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Danville, in short
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my property in Danville?
Yes, for a protected tree. In Danville that means a tree of one of twelve named species with a trunk 10 inches across or more (20 inches counting several trunks together), measured 4-1/2 feet above the ground, or any single-trunk tree 36 inches across or more. The Town’s Planning Division issues the permit.
The story of Danville
Danville, often referred to as the “Heart of the San Ramon Valley.”
The Town’s history page says Danville was settled and named by Americans drawn here by the California Gold Rush, and that the Inman brothers rejected “Inmanville” before settling on Danville. The railroad reached the valley in 1891 and moved the town’s focus from Front Street to Hartz Avenue, and in 1982 Danville citizens voted to incorporate.
The Town’s history page says Danville was first populated by the Bay Miwok Indians, who lived next to the creeks and camped on Mount Diablo in the summer, and the Museum of the San Ramon Valley says people lived in the San Ramon Valley for at least 5000 years, possibly much longer.
The park district says that in 1772 Fr. Juan Crespi, with an expedition led by Captain Pedro Fages, noted the good quality of the land in the San Ramon Valley and considered it a good location for a Franciscan mission.
Later the land was part of Mission San Jose’s grazing land and a Mexican land grant called Rancho San Ramon, the Town’s history page says.
The Town’s history page says Danville was settled and named by Americans drawn here by the California Gold Rush, and that Daniel and Andrew Inman bought 400 acres of Old Town Danville with their mining earnings in 1854; a county history essay says Dan moved here for good in 1858, buying the 400 acres.
The Inmans rejected “Inmanville,” the Town’s page says, and settled on Danville; the page gives two reasons for the name: respect for Andrew’s mother-in-law, who was born and raised near Danville, Kentucky, and recognition of the energetic young Dan, who was later an Alameda County Assemblyman and Supervisor.
By 1858, the Town’s page says, the community boasted a blacksmith, a hotel, a wheelwright and a general store, and the townsfolk wanted a post office; the page says it opened in 1860 with hotel owner Henry W Harris as the first postmaster, while the Osborn Home page says the first post office was established in 1858.
In 1873, the Town’s page says, Danville Grange No. 85 was chartered; it began as a family farmers union and served as the focal point for community social, educational and political activity.
The Town’s pages say the Southern Pacific Railroad came to the valley in 1891 and Danville changed dramatically: farmers built warehouses and shipped crops by rail in any kind of weather.
John and Catharina Hartz, who owned 220 acres, sold 8 1/2 acres to the Southern Pacific for the station and subdivided the rest, and Hartz Avenue began, the Town’s walking-tour booklet says; the Town’s depot page gives the sale as 8.65 acres.
Between 1910 and 1915, the Town’s page says, residents organized a public high school district (1910), opened a library supervised by Lillian Close with 104 books (1913), and, through an Improvement League, got the first streetlights and paved roads (1915).
The Town’s walking-tour booklet says a kitchen fire at the Foster house in 1926 burned down the Danville Emporium and two other houses, and that the two craftsman style houses standing there now were built after the fire.
With the Bay Bridge (1936) and the Caldecott Tunnel (1937), the General Plan says, central Contra Costa County became accessible to the Bay Area’s employment centers, and the first large residential subdivisions in Danville came in the late 1940s.
The Town’s walking-tour booklet says Eugene O’Neill lived at Tao House in the hills west of Danville from 1937 to 1944 and wrote his final great plays there; the National Park Service says he and his wife Carlotta, drawn to the serene surroundings and mild climate of the San Ramon Valley, purchased a 158-acre ranch near Danville.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the General Plan says, Danville evolved into a pleasant, desirable residential community; Downtown became the commercial center of the San Ramon Valley, and the completion of Interstate 680 in 1968 greatly improved access.
During the 1970s, the General Plan says, large new developments were proposed and construction began, including the residential community of Blackhawk to the northeast of Danville and the Bishop Ranch Business Park in San Ramon.
In 1982, the Town’s history page says, Danville citizens showed their strong sense of identity by voting to incorporate their community, allowing themselves to shape future changes more directly; the General Plan says growth pressures of the 1970s had raised concern among residents.
Danville Feed and Supply operated in the depot until the 1990s, when the building was purchased, relocated about 100 yards north of its original location, turned around and restored to house the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, which the Town’s pages say was founded in 1985.
Fire safety
Your fire department
The Town’s page says: “Fire Services for the Town of Danville are provided by the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District (SRVFPD).” The District’s own page lists four of its fire stations at Danville addresses.
