Homes, condos and land for sale and rent in Bonita, CA

Bonita was the name of a ranch owned by Henry Ernest Cooper, Sr. in 1884, and was used by the nearby post office. The ranch itself was used to cultivate lemons, which were first grown in the area beginning in 1871. During the early years lemon industry was thriving, where it became the originator of the Bonnie Brae Lemon variety,named after the first lemon ranch in the community.

In 1888, the Sweetwater Dam was built, creating the Sweetwater Reservoir and forever changing the geography of the region. Soon after, in 1906, the dam broke as a result of extensive rains which overfilled the reservoir, and the Lower Sweetwater Valley was completely flooded.

Bonita has experienced minor flooding throughout history, generally as a result of high seasonal rains attributed to El Niño. The floods most affect the Central Avenue river crossing, as no bridge has ever been built, unlike the Bonita Road and Willow Road crossings which are bridges, the former of which was rebuilt in the late 1990s.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the development of State Route 125 (The South Bay Expressway) became a major issue to Bonita residents, much as Interstate 805 and State Route 54 did during their development. Opponents argued that Bonita’s rural nature would be compromised without benefit while proponents argued that the highway would reduce the significant increase in surface-street car traffic the community had seen since the 1980s when the eastern Chula Vista communities surrounding Eastlake were developed. The tollway opened in November 2007.

The Bonita Historical Museum is the principal repository of historical information for the Lower Sweetwater Valley.

Bonita is located at 32°39′30″N 117°02′07″W.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bonita has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13 km2). 5.0 square miles (13 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (2.71%) is water.

While Bonita is politically designated as an unincorporated community, bounded by the incorporated cities of Chula Vista, San Diego and National City, it is closely associated with the geography of the Lower Sweetwater Valley. Thus considered, Bonita occupies about a five-mile (8 km) stretch of the Sweetwater River, its valley, and surrounding hills on either side, bounded upstream (east) by the Sweetwater Reservoir, and downstream (west) effectively by Interstate 805. The community crosses west of I-805—an area less than 160 acres (0.65 km2)—reaching as far south and west as East H Street and Hilltop Drive. Its northern boundary is State Route 54 and its southern extent reaches approximately one mile (2 km) south of the river.

Large portions of modern Bonita consist of housing tracts built throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including:

Bonita Verde Estates
Bonita Downs
Bonita Fairways
Bonita Glen
Bonita Highlands
Bonita Long Canyon
Bonita Woods
Bonita Woods Park
Emerald Ranch
Lynwood Hills
Ames Ranch
Villas de Bonita
The Bonita area is populated by coyote, racoon, fox, rabbits, squirrels, bobcats, opossum, and skunk, among other wildlife.

The climate in Bonita is a combination of the coastal and inland valley climates of San Diego County : warmer (and sunnier during the May Gray and June Gloom periods) than areas directly adjacent to San Diego Bay or the coast, but not as hot as communities in inland valleys such as El Cajon, or even nearby Spring Valley. In summer, Bonita’s climate is pleasant.

As of the 2000 census there were 12,401 people, 4,179 households, and 3,397 families residing in Bonita. The population density was 2,533.3 inhabitants per square mile (977.2/km²). There were 4,281 housing units at an average density of 874.5 per square mile (337.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 71.99% White, 3.11% African American, 0.56% Native American, 8.54% Asian, 0.31% Pacific Islander, 10.64% from other races, and 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30.47% of the population.

Bonita is considered a rural and equestrian enclave in the middle of suburbia.

To visitors and residents alike, one of the most visible features of Bonita recreational life is the walking trail which loops the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course in central Bonita. Hundreds of residents walk, run, and ride this trail every day for pleasure and fitness, and the trail has become a vital component of Bonita life for many residents. During El Nino years, this golf course and surrounding walking trails have flooded, closing the golf course and preventing many residents from using the walking trails.

In the late 1990s the Sweetwater Regional Park was expanded and significantly improved, extending the walking and equestrian trails to an even greater number, and introducing a camping area at Summit Meadow Road. Now, virtually the entire valley from the reservoir to I-805 formally serve recreational purposes as either park or golf course. Sweetwater County Park, at the intersection of Briarwood Road and Sweetwater Road, is a wildlife preserve with a small pond that supports some fishing.

Equestrianism has long been a part of the Bonita community, and many trails exist throughout the Lower Sweetwater Valley. There are a number of connections to trails external to Bonita as well. In fact many residents still keep their own horses and can be seen riding the trails regularly. The Bonita Valley Trails organization monitors and supports the network of trails throughout the valley.

The following parks serve the Bonita community:

Rohr Park
Sweetwater Regional Park
Sweetwater County Park
Sweetwater Reservoir Riding and Hiking Trail
Bonita Golf Course
Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course