Chula Vista, California
Encyclopedia
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area
, the seventh largest
city in Southern California
, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California
, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S.. The population was 243,916 as of the 2010 census.
Located just 7 miles (11.3 km) from downtown San Diego and 7 miles (11.3 km) from the Mexican border in the South Bay
region of the metropolitan area, the city is at the center of one of the richest economic and culturally diverse zones in the United States. Chula Vista is so named because of its scenic location between the San Diego Bay
and coastal mountain foothills.
Founded in the early 19th century, fast population growth has recently been observed in the city. As the second largest city in San Diego County, Chula Vista has quickly become a destination popular to many tourists. Located in the city is one of Americas few year-round United States Olympic Training centers
and popular tourist destinations include Cricket Wireless Amphitheater, Knott's Soak City USA, the Chula Vista marina, the Chula Vista Nature Center as well as golf courses and the region’s newest lifestyle center.
began movement into the region from the Lower Colorado River Valley
and southwestern Arizona
portions of the Sonoran desert
. Later the Kumeyaay
tribe came to populate the land, on which the city sits today, who lived in the area for hundreds of years.
In the year 1542, a fleet of three Spanish Empire
ships, commanded by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
, sailed into San Diego Harbor. Early explorations by Spanish conquistador
s, such as these, led to Spanish claims of the land. The historic land on which Chula Vista sits became part of the 1795 land grant known as Rancho del Rey or The King's Ranch. The land eventually was renamed Rancho del la Nacion.
During the Mexican-American War, California was claimed by the United States, regardless of the California independence
movement that had briefly swept the state. Though California was now under the jurisdiction of the United States, land grants were allowed to continue in the form of private property.
The San Diego Land and Town Company developed lands of the Rancho de la Nación
for new settlement. The town began as a five thousand acre development, with the first house being erected in 1887; by 1889, ten houses had been completed. Chula Vista can be roughly translated from Spanish as "beautiful view."
The 1888 completion of the Sweetwater Dam
allowed for irrigation of Chula Vista farming lands. Chula Vista eventually became the largest lemon
-growing center in the world for a period of time.
In 1916, the Hercules Powder Company
opened a 30-acre bayfront site, now known as Gunpowder point, which produced substances used to make cordite
, which was used extensively by the British military during World War I
. Although the Great Depression affected Chula Vista significantly, agriculture still provided considerable income for the residents. In 1931, the lemon orchards produced $1 million in revenue and the celery fields contributed $600,000.
The relocation of Rohr Aircraft Corporation to Chula Vista in early 1941, just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, changed Chula Vista. The land never returned to being orchard groves again. The population of post-World War II Chula Vista tripled from 5,000 residents in 1940 to more than 16,000 in 1950. After the war, many of the factory workers and thousands of servicemen stayed in the area resulting in the huge growth in population. The last of the citrus groves and produce fields disappeared as Chula Vista became one of the largest communities in San Diego County.
In January 1986, Chula Vista annexed the unincorporated community of Montgomery which had previously rejected annexation in 1979 and 1982. At the time of the annexation the community was virtually surrounded by its larger neighbor. Over the next few decades, Chula Vista continued to expand eastward. Plans called for a variety of housing developments such as Eastlake, Rancho del Rey and Otay Ranch neighborhoods.
and II
The army maintained a base on what is now the corner of Main Street and Albany Avenue. It initially served as a border post during World War I, and was reestablished in December 1942. It was home to the 140th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division. The base was closed in February 1944, and the division went on to see combat in the European theater
. All traces of the post have since been removed.
Chula Vista is growing at a fast pace, with major developments taking place in the Otay Valley near the U.S. Olympic Training Center and Otay Lake Reservoir. Thousands of new homes have been built in the Otay Ranch, Lomas Verdes, Rancho Del Rey, Eastlake
and Otay Mesa Areas. The South Bay Expressway, a toll-road extension of state route 125, opened November 19, 2007, connecting freeways 805
and 905
with State Route 54
.