Find out if you are in a fire hazard zone
Read from the State’s 2025 map for local areas, a Very High zone lies inside the Town, and High and Moderate zones meet its outline. Which class applies at one address is for the District’s map: its real estate page tells owners to use the search bar on its map to type in their address. The sources do not agree on which map governs an address: the Town’s code adopts the State’s Very High zone map by reference, the District’s sale-inspection page says its zones are “based off of the most recent (11/07/2007) assessment conducted by the State of California Department of Forestry”, and its map viewer is named for the 2025 zones. Use the District’s address look-up and ask Fire Prevention which map applies.
State layer read Oct 25 2026, own reading with the Town’s outline simplified; District page read Oct 25 2026
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Very High zones, in the Town’s words
The Town’s code adopts “the recommendations of the Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection designating very high fire hazard severity zones within the Town” and the State’s map by reference (section 10-8.2, Ordinance 08-05). The Town’s General Plan 2030 says the Town declared certain areas in 2008 as Very High, “in the vicinity of Magee Ranch, off of Diablo Road, where single family homes are in immediate proximity to fire-prone hillsides.”
Code read Oct 7 2026
The District’s June 1 deadline
The District’s exterior hazard page says that all parcels within the District are subject to exterior hazard abatement requirements, with all required abatement completed by June 1 each year. Its FAQ adds: “Inspections begin the first weekday of June.”
District pages read Oct 25 2026
Roofs and overhanging trees
The District’s standards for every parcel say: “Maintain 5 feet of vertical clearance between roof surfaces and portions of trees overhanging all structures, and keep roofs free of leaves, needles, twigs, and other combustible matter.”
Standards sheet marked 11/25; read Oct 25 2026
Trees and brush on your lot
The same standards ask owners to remove all dead trees within 100 feet of every structure and to limb up those trees so that no leafy foliage, twigs or branches are within 5 feet of the ground. Grass must be trimmed.
Standards sheet marked 11/25; read Oct 25 2026
Gutters, in the county wildfire plan
The county wildfire plan by the Diablo Fire Safe Council, a copy of which the Town hosts, lists under Roof: “Remove dead leaves and needles from your roof and gutters.”
Plan undated; read Oct 7 2026
Zone 0: where it stands
The State’s rule for the first five feet around a home, called Zone 0: adopted by the Board; in final review with the Office of Administrative Law; no effective date known.
Standing check of Oct 22 2026
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Danville this month
Storm season: the Town’s free sandbags are available to be filled on Sherburne Hills Road, off Camino Tassajara next to the post office; residents are asked to take a maximum of 20 bags.
The Danville blog starts when there is enough local news to keep it current.
Culture and history
Danville Farmers’ Market
The Town’s page says the Danville Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays year-round, rain or shine, at the Railroad Avenue Municipal Parking Lot, at the corner of Railroad and Prospect Avenues.
Town of Danville, page undated, read Oct 25 2026
The Lighting of the Old Oak Tree
Each year in November the Town gathers on Diablo Road at the base of the Old Oak for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, with a visit from Father Christmas escorted by the local high school bands. The Town’s 2026 community events calendar lists the Lighting of the Old Oak Tree on November 27, organized by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce.
November; the 2026 date is from the Town’s calendar, read Oct 25 2026
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Museum of the San Ramon Valley
Founded in 1985, the Museum is housed in the restored 1891 Southern Pacific Depot on Railroad Avenue at Prospect Avenue, the Town’s pages say, and the depot is the Town’s Official Visitor Information Center. The Museum runs a historic walking tour of downtown that begins on Front Street where the town began and takes about an hour and a half. More in The story of Danville, below.
Historic Walking Tour Guide
The Town’s walking-tour page lists twelve historic sites and says: “There is a Historic Walking Tour Guide (PDF) of historic structures in Old Town Danville.”
Music in the Park
Oak Hill Park, with its small lake and a Mount Diablo backdrop, is the site of many events the Town sponsors, including a youth day camp and the Music in the Park summer concert series.
Scarecrow Stroll
The Town calls the Scarecrow Stroll, when downtown businesses decorate their storefronts with creative, imaginative, and sometimes silly scarecrow displays, one of Danville’s favorite seasonal traditions.
Town news item of September 24 2026, read again Oct 25 2026
The Kiwanis 4th of July Parade
The Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley organizes and hosts the historic Kiwanis 4th of July Parade in Danville in partnership with the Town, and its press text says the club marked its 50th year as organizer in 2025.
July 4; the Town’s 2026 calendar lists it
The Eugene O’Neill Festival
The Eugene O’Neill Foundation says its annual festival has celebrated dramatic theatre in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1999, and that since 2013 it has been a month-long event.
