Folsom City Council Meeting - August 24, 2021: ARPA Funds, Housing Element, Water Conservation, and More
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Folsom City Council Meeting - August 24, 2021
On August 24, 2021, the Folsom City Council held a special meeting at 6:10 PM (closed session) and a regular meeting at 6:30 PM. The regular meeting covered a wide range of topics, including a water conservation stage update, historic district parking solutions, adoption of the 2021 Housing Element, allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and an amendment to the city manager's employment agreement. The council also approved a resolution confirming an emergency order closing certain open spaces due to extreme fire danger.
Consent Calendar
- Approved items 5-14 and 16-21 (item 15 was continued to a future meeting) with a single motion, including minutes from previous meetings, vehicle purchases, contracts, and resolutions for various city projects.
Scheduled Presentations
- Zoo Sanctuary Commendation: The council honored Jeff and Becky Boone for over a decade of volunteer service with the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary, noting their contributions of over $600,000 to exhibit spaces and a $1 million endowment fund.
- Water System Rehabilitation Project No. 2: Marcus Yasutaki presented plans for 13 locations to improve water system redundancy. Work is expected to begin in September 2021 with road closures and temporary water shutoffs (4-8 hours per location). Council members discussed notification requirements, especially for residential and rental properties.
- Stage 3 Water Warning Conservation Stage: Yasutaki reported that Folsom Lake is at 24% of capacity (37% of historic average) and outlined mandatory outdoor watering restrictions effective August 30, 2021: two days per week on an odd/even schedule, with exemptions for drip irrigation and new landscaping. The city will discontinue fire hydrant flushing and continue turf conversions. A mailer was sent to all water customers.
- Historic District Parking Solutions Quarterly Update: Pam Johns and Mark Rackovan reported on implementation of the ad hoc committee's recommendations. Highlights included enhanced wayfinding signage, a proposed pilot residential permit parking program, and discussions on shuttle/valet services and enforcement. The council expressed opposition to hiring a parking consultant and supported moving forward with a pilot permit program for Figueroa Street, to be developed with stakeholder input.
Public Hearings
- UCD Health Sciences Campus Development Agreement Amendment (Item 22): The council approved the first reading of Ordinance 1316, amending the development agreement for a 34.5-acre site at East Bidwell Street and Street B. The UC Davis project includes a 400,000-square-foot health sciences campus with a medical office building, micro hospital, surgery center, and hotel. UC Davis representatives confirmed they will pay all applicable fees and comply with CEQA. A second reading will follow. The vote was unanimous (5-0).
- 2021 Housing Element Update and Empire Ranch Specific Plan Amendment (Item 23): The council adopted Resolution 10689 (General Plan amendments) and Resolution 10690 (Empire Ranch Specific Plan amendment) to meet the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 6,363 units. The Housing Element received conditional approval from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Key changes included updated policies on fair housing, ADU monitoring, homeless services, and water/wastewater priority for affordable housing. The Empire Ranch Specific Plan will now allow multifamily residential (15-30 units/acre) as a permitted use on a 19-acre site at Empire Ranch Road and Iron Point Road. Both resolutions passed unanimously (5-0).
New Business
- Expenditure of ARPA Funds (Item 25): The council allocated the first $4.2 million of $8.4 million in federal funds under the "provision of government services" category. Approved uses included: HVAC and roof replacement at City Hall ($850,000), police fleet vehicles ($497,000), public safety equipment and training ($350,000), park maintenance ($150,000), ADA improvements ($110,000), and a rapid COVID-19 testing unit ($8,000). Deferred for future discussion were funds for central business district/river district master plans, historic district parking management, and wayfinding (totaling ~$910,000). The motion passed 3-2 (Aquino, Howell, Kozlowski yes; Rodriguez, Chalamcherla no). Council members expressed interest in future allocations for economic development, homelessness, water infrastructure, and child care.
- Emergency Order Confirming Open Space Closures (Item 26): The council unanimously approved Resolution 10691, confirming Emergency Order DES-01-21 issued on August 9, 2021, closing designated open spaces due to extreme fire danger. Chief Cassano and Commander Shanrock reported that only two occupants were encountered and they voluntarily moved.
