Plan for replacement of backup park location with two new sites moves forward on first reading
The Folsom City Council on Tuesday advanced amendments clearing the way for residential development within the Folsom Plan Area while preserving contingency park space through two newly designated alternative sites.
Council members unanimously approved first readings of three ordinances amending development agreements tied to Community Park West, a 48-acre community park site planned along the western edge of the specific plan area south of Highway 50.
The action does not alter the primary park location identified in the Folsom Plan Area Specific Plan. Instead, it replaces a previously designated backup park site with two new alternative locations after developers sought to build homes on the original contingency parcel.
The amendments modify the city’s Tier 1 development agreements governing the Folsom Plan Area, a more than 3,500-acre development area approved in 2011 that outlines long-term obligations between the city and landowners for infrastructure, land use and public facilities.
In 2014, those agreements were updated to address uncertainty surrounding Area 40, a portion of the Aerojet Rocketdyne property designated as a federal Superfund site. The agreements established both the primary Community Park West location and a designated alternative site in the event environmental clearance delayed park construction.
However, delays tied to environmental remediation of the Area 40 site have since altered that timeline. Federal regulators have indicated additional testing and cleanup work will be required before the site can be cleared for park use, a process now expected to take another two to three years, according to the staff report.
That delay created a conflict for the proposed Alder Creek project, where Toll Brothers submitted plans in April 2025 for a 1,422-home subdivision on approximately 464 acres that included residential development on the previously protected alternative park site.
To accommodate the proposed subdivision while maintaining required park contingencies, city staff worked with the primary landowner group to identify new alternative parcels.
The replacement proposal includes approximately 21.5 acres within a 31.5-acre site in the northwest portion of the plan area — currently zoned industrial — and approximately 26.5 acres comprising two parcels in the southwest portion, zoned residential. Together, the two new alternative locations provide roughly equivalent developable acreage to the original 48-acre park site.
Jessica Brandt of the Community Development Department told the council the proposed sites were vetted against the city’s Parks Master Plan criteria and Folsom Plan Area policies.
“Staff determined the acreage is roughly equivalent in developable area, park uses would be permitted, Measure W open space would remain protected, and the sites could accommodate expected programming,” Brandt said.
City staff evaluated the sites against multiple criteria, including acreage equivalency, park compatibility, service area coverage, and compliance with Measure W open space protections, while also ensuring the sites would not impact designated preserve areas and could support active recreational uses such as fields, parking and facilities if needed.
Measure W, approved by voters in 2018, designated portions of the Folsom Plan Area as permanent open space.
The development agreements also include a timing trigger tied to growth in the area. Upon issuance of the 1,200th building permit within the Community Park West service area, the city must either have the primary park site ready for development or accept an alternative site for park use.
Councilmember Sarah Aquino raised concerns about potential cost implications if the city were ever forced to build the community park across two separate sites.
“If the original site does not pan out and we have two sites, would that require duplicating bathrooms and parking?” Aquino asked.
Park Planning Manager Brad Nelson confirmed that separate parcels would require additional infrastructure.
“Separating the sites would require duplicating certain amenities like restrooms and parking,” Nelson said.
Aquino also asked whether public-private partnerships could offset costs in the future. Nelson said such opportunities could be explored and brought to council if appropriate.
The Planning Commission reviewed the proposal March 18 and recommended approval.
The council’s action Tuesday represents first readings of the ordinances. Final adoption is expected at a subsequent meeting.
City staff emphasized the amendments do not change zoning or approved land uses and do not relocate Community Park West. Instead, they modify which parcels are required to remain available under an irrevocable offer of dedication if the primary park site is not ready when needed. Any future use of the alternative sites for park development would still require a separate Specific Plan amendment and environmental review.
If environmental mitigation proceeds as planned, Community Park West would still be developed at its originally designated 48-acre site. The amendments ensure contingency options remain available while allowing residential development to move forward on the former alternative property.
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