Community meetings are completed!
Dates for future meetings of the City Council or Planning Commission related to the South of 50 area will continue to be posted.
Your voice will be heard if you participate!
Contact Info:
Gail Furness de Pardo Principal Planner,
City of Folsom
email
916-355-7222
Send us your thoughts, questions, and comments!
Site Last Updated:
March 8, 2005
Recent news coverage has focused attention on the future of the undeveloped land south of Highway 50 between Prairie City Road, White Rock Road and the El Dorado County line. This 3,585-acre area, which is still controlled by Sacramento County, came under the City of Folsom’s sphere of influence (SOI) three years ago. The Folsom City Council has initiated a Visioning Process to solicit extensive public input about the future of the area. They have directed that a wide variety of options be considered, covering issues such as land use (pre-zoning), fair-share housing, transportation, revenue neutrality, Smart Growth, natural resource conservation, air quality and scenic corridor preservation.
Why is Folsom undertaking a Visioning Process for the South of 50 area?
In 2001, the State LAFCO Commission designated the South of 50 area as part of Folsom’s “Sphere of Influence.” That means that the City will have a formal voice regarding any development proposals for the area, and the area could be annexed to the City of Folsom in the future. The City of Folsom is building out according to the City’s General Plan, and if current trends continue will be built out by 2010. There is likely to be interest in developing the South of 50 area, and the City wants to be pro-active in thinking about the future of the area.
How will the Visioning Process be carried out?
The City has hired consultants to solicit input from the community, property owners, City officials, outside agencies and other interested parties, in a wide variety of ways.
- Stakeholder Interviews – One on One Interviews with key property owners, elected official, representitives, neighborhood association representatives, and public agencies.
- Community Workshops – Workshops open to everyone where information is shared and input is gathered, including small group discussions so that everyone’s voice can be heard.
- Newsletters – Publications sharing Information, input received, and draft proposals, with a comment form to send back to the City.
- Website – Website updated regularly to share background information, meeting notices, all reports, and the opportunity to send in comments via e-mail.
- Stakeholders Committee – a Task Force of property owners, City officials, community groups, outside agencies, etc. that can discuss and offer input about specific issues related to the future of the South of 50 area.
- Planning Commission and City Council Meetings – to keep City officials informed and allow them to provide direction to the project.
What will be the outcome of the Visioning Process?
The City Council anticipates that the visioning process will lead to adoption of a policy document that addresses issues such as land use, resource conservation, transportation, air quality and other topics identified during the process. The consultant team will carry out research, outline policy choices, and prepare a draft policy document that will be reviewed through the public input process described above. The City’s Planning Commission will review the visioning policy document and make recommendations to the City Council. All Planning Commission and City Council meetings are open to the public.