DIGS is the premiere luxury real estate lifestyle magazine serving the most affluent neighborhoods in the South Bay and Westside of Los Angeles, California.
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MAY 17, 2024 | ISSUE 326 TO OUR READERS South Bay DIGS welcomes your feedback and encourages reader response to our editorial features. Please send your letters to the Publisher at 722 1st Street, Unit D, Hermosa Beach, California, 90254 or via email to Contact@WestsideDIGS.com. Please include your name and contact information. Letters may be published and we reserve the right to edit. ADVERTISING For inquiries, please contact Publisher Warren Dow at 310.373.0142. EDITORIAL For editorial inquiries, please email Editorial@SouthBayDIGS.com On The Cover 722 1st Street, Unit D, Hermosa Beach, California, 90254 Office: 310.373.0142 South Bay DIGS Magazine is published every other Friday by m3 Media, LLC. Reproduction in any form or by any means is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent from m3 Media LLC. The Publisher and advertisers are not responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors. All advertised properties are subject to prior sale or withdrawal without notice. Real estate advertised in this publication is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act. M3 Media will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Any and all submissions to this publication become the property of m3 Media, LLC and may be used in any media. CREATIVE SERVICES & AD DESIGN/ORIGINAL ARTWORK PROVIDED EXCLUSIVELY BY SOUTH BAY DIGS. © 2024 Micro Market Media, LLC. All rights reserved. C O N N E C T W I T H U S Listen & subscribe on iTunes, digs.net or your favorite podcast provider. The Titans of Real Estate INFLUENCERS PODCAST .net Founder & CEO / Publisher President & COO Digital Media Director Video Editor Senior Graphic Designer Contributing Writers Senior Staff Photographer Warren J. Dow William Bud Moore Kieron McKay Matt Polizzi Rufus Agbede Jenn Thornton Constance Dunn Karine Monié Abigail Stone Paul Jonason A HAVEN ON THE HILL A dreamy Hill Section residence in Manhattan Beach celebrates the great outdoors—and big ocean views—with plenty of sculpted, light-filled spaces. Feature story on Page 50. PRESENTED BY JEREMY SHELTON OF PACIFICA PROPERTIES GROUP COVER STORY WRITTEN BY CONSTANCE DUNN COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL JONASON DRE#: 01368971 Maureen Megowan 310.541.6416 mdmegowan@gmail.com FORMATION OF THE CITIES ON THE PALOS VERDES PENINSULA S O U T H B A Y History Tidbits The Great Depression, which began in 1929, had an extremely debilitating effect on the original unincorporated Palos Verdes Project. Many lot owners defaulted on their property taxes, and the Palos Verdes Homeowners Association, which maintained the Project, was in deep financial straits. Notwithstanding that the public properties, including the beach and golf clubs, were devoted to public uses, the land was taxable as private property because it was owned by the Homes Assn. By 1938 the Homes Association owed the State of California $50,000 for taxes and feared that the State of California might sell these public properties at tax sale, and the community would lose its most valuable assets. An election was held in December, 1939, at which the voters decided to form the city of Palos Verdes Estates to have taxing authority and to solve the financial crisis. Immediately upon the organization of the City of Palos Verdes Estates in July, 1940, all of the park lands, the swimming club and the golf club were transferred to the City, and the back taxes were forgiven by the State. The Miraleste section of the Palos Verdes project remained unincorporated, but subject to the deed restrictions of the Palos Verdes Homeowners Association and the Palos Verdes Art Jury. The City of Rolling Hills Estates officially became Los Angeles County's 60th municipality on September 18, 1957. In that first year, the City's population totaled only 3,500. Annexation of new areas to the City was another ongoing concern during the City's early years. In 1958, areas were added to the eastern and western portions of the City. Later annexations from 1960-66 included numerous recently constructed housing developments. In 1982, the site of the former Palos Verdes Landfill was annexed to assure that City concerns regarding this closed facility would be recognized. The City of Rolling Hills was also incorporated in 1957. The Rolling Hills City Hall was constructed in 1967. Rolling Hills is a gated community designed to preserve the equestrian lifestyle. In 1969, the new County Master Plan for the remaining unincorporated area of the Peninsula provided for a population density far beyond what the local residents wanted. In response, a Peninsula-wide organization was formed that same year called Save Our Coastline (SOC). After several unsuccessful fights against the County's Master Plan for the Peninsula, it became evident that the only way to preserve the environment and to gain control over local zoning issues was through incorporation as the fourth city on the Peninsula. The election to incorporate Rancho Palos Verdes was finally held on August 28, 1973. An overwhelming majority of 5 to 1 voted in favor of incorporation. The first City Hall offices were located in the former SOC offices in the Golden Cove Center at the corner of Hawthorne Boulevard and Palos Verdes Drive West. One of the first actions taken by the new City Council was to declare a building moratorium and to begin work on preparing the City's General Plan. The City offices eventually moved to the former Nike missile base administrative offices just above their first offices. The above is an excerpt from my book "Historic Tales of Palos Verdes and the South Bay". For more info see http://www.southbayhistory.com 20 DIGS.NET | 5.17.24