Oak Park History

The Oak Park Unified School District is located in the southeast corner of Ventura County, immediately adjacent to the Los Angeles County line. Prior to 1977, the area served by the District had been included in the Simi Valley Unified School District, which was formed in 1936.
Although the first school was built in Simi Valley in 1890, the Oak Park area experienced no growth until 1967 when 160 homes were built. Additional homes were constructed subsequent to 1967, and in 1968, Brookside Elementary School was completed to house the elementary students living in those homes.

Beginning in 1970, Oak Park residents made formal request to the Las Virgenes Unified School District Governing Board for annexation to that District. Three denials of this request prompted District residents to begin the process of forming their own school district.
On January 13, 1977, the State Board of Education approved the proposed Oak Park Unified School District, and an election was held in Oak Park on May 31, 1977. Seventy-seven percent of the eligible Oak Park electorate voted in that election and unification was approved with a ninety-three percent affirmative vote. A five-member Board of Education was elected at the same time, and their first business meeting was held on June 14, 1977.

In the year of 1998, there were approximately 4,700 residential addresses in Oak Park based on Oak Park Water Service hook-ups. Based on housing units completed, as of 12/01/98 the population of Oak Park was approximately 17,225.

On December 15, 1992, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved a General Plan Amendment combining the Ahmanson and Jordan Ranch proposed projects into The Ahmanson Ranch Development at the eastern boundary of Ventura County. If the plan were implemented, this development would increase residences in the Oak Park Unified School District by 3,050 additional dwelling units and should generate approximately 1,550 new students. This growth would have necessitated the construction of two new elementary schools and a middle school within the project, as well as major additions to the existing Oak Park High School. The development would also include 400,000 square feet of commercial space, a town center, neighborhood parks and two eighteen hole golf courses.

In 1991, the Agoura Hills Postmaster gave the community of Oak Park permission to use Oak Park, CA 91301 instead of using the previously assigned Agoura. And as of January 1, 1999, Oak Park now has its own Zip Code – 91377. Residents are happy with this, as it is one more step in identifying this unique community.

Also in 1991, Oak Park had its first shopping center with a Ralph's Grocery, Thrifty Drug Store, Blockbuster Video, and various other specialty stores, including a coffee house that has become a local meeting spot. In 1999, the second corner commercial area opened which includes a Starbucks (an alternative meeting spot).

Oak Park By the NumbersOak Park By the Numbers