ZIP Code Accuracy & Jurisdictional Integrity

Why ZIP Code 93436 Is No Longer a Minor Issue

The ZIP Code currently assigned to Vandenberg Village, Mission Hills, Mesa Oaks, and nearby unincorporated neighborhoods does more than route mail. It increasingly drives how agencies, retailers, and governments classify our communities.

Although these areas are not part of the City of Lompoc, the shared ZIP Code (93436) routinely causes automated systems to treat unincorporated residents as if they were city residents. This has resulted in documented problems involving taxation, emergency routing, public records, and planning assumptions.

Santa Barbara County has long recognized this region as distinct through established boundaries such as the Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District – Division 3, which are already used for elections, groundwater management, environmental compliance, and service delivery. State agencies, including CDTFA and SGMA authorities, also differentiate these areas from the City of Lompoc.

USPS ZIP Code records are now the primary remaining system misaligned with how county and state government already operate.

ZIP Code misclassification is no longer a technical nuisance. It is increasingly cited to:

• Blur jurisdictional boundaries
• Justify governance assumptions that do not apply to unincorporated residents
• Apply incorrect city tax rates
• Aggregate population and service data inaccurately
• Support planning decisions without resident consent

Correcting the ZIP Code would not redraw boundaries or change governance. It would simply align federal addressing data with boundaries already recognized and used by Santa Barbara County and the State of California.

The ZIP Code issue is now occurring alongside a proposed City of Lompoc Sphere of Influence (SOI) expansion affecting the same unincorporated communities. Leave93436.org has formally objected to this proposal and documented why existing services, finances, and long-standing boundaries do not support expansion.

Residents should understand both issues together: ZIP Code accuracy protects jurisdictional clarity; SOI expansion threatens it.

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Issue	Description	Community Impact
ZIP Code Misalignment	Unincorporated communities are grouped under “Lompoc, CA 93436” despite separate governance and jurisdiction.	Jurisdictional confusion and misclassification in systems that rely on ZIP Code metadata.
Incorrect Sales Tax	ZIP-driven tax engines can apply city tax rates even when CDTFA classifies addresses as unincorporated.	Over-taxation risk and ongoing “taxation without representation” concerns.
Planning & Public Records	ZIP-based assumptions can distort demographic and jurisdictional reporting.	Inaccurate planning inputs and improper policy assumptions about unincorporated areas.
Emergency Services & Routing	ZIP-based systems can contribute to address and jurisdiction confusion.	Potential delays and administrative errors during time-sensitive events.