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NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE · SAN RAMON

Dougherty Valley, San Ramon: Neighborhood Guide

San Ramon's master-planned east side: newer homes, its own high school, and costs worth understanding before you offer.

By Manish Anand, REALTOR® (CA DRE #02247006) · Updated

Dougherty Valley is the master-planned eastern half of San Ramon, built mostly since the early 2000s on land that was ranched for more than a century. Shapell Industries and Windemere Ranch Partners acquired roughly 6,000 acres here, and the plan calls for about 9,000 to 11,000 homes along with parks, schools and a community center.

For buyers, the appeal is straightforward: newer construction, walkable parks and trails, and access to San Ramon Valley Unified schools, including Dougherty Valley High, which opened in 2007 inside the Windemere development. The trade-offs are just as clear. Most homes carry HOA dues and special taxes, lots are smaller than on San Ramon's west side, and peak-hour traffic to I-680 is real.

City

San Ramon, CA 94582

County

Contra Costa

Main sub-areas

Windemere, Gale Ranch

School district

San Ramon Valley Unified (SRVUSD)

Built

Early 2000s onward, in phases

Typical extras

HOA dues and Mello-Roos/CFD special taxes

Windemere and Gale Ranch

Windemere was developed first and is essentially built out. It is home to Dougherty Valley High and Windemere Ranch Middle, and its streets sit closest to the Dougherty Station Community Center and library.

Gale Ranch, developed by Shapell, came later and was annexed into San Ramon in stages under a 1994 agreement between the city, Danville, Contra Costa County and the two developers. Gale Ranch Middle and Quail Run Elementary serve parts of this area.

Within both, you'll find a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and condos from several builders. Floor plan, lot orientation and exact school assignment vary block by block, which is why two homes a few streets apart can price very differently.

What a home here really costs

The listing price is only part of the monthly picture in Dougherty Valley. Most parcels carry special taxes from community facilities districts that funded the area's infrastructure, plus master and sub-association HOA dues. Contra Costa County does not publish these centrally, so the amounts have to be read off each parcel's tax bill and HOA disclosures.

Use the True Monthly Cost Calculator on the homepage, which has Windemere and Gale Ranch presets, to see how these line items change your payment and buying power. Before you write an offer, I pull the actual tax bill and HOA documents for that specific address.

Tools: True Monthly Cost Calculator · Property tax and Mello-Roos calculator

Commute and daily life

Bollinger Canyon Road and Crow Canyon Road are the main links west to I-680 and Bishop Ranch. Off-peak, the drive is quick; at school and commute peaks, plan for backups on both. Dublin/Pleasanton BART is a short drive south via Dougherty Road.

Day to day, residents rely on neighborhood parks and trails, the Dougherty Station Community Center and library, and the shopping at City Center Bishop Ranch and along Bollinger Canyon.

EDUCATION

Schools Serving Dougherty Valley

San Ramon Valley Unified School District.

  • Dougherty Valley High School (opened 2007)
  • Windemere Ranch Middle School and Gale Ranch Middle School
  • Elementary schools including Coyote Creek, Hidden Hills, Live Oak and Quail Run

Dougherty Valley High's enrollment has grown well past its original design capacity, and attendance boundaries in this part of SRVUSD have changed over time. Confirm the assignment for any specific address with SRVUSD before you rely on it. District website.

Is Dougherty Valley Right for You?

Great fit for

  • Families who want newer construction and SRVUSD schools
  • Buyers who prefer HOA-maintained parks and common areas
  • Relocating professionals working at Bishop Ranch or along I-680

Worth a second look if you are

  • Buyers who want large lots or older custom homes (look at San Ramon's west side or Danville)
  • Anyone who needs the lowest possible monthly carrying cost

Thinking about buying or selling in Dougherty Valley? I'll pull the tax bill, HOA documents and school assignment for any address you're considering, and compare it with similar homes nearby. Request a free consultation or call (408) 707-5324.

More in San Ramon: San Ramon city guide · Other neighborhood guides: Dublin Ranch · Ruby Hill · Blackhawk · Mission San Jose

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Common Questions

Yes. Dougherty Valley is within the City of San Ramon. Some sections were annexed into the city in stages under a 1994 agreement as their final subdivision maps were filed, so you may see older documents that refer to unincorporated Contra Costa County.
Most do. Many parcels carry special taxes from community facilities districts, and most homes also pay HOA dues. The amount varies by tract and is shown on each parcel's Contra Costa County tax bill, so check the specific address rather than relying on a neighborhood average.
Much of Dougherty Valley is served by Dougherty Valley High School in SRVUSD, which opened in 2007. Boundaries can change, so verify the assignment for a specific address with the district.
Both are master-planned areas within Dougherty Valley. Windemere was built first and is home to Dougherty Valley High and Windemere Ranch Middle. Gale Ranch was developed later by Shapell and includes Gale Ranch Middle. HOA structures and special taxes differ between them, so compare the actual figures for each home.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal, tax or school-placement advice. Taxes, HOA dues and school boundaries change. Verify for any specific property.

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