City News: Your Weekly Update
May 6, 2021
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Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for the Capital SouthEast Connector |
The Folsom City Council joined federal, state, and regional officials on Wednesday, May 5, to break ground on the Capital SouthEast Connector project – a 34-mile expressway that will fill a critical gap by connecting Interstate 5 and State Route 99 south of Elk Grove to Highway 50 east of El Dorado Hills.
The Capital SouthEast Connector is the Sacramento region’s largest approved transportation project. Construction activity is underway at three locations: White Rock Road (between Prairie City Road and East Bidwell Street), Kammerer Road (between Bruceville Road and Lotz Parkway), and Grant Line Road (between Waterman Road and Bradshaw Road).
The project will connect the southern area of Sacramento County to El Dorado County in the east and serve as a connection between Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, and Folsom. The Connector will provide access to jobs, reduce congestion, increase efficient goods movement, improve safety, and create a significant positive economic impact. Learn more at www.connectorjpa.net.
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City of Folsom Park and Facility Naming: Your Opinion Matters |
The Folsom Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking public input regarding the current and possible future guidelines for naming the city’s parks and facilities. The city’s current park naming policy states that park sites under two acres in size will be named after adjacent streets or the subdivision in which they are located. All park sites exceeding two acres in size will be named after an individual or family who has made a significant contribution to the city, or after an important landmark or historical aspect of the area.
The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the park naming policy guidelines established by Resolution No. 5177. The commission is now seeking public input about the naming guidelines; interested community members are invited to complete a brief online questionnaire or provide comments and ideas by email. The deadline to respond is Friday, May 21.
Information gathered will be compiled by the Parks and Recreation Commission and reported back to the Folsom City Council to assist them in making their final decision as to the future guidelines for naming the city’s parks and facilities.
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Annual Weed Abatement Work Underway |
Dry vegetation can create fire hazards during hot summer months. The City of Folsom has more than 980 acres of city-owned open space, and of that, about 300 acres are weed abated to achieve the required fire safety interface between residential structures and open spaces.
The City of Folsom requires defensible space of at least 30 feet from structures or the property line and the Fire Chief may increase this distance to 100 feet for high-hazard areas. These requirements apply to City-owned property and private property. The city uses multiple ways to reduce or remove dry vegetation including maintenance staff, contractors, and grazing animals such a sheep or goats.
The weed abatement schedule is based on fire hazard ratings determined by the Fire Chief. If you notice an area in need of weed abatement, first check the abatement schedules on the City of Folsom website. If you’d like to report an unscheduled weed abatement need on vacant private property, use SeeClickFix Folsom or contact Lauren Ono, Deputy Fire Marshal at 916-461-6312.
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Folsom Public Library Book Sale |
The Friends of the Folsom Library will host a pop-up book sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, in the library hallway. The sale will feature books of every genre at deeply discounted prices and an expanded selection of children’s items. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Folsom Library, a volunteer-driven non-profit that supports the Folsom Public Library’s collection and events. Recurring pop-up book sales will be held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. The Folsom Public Library is located at 411 Stafford Street. For book sale details and Friends of the Folsom Library membership information, visit foflib.org.
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Sacramento County Public Health Issues Travel Guidance |
Sacramento County Public Health recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated. Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow these recommendations for unvaccinated people.
- Stay home and self-quarantine for seven days after traveling (especially internationally).
- Get tested for COVID-19 three to five days after traveling. Even if you test negative, stay home for seven days. If you do not get tested, stay home for 10 days.
- Avoid being around people who are at risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
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Summer Day Camps for Kids and Teens |
Folsom Parks & Recreation summer day camps are now open for registration; selections include zookeeper camps, Vacation Zone, web development and coding, robotics, game design, digital drawing and animation, and a variety of sports – volleyball, tennis, soccer, track and field, flag football, and basketball. Camps are a great way for children to keep their minds engaged and bodies active through sports, creative play, outdoor activities, and social interaction. The camps are conducted by trained and caring staff and provide a supervised, positive, and inclusive environment. All camps will adhere to current public health guidelines. Register for camps online at webtrac.folsom.ca.us or call 916-461-6601 for more information.
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Mulching prepares trees for the summer heat and dry conditions. Adding a layer of natural wood chip mulch protects tree roots, helps the surrounding soil retain moisture, and provides more nutrients to the trees as the mulch decomposes.
The City of Folsom has free wood chips available to residents at the following three self-serve locations. The wood chips are available as long as supplies last.
