Villa Park

Villa Park is a 2.1-square-mile city in central Orange County, completely encircled by the City of Orange except for a small area along Santiago Creek controlled by the County of Orange. Citrus ranchers organized its incorporation in 1962, and apart from one shopping center the city is zoned for single-family homes, most of them on half-acre lots. The city is nearly 99 percent built out.

It tends to suit buyers who want a detached home on a large lot with room for a pool, a guest unit or horses, and who are comfortable with older houses, a small contract-city government and few condo or townhome choices.

Neighborhoods and housing in Villa Park

The California Department of Finance estimated 2,054 housing units in Villa Park on January 1, 2026, about 98 percent of them detached single-family homes, with 38 attached units, 12 in small multi-unit buildings and no larger apartment buildings. The city's Land Use Element notes that most homes were built between 1965 and 1985.

Estate lots in the north and east

At incorporation, a single 20,000-square-foot Small Estates zone covered the whole city. The northern and eastern parts are still entirely zoned for these lots in the E-4 district, where the minimum building site is 20,000 square feet of net area unless the zoning map sets a larger size. The northeast holds the city's rolling terrain and moderate slopes, where grading plans had to address slope and drainage.

Smaller lots on the western edge

Later rezoning created a step-down along the western border with Orange: about 79 acres planned for up to three homes per acre and about 57 acres for 2.5, in R-1 districts whose suffix sets the minimum lot size, from 8,000 to 13,500 square feet. A Planned Community zone covers tracts such as The Orchards, a 32-home development.

What you can build

Under Section 23-6.7 of the municipal code, E-4 lots need a 30-foot front setback and R-1 lots 20 feet, and both need 25-foot rear yards. Homes are generally limited to 30 feet, and total building area is capped at 38 percent of the site in E-4 and 45 percent in R-1 unless a conditional use permit is granted.

Horses and animals

Horses and other equines may be kept for recreation on building sites of at least 10,000 square feet. The limit rises with land area, from two animals on 10,000 to 14,999 square feet to six on 45,000 square feet or more, and six adult equines is the maximum for any site. Wild and exotic animals are prohibited in residential zones.

Villa Park Towne Centre

The 11.55-acre Towne Centre on Santiago Boulevard is the city's only commercial area, with City Hall, a county library branch, a grocery store and shops. Multi-family and mixed-use housing is allowed on two parcels zoned C-P in its northeast corner.

Getting around

• Streets: The main streets are Santiago Boulevard, Villa Park Road, Wanda Road, Taft Avenue and Cannon Street, and most collector streets have striped bike lanes.
• Freeways and toll roads: There is no freeway in the city. SR-55 runs north-south a short distance west through Orange, and the 261 toll road runs from Santiago Canyon Road in east Orange south to I-5.
• Transit and air: The city's Circulation Element lists OCTA bus stops along Wanda Road and Santiago Boulevard. There is no rail station in Villa Park; the closest is the Orange Metrolink station, covered in our City of Orange guide. John Wayne Airport is about 9 miles south.

Schools

Orange Unified School District serves Villa Park. Four of its campuses sit inside the city on about 80 acres: Villa Park High School, Cerro Villa Middle School, Villa Park Elementary and Serrano Elementary. Confirm assignments for a specific address with OUSD's School Locator, and use the California School Dashboard for school data.

Parks, beaches and things to do

• School grounds: The city has no public sites large enough for active parks, so school grounds double as open space. The competition-size pool at Villa Park High serves as a community pool, and its tennis courts are open to the public outside school hours.
• Trails and greenbelts: The city's trail plan includes paths with split-rail fencing, the Wanda Greenbelt and open space at the Santiago Creek recharge basin, with planned links to the Santiago Creek Greenbelt, the Santa Ana River trails and Grijalva Park in Orange.
• Santiago Oaks Regional Park: a 1,269-acre county park along Santiago Creek in east Orange, with trails for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikes.
• Beaches: Villa Park is inland, so the coast is a freeway drive away.

