El Sobrante is a semirural community in Contra Costa County situated between the towns of Richmond, Pinole, and Orinda. In Spanish, el sobrante means "the surplus," but is more commonly translated as "the leftovers." The name is derived from the Rancho El Sobrante, which was carved from land surrounded by Mexican land grants. Unlike many of its neighbors, El Sobrante never attracted any large company or business interest that would have determined its pattern of growth. As a result, the town was free to develop in a way that reflects the wishes and hopes of its residents. Its people take...