- City Manager Employment Agreement Amendment (Item 24): The council approved a 5% salary increase for City Manager Elaine Anderson. The motion passed 3-2 (Aquino, Howell, Kozlowski yes; Rodriguez, Chalamcherla no). Some council members expressed concerns about the performance evaluation process, though others defended the manager's performance and the majority's decision.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent calendar with unanimous vote.
- Honored Jeff and Becky Boone for zoo sanctuary volunteer work.
- Received updates on water system rehabilitation and Stage 3 conservation measures; additional notification letters will be sent to affected residents.
- Directed staff to develop a pilot residential permit parking program for Figueroa Street in the historic district, with enforcement and resident input.
- Approved first reading of UCD Health Sciences Campus development agreement amendment.
- Adopted the 2021 Housing Element and Empire Ranch Specific Plan amendment to comply with state law.
- Allocated $2,195,500 of ARPA funds for priority city infrastructure and equipment; deferred ~$910,000 for future consideration.
- Confirmed emergency order closing open spaces for fire safety.
- Approved 5% salary increase for the city manager.
- Recognized contributions of fire and police personnel to major California wildfires and announced a 9/11 remembrance ceremony.
Meeting Transcript
City Council for August 24th, 2021. Will the clerk please call the roll? Council members Rodriguez here, Aquino. Cholem Chairla. Here. Howell? Here. And Kozelowski. Okay. Officially, I convened the regular meeting of the city council. Yeah, I thought I was hearing things when you adjourned both of them. Yeah, I was on a roll, you know, it happens. Okay. Um, can we please all uh stand and join for the college allegiance? To the flag and the safes of America, and to the republic over which it's white nation, and your indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right, first up, do we have any agenda updates? Mr. Mary, you have three agenda updates this evening. Um, staff is requesting that consent item number 15 be continued to a future meeting. Item 23 has additional information in the form of a comment letter. This has been provided to the council and is also available to the public at the back table. And lastly, staff is asking that item number 24 be moved to the end of the meeting. Okay, excellent. All right, so we'll uh begin with business from the floor. Um, this is an opportunity for members of the public to address the city council on items that are not on the agenda this evening. So if there's any speakers, you have no request to speak under business from the floor. Okay. Anyone want a last crack at it? Okay, we will move on then to our first scheduled presentation, please. Thank you. That takes us to scheduled presentation item number one. This is a resolution of commendation honoring Jeff and Becky Boone for their years of volunteer service with the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary. And we would invite Jeff and Becky Boone to come to the podium, please. Okay, there we go. Okay, okay. I will let you hold this. City of Folsom resolution of commendation honoring Jeff and Becky Boone for their years of volunteering service with the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary. Whereas Jeff Boone has served the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary since 2005, volunteering in roles including President Secretary, Treasurer, Director, Website Manager, liaison to the zoo and marketing committee, and Becky Boone has served the Friends of Folsom Friends of Zoo Sanctuary since 2008, volunteering in roles including President, Director, Secretary, Vice President, and Membership Director. And during the past 11 years, the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary annually donated an average of 60,000 to the to fund the animals' food and veterinary care and to support the zoo sanctuary operations. And under Jeff and Becky's leadership, the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary contributed more than $600,000 to construct, expand, and enhance the animal exhibit spaces. And under Jeff and Becky's leadership, the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary produced the popular revenue generating Growl Howl, Growl, and Howl and Wine and Wild about the zoo special events, and Jeff and Becky established a zoo sanctuary endowment fund, which has grown to more than one million dollars and continues to provide financial contributions to reduce the zoo sanctuary's reliance on city funding. Now therefore I, Mike D. Kozlowski, mayor of the city of Folsom, on behalf of the Folsom City Council, the Folsom Parks and Recs Department, and the Folsom community do hereby extend commendations in the highest regard to Jeff and Becky Boone for their many years of wonderful volunteer service with the Friends of the Zoo Sanctuary. Thank you. So thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you for your members. Hi, my name is Peggy Plett, and I am the current president of the um Docent Council, as well as president of Friends of the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary. And on behalf of the docent, who um did you all stand? And the full council, I would just like to extend our thanks for your many years of leadership, guidance, support, and constant faith in the efforts of all of the zoo staff, all of the zoo volunteers, and all of the fundraising activities necessary in order to help improve the lives of those animals and raise public awareness of the need for a sanctuary and protecting habitat for animals in the wild.
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