Atherton was where Joe Montana and Barry \Bonds lived. They j\had to change the law to hire a police chief. The law said the police chief had to reside in Atherton. The guy they hired could not afford anyplace in town and they had to change the law so they could hire him.
There is a more exclusive town, Los Altos Hills, which is adjacent to Stanford University and just on the other side of Stanford from Atherton. The town does not allow any businesses in the town. Packard (of Hewlett/Packard) wanted to put a small office for his charitable foundation on his massive property which would look like a cottage and the town said no.