OAK PARK : Schillo to Take Up Fight for ZIP Code

The unincorporated community of Oak Park has a new county supervisor, and residents are asking him to make a renewed effort to get the area its own ZIP code.

County Supervisor Frank Schillo will ask the full board Tuesday to lobby U. S. Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) to renew his effort to persuade federal postal officials to make the change.

Oak Park shares a ZIP code with neighboring Agoura Hills, which is in Los Angeles County. Residents said that means they have to continuously do battle with insurance agents, sales clerks and mail-order companies that try to charge them Los Angeles County rates instead of cheaper Ventura County rates.

“We are 15,000 residents that want to be recognized,” said Kent Behringer, who serves on the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council.

In addition, Schillo said the county loses some sales tax and motor vehicle registration revenue. He said he believes he has the board’s support.

Beilenson unsuccessfully lobbied postal authorities for the change last summer.

“There is a number of criteria that has to be met,” Agoura Hills Postmaster Jules Hershfeld said. Hershfeld said that Oak Park does not meet any of those requirements, including having more than 760 streets.

He said postal officials are hesitant to change the ZIP code because of the cost involved.

“We’re talking about 40,000 post offices across the country that have to change their directories,” he said.

But Schillo said he believes that another push with backing from the supervisors will prove fruitful. And a Beilenson spokeswoman said the congressman has continued to push for a new Oak Park ZIP code.

“We have not stopped battling,” spokeswoman Kay Van Horn said. “It is an involved process.”