Sunset Mesa
Sunset Mesa
Sunset Mesa is a neighborhood of approximately 500 homes nestled on a bluff overlooking Pacific Coast Highway between Pacific Palisades and Topanga Canyon.
On January 7, 2025, disaster struck Sunset Mesa. What came to be known as the Palisades Fire, tore through the neighborhood, driven by 60+ mph Santa Ana winds. More than half the homes were destroyed, with most of the remaining homes left uninhabitable by smoke damage. The will of most of our homeowners to rise from the ashes and rebuild is a testament to the love and connection that exists between residents and Sunset Mesa.
Mesa, translated as “table” in Spanish, describes this plateau carved into the cliff that offers beautiful ocean views. Topanga historians define this area as "Parker Mesa," which was given an archaeological site number LAN-215 in 1950. Exploration from the 1920s to 1950s uncovered shell fragments, bowls, knives, remains of a partial house, and cooking utensils. Archaeologists estimate the area was inhabited as early as 1,000 BC.
The original land for the development was acquired from the LA Athletic Club and the County of Los Angeles in 1956 by two developers, April Builders and Consolidated Builders. The tracts were constructed one at a time from the bottom of the hill at Coastline Dr. and Castlerock Rd. and up, always with close attention paid to ocean view corridors. Individual homes were sold as one story or split-level designs based on approximately 6 available models, and once all the lots were developed, the next tract was initiated. Each tract had an Architectural Committee appointed and then elected for their tract upon completion to protect the planned ocean views. Six tracts were built between 1961 and 1965. Between 1966-1967, Consolidated continued to acquire land on lower Coastline once promised as a park and Elementary School, and develop 26 homes going up the hill. In addition, they developed the open space on top of the Mesa at upper Shoreheights, Cloudcroft, and Sandycape as the last of what became 8 tracts to complete the neighborhood.
After all the tracts were completed, the non-profit corporation, the Sunset Mesa Property Owners Association (SMPOA) was formed to run the community. By-Laws were established, and enforcement of the Architectural Committee guidelines were dictated by the CCR's attached to every property, which by the mid-1970s merged as one cohesive unit and continued to this day.
The approximately 100 homes going up Surfview Dr. adjacent to the Getty Villa are the western edge of City of Los Angeles, and are not part of the Sunset Mesa subdivision
We are part of unincorporated Los Angeles County, within the Malibu zip code 90265.
Our world-famous neighbor, The Getty Villa Museum, provides a yearly free pass to the SMPOA members and guests. This benefit results from living next door to a unique property housing one of the most valuable collections of Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities in existence.
With no through-streets and no retail destinations, Sunset Mesa is known as extremely quiet and peaceful, and a genuine sense of community exists. The proximity to the beach at the bottom of the hill provides a chance for easy recreation and enjoyment.