Over the Fence

Here is a link to a great website about the Folsom area, particularly American River Canyon.  There are great links to recreation, local schools, community events, neighborhood news and connections, and local real estate. www.americanrivercanyonneighbors.com

Location Location

Where is American River Canyon North?


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Market Conditions

American River Canyon North is a popular place to live so it’s no surprise that only 20-30 properties out of 1,010 are listed at one time. That’s nearly 2-3% of the housing stock in ARCN. As of 2010, the current median home price in ARCN is around $500K and the average price per square foot is $170. As of 2007 the median household income for family households in Folsom was around $109,032. The housing stock ranges from new speculation homes to 20 years old (house’s age).

Local Parks and Outdoor Recreation

Bud and Artie Davies Park

Located at 290 American River Canyon Dr.

Facilities include:

• 3 Covered picnic areas
• 22 Picnic tables
• 6 Benches
• 4 Barbeques
• Playground equipment
• Restrooms
• Drinking Fountains
• Vending Machines
• 2 lighted Basketball courts
• 2 lighted Tennis courts
• Soccer/multi field

  

Lew Howard Park

Located at 7100 Baldwin Dam Rd.

Facilities include:

• 1 Covered picnic area
• 27 Picnic tables
• 12 Benches
• 9 Barbeques
• Playground equipment
• Restrooms
• Drinking Fountains
• Vending Machines
• 1 lighted Basketball court
• 2 lighted Tennis courts
• Rotary Clubhouse

Breathtaking Trails… Literally! By Randy Panek

Did you know that American River Canyon North has more than 5 miles of pedestrian/bike trails?  If you are one of the many residents who already travels these trails several days a week, either morning, noon, or night, you will be able to complete you trip in one direction without traveling on streets.  Thanks to the City of Folsom Planning Commission, the Landscape and Lighting District, and most importantly, Elliott Homes, these trails allow you to enjoy the beautiful scenery ARCN has to offer and plenty of exercise to boot!  Stairs, hills, and long curvy flat stretches challenge even the most avid jogger or bicyclist.  The trail begins on Baldwin Dam Road.  For nearly 1/2 a mile, it continues North, slightly up-hill winding in and out of trees towards Baldwin Dam Reservoir.  Near the end of the road, the trail climbs the hill into ARCN.  At the top, you have a great view of Folsom Dam.  Rest awhile at the top on one of the many benches located along side the trail or continue on.

As you work your way down the hill you can take a side trip into the lower section of Village 6B.  There, beneath the power lines, you cross over Linda Creek for a short walk over bridges amongst beautiful oak trees and vegetation.  Once you leave Village 6B you head south crossing over ARC Drive where the trail continues between the houses.  Few people know that the main water lines, 54" in diameter, from San Juan Water District run along this route carrying water to North Folsom, Orangevale and beyond. About midway down the trail, if you’re a jogger and love stairs, you’ll love this spot.  Left takes you to Cascade Falls Dr. or right to Canyon Falls Dr., either way gives you the ultimate "Stairmaster" workout!

The next section of trail is the longest and prettiest.  Here you will find old growth pine as it winds around the hillside into Village 8A and the waterfall area.  Village 8A and 8B are the newest additions to the trail. By following the power lines, the trail was placed to allow for plenty of landscaping.  8B Starts either at ARC Drive or Cascade Fall Drive as it travels through 8B.  Elliott has done considerable rockwork along the way and again, if steps are what you want, there’s plenty here as well.  From the top of 8A just before you head down the stairs, you will have a great view of Village 4A.

You continue on down the hill into 4A and follow the creek to Baldwin Dam Road where you can start all over again!  As you walk or jog in the evening, you will have a great view of the beautiful homes being built on the 19 custom lots in Village 4A.  ARCN trails have something for Everyone.  Whether you’re a walker, jogger, bicyclist, or whatever, you’ll enjoy your experience every time.

Happy Trails!

