Portola Valley, California Explained

Portola Valley, California should not be confused with Portola, California.

Portola Valley, California
Official Name:Town of Portola Valley
Settlement Type:Town
Mapsize:250x200px
Pushpin Map:USA
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the United States
Pushpin Relief:1
Named For:Gaspar de Portolá
Coordinates:37.375°N -122.2186°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name1:California
Subdivision Name2:San Mateo
Established Title:Incorporated
Established Date:July 14, 1964[1]
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Maryann Derwin[2]
Leader Title1:Vice Mayor
Leader Name1:Craig Hughes
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[3]
Area Total Km2:23.53
Area Total Sq Mi:9.08
Area Land Km2:23.52
Area Land Sq Mi:9.08
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Area Water Percent:0.02
Elevation M:140
Elevation Ft:459
Population Total:4456
Population As Of:2020
Population Footnotes:[4]
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:94028
Area Code:650
Area Code Type:Area code
Timezone:PST
Utc Offset:-8
Timezone Dst:PDT
Utc Offset Dst:-7
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:06-58380
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1659786

Portola Valley is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. Located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the Bay Area, Portola Valley is a small, wealthy community nestled on the eastern slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

History

Portola Valley was named for Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá, who led the first party of Europeans to explore the San Francisco Peninsula in 1769.

The Native Americans already present were Ohlone and specifically the group (or groups) known as Olpen or Guemelento but these were later moved to Mission Dolores and Mission Santa Clara de Asís which claimed the land and peoples.[5] [6] The area's written history dates back to 1833, when a square league of land was given to Domingo Peralta and Máximo Martínez by Governor José Figueroa to form the Rancho Cañada del Corte de Madera.[7] In those days it was used for lumbering and cattle grazing.

By the 1880s Andrew S. Hallidie, a wire rope manufacturer, had built his country home of Eagle Home Farm in what is now Portola Valley. He built a 7,341 foot long aerial tramway from his house to the top of Skyline in 1894 though it was removed after his death in 1900.[8] [9]

In 1886 the name Portola-Crespi Valley was bestowed on the area from the then community of Crystal Springs (now under Crystal Springs Reservoir to the then community of Searsville (in the area of the present day Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve); Crespi is for Juan Crespí, a Franciscan friar with the Portolà expedition.

The town was incorporated in 1964.[10] Bill Lane was the first mayor.[7]

In March 2024, Portola Valley became the first California city or town that had its housing plans to provide more legally required lower income housing decertifed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development for failure to take the necessary steps of rezoning to carry them out.

Geography

Portola Valley is located on the San Francisco Peninsula on the eastern slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The town is west of Interstate 280 and the southwest boundary is along Skyline Boulevard which more or less is the ridge of the mountains. The Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is a large part of the town's southwest side and the north side of the town borders Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. Woodside borders it to the northwest and Palo Alto to the southeast The unincorporated subdivision of Ladera is adjacent to the northern boundary of the town. It is in a mostly wooded area, with some open fields. The San Andreas Fault bisects the town.[11] [12]

Alpine Road and Portola Road are the two relatively main roads in the town and their intersection forms a small shopping nexus.

Portola Valley can generally be divided into 7 subdivisions: Central Portola Valley, The Ranch, Corte Madera, Los Trancos/Vista Verde, Woodside Highlands, Westridge, and Blue Oaks.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.099sqmi, 99.98% of it land and 0.02% of it water.[13]

Attractions

Our Lady of the Wayside Church was built in 1912 for the local Catholic community and is a California Historic Landmark and on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.[14] [15]

Portola Valley School is a one-room former school house built in 1909 and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.[16] It is now used for town council meetings.[17] The Alpine Inn, also known as Casa de Tableta, Rossotti's or Zott's, is one of the oldest existing drinking establishments in California; it started around 1852 when Felix Buelna built it as a gambling house.[18] [19] The first two-network TCP/IP transmission was between a specialized SRI van and ARPANET on August 27, 1976; the van was parked next to the Alpine Inn and wires were run to one of the picnic tables.[20] [21] In 2018, the inn was acquired by new owners, who closed it temporarily for remodeling.[22] [23] [24] [25] It was re-opened in August 2019.[26]

Trails

Portola Valley is known for its expansive trail network both maintained by the town[27] and also in the Windy Hill Open Space Preserve maintained by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.[28] [29] The trail network includes the 235 acre Coal Mine Ridge Nature Preserve which is private property, but, by agreement with the town is set aside as open space.[30] [31]

Demographics

As of 2020, the town has a much higher percentage of white people than the rest of San Mateo county, with 75% being white as opposed to 35% in San Mateo county overall. This is the result of their exclusionary zoning ordinances, which prohibit multifamily dwellings anywhere in the town.[32]

As of 2020 the median income per household in Portola Valley was estimated at $235,469 and the per capita income was $142,778.[33]

2010

The 2010 United States Census[34] reported that Portola Valley had a population of 4,353. The population density was 478.7sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of Portola Valley was 3,960 (91.0%) White, 12 (0.3%) African American, 5 (0.1%) Native American, 242 (5.6%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 29 (0.7%) from other races, and 104 (2.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 175 persons (4.0%).

