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Scotts Valley provides many resources. While there are a variety of churches and other spiritual centers in the city, St. Philip’s is the only mainline protestant church. The community is also well served with retail stores, restaurants, a library, parks and recreational opportunities. Youth sports and the arts are well supported in the community. Community events include ‘Art under the Oaks’, the ‘Ice Cream Social’ and the Bean Creek Run supporting local schools, and The Christmas Lights Poker Run, which supports the local Second Harvest food bank. Scotts Valley is a beautiful, family-centered community, close to the busy world of San Jose, yet still preserving its own charm of a central coast town. |
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Scotts Valley was incorporated as a city in 1966 and has a population of just under 12,000 people (sites USA 2004). The city is situated in Northern Santa Cruz County, approximately 30 miles southwest of San Jose (and Silicon Valley) and 68 miles south of San Francisco. Scotts Valley is just 6 miles from Santa Cruz and the beautiful coastline of the Monterey Bay. Monterey and Carmel are located about 60 miles to the south. |
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Thousands of years ago, trails brought Native Americans through Scotts Valley. These trails later became trade routes, expanded by missionaries en route from Mission Santa Cruz and Mission San Jose, and Scotts Valley became a trading center connecting the coast to the metropolitan areas of San Jose and San Francisco. With the growth of Silicon Valley in the 70’s, Scotts Valley expanded with the electronics industry, both hardware and software. The coastal mountains prevented too much growth and became a natural barrier, thus preserving the natural beauty of the area and allowing residents to benefit from the growing economy. A significant number of people commute to work in Silicon Valley and live in beautiful Scotts Valley. Scotts Valley became a Unified School District in 1998 and has two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school, providing a rigorous education for approximately 2,800 students. Scotts Valley High School opened in 1999, and graduated its first class in 2003. It holds the distinction of being affiliated with the International Baccalaureate Organization, offering internationally recognized IB classes to its students. Sports, drama and mock trial are just a few of the excellent programs available at the new high school. |
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Redwood trees are plentiful on the slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and views of the Monterey Bay are easily seen from the hills. |
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The climate is typical of mountain coastal areas with rain in winter (average rainfall 41.18 inches) and an average annual temperature of 68°. Summer is mild with some foggy, cool mornings and temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. Autumn is usually warm with little rainfall. Winter is relatively mild, with temperatures ranging from 30° - 60°. Spring brings gradual warming with moderate rainfall. |
