Brief History and Setting

Incorporated in 1991, the City of Calabasas is 13.3 square miles in size and is located 22 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Situated in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, Calabasas is tucked between the foothills of the Santa Monica and Santa Susanna Mountains. Until the late 20th century, the history of Calabasas was intertwined with the history of the surrounding area and revolved around natural and cultural forces including the Native American inhabitants, Spanish and Mexican colonization, and the transformation of California into an American state.

Although the city has a long and colorful history, development did not take off until the late 1960s. Unreliable water sources remained a constraint to larger scaled subdivision and development. The formation of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District in 1958 and the Las Virgenes School District in 1963 brought forth a development boom.

Historic resources are fairly limited, with less than two hundred buildings in the city predating 1960. However, the area is rich in paleontological and archaeological resources. Preserving the historic character of Calabasas has been a long-term goal of the community. When it was proposed for demolition, residents of the City rallied around the preservation of the Leonis Adobe. In 1994, the City of Calabasas adopted the Old Town Calabasas Master Plan and Design Guidelines to preserve and enhance the area around the Leonis Adobe, which is the heart of the community. On January 2, 2008, the Calabasas City Council adopted a Historic Preservation Ordinance with the purpose of protecting cultural resources.

(Source: Christopher A. Joseph & Associates, 2009)

Demographics