Tao House, the O’Neill home
Eugene O’Neill’s home near Danville is the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service; the Town’s page says it is only accessible by National Park Service shuttle. More in The story of Danville, below.
Acorns of the Old Oak
The Town’s first permanent public art exhibition is ten bronze acorns placed throughout downtown.
Village Theatre and Art Gallery
The Town’s Village Theatre hosts Town-presented shows, and the Art Gallery on Front Street has multiple rotating exhibits per year with an emphasis on Bay Area artists. The building’s story is in The story of Danville, below.
How Danville got its name
The Inman brothers rejected “Inmanville” and settled on Danville. More in The story of Danville, below.
Community
Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Tao House
The Foundation says it was established in 1974 for the purposes of acquiring O’Neill’s former residence in Danville, California and establishing it as a historic monument.
Danville Area Chamber of Commerce
The Town’s events calendar and the Chamber’s home page list the Chamber as the organizer of downtown strolls with wine, beer and spirit tastings, such as the spring Sip & Stroll and Crawl-O-Ween.
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Veterans organizations
The Veterans Wing of the Veterans Memorial Building has offices for several Veterans Service Organizations, including the Viet Nam Veterans of the Diablo Valley, Marine Corps League, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Blue Star Moms.
Be Ready SRV
The BeReadySRV.org site is brought to you by the San Ramon Valley Citizen Corps Council, a coalition of representatives from the Town of Danville, the City of San Ramon, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, Contra Costa County and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District.
Friendship city: New Ross, Ireland
The Town’s news item says: “Danville and New Ross are official friendship cities connected through O’Neill’s Irish heritage and his father’s roots near New Ross.”
City rules and regulations
What the re-roof questionnaire is for
The Town’s Reroof Questionnaire says its questions do not determine if the existing roof framing is sufficient to support the new roof material, but “provide basic information to be used in the issuance of the permit, and as a scope of work for the Town of Danville Inspection staff.” The Town also “reserves the right to request additional drawings and/or information.”
Questionnaire marked REV 12/19/2025
A heavier new roof
If the new roof material will exceed the pounds per square foot of the existing roof material, the Building Official may request a detailed roof plan showing the type, dimension, spacing and span of the roof framing members, and in some instances a wet stamped letter and detailed drawing from a licensed engineer, the Town’s questionnaire says.
Questionnaire marked REV 12/19/2025
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Roofing over the old roof
Although not recommended by the Town, the California Building Code does allow some roofing materials to be installed directly over the existing roofing material if the manufacturer approves; the Town then requires the manufacturer’s cut-sheets to be given to the inspector in the field.
Questionnaire marked REV 12/19/2025
Skylights
Skylights installed during a re-roof, or other construction beyond the re-roof, will require an additional permit, the questionnaire says.
Questionnaire marked REV 12/19/2025
A remodel that counts as new construction
The Town’s policy says a remodel is considered new construction when 50 percent or greater of the linear length of the building’s walls and 50 percent of the roof are removed or replaced within a one-year period; the District’s wildland code defines a substantial alteration the same way.
Town policy effective January 1, 2023
Recycling the debris of a re-roof
The Town’s page lists “Residential Re-Roofs” among the exempt projects, while its General Plan describes the same ordinance as covering “construction or renovation of 1,000 square feet or more, including roofing projects”. The two Town sources differ: ask the Building Division which applies to your re-roof.
Which trees are protected
The Town’s code names twelve protected species: Blue Oak, California Bay, California Black Oak, California Buckeye, California Sycamore, Canyon Live Oak, Coast Live Oak, Interior Live Oak, Madrone, London Plane Tree, Valley Oak and White Alder. It also protects any heritage tree, any memorial tree established through the Town’s memorial tree program, and a tree an approved development plan or the Planning Commission requires to be kept.
How the Town measures a tree
The Town’s tree brochure says to start the measurement 4-1/2 feet above natural grade, and to get the diameter divide the circumference by 3.14.
Brochure marked REV. 1024
How long the tree permit takes
The Planning Division decides within fifteen working days after a complete application is filed.
A tree that is an immediate hazard
A protected tree that presents an immediate hazard to life or property may be removed without a permit, but the owner must then obtain a tree removal permit from the Town.
A notice from your insurer or the fire agency
The code waives the permit application fee when a protected tree must come out to maintain defensible space or a fuel break in order to comply with a notice issued to the owner by their fire insurance provider or a fire protection agency; the permit itself is still required.
Trees in the street
The code makes the property owner responsible for routine maintenance of trees within the public right-of-way fronting their private property, and the Town’s encroachment rules say trimming of trees is permitted only when and in the manner authorized by a permit.