Local rules and costs to know

• Utilities and services: Serrano Water District, founded by the area's citrus ranchers, supplies water, and Southern California Edison provides electricity. The city owns the sewer lines and the Orange County Sanitation District treats wastewater; a sewer service charge is assessed on the property tax roll, and a small number of homes still use septic tanks. The Orange County Fire Authority and the Orange County Sheriff's Department serve the city under contract.
• Short-term rentals: Not allowed. Section 23-3.5 makes it unlawful to rent a home or room for less than 30 consecutive days or to advertise such a rental.
• ADUs: Under the June 2023 ordinance, ADUs are permitted on all residential and mixed-use properties. A detached ADU can be up to 1,200 square feet on a lot under one acre or 1,500 square feet on larger lots, and a junior ADU 150 to 500 square feet. One-story detached units need four-foot side and rear setbacks and generally a 16-foot height limit. Before a permit, owners record a restrictive covenant and get a will-serve letter from Serrano Water District. The city has also launched a pre-approved detached ADU plan program. See our ADU guide.
• Fire hazard zones: The 2019 Safety Element mapped about 42 acres of Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the northern part of the city, south of East Cerro Villa Drive. CAL FIRE issued updated local maps in March 2025, so check the address on its viewer and read our homeowners insurance guide.
• Flood and dams: Just over 10 percent of properties lie in FEMA's 500-year flood zone and about 2 percent in the 100-year zone, where new homes and major improvements must be flood-proofed to FEMA standards. Villa Park Dam and Santiago Creek Dam sit upstream on Santiago Creek, and state dam inspectors rate both in satisfactory condition.
• Property taxes: Read the tax bill for special charges as well as the base levy. Our property tax guide and property tax calculator help you estimate the total.

Buying in Villa Park

• Check the zoning district and minimum lot size on the city's zoning map before you plan an addition, ADU or lot split; E-4 and R-1 standards differ.
• If you want horses, confirm the building site area, which decides whether equines are allowed and how many.
• Ask whether the home is on the sewer or a septic system, and have your inspector check. Our guide to home inspections and repair requests covers next steps.
• Near the northern edge, check the fire map; near Santiago Creek, check the flood map. Get insurance quotes early.
• Do not count on short-term rental income.

Selling in Villa Park

• Gather permits, conditional use permits and variances for past additions; the City Council itself acts as the planning commission for those approvals.
• Order the Natural Hazard Disclosure report early, and see our seller disclosure guide for what else to share, including septic details.
• With about 2,000 homes and wide differences in lot size, close comparable sales can be scarce, so price with lot size and zoning in mind.

How Remark Homes can help

Remark Homes is a veteran-owned brokerage based in Tustin. We help Villa Park buyers check zoning, animal rules and hazard maps before they offer, and help sellers organize permits and disclosures. Contact us, or read how we handle buying and selling.

Frequently asked questions

Is Villa Park part of the City of Orange?

No. Villa Park has been its own city since 1962, with its own council, zoning code and permits, though the City of Orange almost completely surrounds it.

What school district serves Villa Park?

Orange Unified School District, which has four campuses inside the city. Confirm a specific address with the district's School Locator.

Can you keep horses in Villa Park?

Yes, for recreational use on building sites of at least 10,000 square feet, with a limit of two to six equines depending on land area.

Are short-term rentals allowed in Villa Park?

No. The municipal code prohibits renting a home or room for less than 30 consecutive days, and advertising such rentals.

Sources

• City of Villa Park: History
• City of Villa Park General Plan: Land Use Element
• City of Villa Park General Plan: Safety Element
• City of Villa Park: Property Development Standards, Residential Zones
• City of Villa Park: Pets, Equines, Animals User Guide
• City of Villa Park: ADU and JADU FAQ Sheet
• City of Villa Park: Municipal Code, Short-term Rentals
• Orange Unified School District: School Locator and Maps