On May 30, 2006 officials from Chula Vista and the San Diego Chargers
met to potentially discuss building a new stadium that would serve as the home for the team. Yet, in June 2009 the Chargers removed Chula Vista as a possible location for a new stadium. In 2009, Chula Vista - along with nine other second tier metropolitan area cities such as Hialeah and Southern California's Santa Ana
- was ranked as one of the most boring cities in America by Forbes Magazine; citing the large population but rare mentions of the city in national media. A current development plan in Chula Vista is to develop the bayfront
.
region of San Diego County, between the foothills of the Jamul
and San Ysidro Mountains
(including Lower Otay Reservoir
) and San Diego Bay
on its east and west extremes, and the Sweetwater River
and Otay River
at its north and south extremes. In South Bay Chula Vista has a large footprint, and aside from South San Diego
, it is the largest geographic entity in the region.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city covers an area of 52.1 square miles (134.9 km²), 49.6 square miles (128.5 km²) of it land, and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²) or 4.73% of it water.
. It also maintains several city maintained open space areas.
which it shares with San Diego County.
. These communities expanded upon the eastern annexations of the 1970s, including the area around Southwestern College
.
Presently the City Council is led by Mayor Cheryl Cox
. It has four other city councilmembers: Rudy Ramirez, Patricia Aguilar, Pamela Bensoussan, and Steve Castaneda.
Chula Vista is located in the 40th Senate
District, represented by Democrat
Juan Vargas
, and in the 78th and 79th Assembly
District, represented by Democrats Martin Block
and Ben Hueso
respectively. Federally, Chula Vista is located in California's 51st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +7 and is represented by Democrat Bob Filner
.
, out of the city's total population, 99,248 are registered to vote, reduced from 103,985 in 2009. The three largest registered parties in the city are the Democratic Party with 42,456, Republican Party
with 29,446, and Decline to State
with 23,620.
was 4,682.2 people per square mile (1,807.8/km²). The racial makeup of Chula Vista was (20.4%) White, (4.6%) African American, (0.8%) Native American, (14.4%) Asian, (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 49,171 (20.2%) from other races
, and (5.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were (58.2%) of the population.
The Census reported that 242,180 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 656 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,080 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 75,515 households, out of which 36,064 (47.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 42,153 (55.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 12,562 (16.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4,693 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,720 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 502 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 12,581 households (16.7%) were made up of individuals and 4,997 (6.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.21. There were 59,408 families
(78.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.60.
The population was spread out with 68,126 people (27.9%) under the age of 18, 24,681 people (10.1%) aged 18 to 24, 70,401 people (28.9%) aged 25 to 44, 56,269 people (23.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 24,439 people (10.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
There were 79,416 housing units at an average density of 1,524.5 per square mile (588.6/km²), of which 43,855 (58.1%) were owner-occupied, and 31,660 (41.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.5%. 143,330 people (58.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 98,850 people (40.5%) lived in rental housing units.
In 1990, the city's population was 135,163. The racial make up of the city during the 1990 census was 67.7% White, 18.1% Other, 8.2% Asian, 4.5% African American, 0.6% Pacific Islander, and 0.6% Native American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.2%. Of these individuals, 26% were under the age of 18.
In 1980, the city's population was 83,927. The racial make up of the city during the 1980 census was 83.1% White, 7.9% "Race, n.e.c.", 6.1% Asian and Pacific Islander, 2.1% African American, and 0.7% Native American. Persons of "Spanish Origin" made up 46.6% of the population.
, Knott's Soak City USA, the Chula Vista Marina
, and the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The Nature Center is home to interactive exhibits describing geologic and historic aspects of the Sweetwater Marsh and San Diego Bay
. The Center has exhibits on sharks, rays, waterbirds, birds of prey, insects, and flora. Otay Valley Regional Park is located partially within Chula Vista, where it covers the area of a natural river valley
.
The marina at Chula Vista is located in South Bay
including multiple marinas and being home to the Chula Vista Yacht Club. Sports fishing and whale watching charters operate the regional bay area. The Olympic Training Center assists current and future Olympic athletes in archery
, rowing
, kayaking
, soccer, softball
, field hockey
, tennis
, track and field
, and cycling
.
the only live theater in South Bay, San Diego
. Other points of interest and events include the Chula Vista Nature Center, the J Street Harbor, the Third Avenue Village, the Olympic Training Center, and Knott's Soak City
. Downtown Chula Vista hosts a number of cultural events, including the famous Lemon Festival, Starlight Parade, and Chula Vista Rose Festival.
Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre is a performing arts theatre that was the areas first major concert music facility. OnStage theater stages high quality productions; serving as a large contributor to the cultural arts setting in Chula Vista. Knott's Soak City is a large waterpark representative of Chula Vista providing for both tourists and residents.
and The San Diego Union-Tribune
.
begins to the south of the city and runs through its western edge. Interstate 5 connects Chula Vista to North County and beyond to Greater Los Angeles
and Northern California
. Interstate 805
serves as a bypass to Interstate 5, linking to the latter interstate in Sorrento Valley. Interstate 905 runs from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and is one of three auxiliary three-digit Interstate to meet an international border. State Route 54
and State Route 125
serve as highways to East County
cities via north and northeastern corridors.
, headquartered in Chula Vista, serves as the primary secondary school district. The Chula Vista Elementary School District, the largest K-6 district in the State of California with 44 campuses, serves publicly educated kindergarten
through sixth grade students.
Chula Vista is home to one of the four private colleges
in San Diego County and is host to Southwestern College
; a community college
founded in 1961, that serves approximately 19,000 students annually.
.
San Diego metropolitan area
The San Diego Metropolitan Area, also known as Greater San Diego and officially the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area, is a metropolitan area on the United States Pacific Coast. The U.S. Census of the Bureau defines the San Diego metropolitan area as encompassing all of...
, the seventh largest
Largest cities in Southern California
This is a list of the 60 largest cities in Southern California by population. Official definitions of cities are defined according to the concept of city proper. The list ranks the regions urban municipal units according to population...
city in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S.. The population was 243,916 as of the 2010 census.
Located just 7 miles (11.3 km) from downtown San Diego and 7 miles (11.3 km) from the Mexican border in the South Bay
South Bay, San Diego
South Bay is a region in southwestern San Diego County, California consisting of the communities and cities of Bonita, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Lincoln Acres, National City, and South San Diego....
region of the metropolitan area, the city is at the center of one of the richest economic and culturally diverse zones in the United States. Chula Vista is so named because of its scenic location between the San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
and coastal mountain foothills.
Founded in the early 19th century, fast population growth has recently been observed in the city. As the second largest city in San Diego County, Chula Vista has quickly become a destination popular to many tourists. Located in the city is one of Americas few year-round United States Olympic Training centers
United States Olympic Training Center
The United States Olympic Training Centers are three campuses created by the United States Olympic Committee as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Lake Placid, New York; and Chula Vista, California. There is a U.S. Olympic...
and popular tourist destinations include Cricket Wireless Amphitheater, Knott's Soak City USA, the Chula Vista marina, the Chula Vista Nature Center as well as golf courses and the region’s newest lifestyle center.
Early history
Prehistoric evidence, of both land and aquatic origin, date Chula Vista's history to millions of years back. In the year 3000 B.C. people speaking the Yuman (Quechan) languageQuechan language
Quechan, also known as Yuma, is the native language of the Quechan people of southeastern California and southwestern Arizona in the Lower Colorado River Valley and Sonoran Desert....
began movement into the region from the Lower Colorado River Valley
Lower Colorado River Valley
The Lower Colorado River Valley is the river region of the lower Colorado River of the southwestern United States in North America that rises in the Rocky Mountains and has its outlet at the Colorado River Delta in the northern Sea of Cortez in northwestern Mexico, between the states of Baja...
and southwestern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
portions of the Sonoran desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
. Later the Kumeyaay
Kumeyaay
The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai, Kamia, or formerly Diegueño, are Native American people of the extreme southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. They live in the states of California in the US and Baja California in Mexico. In Spanish, the name is commonly spelled...
tribe came to populate the land, on which the city sits today, who lived in the area for hundreds of years.
In the year 1542, a fleet of three Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
ships, commanded by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America on behalf of Spain. Cabrillo was the first European explorer to navigate the coast of present day California in the United States...
, sailed into San Diego Harbor. Early explorations by Spanish conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s, such as these, led to Spanish claims of the land. The historic land on which Chula Vista sits became part of the 1795 land grant known as Rancho del Rey or The King's Ranch. The land eventually was renamed Rancho del la Nacion.
