Council approves 352-acre Alder Creek West in Folsom Ranch

City officials approved a subdivision of 352 acres in Folsom Ranch, including a parcel targeted for a new high school. The Folsom City Council approved the Alder Creek West large-lot tentative map after a required public hearing Jan. 14. The approval subdivides two parcels totaling 362.8 acres into nine individual lots for future sale and development. The undeveloped land is located north of White Rock Road and both east and west of Oak Avenue Parkway in western Folsom Ranch south of Highway 50. City Planner Jessica Brandt said the area includes a proposed elementary school and a high school on separate parcels. Mayor Sarah Aquino said Folsom-Cordova School District hasn't yet made a final decision on a Folsom Ranch high school and is studying various options. "I've heard some talk that they want to combine a middle school and high school site," said Council Member Justin Raithel. Community Development Director Pam Johns said staff has a meeting scheduled with the school district and property owners this Friday to learn more about the school combination and other options on the FCUSD table. The proposed high school site is in the southern portion of the acreage, Johns said. The applicant, Hillsborough North LLC, said future small-lot maps will be consistent with the approved land-use plan. If needed, general plan or specific plan amendments will be sought later to conform. Staff pointed out that proposed "large lots" #8 and #9 are extremely small. Developers anticipate these two large lots will merge with adjacent open space and parks, which will then be transferred to the city. The project site has multiple land-use zoning, including single-family, single-family high-density, multi-family low-density, parks, open space and public facilities. As no development is proposed with this specific move, the only relevant standard is minimum lot area, and all nine of the new parcels exceed the minimum. The project will not conflict with any known applicable plans or policies, and no land-use modifications are proposed. Large lots with multiple land-use designations exist throughout the Folsom Ranch. "It is with individual small-lot tentative maps that the smaller lots are created," staff said. Approval of a small-lot final map or development permit will be needed before any grading and construction, staff said. Officials said the tentative map complies with all city and state requirements and is exempt from further environmental review.