Palos Verdes Source

Palos Verdes experienced 2 different fires within one week and owners of Palos Verdes real estate were lucky that there was no loss of life or homes. The most recent fire on Thursday (above) was caused by a single car accident on Crenshaw resulting in a fire which quickly spread uphill toward Chadwick School and homes in Academy Hill. There were 2 large scooper planes that filled themselves with ocean water and came back over the fire and dumped their water. They flew overhead on their way back to the ocean and they were so big that the ground vibrated from their passing. Click here for a link to full story in Peninsula News.

The fire last week (above) that begin in the Portuguese Bend area of Rancho Palos Verdes and spread into Rolling Hills was a much bigger fire that burned 230 acres through the night on Thursday, August 27th. Again we were very lucky as there was almost no wind. 4 helicopters and 1 helitanker scooped ocean water to extinguish the fire and 500 area firefighters also helped to extinguish the fire. Two homes on Cinchring and Quail Ridge in Rolling Hills were damaged. The Peninsula News had the full story including the reminder “Where homes were saved, they had (completed) proper (city- and county-mandated) brush clearance and they had fire-resistant vegetation…”

Photos courtesy of Tom Underhill, Peninsula News, and Blake Shoemaker

Palos Verdes Peninsula has a total of 67,162 residents as of 2008. The city of Rancho Palos Verdes has the largest population at 42,964. The city of Palos Verdes Estates has 14,046 residents. Rolling Hills Estates has 8,185 residents. Rolling Hills has 1,967 residents.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula measures 26.3 square miles. Palos Verdes is the oldest city (incorporated in 1939) and located on 3,038 acres. Rancho Palos Verdes is the youngest city (incorporated in 1973) and the largest city located on 13.6 square miles. Rolling Hills Estates encompasses 4.18 square miles and was incorporated in 1957. Rolling Hills also incorporated in 1957 and covers 3 square miles. Additionally, there are about 500 homes in Academy Hills and Westfield which are two unincorporated areas governed by the County of Los Angeles and are located off Palos Verdes Drive North.

Palos Verdes is known for its outstanding public schools and there are over 12,000 students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade. On the California statewide level, the Palos Verdes Peninsula district is in the top 1 to 5% in achievement. There are also several excellent private schools on the Peninsula – Chadwick, Rolling Hills Country Day, Rolling Hills Preparatory, Peninsula Montessori and Peninsula Heritage.

Rolling Hills is a private, gated, equestrian community located atop the scenic hills of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The city was incorporated in 1957 and is 3 square miles. This is the smallest city on the Peninsula and the most private. In 2002, there were 690 homes with a population of 1,906 residents. The city has 26 miles of private roads and 23 miles of equestrian trails.

Current real estate prices for single family residences are between $1,975,000 (for a 3 bedroom, 2.50 bath, 1,904 square foot on a 63,000 square foot lot) and $23,000,000 (for a 5 bedroom, 8 bath, 10,000 square foot home on a 179,031 square foot lot) with 17 active listings. There is even a $10,800,000 home with its own private observatory.

Rolling Hills is entirely residential (no commercial/stores or multiple family housing) with three guarded gate entrances. Lots are a minimum of 1 acre. Homes are mostly large one-level ranch style residences and must be painted white (“basements” can be allowed and on sloping lots give the look of a bottom floor). Fences are white three rail and there are no sidewalks, street lights or traffic lights. The Rolling Hills Community Association (310-544-6222) assesses each parcel yearly ($.20 per $100 of tax assessor valuation) and also maintains 2 community riding rings and 3 tennis courts in addition to the guard gates and private roads.

Palos Verdes Peninsula is actually composed of 4 different cities – Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates (and 2 Los Angeles County areas known as Westfield and Academy Hills). They are all part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.

This is the first of 5 posts which will describe the unique qualities of each of the cities from weather to real estate to shopping. The main road that surrounds the Peninsula (in a loose circle) is called Palos Verdes Drive North, South, East and West. Pretty original, huh?

First some history – Several years ago, I was certified as a Palos Verdes Specialist and during the classes I learned that the Peninsula was pushed up out of the sea (much like an island) and the ocean waves eroded the land forming terraces. I am told that from the air, one can still see some of those terraces.

In 1913, the entire Peninsula was purchased for development for $1,500,000 by a group headed by Frank Vanderlip, Sr. After the stock market crash in 1929, portions of the property were sold off. 1,000 acres were set aside and offered for free for a California University but Westwood was chosen instead (UCLA). Can you imagine how different Palos Verdes Peninsula would be if the university was built here?