In the Town’s pages, “gutter” means the street gutter
The Town’s Streets Department “helps to ensure safe and easy travel by maintaining street surfaces, public sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drains, public parking lots and street signs.” Its pages use “gutter” for the gutter at the curb, not the gutter on a roof.
When you buy or sell A fire inspection at a sale
The State’s sale rule, Civil Code 1102.19, says a seller of a home in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, as the State identifies them, must give the buyer documentation that the property complies with the State’s clearing law or with local vegetation management ordinances. The District’s page tells sellers to type their address into its map: “If your address appears in red it will require an inspection.” The inspection is requested through the District’s online portal, and the District’s fee schedule lists its fee.
District page read Oct 25 2026
Need a hand with this? Roofing
Storms, flood and drainage
Sandbags
Free sandbags are available to be filled on Sherburne Hills Road, off Camino Tassajara next to the post office, and residents are asked to take a maximum of 20 bags. The District’s pages list the Town’s site and Fire Station 35 as sandbag stations and ask you to “only take what is needed for actual or threatened flooding.”
Town of Danville, page undated, read Oct 25 2026
Keep storm drains clear
The Town asks you to help your community prepare for rainstorms “by keeping storm drains in your neighborhood and in front of your residence clear of debris.” Residents who have drainage channels or ditches on their property are encouraged to inspect them regularly and remove any potential obstructions.
Town of Danville, page undated, read Oct 25 2026
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The Town’s fall clearing
Each fall the Town cleans and clears miles of roadside ditches, culverts, creeks and storm drain inlets in preparation for winter storms. It counts approximately 4,700 storm drain inlets, and its five-year program is to inspect and maintain 500 of them each year.
Flyer footer: Fall 2023
Yard waste
The Town asks that yard waste go in green bins instead of being left on the street or in ditches.
Flyer footer: Fall 2023
Most creeks are private
The Town’s flyer says: “the creeks managed by the Town are actually a very small percentage of the total running through Town. The majority are the responsibility of private homeowners, homeowner’s associations, and the Contra Costa County Flood Control District. For most creekside properties in Danville, the property line extends into the creek.”
Flyer footer: Fall 2023
Caring for a creek on your land
The Flood Control District’s basic guidelines in the Town’s flyer include “Remove debris and foreign objects” and “Remove tree limbs that hang within two feet of the top of the bank.” The County’s page says: “If your property has a creek or a waterway flowing through it, it is your responsibility to maintain it.”
Flyer footer: Fall 2023; County page read Oct 7 2026
Flood risk, in the Town’s words
The General Plan says: “Flooding in Danville does not pose a significant hazard to life and property, but some areas along major creeks and near the confluence of creeks are subject to periodic inundation.” The Town’s notice of January 3, 2023, after nearly 5 inches of rain in 24 hours on December 31, 2022, said: “the creeks and drainage systems were overwhelmed.”
Where the maps still show flooding
The General Plan says portions of San Ramon Creek and one of its major tributary streams, Green Valley Creek, are subject to flooding, and that FEMA maps show infrequent flooding in the Willow Glen area along Green Valley Creek and in areas along Laurel Drive and Greenbrook Drive along San Ramon Creek.
General Plan text of 2013, built on 2009 FEMA data
Need a hand with this? Gutter cleaning
Programs, loans and insurance
Habitat for Humanity home repairs, roof repairs included
Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley’s Home Repair Program lists the Town of Danville among the Contra Costa cities where its services are currently available, and names roof repairs among its critical repairs, with upgrading electrical systems, replumbing, flooring replacement and replacing windows. Its page says the program preserves homeownership for low-income residents.
Read Oct 7 and again Oct 25 2026
County-wide BayREN EASE Home: weatherization for income-qualified homes
BayREN’s EASE Home page says: “BayREN covers 80% of the cost for essential weatherization upgrades, including insulation and duct sealing.” To qualify you must live in a single-family home (four or fewer units) built before 2010, be a PG&E customer, and have a household income under or at 120% AMI. Its income tool lists Contra Costa among nine Bay Area counties, and the page shows an Apply Now button.
Read Oct 7 2026
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County-wide County weatherization for income-qualified households
The County’s Weatherization Program offers free energy efficiency improvements to households that meet certain income guidelines, and its page says it is available regardless of whether you own or rent or live in a house, apartment or mobile home. The improvements listed include ceiling insulation and gas furnace, stove and water heater repair or replacement; roofs and gutters are not named. The County’s own FAQ says: “This program is available to all parts of the Contra Costa County.”
