American Canyon - "Gateway to the Napa Valley"
Napa County, California

Community Profile

Population and Locale:
The City of American Canyon was incorporated in 1992. The current population is approximately 10,000 residents with a "build-out" population estimated at 18,000. Located at the southern end of Napa County, the City is roughly 3.6 square miles in size. American Canyon is bounded geographically by the Napa River to the west; the foothills of the Sulphur Springs Mountain Range to the east; the City of Vallejo to the south and vineyards to the north.

Climate: The climate is generally mild with northeasterly winds from the San Francisco Bay. Summer temperatures range from 50° to 80°; winter temperatures range from 40° to 60°. Average rainfall is 18 inches per year.

Economic Trends:

Transportation:
Highways:
Hwy. 29 (Napa Valley) runs through town.
Hwy. 12 (to Fairfield or Santa Rosa) intersects at the north end;
Hwy. 37 (to Interstate 80 or Hwy. 101) is one mile south.
Direct access to Interstate 80 is three miles east of town.

Rail:
Freight service is provided by California Northern Railroad and Southern Pacific.
American Canyon has rail lines extending in all four directions, making it a natural warehouse and distribution center.

Air:
The Napa Airport is within 4 miles of City Hall.
On-call charter service is available 24 hours a day.
Major airports (Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco) are within one hour's drive.
Evans Transportation provides shuttle service to and from San Francisco and Oakland Airports.

Bus:
Napa Valley Transit supplies service as far north as Calistoga, and south to Vallejo.
Napa Valley Transit includes a bus-link to BART and the Vallejo Ferry.
The City also operates its own local bus service, American Canyon Transit (ACT).

Truck:
Several trucking companies are based in American Canyon.
Overnight service throughout California is available.

Water Supply:
The City of American Canyon's water comes from the North Bay (State Water Project). Water pressure is maintained at 65 to 100 psi with flows sufficient to meet the needs of most commercial and industrial projects. The City also receives both raw and treated water through agreements with the City of Vallejo to serve new development.

Sewer Service:
The sewer service area extends from the Napa/Solano County line north to Fagan Creek. American Canyon receives sewer treatment form Napa Sanitation District. By 2001 the City will have its own 2.57 million gallon per day wastewater treatment facility. Recycled water meeting Title 22 standards will be available for sale when the plant is completed.

Solid Waste Disposal:
Under a franchise agreement with the City, the American Canyon Disposal Service provides garbage pick-up for all residents and businesses. Roll-off service is also available. Additional services include curbside recycling and a new Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center. For service, call (800) 499-8771.

Electricity and Natural Gas:
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) supplies electricity and natural gas to American Canyon. Information on rates and services is available by calling (800) 743-5000.

Telephone:
Pacific Bell provides a variety of services to American Canyon, including ISDN lines. Residential customers can obtain service by calling (800) 310-2355. Business customers may call (800) 750-2355. A Business Industry Consulting Service is available by calling (888) 888-0814. Standard long distance service providers include Sprint, MCI and AT&T.

Local Newspapers:
Two newspapers, the Times-Herald and the Napa Register, serve the area. A local newspaper, the American Canyon Citizen's Echo, is delivered free to all households each month. Regional and national newspapers are available for delivery.

Storm Damage:
A Storm Drainage Master Plan was completed in 1996. The City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. Given its proximity to the Napa River, development in American Canyon must comply with the Regional Water Quality Control Board regulations, as well as other State and Federal regulatory agencies.

City Government:
The City of American Canyon operates under the council-manager form of government. Policy-making authority is vested in a five member City Council. Day-to-day administration is provided by the City Manager, serving under the direction of the City Council. Operating departments include Planning, Public Works, Parks & Community Services, & Finance.

Police:
The Napa County Sheriff's Department provides law enforcement services under contract with the City. The community is very safe, with few major crimes reported. A new police station for the American Canyon Police Department will be completed mid 2001.

Fire:
The American Canyon Fire Protection District offers fire suppression and medical assistance, with a paid force of 13 firefighters and 20 volunteers. A fire station with 6 engines is centrally located, with a second station planned. Response time is within 3 minutes for 85% of calls. The District's service (ISO) rating is low, which results in lower fire insurance rates.

Taxes and Property Assessments:
Property Tax: 1% of assessed value. Sales tax: 7.50%. Business License: sliding scale based on gross receipts, capped at $1,500 annually. Transient Occupancy Tax: 10%. Fire Assessment Fee: approximately $79 per household; businesses are based on type of construction, potential fire hazard, and fire equipment installed. Impact Fees: The City has adopted impact fees for Water, Sewer, Traffic, Fire, Parks and Civic Facilities. There are no Utility User Taxes or Mello-Roos Assessment Districts in American Canyon.

Community Facilities:
Health:
Medical offices are located in town. A regional Kaiser Permanente hospital is four miles south in Vallejo and the Queen of the Valley Hospital is 15 miles north in Napa.

Education:
The City is part of the Napa Valley Unified School District. There are two elementary schools and one middle school in town. Bus service is provided to Napa High Schools. Napa Valley College is approximately 6 miles north and Solano Community College is 15 miles away in Fairfield.

Recreation:
A new Community Center and Aquatics facility opened in late 1998. A library branch is planned for the year 2001. The City has over 50 acres of developed parkland, ranging from tot lots to a 20-acre community park. There is an extensive hiking trail system, and the City now owns a large open space on its western edge that is to be restored to wetlands. The 640-acre Newell Wilderness Park is on the eastern side of American Canyon.

Housing Availabilty, Prices and Rentals:
The housing stock in American Canyon is predominantly single family homes. Neighborhoods range from older to higher-end new subdivisions. Housing prices remain moderate in spite of the City's close proximity (about 40 miles) to San Francisco and its location in Napa County. The sales price of homes range from $200,000 to $350,000. New homes are being built, which will sell in the $250,000 to $450,000 range. There are four mobile home parks with over 700 spaces, all at affordable rental rates. Apartments rent from $900 to $1400 per month. Home rentals range from $1,250 to $2,000 per month.

Industrial Sites:
The Green Island Industrial Park consists of 265 acres of industrially zoned land, with approximately 100 acres still available for development. The City recently modified its zoning ordinance to allow greater flexibility in approving new projects. An additional 200-300 acres is being considered for annexation in order to expand the industrial area.

Residential Sites:
The City has a State certified Housing Element. There are over 250 acres of land zoned for residential development within the City, half of which has been approved for development. Another 150 acres is included in its Sphere of Influence, and has been master-planned for development. The City's current focus is on higher-end housing, including custom-built homes.

Remarks:
American Canyon is primarily a middle-income residential community with limited retail-commercial activity along the Highway 29 corridor and one master-planned industrial park. The potential for attracting additional office and professional buildings, retail-commercial, office/business parks, and light-manufacturing investment into the community is excellent. The City's intent is to promote long-term economic development. City staff is willing to act creatively and expeditiously to make worthwhile projects happen. The City wants to expand its industrial base and increase retail services, both for its citizens and the 5 million tourists that travel through the Napa Valley each year. It is currently working on the development of a 100 acre, master-planned Town Center, which will provide a full array of services for both visitors and local residents.

Posted with permission from the Napa Valley Economic Development Corporation