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Tree-lined streets and a small village atmosphere characterize Los Altos, a community of 30,000 located just 40 miles south of San Francisco in the heart of world famous Silicon Valley and sometimes affectionately referred to as the “Mayberry” of California. Most of the city’s growth took place from 1950 to 1980 changing the town from an agricultural town with apricot orchards into an affluent bedroom community. Los Altos has less industrial development and a larger average lot size ( 13,000 vs. 8500 sf) than Santa Clara County as a whole. Los Altos schools are among the top in the country. There are two school districts which serve Los Altos–the Los Altos School District (LASD) which serves students from Kindergarten until the Eighth Grade, and the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District for grades 9-12.The city’s schools are some of the top ranked schools in California. Los Altos is bordered by the communities of Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto, Mt. View, Sunnyvale, and Cupertino. Over 200 volunteers assist in providing city government services to the community each year. In 1982, Los Altos became a leader in recycling programs when it began curbside residential collection of bottles, cans and newspaper. Since then, motor oil, yard waste and mixed paper have been added. City Council and Planning Commission meetings are televised live on the City’s cable television government access channel 26. In addition, this channel carries a 24-hour video bulletin board on city services, activities and events.

Los Altos History–In 1906 Paul Shoup, an executive of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and some colleagues formed the Altos Land Company and started the development of Los Altos. The company purchased 140 acres of land from Sarah Winchester with the plan of creating a town to take advantage of the Southern Pacific “cutoff” between Mayfield(now part of Palo Alto) and Los Gatos. In March 1907 the Altos Land company sponsored an outdoor land sale and the first town lots were sold. Southern Pacific Railroad began train service through Los Altos on April 19, 1908 with five trains per day along what is now Foothill Expressway. By 1949 many residents were afraid that the town would be annexed by either Palo Alto or Mountain View and decided to try to incorporate. Los Altos became the eleventh city in Santa Clara county on December 1, 1952. By 1964 increased use of automobiles lead Southern Pacific Railroad to cease operations to Los Altos.