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

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.

A public call for names was issued twice by Folsom Parks & Recreation last fall. 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 last summer 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.

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. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall. Contact City of Folsom Senior Park Planner 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:

• Sport field/ball diamond/soccer field
• Pond enhancements
• Oak woodland enhancements
• Walking path
• Play areas
• Group picnic areas
• Lighted basketball court
• Restroom
• Onsite parking

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
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• Adopted 2003 Implementation Plan Update

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