During the Mexican-American War, California was claimed by the United States, regardless of the California independence
California Republic
The California Republic, also called the Bear Flag Republic, is the name used for a period of revolt against Mexico initially proclaimed by a handful of American settlers in Mexican California on June 14, 1846, in Sonoma. This was shortly before news of the Mexican–American War had reached the area...
movement that had briefly swept the state. Though California was now under the jurisdiction of the United States, land grants were allowed to continue in the form of private property.
The San Diego Land and Town Company developed lands of the Rancho de la Nación
Rancho de la Nación
Rancho de la Nación was a Mexican land grant in present day southern San Diego County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to John Forster...
for new settlement. The town began as a five thousand acre development, with the first house being erected in 1887; by 1889, ten houses had been completed. Chula Vista can be roughly translated from Spanish as "beautiful view."
The 1888 completion of the Sweetwater Dam
Sweetwater Dam
The Sweetwater Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. As the crow flies, it sits about east of San Diego and northeast of Chula Vista; and just south of the city of La Presa...
allowed for irrigation of Chula Vista farming lands. Chula Vista eventually became the largest lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
-growing center in the world for a period of time.
20th century
The citizens of Chula Vista voted to incorporate on October 17, 1911. The State approved in November.In 1916, the Hercules Powder Company
Hercules Inc.
Hercules, Inc., was a chemical and munitions manufacturing company based in Wilmington, Delaware, which was formed in 1912 as the Hercules Powder Company. Hercules was spun-off from the DuPont Corporation as a result of U.S. federal government actions in the field of antitrusts...
opened a 30-acre bayfront site, now known as Gunpowder point, which produced substances used to make cordite
Cordite
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance...
, which was used extensively by the British military during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Although the Great Depression affected Chula Vista significantly, agriculture still provided considerable income for the residents. In 1931, the lemon orchards produced $1 million in revenue and the celery fields contributed $600,000.
The relocation of Rohr Aircraft Corporation to Chula Vista in early 1941, just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, changed Chula Vista. The land never returned to being orchard groves again. The population of post-World War II Chula Vista tripled from 5,000 residents in 1940 to more than 16,000 in 1950. After the war, many of the factory workers and thousands of servicemen stayed in the area resulting in the huge growth in population. The last of the citrus groves and produce fields disappeared as Chula Vista became one of the largest communities in San Diego County.
In January 1986, Chula Vista annexed the unincorporated community of Montgomery which had previously rejected annexation in 1979 and 1982. At the time of the annexation the community was virtually surrounded by its larger neighbor. Over the next few decades, Chula Vista continued to expand eastward. Plans called for a variety of housing developments such as Eastlake, Rancho del Rey and Otay Ranch neighborhoods.
Camp Otay/Weber
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
The army maintained a base on what is now the corner of Main Street and Albany Avenue. It initially served as a border post during World War I, and was reestablished in December 1942. It was home to the 140th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division. The base was closed in February 1944, and the division went on to see combat in the European theater
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
. All traces of the post have since been removed.
21st century
In 2003, Chula Vista had 200,000 residents and was the second largest city in San Diego County.Chula Vista is growing at a fast pace, with major developments taking place in the Otay Valley near the U.S. Olympic Training Center and Otay Lake Reservoir. Thousands of new homes have been built in the Otay Ranch, Lomas Verdes, Rancho Del Rey, Eastlake
Eastlake, San Diego County, California
Eastlake, California is a master planned community within the city of Chula Vista, CA. and San Diego County.Between 1979-1981 the H.G. Fenton Company hired Cadillac-Fairview Homes West of Newport Beach to plan, zone, and develop 3,200 acres of land just south of San Diego in the City of Chula...
and Otay Mesa Areas. The South Bay Expressway, a toll-road extension of state route 125, opened November 19, 2007, connecting freeways 805
Interstate 805
Interstate 805 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a bypass of Interstate 5, running along the eastern areas of the Greater San Diego area from San Ysidro near the Mexico–U.S...
and 905
California State Route 905
State Route 905 is a state highway in San Diego, California that connects Interstate 5 and Interstate 805 in San Ysidro to the United States – Mexico border at Otay Mesa. The portions of the route from I-5 to I-805 and from Britannia Boulevard to the International border are freeway...
with State Route 54
California State Route 54
State Route 54 is a California State Highway in San Diego that connects Interstate 5 to the city of El Cajon. The first section was built circa 1961, and the final section of freeway opened in 2007....
