Folsom City Council Special and Regular Meeting – February 23, 2021

The City of Folsom held a special meeting at 5:30 PM followed by a regular meeting at 6:30 PM on February 23, 2021. The special meeting adjourned to closed session for two litigation matters; no reportable action was taken. The regular meeting included a presentation from Sacramento County on a proposed mental health crisis response pilot, a public hearing and approval of the Alder Creek Apartments project (265 units), consent calendar approvals, and appointments to city commissions. Technical difficulties with the remote WebEx connection interrupted the meeting but were eventually resolved.

Consent Calendar

• Approved with one modification: Item 4 (Resolution 10589) was updated for the Solid Waste Recycling Division position additions. All consent items (approval of minutes, Resolution 10589-10591, 10594-10595) were adopted on a single roll call vote (5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Todd Pfeiffer spoke about traffic signals on Empire Ranch Road. He stated that the signals were originally designed to default to red to slow speeding vehicles, but an operational decision changed them to default to green during daytime hours. He expressed safety concerns and requested the council direct Public Works to return the signals to their original design (default red) to reduce speeding. He noted that the 1.2-mile stretch has been a longstanding challenge, with the former city manager and police chief acknowledging the issue.

Scheduled Presentations: County of Sacramento Alternatives to 911 Pilot Proposal

• Bruce Wagstaff (Deputy County Executive) and Jim Hunt (Acting Director of Health Services) presented a two-year pilot program for a non-law enforcement response to mental health, homelessness, and quality-of-life calls. The proposal included a 3-digit phone number (separate from 911), a call center staffed by mental health clinicians, and four two-person field response teams (senior mental health counselor + peer specialist). Estimated annual cost: $1.6 million. Target start date: July 1, 2021.
• Key statistics presented: 55% of calls occur between 9 AM and 6 PM; lunchtime (11 AM–1 PM) had the highest volume. Of ~2,800 mental health calls to the Sheriff’s Department over two years, only 17 resulted in arrests.
• Councilmember Aquino expressed support for the goal but raised concerns about scope, particularly domestic violence and sexual assault calls, and suggested calls should route through 911 with concurrent notification to law enforcement. Councilmember Howell and Councilmember Chalamcherla echoed concerns about response times and the need for close coordination with local police and fire chiefs.
• Police Chief Rick Hillman offered detailed concerns: all calls should go through 911; the pilot’s scope on domestic violence, elder abuse, and sexual assault is problematic; response times from Sacramento may be too long; the pilot may be understaffed (16 staff); and he suggested placing clinicians in dispatch centers instead. Fire Chief Ken Cassano raised safety concerns for unarmed responders, potential confusion with plain-clothes teams, and medical clearance issues for transport.
• The county representatives acknowledged the concerns and committed to working with Folsom’s chiefs and the city manager before July 1. Council members encouraged further collaboration and noted Folsom’s unique relationship with its homeless population (estimated at ~70 individuals, many service-resistant).

Public Hearing: Alder Creek Apartments (Item 9)

• Steve Banks (Community Development) presented a proposal by Spanish Corporation for a 265-unit luxury apartment complex on 10.8 acres at the southeast corner of Alder Creek Parkway and Westwood Drive. The project required a General Plan Amendment, Specific Plan Amendment, Planned Development Permit, and Minor Administrative Modification to reallocate dwelling units within the Folsom Plan Area.
• Density: 24.5 units per acre (within the MHD 20-30 unit range). The project includes five 4-story buildings, a 2-story clubhouse, dog park, rooftop areas, bike storage, and electric vehicle charging. Estimated economic benefits: $13 million in impact fees and $1 million annually in property taxes.
• Traffic analysis of 10 intersections showed no level-of-service impacts. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including a third pedestrian connection to the future school site to the south.
• The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval on February 9, 2021. No public comments were received during the hearing. The council unanimously approved (5-0) Resolution 10596 with all required findings.

New Business: Appointments

• Item 10 – Folsom Historic District Commission: Voting resulted in the appointment of Mark Descalos (business owner within Sutter Street sub-area) and John Feltz (business owner outside the sub-area). Councilmember Howell voted for John Voltz, but the remaining four councilmembers voted for Descalos.
• Item 11 – Landscaping and Lighting District Advisory Committee: Dinah Collins (Folsom Heights, California Hills District) and Bavik Vayas (Broadstone District) were appointed by voice vote (5-0), each being the sole applicant for their district.

City Manager Reports & Council Comments

• City Manager announced the Folsom Public Library will reopen for indoor service on March 2, 2021, with modified hours and a special senior hour on Wednesdays.
• Councilmember Chalamcherla requested a recognition for Mr. Paul Hayes.
• Councilmember Rodriguez reminded residents to keep dogs on leashes and support local businesses.
• Councilmember Howell warned of dangerous driving (running red lights on Oak Avenue) and provided updates on Regional Transit (new director recruitment) and the Southeast Connector (Folsom portion construction to start soon).
• Mayor Kozlowski noted declining COVID-19 rates but urged continued mask-wearing and caution with youth sports. The meeting adjourned at 8:27 PM in memory of Paul Hayes.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved (5-0) with updated Resolution 10589.
• Alder Creek Apartments project approved (5-0) via Resolution 10596.
• Mark Descalos and John Feltz appointed to Historic District Commission.
• Dinah Collins and Bavik Vayas appointed to Landscaping and Lighting District Advisory Committee.
• No action was taken on the county’s mental health pilot; further collaboration between city staff and county officials was directed.