The Census reported that 4,309 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 9 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 35 (0.8%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,746 households, out of which 518 (29.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,149 (65.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 70 (4.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 35 (2.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 37 (2.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 21 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 420 households (24.1%) were made up of individuals, and 290 (16.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47. There were 1,254 families (71.8% of all households); the average family size was 2.93.

The population was spread out, with 1,001 people (23.0%) under the age of 18, 145 people (3.3%) aged 18 to 24, 538 people (12.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,496 people (34.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,173 people (26.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

There were 1,895 housing units at an average density of 208.4sp=usNaNsp=us, of which 1,392 (79.7%) were owner-occupied, and 354 (20.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.8%. 3,702 people (85.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 607 people (13.9%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census[35] of 2000, there were 4,392 people, 1,772 households, and 1,269 families residing in the town. The population density was 487.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,772 housing units at an average density of 193.6sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 4,210 White, 29 African American, 22 Native American, 217 Asian, 5 Pacific Islander, 54 from other races, and 64 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 149.

There were 1,772 households, out of which 532 had children under the age of 18 living with them, 1,176 were married couples living together, 68 had a woman householder with no man present, and 431 were non-families. 339 of all households were made up of individuals, and 226 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town the age distribution of the population shows 1021 persons under the age of 18, 90 from 20 to 24, 867 from 25 to 44, 1492 from 45 to 64, and 938 who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.5 years old. For every 100 women there were 96.8 men. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 91.7 men.

The median income for a household in Portola Valley, including earnings, is $244,771 and the median income for a family was $180,893. Men have a median income of over $200,000 versus $172,585 for women. The per capita income for Portola Valley is $152,128. About 18 families and 104 people were below the poverty line, including 38 of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Portola Valley Elementary School District has two public primary schools: Ormondale School (with grades K–3) and Corte Madera School (grades 4–8). The public high school is Woodside High School, part of the Sequoia Union High School District and in the neighboring community of Woodside.[36] Ormondale is named for the Ormondale ranch that had covered much of present-day Westridge, Oak Hills, and Ladera and was home to the famous English racehorse, Ormonde, in his later years.[37]

Portola Valley is also home to two private schools: Woodside Priory School, an independent college-preparatory Roman Catholic day and boarding school serving grades 6-12, and Woodland School, an independent pre-K-8 grade school.[36]

The city is served by the Portola Valley Public Library of the San Mateo County Libraries, a member of the Peninsula Library System.[38]

Government

In the California State Legislature, Portola Valley is in, and in .[39]

Federally, Portola Valley is in .[40] Politically, Portola Valley leans slightly Democratic based on voting patterns for past presidential elections.[41]

Portola Valley is part of the Woodside Fire Protection District (which also covers Woodside, Ladera, Emerald Hills, Los Trancos, Skyline, and Viste Verde), which has one its three stations in the town.[42]

For law enforcement, Portola Valley contracts with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

The Portola Valley Town Council made up of volunteers elected for four year terms governs the town. It appoints a town manager and other necessary officers and also elects a mayor.[43]

