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From its oak-studded hills, residents of Emerald Hills can see Crystal Springs Reservoir and the cities of Woodside and Redwood city and the fog spilling over the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains.

Emerald Hills, which some call Emerald Lake Hills, was conceived as a resort community for San Franciscans during World War I.

The area consists of two subdivisions created around 1920: Emerald Lake (even though there are two lakes) and Emerald Hills, according to the Emerald Hills Homeowners Association website.

Horses still graze on some properties, which also boast vineyards and older homes have been replaced by mansions. But there are still plenty of the older wooden structures, which are as much a part of the rural feel as the hills and trees.

Even when they were students at Stanford University, Andy and Laura Poppink knew they wanted to live in Woodside. They knew they wanted to settle in an area that's "relaxed, has nature, space and privacy," Mr. Poppink says, and that's what led them to choose Emerald Hills.

"You come home from work and take a deep breath. You have access to getting away quickly on the trails," he says.

The Poppinks have lived in the neighborhood for seven years and recently moved within the neighborhood. Their new home features more than an acre that backs up to open space. They love their views, and how "every weekend we can leave our house on foot and go for hikes and runs in Edgewood County Park," Mr. Poppink says.

Their two-story Spanish Mission-style home started as a summer residence built out of adobe bricks that were made from clay on the property back in the '40s.

Many of the families chose to move into the area so the kids could attend Woodside School.
The neighbors all know each other and range in age, according to Mr. Poppink.

"It's a neighborhood in transition, with lots of new construction or remodeling going on."
Despite architectural and demographic changes, one aspect of Emerald Hills remains constant: its natural beauty.

"There are many areas in the neighborhood with great views of the western hills," Mr. Poppink said.

-- Kate Daly


FACTS
CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOLS: Woodside Parents' Nursery School, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside; Woodside Preschool, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside
FIRE STATION: 4091 Jefferson Avenue, Emerald Hills
LOCATION: Canada Road and Farm Hill Boulevard
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Emerald Hills Homeowners Association, Michael Mangini, president, 650-365-4449; email: board@emeraldhills.org
PARK: Edgewood County Park
PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
Redwood City School District -- 750 Bradford St., Redwood City;
Woodside Elementary School District -- Woodside School, 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside;
Sequoia Union High School District -- Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Avenue, Woodside
SHOPPING: Woodside Road, Woodside and Redwood City
MEDIAN 2012 HOME PRICE: $1,775,000 ($825,000-$2,750,000)
HOMES SOLD: 3

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