Where are the sidewalks???? (Sutter: house, neighborhood, school)

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by SDbeachbum

We are getting closer to our move to El Dorado Hills (the end of June) and I've been looking for a house to rent. One thing that I've noticed is that most of the neighborhoods I have looked at have no sidewalks (I always pull the address up on Google maps to take a look at the surrounding area.) Does anyone know why there is a lack of sidewalks? It's been bugging me for a while now (not enough to not move there, I just find it curious.) Do kids just ride their bikes and walk in the streets?

I think some of the neighborhoods that don't have sidewalks are either in the older, or more rural neighborhoods. Can you post some addresses of the rentals you are looking at?

[NinaN]

No sidewalks where I live. Yes, people/kids ride and walk in the streets. It's mostly slow residential traffic and drivers are aware of the kids around. The newer gated area (Serrano) has sidewalks. Rental options are very limited however, and you might not have a choice in holding out for sidewalks. Good luck in your hunt for a rental property.

[SDbeachbum]

Originally Posted by NinaN

No sidewalks where I live. Yes, people/kids ride and walk in the streets. It's mostly slow residential traffic and drivers are aware of the kids around. The newer gated area (Serrano) has sidewalks. Rental options are very limited however, and you might not have a choice in holding out for sidewalks. Good luck in your hunt for a rental property.

I have noticed that rental options are not great! I've been looking for a couple of months now, just to get a feel for what the prices and home/lot sizes are like. Sidewalks aren't mandatory for us, it's just more of a curiosity. We'll adapt just fine to lack of sidewalks I'm sure. We're just really looking forward to our new adventure, and experiencing what we hope will be a slower pace in a less crowded area. I'm a SoCal girl through and through, and I will miss my beach like crazy, but I will not miss the crowds!

[caligirlz]

Tonight I was in the La Cresta Village (per map quest neighborhood)...west of El Dorado Hills Blvd, near William Brooks Elem School. They don't have sidewalks, but they do have a large parking strip which I assume functions somewhat "like" sidewalks. I always see lots of people out walking & the roads are curvy enough in that neighborhood that you really can't speed, so it seems reasonably safe.

I have friends who live over behind Safeway, off Village Center Drive, they have sidewalks....not sure how much newer that neighborhood is, but you might want to check it out.

[NinaN]

Originally Posted by SDbeachbum

I have noticed that rental options are not great! I've been looking for a couple of months now, just to get a feel for what the prices and home/lot sizes are like. Sidewalks aren't mandatory for us, it's just more of a curiosity. We'll adapt just fine to lack of sidewalks I'm sure. We're just really looking forward to our new adventure, and experiencing what we hope will be a slower pace in a less crowded area. I'm a SoCal girl through and through, and I will miss my beach like crazy, but I will not miss the crowds!

What is your timing and budget? We occasionally get emails from co-workers with rentals available and I can pass that along if I get one.

If you find something on Craigs List, I can look up on the tax records and MLS to make sure it's not about to be foreclosed or for sale and someone is scamming. Most are legit but the scams are out there.

[SDbeachbum]

Originally Posted by NinaN

What is your timing and budget? We occasionally get emails from co-workers with rentals available and I can pass that along if I get one.

If you find something on Craigs List, I can look up on the tax records and MLS to make sure it's not about to be foreclosed or for sale and someone is scamming. Most are legit but the scams are out there.

How nice of you to offer! Thanks!!

We're lookiing for 3-4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, on nice sized lot, that will allow us to have our dog (he's only about 30lbs.) We'd prefer a 2 story, so the kids can spread out and get away from each other sometimes (we're leaving our just under 1300sf single story home, where 6 of us practically have to climb over each other all the time!) We need to stay under $2000 per month, and we are looking for a move-in of July 1st (we can start paying rent in mid-June if necessary, but we aren't actually leaving San Diego until the last week of June.)

[KC6ZLV]

If you look at various neighbourhoods from a satellite view it appears the planned developments have sidewalks and the neighbourhoods made up of buy a parcel and build a custom home are lacking sidewalks.

And yes, the kids walk along the side of the street. I lived in several places without sidewalks and I never experiences any hardships from it.

[DMenscha]

Sidewalks and Starbucks are a sign of the decline of the quality of life anywhere.

In doing our community plan for our general plan update, we specifically said NO to sidewalks in our community. We do have a nice bike path though.

[la_cavalière]

This question applies to some city neighborhoods as well. I was checking out a house just southwest of Land Park and couldn't believe the lack of sidewalks in the area. To walk north on South Land Park Drive toward Sutterville Road to the park, there appear to be no sidewalks. Do people walk in the streets?

[ryuns]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Very desirable areas in the Bay Area have almost no sidewalks outside the business districts..

Orinda, Lafayette, Alamo come to mind and even much of Pleasant Hill has no sidewalks. The most expensive area of the Oakland Hills... Montclair also has zero sidewalks...

I see families with kids on bikes with training wheels, walking the dog or pushing jogging strollers all the time in these areas...

Here is the streetscape Master Plan PDF for Eldorado Hills...

http://www.edhcsd.org/park_planning/...er_plan_v1.pdf

Fair enough--but point is that either density or traffic or both makes sidewalks pretty close to a necessity. Also, high real estate prices in a few places without sidewalks doesn't mean it's a good thing not to have them. I guess it's a matter of preference, but it seems to plainly discourage pedestrians (most agree that it's less desirable to walk in the street--not as big of a problem if there are no cars in the street, but in California, where no one uses their garages for vehicles, this is rarely the case).