- Behind City Hall at 50 Natoma Street (look for the cell tower behind the rear parking lot).
- Behind the Folsom rodeo grounds (very northern end of Stafford Street).
- At Fire Station 36 (next to the sandbag location on Oak Avenue Parkway).
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Help Plan the Future of Walking and Bicycling in Folsom |
City of Folsom Active Transportation Plan
The Active Transportation Master Plan (ATP) will combine and update the master plans for both pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the City of Folsom. The ATP will guide the planning, development, and maintenance of existing and future bicycle and pedestrian facilities within the city, including recommended citywide active transportation network improvements and Safe Routes to School.
The ATP is expected to be completed in early 2022. This planning effort is made possible by funding from the SACOG 2019 State of Good Repair Planning and Project Development Grant Funding Program.
Public Input Map
You can provide input by adding your feedback to the online project map. The online map allows you to draw preferred walking and bicycling routes, identify key destinations, and inform us of barriers to walking and bicycling in Folsom. The input map also lets you see what other community members have said about walking and bicycling in Folsom.
Stay Informed
While the ATP is in development, the project team will participate in a variety of community events and host public meetings to gather information and ask your opinions about future bikeways and pedestrian improvements. Email us to receive notifications of upcoming events and plan updates. You may also submit questions or comments about the project by email.
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Folsom Parks & Recreation is Hiring |
Applications are being accepted for the following part-time/seasonal positions:
Hours vary and all positions are non-benefited. Find more details online about the duties and requirements for each job, contact information for questions, and instructions for applying.
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The Sea Squad Swim School Returns to the Steve Miklos Aquatic Center |
Registration is now open for summer swim lessons for a variety of ages and skill levels; sessions begin June 7.
The aquatic center is following current public health guidelines and swim lesson protocol will include:
- Lessons limited to no more than 5 students per class
- Children will have the same instructor and swim peers for the entire 2-week period
- Masks must be worn when entering and exiting the aquatic center
- Masks must be worn in restrooms
- 6-foot social distancing must be maintained by all non-family members
Register for swim lessons online or call 916-461-6640 for more information.
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What’s the smartest sprinkler for your yard? It’s the one that puts the right amount of water where it’s needed – and not down the storm drain. Drop size matters, too. It’s not just the spray pattern, but how that moisture is delivered.
High-efficiency sprinklers, also known as rotator sprinklers, push out steady streams of big droplets at a rate that’s easier for most soils to absorb, particularly the heavy clay soils that are common in the greater Sacramento area. Compared to those simple nozzles, multi-stream, multi-trajectory rotating sprinklers can save an estimated 30 percent of water use.
Indications of sprinkler problems often are obvious: Dead landscaping where water isn’t reaching and puddles where too much water accumulates. By distributing water more evenly at a rate even heavy clay soil can absorb, high-efficiency sprinklers can help lawns and landscape look their best while saving water, too.
Water-Wise Tip of the Week
You can water more efficiently by upgrading your sprinkler heads with rotary nozzles. In most cases, you can simply replace the nozzle on an existing sprinkler. Rotary nozzles have half the flow rate of misting nozzles and distribute water more evenly over your landscape. More water goes to where you want it to – reducing waste due to wind drift and evaporation.
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City Seeks Input on Water Management Plans |
The City of Folsom prepared a draft 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) for public review, as required by the Urban Water Management Planning Act.
The purpose of the UWMP is to document the City’s water supply planning strategies for the existing municipal jurisdiction. The UWMP contains an assessment of current and projected supplies, an evaluation of the reliability of these supplies given a range of hydrologic conditions, an assessment of demands by customer type, and an explanation of water management strategies designed to integrate supply and demand conditions.
The WSCP is a detailed plan for how the City intends to identify and respond to foreseeable and unforeseeable water shortages. A water shortage occurs when the supply is reduced to a level that cannot support the normal demand at any given time or if the state mandates a cutback regardless of supplies.
Copies of the Draft 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan will be on file and available for public review on Friday, May 8, at the Environmental and Water Resources Department on the first floor of City Hall at 50 Natoma Street, at the City Clerk’s office on the second floor of City Hall, and online at www.folsom.ca.us. |
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City Council Meeting
May 11, 6:30 p.m.
Arts and Culture Commission
May 13, 6:30 p.m.
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Contact the City of Folsom's Communications Director
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Get Connected, Stay Informed |
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