Laguna Niguel, California

City of Laguna Niguel
City
Suburban homes in Laguna Niguel, 2004.
Seal
Location of Laguna Niguel within Orange County, California.
City of Laguna Niguel Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°31′55″N 117°42′9″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Orange
Incorporated	December 1, 1989
Government
• Mayor	Jerry McCloskey
Area
• Total	14.885 sq mi (38.551 km2)
• Land	14.833 sq mi (38.418 km2)
• Water	0.052 sq mi (0.134 km2)  0.35%
Elevation	400 ft (122 m)
Population (April 1, 2010)
• Total	62,979
• Estimate (2013)	64,652
• Density	4,200/sq mi (1,600/km2)
Time zone	Pacific (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes	92607, 92677
Area code	949
FIPS code	06-39248
GNIS feature IDs	1660875, 2411597
Website	ci.laguna-niguel.ca.us

Laguna Niguel is an affluent master-planned community located in the San Joaquin Hills of southern Orange County, California. The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the words "Laguna" (Spanish for "lagoon") and "Nigueli" (the name of a Juaneño Indian village once located near Aliso Creek). The population increased from 61,891 at the 2000 census to 62,979 in 2010. The city of Dana Point to the south separates Laguna Niguel and the Pacific Ocean. On the east side, Laguna Niguel is separated from San Juan Capistrano by a significant ridge running along Trabuco Creek. To the north lie Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills. Laguna Niguel is also bordered by Laguna Beach and Mission Viejo.

History

Laguna Niguel is located on the Rancho Niguel Mexican land grant of Juan Avila. He retained ownership until 1865, when a severe drought killed off most of his cattle. Lewis Moulton, owner of the Moulton Company, bought the area of modern-day Laguna Niguel in 1895, along with significant other portions of the surrounding area from farmers that were hard-pressed to earn a living due to a local drought in the area.

In 1959, the Laguna Niguel Corporation, started by Cabot, Cabot & Forbes from Boston, made Laguna Niguel one of the first master-planned communities in California. Victor Gruen and Associates, a Vienna architect, developed a community plan for 7,100 acres (29 km²). The Avco Community Developer in 1969 continued the plan, which by then held 6,500 residents.

The construction of the San Diego, I-5, Freeway in 1959 allowed more people to arrive. The first communities developed in Laguna Niguel were right along the coast, touching the southern border of Laguna Beach. These communities were called Monarch Bay and the Monarch Bay Terrace built between 1960 and 1962.

In 1973, Laguna Niguel Regional Park opened, and in 1974 a one-million square-foot Ziggurat building was given to the United States government.

On December 1, 1989, Laguna Niguel became an incorporated city in Orange County and became its 29th city.

In 2012, Laguna Niguel resident McKayla Maroney won a gold medal in team finals and silver in the vault finals at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Geography

Laguna Niguel is located at 33°31′55″N 117°42′9″W (33.531938, -117.702503). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.9 square miles (39 km²). 14.8 square miles (38 km²) of it is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km²) of it (0.35%) is water.

Sulphur Creek Reservoir

Laguna Niguel occupies a hilly basin near the southern end of the San Joaquin Hills, a small coastal mountain range in southern Orange County. On the west is 650-foot (200 m) Niguel Hill, which separates the city from Aliso Canyon, an immense gorge cut by Aliso Creek, one of the county's primary watercourses. The Aliso Canyon area is home to Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park, a large wilderness area in the southern county. Although the creek itself only brushes the northwestern border of the city, a major tributary, Sulphur Creek, drains most of northern Laguna Niguel. Sulphur Creek runs through Crown Valley in eastern Laguna Niguel, Crown Valley Park, Laguna Niguel Regional Park and Sulphur Creek Reservoir (Laguna Niguel Lake). The two parks and the lake lie just north of the geographic center of the city.

