Palos Verdes Source

What are the names of the Bays and Coves in Palos Verdes?  That questions was asked of me a couple of weeks ago.  And as a 30 plus year resident, I could not name them all.  How lucky are we here on the Palos Verdes Peninsula that we have so many that we can’t count or name them all!  Our coastline is truly magnificent!

Matt Waters at Rancho Palos Verdes Parks and Recreation Department did some research for me and came up with the map below taken from Don Gales book, “Wildflowers, weeds…”   I realize it may be challenging to read so I am listing the Coves and Bays starting from RAT (Right At Torrance) beach which is the northern border of the Palos Verdes coastline (and the Points are in parenthesis).

In Palos Verdes Estates there is Malaga Cove, Bluff Cove, (Rocky Point) Lunada Bay (Resort Point) and Christmas Tree Cove (which is shared with Rancho Palos Verdes).  The shoreline begins in Rancho Palos Verdes with Christmas Tree Cove and continues with Golden Cove, (Point Vicente) Fisherman’s Cove (Long Point), Abalone Cove - photo above, (Portuguese Point) Smuggler’s Cove/Sacred Cove (Inspiration Point) and Portuguese Bend Cove (Halfway Point).

Recently, I answered a question on Trulia Voices regarding property taxes for Palos Verdes real estate and thought it was worth a mention here also.  When a property is purchased, it is reassessed by the Los Angels County Tax Assessor using the sales price as the base.  The new property tax will be 1% of the purchase price plus any local bonds and assessments (usually averages another .0025 of the sales price).

On the Palos Verdes Peninsula (which includes Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates), we have an additional Palos Verdes Unified School District assessment of approximately $209 per year. 

Homeowners in the city of Palos Verdes Estates pay an additional Fire/Police assessment of approximately $261 per parcel plus $.15 per square foot of structure (a total of $648 for a 2,600 square foot house).

The city of Rancho Palos Verdes has a new storm drain user fee until 2016.  Homeowners in Rancho Palos Verdes pay an additional fee based on a “unique calculation” - size of lot, impervious coverage (hard-scape), etc. which averages $105 (but can be a little as $25 for a condo to several hundred dollars for larger parcels).

The city of Rolling Hills has an additional Community Association assessment which is $.20 per $100 of assessed value and is billed twice a year directly from the Rolling Hills Community Association (as opposed to appearing on your LA County Property Tax bill).

Palos Verdes Peninsula School District students had an average API (Academic Performance Index) score of 904 which is 5 points higher than last year.   Scores range from 200 to 1000.  Cornerstone Elementary School scored 977 which was the highest mark of any school in Los Angeles County (and 12 points higher than last year). 

Peninsula High School scored an 879 (8 points higher than last year).   Palos Verdes High School scored 853 (3 points higher).  Intermediate Schools scores were 947 for Palos Verdes, 899 for Miraleste and 936 for Ridgecrest (gains of 19, 15 and 7 points respectively).   Scores for the elementary schools are currently reported in the PV News (click here for link).

Here is another great spot which was submitted by Mary McPherson.  This is the Ocean Estates Trail in Rancho Palos Verdes.  This is an easy walk along the bluff of our beautiful Palos Verdes coast looking out at the ocean and several coves.   It is quiet and peaceful.  There are benches to sit and take it all in. 

The Trail is located on the ocean side of Oceanfront Estates.   At the end of Hawthorne Boulevard, cross Palos Verdes Drive West and the street turns into Via Vicente.  Bear right onto Calle Entradero.  There are parking areas on the street.  You can also stop at Golden Cove Center (just across Hawthorne Boulevard) and pick up lunch or a snack for your walk. 

This is the first in a series of special places on the Palos Verdes Peninsula which many owners of Palos Verdes real estate are not aware of.  You might say these are ”secret” places.   The Gazebo at Roessler Pointis located in Palos Verdes Estates.   The entrance is at the northwest end of the parking lot for Malaga Cove School (Paseo Del Mar and Via Arroyo).

The Gazebo ia a great spot for contemplation and the view is spectacular.  It is very quiet and you are usually the only one there.  You can see the coastline Queen’s Necklace view all the way around to Malibu.  The sunsets are also fabulous.  If you want to walk down on the beach, the path is just to the right.

The Lunada Bay neighborhood is located in Palos Verdes Estates.   My favorite things about this neighborhood are the ocean views and the coastline bluff trails for walking.  My son would say it was when the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie was being filmed (photo above) two summers ago and the cliffs were lined with people (including us) with binoculars watching.

The Lunada Bay area is .7 square miles and has approximately 2,778 residents.  This area is also home to 3 schools (Lunada Bay Elementary, Palos Verdes Intermediate and Palos Verdes High School) and is a favorite area for families.  Lunada Bay has its own fountain (photo below)  and shopping area (Palos Verdes Drive West and Yarmouth) with a market, restaurants, gas station, banks and other shops.  Some Lower Lunada Bay homes (on the ocean side of Palos Drive West) have ocean views; this area is fairly flat which is perfect for biking and walking.  As Upper Lunada Bay homes are located higher on our hill, many have panoramic ocean views.

Nearly eighty seven percent of the housing in Lunada Bay is single family homes.  There are also apartments and townhomes.  There are currently 26 single family homes ranging in price from $1,079,000 (1572 sq ft) to $3,295,000 (3859 sq ft).  Currenty, there are no active townhomes for sale.  There are 2 townhomes in escrow with a list price of $599,000 (1142 sq ft) and $629,000 (1184 sq ft). 

