| Los Trancos Woods/Vista
Verde, Portola Valley
Los Trancos Woods and Vista Verde, two neighborhoods surrounded by thousands of wooded acres of permanent open space, share both altitude and access roads, and have weather and wildlife in common. But their differing histories and character, however, make the two neighborhoods a study in contrasts.
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The two neighborhoods lie at the southern ends of Alpine and Los Trancos roads, in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County south of Portola Valley town limits.
The Los Trancos Woods subdivision of summer homes was established in 1928, and by 1939 boasted 110 residences. With a sloping terrain, the area was ideal, protected from the fog that rolls over the hills. By 1941, six people lived there year-round.
| Los Trancos Woods/Vista Verde facts:
FIRE STATION: 135 Portola Road, Portola Valley
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: (Eligibility depends on the resident's address) Palo Alto Unified School District -- Lucille M. Nixon School, 1711 Stanford Ave., Palo Alto; Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, 480 E. Meadow Drive, Palo Alto; Henry M. Gunn Senior High School, 780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto Portola Valley School District -- Ormondale School, 200 Shawnee Pass Road, Portola Valley; Corte Madera School, 4575 Alpine Road, Portola Valley Sequoia Union High School District -- Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside
Shopping: Portola Road, Valley Center (Portola and Alpine roads)
Median home price: Los Trancos Woods: $1,130,000 ($1,045,000-$1,280,000); Vista Verde: $1,835,000 ($1,520,000-$2,145,000)
No. of homes sold: Los Trancos Woods: 3; Vista Verde: 2
Neighborhood association: Los Trancos Woods Community Association, www.lostrancoswoods.org, Peri Nielsen, secretary, 650-851-9152; Vista Verde Community Association, Amanda Lee, president, 650-851-5590nt, 650-851-5590 |
Most of the summer homes are gone now, but the area has continued to grow. There are few undeveloped parcels, and the area has restricted new development, keeping its rural environment, Julie Duncan, a resident since 1974, says.
Roads meander, rising and falling steeply. They also narrow, sometimes to one-car width. Roadside, a mix of trees, including redwood, intermingle with moss and ivy. "There are mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and unbelievable amounts of deer," Ms. Duncan says.
Not standing on formality, some residents announce their house numbers or family names on painted wooden signs, nailed to tree trunks by the road.
As a community, the neighborhood publishes a directory of residents; a book club meets faithfully every month, and there is a family-oriented community picnic. Issues on the fore include a possible sewage system for some homes, emergency preparedness and limiting house sizes.
Above Los Trancos Woods, built on the ridge, Vista Verde consists of 105 "rural estates," according to Jay Wilson. Vista Verde homes were developed in the early 1960s on 453 acres of land once owned by "Sunny Jim" Rolph, governor of California in 1931. Like those in Los Trancos, the homes were also designed to fit into the natural landscape.
The lots are mostly more than an acre, and the area is surrounded on three sides by open space or private parks. "It's a community of relaxed elegance, cooperation and friendliness," says Claudia Mazzetti, former secretary of the Vista Verde Community Association.
"It's a great place to be. The transition from Silicon Valley to here is very nice. You feel you're in a different world separated from everything happening in the Hwy. 280 (corridor)," Richard Swan, past president of the Vista Verde Community Association says.
The community is big on self-sufficiency. Emergency preparedness drills take place every six months, with fire, earthquake and medical response exercises, since the community is far away from most services. A community directory helps people stay connected and lists people who may need help being rescued during an earthquake or fire.
The neighborhood highlights an annual summer picnic, which is held at Pony Tracks Ranch, as well as a "spring fling," and a progressive dinner, where parts of a dinner are sponsored at different homes, such as entrees, main course, or desserts and coffee.
-- Jocelyn Dong, Carol Blitzer and Sue Dremann |