Read Oct 7 2026
County-wide Free creek consultation for owners
The County’s Private Creek Maintenance page says the Streamside Management Program for Landowners, offered by the California Urban Streams Partnership, “can provide free advice about creek care, restoration, and maintenance for Contra Costa County Residents.”
Read Oct 7 2026
County-wide Diablo Firesafe Council: Five Easy Actions
The Council says: “To assist residents in Alameda and Contra Costa County, DFSC offers a free program called Five Easy Actions, an informative, 90-minute hands-on talk to discuss home hardening for your FIREWISE group.”
Page undated; read Oct 7 2026
Check back Free wildfire preparedness workshop: check back
The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District’s page says: “Homeowners who live near open space or have wildland adjacent to their property are encouraged to sign-up for this free workshop.” The workshop covers defensible space, fire resistant construction and emergency evacuation planning. The page lists “no upcoming classes at this time”, and offers to bring the workshop to a group of eight or more people, or a homeowners association near wildland or open space.
Read Oct 7 and again Oct 25 2026
County-wide Check back Diablo Firesafe Council cost-share: check back
The Council’s page says: “Up to $3,500 of cost-share funds is available to reduce your fire risk.” It also says: “DFSC has temporarily closed the applications for the Partners in Wildfire Prevention fuel reduction grant match.” and “No new applications can be submitted at this time.” under the line “Update May 2025:”, and that it will reopen the application form when new funding is available. It says the Council may assist Alameda County or Contra Costa County property owners with vegetation management projects in areas designated as Priority Hazard Zones; the page does not say which areas those are or name Danville.
Read Oct 7 and again Oct 25 2026
County-wide Check back Neighborhood Preservation Program: check back
The County’s page says: “Due to overwhelming interest in the program, the Neighborhood Preservation Program currently is not taking new applications.” and “Please continue to check back for more information.” The program offers rehabilitation loans of up to $70,000, one at 1% simple interest over 15 years, amortized, and one at 1% simple interest over 30 years, deferred; grants of up to $15,000 are for mobile home owners and single-family homeowners without enough equity. To qualify you must not live within the incorporated limits of the cities of Antioch, Concord, Pittsburg or Walnut Creek, which leaves Danville in, and must have owned and lived in your Contra Costa County residence for at least 6 months.
Page undated; read Oct 7 2026
Check back PG&E Energy Savings Assistance: check back
PG&E’s page says the program improves the comfort, health and safety of homes with appliance upgrades and home repairs for renters and homeowners, “All at no charge.*”, in a house, mobile home or apartment at least five years old, and that its income guidelines are “Valid through May 31, 2027.” The page names no county or town; Danville is in PG&E’s gas and electric territories.
Read Oct 7 2026
State-wide Check back California Safe Homes: check back
California Safe Homes, a State program, is not described as open on any State page we read: the Department of Insurance’s 2026 press-release index, read November 5, 2026, lists no Safe Homes release, and its newest release is dated October 27, 2026.
Read Nov 5, 2026
State-wide Check back Earthquake Brace + Bolt: check back
The California Residential Mitigation Program’s page says Earthquake Brace + Bolt “offers up to $3,000 for homeowners to seismically retrofit their houses”, that a retrofit “is only done on wood-framed, pre-1980 homes with a raised foundation”, and that registration is open for a limited time each year. The program’s 2025 ZIP-code list for Northern California has a row for Danville with 94506 and 94526. The program’s home page, read November 5, 2026, says “When EBB registration is open, you can complete the registration form online.” and offers “Sign Up to be Notified When Registration Opens”.
Read Oct 7 2026
Insurance State fire-risk listing
The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Fire Risk Reduction Community List 2026, effective July 1, 2026, names the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. The state’s insurance department says its Safer from Wildfires pages recognize two community-wide programs, Firewise USA and Fire Risk Reduction Communities, and that the Board of Forestry certifies Fire Risk Reduction Communities. What that is worth on a given policy depends on the insurer’s own filing: ask your insurance company or agent.
Effective July 1, 2026
Insurance The District’s insurance resources
The District keeps a page that, in its words, “offers resources for guidance on what steps you can take when considering home insurance coverage”; among its links are the California Department of Insurance, the Diablo Firesafe Council, Firewise USA and CAL FIRE.
Page undated; read Oct 7 2026
Who serves your home in Danville
- Fire: The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, an autonomous special district; the Town’s page says its service area covers Alamo, Blackhawk, the Town of Danville, Diablo, the City of San Ramon, the southern boundary of Morgan Territory and the Tassajara Valley.
- Water: EBMUD; its Walnut Creek Water Treatment Plant page names Danville in the East-of-Hills service area the plant supplies.
- Sewer: The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San), whose page says its service area includes Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek, and portions of Martinez and San Ramon.
