Visalia City Council Meeting - March 4, 2024
Visalia City Council Meeting - March 4, 2024
The Visalia City Council held a work session at 4:00 PM and a regular session at 7:00 PM on March 4, 2024. The work session included new employee introductions, an update on the Caltrans Lovers Lane Roadway Rehabilitation and Operational Improvements Project, and a review of select Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets. The regular session featured public comments calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, followed by approval of the consent calendar and two ordinances: a business regulations amendment (Ordinance 2024-02) and an urgency ordinance regulating massage establishments (Ordinance 2024-03).
Consent Calendar
- Approved (5-0) items including: authorization to read ordinances by title only; notices of completion for Wood Ranch Unit 3 (11 residential lots) and East Side Regional Park Basin G; Citizens Advisory Committee appointment of Jim Reeves; reauthorization of Stage 2 Water Conservation Ordinance (Resolution 2024-05).
- Item 4 (Great Valley Land Trust certification as an entity for agricultural conservation easements) was pulled by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor due to recusal (his wife serves on the board). Approved separately 4-0 (Taylor recused).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Six speakers addressed the council during the regular session public comment period, urging the council to adopt a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Speakers included Taylor Heine (spelled T-A-Y-L-O-R), Ibrahim Beg (I B R A H I M), Aasma (Asma Afsal, A S M A), Fabiella Mulbanaro (F A B Y E L A), May Hamude, and Maryam Hussein (M A R Y A M). They cited over 30,000 Palestinian deaths, the humanitarian crisis including child starvation and amputations without anesthesia, and the use of U.S. taxpayer funds. They referenced a ceasefire resolution passed by the City of Madera on February 14, 2024, and asked the council to take similar action.
Discussion Items
- Work Session Item 2: Caltrans Lovers Lane Project – Rebecca Keenan (City Project Manager) and Shavon Conley (Caltrans Project Manager) presented the final design and construction timeline. The preferred alternative (1B) closes Mineral King Road to through traffic (cul-de-sac), extends the westbound off-ramp to Lovers Lane, constructs a loop on-ramp, adds a 12-foot multi-use trail from Stapp Avenue to Lovers Lane, and includes median removal and 180 tree plantings. Construction is expected to begin September 2024 (pending March CTC vote) and finish by July 2026. Total funding: $20.9 million from Caltrans, $2.2 million from TCAG. Council members asked about public outreach, school traffic impacts, bike lane details, and median landscaping. No action required; comments received.
- Work Session Item 3: Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Review – Melody Murch (Assistant Finance Director) presented select FY 2024/25 and 2025/26 CIP budgets for funds: Measure R bike/trail, park and recreation facilities, storm sewer construction, storm sewer deficiency, groundwater recharge, waterway maintenance, waterways (impact fees), and storm sewer operations/maintenance. Council discussed the need for grant funding for recharge basins, the flood layoff feasibility study (postponed to 2025/26 due to limited fund balance and existing DWR grant), and long-term fund balances going negative in planning years due to conservative revenue projections. Council noted many fees may need updating. No action required; final adoption scheduled for June 2024.
- Regular Item 1: Business Regulations Amendment (Ordinance 2024-02) – Melody Murch presented the first reading and public hearing. The amendment updates Title 5 (Business Regulations) to clarify definitions related to the short-term rental ordinance (adopted December 2023), correct typos, make gender-neutral language, and resolve internal code inconsistencies. The last update was in 1995. Public hearing opened and closed with no comments. Council approved the first reading 5-0.
- Regular Item 2: Urgency Ordinance for Massage Establishments (Ordinance 2024-03) – Paul Bernal (Planning and Community Preservation Director) presented an emergency ordinance to regulate massage establishments citywide. The city received 8 conditional use permit (CUP) applications for massage establishments in the past 12 months, with 4 in the last 45 days. The ordinance requires a CUP in the regional retail zone (previously permitted by right), establishes a 750-foot separation from other massage establishments, prohibits blocking windows or openings, requires lighting, prohibits living quarters, and allows inspections. The ordinance takes effect immediately and requires a 4/5 vote. Council discussed grandfathering existing establishments, enforcement via a new code enforcement officer, and plans for permanent regulations. Approved 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar approved 5-0; Item 4 approved 4-0 (Vice Mayor Taylor recused).
- Ordinance 2024-02 (Business Regulations Amendment) – first reading introduced and approved 5-0. Second reading and adoption scheduled for a future meeting.
- Ordinance 2024-03 (Urgency Ordinance for Massage Establishments) – adopted as an emergency measure 5-0 (meeting 4/5 requirement). Effective immediately. Staff directed to prepare permanent regulations within 45-60 days.
- No action taken on Caltrans update or CIP review (informational only).
- Closed session report: none.
- Next regular meetings: March 18, 2024 and April 1, 2024 at 7:00 PM in City Council Chambers.
Meeting Transcript
Let's call the meeting order, the Visalia City Council work session, where we begin with uh let's see, public comments. Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council and items listed on the council list and items listed on the closed session. The council asks that you keep your comments concise and positive. Creative criticism presented with appropriate courtesy is welcome. Each speaker will be allowed three minutes, and a timer will notify you when your time is expired. Please begin your comments by stating and spelling your name and providing your city of residence. Seeing none, we'll move to work session and action item uh number one. Uh new employee introductions. Let's begin with administrative services good evening, Mayor and Council members. Michelle Spear, assistant. Oh, old title. Administrative services director. My apologies. I'm here this evening to introduce Ashley Cook. She's an HR analyst with the City of Isaiah. Uh she and I started on the same day. She's been here since February 5th. She comes to us with 10 years of experience from Telary County Health and Human Services Agency, and we'll be working on all things HR, specifically recruitments, special events, new employee orientation, and things of that nature. So welcome, Ashley. Welcome. Would you like to say a few words? Awesome. You could come around so we could all congratulate you. Congratulations. All right. Let's go with the police department. Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor and members of the council. It's my pleasure this afternoon to introduce several of our newest Visalia police personnel. We'll just go in order here. So I'm gonna start with. So we have five police officers here today. All of them just recently graduated from the Tilarie King's Academy as some of our police recruits. I'll start with immediately next to me is Daisy Garcia. Daisy was raised in Stockton. She currently resides here in Visalia. She attended El Diamante High School and continued her education at the College of Sequoia's, where she obtained an associate's degree in sociology and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Fresno State University. In June of 2023, before starting the academy, Daisy actually began her employment with the Viselia PD, where she was assigned to the records unit as a record specialist. She enjoys doing CrossFit hiking and jiu-jitsu. And as I mentioned, she just recently graduated from the academy and started now as a police officer in Viselia. Next, we have Johan Velasco. Johan was raised in Arosi and attended a Rosia High School where he graduated in 2019. He continued his education at Fresno State University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in criminology. He enjoys hiking, working out, and basketball. And he is also a recent graduate and now working as a police officer. Next, we have Ezekiel Moreno, who was raised here in Viselia. Ezekiel attended Redwood High School where he graduated in 2017. After that, Ezekiel joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served for four years and was honorably discharged as a corporal. Ezekiel enjoys running, going to the gym, watching sports. Specifically, he says Los Angeles Chargers, unfortunately.
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