Folsom City Council Regular Meeting - July 23, 2024: Speed Limits, Fees, and Affordable Housing Loan Approved
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Folsom City Council Regular Meeting - July 23, 2024
On July 23, 2024, the Folsom City Council met in regular session at 6:30 PM at City Hall, 50 Natoma Street. The council approved consent items, adopted speed limits for three roadways, confirmed delinquent utility charges for tax roll collection, approved annual inflationary adjustments for impact and user fees, adopted landscaping and lighting district assessments, and conditionally approved a $2.7 million affordable housing loan for a 52-unit project. Public comments addressed park contributions, livable wages, website accessibility, staff responsiveness, and proposed support for Proposition 36.
Consent Calendar
- Approved items 1–4 unanimously: July 9 meeting minutes, appointments to the Landscaping and Lighting District Advisory Committee, a rezone ordinance for 1000 East Natoma, and a generator replacement agreement for the Water Treatment Plant.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sharon Kindle honored Ernie Sheldon for his pivotal role in developing Folsom’s parks (from 3–4 parks to nearly 50). She advocated for an annual recognition in July.
- Cesar Placentia (carpenter) spoke in support of livable wages, accessible healthcare, and apprenticeships in construction as pillars of societal well-being.
- Margie Donovan (calling in) urged the city to comply with ADA Title II standards, noting that the council packet she received was a scanned image PDF and inaccessible to screen readers.
- Leha Sood (born in Folsom in 2000) expressed gratitude for Ernie Sheldon’s role in the city’s growth and public service.
- Dennis Rogers (Pennot Court resident) thanked city staff Mark Rackovan and Ryan Chance for their responsive handling of paving project issues, including a Saturday morning jackhammer complaint.
- Justin Rethel reported successful cleanup of encampments near Parkshore, thanked staff, and urged the council to pass a resolution supporting Proposition 36 (homelessness, drug addiction, and theft reduction act), providing sample language.
Discussion Items
- Item 5 – Speed Limits (Ordinance 1347): Staff presented engineering and traffic surveys for three roads. Folsom Lake Crossing (median barrier section) will have a 45 mph enforceable limit; Savannah Parkway 35 mph; White Rock Road (Capitol Southeast Connector) 60 mph. Councilmember Chalamcherla expressed concern that a 60 mph limit on White Rock Road could encourage higher speeds, preferring 55 mph. Staff explained that 60 mph is the minimum enforceable via radar based on the 85th percentile speed (66 mph) and downward zoning. The ordinance passed 4–1 with Chalamcherla dissenting.
- Item 6 – Delinquent Utility Charges (Resolution 11232): Revenue Services Supervisor Elizabeth Hannah reported 186 active accounts totaling $240,884 (over 60 days delinquent). Updated report submitted that afternoon. Council approved unanimously (4–0) to request Sacramento County to collect on tax roll.
- Item 7 – Impact and Connection Fees (Resolution 11233): Applied 2.70% annual inflationary adjustment (based on ENR CCI) to fees for law enforcement, fire, parks, water, sewer, and other services. Approved unanimously.
- Item 8 – User Fees for Planning (Resolution 11235): Applied 2.62% CPI increase to planning user fees, effective September 21, 2024. Councilmember Rodriguez noted citizen emails about a state-required three-year review. Staff responded that a comprehensive Nexus study will be brought in early 2025. Approved unanimously.
- Item 9 – Landscaping & Lighting Districts (Resolution 11236): Final engineer’s report for all 30 districts approved with no changes from preliminary. Four districts not assessed maximum authorized rate. Continued focus on fire hazard reduction and water-wise landscaping. Approved unanimously.
- Item 10 – Affordable Housing Loan (Resolution 11234): Staff requested $2.7 million from the Housing Fund for Pacific West Communities Inc. to build 52 affordable units at Harrington Grove. The loan is conditioned on the developer providing final due diligence by August 2024. Councilmember Chalamcherla asked about transparency in housing fund availability; staff noted they are developing standard policies. Developer Mike Kelly (Pacific Companies) confirmed their experience in Folsom and Elk Grove. Approved unanimously (4–0).
