Bell Canyon, California

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Bell Canyon is a private, guard-gated residential community located near the western San Fernando Valley. Although only minutes from Los Angeles, Bell Canyon is located in neighboring Ventura County adjacent to Ahmanson Ranch. In fact, the only entrance is by means of Bell Canyon Road, which starts in Los Angeles and crosses the border into Ventura County before reaching the guard gate. Bell Canyon is elevated 267 feet above sea level. The ZIP Code is 91307, and the community is inside area code 818.

Located at the physical entrance to Bell Canyon is a jagged sandstone hill which served as an ancient shrine to the Chumash Indians, who called it "Cwaya Cuquele," which translates to "the feathered banner is waving". Today, that hill and the surrounding area is known as Castle Peak. The village of Huwam was located at the base of Castle Peak, and research shows that there was continuous habitation of the area by the Chumash Indians for more than 2,000 years. They are known to have been hunter-gatherers who were adept at fishing, and thus, it is understandable why Bell Canyon was chosen as a place to settle; not only is it bountiful in wildlife, but also because the sunsets and natural surroundings in Bell Canyon are truly awe-inspiring.

Until 1967, Bell Canyon was a working cattle ranch. In the fall of 1968, Bell Canyon’s equestrian center, designed by famed architect Cliff May, was built and started in operation. It is a curious fact that the first residents of Bell Canyon were the horses housed at the new center. Spruce Land Corporation and Boise-Cascade joined in a partnership to purchase what was to be Bell Canyon, and, several years later, a new subdivision called "Woodland Hills Country Estates" was opened. It was an amazing success, having sold almost all of the 800 home sites within 10 days. It did not take long before the new property owners took over the association in the fall of 1969 and renamed the development "Bell Canyon," after Charles A. Bell, a lawyer, who was Justice of the Peace of Calabasas in 1906 and was said to have lost his right arm in a gun battle while raiding a moonshiner in 1887.

Today, Bell Canyon has developed into an extremely affluent neighborhood of 800 estate homes, each of which rests on 1/2-acre to 40-acre parcels. Many of the area's equestrian properties accommodate stables, paddocks, turnouts and other horse facilities. Often compared to nearby Hidden Hills, California, which lies a few miles to the south, the two communities are actually quite different from one another; both have unique topographies and the residences have distinctive architectural styles. In particular, Bell Canyon features architecturally significant properties designed by renowned architects including Don Zavatto, Ed Niles, Robert Byrd, and pioneer of the California ranch-style house, Cliff May. Bell Canyon is served by the Las Virgenes Unified School District and pupils attend Round Meadow Elementary, AC Stelle Middle School, and Calabasas High School. The community is within close proximity to the newly expanded Westfield Topanga mall.

As it lies within Ventura County, Bell Canyon is run by the Board of Supervisors District 2. The Bell Canyon Community District serves the area. It is located at 30 Hackmore Lane, Suite 16, Bell Canyon, CA 91307. The Advisory Committee meets every fourth Tuesday of every odd month at 7:00 p.m. in the Bell Canyon Homeowners Association Office. Bell Canyon’s five-member board manages the community’s recreation programs, parks, water and sewer services, fire and police protection, street lighting and road maintenance. Water is provided by Waterworks District # 17, which was formed in 1977 to provide for Bell Canyon and Rocketdyne.

At the heart of the community is the Bell Canyon Equestrian Center, a Class-A equestrian facility which offers a wide variety of training in English-hunters, equitation, show jumping as well as western riding. It is one of the few remaining full-service equestrian centers in the San Fernando Valley and can accommodate up to 120 horses and features four barns with 80 stalls, 12x24 corrals, two enclosed bullpens and hotwalker, three sand riding arenas, beautiful tree shaded picnic areas, and miles of adjacent riding trails.

Bell Creek, a national parkland blue line stream and watershed of Malibu Creek, winds its way through the community and plays host to a multitude of wildlife such as deer, coyote, hawk, squirrel, fox, woodpeckers and quail. Chastain Falls, Bell Canyon's own waterfall named after Charles Chastain, can be accessed only by hiking one of many trails in the area. Numerous parks are situated in the community and includes Bell Creek Park, located just within the guard gate, and boasts a tot playground, a baseball field, and picnic tables with barbecues all set alongside Bell Creek. Also nearby, Bell Canyon’s El Escorpion Park lies outside the gates and is a three-acre park in West Hills, California. Bell Canyon’s El Escorpion Park opens at sunrise and closes at sunset and allows bicycles. The park is managed by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, thus, LADRP also has a hand in the preservation of Bell Canyon’s natural beauty

There are many hiking and riding trails around the area, some of which border the former Ahmanson Ranch, now called Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. The Bell Canyon Trail extends 4.5 miles, with a surface of sand and dirt and has a width of 12 to 14 feet that ensures an easy ride. Bell Canyon Trail is scenic and winds through the lush vegetation of Bell Canyon dominated by oak and sycamore woodlands. Bell Canyon Trail heads in a north direction crossing Bell Creek at various locations. This trail is the backbone of Bell Canyon's trails providing many link and loop opportunities.

Although Southern California has enormous environmental problems due to uncontrolled development, Bell Canyon is one of the few places that manage to preserve its beautiful, natural environment. The preservation of Bell Canyon’s wildlife and scenic surroundings is credited to the Bell Canyon Association and many concerned community volunteers. Another great contributor of the preservation is The Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. It is a part of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and ensures the continued presence of the oak savanna. Another notable advocate for the preservation of Bell Canyon’s natural wonders is the Starr Ranch Sanctuary. It is a 4000-acre Audubon preserve in southeast Orange County which focuses on conservation activism, education, habitat preservation, and research. If you are interested in contacting Starr Ranch Sanctuary, you can mail them at 100 Bell Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679.

Organized community events include the annual community fair entitled "Hot August Night," where kids and adults alike participate in pie-eating contests and chili cook-offs, as well as dog shows, wine tastings, progressive dinners, Snow Day, Halloween Hang, and the annual car show. Over ten different social committees enhance the lifestyle in Bell Canyon: the Adult Activities Committee, Investment Club, Bell Canyon Hikers, The Book Club, Kids Committee, and Community Planning are just a sample of the clubs available.

A desirable low-profile sanctuary for the rich and famous, Bell Canyon is home to celebrities, individuals from the motion picture, television and recorded music industries, business executives and professionals.

[edit] Notable residents (past and present)

[edit] External links

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