Thousand Oaks
Thousand Oaks is situated in beautiful County of Ventura, around 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, just against the Santa Monica Mountains and encircled by more than 14,800 acres open space.

This publicly owned area feeds as a splendor nature and 75 miles of trails for hiking, biking, or just leisurely walking, adding the comfort of inhabitants of Thousands Oaks.

Thousand Oaks was incorporated on October 7, 1964. The city is known for being very well planned community. As a result, the city has almost no problems when compared to other cities of similar size, such as traffic congestion and pollution.

Because of its desirable environment that is very close to nature, real-estate values have hiked more than 250% in less than ten years time, primarily during the mid-90s to early 2000s.

Community and Culture
Thousand Oaks is a master planned community. City services which other communities only dream about such as a teen center, city-owned library, cultural center, senior center, quality infrastructure, and natural open space is due to thorough planning by the Citys past councils and leaders.

Community in Thousands Oaks is been very active, that remains busy in cultural and community related activities. City has more than 30 commissions, boards, and committees that provide citizen input to the City Council.

Because of extensively involved community, the City of Thousand Oaks administration takes the communication with residents seriously. The City has its own government cable access channel, TOTV, to air City Council and commission meetings for residents live and as repeats throughout the week.

Opened in 1994, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza has turned out to the jewel of cultural and arts activities in the town, featuring world-class entertainment, concerts, musicals, ballets, childrens shows and much more.

Jungleland in Thousands Oaks was one of Southern
California's first theme parks. Wild animal shows entertained thousands back in the 1940s and 1950s. Many TV and movie productions used the park's trained animals and were filmed there, including Birth of a Nation, Tarzan, and The Adventures of Robin Hood). The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center today stands on the site of the park.

Administration
Thousand Oaks is one of the few cities of over 100,000 that do not directly elect its mayor; instead the council members take turns rotating into the position. Hence, City Council is the policy-making body, appointing the City Manager who is responsible for carrying out Council policy. Currently City Manager is Scott Mitnick. Assistant City Manager is Linda Pappas D?az.

Today the city boasts a very active city council. Along with the ordinances protecting the numerous oak trees, the city's leaders and residents alike boast of the ring of protected land, free from development, that surrounds the city's borders and which may account for the accelerating land values in recent years.

Economic Development
Thousand Oaks is the economic engine of Ventura County when it comes to job opportunities, sales tax generation, property tax generation, and economic diversity. Along with, Thousand Oaks is undergoing huge renovations and development.

The Oaks Mall is being expanded by the Macerich Company, and the city has plans to renovate the old Downtown, near the Civic Arts Plaza on Thousand Oaks Blvd. There are new homes being built in very few areas of the city.

Primary areas of new residential construction are currently in-fill sites within the developed area of the community and not outward expansion. Thousand Oaks headquarters many corporate and regional businesses, as well as other diverse retail, industrial and business entities.

Major corporations include two international leaders in Biotechnology field, named as Amgen, Inc., and the Bioscience Division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation; Jafra Cosmetics, an international cosmetics company; WellPoint Health Networks, Inc., one of the nation's largest publicly-traded managed care companies; General Dynamics Corporation and Rockwell Science Center, all leaders in international high technology; General Motors Regional Office, and Verizon's Regional Office.

The rich diversity of businesses in Thousands Oaks provides the area with a strong and stable economic foundation. In addition, retail, corporate and industrial entities give community members a variety of local employment opportunities.

Thousand Oaks is also home to many entrepreneurs and welcomes small business to the area. Sales tax represents the largest source of revenue to the City and the business community is, therefore, a very important component of the City's financial well being.

Education
Thousand Oaks is serviced by the Conejo Valley Unified School District that includes various elementary schools including Redwood Middle School, Colina Middle School, Thousand Oaks High School, Westlake High School, Los Cerritos Middle School and Newbury Park High School.

Also part of the school district is Sequoia Middle School that sits in Newbury Park. Oaks Christian High School comes immediately outside of Ventura County serves to matriculates students from the county. La Reina High School happens to be a private Catholic high school for girls. Other than these, California Lutheran University is located in Thousand Oaks.

Climate
The region bears with warm, sunny, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. You may find vegetation that is symbol of Mediterranean environments, along with the chaparral and grasses on the hillsides and numerous western valley oaks.

Thousands Oaks is slightly cooler than the surroundings due to cooler air coming from the ocean through various hill and mountain passes.