The Village Shopping Center

Almost everything you need, just a minutes’ walk from American River Canyon North. The Village shopping center is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Oak Ave Pkwy, and American River Canyon Dr. and is just 5-10 minutes away from most residents of ARCN. Don’t bother driving after your tiresome work commutes, or perhaps conserve gas this weekend and keep the car in the garage. The Village shopping center offers great shops and services to northern Folsom communities.
The main anchor store is Vic’s Market IGA, part of the Independent Grocers Association, which offers a full service grocery store complete with bakery, delicatessen, butcher and fresh seafood, fresh produce, florist and video rental, let alone a complete liquor, spirits and wine selection. Freshly fried doughnuts and flaky pastries are available every morning, along with daily baked goods, desserts and custom cake orders. The bakery also offers freshly scooped ice cream and a soda fountain. Stop by the deli for amazing takeout sandwiches prepared just the way you like it, with freshly sliced deli meats and daily made bread. But be prepared to wait, because Vic’s sandwiches are quite a popular choice! Take it home, or eat your lunch in the sunny café, or the various tables outside. The deli also offers assorted prepared salads and dips, and custom ordered party platters, along with entrées like ready to bake pizzas, meatloaf, lasagna, and fried chicken, all ready to take home. Vic’s also offers a great selection of fresh meat and seafood, and they’ll cut your steaks as thick as you want them. Fresh produce is offered in season, with a wide selection of fruits and vegetables. You can also pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers, balloons and a greeting card from the florist section. Everything you need with friendly service, and if you stop by frequently, you can bet the friendly clerks will remember you by name!

The village Shopping Center also offers three restaurants. Lolita’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant offers great Mexican dishes at reasonable prices. The Lucky Dragon Restaurant offers authentic Chinese food. Both offer dine-in and takeout meals. The last restaurant is the Po’Boyz Sports Bar and Grill, a sports bar offering traditional grill entrées and appetizers. Aside from the bar, Po’Boyz also offers billiards tables and live music weekly, along with several big screens for watching the game.  Need your morning fix? The Village Shopping Center also has its own Starbucks! Now your morning latté is just minutes walking distance from your front door!

The Village Shopping center is also home to Fitness 19, a full workout gym facility with personal trainers, a Gymboree children’s activity center and a karate studio. There is also a nail salon, day spa and an Amazing Tans for all you pampering needs. The Village Shopping Center also offers a Pakmail and a dry cleaner, for all your business and household needs. Located at the far end of the shopping center is a small law firm and American River Real Estate office. There is also a Wells Fargo ATM for cashing convenience. There is also a recycling center located in parking lot.

The Village Shopping Center offers the Northern Folsom communities with a tranquil park like setting with traditional street lamps, wooden benches, shade trees and boxwood hedges. Feeling nostalgic, built before the “Tuscan” craze, this conveniently located shopping center fits right in with ARCN, offering a taste of a traditional American setting, it has a “main street at Disneyland” feel to it, that adds to the diverse community of ARCN and northern Folsom.

Architecture and Review

Diversity is Key!

The dominant architectural style is transitional, although the nature of a custom community allow styles including traditional, Tudor, cottage, country/farm, Victorian, French, bungalow, Floridian, contemporary, Spanish, Mediterranean, Tuscan, arts and crafts, and of course transitional and hybrid styles. This architectural diversity is what makes ARCN so desirable.


Did you Know?

• In ARCN, all revisions to the exterior of your home, exterior finishes, color selections, fence changes, RV pads and approaches, pool outbuilding and tree additions must be approved by the Architectural Review Committee prior to construction or change?
• Approvals apply to new and existing homes?
• RV pads and approaches could be a nuisance to your neighbors?
• You are responsible for compliance with all conditions set forth in your CC&Rs?

Confusing?

To learn more visit the ARCN Homeowners Association website and click on the Architectural Review link for complete form and submittal information.  http://www.arcnha.com/

What neighbors are saying

Upon asking some of the residents of ARCN, most of them feel the same about what they like and dislike about the neighborhood.