Low ridges dissect much of the Laguna Niguel area. Most of these mountain ridges, some of them attaining heights of one or two hundred feet, run northeast to southwest, delineating the hydrography of the area. Laguna Niguel's other primary drainage, Salt Creek, has two forks in the southern half of the city, flowing southwards to the Pacific Ocean. Laguna Niguel itself has no border on the ocean. The city of Dana Point to the south separates Laguna Niguel and the Pacific. On the east side, Laguna Niguel is separated from San Juan Capistrano by a significant ridge running along Trabuco Creek. To the north lie Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills.

Crown Valley and Alicia Parkways are the primary thoroughfares in the city. Crown Valley Parkway runs along Sulphur Creek and the northern fork of Salt Creek, bisecting the city northeast to southwest. Alicia Parkway, mostly a north-south road, follows Aliso Creek to where it joins Crown Valley Parkway in close proximity to Crown Valley Park and the city center. California State Route 73 runs north of the city, diverging from Interstate 5 just northeast of Laguna Niguel. Moulton Parkway/Street of the Golden Lantern runs along the eastern boundary of Laguna Niguel. Pacific Island Drive/Camino del Avión follow parts of the west and south boundaries, respectively. Another major road, Niguel Road, runs roughly parallel and east of Crown Valley Parkway along the Salt Creek canyon. Marina Hills Drive is the largest crossing between Niguel Road and Golden Lantern, and Aliso Creek Road runs east-west through northern Laguna Niguel.

Climate

Laguna Niguel, California
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     2.8     67 44     3     67 45     2.6     68 46     0.8     71 49     0.3     71 54     0.1     74 57     0     77 60     0.1     79 60     0.4     79 60     0.5     76 55     1.2     71 48     1.8     67 44 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Source: Weather.com / NWS
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     70     19 7     75     19 7     66     20 8     21     22 9     6.4     22 12     3.3     23 14     1     25 16     3     26 16     8.9     26 16     12     24 13     31     22 9     47     19 7 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm

Like much of Southern California, Laguna Niguel has pleasant weather year-round. On average, August is the hottest month and December the coolest. The highest recorded temperature is 108°F, which occurred in 1963, and the lowest such temperature is 21°F, which was recorded in 1949. Precipitation is sparse in Laguna Niguel, as only five months out of the year receive rainfall greater than one inch. The highest monthly rainfall on average occurs in February and is 2.96 inches (75 mm).

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1970	4,644		—
1980	12,237		163.5%
1990	44,400		262.8%
2000	61,891		39.4%
2010	62,979		1.8%
Est. 2014	65,448		3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Laguna Niguel had a population of 62,979. The population density was 4,231.1 people per square mile (1,633.6/km²). The racial makeup of Laguna Niguel was 50,625 (80.4%) White (72.5% Non-Hispanic White), 777 (1.2%) African American, 219 (0.3%) Native American, 5,459 (8.7%) Asian, 87 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 3,019 (4.8%) from other races, and 2,793 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,761 persons (13.9%).

The Census reported that 62,731 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 248 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 24,232 households, out of which 8,085 (33.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 14,077 (58.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,271 (9.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 886 (3.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 994 (4.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 237 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,390 households (22.2%) were made up of individuals and 1,790 (7.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59. There were 17,234 families (71.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.06.

The population was spread out with 14,216 people (22.6%) under the age of 18, 4,722 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 14,667 people (23.3%) aged 25 to 44, 21,177 people (33.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,197 people (13.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

There were 25,312 housing units at an average density of 1,700.5 per square mile (656.6/km²), of which 17,453 (72.0%) were owner-occupied, and 6,779 (28.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 45,029 people (71.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,702 people (28.1%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Laguna Niguel had a median household income of $99,771, with 6.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 61,891 people, 23,217 households, and 16,785 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,221.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,630.0/km²). There were 23,885 housing units at an average density of 1,629.0 per square mile (629.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.50% White, 1.25% African American, 0.29% Native American, 7.73% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.48% from other races, and 3.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.38% of the population.