- Garbage: RecycleSmart (the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority), which holds the franchise agreement with Republic Services for collection.
- Electricity: MCE supplies the electricity; PG&E continues to deliver it, bill for it and maintain the power lines.
- Gas: PG&E, whose service-area page lists Danville in its Contra Costa gas territory and in its electric one.
- Storm drains: The Town of Danville, which maintains approximately 4.6 miles of creeks and drainage channels, with others maintained by the Contra Costa County Flood Control District and private property owners.
- Flood control: The Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, whose page says it covers all of Contra Costa County, including its cities.
- Schools: The San Ramon Valley Unified School District, which names Danville among the communities it serves.
- Permits: The Town’s Permit Center, with an online permit portal.
Useful links: San Ramon Valley Unified School District · San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District (including its fire hazard severity zone map viewer) · Town of Danville: Sandbags, Creeks and Flood Prevention · Town of Danville: Permit Center · Town of Danville: Tree Preservation and the tree removal permit · Town of Danville: Community Events · Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) · RecycleSmart (Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority) · East Bay Municipal Utility District · MCE (community choice electricity) · Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) · Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District · Museum of the San Ramon Valley · Danville Farmers’ Market · Iron Horse Regional Trail (East Bay Regional Park District) · Town of Danville: Emergency Preparedness (Contra Costa County Community Warning System)
The homes of Danville
More of Danville’s homes date from the 1970s (about 30 percent) and from the 1990s (about 27 percent) than from any other decade, and about 77 percent are one-unit detached houses, our own calculations from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 survey tables. The General Plan describes the San Ramon Valley as an area with a “predominance of large lot single family housing,” and the Town’s Housing Element says the share of Danville’s housing that is detached single family homes “is above that of other jurisdictions in the region.”
1866 to 1909
Old Town’s Victorian houses
The Town’s walking-tour guide labels Old Town houses Gothic Revival (1866), Victorian/Stick/Eastlake (1892), Queen Anne Cottage (about 1903) and Colonial Revival/Queen Anne Cottage (1909).
1909 to 1926
Neoclassic row houses and California bungalows
The guide labels the Elliott House (1909) and the Hartz House (about 1910) Neoclassic Rowhouse and the George Foster House (about 1926) California Bungalow, and says of the Cabral House: “It includes the characteristic porch pillars, low-pitched front gable roof and double-hung windows.”
1980s and 1990s
Growth east of I-680
The General Plan says the town’s greatest period of growth ran from 1988 through 1997, mostly in the Sycamore Valley and along Camino Tassajara, partly on approvals the County granted before incorporation (the Sycamore Valley Specific Plan) and partly on land the Town annexed (the Tassajara Ranch planned unit development and the Lawrence/Leema Road Specific Plan).
Old Town today
Designated Heritage Resources
The Town’s Survey of Historic Sites includes 21 Town-Designated Heritage Resources, 20 structures and one tree, each marked by an oval brass plaque.
Older roofs and gutters need a different hand: Gutter Repair · Roof Repair · Gutter Installation
The story of Danville
History and character
The Town’s history page says Danville was first populated by the Bay Miwok Indians, who lived next to the creeks and camped on Mount Diablo in the summer, and the Museum of the San Ramon Valley says people lived in the San Ramon Valley for at least 5000 years, possibly much longer.
The park district says that in 1772 Fr. Juan Crespi, with an expedition led by Captain Pedro Fages, noted the good quality of the land in the San Ramon Valley and considered it a good location for a Franciscan mission.
Later the land was part of Mission San Jose’s grazing land and a Mexican land grant called Rancho San Ramon, the Town’s history page says.
The Town’s history page says Danville was settled and named by Americans drawn here by the California Gold Rush, and that Daniel and Andrew Inman bought 400 acres of Old Town Danville with their mining earnings in 1854; a county history essay says Dan moved here for good in 1858, buying the 400 acres.
The Inmans rejected “Inmanville,” the Town’s page says, and settled on Danville; the page gives two reasons for the name: respect for Andrew’s mother-in-law, who was born and raised near Danville, Kentucky, and recognition of the energetic young Dan, who was later an Alameda County Assemblyman and Supervisor.
By 1858, the Town’s page says, the community boasted a blacksmith, a hotel, a wheelwright and a general store, and the townsfolk wanted a post office; the page says it opened in 1860 with hotel owner Henry W Harris as the first postmaster, while the Osborn Home page says the first post office was established in 1858.
In 1873, the Town’s page says, Danville Grange No. 85 was chartered; it began as a family farmers union and served as the focal point for community social, educational and political activity.