ARCN PROS:

• Family oriented development with close proximity to schools, parks, and extracurricular activities
• Nature trails running through the ARCN development
• Close proximity to shopping and dining at Village Shopping Center
• Custom homes provide an unique individualistic community
• Gated Community options within ARCN
• Surrounding Views
• Green spaces and Heritage Oak trees
• New Folsom Lake Crossing

ARCN CONS:

• Tendency for speeding and traffic on American River Canyon Drive loop
• Power lines running through the ARCN development
• Teenager loitering and vandalism at night (particularly the waterfall)
• Traffic noise from Oak Avenue Parkway
• Unable to gate off ARCN
• Long commute to Folsom east of the American River
• Undeveloped Lots remain vacant

ARCN Buyer Profile:

Married Couple age 30-50 with two children ages 4-16, $150K-$200K annual income, 3000-4000 sq foot house with 4-5 bedrooms, 2-3 baths, pool likely, newer village developments.

Retired Couple ages 50-80, $150K-$200K annual income before retiring, 2000-3000 sq foot house with 3-4 bedrooms, 2-3 baths, view lot likely, older village developments.

Cascades/Canyon Falls Village:

Young Couple ages 25-35 with1-2 children ages 1-10, $100K-$150K annual income, 1200-2400sq foot house with 2-3 bedrooms, 2-3 baths, in Cascades or CFV developments.

CC&Rs - A Review of the Basics by Dorothy Caston, CC&R

CC&R enforcement is imperative in maintaining the upscale image we appreciate in ARCN. The CC&R committee in concert with our management company Kocal works aggressively to ensure this positive image is maintained. For your convenience the following is a review of the basics. Thanks for your cooperation and support in maintaining this beautiful neighborhood!


1.) Members must keep property landscaped and maintained

2.) Boats, R.V.s, jet skis, campers, trailers or commercial vehicles may not be stored on the driveway or on the property where it can be viewed from the street. No un-attached boats or trailers of any kind are permitted on the street at any time (City Code Violation)

3.) No parking, repair, or storage of inoperable or disassembled cars is permitted on driveways or on the street. Garage parking is encouraged for all vehicles

4.) Garbage cans may not be stored in public view except for the day of collection

5.) No basketball standards or fixed sports apparatus can be attached to the lot, garage, or placed on drive-ways so as to be visible from the street

6.) Storage sheds require review and approval by the Architectural Review Committee

7.) Exterior of home must be maintained to include painting when needed. All colors must be approved by the Architectural Review Committee

8.) No pets are allowed to roam unattended or unleashed within the neighborhood. Pets must be managed in a manner as not to constitute a nuisance to other owners. Please pick up after your pets on walking trails as well as your neighbors’ lawns.

Please refer to the Declaration for a full and complete statement of the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions affecting your home. They can be found on the ARCNHA website at http://www.arcnha.com/. Follow the link to Resource Center, then Governing Documents.

American River Canyon North History

Elliott Homes developed the American River Canyon North community on the western side of the American River in Folsom California. The first villages on the eastern side of American River Canyon North were developed from the late 1980’s through the 1990’s. The remaining western villages were developed from the 1990’s through the late 2000’s. Almost complete, there are a few remaining undeveloped lots in American River Canyon North owned by private parties.

Elliott Homes built and developed the American River Canyon Drive loop, north of Oak Avenue Parkway, including the iconic waterfall entrance into the 11 village development. In 1990, Elliott Homes also built the 116-unit Cascades gated development adjacent to Davie Park on the west side of ARCN. And in 2001 Canyon Falls Village, a gated 132-unit semi-attached housing development, was built on the vacant field north of Oak Ave Pkwy and west of American River Canyon Drive, developing the last vacant land in ARCN, aside from the un-built custom lots.

