Valencia, California
Encyclopedia
Valencia is an affluent planned community
located in the City of Santa Clarita, California
and Los Angeles County, California
, U.S. in the northwestern corner of the Santa Clarita Valley
, adjacent to Interstate 5
. In 1987, it was one of the four unincorporated communities (along with Saugus, Newhall, and Canyon Country
) that merged to create the city of Santa Clarita, California
. As of 2008, the population of Valencia is 148,456 and the estimated median household income is $109,029. Santa Clarita is ranked as one of the top 100 places to live by Money. Valencia is home to the Six Flags Magic Mountain
theme park and the adjacent Hurricane Harbor water park
.
Valencia was first planned in the 1960s by the Newhall Land and Farming Company
. Development began in the 1960s and continues to the present day. Valencia is notable for its landscaped boulevards connecting a mix of apartment buildings, single-family detached homes, shopping centers, office parks and industrial warehouses. Major schools in Valencia include California Institute of the Arts
, College of the Canyons
, The Master's College, West Ranch High School
, and Valencia High School.
Valencia's residential areas are separated into villages, each with its own lifestyle (see List of Valencia, California residential villages). Almost all of Valencia's villages are close to schools, shopping, etc. In many of the villages, homeowner associations oversee the quality and upkeep of housing developments ranging in size from a few dozen homes to over a thousand. Many villages also have a Neighborhood Watch
program in force.
Valencia also has an extensive system of paved pathways with grade separations over and under the boulevards. The pathways are called paseos. These paseos connect the entire community together, making it possible to travel around nearly all of Valencia on foot or by bicycle without having to cross boulevards at grade. The paseo network is connected to the Santa Clara River Trail
which runs east along the Santa Clara River
to Canyon Country. Landowners in the Valencia area pay special taxes to maintain landscaping and the paseo system.
Recently, Valencia has emphasized its history as a planned community with the catchphrase, "Built as promised." It has even gone as far as to unofficially brand itself as "Awesometown," using the tagline "Just Another Day in...Awesometown" on the website.
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
located in the City of Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
and Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, U.S. in the northwestern corner of the Santa Clarita Valley
Santa Clarita Valley
The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the Rancho San Francisco Mexican land grant...
, adjacent to Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
. In 1987, it was one of the four unincorporated communities (along with Saugus, Newhall, and Canyon Country
Canyon Country, Santa Clarita, California
Canyon Country is a community and district within the town of Santa Clarita, located in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States....
) that merged to create the city of Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
. As of 2008, the population of Valencia is 148,456 and the estimated median household income is $109,029. Santa Clarita is ranked as one of the top 100 places to live by Money. Valencia is home to the Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
theme park and the adjacent Hurricane Harbor water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
.
Valencia was first planned in the 1960s by the Newhall Land and Farming Company
Newhall Land and Farming Company
The Newhall Land and Farming Company is a land management company based in Valencia, California, United States. The company is responsible for the master community planning of Valencia, as well as the management of farm land elsewhere in the state...
. Development began in the 1960s and continues to the present day. Valencia is notable for its landscaped boulevards connecting a mix of apartment buildings, single-family detached homes, shopping centers, office parks and industrial warehouses. Major schools in Valencia include California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
, College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons is a public two-year community college that operates within the Santa Clarita Community College District. The college is located on of rolling, tree-dotted hills in the incorporated city of Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County, California. The college’s address is:...
, The Master's College, West Ranch High School
West Ranch High School
West Ranch High School is a public high school in Stevenson Ranch, California. Bob Vincent has been the school's principal since it opened in 2004. The school mascot is the Wildcat, and navy blue and gold are the school's official colors. The Paw Print is the school's official newspaper, and is...
, and Valencia High School.
Valencia's residential areas are separated into villages, each with its own lifestyle (see List of Valencia, California residential villages). Almost all of Valencia's villages are close to schools, shopping, etc. In many of the villages, homeowner associations oversee the quality and upkeep of housing developments ranging in size from a few dozen homes to over a thousand. Many villages also have a Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch
A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...
program in force.
