The 12-acre site at Mangini Parkway and Empire Ranch Road will bring new recreation amenities to the city’s southern neighborhoods.
FOLSOM — The Folsom City Council on Tuesday advanced progress of the next park planned for the city’s fast-growing South of Highway 50 district, approving the design phase and initial funding for the Folsom Plan Area’s first neighborhood park. The 12-acre site, known as Neighborhood Park #1, will occupy land at the northwest corner of Mangini Parkway and Empire Ranch Road and serve as a central recreation space for new neighborhoods in the area.
Council approved two companion resolutions: one establishing the project and appropriating $706,614 from the Folsom Plan Area Specific Plan Capital Fund, and a second authorizing the city manager to execute a $450,130 design contract with Wilson Design Studio. The park will be the first of several planned as part of the city’s long-term commitment to ensuring that parks and open space keep pace with residential development south of Highway 50.
According to Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Gonzalez, the project is a direct response to the pace of new home construction and the increasing demand for sports fields, playgrounds, and family gathering spaces. The site is planned to include a lighted soccer field, a lighted youth baseball field, a children’s playground, a basketball court, a group picnic area, a restroom building, and a parking lot. Situated next to a future elementary school, it will serve as both a community and neighborhood asset.
Gonzalez noted that the City Council earlier this year approved hiring a limited-term Park Planner II to accelerate park planning and development. That position, currently filled by Kate Cannon Nguyen, is managing the Neighborhood Park #1 project, overseeing design coordination, community engagement, and consultant oversight. Because the position was created after the budget deadline for the city’s 2025–26 Capital Improvement Plan, staff brought the park project forward separately this fall to secure funding for its design phase.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department issued a public request for proposals in July, receiving eight submissions from qualified firms. After evaluation by staff from both Parks and Recreation and Public Works, Wilson Design Studio ranked highest with a total of 121 points, followed by RRM Design Group and Westwood. The department cited Wilson’s strong community outreach plan, flexible approach, and experience with other Folsom park projects—including Prospector Park and Benavento Park—as key reasons for selection.
The first-year funding of $706,614 will cover early design and engineering costs, including the Wilson Design Studio contract, topographic and geotechnical studies, asbestos testing, utility coordination, and staff time. The city currently estimates total construction costs at $9.5 million, which will be funded through future appropriations.
During the council discussion, members raised questions about escalating park construction costs and the long-term sustainability of funding future projects in the Folsom Plan Area. Councilmember Barbara Leary referenced past planning efforts and urged staff to consider evolving recreation demands and realistic cost limits when designing future parks. “I think this is a bigger question,” Leary said. “We’ve created these awesome plans, and they’re just too much as far as amenities, and we have to deal with the reality of this is how much we have. I think what we’ve done is start with amenities, but we need to start with budgets—this is the amount of money we have for a park, and this is what we can build.”
Vice Mayor Justin Raithel shared similar concerns, noting that the estimated cost of Neighborhood Park #1 has more than doubled since it was first identified a decade ago. “In 2015, this was a $3.9 million park. Now we’re talking about a $9.5 million park,” Raithel said. “I’m fine with using Wilson Design to move forward, but I do question that number and not getting us into the same situation as North of 50 where we don’t have enough money to finish all the parks. If you’re lucky enough to be in one of the first communities, you get a park. But if you’re one of the last, you might wait 20 or 30 years. I want to prevent that.”
Councilmember Mike Kozlowski echoed that concern, saying, “The $9 million number was a little startling relative to the discussion about Benavento that we’ve had over many years. Is this likely to be a phased implementation, or do we have developer fees to cover most of the cost?”
Responding to the council’s questions, Park Planner II Kate Cannon Nguyen said staff are exploring new design standards aimed at lowering costs without sacrificing quality or function. “Because of the increase in cost, we are looking at new design standards to lower that cost moving forward,” Nguyen said. “We’re working with our Parks and Recreation Commission and will be bringing recommendations to the commission in December.”
Nguyen added that the design proposal from Wilson Design Studio closely mirrors what the firm charged for similar projects and falls within standard expectations for its scope of work. She also confirmed that staff are coordinating with the Finance Department to review long-term funding projections for all Folsom Plan Area parks. “We did provide numbers to Finance, and they are evaluating that as part of the whole system,” Nguyen said.
The city is also in the process of contracting a geotechnical engineer to conduct soil and asbestos testing at the site early in the design phase. “We’re trying to bring them on earlier in the project so they can give us a better idea of whether naturally occurring asbestos is present and to what levels,” Nguyen explained.
While the project will take several years to move from design to construction, city officials described Tuesday’s approval as a milestone in creating park equity for residents moving into the Folsom Plan Area. The park’s development also aligns with the city’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which calls for accessible green spaces and sports fields throughout new growth areas.
Gonzalez said the goal is to complete design in 2026 and move into construction as funding becomes available. “This project helps ensure that residents moving into the Folsom Plan Area will have access to the same high-quality park spaces that define the rest of our community,” she said.
The council unanimously approved both resolutions, marking the official start of the Folsom Plan Area Neighborhood Park #1 project.
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