Inside Track on Homes in
Westlake Village California

Westlake Village Homes not on the Market but Available by Motivated Sellers

Living in Westlake Village

Westlake Village, California is about half way between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Offering green scenic beauty and clean air, Westlake Village is only 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Known for its wonderful Mediterranean climate, Westlake Village enjoys near perfect temperatures all year round. North Ranch is one of the exclusive residential areas of Westlake Village. And within North Ranch is the gated section of Country Club Estates.

Westlake Village became the 82nd City in the County of Los Angeles as a result of an overwhelming vote on December 11, 1981.  Westlake Village is a unique, master-planned community, located in Los Angeles County and bordering the City of Thousand Oaks and Ventura County to the east.   Development of the lakeside communitybegan in 1966 by the American Hawaiian Steamship Company.  With a total land area of 5.62 square miles, the community supports a population of 8,867.   Within the City limits are approximately 850 commercial and light industrial business firms.  The City encompasses twenty individual neighborhoods, with active homeowners' associations to promote and maintain high quality architectural standards.  An array of housing types match virtually every lifestyle, including:  townhomes, condominiums, mobile homes, single-family and lakefront residences, and view-oriented estates.

Here is an example of a gate estate for sale in Westlake Village: WhiteCloudEstate.com

The City of Westlake Village is a general law municipality, operating on a contract basis in which many of the day-to-day services of local government are provided by public and private agencies.  The residents of Westlake Village elect a five-member City Council to oversee the City operations and to guide the future development of the community.  Councilmembers are elected "at large" to serve a four-year term.  Each year the Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.  The City Council appoints a City Manager to supervise all administrative, personnel and contract services.

The Westlake Village City Council is committed to the ideal of a quality community and seeks the input of community residents to maintain this objective.  The City Council meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.  All City Council meetings are broadcast live on WVTV Channel 10, accompanied by a replay schedule each week.

Culture is alive and well in the city, with the world-class Westlake Village Civic Arts Plaza which houses the Performing Arts Center, including the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre of the Performing Arts and the 394-seat Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre. Both theatres offer a wide variety of performances including popular entertainers, Broadway musicals, ballet, symphony, live theatre, distinguished speakers, comedy, jazz, and award-winning children's shows, and much more. The Civic Arts Plaza is a focal point in the community and is also home to City Hall and a five-acre park. This family-friendly community, often named one of the safest cities for its size in the nation, prides itself on volunteerism - its members coming together to impact society in a positive manner - to create a better world for future generations.

The area has a number of award winning schools including Newbury Park High School, a bachelor laureate school. Children living in Newbury Park can attend this renowned school. Incorporated in 1964, Westlake Village is a premiere Southern California master-planned community. The population of Westlake Village is about 127,000.

City History

Settled snugly in the northern foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains in western Los Angeles County, the City of Westlake Village is nine miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and 38 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.  Occupying only 5.4 square miles, averaging 900 feet above sea level, the community is framed by the Simi Hills to the north and the Santa Monica Mountains to the south.

About 3,000 years ago, Chumash Indians moved into the region and lived by hunting rabbits and other game, and gathering grains and acorns.  On-going excavations, archaeological sites, and polychrome rock paintings in the area provide a glimpse into the social and economic complexity of the ancient Chumash world.  In 1770, Captain Gaspar de Portola led a party of Spanish explorers and missionaries, traveling north on the route that became known as the El Camino Real. 

The party camped near a Chumash village, believed to be the site of present-day Westlake Village.  Father Juan Crespi, chaplain and diarist of the expedition, wrote:  “We are on a plain of considerable extent and much beauty, forested on all parts by live oaks and oak trees, with much pasturage and water.”