Valencia also has an extensive system of paved pathways with grade separations over and under the boulevards. The pathways are called paseos. These paseos connect the entire community together, making it possible to travel around nearly all of Valencia on foot or by bicycle without having to cross boulevards at grade. The paseo network is connected to the Santa Clara River Trail
Santa Clara River Trail
The Santa Clara River Trail is a rail trail that is used as a paved bicycle and walking path located in the city of Santa Clarita, California.The path is currently approximately in length and generally runs in an east-west direction and closely follows the path of the Santa Clara River and Soledad...
which runs east along the Santa Clara River
Santa Clara River (California)
The Santa Clara River is approximately long, located in southern California in the United States. It drains an area of the coastal mountains north of Los Angeles. The Santa Clara is one of the largest river systems along the coast of Southern California and one of only a few remaining river...
to Canyon Country. Landowners in the Valencia area pay special taxes to maintain landscaping and the paseo system.
Recently, Valencia has emphasized its history as a planned community with the catchphrase, "Built as promised." It has even gone as far as to unofficially brand itself as "Awesometown," using the tagline "Just Another Day in...Awesometown" on the website.
Notables
- Jon GarlandJon GarlandJon Steven Garland is a right-handed starting pitcher, who is currently a free agent.-High school career:At John F...
- Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher. Born in Valencia. - Kathy ColemanKathy ColemanKathy Coleman is a former American child actress who is known for playing Holly Marshall in the children's TV show Land of the Lost, a cult favorite...
- Actress, Land of the LostLand of the Lost (1974 TV series)Land of the Lost is a children's television series co-created and produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. During its original run, it was broadcast on the NBC television network....
. - Marielle JaffeMarielle JaffeJaclyn Marielle Jaffe is an American actress.Jaffe was born in Valencia, California. She made her feature film debut as Aphrodite Girl in the 2010 film, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. In April 2011, she was the supporting character Olivia Morris in the slasher film Scream 4...
- ModelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
/Actress. Born in Valencia. - David LeisureDavid LeisureDavid Russell Leisure is an American actor best known for his role as Charley Dietz in the sitcom Empty Nest from 1988 to 1995 and fictional automotive "pitch man" Joe Isuzu in a series of North American television commercials for Isuzu from 1986 to 1990, and again from 1999 to 2001.Additional...
- ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
lives in Valencia. - Kyle ReynishKyle ReynishKyle Reynish is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
- Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
goalkeeper. Born in Valencia. - Jessica D. StoneJessica D. StoneJessica Danielle Stone is an American actress.-Career:First debuting in theater as a young child, Jessica D. Stone has acted in numerous titles since and has previously worked with actors such as John Ritter, William Devane, Mandy Patinkin, Scott Bakula and J.B...
- Actress. Born in Valencia. - Ashley TisdaleAshley TisdaleAshley Michelle Tisdale is an American actress and singer who rose to prominence portraying the candy-counter girl Maddie Fitzpatrick in Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and the female antagonist Sharpay Evans in the High School Musical film series...
- Actress; graduated from Valencia High School. - Taylor Lautner - ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, stars as Jacob Black in Twilight. - Mitchel MussoMitchel MussoMitchel Tate Musso is an American actor, singer-songwriter and musician. Musso is best known for his three Disney Channel roles as Oliver Oken in the Disney Channel sitcom, Hannah Montana, Jeremy Johnson in the Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb and his role as King Brady in the...
- ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
lives in Valencia. - Luis Armand GarciaLuis Armand GarciaLuis Armand Garcia, born March 9, 1992, is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Max Lopez on the sitcom George Lopez.-Career:...
- ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
lives in Valencia, starred as Max Lopez in George LopezGeorge LopezGeorge Lopez is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host. He is mostly known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including the Mexican American culture... - Tamara WitmerTamara WitmerTamara Witmer is an American model, actress and reality television star. She is best known for her appearance as Playboy's Playmate of the Month, Miss August 2005, and was also the cover girl for the October 2006 issue....
- ModelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
Born in Valencia. - Naya RiveraNaya RiveraNaya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
- Actress, stars as Santana LopezSantana LopezSantana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Naya Rivera, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
in GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. - Tyler PoseyTyler PoseyTyler Garcia Posey is an American actor and musician. Tyler is best known for his role as Scott McCall in MTV's show Teen Wolf.-Career:...
- ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, MTV's Teen WolfTeen WolfTeen Wolf is a 1985 American fantasy comedy film released by Atlantic Releasing Corporation starring Michael J. Fox as Scott Howard, a high school student who discovers that his family has an unusual pedigree when he finds himself transforming into a werewolf...
; lives in Valencia. - Michael TrevinoMichael TrevinoMichael Trevino is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Tyler Lockwood in the CW series The Vampire Diaries.-Early life:...
- ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
; Tyler Lockwood in The Vampire DiariesThe Vampire DiariesThe Vampire Diaries is a young adult vampire horror series of novels written by L. J. Smith. The story centers around Elena Gilbert, a high school girl torn between two vampire brothers. The series was originally a trilogy published in 1991, but pressure from readers led Smith to write a fourth...
. - Shane VereenShane VereenShane Patrick-Henry Vereen is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted 56th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at California.-Early years:...
- UC Berkeley Running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
2007–2010; was selected in the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL DraftThe 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
by the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. - J. G. QuintelJ. G. QuintelJ. G. Quintel is an American television writer, animator and voice actor. He is best known as the creator of Regular Show, and was the creative director for Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack....
- TV writer. Born in Valencia. - Tracey GoldTracey GoldTracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
- Actress, starred on the TV show Growing PainsGrowing PainsGrowing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
. - Jon He - keyboardist and member of band Flawed Element.
In popular culture
- In the fourth season24 (season 4)Season Four, also known as Day 4 of the television series 24 premiered on January 9, 2005 and aired its season finale on May 23, 2005.The Season Four storyline starts and ends at 7:00 am....
of the Fox TV series, 2424 (TV series)24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
, Valencia was the new home of Jack Bauer'sJack BauerJack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
daughter Kim and fiancé Chase. - In the sixth season24 (season 6)Season Six, also known as Day 6, of the television series 24 premiered in the United States on Sunday, January 14, 2007, the UK on January 21, 2007 and in Australia on January 30, 2007.The season's storyline began and ended at 6:00 a.m...
of the Fox TV series, 24, Valencia was ground zeroGround zeroThe term ground zero describes the point on the Earth's surface closest to a detonation...
for a nuclear blast and was destroyed. - The theme park "Wally World" in the movie National Lampoon's VacationNational Lampoon's VacationVacation, sometimes referred as National Lampoon's Vacation, is a 1983 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Dana Barron and Anthony Michael Hall...
is actually filmed at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. - The set of the CBS hit series NCISNCIS (TV series)NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
is located in Valencia - The Showtime TV series WeedsWeeds (TV series)Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
was filmed in Valencia and the neighboring community of Stevenson Ranch - Valencia was a filming location for the Power RangersPower RangersPower Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
series for eight seasons, from 1993 to 2001. - The set for the Gas station explosion in the movie Christine was constructed and filmed on a vacant lot in Valencia.
- Valencia was featured in a scene in the movie Ocean's ThirteenOcean's ThirteenOcean's Thirteen is a 2007 crime comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring an ensemble cast. It is the third and final film in the Soderbergh series following the 2004 sequel Ocean's Twelve and the 2001 film Ocean's Eleven, which itself was a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film Ocean's 11...
where Brad Pitt was supposed to be executing a vault heist. - The Gas Station scene from "Little Miss SunshineLittle Miss SunshineLittle Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer...
" was filmed at Freeway Chevron on Lyons Ave. - The NBC TV series The Office has filmed scenes in Valencia, most notably the golf course scenes from "Job FairJob Fair (The Office)"Job Fair" is the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's seventieth episode overall. Written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Tucker Gates, the episode first aired in the United States on May 8, 2008 on NBC...
." - The NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
TV series The Secret World of Alex MackThe Secret World of Alex MackThe Secret World of Alex Mack is an American television series that ran on Nickelodeon from October 8, 1994 to January 15, 1998, replacing Clarissa Explains It All on the SNICK line-up. It also aired on YTV in Canada and NHK in Japan, and was a popular staple in the children's weekday line-up for...
was primarily filmed in Valencia. The Junior High scenes were filmed at Charles Helmers Elementary School. - Victoria JusticeVictoria JusticeVictoria Justice is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and dancer. She debuted as an actress at the age of 10 and has since appeared in several films and television series including the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 and Victorious...
Shot the music video "Best Friend's BrotherBest Friend's Brother"Best Friend's Brother" is a song performed by American pop recording artist Victoria Justice, billed as Cast of Victorious featuring Victoria Justice. It was produced by Allan Grigg, who also co-wrote the song with Savan Kotecha and Victoria Justice, for Victorious , the soundtrack to the...
" in Valencia.
External links
- Valencia at a Glance - Newhall Land's profile of the community
- Awesometown