Robert Yalda, Who Helped Shape Calabasas Into A Renowed City, Retires After 29 Years

CALABASAS, CA — In the early years of Calabasas' existence as an incorporated city, Robert Yalda remembers how the community just wasn't yet on the map yet — even locally.

"In 1995, I'll never forget, I went to [the local office of] Caltrans and said 'Calabasas,' they said 'You're in the wrong district, you want Northern California,'" Yalda recalled at a City Council meeting last month.

The city has come a long way since then, earning national name recognition as a place with a high quality of life and desirable amenities. And much of that is thanks to Yalda, who retired last month from his post as public works director/city engineer after working for the city for 29 years.

Yalda was honored at the council meeting, where Mayor David Shapiro detailed how Yalda's work helped shape Calabasas into the city it is today. He started as city traffic engineer in 1994 — three years after the city's incorporation — and since then has had a hand in nearly every public works project.

That includes the Lost Hills interchange, the rehabilitation of Old Town, the Mulholland Highway master plan, the creation of the citywide shuttle service and the restoration of Las Virgenes Creek, Shapiro said.

"During his 29-year tenure with the city, Robert excelled at encouraging initiatives and cultivating teamwork," Shapiro said. He repeated a quote oft spoken by Yalda — "A boss knows how it's done, a leader shows how it's done."