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An enclave wedged between Menlo Park and Redwood City, Fair Oaks has the feel of a country hamlet, yet is less than a mile from Highway 101. Turn east off Middlefield Road onto one of the numbered streets. Suddenly taco joints and joyerias give way to narrow lanes shaded with stately trees and homes with welcoming porches.

Beyond its aesthetic appeal, Fair Oaks attracts families and individuals from a broad spectrum with its true neighborhood feel. The Fair Oaks Beautification Association, or FOBA, has done everything from lobby successfully for traffic calming to raise money for a gorgeous new playground.

Laura Caplan got involved with tree-plantings and other events when she moved into the neighborhood 5 1/2 years ago. "I love that the neighbors have accomplished a lot" through the association, she says.

Fair Oaks appealed to Ms. Caplan and her family because of its relative affordability, central location on the Peninsula and proximity to Menlo Park, Palo Alto and 101. But once she got to know it a bit better, she realized the neighborly atmosphere was perhaps its greatest asset, she says.

While Fair Oaks fosters the cohesiveness of a group, it also has a lot of variety. "It's not your everything-looks-alike type of place. You see homes that were built at all different times, all different styles and sizes," she says.

And that appeals to a lot of people. Many of the narrow streets lack sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and the "eclectic" mix of residents seems to like those features and the unique feel they give the place, Ms. Caplan adds.

Young families are a common sight in Fair Oaks because of the relative affordability. In the early evening hours there are lots of people out and about, says Uri Sarid, who has also lived in the neighborhood about 5 1/2 years. Moms with young kids take advantage of the playground on Edison Street, which is maintained completely by the efforts and donations of volunteers. But there are plenty of people in the neighborhood who have been there for decades, he says.

Some young families look for other homes when children reach school age, Ms. Caplan says. Though Fair Oaks residents have Menlo Park addresses, their children attend the less-sought-after Redwood City schools.

The area receives excellent service from the sheriff and fire departments, and there are stations for both in the neighborhood, Ms. Caplan says. And the neighborhood group communicates the neighborhood's needs to county officials, she adds. The association has a Web site with information for community members and has regular community meetings.

"A lot of places in the Bay Area have all sorts of problems," Sarid says. "Some are snobbish and aloof, some have a lot of crime. In our area it just doesn't seem to be the case."


FACTS


FIRE STATION: 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Fair Oaks Beautification Association, www.fobaneighbors.org.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Redwood City School District — Garfield School, 3600 Middlefield Road, Redwood City

Sequoia Union High Scholl District — Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton

SHOPPING: Middlefield Road, Redwood City

MEDIAN HOME PRICE:

$749,000 ($390,000-$1,395,000)

HOMES SOLD: 23

View the neighborhood map (PDF)

— Kathy Schrenk