature preserve located off Los Alisos Parkway on large lots from $850,000-1.3 million.

Los Alisos homes around Trabuco Hills High School are small and the lowest priced homes in the city. They sell from $500,000-$650,000.

[edit] Sports

The Saddleback College ballpark hosted the Mission Viejo Vigilantes minor league baseball team of the Western Baseball League from 1996-2001. Now the ballpark has a semi-pro collegiate team, the Orange County Fire.

Skateboard parks are included in some of the recreational facilities throughout Orange County aswell such as; Bebee Park, Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, San Clemente, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Vans Skatepark at the Block at Orange, Etnies of Lake Forest, and Anaheim West.

[edit] Education

Mission Viejo is served by two school districts, the Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified School Districts. Capistrano Unified serves the eastern, northeastern, and southern portions of the city with eight schools. As of 2006, all high school students in the Capistrano Unified portion of Mission Viejo attend Capistrano Valley High School. Students from western Mission Viejo (north of Oso Parkway and west of Marguerite until Alicia Parkway) attend Saddleback Valley's Mission Viejo High School. Far northern Mission Viejo attends Saddleback Valley's Trabuco Hills High School, though most of that school has students from Rancho Santa Margarita and Lake Forest. Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita served the eastern half of the city from 2001- 2006, but now does not serve Mission Viejo as the city has been consolidated to three high schools to unify district students by their city.

Silverado, Mira Mesa, and Pathfinder are continuation and adult schools within the city.

Saddleback Valley College, near the Shops at Mission Viejo and Capistrano Valley High School, is a large junior college in the southern half of the city.