Located 30 miles north of San Diego and in total just under 10 square miles, Rancho Santa Fe, California, is an exclusive and prestigious community. The median household income is in excess of $200,000 and the median house value is over $1,000,000 (both as of the 2000 Census).(1)
With a population of fewer than 4,000(2), Rancho Santa Fe is unique in that it feels more like a neighborhood than a town. Imagine driving through an area with no traffic signals and every street having a maximum of two lanes. Streets in the residential area boast landscaping, but the side streets are adorned with the personal landscaping of the residents, thereby decorating the street and protecting the privacy of the homeowners. That is Rancho Santa Fe.
The area was born out of the first Spanish land grant in 1845 in an area currently known as "the Covenant." Full development began in 1922, and in 1928 the Covenant was developed to establish the personality of the area and set regulations for all future construction and improvements to existing buildings. In 1989, Rancho Santa Fe was designated as a State Historical Landmark by the government of California.
Housing development within the Covenant is restricted to Spanish, Mediterranean or ranch-style architecture. Just outside of the Covenant, but still within the borders of Rancho Santa Fe, lie several planned communities including Rancho Del Lago, Whispering Palms, Del Rayo Estates, The Summit, The Bridges, Cielo, Morgan Run and Rancho Valencia. Fairbanks Ranch, which had been the property of movie legend Douglas Fairbanks, is an affluent community of just over 2,000 residents and more than 620 estates. Home prices in Rancho Santa Fe often start in excess of $1 million and can exceed $10 million.
"The Village," or the central business district, hosts business offices, restaurants and small stores and boutiques, along with the library and school. Everything outside of this specific area is exclusively residential save for golf courses and country clubs.
Home to major sports stars, politicians and entertainers, Rancho Santa Fe is a close knit community in which privacy is valued, and guarded. Activities available in the area include golf, tennis, horseback riding, and sailing. The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe is a private golf course designed by the Robert Trent Jones II Group. The par 71 course offers five sets of tees, playing almost 7,000 yards from the tips, and boasts dramatic terrain, lakes, streams, and superb landscaping. The Rancho Santa Fe Polo Club organizes matches from October to May. The area also plays host to several of the nation's premier golf courses and tennis clubs, among them the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club and the Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club, both open to Covenant residents only. Additional golf facilities include The Bridges, The Crosby, Del Mar Country Club, Morgan Run Resort & Club and Rancho Santa Fe Farms Golf Club. The Fairbanks Ranch Country Club sits on the grounds of the 1984 Olympic Equestrian Endurance Event. Further out, Rancho Santa Fe is conveniently located within a half hour of such attractions as Downtown San Diego with Symphony Hall, Convention Center and Horton Plaza.
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(1) Wikipedia
(2) Ibid
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