Walker Williams, Superintendent of Palos Verdes Unified School District, spoke this morning at our Remax meeting.  Our schools are one of the reasons that Palos Verdes real estate is so desirable.   Here are some interesting facts from his presentation:

• There are approximately 12,000 students in our district (30 less than last year)
• 80% of our funding comes from the State which is why the State budget situation will impact us.  The school district budget is balanced for the next school year. 
• Early indications are that our students performed well in recent state testing and “a little better than last year”
• 99% of our high school graduates go on to college - 80% to a 4-year college and 19% to a 2-year college
• U.S. News & World Report named both Palos Verdes High School and Peninsula High School in the “Top 100 High Schools in the Nation”
• A new language program (Chinese or Spanish) will be introduced at the K-5 levels this Fall which is paid for by the Education Foundation
• Palos Verdes High School will get a new pool, track and field and currently has 1800-1900 students on the block system
• Peninsula High School will get a new Practice Gymnasium and currently has 2400 students
• Malaga Cove School (photo above) will get a $8.5 million construction/modernization and will eventually house the District Offices
• Valmonte School (with no district offices) will probably be reopened as a K-5 elementary school or a Preschool through Kindergarten facility
• Currently Valmonte and Miraleste Elementary Schools house a paid Preschool program which brings income to the district
• Kindergarten programs district wide will be full day programs with 20 to 1 student/teacher ratio

Recently, there have been Blue Whale sightings only two miles off the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast near Point Vicente.  The Peninsula News reported that the whales are here to eat the abundant krill that are attracted to the nutrients near the continental shelf off our coast.  The blue whale is the largest mammal on earth (as long as 3 school buses) and can weigh up to 336,000 pounds.  They are an endangered species with approximately 2,000 living in the Pacific Ocean (the largest grouping) and hundreds more in the Antartic and Atlantic Ocean.

Dudley Wigdahl, Curator of Mammals at the Aquarium of the Pacific said the blue whales will be swimming up and down the coast for the next 3 to 6 months before they migrate south for the winter.  To see the blue whales, Captain Dan Salas of Harbor Breeze Cruises has special blue whale excursions (562-432-4900) .  Tom Underhill, photographer for Peninsula News has posted more photos of the blue whale which can be accessed by clicking here.

Above photo courtesy of Tom Underhill, Peninsula News 

The Malaga Cove neighborhood is located in Palos Verdes Estates.  The best thing about this neighborhood is the the ocean view and many properties also have the “Queen’s Necklace” view which is a view of the coastline from Redondo Beach all the way around the coast to Malibu.  It is spectacular and one of my favorite views (above). 

The Malaga Cove area is  .66 square miles and has approximately 1500 residents.  Lower Malaga Cove (west of Palos Verdes Drive West) is within walking distance from the bluffs and trails down to the water and is home to Malaga Cove School (presently not operating as a school), Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club (310-375-8777), Neighborhood Church (photo below), St. Francis Episcopal.   Malaga Cove Shopping Center, the Malaga Cove Library and Palos Verdes Estates City Offices are located in the heart of Malaga Cove on Palos Verdes Drive West.  Upper Malaga Cove (above Palos Verdes Drive West) has many homes with even grander views and is the location of LaVenta Inn (events only), Palos Verdes Golf Club and PV Tennis Club.

Most homes are custom built (many with red tile roofs).  There are currently 13 single family homes for sale ranging in price from $1,665,000 (1670 sq ft)  to $5,500,000 (6600 sq ft).   There are currently 5 townhomes for sale ranging in price from $739,500 (1250 sq ft) to $2,500,00 (3050 sq ft).

Free summer fun in Palos Verdes Peninsula is not just for owners of Palos Verdes real estate, but is open to all.  Here are some of the events to choose from this summer:

The Lunada Bay Homeowners Association will be hosting “Summer Concerts in the Park” at Lunada Bay Park from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on July 10 (featuring One World) and July 24 (featuring The Mark Fitchett Band) .  It is recommended that you bring low beach chairs or blankets and a picnic dinner and enjoy the music.

Shakespeare By The Sea - A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed at Hess Park in Rancho Palos Verdes Estates at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 6.  This will be held outdoors; bring your own low beach chairs or blankets.  If you miss that performance, Shakespeare Festival LA will be performing The Taming of the Shrew July 23-27 at the Southcoast Botanic Gardens (this not a free event - tickets are $25).

The Malaga Cove Business & Professional Association in cooperation with the Palos Verdes Police Officer’s Association presents “Summer Concerts in the Park” at Farnham Martin’s Park in Palos Verdes Estates (next to the Malaga Cove Library) on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.  in July and August.  (Tip - you may bring your blankets at 3:00 p.m to save a spot.)  The concert schedule is below:

•      July 9  - Yussi (Latin/Jazz/Fusion)
•      July 16- Boomer McLennan & the Rhythm Rangers
•      July 23- Sam & Brenda Lynne (An Evening of Vocal Standards)
•      July 30- Natalie & Brice (Flute & Piano)
•      Aug. 6 -  Phil Marshall (All Star Classic Blues)
•      Aug. 13- Bad Haggis (Celtic Rock & Roll)
•      Aug. 20- Benise w/Dr. James Sitterly
•      Aug. 27- Cody Bryant Band (Real Cowboys)

Photo courtesy of LBHA