LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, CA

La Cañada Flintridge, commonly known simply as La Cañada (Spanish for 'The Canyon'), is a city in the foothills of the Verdugo Mountains in Los Angeles County, California. Located in the Crescenta Valley, in the western edge of Southern California's San Gabriel Valley, it is the home of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

History

During the Spanish and Mexican eras, the area was known as . Before the city's incorporation on November 30th, 1976, it consisted of two distinct communities, La Cañada and Flintridge. La Cañada comes from the Spanish word (), meaning 'canyon', 'gorge', or 'ravine'; Flintridge was named after its developer, United States Senator Frank P. Flint.

Flintridge comprises the southern part of the city, covering the northern flank of the San Rafael Hills, but more generally including most areas south of Foothill Blvd. The eastern part, even north of Foothill Blvd, was also originally considered Flintridge and is still home to the Flintridge Riding Club and Flintridge Preparatory School.

Reference to the entire city is often shortened to just "La Cañada" or seldom to just "Flintridge". The full city name specifically does not have a hyphen in it, to illustrate unity between the two communities that became one.

In a 2015 issue of Forbes, La Cañada Flintridge ranked as the 121st most expensive U.S. city.

Geography

La Cañada Flintridge is located at .

The city is situated in the Crescenta Valley and far western end of the San Gabriel Valley. It is nestled between the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest to the north, and the San Rafael Hills to the south. Most of the city drains southeastward toward the Arroyo Seco area in Pasadena, but the western part of the city (generally west of Alta Canyada Road) drains southward toward Glendale via Verdugo Canyon. Both drainages join the Los Angeles River north of downtown Los Angeles. It is built of the Angeles Crest, the San Rafaels, and the canyon in the middle.

La Cañada Flintridge varies in elevation from about 970 feet (295 m) just below Devil's Gate Dam in the Arroyo Seco to about 2400 feet (730 m) at the highest neighborhood, along the mountain front east of Pickens Canyon, at the upper end of Ocean View Blvd. The city limits extend into the San Gabriel Mountains and reach 3440 feet (1050 m) along Mount Lukens Road, which follows the crest line well above the developed city.

In August 2009, the city came under threat by the Station Fire. The city is considered a "very high fire hazard severity zone" because of the local topography at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains and abundance of California Live Oak, despite an aggressive fire safety program.

The city is home to Descanso Gardens and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Climate

The climate of La Cañada Flintridge is typical of a Southern California inland valley, with mild winters and hot summers. Spring often has hazy days, in contrast to the more persistently clear weather of fall. On average, the warmest month is August with high temperatures in the low to mid 90s and lows in the low 70s. December and January are the coolest months with typical highs in the low to mid 60s and lows in the low 40s. Rainfall occurs mostly during winter, averaging about 21 inches annually. Rainfall is rare in summer. The moderating influence of the ocean (22 miles, 35 km, away) is limited due to the city's location inland from the intervening Santa Monica Mountains, the Verdugo Mountains, and the San Rafael Hills. Consequently, summers are generally hotter and winters often cooler than in coastal parts of metropolitan Los Angeles if winds are calm or blowing gently offshore. Occasional strong offshore winds, known as the Santa Ana winds, can bring particularly hot air in summer and fall as air from the desert plateaus crosses the mountains and descends, thus warming further by adiabatic heating. Summer and early fall temperatures are substantially cooler if the prevailing wind is persistently onshore. Occasionally during a winter storm, the upper elevations of the city may see trace amounts of snow. The small ski resorts Mountain High, Mount Baldy, and Mount Waterman are located about to the northeast.

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that La Cañada Flintridge had a population of 20,246. The population density was 2,341.8 people per square mile (904.2/km²). The racial makeup of La Cañada Flintridge was 13,959 (68.9%) White (64.7% Non-Hispanic White),

109 (0.5%) African American, 24 (0.1%) Native American, 5,214 (25.8%) Asian, 5 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 245 (1.2%) from other races, and 690 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,267 persons (6.3%).

The Census reported that 20,219 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 21 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 6 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 6,849 households, out of which 2,873 (41.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,029 (73.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 525 (7.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 214 (3.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 103 (1.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 36 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 924 households (13.5%) were made up of individuals, and 559 (8.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95. There were 5,768 families (84.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.24.

The population was spread out, with 5,315 people (26.3%) under the age of 18, 1,363 people (6.7%) aged 18 to 24, 3,157 people (15.6%) aged 25 to 44, 7,224 people (35.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,187 people (15.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.9 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

There were 7,089 housing units at an average density of 820.0 per square mile (316.6/km²), of which 6,120 (89.4%) were owner-occupied, and 729 (10.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 18,052 people (89.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,167 people (10.7%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, La Cañada Flintridge had a median household income of $156,952, with 1.8% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 20,318 people, 6,823 households, and 5,690 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,348.9 inhabitants per square mile (906.9/km²). There were 6,989 housing units at an average density of 808.0 per square mile (312.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.53% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 31.57% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 3.31% from two or more races. 4.80% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,823 households, out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.7% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

According to a 2008 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $140,474, and the median income for a family was $157,511. Males had a median income of $92,760 versus $57,321 for females. The per capita income for the city was $52,838. About 3.6% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

The La Cañada Unified School District (LCUSD) serves most of the city and is ranked as one of the top school districts in the state. On September 13, 2010, the California Department of Education announced that 2010 California Standards Tests (CSTs) results indicate that the La Cañada Unified School District earned the second highest Academic Performance Index (API) score in the state. The API reflects a district's performance level, based on the results of statewide testing. The district has three public elementary schools that serve grades K-6: La Cañada Elementary, Palm Crest Elementary, and Paradise Canyon Elementary School. The public high school, La Cañada High School, which also serves as a middle school (grades 7–8), is a 1993 and 2004 Blue Ribbon School.