.
On May 30, 2006 officials from Chula Vista and the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
met to potentially discuss building a new stadium that would serve as the home for the team. Yet, in June 2009 the Chargers removed Chula Vista as a possible location for a new stadium. In 2009, Chula Vista - along with nine other second tier metropolitan area cities such as Hialeah and Southern California's Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
- was ranked as one of the most boring cities in America by Forbes Magazine; citing the large population but rare mentions of the city in national media. A current development plan in Chula Vista is to develop the bayfront
Chula Vista Bayfront
The Chula Vista Bayfront is a master planned waterfront development on San Diego Bay within Chula Vista, California, United States. The bayfront is undergoing major development under the project title Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan, one of the largest waterfront planning efforts in the United...
.
Geography
Owning up to its Spanish name origins - beautiful view - Chula Vista is located in the South BaySouth Bay, San Diego
South Bay is a region in southwestern San Diego County, California consisting of the communities and cities of Bonita, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Lincoln Acres, National City, and South San Diego....
region of San Diego County, between the foothills of the Jamul
Jamul Mountains
The Jamul Mountains are a mountain range in San Diego County, California....
and San Ysidro Mountains
San Ysidro Mountains
The San Ysidro Mountains are a mountain range in San Diego County, California. They are considered a part of the Peninsular Ranges. The range extends for a short distance into Baja California. The highest point of the range is Otay Mountain, elevation 3566 feet. The majority of the range is...
(including Lower Otay Reservoir
Lower Otay Reservoir
Lower Otay Reservoir is an artificial lake in San Diego County, California, flanked by Otay County Open Space Preserve and Chula Vista. The reservoir is formed by impounding the waters of the Otay River, behind Savage Dam, completed in 1918, and is the terminus for the Second San Diego Aqueduct...
) and San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
on its east and west extremes, and the Sweetwater River
Sweetwater River (California)
The Sweetwater River is a long stream in southwestern California in the United States. From its headwaters high in the Cuyamaca Mountains, the river flows generally southwest, first through rugged hinterlands but then into the urban areas surrounding its mouth at San Diego Bay. Its drainage basin...
and Otay River
Otay River
The Otay River is a river in southern San Diego County, California. The river begins at San Miguel Mountain, flows through the Upper- and Lower- Otay Reservoirs, and continues on between the southern part of the Chula Vista and the Otay Mesa West district of San Diego, and empties into San Diego Bay...
at its north and south extremes. In South Bay Chula Vista has a large footprint, and aside from South San Diego
South San Diego
South San Diego is a district in San Diego, California, within a larger region known as the South Bay.-History:Before the arrival of the Spanish explorers, area of South San Diego was largely inhabited by the Digueno people...
, it is the largest geographic entity in the region.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city covers an area of 52.1 square miles (134.9 km²), 49.6 square miles (128.5 km²) of it land, and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²) or 4.73% of it water.
Ecological preserves
Chula Vista has within its city limits the Sweetwater Marsh unit of the San Diego Bay NWRSan Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge
San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge is an urban refuge located on San Diego Bay in San Diego County, California. It is part of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex...
. It also maintains several city maintained open space areas.
Climate
Chula Vista has a Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
which it shares with San Diego County.
Chula Vista
The original Chula Vista encompasses the area west of Hilltop Drive and north of L Street.East Chula Vista
Beginning in the late 1980s the planned communities of Eastlake, Otay Ranch, and Rancho del Rey began to develop in the annexed areas east of Interstate 805Interstate 805
Interstate 805 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a bypass of Interstate 5, running along the eastern areas of the Greater San Diego area from San Ysidro near the Mexico–U.S...
. These communities expanded upon the eastern annexations of the 1970s, including the area around Southwestern College
Southwestern College
Southwestern College is or was the name of several colleges in the United States:* Southwestern College , a community college in Chula Vista, California...
.