The Town’s pages say the Southern Pacific Railroad came to the valley in 1891 and Danville changed dramatically: farmers built warehouses and shipped crops by rail in any kind of weather.
John and Catharina Hartz, who owned 220 acres, sold 8 1/2 acres to the Southern Pacific for the station and subdivided the rest, and Hartz Avenue began, the Town’s walking-tour booklet says; the Town’s depot page gives the sale as 8.65 acres.
Between 1910 and 1915, the Town’s page says, residents organized a public high school district (1910), opened a library supervised by Lillian Close with 104 books (1913), and, through an Improvement League, got the first streetlights and paved roads (1915).
The Town’s walking-tour booklet says a kitchen fire at the Foster house in 1926 burned down the Danville Emporium and two other houses, and that the two craftsman style houses standing there now were built after the fire.
With the Bay Bridge (1936) and the Caldecott Tunnel (1937), the General Plan says, central Contra Costa County became accessible to the Bay Area’s employment centers, and the first large residential subdivisions in Danville came in the late 1940s.
The Town’s walking-tour booklet says Eugene O’Neill lived at Tao House in the hills west of Danville from 1937 to 1944 and wrote his final great plays there; the National Park Service says he and his wife Carlotta, drawn to the serene surroundings and mild climate of the San Ramon Valley, purchased a 158-acre ranch near Danville.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the General Plan says, Danville evolved into a pleasant, desirable residential community; Downtown became the commercial center of the San Ramon Valley, and the completion of Interstate 680 in 1968 greatly improved access.
During the 1970s, the General Plan says, large new developments were proposed and construction began, including the residential community of Blackhawk to the northeast of Danville and the Bishop Ranch Business Park in San Ramon.
In 1982, the Town’s history page says, Danville citizens showed their strong sense of identity by voting to incorporate their community, allowing themselves to shape future changes more directly; the General Plan says growth pressures of the 1970s had raised concern among residents.
Danville Feed and Supply operated in the depot until the 1990s, when the building was purchased, relocated about 100 yards north of its original location, turned around and restored to house the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, which the Town’s pages say was founded in 1985.
Danville, roof and gutters
Danville sits in the San Ramon Valley. The Town’s market analysis says it is bordered by the Las Trampas Regional Wilderness to the west and Mount Diablo to the east, and the General Plan says nearly 50 percent of Danville is located on hillsides, including the Las Trampas Ridge area and the hills paralleling the Sycamore Valley.
Yearly rain averages about 25.7 inches at the two nearest stations of the weather service’s own cooperative network, Mt Diablo Junction (26.05 inches) and Upper San Leandro Filters (25.25 inches), by NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals and our own calculation, measured from Town Hall. At both, November through March brings about 82 percent of the year’s rain, and June through September together bring about 0.4 inch. The Town speaks of “the rainy season” without giving dates.
The General Plan names San Ramon Creek, Sycamore Creek, Green Valley Creek and the East and West Branches of Alamo Creek as the major creeks, and says some sections have been channelized for flood control while many are privately owned, “traversing private backyards or agricultural land.”
The General Plan says the trees common in Danville’s woodland include coastal and interior live oaks, black oak, valley oak, California bay laurel, buckeye and madrone, and that large valley oaks are “very important to the community’s visual character.” The University of California’s pest management guide says sycamore seed pods hang from the branches in winter.
The median home in Danville was built in 1980, and about 51 percent of the homes were built in 1979 or earlier, by our own calculation from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 table.
We have been working on Bay Area roofs and gutters since 2002. If yours hasn’t had a look in a while, we’d be glad to come by.
Landmarks and parks
Old Oak Tree
On Diablo Road; the Town estimates it at over 350 years old, a structural brace holds up its branches, and the Town calls it the symbol of Danville and its most notable landmark.
Southern Pacific Railroad Depot
Built in 1891 to the railroad’s Standard Station Number 22 plan; a State Point of Historical Interest, also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Danville Hotel
On Hartz Avenue; built in 1892 after the railroad came, it was turned around and moved to face Hartz Avenue in 1927.
Village Theatre
Built about 1873 as a farmers’ lodge, the Town’s pages say, though two of them differ by a year; it has served as a Grange hall, a movie theatre and a church and is now the Town’s Village Theatre.
Town Meeting Hall
The Town bought the Spanish Revival First Presbyterian Church in 1989 for the Town Meeting Hall; the Town says it is the oldest church in the San Ramon Valley.
Veterans Memorial Building
Built as a World War I memorial in 1925 and reopened in April 2012 after a multi-million-dollar renovation, it holds a military museum with veteran docents.
