U.S. May Allow ZIP Code Sharing

Who knew that five numbers could wreak such havoc?

In the most recent update of a 30-year saga, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) announced Wednesday that the U.S. Postal Service will consider allowing Oak Park to share a ZIP Code with either Thousand Oaks or Simi Valley.

“Look, it’s clearly best if Oak Park gets its own ZIP Code,” Sherman said from Washington. “But it would take an act of Congress over many dead bodies for the post office [to make that happen]. . . . They have never changed a ZIP Code in the name of community interest unless it helps them save money in delivering the mail.”

Sherman, whose 24th District includes Oak Park and Thousand Oaks, met Wednesday with Michael Murphy, head of the postal service’s ZIP Code assignments, to implore the zone guru to provide Oak Park with a new set of digits.

The unincorporated area of about 5,500 households in Ventura County’s eastern swath shares a ZIP Code--91301--with Los Angeles County’s Agoura Hills.

This sharing has resulted in higher, L.A.-style sales tax rates as well as costlier insurance rates and 911 mix-ups.

Though the post office refuses to give Oak Park its own ZIP Code, Sherman said he hopes Murphy would at least let residents share numbers with those in the 91362 areas of North Ranch and Oakbrook Village in Thousand Oaks. Other options include sharing with the 93063 or 93065 ZIP codes in Simi Valley.

Sherman is waiting for phone calls from residents to guide him on what to do.

The congressman said he will then order the post office to conduct a study of what it would mean to share a zone with another city in Ventura County.