Local History

The History of Ocean View Hills and Otay Mesa

From open hills and early aviation to one of San Diego's newest planned communities.

Updated September 2026 · Rudy Flores

Ocean View Hills is young, and the land around it has a long story: early glider flights, an airfield, an international border and a new community built on open hills. Here is the timeline.

Facts come from public sources and may be simplified.

Related reading

Ocean View Hills Local Guide: Parks, Shopping, Dining and Getting Around — The parks, shops, outdoor spaces and routes that make everyday life work in Ocean View Hills.
Inside Ocean View Hills: Home Types and What to Check in Each — Inside Ocean View Hills: single-family streets, townhome communities, homes at the community edge and homes…
Getting Around: Freeways, Trolley and Airports — Interstates 805 and 5, State Routes 905 and 125, the trolley and two airports.
Local Perks Around Ocean View Hills — A guide to local perks around Ocean View Hills and Otay Mesa: neighborhood parks, the public library, and a…

Early flight
1883 and 1884
Gliders over Otay Mesa
Aviation pioneer John J. Montgomery makes what is widely described as the first controlled flights in the western hemisphere, launching gliders from the west rim of Otay Mesa.
1918
Brown Field begins
The Army opens an aerial gunnery and aerobatics school on the mesa. It later becomes Brown Field, named for a naval aviator.
1943
The Navy takes over the airfield
The Navy operates the field during World War II and renames it for Commander Melville S. Brown.
Becoming part of San Diego
1957
The area is annexed
Otay Mesa and other portions of the South Bay are annexed by the City of San Diego, bringing the area within city limits.
1962
The airfield goes public
The Navy transfers Brown Field to the City of San Diego on the condition that it remain a public airport.
1983
The Otay Mesa border crossing opens
The port of entry opens to divert commercial truck traffic from the San Ysidro crossing, beginning Otay Mesa's role as a trade hub.
1985
A large annexation
Nearly four thousand more acres are annexed, opening land for future communities.
A new community
About 1998
Ocean View Hills is born
Homes begin to rise on the open hills once known locally as the Pits, a favorite of off-road drivers. Ocean View Hills grows into one of South San Diego's newest planned communities.
2015
Cross Border Xpress opens
A passenger terminal with a bridge to Tijuana International Airport opens near the border, adding a new travel option for the region.

Why it matters for homebuyers

Newer construction, planned amenities and quick access to freeways and job centers are what give Ocean View Hills its character, and this timeline explains how the area got there.

Historical facts come from public sources and local histories and may be simplified. Rudy is not a historian, so for deeper research visit your local historical society.

The History of Ocean View Hills and Otay Mesa

Related reading

Gliders over Otay Mesa

Brown Field begins

The Navy takes over the airfield

The area is annexed

The airfield goes public

The Otay Mesa border crossing opens

A large annexation

Ocean View Hills is born

Cross Border Xpress opens

Why it matters for homebuyers

Want to See Where the Newest Chapter Is Being Written?