Montgomery
The community of Montgomery was annexed by the city, after several failed attempts, in 1986. The community consist of most of the area south of L Street, west of Hilltop Drive and north of the San Diego city limit.Government
Local government
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city’s various funds had $322.9 million in Revenues, $287.5 million in expenditures, $1,232.7 million in total assets, $258.6 million in total liabilities, and $181.0 million in cash and investments.Presently the City Council is led by Mayor Cheryl Cox
Cheryl Cox
-Biography:Cox, daughter of retired United States Navy Officer, John Willett. Cox, and her husband of 30 years, San Diego County Supervisor and former Chula Vista Mayor Greg Cox, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Emmie...
. It has four other city councilmembers: Rudy Ramirez, Patricia Aguilar, Pamela Bensoussan, and Steve Castaneda.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Chula Vista is located in the 40th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Juan Vargas
Juan Vargas
Juan C. Vargas is a Senator in the State of California, 40th District. He is a Democrat and former member of the California State Assembly, San Diego City Council, and Order of the Jesuits, having fought for the poor, aged, and infirmed....
, and in the 78th and 79th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrats Martin Block
Marty Block
Marty Block represents California's 78th district in the California State Assembly. Assembly District 78 includes southern San Diego, Chula Vista, Lemon Grove and...
and Ben Hueso
Ben Hueso
Benjamin "Ben" Hueso is a Democratic politician, was elected in November 2010 to represent the 79th District in the California State Assembly of the California State Legislature. Previously, he was elected in 2005 and reelected in 2006 to represent San Diego City Council District 8. He served as...
respectively. Federally, Chula Vista is located in California's 51st congressional district
California's 51st congressional district
California's 51st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district includes all of Imperial County and the extreme southern portions of San Diego County that run across the U.S.-Mexico border...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +7 and is represented by Democrat Bob Filner
Bob Filner
Robert Earl Filner is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 50th, serving since 1993, and Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
.
, out of the city's total population, 99,248 are registered to vote, reduced from 103,985 in 2009. The three largest registered parties in the city are the Democratic Party with 42,456, Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
with 29,446, and Decline to State
Decline To State
Decline to State is an affiliation designation on the California voter registration form that allows voters to register to vote without choosing a party affiliation. It is similar to what in other states would be called declaring oneself as an independent...
with 23,620.
Demographics
| Year | Population (pop.) | Change in pop. (raw) | Change in pop. (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 243,916 | +70,360 | +40.5% |
| 2000 | 173,556 | +38,393 | +28.4% |
| 1990 | 135,163 | +51,236 | +61.0% |
| 1980 | 83,927 | +16,026 | +23.6% |
| 1970 | 67,901 | +25,867 | +61.5% |
| 1960 | 42,034 | +26,107 | +163.9% |
| 1950 | 15,927 | +10,789 | +209.9% |
| 1940 | 5,138 | +1, 269 | +32.7% |
| 1930 | 3,869 | +2,151 | +125.2% |
| 1920 | 1,718 | +1,068 | +164.3% |
| 1910 | 650 | - | - |
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Chula Vista had a population of 243,916. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,682.2 people per square mile (1,807.8/km²). The racial makeup of Chula Vista was (20.4%) White, (4.6%) African American, (0.8%) Native American, (14.4%) Asian, (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 49,171 (20.2%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and (5.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were (58.2%) of the population.
The Census reported that 242,180 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 656 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,080 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 75,515 households, out of which 36,064 (47.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 42,153 (55.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12,562 (16.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4,693 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,720 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 502 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 12,581 households (16.7%) were made up of individuals and 4,997 (6.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.21. There were 59,408 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(78.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.60.
The population was spread out with 68,126 people (27.9%) under the age of 18, 24,681 people (10.1%) aged 18 to 24, 70,401 people (28.9%) aged 25 to 44, 56,269 people (23.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 24,439 people (10.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
There were 79,416 housing units at an average density of 1,524.5 per square mile (588.6/km²), of which 43,855 (58.1%) were owner-occupied, and 31,660 (41.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.5%. 143,330 people (58.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 98,850 people (40.5%) lived in rental housing units.
