Future Park: Prospector Park

In January 2022, the Folsom City Council approved the name Prospector Park for the first park to be built in the Folsom Plan Area. The park site–formerly known as Neighborhood Park 3–is located on Mangini Parkway, immediately adjacent to Mangini Ranch Elementary School.

Background:
A public call for names was issued twice by Folsom Parks & Recreation in fall 2021. Submittals were reviewed by the Folsom Parks & Recreation Commission and the name Prospector Park was selected as the preferred name to be forwarded to the City Council for final approval. The name reflects the prospectors who traveled to the area during the Gold Rush.

City staff and the design consulting team held public workshops in summer 2021 to provide an overview of the potential features and amenities to be considered in the design of the park. Based on community input received at the meetings, a Preferred Master Plan was developed and taken to the Parks and Recreation Commission. The Commission unanimously forwarded a recommendation to the Folsom City Council to approve the Master Plan and the approval was made in October 2021.

The 11.8-acre Prospector Park will include a children’s play area; a lighted multi-use sports field and lighted ball field; tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts; a dog park; restrooms; and a parking lot. 

Updates: 

• As the weather conditions have improved, more construction activity has resumed, with grading of the parking lot being completed. Class II aggregate base is being installed in the parking lot and the formwork for concrete curbs is starting. Pathway light pole footing rebar cages are complete, and footings are being poured. The final section of the 6-inch-diameter irrigation non-potable mainline was recently installed and pressure-tested.

• The recent rains have made it necessary to remove heavy grading equipment from the construction site. In the interim, to help ensure the project stays on schedule, portions of the electrical, irrigation, and other underground infrastructure are being worked on, as weather permits.

• Construction continues on schedule and the underground utility and infrastructure work is substantially complete. Rough grading is complete and work toward reaching final grade is underway. The state-of-the art water conserving irrigation system is currently being installed. Soon you will see formwork for the paving and sidewalks throughout the park site.

• Construction is underway and the park is expected to open in fall 2024.

• The construction fencing was installed around the perimeter of the park site July 18.

• The City of Folsom held a public groundbreaking ceremony for Prospector Park the morning of June 29.

• The Folsom City Council approved a construction agreement with KYA Services, LLC, for the construction of Prospector Park. The contract takes about 30 days to fully execute.  Construction of the park is anticipated to begin in June.

• April 2, 2023: A total of five bids were received March 30 for the construction of Prospector Park. The lowest responsible and responsive bidder will be considered by the Folsom City Council April 25 for contract award.

• March 16, 2023: A mandatory pre-bid meeting was held at the park site.

• March 9, 2023: The next steps in the process are construction bids due March 30, and construction contract approval by the City Council April 25. Construction will begin early in June.

• February 27, 2023: The project issued for public bid.

• February 21, 2023: The project is on schedule to submit for public bid at the end of February.

• February 8, 2023: The project is on schedule to submit for public bid at the end of February.

• January 26, 2023: The Construction Documentation Package is being finalized. The project will be publicly bid for construction in February 2023.

Contact:

Contact City of Folsom Park Planning Manager Brad Nelson at bnelson@folsom.ca.us with questions about the park.

Benevento Family Park

The future Benevento Family Park (formerly known as Empire Ranch Park Site #51) will be located at the intersection of Broadstone Parkway and Carpenter Hill Road, adjacent to Vista del Lago High School. Nine acres of the 19-acre park site will be developed.

Proposed amenities include:

• Two Parking Lots
• Concrete and Decomposed Granite Pathways
• Four Lighted Pickleball Courts
• Children’s Play Area including Hillside Play
• Tow All-Gender Restroom Buildings
• Four Shade Structures
• Wood Bridge Pathways
• Eight Lighted Sand Volleyball Courts
• Multi-Use Field
• Two Bocce Courts
• Dock/Stock Pond Access
• Green Space
• Native/Drought Tolerant Planting

Project Updates:
The Folsom City Council awarded a contract to an environmental consultant to initiate the CEQA compliance process for the project in December 2022.

Park planning is guided by the City of Folsom Parks & Recreation Master Plan. Park development is funded through several sources, including:

• The primary sources are Park Development Impact Fees paid by private development at the time of building permit issuance. Fees are collected for commercial, industrial multiple-family residential, and single-family residential projects.
• The second significant source of park development funding is through payment by private developers for Parkland Dedication In-Lieu Fees or "Quimby." All residential development projects within the city are responsible for park land dedication equal to five acres per thousand population. This is derived through a formula outlined in the Folsom Municipal Code Section 16.039.040. The city has achieved land dedications equal to the stated master plan goal; thus, projects now are assessed an in-lieu fee for the required dedication. This is a calculated amount valued at what the development's required land dedication would cost to purchase at fair market value.
• Grant funding through state and/or federal programs for park development

In 1989, the City of Folsom Parks & Recreation Master Plan was completed as part of the City of Folsom General Plan. This Master Plan document developed recommendations that reflected the park and recreation needs in the city. The document was created with the guidance of the Parks & Recreation Commission, a Citizen's Advisory Committee, public workshops, and telephone surveys.

The Parks & Recreation Master Plan is a living document subject to change and modification due to changing needs and conditions within the city. In 1995, an update to the Master Plan was commissioned to reflect current community needs and priorities. That update, which identified recreational elements (program) for all undeveloped parks was adopted by the City Council in 1996. The adopted 1996 City of Folsom Parks & Recreation Master Plan was revisited and modified through the adoption of the 2002 Implementation Plan Update. That update reevaluated the status of park development, the estimated cost of developing the remaining parks, and made recommendations on the prioritization of undeveloped parks. Most recently, in November 2015, the City Council adopted the Parks & Recreation Master Plan - 2015 Update, which further refined existing community-wide park and recreation needs. That update also incorporated the Folsom Plan Area (FPA) for the proposed parks and park development programming in the FPA south of Highway 50.

• Adopted 1996 Parks & Recreation Master Plan
  Please note that this is a large file and may take time to load on older computers or devices.
• Adopted 2003 Implementation Plan Update
• Park Planning Process Estimated Timeline and Sequence of Planning Activities

Adopted Parks & Recreation Master Plan - 2015 Update

• 2015 Update Introduction - Summary
• 2015 Update Appendix A - Goals and Policies
• 2015 Update Appendix B - Undeveloped Parks and Parks with Remaining Development Programming
• 2015 Update Appendix C - Existing Developed Parks
• 2015 Update Appendix D - Summary of Existing Parks Build-out Estimated Development Costs Estimate
• 2015 Update Appendix E - Locations of Parks and Programming Planned for the Folsom Plan Area (FPA) and Appendix F - Summary of Folsom Plan Area (FPA) Estimated Development Costs