At a Glance
The Community
Rancho Santa Fe has a rich history and was established in 1928 as a country residential community with an emphasis on agriculture and on preserving the rural landscapes.
While the area is commonly referred to as the Covenant, the term refers to an agreement among property owners to preserve and maintain the character of the community and its landscape, and to uphold the quality of future architecture. The agreement came to be known simply as the Covenant and now refers not only to the principal governing document, but also to the community itself.
Today, historic Rancho Santa Fe encompasses roughly 10 square miles or 6,730 acres and is home to around 4,300 residents. Near the center of the Covenant is the Village of Rancho Santa Fe, with shops, restaurants, other commercial businesses and the historic Rancho Santa Fe Inn.
The Rancho Santa Fe School District campus is located adjacent to the Village. The Roger Rowe School, for elementary and middle school aged students, features a state-of-the-art campus, a performing arts center, classroom labs and more.
The acclaimed and exclusive Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club is located in the heart of the community. Membership to the Max Behr-designed, 6,700-yard par-72 private course is only available to Association property owners. Opening in 1929, the golf club served as the original site for 1930s-era clambakes hosted by Bing Crosby, an early resident of the Covenant.
Most of the Ranch is beautiful rolling topography with spacious low-density, large-lot residential development where the average lot size is more than two acres. Looping through the pristine countryside and alongside the golf course, a private equestrian and hiking trail network runs throughout the community. The exclusive, secure, rural character of the community, combined with its proximity to the ocean are what set this community apart as being a highly desirable place to live.
Preserving and maintaining the character of the community are of utmost importance, as is the privacy, safety and security of its residents. The Rancho Santa Fe Association has a full-time private security patrol, and is served by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol.
The Association
The Rancho Santa Fe Association manages the community of Rancho Santa Fe. The Association was incorporated in July of 1927 as a California nonprofit corporation for the purpose of managing the planned community of Rancho Santa Fe. In 1928, property owners entered into a mutual agreement to preserve and maintain the character of the community and its rare landscape features.
That mutual agreement was called the "Protective Covenant", which remains as the principal governing document for the community. Although technically a Homeowners Association, the Rancho Santa Fe Association functions very much like a small city, with a building department, planning department, parks and recreation department, and 24-hour-a-day security services.