Visalia City Council Meeting Summary – February 18, 2025

The Visalia City Council met on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 707 W. Acequia, Visalia, CA. The work session convened at 5:00 p.m. and recessed to closed session at 5:57 p.m.; the regular session convened at 7:00 p.m. and adjourned at 8:29 p.m. Mayor Brett Taylor presided, and Vice Mayor Liz Wynn and Council Members Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, and Brian Poochigian were present. The Council welcomed new employees, approved a $170,000 appropriation for Reserve Area planning, approved the consent calendar, and adopted the Safety Element update and new Environmental Justice Element, all by 5-0 votes.

Work Session: New Employee Introductions

• Police Chief Zalazar introduced 11 new Visalia Police Department members: Community Service Officers Jeremie Aguilera and Preston Regalado; academy graduates Joseph Grant, Kathleen Pritchard, Jonathan Vargas, and David Walstrom; and lateral officers Eddie Aceves, Edward Carrillo, Esmeralda Corona, Joseph Rodriguez, and Jared Winter.
• Administration introduced Reyna Rivera as the new Chief Deputy City Clerk.

Work Session: General Plan Reserve Area Discussion and Appropriation Authorization (Item 25-0012)

• Planning and Community Preservation Director Paul Bernal and Economic Development Manager Devon Jones presented an update on the Reserve Area, approximately 980 acres in the southwest quadrant bounded by the airport and Walnut Avenue to the north, Caldwell Avenue to the south, Highway 99 to the west, and Roman Street to the east. The area contains 46 parcels and 22 unique property owner groups, with 405 acres identified in the Industrial Land Inventory Analysis as suitable for additional industrial designation.
• Staff explained that the Reserve Area currently has no land use designations, so property owners have been seeking development through Tulare County, and the city has sent letters expressing its intent to plan the area. Airport safety zones restrict some uses, and recent county-submitted projects include the Sequoia Gateway Commerce Center, a Ferrion Sons commercial concept, a Dillon gas station proposal, and the High Sierra Estates residential subdivision proposal.
• Council discussion touched on county jurisdiction, lack of city sewer connections, airport safety zones, a minimum two-year planning timeline, the likelihood of an EIR, and the choice between a specific plan and a master plan. Members also emphasized gateway aesthetics and avoiding future airport constraints.
• Motion made by Council Member Steve Nelsen and seconded by Council Member Brian Poochigian to accept the report, appropriate an additional $170,000 to CIP CP0671 (budgeted at $130,000), and issue an RFP for planning consultant services. The motion carried 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Irene Lappen: criticized the activity of citizen committees and the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, and questioned council members’ attendance at the Trump inauguration, expressing distrust of the administration.
• Sarah Smith, president of Visalia Republican Women Federated: thanked the Council, praised attendance at the inauguration, and cited city accomplishments including police and fire staffing, road projects, and pandemic management.
• Taylor (no last name): announced an art contest at College of the Sequoias and said the event would connect issues such as mass deportations and Palestine; invited the Council to attend.
• Doug Sorensen, instructor at an IBU training center: praised the high-road construction model used by some developers and urged the Council to support local, family-wage construction jobs.
• Debra (no last name): said the Visalia Police Department arrested the intended speaker in the hallway; alleged police bias, failure to enforce court orders, and harassment related to her son’s custody case, and called for accountability.
• No public comment was offered on the Consent Calendar.

