Rancho Bernardo sets the standard for master-planned communities. Although part of the City of San Diego, the ambiance of the community distinguishes Rancho Bernardo from other parts of the county.
Nestled within a valley, about 7,000 acres house more than 45,000 residents in North County San Diego.
A town plaza contains small businesses including financial services, insurance, attorneys, computer services, real estate, mortgage and escrow companies, high tech and entrepreneurial-type businesses.
Industry giants such as Sony Electronics, Hewlett-Packard, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, NCR Corporation, SAIC, and Eastman Kodak Co. operate in one of the largest business parks in San Diego.
Rancho Bernardo began as a land grant of 17,763 acres from the King of Spain in 1789. The area at the time was referred to as "La Canada de San Bernardo". The first recorded land owner of San Bernardo was an English sea captain named Joseph Sevenoaks.
After settling in California, Sevenoaks became a Mexican citizen and married Maria Antonia Alvarado. He changed his name to Don Jose Francisco Snook and used the land as a working cattle ranch. After the death of Snook, the land changed hands several times, always being divided into smaller lots.
John and Laurence Daley eventually purchased the land for cattle grazing. In 1961, the Daleys and W.R. Hawn and Harry L. Summers established Rancho Bernardo, Inc. AVCO Community Developers later obtained the corporation and began developing the land. Rancho Bernardo soon emerged as one of the select communities in the United States.
Rancho Bernardo offers all types of housing from apartments to large, custom homes. The community experienced a housing boom during the 60s, 70s and 80s.
The area is now residentially built out with an occasional plot of land being developed. Neighborhoods spread throughout the rolling hills of the area, lined with red tile roofed, stucco houses.
Anyone wishing to reside in the community can do so through the purchase of existing property or by renting. A number of Senior Living communities provide housing opportunities for residents seeking assisted living including The Remington Club, Casa de Las Campanas, Seacrest Village, Oaks North Village, and others.
Rancho Bernardo residents enjoy easy access to anywhere in San Diego County. Interstate 15 runs directly through Rancho Bernardo, with State Route 56 lying just south of the community and Highway 78 to the north. San Diego International Airport is less than 30 minutes away.
Local bus transportation is provided through the North County Transit System and the San Diego Transit System. There are bus stops throughout the community with regularly scheduled stops every day of the week.
Schools in the area are part of the prestigious Poway Unified School District. Many of the schools in the area have been recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools, which are distinguished as being among America's best.
Rancho Bernardo has several elementary schools with children moving on to Bernardo Heights Middle School, then Rancho Bernardo High School.
Higher education opportunities are available at local campuses for the University of Phoenix and National University.
Rancho Bernardo residents and visitors can choose from a selection of golf courses located in the community. Oaks North Golf Course is a favorite executive course in the area. The Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course and Country Club of Rancho Bernardo offer championship courses. The Bernardo Winery is an inviting place to taste wines, dine, or visit village shops.
Hiking and fishing opportunities are just moments away at both Lake Hodges and Lake Poway. Just north of Rancho Bernardo is the world-famous San Diego Wild Animal Park, where patrons of all ages can enjoy animals in natural settings.
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Located in North County San Diego, west of Ranch Peñasquitos and Rancho Bernardo, is the new community of 4S Ranch.
Built on 2,900 acres, this new master-planned community gives the feeling of those family-friendly neighborhoods of the past. Surrounding the homes of 4S Ranch are neighborhood schools, a variety of parks, and miles of walking trails.
The 265,000-square-foot town center of 4S Ranch, aptly named 4S Commons, offers a wide variety of grocery and retail stores.
4S Ranch sits on land once part of Rancho San Bernardo. This ranch was owned by an English sea captain named Joseph Snook. Snook sailed to California in 1830, converted to Catholicism, and became a Mexican citizen. After becoming a Catholic and Mexican citizen, Snook was eligible for a Mexican land grant.
In 1842, he received Rancho San Bernardo, encompassing over 17,000 acres. He used the land as a cattle ranch. A few years later Rancho San Bernardo became site of the Battle of San Pasqual. Upon his death in 1848, Snook divided the land among his relatives.
4S Ranch showcases 4,715 homes clustered around a traditional town center when completely finished. Architectural designs include California Craftsman, Cottage, Mission, and Ranch style homes.
Designed to suit everyone’s needs 4S Ranch presents a variety of housing choices.
Included within the area is a community-wide fiber-optic network, 4S Connect, allowing every homeowner to connect to broadband Internet.
4S Ranch is conveniently located just west of I-15 next to Rancho Bernardo. Just minutes away Highway 78 and State Route 56, traveling to anywhere in the County is a snap. Residents are a short car ride away from Downtown San Diego or the beautiful coastline.
Bus routes and park-and-ride systems provide public transportation opportunities for those wanting to travel to other parts of San Diego without having to drive themselves. 4S Ranch is also unique in the miles of scenic walking trails available for those on foot or bicycle.
4S Ranch features two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. These include Stone Ranch Elementary, Monterey Ridge Elementary, Oak Valley Middle School and Del Norte High School which is due to open Fall 2009.
All of these schools are included in the prestigious Poway Unified School District.
