The Community of Lakeside is located in the western foothills of the Cuyamaca Mountains on the San Diego River about 21 miles east of downtown San Diego. Six thousand six-hundred (6,600) acres of the Rancho El Cajon land grant were purchased by the El Cajon Valley Land Company in 1886. The company mapped the area as a townsite, naming it Lakeside after Lindo Lake which is located near the Town Center.
Lakeside was essentially a rural community until the 1950s, when growth began to surge. Lakeside’s rural atmosphere was very attractive to those seeking escape from the more densely settled areas of central San Diego; and, with the completion of Interstate 8, convenient access was provided to the employment centers to the west. The resulting suburbanization of Lakeside became a prime concern of the residents and in 1970 the Board of Supervisors approved creation of the Lakeside Community Planning Group.
The desire to maintain a rural type of lifestyle has affected the way in which Lakeside has developed. A considerable amount of small-scale farming still exists in the community and many homes in the residential areas of Lakeside have small horse corrals evidencing a relatively high degree of horse ownership. Maintaining and enhancing the rural imagery of the area would be an important consideration for those wishing to develop in Lakeside.