Ladera Ranch is a census-designated place and a 4000-acre planned community located in south Orange County, California, adjacent to San Juan Capistrano, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Mission Viejo. Located along Antonio Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway, construction of the community began in 1999 on portions of the O’Neill, Avery, & Moiso families’ 23,000 acreRancho Mission Viejo cattle ranch, which was the largest remaining working ranch in Orange County. Also a farm, habitat reserve, and community in the unincorporated area of South Orange County, CA, Ladera Ranch has a rich history with spectacular scenery. An authentic El Camino Real bell, donated by the Kruse family, stands in front of Chaparral Elementary School as a reminder of Ladera Ranch’s history. Majestic oak trees, avocado, orange, and, lemon groves, and a breathtaking panorama of rolling hills and vast terrain characterizes much of Ladera Ranch.
In 1963, the O’Neill family and its partners established The Mission Viejo Company and embarked on its first residential development, the 11,000 acres planned community of Mission Viejo. Rancho Mission Viejo is today home to four master-planned communities: the City of Mission Viejo, City of Rancho Santa Margarita, Las Flores, and Ladera Ranch.
The Ladera Ranch development is divided into nine “villages.” Within each village, individual builders develop an area called a neighborhood. There are ten or more neighborhoods per village. The villages are:
- Oak Knoll Village
- Covenant Hills (gated)
- Bridgepark
- Flintridge Village
- Township
- Wycliffe Village
- Echo Ridge Village
- Avendale Village
- Terramor Village
