Visalia City Council Work and Regular Session - May 12, 2025

Note: The agenda and minutes list the meeting date as May 5, 2025, but the provided metadata indicates May 12, 2025; this summary uses the latter date as instructed.

The Visalia City Council held a work session starting at 4:00 PM and a regular session at 7:00 PM on May 12, 2025. The work session included new employee introductions, an education award, a detailed cannabis ordinance discussion seeking council direction, a fire department overview presentation, and a Civic Center Phase 2 project update. The regular session featured an Arbor Day proclamation, public comments, consent calendar approvals (with two items pulled for separate discussion), a public hearing on an appeal of a Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC) denial of window replacement, and the formal award of the Civic Center Phase 2 construction contract. Key outcomes included a 4-1 vote to overturn the HPAC denial and a unanimous vote to award a $72.78 million construction contract to Seals Construction, appropriating $87.8 million for the project.

Consent Calendar

• Valley Strong Ballpark Outfield Fence & Batter's Eye Replacement Project (Item 2): Approved unanimously after a staff presentation explaining the batter's eye structure. Contract awarded to Forcum/Mackey Construction, Inc. for $915,000.
• Request for Recreational Opportunities (Item 15): Approved 4-1 (Council Member Nelsen opposed) after discussion about pickleball courts, community center upgrades, and the need for a broader recreation report from staff.
• All other consent items (14 items) approved unanimously in one motion, including contracts for fire department medical director, housing loan portfolio management, compressed air and lube system maintenance, V-LINE transit grant application, mural request, various park project notices of completion, objective design standards resolution, and more.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Public Comment (Regular Session): Five speakers addressed the council:
  • Raquel Arias criticized the mayor's video promoting Visalia, alleging the administration ignores homelessness and favors developers, and referenced unverified rumors. She urged better leadership.
  • Irene Lapin criticized former President Trump's policies and his impact on women's issues.
  • Maria Guillén praised a community event at College of the Sequoias called "Create Over Consume," highlighting sustainable arts and collaboration.
  • Efrain Becerra offered positive feedback, thanking council members for listening and noting their efforts, including the Cinco de Mayo event hosted by the Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
  • Valerie Girot questioned the name "Hope Team," calling it loaded language, and shared a personal definition of hope.
• Work Session Public Comment (Cannabis Ordinance): Louis Sepulveda, a retired investigator, urged the council not to be too restrictive on cannabis zoning, warning that over-regulation encourages the black market. He cited Woodlake as a successful model for revenue and beautification.
• Public Hearing (Window Replacement Appeal): Speakers included Irene Lapin (criticizing HPAC as a "clique of meddlesome busybodies"), Efrain Becerra (suggesting the city adopt clearer historic preservation standards), Tyler Davis (HPAC chair, available for questions), and Kevin Fistolera (applicant, who stated the windows are standard and that replacement would improve security and efficiency while maintaining appearance).
• Public Hearing (Civic Center Phase 2): Maria Guillén asked about potential cost impacts from tariffs and inflation. Staff responded that the construction bid is fixed and not subject to change due to tariffs.

Discussion Items

• Cannabis Ordinance Discussion (Work Session): Staff presented a two-part framework. Council provided direction on the following (with some items tabled for future meetings):
  • Municipal Code Title: Council consensus to place the ordinance in a reserved title (e.g., Title 4, 7, 11, or 14) with medical marijuana delivery moved to that title.
  • Business Types and Zoning:
    • Cultivation: Not allowed (unanimous).
    • Processing: Allowed in light industrial and industrial zones only (no service commercial).
    • Manufacturing: Allowed in light industrial and industrial zones; volatile solvent manufacturing prohibited.
    • Distribution: Allowed in light industrial and industrial zones (service commercial removed).
    • Testing Laboratory: Allowed in business research park (BRP), light industrial, and industrial zones; downtown mixed use excluded.
    • Retail Storefront: Council expressed interest in allowing up to 3 stores, with hours of operation set at 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Zoning to be defined later with a map; staff to engage with potential operators and bring back recommendations. Non-storefront retail (delivery) also discussed; limits to be considered.
    • Microbusiness: Tabled pending retail zoning decisions.
    • Events: Not allowed (council opposed, citing concerns about odor and disruption).
  • Sensitive Use Buffers: Tabled; staff to return with maps showing 750-foot and 1,000-foot buffers.
  • Security Measures: Council supported staff recommendations including security cameras (police access without warrant), security personnel during operating hours, age verification, and chain-of-custody protocols for labs.
  • License Term: Annual renewal aligned with fiscal year (June 30).
• Fire Department Overview (Work Session): Battalion Chief Tom Van Grouw and Chief Dan Griswold presented department operations, response data, and community engagement. Key points:
  • Six fire stations; Station 56 recently opened, ending a lease with Cal Fire.
  • 57% of suppression personnel have less than 10 years with Visalia Fire, but overall fire service experience is higher due to experienced hires.
  • Training: 5,753 hours logged in first four months of 2025, on track for over 17,000 hours (exceeding the 240-hour national standard per employee).
  • 2024 call volume: 17,000+ calls, including 535 fire-related, 9,068 EMS calls, and hazardous conditions/service calls.
  • Response times average around 5 minutes for most apparatus, but national standards (NFPA 1710) are challenging to meet; staff will develop a realistic local metric.
  • Community engagement includes fire prevention education (annual visits to 3rd graders), car seat technician program, peer support team, and equipment replacements via grants.
  • Future reports planned on EMS and prevention divisions.
• Civic Center Phase 2 Update (Work Session): Engineer Mike Porter and Finance Director Renee Nagel updated the project:
  • Project includes new council chambers, public safety administration building, evidence storage building, pavilion, and parking.
  • Construction documents: 750 sheets of drawings, 2,600 pages of specs.
  • RFQ process resulted in 7 qualified contractors; 3 bids received.
  • Low bidder: Seals Construction (Visalia-based) at $72.78 million.
  • Total estimated project cost: $99.34 million (including 5% contingency).
  • Funding: $95.1 million available from Civic Center Reserve ($66.2M), Civic Center Impact Fees ($9.4M), Police Impact Fees ($3.5M), Fire Impact Fees ($6.0M), and ARPA funds ($9.8M). Request to appropriate $87.8 million, leaving $7.3 million for contingencies or phase 3 design.
  • Schedule: Construction start July 2025, completion June 2027, move-in October 2027.

Key Outcomes

• Cannabis Ordinance Direction: Council provided initial direction on business types, zoning, hours, security, and license terms; staff to return with detailed maps for retail zoning and buffer zones, and to engage community stakeholders.
• Fire Department Overview: Received and filed; no formal action.
• Civic Center Phase 2 Update: Received; formal action taken during regular session (see below).
• Appeal of HPAC Denial (Window Replacement at 410 N Court St): Council voted 4-1 (Council Member Hernandez Soto opposed) to overturn the HPAC denial and approve the appeal, allowing replacement of 48 wood windows with vinyl windows of same size, with wood screens to maintain appearance.
• Civic Center Phase 2 Contract Award: Motion carried unanimously (5-0) to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Seals Construction for $72,780,000 and appropriate $87.8 million from the specified funds for the $99.34 million project.
• Consent Calendar (Item 2 - Ballpark Fence): Approved unanimously.
• Consent Calendar (Item 15 - Recreational Opportunities): Approved 4-1 (Council Member Nelsen opposed). Staff to return in June with a report on short-term recreation projects.
• Closed Session: No reportable actions.