Hap Magee Ranch Park
A 17-acre Town park near the end of La Gonda Way, once a summer camp for San Francisco orphans, Camp Swain, and then a ranch for longhorn steer.
Oak Hill Park
A 43-acre Town park with a small lake, a Mount Diablo backdrop and the All Wars Memorial.
Iron Horse Regional Trail
A regional trail that follows a greenbelt through residential areas and into downtown Danville, the park district says.
How we can help in Danville
Why Sunshine Gutters and Roofing
- Family-owned since 2002, trusted by thousands of returning Bay Area homeowners
- Licensed (CSLB #1053780), bonded, with $2 million in general liability coverage
- Our own crew, never subcontractors
- We keep track of local regulations, fire safety rules and insurance programs
- We show you what we found, with photos, so you decide what happens next
The year in Danville
| March | Coast live oak sheds its old leaves from February to April as the new ones come in (the Forest Service, for the species in general) |
|---|---|
| June | Deadline for the fire district’s yearly exterior hazard abatement, June 1; inspections begin the first weekday of June |
| July | Kiwanis 4th of July Parade July is the driest month at the two nearest federal stations |
| October | Coast live oak acorns ripen in September and October (the Forest Service, for the species in general) |
| November | Valley oak leaves fall in November (the Forest Service, for the species in general) Lighting of the Old Oak Tree on Diablo Road (every November; 2026: November 27) |
Danville questions
What Danville homeowners ask us
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Danville?
To replace it, yes: the Town’s Permit Center lists Residential Roof Replacement among its residential permit types, with an online application and the Town’s Reroof Questionnaire, and the Town’s Master Fee Schedule lists the fee for a standard residential re-roof permit. If you wish, we can also pull the permit for you, as most of our customers ask us to.
How many inspections does a re-roof get in Danville?
Two. The Town’s questionnaire says: “The Town of Danville requires TWO INSPECTIONS: 1. ROOF DECK (plywood) & 2. BUILDING FINAL”. In place of a tear-off inspection, the roofing contractor gives the Town a letter on company letterhead that explains how and where damaged material was replaced, or that none was found, and the letter is needed to complete the final approval.
What do I have to clear from my roof and gutters for fire safety in Danville?
The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District’s standards ask owners to keep roofs free of leaves, needles, twigs and other combustible matter, and to keep 5 feet of vertical clearance between roof surfaces and the parts of trees that overhang a structure. The county wildfire plan that the Town hosts also tells owners to remove dead leaves and needles from the roof and gutters.
Who keeps up the creek behind my Danville home?
Usually the owner. The County says: “If your property has a creek or a waterway flowing through it, it is your responsibility to maintain it.” and “Typically, private property extends to the center of the creek, and not just to the fence line.”
What our customers say
Get a free estimate
We usually respond promptly within the day. Phone first for emergencies: (510) 525-0880.
Where we work
Danville neighbourhoods we serve
Downtown Danville
The General Plan says the core of historic Downtown Danville extends along Hartz Avenue from Diablo Road to Sycamore Valley Road.
Old Town
The Town’s name for its historic district; the Town’s historic walking tour covers its historic structures.
Sycamore Valley
The General Plan says: “At over 2,500 acres, the Sycamore Valley area is the largest Planning Subarea in Danville.”
Magee Ranch
A planned unit development of 259 homes, the General Plan says, nestled within a series of narrow valleys and surrounded by permanent private and public open space.
Cameo Acres
The Town’s history page names it, with Montair, among the developments built as the water and sewer districts extended their boundaries.
Montair
A neighborhood of the Las Trampas Hills area, listed in the General Plan with Starmont and Sky Terrace.
Tassajara Ranch
The General Plan says the area lies east of Sycamore Valley, along the south side of Camino Tassajara.
Greenbrook and Danville South
The General Plan says the area south of El Capitan Drive, set between Interstate 680 and the Sherburne Hills, is identified as the Greenbrook and Danville South area.
Del Amigo
The General Plan calls it an established neighborhood of single family homes between Danville Boulevard and the base of Las Trampas Ridge.
Town and Country
The General Plan calls it an established residential area west of the commercial development along San Ramon Valley Boulevard, southwest of Downtown Danville.
El Cerro
The General Plan says it encompasses the primarily residential neighborhoods north and south of El Cerro Boulevard, between Interstate 680 and Diablo Road.
Diablo Road
The General Plan says the area encompasses the neighborhoods located along the Diablo Road corridor.
San Ramon Valley Boulevard
A corridor along the west side of Interstate 680 and south of Town and Country Drive, in the General Plan’s words.
Also serving nearby: San Ramon · Alamo · Blackhawk · Camino Tassajara · Diablo