Agoura Hills, California

Agoura Hills, California
City
View of Agoura Hills looking from southern edge of the Historic Quarter in December 2006
Motto:  "The Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains"[1]
Location of Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County
Agoura Hills Location of Agoura Hills in the Los Angeles metropolitan area Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Agoura Hills Location of Agoura Hills in California Show map of California Agoura Hills Location of Agoura Hills in the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 34°9′12″N 118°45′42″W / 34.15333°N 118.76167°W / 34.15333; -118.76167
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Region	Conejo Valley
Settled (by the Spanish)	1700s
Incorporated	December 8, 1982[2]
Named for	Don Pierre Agoure
Government
• Type	City Council/City Manager[3]
• Mayor	Illece Buckley Weber
• Mayor pro tem	Penny Sylvester
• City Council	Jeremy Wolf Deborah Klein Lopez Chris Anstead
• City Manager	Nathan Hamburger
Area [4]
• Total	7.82 sq mi (20.25 km2)
• Land	7.80 sq mi (20.19 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)  0.37%
Elevation [5]	922 ft (281 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,299
• Density	2,603.77/sq mi (1,005.37/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	91301, 91376–91377[6]
Area code	747/818[7]
FIPS code	06-00394[8]
GNIS feature IDs	1733436, 2409666
Website	www.agourahillscity.org

Agoura Hills (/əˈɡɔːrə ˈhɪlz/ ^ⓘ) is a city situated in the Santa Monica Mountains^[9] region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 20,330 as of the 2010 census,^[8] which decreased to 20,299 in 2020.^[10] Agoura Hills lies in the eastern Conejo Valley, nestled between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. Located 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Downtown Los Angeles and less than 10 miles (16 km) west of the Los Angeles city limits at Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills is bordered by Bell Canyon and Ventura County. Neighboring communities include Calabasas, Oak Park, and Westlake Village, while the unincorporated area of Agoura sits adjacent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In 1995, the murder of Jimmy Farris awakened the city to a rising drug problem and petty theft by its young. As a result, the city began sponsoring live music competitions and concerts in local parks.^{[citation needed]}

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

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

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

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21 km²), of which 8.2 square miles (21 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) of it (0.37%) is water.

Agoura Hills has a mountain called Ballard Mountain named after pioneer settler and freed slave John Ballard.^[21] The name of the mountain was officially changed from Negrohead to Ballard in a ceremony on February 20, 2010.^[22] Ladyface Mountain is another prominent mountain on the west side of the Conejo Valley and stands at an elevation of 2,031 feet (619 m).^[23]

Panorama of Agoura Hills and Westlake Village with Ballard Mountain prominent as the leftmost peak in the image

Agoura Hills is called the "Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area".^[24]

Natural areas of Agoura Hills are part of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion and are covered by hundreds of local plant species, some of which are very rare, and others of which have become popular ornamentals. The range is host to an immense variety of wildlife, from mountain lions to the endangered Southern California Distinct Population Segment of steelhead.^[25] The mountain lion population within the Santa Monica Mountains (which includes the Simi Hills & Santa Susana Pass) is severely depleted with only seven known living adult individuals. The primary cause of the decline is due to a combination of traffic-related mortality (three from the area were killed within a matter of months,) anti-coagulants ingested from human-poisoned prey (two individuals within the Simi Hills), and attacks by other, more dominant mountain lions (an elder male, known as P1, killed both his son and his mate, this is thought to be due to a lack of space available.) The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a proposed vegetated overpass spanning the Ventura Freeway and Agoura Road at Liberty Canyon on the east end of the city. Snakes are common but only occasionally seen. Local species include the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, Mountain Kingsnake, California Kingsnake, Gopher snake, and Garter snake. The mountains are also home to the Western fence lizard.

In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that the New Zealand mud snail had infested watersheds in the Santa Monica Mountains, posing serious threats to native species and complicating efforts to improve stream-water quality for the endangered steelhead trout. According to the article, the snails have expanded "from the first confirmed sample in Medea Creek in Agoura Hills to nearly 30 other stream sites in four years." Researchers at the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission believe that the snails' expansion may have been expedited after the mollusks traveled from stream to stream on the gear of contractors and volunteers.^[26]

At the 2010 census Agoura Hills had a population of 20,330. The population density was 2,599.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,003.5/km²). The racial makeup of Agoura Hills was 17,147 (84.3%) White, (78.6% Non-Hispanic White), 267 (1.3%) African American, 51 (0.3%) Native American, 1,521 (7.5%) Asian, 24 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 590 (2.9%) from other races, and 730 (3.6%) from two or more races. There were 1,936 Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race (9.5%).^[30]

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

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

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

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

At the 2000 census there were 20,537 people in 6,874 households, including 5,588 families, in the city. The population density was 2,511.8 inhabitants per square mile (969.8/km²). There were 6,993 housing units at an average density of 855.3 per square mile (330.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.96% White, 1.32% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 6.50% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.09% from other races, and 2.78% from two or more races. 6.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[31]

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

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

According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[32] the top employers in the city are:

Agoura Hills is governed by a City Council/City Manager form of government. A five-member City Council is elected by the residents to oversee city operations and guide the development of the community. Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms.^[33] The terms are staggered so that a measure of continuity is maintained from one Council to the next. The role of Mayor rotates among the Councilmembers. The Mayor is chosen by the City Councilmembers to serve a one-year term.^[33] The City Manager is appointed by the City Council to supervise the administrative personnel and contract services.^[34]

As of May 2024 the Agoura Hills City Council consists of Illece Buckley Weber (Mayor), Penny Sylvester (Mayor Pro Tem), Jeremy Wolf, Deborah Klein Lopez, and Chris Anstead.^[35] The City Manager is Nathan Hamburger^[36] and the city attorney is contracted through RWG Law.^[37]

As of 1990 the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District includes Agoura Hills.^[38]

In the California State Legislature, Agoura Hills is in the 27th Senate District, represented by Democrat Henry Stern, and in the 50th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Eloise Reyes.^[39]

In the United States House of Representatives, Agoura Hills is in California's 26th congressional district, represented by Democrat Julia Brownley.^[40]

The Board of Supervisors is the governing body of the County of Los Angeles, a charter county. Lindsay P. Horvath is the Supervisor for Los Angeles County's 3rd District where Agoura Hills is incorporated.^[41]

Las Virgenes Water District serves Agoura Hills along with Westlake Village and other parts of western Los Angeles County. State water provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the sole source used by the district.^[42]

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Malibu/Lost Hills Station in Calabasas, serving Agoura Hills.^[43][44]

The United States Postal Service Agoura Hills Post Office is located at 5158 Clareton Drive.^[45]

The Las Virgenes Unified School District serves Agoura Hills.

• Sumac Elementary School^[46]
• Willow Elementary School^[47]
• Yerba Buena Elementary School^[48]
• Lindero Canyon Middle School
• Agoura High School
• Indian Hills High School

Agoura Hills is the corporate headquarters of the Los Angeles Rams since 2016.^[49]

Agoura Hills is home to the Great Race of Agoura Hills, an annual running event held at Chumash Park in Agoura Hills in March of every year.^[50] The Great Race was established in 1986 and features six races including Pacific Half (half-marathon), Chesebro Half (half-marathon), Old Agoura 10K, Deena Kastor (5 kilometers), Kids 1 Mile, and the Family Fun Run (1 mile). The Chesebro Half was voted best half-marathon in the U.S. in 2011.^[51]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Agoura Hills.

• Official website