There were 23,217 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

According to the Census Bureau's 2008 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $98,072, and the median income for a family was $150,963. Males had a median income of $68,640 versus $40,487 for females. The per capita income for the city was $50,980. About 2.8% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

The City Council consists of five members, elected from the City at-large, who serve four year staggered terms. Annually, the City Council appoints a Mayor and a Mayor Pro Tem from its own membership to serve a one-year term. The City Council currently consists of:

• Jerry McCloskey, Mayor
• Laurie Davies, Mayor Pro Tem
• Elaine Gennawey, Council Member
• Fred Minagar, Council Member
• Jerry Slusiewicz, Council Member

The city hall is located at 30111 Crown Valley Parkway.

County, state and federal

In the Orange County Board of Supervisors Laguna Niguel is part of the 5th District and represented by Supervisor Lisa A. Bartlett.

In the California State Legislature, Laguna Niguel is in the 36th Senate District, represented by Republican Patricia Bates, and in the 73rd Assembly District, represented by Republican Bill Brough.

In the United States House of Representatives, Laguna Niguel is in California's 48th congressional district, represented by Republican Dana Rohrabacher.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

The Chet Holifield Federal Building dominates the landscape of a part of Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo

#	Employer	# of employees
1	Costco	500
2	Wal-Mart	280
3	Capistrano Unified School District	245
4	Albertsons	210
5	The Home Depot	200
6	County of Orange	180
7	First Team Real Estate	140
8	Calstar Properties	125
9	Kohl's	121
10	Pacific Line Clean Up	120

Yogen Früz has its United States West Coast offices in Laguna Niguel.

Notable buildings

In 1971, a one-million square-foot ziggurat building, originally built for Rockwell International and presently owned by the United States government, was designed by Los Angeles-based architect William Pereira. The Chet Holifield Federal Building, as it is now known, is home to millions of microfilms as documents of land agreements between the American government and the original Indian Tribes of the southwest United States. It is also home to the Western Regional Department of Homeland Security and the California Service Center of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The building was used for the 1995 movie Outbreak, where it served as the exterior for the Center for Disease Control headquarters. Earlier, the building was featured in an ending scene for the 1975 sci-fi movie Death Race 2000. It also served as the headquarters for the Luckup Corporation in the 1983 movie Deal of the Century.

Education

The city is served by the Capistrano Unified School District.

Aliso Niguel High School

Elementary schools

• Moulton Elementary School
• Marian Bergeson Elementary
• Crown Valley Elementary School
• Hidden Hills Elementary School
• Laguna Niguel Elementary School
• Malcolm Elementary School
• George White Elementary School

Middle schools

• Niguel Hills Middle School
• Aliso Viejo Middle School (in Aliso Viejo)

High schools

• Aliso Niguel High School (in Aliso Viejo)
• Dana Hills High School (in Dana Point)

Colleges

• Saddleback College (in Mission Viejo - Served by the South Orange County Community College District)
• Chapman University (in Orange)
• Soka University of America (in Aliso Viejo)
• University of California, Irvine (in Irvine)
• California State University, Fullerton (in Irvine)
• California State University, Fullerton (in Fullerton)
• Southern California Institute of Technology, SCIT (in Anaheim)
• Pepperdine University (in Irvine)

Private schools

• St. Anne School

Points of interest

Over one-third of Laguna Niguel is designated as open space. Major parks in the city include:

Niguel Road, just north of Marina Hills and El Niguel Heights neighborhoods.

• Aliso/Wood Canyons Regional Park
• Badlands Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park

Emergency Services

Laguna Niguel is protected by Orange County Fire Authority with ambulance services provided by Care Ambulance. Police services are provided by Orange County Sheriff.

Neighborhoods

Laguna Niguel is home to many upscale neighborhoods including Bear Brand Ranch, Ocean Ranch, Laguna Crest, Coronado Pointe, South Peak, Crest de Ville, Niguel Coast, Palmilla, and Monarch Pointe, which offer city, canyon, and ocean views. Other major neighborhoods include Rancho Niguel, Marina Hills, Niguel West, Niguel Summit, Beacon Hill, El Niguel Heights, Kite Hill, and San Joaquin Hills.

See also

• Greater Los Angeles portal

References

Notes

Sources

• History, Demographics, and Statistics for Laguna Niguel from the Official Website

External links

• Official website