In 2003 Elliott Homes sold lot 4 in village 8a, the ARCN sales pavilion building directly atop the waterfall, to a private party for development as a private residence, rather than offer the property to the Homeowners Association as hoped. And as of 2006, the iconic waterfall has a new crowning 5,200 sq foot house, valued at over $2 million. As of 2004, 622 of American River Canyon North’s 762 lots were built on, leaving 20% of lots undeveloped, meaning it’s not too late to build your custom dream home in this Northern Folsom Community. As of 2007, the American River Canyon North Homeowners Association has become a non-profit association pursuant to the provisions of Sections 21000-21103 of the California Corporations Code. The association is currently managed by Kocal Management Group.  For more information on ARCN, click here for ARCN's homeowners association website: http://www.arcnha.com/

Resources

“Whether you are new to the community or just checking to see your available options, the following gives you vital information about the resources and services you need.”

ARCN Homeowners Association

Electricity

Electricity within American River Canyon North is provided primarily by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). SMUD was founded with the idea that providing electric power to Sacramento was a job best done by a community-owned utility overseen by an elected board of directors. For more than 50 years, SMUD has done just that, providing Sacramento County (and a small part of Placer County) with a reliable source of electricity at competitive rates that are consistently lower than investor-owned utilities in the state. SMUD also offers incentives and participates in government rebate programs to promote more efficient energy use. Programs such as solar power, tree planting and more offer attractive ways of helping conserve energy.

You can reach SMUD at (888) 742-SMUD or visit their website at http://www.smud.org/

Water

Water within American River Canyon North is provided by the San Juan Water District. San Juan Water District is a community services district created by a vote of the citizens in 1954. The district is committed to ensuring the delivery of a reliable water supply of the highest quality at reasonable and equitable costs to all of its customers. The district wholesales water to Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks water districts, Orange Vale Water Company and the city of Folsom (north of the American River) and periodically to Sacramento Suburban Water District. Additionally, water is provided to customers in Granite Bay and the northeast portion of Sacramento County, which is the San Juan Water District retail area. American River Canyon North is currently on metered water.

You can reach the San Juan Water District at (916) 791-0115 or visit their website at http://www.sjwd.org/

Natural Gas

Natural gas within American River Canyon North is provided by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). Pacific Gas and Electric Company, incorporated in California in 1905, is one of the largest combination natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of PG&E Corporation. There are 19,575 employees who carry out Pacific Gas and Electric Company's primary business—the transmission and delivery of energy. The company provides natural gas and electric service to approximately 13 million people throughout a 70,000-square-mile service area in northern and central California. Pacific Gas and Electric Company and other utilities in the state are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC was created by the state Legislature in 1911.

You can reach PG&E at (800) 743-5000 or visit their website at http://www.pge.com/

Garbage (and Sewer) Collection

Garbage and sewer collection is handled by the City of Folsom. There is a monthly charge for both garbage, recycling and sewer service, which is called the smart cart program. Each Folsom residence is supplied a 60 gallon gray (waste) cart, and a 90 gallon blue (recycling) cart and a 90 gallon green (green waste) cart. Additional recycling and green waste carts are available for no charge, and larger 90 gallon gray (waste) carts are available for additional charges. There are also recycle drop off containers at various places throughout the city for items such as plastics and cardboard. The closest drop off center to ARCN is in the parking lot outside Vic's grocery store on Oak Avenue Parkway.

For garbage collection days, the City of Folsom has a garbage collection day PDF on their web site. Please contact the city for garbage collection service. The City of Folsom also offers periodical pickup of excess solid waste.

You can reach The City of Folsom’s solid waste division customer service at (916) 355-8367,the City of Folsom’s waste water division customer service at (916) 355-8365 or visit the city’s website at http://www.folsom.ca.us/

USPS Mail

Mail is delivered to community mail boxes located throughout the ARCN community. If you have recently moved here, the previous owner should have left you with a mailbox key. It is advisable to notify the post office that you have recently moved in and provide them with your name. They will let you know what box location to pick up from if the previous owner did not inform you. If you plan on travelling for more than a day or two, it is highly recommended that you let the postal service know as the boxes can only hold a certain amount of mail. Each box has a mail drop facility in the top left hand corner for outgoing mail. Oversized packages are left in one of the two larger mail drop boxes. The postal employee will leave a key for the larger box in your mailbox. The key will remain in the larger box once it has been used.

