Celebrating Those of Make a Difference in Orcutt: 
Steve Strachan

Old Town Orcutt is no longer the sleepy village reminiscent of the oil drilling days that characterized the town during the last decades of the twentieth century. The Old Town Orcutt Revitalization Association (OTORA) has worked hard to make the 125-year-old streetscape on Clark Avenue attractive with tasting rooms, breweries, shops and restaurants, a vibrant destination point for tourists and locals.           

            OTORA was formed in 2001 by a group of interested volunteers to revitalize the town originally established as a home for hundreds of Union Oil employees and their families who were working in the Orcutt Hills during the burgeoning oil boom at the turn of the century.     

            Steve Strachan, the president of OTORA, has played a major role in the transition. Strachan and OTORA have worked with the County to facilitate zoning changes to bring store fronts closer to the roadway and to change parking to be angular to slow traffic and to accentuate a friendly pedestrian atmosphere.

OTORA has planted and maintains trees on both sides of Clark Avenue. Working with County Supervisor Bob Nelson, Marcum Street has been paved and sidewalks added which has added safety and convenience for the Old Town Orcutt Farmer’s Market, which Strachan helped organize. 

             OTORA has also been working with the County on the installation of landscaped medians at Clark Avenue and Foxenwood Drive. A roundabout is planned at Clark Avenue and Norris Street.  

In addition to his work with OTORA, Strachan has been the major thrust behind the Orcutt Christmas Parade. He has labored with the Orcutt Lions Community Foundation to gather volunteers and coordinate traffic control with the County to facilitate the holiday tradition. 

          The one question Strachan is constantly asked is why was the route of this year's Orcutt Christmas Parade changed? “Safety reasons,” he says. “In cooperation with the Sheriff, CHP and County transportation, the decision was made because of ‘unsafe gridlock’ on Clark Avenue and too many side streets to travel. Broadway to Rice Ranch Road is much safer.”

          Strachan graduated from North Hollywood High School.  As a lover of the outdoors, his career path began as a parks ranger in the Santa Monica Mountains. He worked as Ranger at Jalama Beach until 1983 when he took the position supervising operations as Ranger 3 at Waller Park.

           In 2000 Strachan started Central Coast Playgrounds, located on Pinal Street in Old Town Orcutt at the former residence of the late Alice Shaw, for whom Alice Shaw School is named. Central Coast Playgrounds specializes in installation, construction and maintenance of playgrounds.    Strachan sold the business in 2021 when he was appointed by Supervisor Bob Nelson to the County Parks Commission.  The five-member Parks Commission is an advisory board to the Board of Supervisors and a liaison to the County Parks Department.

           He became a member of OTORA in 2005.   

           Strachan says much of the credit for the revitalization of the Old Town Orcutt should go to those who initiated the OTORA effort in 2001. He mentions Berto Van Veen, Danny George, former Fourth District County Supervisor Joni Gray, Brian Allison, Deana Gordon and Ken and Pernelle McCalip.  “There were others I am sorry I have failed to mention. So many have been instrumental in implementing our mission.” 

Currently serving on the OTORA board of directors are Brittany Vanderlei, Natalie Mahoney, Edwin Rodriquez, Kirsten Spallino and Tom Apkarian.   

          “I can lead the revitalization effort because I’m retired; I have connections with the County and have a history of Old Town Orcutt, and I love what I am doing.”

Steve Southwick reporting