The Orangecrest neighborhood’s name reflects its citrus-oriented past where much of the area was utilized for citrus fruit production until as recently as the early 1980’s. The neighborhood is a relatively new addition to the City where a major portion of the neighborhood was annexed into the City in 1986. The transition from agriculture to the suburban neighborhood that exists today began in January of 1984 when the County Board of Supervisors adopted the 1,514-acre Orangecrest Specific Plan. The neighborhood was developed as a master planned community with residential, commercial, educational and recreational uses. The Orangecrest neighborhood has continued to grow with recent City annexations expanding the City and neighborhood boundaries to the west by 947 acres to a neighborhood now totaling 2,461 acres.
Located in the most southeasterly portion of the City, the Orangecrest Neighborhood is bounded by the March Joint Powers Authority land to the east and south, the Mission Grove Neighborhood to the north and the unincorporated Woodcrest area in the County to the south and west.
Since the original 1986 annexation, Orangecrest has become a well established area and one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the City. Many young families choose to raise their children in the area, taking advantage of the many modern schools and public facilities. The neighborhood consists of predominantly single-family homes and, according to the 2000 Census, 91% of the homes in the neighborhood are owner occupied. A variety of retail uses are concentrated in the neighborhood shopping centers located at Trautwein Road and Van Buren Boulevard. Many popular stores and shops, such as Kohls and Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market are conveniently close to the residents of Orangecrest.
Many fine public and private schools are located within the neighborhood, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Rivera, John F. Kennedy and Mark Twain Elementary Schools, Amelia Earhart Middle School, Martin Luther King High School, and Woodcrest Christian Middle and High Schools.
The neighborhood is well-served by public facilities and parks. The Orangecrest Fire station proudly stands ready to serve the neighborhood. Recreational needs of the neighborhood are served by the Orange Terrace Community Park, a newly developed 30-acre community park with a 24,000-square-foot community center and a 13,000-square-foot full service library as well as the Thundersky and Bergamont neighborhood parks. These fine parks provide ample amenities such as athletic fields and courts, exercise courses, picnic facilities and restrooms.