Results are in, and the readers have decided that the Saugus Cafe is indeed in Saugus. Final results were Saugus 55%, Newhall 28%, Santa Clarita 8%, Valencia 7% and Canyon Country 1%.
I had a while to stew on this and concluded that it ought to be Newhall. I think the name “Saugus”, as applied to that area, refers to a town that no longer exists. Furthermore, to say that the Saugus Cafe is Saugus also means that you must also hold that so many other places are also Saugus, such as River Village, K-Mart and so forth, in order for the boundaries to be contiguous. So if you voted Saugus, you ought to be consistent.
Anyway, that was my view. Now I think it’s Saugus. Why? Because you said so. That’s the point of this exercise, isn’t it? So as a Saugusian, I welcome our greasy spoon back into the fold.
Since then…
Episode 1 got us talking and a few of our better readers went searching for clues. In the comments, reader CC found a City publication that appears to draw the very boundaries that have been so elusive (PDF Download). I asked around and Gail Ortiz assured me that the map “identifies communities strictly for the purpose of the architectural exercise at hand.” That’s what I expected, but also what I hoped for, because we have far too much fun in store to have it dashed by a silly map.
There is also a rumor that internal GIS maps in City Hall place the Saugus Cafe in Valencia. To that, I remind the rumormongers that this is not Scientology. If a map does not exist in public, than for the public it is no map at all. The Travolta-level thetans/bureaucrats don’t have secret answers.
I asked Ms. Ortiz, once and for all, if the City has any official boundaries that define our communities. The final word from City Hall:
The City encourages people to live in any community which say they live in. It means no difference to us; aren’t we all Santa Claritians?
Indeed. So there you have it: It’s in our hands.
Stay tuned for Episode 2: Tesoro del Valle
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Gail is right. Santa Clarita. One city. I think thy it’s time the post office drop the names, as they are the source of the confusion…
My place, just off of Via Princessa, is in “Newhall” (or at least, the post office thinks so). Now, I challenge any of you to justify that.
Whenever I give people my address, its just “Santa Clarita.”. The post office delivers it just fine.
Saugus!
Bully!
I live in Castaic and I could put Valencia or Santa Clarita and I’ll still recieve mail to my home, no problem.
It doesn’t matter what you call it. Post Offices use postal codes. TADA!
I’m going to send a letter to myself and write down Awesometown. I’ll let you know if I get it.
Very smart reply from Gail, she knows people put way to much on this stuff. The City releases the official boundaries and people who have been priding themselves on living in “Valencia” will throw a fit when they find out in reality they live in Saugus or *gasp* Newhall!
I don’t see any harm in keeping community designations. We are different.
Besides every city has districts and villages.
Do we live in the same city?
Do you see the pettiness of the people who live here?
lighten up, it’s all in fun.
I am all lightened up. I am telling Jeff why they don’t acknowledge these boundaries.
Let people believe what they want, actually putting a map of community boundaries out and people would accuse the city of changing them for whatever reason.