Snow in San Anselmo / My waitress my waitress my waitress / Said it was coming down / Said it hadn't happened in over thirty years / But it was laying on the ground / But it was laying on the ground - From "Snow in Anselmo" by Van Morrison
Most small towns want to grow into a city because that brings money into government coffers and increases residential services
Snow in San Anselmo / My waitress my waitress my waitress / Said it was coming down / Said it hadn't happened in over thirty years / But it was laying on the ground / But it was laying on the ground - From "Snow in Anselmo" by Van Morrison
Most small towns want to grow into a city because that brings money into government coffers and increases residential services. Not San Anselmo. The residents and officials of this incorporated town are dead set against such intrusive growth with a mission to "maintain a small town ambiance." Cultural attractions are strictly small-scale: music and theater in the park, a historical museum, and library. But historical downtown shopping, tree-covered hills, and lots of green spaces make this locale one of the most desirable places to live in Marin County.
If you want rental apartments in San Anselmo, the bad news is they're few and far between. Most renters live in the bigger burg of San Rafael, only about five minutes east by car. It might be difficult to find those evasive apartment rentals, but not impossible. If you do find an apartment available, snatch it up immediately. They won't hang around for long.
Parkside Apartments is only one named traditional complex. The 1- and 2-bedroom units surround the pool and clubhouse but each rental only gets one parking space. The grounds and surrounding areas are lush with greenery and you're just a block away from two parks and a shopping center. Another named complex, the Sundance Apartments also has a pool but only 28 units. You need special income qualifications to rent in these spaces. If you definitely want an apartment, be prepared with all the necessary paperwork and deposit money well before you plant to move.
You're more likely to stumble onto apartments for rent with no formal aliases. The motel-like ambiance of 1520 San Anselmo, for example, includes an on-site coin-op laundry, outdoor pool, and one assigned parking space per unit.
If you're okay with rental houses, you'll find more options for month-to-month living. Get a real-estate agent to offer you the widest selection. The first question she'll most likely ask after your budget is where you want to live. This will help your agent assist you in finding exactly what you need in a rental. Here's the rundown on some of the the hoods.
Brookside: Spanish-style bungalows and Arts and Crafts homes turn this community into vintage heaven although the ranch-style houses bring you back to earth. Faude Park beckons walkers to its hilltop location.
Calumet Park: Restored houses from the 1940s and 1950s lie just across Sir Francis Drake Boulevard from Red Hill Shopping Center. There's no park here. The name comes from the corner of Calumet and Park Avenues.
Hawthorne Hills: You can walk through 22 acres of open space known as Hawthorne Canyon, where even your dog can run leash-free. Homes date back to the 1920s and either hug the hillside or sit on lower flatlands.
San Anselmo Avenue / Downtown: Here's the center of shopping and dining in well-kept two-story Victorian buildings of brick and wood. Homes are within walking distance of the "Northern California Antique Capital," so you can find out first-hand why San Anselmo was voted "Best in the West" for antiquing by readers of Sunset magazine.
San Francisco Blvd: If San Anselmo had a hub for fun, this would be it. You're close to the Red Hill Shopping Center, San Anselmo Memorial Park and Millennium Playground, San Anselmo Recreation Department, and the Red Hill Dog Park. Many of the homes here are smaller and more affordable.
Seminary: Tree-lined streets surround San Francisco Theological Seminary, which escalated town growth when it moved from San Francisco in 1892. You'll feel like you're in a medieval town when you look up at the circular towers, arched windows, and stone masonry of the religious institution.
Sequoia: Properties here are a quick jaunt to the produce, meats, cheeses, and sushi of United Market. Commuters can also quickly hit the Red Hill Avenue, which takes them to the other main thoroughfares of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and San Anselmo Avenue.
Sleepy Hollow: Also known as "The Hollow," this community boasts houses in traditional, Spanish, and ranch styles, highlighted by 15 custom homes designed by Eichler. One of the community's many hiking trails leads to Cataract Falls, which is most spectacular after a heavy rain. Three-quarters of residents belong to the Sleepy Hollow Homeowner's Association. A big plus or minus, depending on your point of view, is the isolation. There's only one access route: the 2-mile-long Butterfield Road.
The Alameda: It's all residential in this most rural of communities with smaller homes and a longer commute down the narrow road that gives this hood its name.
Woodside: If views are your thing, then wind your way up Woodside Drive to the ranch-style homes hugging the hillside. To reach the windy open space at the top, you'll need to leave your wheels behind and continue on foot.
Yolanda Park: Established in 1905, this older and highly desirable neighborhood frames its vintage homes behind white picket fences, well-trimmed hedges, and mature trees.
On most years, San Anselmo Creek remains a pleasant respite from the ills of town living. However, every two decades or so, the calm waters overflow from heavy rains inundating the natural flood plains on the south and west of the town. The city center can flood up to four feet. If that's a concern, ask your potential landlord how high the water gets at your rental. Or better yet, live only on the second or higher floors.
Free movies and concerts in the park, poetry readings at the local Carnegie library, sales at boutiques, and games at the baseball field may provide enough activity on ordinary days. But during the fall, locals anticipate the biggest event of the year: Country Fair Day and Parade. It starts with the Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Station before continuing with the Country Fair on San Anselmo Avenue and the parade. At Creek Park, live entertainment and food booths cap off the festivities.
In the winter, like the Van Morrison song says, snow falls from the sky in San Anselmo maybe once every 30 years. But every Friday after Thanksgiving, the white stuff gets trucked into nearby San Rafael for the Parade of Lights and Winter Wonderland. Locals flock to the event so they can ride their sleds on the manufactured powder, applaud live bands, and shop at the holiday market.
