Folsom community turns out to learn more about improvement plan

There were questions, concerns and a lot of excitement expressed at a recent public open house for the River District Master Plan, an ambitious project that would enhance a six-mile stretch of land along the American River and Lake Natoma. The River District Master Plan is being developed by a 24-member Citizens Advisory Committee, appointed by the Folsom City Council, along with a team of consultants. The committee has encouraged the public to provide input via the city of Folsom webpage; on June 6, they hosted the open house which invited people to come in person, talk with plan developers face to face and even see a 3D model of the project area. Project Manager Robert Goss was hopeful the model and other displays would help give residents a realistic view of the project area and ideas being proposed. "It's six miles long from near Folsom Dam down to near Nimbus Dam," Goss explained. "People will see a summary of many ideas from interpreting environmental historical and cultural resources in the area in which it is very rich and full of, to trail connection opportunities, to other improvement ideas and ultimately they're going to see four or five specific important opportunities for community improvements in the river district." Goals of the plan include increasing river access to Lake Natoma and increasing recreational and economic opportunities in the area. Yet any changes or enhancement plans are potentially delicate and complex; a large portion of the land is owned by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation and California State Parks, and hold historical significance. "Any improvements have to be done within the requirements of CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) and in consultation with state parks and the Native American tribes. Because pre-1850 history is vitally important," Goss said. "This area is rich, it is a cultural landscape. So all these things … have to be done within the context of preserving cultural history and being sensitive to it." Many waterfront areas are underutilized, according to Goss, and access can be improved. One opportunity Goss said he is especially excited about is the River Promenade. The plan aims to improve the severe congestion of Leidesdorff Street and Riley, near the Hacienda restaurant. It is one of the most congested, traveled areas of the city, jam-packed with pedestrians and cyclists. "We believe there is room to double the width there," Goss said. "Install some traffic safety barriers that would be appropriate for the historic district, and widen it and maybe change the texture of the pavement so that it represents a promenade; where the speeds slow down so that the cyclists aren't zooming down there, because it's downhill so that's always kind of a problem. But yet, it is the primary connection and we have to respect that. Because you get dogs on a leash, strollers, runners, walkers, everybody." The plan also would potentially bring a new foot bridge over the river, which would connect the existing canal trail with trails on the north side of the river. A steady flow of Folsom residents attended the open house. There were displays of context boards which featured pictures, background information of the project and summaries of community input developers have already received online. Longtime Folsom resident James Kirstein said overall he is excited by what he sees. "Change is good!" Kirstein exclaimed. Kirstein was surprised to see improvement concepts for Rodeo Park and the arena area and wondered what would happen to the Folsom Rodeo as a result. Planners explained the rodeo is a crucial part of the Folsom identity and community, and the event would likely be relocated. Kirstein said he's all for seeing the community's recreation opportunities optimized. "The main thing is we've got a top-notch bicycling and running facility here as far as trails are concerned," Kirstein said. "I want to see that continue and improve." Another Folsom resident, Michael Harris, said he appreciates that the plan calls for making better use of the Rodeo Park area and preserves open space, but he is concerned about maintaining the authentic footprint of the historic town of Negro Bar, now known as Black Miners Bar. "This year is the 175th year of 1849, what we call the Gold Rush. And that has been slowly but surely eliminated," Harris said. "There's opportunity in the plan but there's no actual verbiage that recognizes the African founding father of California that owned all of this land in 1844 and the town of Negro Bar that was established in 1849. There is potential there, but my fear is that the powers that be are going to wipe that away and it will be lost forever." Harris was referring to William Leidesdorff, who according to the California State Parks Foundation was one of the first Black-biracial U.S. citizens; he owned land in the Negro Bar area until he passed away. Yet Goss is adamant a primary goal of the River District Plan is to preserve the culture and history of the area. "This is a sensitive environment and anything we do in the historic district and in the river district, we want to do it right and do it carefully," Goss said. As for next steps, the Citizens Advisory Committee will have opportunities for the community to offer input as the plan develops more, in late July and September. Funding for the plan, if it becomes a reality, would likely involve a variety of sources, such as grants, and perhaps from a new city sales tax if that measure is approved by voters in November. The tax measure would dedicate a portion of funds to community enhancement projects, such as this river district plan, if approved by the city council. First, though, the master plan must be adopted by the city council. "We do expect the city council to consider adoption (of the plan) in October or November," Goss explained. And, he added, moving forward will require much contemplation, continued community input and a long-term, thoughtful vision. "The improvements contemplated here, if you added them all up, could be up to tens of millions of dollars," Goss said. "And you don't do that overnight, just like you don't build a city overnight." To learn more about the River District Master Plan, visit the River District webpage at www.folsom.ca.us.