Late 20th century
In 2000, the city's population was 173,556. The racial make up of the city during the 2000 census was 55.1% White, 22.1% Other, 11% Asian, 5.8% of two or more races, 4.6% African American, 0.8% Native American, and 0.6% Pacific Islander. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 49.6%. Of these individuals, 28.7% were under the age of 18.In 1990, the city's population was 135,163. The racial make up of the city during the 1990 census was 67.7% White, 18.1% Other, 8.2% Asian, 4.5% African American, 0.6% Pacific Islander, and 0.6% Native American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.2%. Of these individuals, 26% were under the age of 18.
In 1980, the city's population was 83,927. The racial make up of the city during the 1980 census was 83.1% White, 7.9% "Race, n.e.c.", 6.1% Asian and Pacific Islander, 2.1% African American, and 0.7% Native American. Persons of "Spanish Origin" made up 46.6% of the population.
Economy
Chula Vista maintains a business atmosphere that encourages growth and development. In the city, the small business sector amounts for the majority of Chula Vista's business populous. This small business community is attributed to the city's growth and serves as a stable base for its economic engine.Tourism
Tourism serves as an economic engine for Chula Vista. The city has numerous dining, shopping, and cinema experiences. As with many California cities, Chula Vista features many golf courses. Some of the city's notable attractions included the Chula Vista Nature Center, Otay Valley Regional Park, Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, OnStage PlayhouseOnStage Playhouse
OnStage Playhouse is a non-profit community theatre located at 291 3rd Ave. in Chula Vista, California.For the past 28 years, OnStage Playhouse has acted as the only community theatre serving the South Bay section of San Diego County, covering the cities of Chula Vista, National City, Imperial...
, Knott's Soak City USA, the Chula Vista Marina
Chula Vista Bayfront
The Chula Vista Bayfront is a master planned waterfront development on San Diego Bay within Chula Vista, California, United States. The bayfront is undergoing major development under the project title Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan, one of the largest waterfront planning efforts in the United...
, and the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The Nature Center is home to interactive exhibits describing geologic and historic aspects of the Sweetwater Marsh and San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
. The Center has exhibits on sharks, rays, waterbirds, birds of prey, insects, and flora. Otay Valley Regional Park is located partially within Chula Vista, where it covers the area of a natural river valley
River Valley
River Valley is the name of an urban planning area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.The River Valley Planning Area is defined by the region bounded by Orchard Boulevard, Devonshire Road and Eber Road to the north, Oxley Rise and Mohamed Sultan Road to the east, Martin...
.
The marina at Chula Vista is located in South Bay
South Bay, San Diego
South Bay is a region in southwestern San Diego County, California consisting of the communities and cities of Bonita, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Lincoln Acres, National City, and South San Diego....
including multiple marinas and being home to the Chula Vista Yacht Club. Sports fishing and whale watching charters operate the regional bay area. The Olympic Training Center assists current and future Olympic athletes in archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
, soccer, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, and cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
.
Top employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweetwater Union High School District Sweetwater Union High School District The Sweetwater Union High School District is a school district headquartered in Chula Vista, California. , the school district is the largest secondary school district in California.... |
4,364 |
| 2 | Chula Vista Elementary School District | 2,616 |
| 3 | Goodrich Aerostructures Rohr, Inc. Goodrich Aerostructures Group, formerly Rohr, Inc., is an aerospace manufacturing company based in Chula Vista, California, south of San Diego... |
1,903 |
| 4 | Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center is part of Sharp HealthCare and hosts the largest array of health care services in San Diego's South Bay.-History:... |
1,810 |
| 5 | Southwestern College Southwestern College (California) Southwestern College is a public, two-year community college located in the city of Chula Vista, California. Southwestern College's football stadium hosts Bonita Vista High School's football games... |
1,682 |
| 6 | City of Chula Vista | 1,215 |
| 7 | Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista Scripps Health Scripps Health is a nonprofit health care system based in San Diego, California. The system includes four hospitals and 19 outpatient facilities, and treats a half-million patients annually through 2,600 affiliated physicians.... |
993 |
| 8 | Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... |
950 |
| 9 | Vons Vons Vons is a southern California and southern Nevada supermarket chain and a division of Safeway Inc. It is headquartered in Arcadia, California, and operates stores under the Vons and Pavilions banners.-Beginning:... |
621 |
| 10 | Target Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... |
604 |
Culture
Chula Vista is home to OnStage PlayhouseOnStage Playhouse
OnStage Playhouse is a non-profit community theatre located at 291 3rd Ave. in Chula Vista, California.For the past 28 years, OnStage Playhouse has acted as the only community theatre serving the South Bay section of San Diego County, covering the cities of Chula Vista, National City, Imperial...
the only live theater in South Bay, San Diego
South Bay, San Diego
South Bay is a region in southwestern San Diego County, California consisting of the communities and cities of Bonita, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Lincoln Acres, National City, and South San Diego....
