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Palos
Verdes Estates is situated on the northwest edge of the beautiful Palos Verdes
Peninsula and is recognized internationally as a charming, sophisticated and
picturesque community with the Pacific Ocean at its doorstep. The oldest of the
Peninsula's four cities, Palos Verdes Estates was originally part of the
Spanish land grant, Rancho San Pedro. The City’s modern history began in 1913,
when New York banker Frank Vanderlip purchased 16,000 acres of the peninsula
and commissioned the Olmstead Brothers, designers of New York’s Central Park,
to design a new community. Sweeping roadways with ocean vistas, green
hillsides, walking paths, and groves of eucalyptus, pepper and coral trees were
established and 28% of the land area was permanently protected as open space or
parkland. The parklands are maintained in their natural state helping to
provide Palos Verdes Estates with a spacious, pastoral openness. The City was
incorporated in 1939 and is governed by a City council and the Palos Verdes
Homes Association.
Palos Verdes Estates has retained its natural beauty over the years by
maintaining strict building and development codes. The non-profit Homes
Association, commonly referred to as the Art Jury, has long maintained
jurisdiction over construction, and a zoning ordinance severely restricts
commercial sites to selected areas in the City. There is no industry in Palos
Verdes Estates or on the peninsula as a whole.
In Palos Verdes Estates, there are two mini commercial areas located in Malaga
Cove and Lunada Bay, confined primarily to banks, restaurants, and real estate
offices. The City has remained a residential haven with approximately 5,161
single family homes, 37 single attached homes and 363 multiple residential
units, all under the jurisdiction of the Palos Verdes Art Jury which strictly
controls development and growth. The Art Jury strictly enforces the C.C. &
R's which were established at the time of the city's inception in the 1920's.
Although Palos Verdes Estate is known for its mansions, much of the housing
consists of older, well-maintained single-family homes limited to 30% lot
coverage. Very few lots are available for residential development and as a
result, there is a lot of demolition of older homes as well as remodeling. Many
of the homes have spectacular ocean views from the Santa Monica Bay to Catalina
to Newport Beach. Moving back from the awesome bluffs above the Pacific, the
town rises into gentle, rolling hills. Horse trails meander from the city owned
stable and near Malaga Cove, can be found the city owned golf course, tennis
club and swim club. The area of the city is about 4.75 square miles and
features approximately 850 acres that have been designated as permanent park
land; including the bluffs along the coastline. The city's population has been
steadily increasing since the 1970's and is currently approximately 16000
residents.
The City’s main thoroughfare is Palos Verdes Drive which circumvents the
Peninsula and changes direction from West to East and North to South. It
meanders along the edge of the peninsula through green, lush hills, lined with
Eucalyptus trees and past Hawthorne and Crenshaw Boulevards.
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