Cuernavaca is a planned unit development, consisting of 170 Spanish-style homes on an approximately 30 acre parcel of land.  The homes occupy two-thirds of this parcel, with the rest being the property and responsibility of the Homeowners' Association.

The Cuernavaca site was originally part of a cherry orchard. Later it was the location of the nine-hole Cherry Chase Golf Course and attendant swim club. The course was eventually considered for redevelopment under the so-called Sylvan-Dale Plan (1974).

Cuernavaca was a joint project of Dividend Development Corporation (Santa Clara) and Bay View Financial Corporation (San Mateo).  Cuernavaca was completed in five phases, and the first walk-through of a Cuernavaca home was in September 1986. The completion year of each phase is noted below:

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