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: California Cities by Incorporation Date . Word . California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions . August 25, 2014.
  2. Web site: Town Council . Portola Valley, CA . December 19, 2014.
  3. Web site: 2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2020.
  4. Web site: Census Data: Portola Valley (town). United States Census Bureau. July 14, 2021.
  5. Book: Millikan. Randally. Shoup. Laurence H.. Ortiz. Beverley R.. Ohlone/Costanoan Indians of the San Francisco Peninsula and their Neighbors, Yesterday and Today. June 2009. National Park Service. 293–294.
  6. Bocek. Barbara. Subsistence, Settlement and Tribelet Territories on the Eastern San Francisco Peninsula. Proceedings of the Society for California Arhchaeology. 1992. 5. 269–297. April 8, 2018.
  7. Book: Kyle. Douglas E.. Rensch. Hero Eugene. Rensch. Ethel Grace. Hoover. Mildred Brooke. Historic Spots in California: Fifth Edition. 2002. Stanford University Press. 9780804778176. March 24, 2018. en.
  8. News: Clifford. Jim. Cable car inventor built tram in Portola Valley. March 25, 2018. San Mateo Daily Journal. May 8, 2017. en.
  9. Web site: Hallidie Tramway - Portola Valley, CA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com. www.waymarking.com. March 25, 2018. en.
  10. Web site: Portola Valley, CA : History of Portola Valley. www.portolavalley.net. en. March 16, 2017.
  11. News: Aiden. Andrew. Lost and Found: The 1906 Earthquake Rupture in Portola Valley. March 25, 2018. KQED. August 8, 2013. en-us.
  12. Web site: Geologic Map: Town of Portola Valley. Portola Valley. Cotton, Shires, and Associates. March 25, 2018. June 2017.
  13. Web site: 2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. June 28, 2017.
  14. Web site: California. California State Parks, State of. OUR LADY OF THE WAYSIDE. CA State Parks. March 29, 2018. en.
  15. Web site: National Register #77000338: Our Lady of the Wayside in Portola Valley, California. noehill.com. March 29, 2018.
  16. Web site: National Register #74000557: Portola Valley School, California. noehill.com. March 29, 2018.
  17. Web site: Town Center: Portola Valley, CA. www.portolavalley.net. March 29, 2018. en.
  18. News: Staiger. Steve. Echoes of Alpine Inn's early days. March 29, 2018. www.paloaltoonline.com. January 24, 2001.
  19. Web site: Buelna's Roadhouse, 3915 Alpine Road, Portola Valley, San Mateo County, CA. The Library of Congress. March 29, 2018. en.
  20. Web site: Alpine Inn & Beer Garden. Laws. David. April 13, 2012. Silicon Valley Roots & Shoots. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130919095902/http://siliconvalley.sutromedia.com/alpine-inn-and-beer-garden.html. September 19, 2013. March 31, 2013.
  21. Book: SRI Mobile Van X1590.99 Computer History Museum. www.computerhistory.org. 1977. May 30, 2018. en.
  22. Web site: Popular burger joint is closed until March for remodeling . www.almanacnews.com. February 19, 2018. en.
  23. Web site: Portola Valley: Alpine Inn has new owners.
  24. News: Daly . Kate . Historic Alpine Inn reopening in Portola Valley on Friday . December 31, 2019 . www.paloaltoonline.com . en.
  25. News: Gulker. Linda Hubbard. The saga of Alpine Inn aka Zott's over the years — InMenlo. December 30, 2019. InMenlo.com.
  26. Web site: Daly. Kate. Historic Alpine Inn reopening in Portola Valley on Friday. April 8, 2021. www.paloaltoonline.com. en.
  27. Web site: Portola Valley Trails. Town of Portola Valley. March 22, 2018. en.
  28. Web site: Windy Hill Preserve . Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District . April 26, 2022 . en.
  29. Web site: Town of Portola Valley, San Mateo County . Bay Area Hikers . April 26, 2022.
  30. Web site: Coal Mine Ridge Nature Preserve Portola Valley CA . CMRNP . April 26, 2022 . en.
  31. Web site: Coal Mine Ridge Nature Preserve, Portola Ranch Homeowner's Association, San Mateo County . Bay Area Hikers . April 26, 2022.
  32. News: A wealthy Peninsula town is dragging its feet on building housing, state says. Now, it faces consequences. - The town is the first to have its housing element decertified by the state, which means it loses out on key state infrastructure funds . Talerico . Kate . . April 2, 2024 . Historically, Portola Valley hasn’t allowed multifamily housing complexes to be built in town. As a result, the community is a homogenous enclave: 75% white (compared to 35% in San Mateo county overall), with a median household income of $250,000 and an average home value of $3.8 million. As of 2020, 81% of the town’s housing stock was made up of single-family homes, many on lots of an acre or larger..
  33. Web site: 94028 Income Statistics - Current Census Data for Zip Codes . www.incomebyzipcode.com . April 26, 2022.
  34. Web site: 2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Portola Valley town. https://archive.today/20140715032604/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0658380. dead. July 15, 2014. U.S. Census Bureau. July 12, 2014.