. Other points of interest and events include the Chula Vista Nature Center, the J Street Harbor, the Third Avenue Village, the Olympic Training Center, and Knott's Soak City
Knott's Soak City
Knott's Soak City is a chain of three seasonal water parks owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and located in Southern California.Soak City U.S.A in Orange County opened in 1999. Located East across Beach Blvd...
. Downtown Chula Vista hosts a number of cultural events, including the famous Lemon Festival, Starlight Parade, and Chula Vista Rose Festival.
Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre is a performing arts theatre that was the areas first major concert music facility. OnStage theater stages high quality productions; serving as a large contributor to the cultural arts setting in Chula Vista. Knott's Soak City is a large waterpark representative of Chula Vista providing for both tourists and residents.
Media
Chula Vista is served by The Star-News (Chula Vista)The Star-News (Chula Vista)
The Star-News is a community newspaper in Southern California. It serves the cities of Chula Vista, California, Bonita, California and National City, California....
and The San Diego Union-Tribune
The San Diego Union-Tribune
-Predecessors:The predecessor newspapers of the Union-Tribune were:* San Diego Sun, founded 1861 and merged with the Evening Tribune in 1939.* San Diego Union, founded October 10, 1868.* Evening Tribune, founded December 2, 1895.-Ownership:...
.
Major freeways & highways
Chula Vista is served by multiple Interstates and California State Routes. Interstate 5Interstate 5 in California
Interstate 5 is a major north–south route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of California. It begins at the Mexico – United States border at the San Ysidro crossing, goes north across the length of California and crosses into Oregon south of the Medford-Ashland metropolitan...
begins to the south of the city and runs through its western edge. Interstate 5 connects Chula Vista to North County and beyond to Greater Los Angeles
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
and Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. Interstate 805
Interstate 805
Interstate 805 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a bypass of Interstate 5, running along the eastern areas of the Greater San Diego area from San Ysidro near the Mexico–U.S...
serves as a bypass to Interstate 5, linking to the latter interstate in Sorrento Valley. Interstate 905 runs from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and is one of three auxiliary three-digit Interstate to meet an international border. State Route 54
California State Route 54
State Route 54 is a California State Highway in San Diego that connects Interstate 5 to the city of El Cajon. The first section was built circa 1961, and the final section of freeway opened in 2007....
and State Route 125
California State Route 125
State Route 125 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that currently runs from State Route 905 in Otay Mesa near the U.S.–Mexico border to State Route 52 in Santee....
serve as highways to East County
East County, San Diego
East County is a region of San Diego County, California. It is east of the city of San Diego.-Geography:East County does not have an official geographic definition. It commonly includes the four cities east of San Diego and South Bay—El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, and Lemon Grove—as well as suburban...
cities via north and northeastern corridors.
Education
The Sweetwater Union High School DistrictSweetwater Union High School District
The Sweetwater Union High School District is a school district headquartered in Chula Vista, California. , the school district is the largest secondary school district in California....
, headquartered in Chula Vista, serves as the primary secondary school district. The Chula Vista Elementary School District, the largest K-6 district in the State of California with 44 campuses, serves publicly educated kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through sixth grade students.
Chula Vista is home to one of the four private colleges
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
in San Diego County and is host to Southwestern College
Southwestern College (California)
Southwestern College is a public, two-year community college located in the city of Chula Vista, California. Southwestern College's football stadium hosts Bonita Vista High School's football games...
; a community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
founded in 1961, that serves approximately 19,000 students annually.
Sister cities
Chula Vista has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities InternationalSister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
.
| City | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Cebu City Cebu City The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was... |
 Philippines |
|
| Odawara |  Japan |