Belvedere, California

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Belvedere, California
settlement_type = City


imagesize =
image_caption =
image_



imagesize =
image_caption =
image_

---

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location in Marin County and the state of California


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_name1 = California
subdivision_name2 = Marin
government_type = city manager
leader_title = Council
leader_name =
leader_title = County Board
leader_name = District 3
Charles McGlashan
leader_title1 = Senate
leader_name1 = Carole Migden (D)
leader_title2 = Assembly
leader_name2 = Jared Huffman (D)
leader_title3 = U. S. Congress
leader_name3 = Lynn Woolsey (D)
established_date =
established_title3 = Incorporated
established_date3 = December 21, 1896
area_magnitude =
area_footnotes = GR|2
area_total_km2 = 6.3
area_total_sq_mi = 2.42
area_land_km2 = 1.4
area_land_sq_mi = 0.54
area_water_km2 = 4.9
area_water_sq_mi = 1.89
area_water_percent = 78
elevation_ft = 36
elevation_m = 11
population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes = GR|2
population_total = 2125
population_metro =
population_density_km2 = 337.3
population_density_sq_mi = 3935.2
timezone = PST
utc_offset = -8
latd = 37 |latm = 52 |lats = 28 |latNS = N
longd = 122 |longm = 27 |longs = 57 |longEW = W
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = -7
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 94920
area_code = 415
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 06-05164
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1658031
footnotes =
website = http://www.cityofbelvedere.org

Belvedere is an affluent city in Marin County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 2,125 and the per-capita income was $113,595cite web|url=http://censtats.census.gov/data/CA/1600605164.pdf|title=Belvedere city, California profile|accessdate=2007-12-03] , making it the highest income city in California and the 17th highest income place in the United States (1st with a population over 1,000).

Location

Belvedere is located at coor dms|37|52|28|N|122|27|57|W|city (37.874559, -122.465823)GR|1, about convert|4|mi|km|0|abbr=on north of San Francisco.

Situated on the Tiburon Peninsula, between Richardson Bay and the Town of Tiburon, Belvedere consists of two "islands" and the lagoon (Belvedere Lagoon) between them. The larger of the two islands is Belvedere Island, and the smaller one is Corinthian Island, which is shared with Tiburon.

The city has a total area of convert|2.42|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on, of which convert|0.54|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on is land and convert|1.89|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on (78%) is water.GR|2

History

The first settlers arrived in the late 1800s, then the railroad came and Tiburon was the last stop for passengers and cargo heading to San Francisco and beyond.Fact|date=December 2007 The Belvedere Lagoon was partially filled after World War II to provide building sites for tract houses and to improve access to Belvedere Island. It was also once the home to a 9 hole golf course.Fact|date=December 2007

The City Hall was formerly a Presbyterian Church. It was moved to its present location on San Rafael Avenue in 1949.cite web|url=http://www.cityofbelvedere.org/cm_history.html|title=Belvedere History|accessdate=2007-12-03]

Late actress Vivian Vance, who played Ethel on the I Love Lucy show died in this city at the age of 70.

Houses

Belvedere sits on the south side of the tip of Tiburon Peninsula, a small peninsula that extends into the San Francisco Bay. Many Belvedere properties are renowned for their spectacular views of the Bay Area, Angel Island, San Francisco, Sausalito, the Golden Gate Bridge and Mount Tamalpais. As a result, land values are extremely high. As of 2000, 87.6% of the city's owner-occupied housing units cost more than $1,000,000, compared with 2.3% for California as a wholecite web|url=http://censtats.census.gov/data/CA/04006.pdf|title=California profile|accessdate=2007-12-03] .

Many houses in Belvedere fall under the Victorian Style of architecture.Fact|date=December 2007Some Belvedere homes are featured on "The Home Tour" every May.Fact|date=December 2007 With a recent flood of attention and demand for housing in Belevedere, housing and building has become a contentious issue as older members of the community have increasingly become frustrated with the large construction projects being developed in what once was a more humble community.Fact|date=December 2007

Community Life

No restaurants or stores are allowed in Belvedere, and the city enforces strict rules regarding house design and setbacks in order to preserve trees, views, and the town's spacious, wooded character.Fact|date=December 2007 The adjacent city of Tiburon, however, is home to a wide range of services, shops, and eateries.

Originally a fishing based community,Fact|date=December 2007 Belvedere has grown into a sailing community where the San Francisco Yacht Club is located. [cite web|url=http://www.sfyc.org/|title=San Francisco Yacht Club|accessdate=2007-12-03] Belvedere Park is also located in Belvedere.Fact|date=December 2007

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,125 people, 956 households, and 656 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,519.4/km² (3,968.9/mi²). There were 1,059 housing units at an average density of 757.2/km² (1,977.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.94% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.79% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 2.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 956 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.68.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 2.2% from 18 to 24, 14.9% from 25 to 44, 35.8% from 45 to 64, and 27.1% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $130,796, and the median income for a family was $185,590. The per capita income for the city was $113,595. About 2.9% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Largely because of the high cost of housing, the median age of residents in 2000 (52.7 years) was much higher than that for California as a whole (33.3 years).

It is the only town in Marin County, to have more registered Republicans than Democrats, the former outnumbering the latter by 8 people.

References

External links

* [http://www.cityofbelvedere.org/ City of Belvedere Web Site]
* [http://www.ci.tiburon.ca.us/ Town of Tiburon Web Site]
* [http://www.bel-tib-lib.org/ The Belvedere-Tiburon Library]
* [http://www.reedschools.org/ Reed Union School District]