All middle and high schools in this district have received state ranks of 10 out of 10.
A brand new library, the 4S branch of the San Diego County Library, is now open and includes a host of after school activities and homework resources.
4S Ranch contains a 53-acre area of restaurants, various shops, and professional services. Accessible if you are biking, walking, or driving 4S Ranch will be a community for everyone to enjoy.
A new 25-acre community park makes Little League and soccer available, as well as lighted tennis courts, basketball courts, and a Boys and Girls Club.
The community also offers 10 miles of scenic trails in the permanently protected wildlife habitat. In fact 1,600 acres of 4S Ranch have already been designated as a permanent wildlife habitat.
4S Ranch is also located moments away from the world-famous San Diego Wild Animal Park where people of all ages can enjoy the splendors of nature.
Poway Community Overview
The City of Poway was incorporated in 1980. Its nickname, the "City in the Country," still stands today even though it has grown with a population of about 50,500.
A proposed town center has been presented to the City Council and could become a reality in the next year. Poway's town center will be pedestrian oriented with outdoor cafés, shops, offices, and housing.
The Poway Business Park, which began in 1997, has helped make Poway #6 in business growth in the State of California, as rated in Outlook Magazine. Geico Insurance, Office Depot Inc., and Home Depot Inc., are just a few businesses operating within this business park.
Just like many early San Diego towns, Poway was once settled by the Native American tribe, the Digueños. Many pictographs seen on boulders within Poway date back to the 1500s but the newest history began in 1758. The padres from the Mission San Diego de Alcala kept cattle in the valley during this time.
The original spelling "Paguay" has shown up on mission documents dating back to 1774. It was written in many variations since then, Paui, Pauai, Powaii, and in the end, Poway. The definition of the word also has variations. One Native American linguist believes it means "here, where the waters meet," whereas many translations come to "the two little valleys".
Poway offers a wide variety of housing including apartments, condos and single family homes.
Along with the countless rental and for-sale choices, there is also a wide variety of affordable housing options. All of Poway's affordable housing communities are owned and operated by local nonprofit housing developers. Currently in the building phase, is a solar powered affordable living apartment complex, called Solara, which will produce 90% of the project's energy load. A few more developments include Poway Villas, Brookview Village, and Haley Rand Estates.
Poway sits right off Interstate 15 and has easy access to State Route 56. Residents are a short drive away from Downtown San Diego or the beautiful coastline.
Poway's transportation history mirrors that of early California. In 1888, the first stagecoach began to service local communities and the stage made one stop in town, at the Poway Post Office. The city of San Diego discontinued the stage line in 1912 and in 1961 Poway achieved an 80% paved road rate. Today, the city still posses a number of dirt roads, for use by horses, bikers, pedestrians, and hikers.
Poway residents can access local and regional destinations with public transit and park-and-ride services. Local bus transportation is provided through the Metropolitan Transit System. There are bus stops throughout the community with regularly scheduled stops every day of the week.
Carmel Mountain Ranch is located east of Rancho Peñasquitos, south of Rancho Bernardo, and north of Sabre Springs.
The community is home to over 12,000 residents. Carmel Mountain Plaza is the center of the community.
The plaza features a restaurant row, Reading Cinemas, and numerous retail stores including Sports Authority,Barnes & Noble, Sears, and many others. Costco and Home Depot also have store locations adjacent to the plaza.
Carmel Mountain Ranch is one of the more recently developed areas in San Diego County. The area lies between what used to be Rancho de Los Peñasquitos and Rancho San Bernardo.
The land was part of a Mexican land grant dating back to the 1820s. The ranches passed hands over several times over the generations, and have left significant imprints in San Diego's history.
Residents of Carmel Mountain Ranch enjoy a number of housing options. The area offers apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes for the middle- to upper-class.
Single detached homes make up over half of the housing in the area, with several gated communities spread throughout Carmel Mountain Ranch.
Over 5,300 single homes, apartments, and condominiums exist in the community. The hills and mesas offer beautiful views of San Diego.
Interstate 15 runs directly through Carmel Mountain Ranch with the majority of the community falling on the east side of the freeway. This allows easy access to both the northern and southern parts of San Diego County.
State Highway 56 bisects the community from east to west, providing convenient trips to the San Diego coastline. Bus routes run throughout the area, as well as Park-and-Ride systems.
Poway Unified School District provides education to residents of Carmel Mountain Ranch. A few elementary schools in the area build an excellent education base for youths.
Depending on where residents live in Carmel Mountain Ranch, Mt. Carmel, Rancho Bernardo, and Poway High School service the adolescents of the community.
The Carmel Mountain Ranch / Sabre Springs Public Recreation Center comes equipped with indoor and outdoor basketball courts, softball fields, and areas for relaxing picnics.
The community also has two beautiful golf courses located on both sides of I-15. One of the courses is the top-rated Carmel Mountain Ranch Golf Club, located at the Double Tree Golf Resort. Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club is the other local course, directly west of I-15. This country club provides opportunities to socialize and enjoy a club that does it right.
Youngsters have the opportunity to participate in Little League, softball, basketball, and soccer.
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