When the Spanish finally did settle the area, they were given huge land grants, the largest of which was Rancho Simi, given to the Pico family.  When Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821, California became a territory of Mexico, and a few more land grants were given.   When California was admitted to the union in 1850, most of the land that later became Ventura County was divided among only 19 families.  The picturesque future Westlake Village site among rising knolls, arroyos, barrancas and ancient oaks was recognized as the central part of two  Mexican land grants: Rancho El Conejo and Rancho Las Virgenes.  In 1881, the Russell brothers purchased a large portion of the land for cattle ranching.  According to Patricia Allen, historian and family descendant, Andrew Russell beat the competition in buying the land by racing across 6,000 acres on a fifteen-minute trip in a buckboard and sealed the deal with a $20 gold piece.  The price per acre was $2.50! The area continued to be known as the Russell Ranch although it was sold in 1925 to William Randolph Hearst and again in 1943 to Fred Albertson.  The Russell family leased back part of the land to continue its successful cattle ranch operation while the Albertson Company used the vast acreage as a movie ranch.   Many movies and television shows were filmed here, including “Robin Hood,” “King Rat,” “Laredo,” and various episodes of “Tarzan,” “Buck Rogers,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Bonanza.”

In l963, the American- Hawaiian Steamship Company bought the 12,000 acre ranch for $32 million and, in partnership with Prudential Insurance Company, commissioned the preparation of a master plan for a “city in the country.”    Prominent architects, engineers, and land planners participated in designing a unique, integrated community that has become a nationally acclaimed model for the planned community concept.   “The city in the country” was named Westlake Village and soon became recognized as one of America’s most successful suburbs and finest areas to live, work and raise a family.

Today, a population of 8,893 resides within this beautiful, natural environment of award-winning neighborhoods, thriving businesses, and enviable lifestyles.  The original master-planned community of Westlake Village is transected diagonally by the Los Angeles and Ventura County line.  The Los Angeles County side, consisting of 3,456 acres, was incorporated as the City of Westlake Village in 1981 and became the 82nd municipality in Los Angeles County.  The Ventura County side, comprised of the remaining 8,544 acres of the original Russell ranch, was annexed into the City of Thousand Oaks in two portions in 1968 and 1972.  The wisdom of the master planners in preserving, protecting and enhancing the natural environment of the area is evident today in the consistent growth and vitality of Westlake Village.

Shopping

The Oaks Shopping Center includes three major anchor stores: Macy's, Robinsons-May and J.C. Penney, plus 150 high-quality shops, a food court and a movie theater and will be undergoing a major expansion project during the next three years. The Janss Marketplace, a smaller regional shopping center, also has three anchor stores: Mervyn's, Sears and Toys-R-Us, a food court and a 9-screen cineplex and is adding a number of regional and national stores to its mix. Nordstroms will be in the mall soon.

Additionally, national brand stores not represented in Southern California continue to seek locations in Westlake Village to showcase their new West Coast presence. Numerous smaller shopping centers, such as The Promenade at Westlake, The Lakes at Westlake Village, and North Ranch, also offer shopping choices. Residents and visitors enjoy fine dining at many local restaurants while many hotels, such as the Westlake Hyatt, offer luxury accommodations.

Economic Development

The City of Westlake Village is located in the heart of the Ventura Freeway (Highway 101) “Technology Corridor”.  The Corridor stretches along the freeway from Calabasas westward through the Oxnard plain, and is recognized as one of Southern California’s major R&D and technology growth areas. 

Within a fifteen mile radius of Westlake Village are a host of high-tech manufactures, R&D firms, biotechnology companies and healthcare organizations.   Westlake Village itself is home to a number of corporate headquarters, including Dole Food Company, K-Swiss and Homestore.com to name a few.  Continued business growth and vitality in Westlake Village is supported through “fast-tracking” the development review and entitlement process, the Citys’ “no business tax” commitment, a highly educated pool of workers, and the business-friendly orientation of the City Council and staff.  Companies seeking to relocate or expand will find a wide range of commercial business parks available within the City.  Two outstanding examples include the Spectrum business center and the Westlake North office parks.

The Spectrum is occupied by the Westlake Village City Hall, Community Center and Library, together with a collection of diverse business located in a campus-like setting.  Other major businesses in and proximate to Westlake Village include the Farmers Insurance, Volkswagon of America, and Blue Cross regional headquarters, Jafra Cosmetics, the Amgen campus in Newbury Park, Baxter Pharmaceuticals, Autologic, Semtech Corporation and many more.  Long planned developments along the Ventura Freeway corridor are now under construction, including the Four Seasons hotel, spa and wellness center, the Marriott Residence Inn and the Westlake Landmark office complex.  Future restaurant, office and commercial uses are also planned along the corridor.