Consent Calendar

• Council Member Poochigian moved, Council Member Hernandez Soto seconded, and the Council unanimously approved all 15 Consent Calendar items, including:
  • Authorization to read ordinances by title only.
  • Purchase of a 2024 Dodge Ram 5500 for the Wastewater Collections Division from Jim Manning Dodge, Inc. for $236,430.10.
  • Filing a Notice of Completion for the Recreation Park Stadium Lighting Project Phase 3, Baseball Field Lighting.
  • Sole source design contract with 4Creeks, Inc. for 30% engineering design of the Shirk Street Widening Project from Walnut Avenue to Noble Avenue, not to exceed $289,048.
  • Contract amendment with Carollo Engineers for $238,900 for additional nexus study services, with fund transfer and appropriation.
  • Filing a Notice of Completion for Sequoia Bend Unit 3, a 42-lot residential subdivision.
  • Three-year sole source GIS software agreement with Environmental Systems Research Institute, not to exceed $418,300, with appropriations of $118,000 in FY 24/25 and $119,000 in FY 25/26 from the Technology Internal Service Fund.
  • Acceptance of $37,800 in Ag Burn Alternatives Grant Program funds from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for walnut orchard demolition material.
  • Filing Notices of Completion for Landscape & Irrigation of Groundwater Recharge Basin G and Construction of Groundwater Recharge Basin G at East Side Regional Park, with fund appropriations/returns.
  • Receiving the 2024 Visalia Water Management Annual Report and approving the 2025 Water Management Plan.
  • Awarding an annual vehicle front end alignment and suspension contract to Barnes & Davidson DBA Gross and Stevens, not to exceed $100,000 annually and $500,000 over the contract life, with annual renewal options up to four additional one-year terms.
  • Accepting the Cash and Investment Report for Q2 FY 2024-25 (October–December 2024).
  • Adoption of Revised Resolution No. 2024-52, upholding the appeal and overturning the Planning Commission’s denial of Conditional Use Permit No. 2024-29 for the Jack in the Box restaurant.
  • Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 2024-12 on Zoning Text Amendment No. 2024-04. The agenda described it as adding language regarding fines for non-compliance for short-term rentals; the minutes described it as regulating short-term rentals citywide.

Discussion Item: Adoption of General Plan Elements (Item 25-0005)

• Public hearing and adoption of General Plan Amendment No. 2024-01, updating the Safety Element and adding a new Environmental Justice Element citywide within the Urban Growth Boundary. The project was found categorically exempt from CEQA under California Code of Regulations Section 15061(b)(3). The Planning Commission recommended approval on January 27.
• Consultant Michael Gibbons of Mintier Harnish presented the Environmental Justice Element, required by SB 1000. The element identified four neighborhoods of focus — Northwest Visalia, Oval Park, East Visalia, and Seven Oaks — and six community concern areas: safe and sanitary housing, public facilities, civic engagement, access to healthy foods, physical activity, and pollution exposure. It includes 8 objectives and 30 new policies. Outreach included community events and an online survey with more than 800 responses.
• Staff and consultant Brandon Smith presented the Safety Element update, last updated in 2014, covering seismic/geologic, flood, hazardous materials, fire, emergency response, and new climate change topics including extreme heat and community resilience. The update responds to SB 379, SB 99, AB 747, and SB 1035.
• Mayor Taylor opened the public hearing at 8:09 p.m. and closed it at 8:24 p.m. Speakers included:
  • April Lancaster: supported the Environmental Justice Element, described family experience with chemical exposure, and urged the Council to treat environmental justice recommendations seriously.
  • Michelle Kenner: noted a public transit route gap to a northeast area of Visalia and said it affected access for her family.
  • Kevin McCusker, on behalf of Cal Water: said the drinking water contaminant data in the Environmental Justice Element is a risk-assessment tool, not a water quality assessment; Visalia water meets all state and federal health regulations.
  • Kathy Falconer: raised concerns about active cleanup sites and pesticides, proposed community centers in each focus area and notification for pesticide applications within 300 feet, and provided written comments.
  • Karen Degrode: described a past flood when Sierra Village received no help and asked about flood provisions.
  • Gary Grey: supported adoption, cited the report’s data and the city’s assets such as Kaweah Delta, and offered to help.
  • Taylor (no last name): supported the resolution, saying prevention is economically beneficial and that privilege should be recognized.
• During council discussion, members expressed support for the planning effort but frustration with state mandates. They questioned the low-income threshold, survey size, grocery store access mapping, health equity, air quality limits, and electric-vehicle requirements. Council members noted the city’s existing parks, trails, flood response, water partnerships, and medical-office zoning changes.
• Motion by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Brian Poochigian, to adopt Resolution No. 2025-07 approving the Safety Element update and the new Environmental Justice Element, including edits identified in the community profile and resources/concerns sections. The motion carried 5-0.

Closed Session Report

• Mayor Taylor reported nothing to report from closed session.

Upcoming Meetings

• The next City Council meetings were announced for Monday, March 3, 2025, and Monday, March 17, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Approved a $170,000 additional appropriation and directed staff to issue an RFP for Reserve Area planning and environmental review.
• Approved all Consent Calendar items unanimously.
• Adopted General Plan Amendment No. 2024-01 unanimously.
• Welcomed 12 new city employees across the Police Department and Administration.
• Adjourned at 8:29 p.m.