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The Threat:

The legislature passed a bill last year, SB 79 (Wiener), that allows high-

rises, up to 8 stories, to be built within a half mile of a transit station. That

radius would include virtually all of Historic Folsom. The catch is that

under this law the City of Folsom’s only basis to deny or modify a

proposed high-rise apartment complex is public safety. Size, design,

location within the community—none of these can be taken into

consideration.

Why it matters:

Besides the love Folsom residents have for our Historic District and its

economic value to the City, this District is valuable to the state and nation,

based on historic events here and based on how Folsom has chosen to

preserve the District.

Folsom’s History

A summary of Folsom’s amazing history can be found in the City’s

adopted General Plan. To read it, visit the Community Development

Department on the City’s website, folsom.ca.us.

How Folsom Has Chosen to Preserve the Historic District

Across the country, and in California, the history of small-town America is

fading—often not through dramatic loss but through gradual erosion. One

big-box store, one oversized remodel, one out-of-place development at a

time, communities lose the architectural character and cultural identity that

once made them unique. Even when residents value their heritage, the

fiscal pressures facing cities make it difficult to turn down new

development. The result is slow homogenization: towns that once had

distinct personalities now look nearly identical, differentiated only by city-

limit signs.

Folsom has deliberately chosen a different path.

Thanks to a combination of foresight and good fortune, the City relocated

its Central Business District in the 1960’s, sparing the original 98-blocktownsite surveyed by Theodore Judah in 1856 from development

pressure. Historic Folsom’s significance is matched only by places like

San Francisco and Monterey—communities whose early histories helped

shape the state and the nation. Folsom was also one of the first cities in

California to formally designate a Historic District.

Historic preservation gives people a tangible connection to the past.

While many preservation efforts focus on landmark events, notable figures,

or exceptional architecture, Folsom is among the earliest communities to

recognize the value of preserving an entire way of life—everyday small-

town America from 1850 to 1950. These early neighborhoods were built

on walkable grids, with mixed uses and incremental, lot-by-lot

development.

After 1950, American development patterns changed dramatically. Tract

housing, curvilinear streets, and strict separation of residential and

commercial uses became the norm. Across the country, older

neighborhoods were bulldozed or left to deteriorate. Folsom was headed

down that same path: older homes were demolished for new

construction, and the remaining historic houses appeared increasingly out

of place in comparison. There was little economic incentive to preserve

them, no matter how charming.

That trajectory shifted in 1998, when the City of Folsom expanded the

Historic District to encompass the entire original townsite and adopted

design standards to protect historic character while accommodating

modern needs. The results speak for themselves. Both the commercial

core and residential neighborhoods of Historic Folsom are thriving—

economically, culturally and civically.

But this success is not guaranteed

The above-noted statewide legislation, written with broad goals in mind,

can unintentionally jeopardize the integrity of small historic districts. SB

79 overrides local zoning and standards. This law applies to Historic

Folsom. Because the district is compact and its historic fabric tightly

woven, even a single incompatible project could irreversibly alter its

character and diminish the qualities that make it beloved by residents and

visitors. Protecting Historic Folsom requires vigilance—and community action.

Protecting Historic Folsom requires vigilance—and community action.

Join Local Preservation Efforts

Become part of the community working to protect Folsom’s history. These organizations advocate for preservation, education, and community engagement across the entire district.

• Heritage Preservation League of Folsom (HPL) 
• Historic Folsom Residents’ Association
• Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad 
• Folsom, El Dorado &  Sacramento Historical Railroad Association 
• Folsom Historic District  Association 
• Folsom History Museum