Westlake Village, CA

Westlake Village, California, population 8,900, is an exclusive bedroom community of Los Angeles, located 35 miles northwest of the city and 12 miles north of Malibu. It is a master-planned community that was completed in the late 1960s around a man-made lake. Located in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties, Westlake Village actually has two separate governments. The homeowners' association has a good deal of say-so regarding exterior home decorating and landscaping, so local houses tend to look similar.

The scenic city is surrounded by the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains and is about nine miles from the ocean. Because of its location in the Conejo Valley, Westlake Village is typically about ten degrees cooler than Los Angeles and has significantly less smog. The town is one of the wealthiest communities in the Los Angeles area and is home to many celebrities.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Though it has an exclusive residential feel, Westlake Village is home to quite a bit of industry. Major companies with headquarters in the city include J. D. Power and Associates, Dole Foods, K-Swiss, ValueClick, and Jafra Cosmetics. Westlake Village has also become a hotspot for biotechnology and international technology companies, including Baxter and Agilent Technologies.

Some of the common jobs amongst the men are management occupations (except farmers and farm managers), top executives, sales and related workers including supervisors and sales representatives, services, wholesale, and manufacturing. Whereas, the most common occupations amongst the women are sales and related workers including supervisors, management occupations except farmers and farm managers, secretaries and administrative assistants and preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers.

The downside of being a regional center of employment is that thousands of employees drive in and out of town daily, contributing to a serious traffic problem.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Westlake Village was constructed starting in the 1960s as a master-planned community covering 12,000 acres and centered on a 150-acre artificial lake. Construction was mostly completed in the 1980s. The design of the community, with an island in the center of the lake and many inlets all around, means a high proportion of the homes face the water. Much of Westlake Village is surrounded by open space, with hiking and horse trails. Corporate offices are centered away from the residential area and along the Ventura Freeway. The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza at the freeway and Westlake Boulevard is the area's cultural center.

FAMILY FUN

• Golf Courses. There are plenty of golf courses in this part of California. The two most elite courses are at the North Ranch Country Club and the Sherwood Country Club. The Westlake Golf Course was recently renovated and is a popular place for beginners.
• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Westlake Village is just to the north of this vast recreation area that spans over 200,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The main entryway into the park is in nearby Thousand Oaks. The park has dozens of miles of trails for people and horses and is popular with hikers. There are also three nature centers, a Native American culture center, and the Malibu Lagoon Museum. Annual events include the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival.
• Zuma Beach. Westlake Village is around 17 miles from Zuma Beach in Malibu, which is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States. The beach hosts championship surfing events and the annual Malibu Nautical Triathlon, an event that benefits a children's hospital and that attracts celebrity participants. Wind conditions are ideal for kite surfing in the late afternoons. Families with children are drawn to the beach because it is one of the cleanest in Los Angeles County.
• Stagecoach Inn Museum. Located in nearby Newbury Park, this reconstructed 1876 hotel (which was rebuilt near the spot where it burned down) is located alongside a replicated Spanish-Mexican adobe, a Chumash Indian dwelling, and a pioneer house.

EDUCATION

Westlake Village is served by two school districts: Las Virgenes and Thousand Oaks Conejo. Both districts are highly ranked both locally and nationally. Westlake High School, which enrolls about 2,400 students, has a comprehensive Advanced Placement program, including one of the nation's few high school advanced anatomy programs.

Colleges and universities within 30 miles of Westlake Village include:

• Pepperdine University
• California Lutheran University
• Oxnard College
• Santa Monica College
• University of California at Los Angeles

SPORTS TEAMS

Residents enjoy following the area sports teams:

• Los Angeles Lakers (National Basketball Association)
• Los Angeles Clippers (National Basketball Association)
• Los Angeles Sparks (Women's National Basketball Association)
• Los Angeles Dodgers (Major League Baseball)
• Anaheim Ducks (National Hockey League)

LOCAL MEDIA

Three area newspapers cover Westlake Village:

• Los Angeles Times, daily
• Ventura County Star, daily
• Malibu Times, weekly

Most television and radio stations that are broadcast in Westlake Village originate in Los Angeles. A few originate in such nearby cities as Thousand Hills and Ojai, but no stations are based in Westlake Hills.