Folsom Cordova Unified switches up order for building new elementary schools
The order of new elementary schools built in Folsom will change. On Thursday, the Folsom Cordova Unified School District school board approved shifting the building order of two elementary schools.
Initially, the district planned to first build a school, Granite Springs Elementary, west of Oak Avenue Parkway and north of Mangini Parkway in the new Folsom Plan Area south of Highway 50. Now, the next Folsom Plan Area elementary school will be at 14886 Grand Prairie Road in the Folsom Plan Area’s east side. It will be called Rocky Ridge Elementary School.
Environmental concerns near the initial school site, particularly regarding benzene vapor, have delayed the nearby Toll Brothers development, a 1,424-lot residential subdivision in Folsom Ranch, by more than a year, according to the school district. This delay has reduced enrollment projections, according to the meeting agenda.
If inhaled, benzene vapor can cause blood cell damage and leukemia, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Granite Springs Elementary’s infrastructure, such as utilities, could also be impacted by the delay. That site will continue to be vetted to host a school, but the order of schools being built is shifted to keep the opening date of a new school on track.
“As part of our due diligence, the district found that the site would require extensive review and possible remediation under the oversight of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control — a process that is both rigorous and time-consuming,” district spokesperson Angela Griffin said. “Folsom Cordova USD still plans to build all (Folsom Plan Area) schools sites, continuing to provide schools where families are today.”
The Folsom Plan Area is expected to bring 13,000 homes in the next 25 to 30 years, of which about 5,000 are already built, bringing roughly 10,000 new residents, according to the City of Folsom. Many of these homes are on the eastern portion closer to the Grand Prairie Road location, sparking the pivot to put Rocky Ridge Elementary School first.
“That kind of moved us to move us to where that growth is coming, and it’s coming up to the east area,” Executive Director of Facilities Development Craig Rouse said at the Thursday night school board meeting.
It costs $85 million to $100 million to build an elementary school, according to Griffin. The school district is working with home construction company Lennar to acquire the Rocky Ridge Elementary School site. Griffin said the district is putting a hold on purchasing the Granite Springs Elementary site until residential construction starts.
“By engaging early with the city, the district can obtain land parcels located in developing regions that also meet environmental suitability requirements for school construction,” Griffin said. “Once sites are identified, the district works directly with developers to negotiate and finalize land purchases.”
Granite Springs Elementary is planned for 2031, according to Griffin, who said the timeline could change.
