The community of Rancho Peñasquitos is located west of Interstate 15, north of Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, south of the community of Rancho Bernardo, and east of the Torrey Highlands Community. Interstate Route 56 traverses east-west through the central portion of the community. Rancho Peñasquitos encompasses approximately 6,500 acres including Black Mountain Regional Park.

Rancho Peñasquitos is identified as a Planned Urbanized community in the City’s Progress Guide and General Plan. Development of the community is nearly complete with only a limited number of sites still available for development. Approximately 51 percent of Rancho Peñasquitos is designated for residential development, 34 percent for parks and open space, and 2 percent for commercial. The community has a diverse topography that is characterized by numerous canyons, hillsides and ridges. The most prominent feature of the community is Black mountain which rises to an elevation of 1,500 feet.

According to 2010 census estimates, the population of Rancho Peñasquitos is 57,852.

For more information about PQ’s government representatives, public safety, recreation, schools, business, community interest, and scouting, please see our Community Links.

A brief word about the 2011 City Council Redistricting, written in Sept. 2011:

Over the last ten months and especially the last month, the Council has been heavily engaged in the debate over City Council redistricting.  The City Redistricting Commission proposed a new district in which the southern portion of PQ would be split from the rest of PQ into a district with Mira Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Clairemont, MCAS Miramar, and Sorrento Mesa.  When the issue came up for discussion at previous Council meetings, a sizable majority of residents were vehemently opposed to this proposed split: community sentiment was strongly in favor of keeping all of PQ in one district with the rest of the Poway Unified School District communities.  In response, the Council and many other community activists aggressively advocated for a united PQ at the Redistricting Commission’s hearings.  It was a truly inspired grassroots effort.  You may have seen volunteers walking door to door or holding down a table at Vons, encouraging residents to sign petitions to keep PQ united.  As a community, we gathered approximately 7,400 signatures in one weekend!

Ultimately, the Redistricting Commission adopted the proposal to split PQ in spite of all of our efforts.  Although we lost our battle, our efforts were remarkable and have led to renewed interest in compiling a community activist list.  To that end, the Council invites everyone to consider registering for community email updates on the PQ Town Council web site, or following us on Facebook or Twitter.

So what was the end result of all the redistricting hubbub?  The short version is that PQ was split into two City Council districts.  Most of PQ will be in D5, while the portion of PQ south of the 56 and west of the Aqueduct (which runs just east of Salmon River Road) will be in D6.  Although there is still some discussion in the City Council, it appears that all of PQ will continue to be represented by D1 Council Member Sherri Lightner until the new district representation takes effect after the November 2012 election.  At that time, those living in D5 will elect a new City Council member and those living in D6 will begin to be represented by current D6 Council Member Lorie Zapf.  D6 residents will have the opportunity to elect a new City Council member in November 2014.

There has been some confusion regarding whether the portion of PQ split into D6 is still a part of Poway Unified School District.  Yes!  Of course!  The City Council districts have absolutely no effect on school district boundaries; we are all still part of one of the best school districts in the country.