City of Laguna Niguel Popular Annual Financial Report | Year Ended June 30, 2024 ABOUT LAGUNA NIGUEL Laguna Niguel is a 14.72 square mile planned community in South Orange County, California and is located approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. Laguna Niguel is a General Law city with municipal elections held in November of even numbered years. The City is known for fostering a strong retail and commercial environment. Over one-third of Laguna Niguel is designated as open space, making this one of the key features defining the character and urban form of the City. Approximately seventy two percent (72%) of Laguna Niguel’s 26,187 housing units are owner occupied. 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 what is now known as Aliso Creek. In 1821, California became Mexican territory, and many rancheros were formed in Southern California, including Rancho Niguel. Originally, 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 a 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. In 1959 the Laguna Niguel Corporation was formed, and Laguna Niguel became one of the first master planned communities in California. Land sales started to occur in 1961 in the Monarch Bay and Laguna Terrace subdivisions. The City was officially incorporated on December 1, 1989, becoming the 29th city in Orange County. cityoflagunaniguel.org 03