Porter Ranch, Los Angeles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Porter Ranch
|
|
|---|---|
 Porter Ranch, Los Angeles
Location in San Fernando Valley
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Los Angeles |
| City | Los Angeles |
| Named for | Benjamin Porter |
| Elevation | 1,280 ft (390 m) |
| Population
(2008 Los Angeles City Planner Estimate)
|
|
| • Total | 30,571 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
91326
|
| Area code(s) | 818 |
Porter Ranch is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California. It is located in the northwest part of the San Fernando Valley. It's known for being a quiet, suburban area.
Contents
History of Porter Ranch
In the 1990s and 2000s, many new homes were built in Porter Ranch. This led to some disagreements. People who already lived there were worried about more cars and traffic. They also felt that building new houses was harming the natural beauty of the area.
However, a big building company called Shapell Homes helped get support for the new homes. They worked with important people in Los Angeles politics.
The Aliso Canyon Bridge Idea
In the late 1980s, there was a plan to build a bridge called the "Aliso Canyon Bridge." This bridge would connect Sesnon Boulevard in Porter Ranch to another road with the same name across the Aliso Canyon.
But the people living in Porter Ranch did not want the bridge. They worried it would bring more crime to their neighborhood. They also feared that Sesnon Boulevard would become a busy shortcut for cars, like a highway, sending lots of traffic through their quiet streets.
People who supported the bridge said it was really needed for safety. They pointed out that cars sometimes went out of control near the canyon, and there wasn't enough protection to stop them from falling in. Even with these safety concerns, the bridge was never built. You can still see parts of the road that were meant to lead to the bridge on both sides of the canyon.
The Aliso Canyon Gas Leak
On October 23, 2015, workers found a large gas leak at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. This facility is about a mile north of homes in Porter Ranch. Natural gas is usually odorless, but a special chemical called mercaptan is added to it. This chemical makes it smell like "rotten eggs" so people can detect leaks.
The leak released a huge amount of methane gas into the air. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. The California Air Resources Board estimated that this leak increased California's methane emissions by 25%.
Because of the leak, the Los Angeles County Department of Health asked thousands of families to move out of the Porter Ranch area. The Federal Aviation Administration even stopped planes from flying over the leak site for several months. In December 2015, Los Angeles County declared a state of emergency. Officials also decided to close two schools in the area. They thought it would take many months to fix the leak.
On January 11, 2016, a city council member named Mitchell Englander said that most people didn't even know one of the biggest gas storage places in the United States was so close to their homes. He mentioned that residents were not told about it when they bought their houses.
Finally, on February 18, 2016, state officials announced that the leak was completely stopped. However, even after the leak was plugged, some residents reported health problems. In March 2016, health officials found metals, including barium, in dust from Porter Ranch homes. These metals could have caused the symptoms people were experiencing.
Geography of Porter Ranch
Where is Porter Ranch?
Porter Ranch is located in the hilly northwestern part of the San Fernando Valley. It is bordered by:
- Brown's Canyon and Chatsworth to the south and west.
- Northridge to the south.
- Granada Hills to the northeast and east.
The Santa Susana Mountains are to the north. These mountains separate the San Fernando Valley from the Santa Clarita Valley.
Major roads in Porter Ranch include Mason Avenue, Corbin Avenue, Porter Ranch Drive, Tampa Avenue, and Reseda Boulevard (running north-south). Sesnon Boulevard, Rinaldi Street, and the Ronald Reagan Freeway (State Route 118) run east and west. The ZIP code for Porter Ranch is 91326.
In 2008, the Los Angeles Times described Porter Ranch as a "calm outpost of Los Angeles." People moved there to escape the busy city life. The neighborhood is known for having some of the cleanest air in the Valley, partly because of winds that often blow through the area. However, these same winds can be very strong, sometimes reaching 70 miles per hour, and can knock down trees and holiday decorations.
Nearby Places
Porter Ranch 
People of Porter Ranch (Demographics)
In 2000, the population of Porter Ranch was about 24,923 people. By 2008, it grew to an estimated 30,571 people.
Porter Ranch has a lower population density compared to many other parts of Los Angeles. This means there are fewer people living in each square mile.
Ethnic Backgrounds
According to a study by the Los Angeles Times, Porter Ranch has a "moderately diverse" population. Here's a breakdown:
- 60.9% White
- 26.8% Asian
- 7.5% Latino
- 1.8% Black
- 3.0% Other races
About 33.6% of the residents were born outside the United States. This is about average for Los Angeles. The most common countries of birth for foreign-born residents are Korea (21.4%) and the Philippines (9.3%).
Homes and Families
The average household in Porter Ranch has three people, which is similar to the rest of the city and county. Most homes (71.8%) are owned by the people living in them, while 28.2% are rented.
Education in Porter Ranch
Many adults in Porter Ranch are highly educated. In 2000, 51% of residents aged 25 and older had earned a four-year degree from a college or university. This is a high percentage for the city.
Schools in Porter Ranch
Here are the public schools located within Porter Ranch:
- Castlebay Lane Charter School, at 19010 Castlebay Lane
- Porter Ranch Community School, at 12450 Mason Avenue
Libraries in Porter Ranch
The Los Angeles Public Library has a branch library in the community, where you can borrow books and use computers.
Parks and Recreation in Porter Ranch
Porter Ranch has several parks where people can relax and play. Some of these include:
- Palisades Park
- Aliso Canyon Park
- Rinaldi Park
- Viking Park
- Porter Ridge Park
- Limekiln Canyon Park
- Moonshine Canyon Park
- Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park
Interestingly, Porter Ridge Park was used as a filming location for the famous movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Because of this, many local people call it "E.T. Park." In March 2022, the Los Angeles City Council supported a plan to officially change the park's name to "E.T. Park."
Notable People from Porter Ranch
Some well-known people have lived in Porter Ranch:
- Robert M. Wilkinson (1921–2010), a Los Angeles City Council member.
- Hal Bernson, a Los Angeles City Council member from 1979 to 2003, who was involved when Porter Ranch was being developed.
- Rin Keys, a rhythmic gymnast.
- Lori Nelson (1933–2020), an actress who appeared in films and TV shows, mostly in the 1950s and early 60s. She passed away in her Porter Ranch home.
- Tee Grizzley, a hip hop artist.
- Alex Padilla, a United States Senator.
Shopping in Porter Ranch
Porter Ranch has several places for shopping and businesses. These were part of the original plan for the area from 1989. Newer shopping areas include The Vineyards at Porter Ranch, built in 2019, and The Porter Ranch Town Center, which opened in 1999.
