Universal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, that encompasses the 415-acre (0.65 sq mi) (1.68 km²) property of Universal Studios, one of the six major film studios in the United States. Approximately 70 percent of the property is inside an unincorporated area surrounded by the City of Los Angeles, while the remaining area is within the Los Angeles city limits. The 70 percent portion of the property remains unincorporated to avoid the City of Los Angeles' business taxes and regulations (the community has a building permit office on site[2] in order to simplify the building process).
Located inside the unincorporated area of Universal City is the theme park for Universal Studios Hollywood; the Universal CityWalk shopping and entertainment center; the Gibson Amphitheatre; and Universal's studios, sets and backlots. Within the Los Angeles city limits are 10 Universal City Plaza, a 36-floor office building for Universal and NBC; the Sheraton Universal; and the Universal Hilton. The Metro Red Line underground station of the same name is located opposite the 10 Universal Plaza.
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department station is located at Universal CityWalk, and the community also houses the only government-funded fire station located on private property. The Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51 is of special significance to Universal, as "Station 51" was the fictional setting of the Universal and Jack Webb television series Emergency!.
