Debbi DiMaggio

If the city of Piedmont - approximately 11,000 people in 1.7 square miles of land - conjures up anything, it is probably green streets and greenbacks.

By the 1920s, Piedmont was known as the city of millionaires because it had the most per square mile of any U.S. city. Time seems to have only enhanced that colorful reputation, now complemented by tree-lined streets, green parks and even median strips planted with flowers.

Known today for its top-notch public schools, this well-heeled city survived annexation efforts in the early 1900s and today thrives with a great quality of life and as a place to raise a family.

Recent figures show that 71 percent of the city's 3,804 households consist of married couples and 47 percent have children younger than 18.

Piedmont is surrounded by the city of Oakland. While Piedmont provides its own fire department, police and schools, it shares other services; Oakland meets the needs for a public library and post office, plus most retail services.

A small commercial district in the center of town includes three banks (Wells Fargo, Citibank and Bank of America), a real estate office, Mulberry's Market, a gas station and a few professional offices. The city is served by two weekly newspapers: the Piedmonter, a neighborhood newspaper owned by the Contra Costa Times, and the citizen-run Piedmont Post.

The town has all the charm of a West Coast "Mayberry R.F.D.," reflecting the 1960s TV show of Andy Griffith fame. And it's also unfailingly eco-friendly. Piedmont has received the National Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA designation for several years running. "It has 44 acres of parkland and 25 different varieties of trees," said Park and Projects Manager Mark Feldkamp.

Why residents love it

Six years ago, Laura Pochop was living in San Francisco with her husband, Chad Olcott.

"We loved the Mission," Pochop said. "But with a child about to enter kindergarten, we were looking for a community where we could send our kids all the way through high school in the public school system."

It was Thanksgiving weekend when they came to view an open house.

"We fell in love. It was so tranquil and walkable with stunning views," she said.

The one thing they didn't find were family-run stores like those dotting the Mission District, where you could walk and get a good cup of joe or buy an ice cream cone for the kids. So not only did they buy a house, but two years ago, Olcott and Pochop opened Mulberry's, where they now serve Peet's coffee, Fentons ice cream and all the grocery basics.

Mayberry-esque gatherings are the backbone of small towns, and Piedmont has a plethora of school fundraisers, a kitschy Fourth of July Parade, an annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony and the Piedmont Turkey Trot, a 3-mile fun run benefiting the school track and cross-country teams on Thanksgiving.

Because of its school system, low crime rate, good weather, short commute to San Francisco and high property values, it is regarded as one of the most desirable residential communities in the Bay Area. Piedmont was ranked No. 21 of the 25 top-earning towns in CNN-Money Magazine's list of "The Best Places to Live in 2007," and was also named the "Best Place to Live" in the United States in 2007 by Forbes. The public high school was ranked in the top 500 in the nation by Newsweek.

"What attracts families to Piedmont are both the fine schools and its small-town feel," said Teresa Baum of Pacific Union Realty. "Housing prices have been among the most stable in the region, even during the downturn."

Since January, there have been 65 sales of single-family homes, listed from $750,000 to $6.5 million. Debbi DiMaggio, a broker with Highland Partners-Prudential Realty who has lived in Piedmont for 45 years, said, "It's close to everything. San Francisco is just 30 minutes away, and you can be through the tunnel into Contra Costa in half that time."

Piedmont's origins

The biggest issues in Piedmont usually revolve around the schools and land use. One debate is whether the new sports field surface at Havens Elementary should be grass, crumb rubber infill or turf with coconut husk and cork infill. A more contentious sports field question is playing out along busy Moraga Road, a.k.a. Blair Park, where proponents want two soccer fields and neighbors don't.

The area that is now the city of Piedmont was once part of a 14,330-acre land grant, given by the king of Spain in 1820 to Presidio soldier Don Luis Peralta. The region's early history is dominated by Peralta's ranch lands and the efforts of missionaries.

During the late Victorian era, other men were drawn to the area. The president of Western Union, James Gamble, bought 350 acres of land from Walter Blair, built a mansion for himself, and intended to build homes on the remainder of his property. He christened the enterprise the Piedmont Land Co., and this is the origin of the name that would eventually be given to the city.

The importance of schools also can be traced to the town's origins.

In 1905, residents of the then-unincorporated area outside Oakland passed a bond to build a school on Piedmont Avenue. When the city of Oakland took over the school and had the audacity to send tax bills to residents who had supported the bond, Piedmont started plotting to become a city of its own.

Notable residents

In January 1907, Piedmonters voted to incorporate, and on Jan. 31, they became residents of the state's newest city.

Many professional athletes call Piedmont home, including ex-National Football League stars Bubba Paris and Bill Romanowski and ex-Major League Baseball player Dave McCarty. There's also Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, newly appointed ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich, and Peter Docter, director of Pixar movies including "Monsters, Inc." and "Up."

Don't forget to say hello to Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong or drummer Tre Cool when you see them out walking down the town's well-manicured streets.

Piedmont

Population: 10,952

White: 78.59 percent

Asian: 16.02 percent

Two or more races: 3.38 percent

African American: 1.24 percent

Housing units: 3,859

Per-capita income: $70,539

Median home value: $1,073,700

Median resident age: 43.7

E-mail comments to realestate@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page H - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/13/RE851AUOPR.DTL#ixzz0sLlLoaiC

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Courtesy Debbie DiMaggio / Highland Partners

Debbi DiMaggio

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Q: How much does having a swimming pool add to a property in the Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley area?

A: It doesn't add much value here, and many buyers see a pool as a negative, some going as far as filling in the pool as soon as they buy it.

In fact, one of my favorite homes in Piedmont as a child was recently sold, and the pool was filled because they had young children and thought it was too much of a risk.

My new home does have a pool, and as a mother of two teenagers, I know my kids and their friends will be spending a lot of time at our home, and I love that. But the weather isn't always conducive to having a pool, and a lot of buyers here will not consider offering on a home that has one.

-Debbi DiMaggio,

Highland Partners,

Piedmont

510.414.6777

This article appeared on page J - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/26/RE251E4MAI.DTL#ixzz0sLiemjk3