The post office is located on 1015 Riley Street in Folsom. Riley street runs parallel to East Bidwell. The post office is located between Riley and East Bidwell on the corner of Glenn.

The post office is open weekdays 8:00 am - 5:00 pm and Saturday 9:30 am - 3:00 pm. The last pickup is 5:00 pm weekdays and 3:00 pm Saturdays.

You can reach your local post office at (916) 983-0371 or visit their website at http://www.usps.com/

House Alarms

Before making any alarm system active, you are required to have an alarm permit from the Folsom City Police Department. For information about obtaining a permit, please call (916) 355-7230 or visit the city’s web site at www.folsom.ca.us/depts/police

Cable/Satellite Television and Internet Access

Digital cable service is available through Comcast. Satellite service is available through DirecTV or the Dish Network. If you elect to use satellite service, please read the CC&R's for your area for dish locations. High speed cable modem internet access is available through Comcast. SBC has recently made DSL available in the area.

Community Schools Near ARCN

ARCN Lies within the Folsom Cordova Unified School District boundaries. The closest FCUSD elementary school is Carl Sundahl ES, grades 0-5. The closest FCUSD middle school is Sutter Middle School, grades 6-8. The closest FCUSD high school is Folsom High School, grades 9-12. Due to ARCN’s proximity to Folsom’s neighboring city of Orangevale, children living in north Folsom are applicable for district transfer to the San Juan Unified School District. The closest SJUSD elementary school is Ottomon Way ES, grades k-6. The closest SJUSD middle school is Louis Pasteur Fundamental Middle School, grades 6-8. The closest SJUSD high school is Casa Roble Fundamental High School, grades 9-12.


School Breakdown by District:

* Rating according to http://www.greatschools.org/

Folsom, a City of History

Photo by George Sterpka

“The City of Folsom has a rich history beginning with the '49ers during California's great Gold Rush. But it's also a forward-looking city -- the site the West's first railroad and the world's first long-distance transmission of electricity.


It is a high-tech town as well, with firms ranging from small to large international corporations. The good network of area freeways has drawn distribution facilities to the City as well. A steady influx of new residents has kept local contractors busy, and the retail section is about to get a tremendous boost from two malls in the planning stage. As part of the four-county Sacramento Metropolitan Statistical Area, the City is part of a robust regional economy as well.

An adopted general plan sets out the path the City will likely follow into the 21st century. It shows a growing city that intends to keep its human scale. It places large retail centers in places easily accessible to regional shoppers, without cramming more traffic into the City's core. It paints a picture of sparkling new neighborhoods as well as a carefully preserved historical district.

The City's General Plan, adopted October 31, 1988, also takes note of the family orientation, calling for a minimum of five acres of park land for each 1,000 residents, and for city co-sponsorship of special activities that involve the entire family. Although the City has the flavor of a small city, it does not lack the conveniences of modern living. It has ample shopping and cultural facilities, either in town or within a few minutes drive, and there are plans for more. It also has new hospital facilities and an expanding corps of professional specialists, such as doctors, lawyers and financial consultants.

The incorporation of the City in 1946 was a move that has major significance in the self-determination of the City today. Being incorporated allows the City's residents to elect a city council and to govern themselves. The City's primary governing body is the City Council, made up of five members who are elected at large and serve four years. The council members choose a mayor and vice mayor from their own ranks. The current City Council members are: Mayor Jeff Starsky, Vice Mayor Andy Morin, Kerri Howell, Steve Miklos and Ernie Sheldon. The City Manager in charge of day-to-day operations is Kerry Miller, who reports to the City Council.”

-City of Folsom Website

www.folsom.ca.us/about