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About Laguna Niguel
The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the Spanish
word Laguna, which means lagoon, and the word Nigueli, which was the name of a
Juaneno Indian village once located near Aliso Creek. In 1821, California became
Mexican territory and many rancheros were formed in Southern California,
including Rancho Niguel. During this period, Rancho Niguel was primarily used as
a sheep ranch.
The first private landowner of the area was Juan
Avila, a resident of San Juan Capistrano, who obtained land through a Mexican
land grant in 1842. Juan Avila was also successful in re-establishing his title
to the land after California became US territory in 1848 and remained the owner
of Rancho Niguel until 1865. In 1895, the Rancho Niguel land became part of the
Moulton Company, a company that would eventually control over 19,000 acres of
local ranch land.
The genesis of today’s Laguna Niguel was the
establishment of the Laguna Niguel Corporation in 1959 by Cabot, Cabot and
Forbes, making it one of the first master planned communities in California. The
firm of Victor Gruen and Associates was retained to develop a detailed community
plan for the approximately 7,100-acre site. Land sales started to occur in 1961
in Monarch Bay and Laguna Terrace subdivisions. Avco Community Developer
acquired the Laguna Niguel Plan in 1971 and initiated development as set forth
in the original Master Plan.
During the early years of development in Laguna
Niguel, the Laguna Niguel Homeowner Association, later to become the Laguna
Niguel Community Council, served in an advisory capacity to the Orange County
Board of Supervisors on land use issues.
In 1986, Laguna Niguel residents, looking for local
governance, took the first step toward Cityhood by forming a Community Services
District. Three years later, on November 7, 1989, 89% of the voters favored
incorporation and on December 1, 1989, Laguna Niguel became the 29th City in
Orange County.
Demographics & Statistics
Laguna Niguel is a 14.72 square mile planned
community in South Orange County, California and is located halfway between Los
Angeles and San Diego. It is surrounded by the cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana
Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano. It is
a General Law city with municipal elections in November of even numbered
years.
Existing and planned use of Laguna Niguel’s 9,456
acres includes 3,549 acres residential, 276 acres commercial, 223 acres mixed
uses, 222 acres public/institutional facilities and 3,650 acres designated to
parks and open space.
The City’s residents enjoy a strong retail and
commercial environment. 73% of Laguna Niguel’s 24,316 housing units are owner
occupied and the median home value is $375,000.
The City has 67,014 residents. Census 2000
indicates that the median age is 37.5 and the City’s age demographics are: Under
20 = 28.6%; 20-34 = 16.7%; 35-54 = 37%; 55-64 = 8.8% and 65+ =
8.9%.
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