A Brief History of Lakeside Forest and Surrounding Communities

The City of Westerville is home to one of Ohio’s first Planned Neighborhood Developments, consisting of two sister Home Owner Associations built in the city’s Woodlake Colony district:

Originally, the plan for the two Associations incorporated a total of 90 homes, with 61 lots intended in Lakeside Forest. As construction and design of various homes started taking place, several lots were deemed unbuildable. The central three-acre private lake between the two existing sister Home Owners Associations belongs to Lakeside Village, but both the Village and the Forest fund the upkeep and management of the common lake, docks, bridges and walkways, and the surrounding common property (approximately 15 feet from the shoreline).

Lakeside Forest’s nearly 12 acres of land was purchased by the Northeast Co. (Raymond F. Bostic, President) during a robust Westerville expansion in the 1970s, with the Association being incorporated, developed, and a conceptual site plan created in 1981 by developer Don Ettore as a deed-restricted, adult-oriented, gated community.

Today, Lakeside Forest remains a hidden gem in southeastern Westerville, and is bounded by the lake, Schrock Road, and Woodview Road. The Association’s signature 

California Modern Cedar Post- and-Beam-inspired homes were strategically placed to retain as many trees as possible, which caused a great deal of controversy with Westerville’s Fire Chief at the time. After development of the lots and with sales completed in the mid-’90s, the control of the Association was transferred from the developers to the Lakeside Forest homeowners.

Lakeside Forest is a not-for-profit, fee-simple, zero lot line Homeowner’s Association (not a condo association). Association Members own their homes and all of the land within its foundation, but share all land outside of their foundation equally with all other Owners. The land outside the home's foundation is Association Common Property.

In reality, LFA is a “City within a City” governed by an elected Board of Trustees — volunteers who have the authority and fiduciary responsibility to develop and approve annual budgets and assessments to maintain the Association’s Common Property: private roads, gates, street lights, mailboxes, parking areas, a maintenance garage, and recreational amenities such as the pool, a tennis court, parks, and much more. Homeowners are entirely responsible for the exterior upkeep of their home.

Watch the historical LFA 40th Anniversary Video HERE.