  35. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  36. Web site: Local Schools: Portola Valley, CA. www.portolavalley.net. Town of Portola Valley. March 29, 2018. en.
  37. Web site: The Incorporation of Portola Valley – Part 1. Portola Valley, Past and Present. March 29, 2018. January 14, 2014.
  38. Web site: Portola Valley Library. March 29, 2018.
  39. Web site: Statewide Database . UC Regents . December 19, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html . February 1, 2015. dead .
  40. March 13, 2013.
  41. Web site: California neighborhood election results: Did your precinct vote to elect Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump?. Schleuss. Jon. Fox. Joe. www.latimes.com. en. March 22, 2018. Krishnakumar. Priya.
  42. Web site: About - Woodside Fire Protection District . www.woodsidefire.org . June 2, 2018 . en-gb.
  43. Web site: Portola Valley Municipal Code . Municode Library . June 2, 2018 . en.
  44. News: The secretive billionaire who built Silicon Valley . Mangalindan, JP . July 7, 2014 . Fortune . subscription . March 9, 2020.
  45. Meetings of the Architectural Site Control Commission . July 23, 2018 . 84 . Town of Portola Valley . March 9, 2020.
  46. News: Marion Softky . Author Don Nielson chronicles SRI research achievements . The Almanac . February 8, 2006 . December 23, 2017.
  47. News: It's Good Move for Craig . Terry, Mike . February 8, 2003 . Los Angeles Times . March 9, 2020 . limited.
  48. News: John Markoff . Hewitt D. Crane, 81, Early Computer Engineer, Is Dead . . June 21, 2008 . May 25, 2010 .
  49. Web site: Guide to the Richard and Mildred Crooks Collection . Online Archive of California . March 9, 2020.
  50. News: Richard Crooks, Tenor at the Met, Dies . Freeman, William M. . October 1, 1972 . The New York Times . subscription . March 9, 2020.
  51. News: Former eBay CEO John Donahoe is in the clouds at ServiceNow . Crum, Rex . March 31, 2017 . San Jose Mercury News . March 9, 2020.
  52. News: Portola Valley entrepreneur named to open space trust board . March 3, 2009 . The Almanac . March 9, 2020.
  53. News: Piano phenom Taylor Eigsti returns to Priory for anniversary concert . March 15, 2018 . The Almanac . March 9, 2020.
  54. Web site: Profile / Thomas Fogarty / Stanford doctor to be honored for inventions. Berlin. Linda. Chronicle. Special to The. October 5, 2001. SFGate. February 1, 2019.
  55. News: Tennessee Ernie Ford Dies at 72; Folksy Singer Recorded '16 Tons'. Collins. Glenn. October 18, 1991. The New York Times. February 16, 2018. en-US. 0362-4331. He was 72 years old and lived in Portola Valley, near Palo Alto, Calif..
  56. News: Billionaire Reid Hoffman gives candidate Josh Becker a $500,000 boost . January 27, 2020 . The Daily Post . March 9, 2020.
  57. News: Laurance Zuckerman . Cuthbert Hurd, 85, Computer Pioneer at I.B.M . June 2, 1996 . . May 24, 2010 .
  58. Web site: Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation . 2003 . Manzanita introductions of the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation . May 25, 2010 .
  59. News: Billionaire Vinod Khosla's big dreams for biofuels fail to catch fire . Mufson, Steven . November 28, 2014 . The Washington Post . March 9, 2020 . subscription.
  60. Web site: Bill Lane makes a gift of $5 million to endow Stanford's Center for the Study of the North American West . . February 25, 2005 . Lisa Kwiatkowski . May 24, 2010 .
  61. News: Bucolic Portola Valley Home to Famous Figures. SFGate. March 22, 2018.
  62. News: Heads Above the Rest / Bruce Wolfe on the method and madness of sculpture . Whiting, Sam . June 8, 2003 . San Francisco Chronicle . March 4, 2020.
  63. http://www.milvehtechfound.com/history.html Military Vehicle Technology Foundation
  64. News: Ex-Marine, Republican, War Critic Paul Norton McCloskey Jr. . April 12, 1971 . The New York Times . March 9, 2020 . subscription.
  65. News: Documentary salutes Pete McCloskey tonight . July 1, 2009 . The Almanac . March 9, 2020.
  66. News: Will Maverick McNealy live up to his name, eschew pro golf for loftier goals? . Almond, Elliott . October 27, 2016 . Bay Area News Group . San Jose Mercury News . March 9, 2020.
  67. News: Stanford grad McNealy makes the cut, earns PGA Tour Card . August 12, 2019 . Palo Alto Online . March 9, 2020.
  68. News: Posh Home Of Silicon Valley Pioneer Site Of Trump Bay Area Fundraiser . September 17, 2019 . CBS SF BayArea . March 9, 2020.
  69. News: $42 million price cut on tech billionaire's Silicon Valley monster mansion . Graff, Amy . October 17, 2019 . SFGate . March 9, 2020.
  70. News: Woman found under bridge was daughter of former Portola Valley mayor; service Feb. 20 . February 10, 2010 . The Almanac . March 9, 2020.
  71. Meetings of the Architectural Site Control Commission . March 25, 2019 . 1 . Town of Portola Valley . March 9, 2020.

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