A small western portion of the city is served by the Glendale Unified School District, with La Cañada Flintridge students attending Mountain Avenue Elementary School, Rosemont Middle School, Clark Magnet High School and Crescenta Valley High School.

Private schools

Several private schools that are not part of the LAUSD are located within La Cañada. The private high schools within the city limits are St. Francis High School, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, and Flintridge Preparatory School.

The private elementary schools within the city limits are Crestview Preparatory (K-6), The Learning Castle (K-3), La Canada Preparatory (grades 4–8), and St. Bede (K-8).

Delphi Academy of Los Angeles, a Delphi Academy school, opened in La Cañada Flintridge in 1984. The school left the city when its current campus in Lake View Terrace, Los Angeles opened in 2003.

Media

The city was originally serviced by two newspapers: The La Canada Valley Sun, a community division of the Los Angeles Times, and the La Canada Outlook. However, in April 2020, the Los Angeles Times announced it would be shutting down some of its local papers, including the La Canada Valley Sun due to continuing financial issues that were worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after, the La Canada Outlook announced they were buying the Valley Sun and were rebranding their newspaper as the La Canada Outlook Valley Sun.

Government

Municipal government

La Cañada Flintridge is governed by its city council, which has five members, each elected to overlapping four-year terms. Each year, the council selects one of its members to serve as mayor and another to serve as mayor pro-tem for terms of one year. The elections were held on March of odd-numbered years until 2017. Beginning in 2020, the elections are held during the California Primary elections. The council is aided by five commissions and two committees, each with its own area of responsibility. In addition, the council appoints the city manager, city attorney, city treasurer, and all members of its advisory bodies. It also serves as the governing board for the public improvement corporation, the redevelopment agency, the LCF Local Financing Authority, and Sanitation Districts No. 28 and No. 34.

La Cañada Flintridge's City Hall was located on 1327 Foothill Boulevard from December 1976 to March 2019. In March 2019, the government moved to a new City Hall at One Civic Center Drive, which is located in the La Cañada Flintridge Town Center where the former Sport Chalet headquarters were located.

As of June 2020, the current members of the city council are:

The City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of La Cañada Flintridge City Hall. The City Council elections were held on Tuesday after the first Monday in March of odd-numbered years, but effective March 2020, the City Council elections will be held along with California's presidential, U.S. House and California State Senate and Assembly Primary election.

State and federal representation

In the state senate, La Cañada Flintridge is in .

In the California State Assembly, La Cañada Flintridge is located in the 43rd district, and is represented by Laura Friedman.

In the United States House of Representatives, La Cañada Flintridge is in .

Law enforcement

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) provides law enforcement services to La Cañada Flintridge under contract and operates the Crescenta Valley Station in La Crescenta.

Fire and EMS Service

The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) operates fire stations 19 and 82 in the city. Fire stations 11 and 12 in Altadena, and station 63 in La Crescenta-Montrose also serve the city regularly. Emergency transportation is done by Care Ambulance Service.

Annual landscaping inspections and "stringent fire-safe building codes" were put in place to mitigate the risk of wildfires, like the 2009 Station Fire.

Points of interest

Transportation

La Cañada Flintridge is the southern terminus of the Angeles Crest Highway. It begins at the intersection with Foothill Boulevard and follows a two-mile, 5% grade before entering the San Gabriel Mountains.

On September 5, 2008, a big rig carrying 78,000 pounds of onions lost its brakes on the Angeles Crest Highway. To avoid a collision with the Hill Street Café at the intersection with Foothill Boulevard, the rig turned towards a small driveway, sideswiped the Café, crashed into a wall, a garbage bin, a tree and six vehicles before coming to rest in the parking lot. James Bines, 43, of Florida, and his passenger, Willy Robinson, had been hauling a full load of onions through the high desert area in the 18-wheeler. They traveled over the Angeles Crest Highway because, Bines said, he had received directions from his global positioning system that the highway, State Route 2, was the most direct route from there to Los Angeles.

On April 1, 2009, a similar incident occurred at roughly the same location. A car carrier transporting six cars southbound on the Angeles Crest Highway lost its brakes and, despite three runaway vehicle escape medians in the center islands, caused multiple vehicle accidents that resulted in two fatalities and 12 injuries, three of them critical. Angel Jorge Posca, 58, and his 12-year-old daughter Angelina, both of Palmdale, had just exited the eastbound Foothill Freeway at the Angeles Crest Highway in their red Ford Escort and were starting to turn north on the highway to return to Palmdale when the semi-truck struck their vehicle.

A bill that bans heavy trucks with three or more axles from driving on the Angeles Crest Highway was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on August 6, 2009.

Notable people

Sister cities