Visalia City Council Meeting – October 20, 2025: Aquatics, Recreation, Zoning, and City Manager Terms
Visalia City Council Meeting – October 20, 2025
The Visalia City Council held a work session at 4:30 PM and a regular session at 7:00 PM on October 20, 2025. The meeting included presentations on aquatics facilities and recreation division activities, a zoning text amendment tied to the Housing Element, approval of city manager employment terms, and public comments on multiple topics. Council directed staff to study a combined competition and recreation outdoor aquatic facility and to report back within 60 days.
Consent Calendar
- Approved 5-0 the following items:
- Authorization to read ordinances by title only.
- Acceptance of the 2024/2025 Annual Report from the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
- Notice of Completion for Victory Oaks Phase 1 subdivision (73 residential lots).
- Appropriation of $110,000 from the Baseball Fund (157) for design of the Valley Strong Stadium Retaining Wall Project.
- Award of contract to PROS Consulting for Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Needs Assessment, and Park Impact Fee Study (not to exceed $273,755).
- Approval of 2025-2026 Land Fallowing Program contracts for 138.91 field acres totaling $55,564.
- Adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-12 (nuisance code revision).
- Authorization of Basin Excavation Agreement with Granite Construction for Water Reclamation Facility basins.
- Tabled – Membership Agreement with Tulare County Economic Development Corporation (continued to a future meeting after council discussion).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Brian Colson (Visalia) – Expressed concern over removal of right-turn lanes on County Center Drive, citing CVC 21717; requested review and changes to bike lane delineators that block turns.
- Greg Collins (708 Edwards Court) – Urged the council to proceed with a true pool complex, emphasizing a shallow zero-entry recreation pool as a revenue generator; committed to raising $1 million for an endowment fund and recommended forming an aquatic committee to attract events.
- Wilson Reniers (1745 West Manor) – Expressed support for an aquatic center, noting 40% of survey respondents cannot swim; supported Greg Collins' two-pool approach.
- Unnamed speaker (water polo community) – Stated that competition pools bring hotel and restaurant revenue, citing a former 24-team high school water polo tournament that dwindled after Sierra Pacific built a 50-meter pool; urged consideration of a 50-meter competition pool for events like Masters Nationals.
- Allie Briano (4607 West Addison Court) – Head swim coach at COS, supported a 50-meter pool with recreational features; noted small towns like Lindsay and Reedley have 50-meter pools while Visalia (pop. ~144,000) does not.
- Lisa Walsh (2733 West Newton Court) – Past Parks and Rec commissioner, current chair of Parks and Rec Foundation; highlighted drownings in the region, underserved communities, and potential private partnerships (chemical manufacturers, franchises); advocated for an indoor facility due to air quality and year-round use; offered foundation help with naming rights and fundraising.
- Visalia Tourism Marketing District representative – Expressed strong support for a competition aquatics facility to attract overnight visitors; cited a study showing Riverway Sports Park brought 4,500 overnight visitors in 2023 generating ~$500,000.
- Marie Line LeVee (2434 West Sedona Avenue) – Noted growth in water polo and swim programs, strain on existing pools, and the need for more facilities; recommended an outdoor recreation and competition pool; mentioned Parks and Rec Foundation fundraising and grant potential.
- Maria Guillen (Visalia) – Praised staff for the Juneteenth event; expressed concern about fencing parks, questioning whether security issues are being exaggerated.
- Irene Lappin (Visalia) – Commented on authoritarianism and free speech; questioned council silence on leaked chats and called for clarity on positions.
- Eduardo Becera (District 1) – Invited council to Day of the Dead events; defended his pride in American heritage while honoring ancestors.
- Marie McElroy (Dinuba, business in Visalia) – Requested easier access to new business listings on city website; suggested adding website and longer descriptions.
- Michelle Kenner (Visalia) – Opposed state-mandated lot size reductions for housing, stating it is unfair to the environment and city.
Discussion Items
1. Aquatics Facility Presentation (Work Session)
- Parks and Recreation Director Jason Glick and Recreation Manager Larissa Rogenkamp presented historical context, survey results (439 responses, 40% cannot swim, 60% use pools), and cost recovery analysis from an aquatic design group. Key findings: successful facilities have multiple pools; a 50-meter pool costs more to maintain (~$600,000/year O&M); recreation-only outdoor pools achieve 132% cost recovery. Council and public discussed options for competition, recreation, indoor/outdoor. Council consensus: pursue an outdoor competition and recreation pool (50-meter), with recreation as the priority. Council emphasized city control (no partnership with schools based on past experience). Staff directed to study costs, locations, funding, and report back within 60 days. Councilmember Poochigian suggested naming the complex after former Councilmember Greg Collins.
2. Recreation Division Overview (Work Session)
- Larissa Rogenkamp presented 2024-2025 programming: 409 enrichment classes (4,553 enrollments), 12 new partners, 16,091 senior meals served, 516 summer camp participants, 54 aquatic staff working 9,591 hours, 88-92 youth sports volunteers, and special events (e.g., Independent Spectacular with 10,000+ attendance). The Parks and Recreation Master Plan (Consent Item 5) will include needs assessment, cost recovery review, and facility prioritization.
3. Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-03 (Regular Session)
- Planner Brandon Smith presented 10 state-mandated updates to implement Housing Element Program 5.8. Changes include allowing transitional/supportive housing by right, reducing parking for affordable units, reducing minimum lot sizes, and streamlining reasonable accommodation requests. Planning Commission recommended approval on September 22, 2025. Council members expressed frustration with state mandates but acknowledged risk of lawsuit. Ordinance adopted 4-1 (Councilmember Poochigian dissenting).
4. Change of Terms and Conditions – City Manager (Regular Session)
- Administrative Services Director Shauna O'Neill presented a 4% base salary increase and proportional adjustment of 8% experience pay, effective July 1, 2025, consistent with prior approved changes for unrepresented department heads. Council approved 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- Aquatics Facility: Council directed staff to return within 60 days with cost estimates, location options, and funding strategies for an outdoor competition and recreation pool (50-meter). City will maintain full control; potential leasing but no partnership with schools.
- Zoning Ordinance: First reading of Ordinance 2025-13 adopted 4-1 (Councilmember Poochigian no) to comply with Housing Element mandates. Second reading scheduled for a future meeting.
- City Manager Employment: Approved 5-0 the amendment with 4% salary increase and adjusted experience pay.
- Consent Calendar: Approved 5-0; Item 9 (Membership Agreement) tabled to a future meeting.
- Special Presentation: Haunt the Home 2025 winners recognized across nine categories with 11,698 total votes. Council's Choice: Stephen Ward; Visalia's Choice: Richie Gonzalez (second year).
- Upcoming Meetings: October 23, 2025 (joint VUSD meeting), November 3, 2025 (regular).
Meeting Transcript
Microphone check one two, microphone check one two. Microphone check three four. We are excited to announce the promotion of Amy Powell to HR manager over the past two and a half years. She has served the city with dedication and professionalism as the management analyst in HR and Risk and as the acting HR manager for the past six months, where she demonstrated commitment, deep knowledge of HR operations, and a consistent ability to manage a vast array of job duties. Amy holds a master's degree in HR management and brings over 25 years of HR experience across diverse um industries. Prior to working for the city, Amy served as HR manager for the housing authority for Tillerie County. Her strong work ethic, commitment to excellence, and proven leadership make her exceptionally well prepared to take on this new role. Please join me in congratulating Amy on her well-deserved promotion. Thank you, Shauna, for trusting me with this responsibility. And counsel, I look forward to continuing to support the goals you've set for our most important assets, our employees. Thank you. Good uh afternoon, Mr. Mayor and City Council. Um it is my pleasure today to introduce you to a new employee with the city. Um admin services technician, Jessica Mendez. Um we had a great recruitment for this, and there was a lot of great candidates, and Jessica truly shown above all of the other candidates. She comes to us from um the Tularie County Sheriff's Office while she was there. She worked there for about five years, and she was the department HR admin aide, and so she did a lot of the administrative work that we are going to need her to do now. And just through the interview, she truly shown through by just giving us a lot of information in what we're looking for. She's essentially doing the job already before a different agency, so we're very happy to bring her over to our um division and just look forward to having her um with us to continue on the great work she's already done for another agency. Good afternoon. My name is Jessica Mendez. I just want to say thank you. It's been a great first day on the job. The department has the city has been extremely welcoming, and I'm very excited to bring the everything I've learned over the years and bring it to the city of Visalia. And I want to thank you for this great opportunity. Good afternoon, Mayor, members of the council. Uh Paul Brunell, Director of Planning and Community Preservation, and is with great pleasure. I get to introduce Jared Olson, who is our new principal planner. Uh he started with the city uh last Monday, so it's always a good sign when they show for their second week of work after being uh indoctrinated into what we do in planning. Uh so just a little bit back, uh a little brief background on Jared. So Jared Olson comes to us from uh Provost and Pritchard. Uh we've spent a lot of time uh working on uh projects uh for the city. Uh prior to that though, he did have experience working for the city of Fresno, uh working in their planning department. So has over about nine years of planning experience and then some related work uh uh work that he did in the field working with uh Devin Jones prior to Jeff and Jones' arrival in the city of Isaac as well. So originally from Hanford, uh Jared has spent s uh several years in the Bay Area before coming back to the Valley. Uh Jared is a graduate of the University of San Francisco State, uh, where he uh received his bachelor's in urban studies and planning. Uh Jared lives in Visalia and he loves spending time with his wife and his two-year-old son. He enjoys camping, uh uh karaoke and tiki bars. So we've been asking him some great tiki bar locations, and hopefully he'll share those with us. Uh and we'll share those with anyone else that has interest in that. Uh but it is great to have Jared. I've I've had the privilege of just working uh when he was in the consultant world, uh talking to him about some ideas, and it's I'm glad to see that he's able to join our ranks and bring some of the experience that we're looking for, especially on the environmental side uh with the planning process. So, with this again, please introduce Jared Olson. Uh thank you um everyone, and I want to say um uh thank you uh for the opportunity to uh serve. Yeah, thank you much. All right, always exciting to get some some new amazing people working with the city of Isaiah. So welcome to all of our new employees. Next we're gonna go on to item number two, which is aquatics facility presentation. Thank you, Mayor, Council members, Jason Glick, Parks and Recreation Director.
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