Key Outcomes
- Speed limits adopted (4–1) for Folsom Lake Crossing (45 mph), Savannah Parkway (35 mph), and White Rock Road (60 mph).
- Delinquent utility charges approved for county tax collection.
- Inflationary fee adjustments adopted for impact/connection fees and planning user fees.
- Landscaping and lighting district assessments approved for FY 2024–2025.
- $2.7 million affordable housing loan conditionally approved for Harrington Grove (52 units).
- Councilmember Aquino requested a presentation from Choose Folsom on the Columbus, Ohio study mission.
- Councilmember Rodriguez requested a presentation/timeline update on the Castle Park (Kids Play Park) project and an update from the economic development consultant at the August 27 meeting.
- Councilmember Rohrbough requested that staff discuss with SACRT potential transportation options related to school bus reductions and thanked staff for customer service.
- Councilmember Chalamcherla announced a “Coffee with Cops” event on July 24 at Big Wave Coffee.
- City Manager reports noted: SACRT passing track construction extending; launch of the Spirit of Folsom Award (nominations due Aug 9); Battle of the Badges blood drive on July 31.
- Council expressed support for future consideration of a Prop 36 resolution; staff noted it is planned for the second meeting in August.
- Meeting adjourned at 7:31 PM; next regular meeting August 27, 2024.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, we will call to order the regular meeting of the Folsom City Council for Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024, where the clerk please call the roles. Council members Rorba here, Aquino. Here, Chalum Sherla. Here Rodriguez here. And Kozlowski is absent. If you'd all please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic on which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. Okay, that brings us to business from the floor. This is the public's opportunity to address the council on items that are not on the agenda. And while we are happy you're here and interested in what you have to say, please understand that state law prohibits us from uh deliberating or taking action on items that are not on the agenda. Uh clerk will call your name. We give each of you three minutes uh to speak, and if you could be respectful of that, we would appreciate it. Um Madam Clerk, do we have some folks who'd like to speak to business from the floor? Yes, you have five requests to speak this evening under business from the floor. And your first two speakers will be Sharon Kindle, who will then be followed by Caesar Placentia. So Sharon, come on up. First of all, I would like to show you a picture. And this is Ernie Sheldon, who is the father of Folsom Parks. Since it's uh July, it's uh the month of Park Folsom Parks. Um if you could speak right into that microphone so they can pick it up on the recording. That would be wonderful, thank you. So Ernie Sheldon has been a dedicated advocate for the development and maintenance of Folsom Parks, playing a pivot pivotal role in shaping the city's green spaces and recreational areas. His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment have significantly enhanced the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. And I just think that each July we should um honor Ernie. When he first came here, there was only three to four parks, and now we are approaching 50 parks. That um by Albert Einstein. Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better. And then we have a quote from Alex Trebek. If you can't be in awe of nature, there is something wrong with you. So I just want to um be so thankful for Ernie's leadership, and he had a group of people uh was part of Ernie's army, and I'm proud to be one of those people. Thank you. Thank you, Sharon. Okay, our next speaker will be Cesar Placentia, who will then be followed by Margie Donovan. Welcome, Caesar. Hello, thank you. Um Caesar Placentia, I'm a carpenter. Um good evening, Chair and Council. Uh today I stand before you shed light on three critical pillars of societal uh well-being. Liable wages, health care accessibility, and apprenticeships and construction. Uh, firstly, the concept of livable wage is not just about earning enough to survive, but to thrive with dignity. It ensures that individuals can afford the basic food shelter and health care. Uh secondly, health care should not be a luxury, but a fundamental human right. Accessible health care ensures that no one has to choose between financial ruin and their well-being. Lastly, apprenticeships and construction offer a pathway to sustainable careers and economic stability. By investing in vocational training, we not only address the skilled labor shortage, but also provide opportunities for personal growth and development. In conclusion, let us strive for a society where everyone has access to access to livable wages, health care, and opportunities for advancement. Thank you. Thank you for coming up. Okay, our next speaker would be Margie Donovan.
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