The Visalia City Council met on Monday, June 1, 2026, for a work session beginning at 4:00 PM and a regular session at 7:00 PM. The council addressed the Town-Center Business Improvement Area (TCBIA) annual report, the proposed two-year budget, rates and fees, narrow lot subdivision standards, the Civic Center phase 3 scope of work, a public hearing on special assessments, an ordinance for streamlined subdivision maps, a revised salary schedule, and implementation of Senate Bill 707. The meeting included significant public comment on financial oversight of Downtown Visalians and contested assessments.
Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the Visalia City Council work session. We're gonna go ahead and get this meeting started. Uh we will start off with public comments. Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council. The council asks that you keep your comments concise and positive, creative criticism, presented with appropriate courtesy as 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. Anyone wishing to speak? Uh you can come on up to the lectern over here on your right hand side. Okay, and seeing no one, we will close public comments and we will start our work session by uh starting off with item number one, which is Town Center Business Improvement Area Annual Report. Downtown Visalia isn't just a place. Good afternoon, members of the council, and thank you for the opportunity to come before you today. My name is Valerie Felix, and I serve as the executive director for Downtown Viselians. Before we begin, we'd like to share a short video highlighting downtown Viselia. Downtown Visalia isn't just a place, it's people. It's the early mornings, the sound of doors opening, and the familiar faces that walk in every day. It's where business feels personal, where relationships are built, and where community comes first. Here, you're not just another storefront, you're part of something bigger, a network of businesses that support each other and grow together. That's what makes downtown different. It's the energy during events, the people filling the streets, and the pride of being here. For many of us, downtown is where we took a chance and built something of our own. And that doesn't happen on its own. Supporting businesses, creating events, and bringing people together. They help keep downtown active, visible, and moving forward. Because when downtown is strong, our entire community benefits. This is more than where we work. This is our downtown. All right. Well, before I begin, I'd like to provide a brief background on our organization. Downtown Viselians was founded in 1963 as a merchant association during a time when the emerging shopping mall concept was drawing customers away from traditional downtown districts. At that time, downtown Viselia was primarily a retail center, and local business owners recognized the need to work together to protect its future. Rather than watching their downtown decline, a dedicated group of merchants came together with a shared vision to protect, promote, and preserve the heart of our community. Their leadership and advocacy were instrumental in the adoption of the TCBIA, which continues to serve as a funding source supporting downtown programs and services today. Because of their commitment, downtown Viselia did more than survive. It evolved and thrived. More than 60 years later, the commitment of those founding merchants continues to shape a downtown that remains active, welcoming, and essential to the identity of Viselia. Currently, within our district, there are over 700 business licenses and members of downtown Viselians. If we can go first. Oh, yeah, we're there. Our mission statement can be summed into one sentence. Where friends meet, fun happens, and businesses prosper. Everything we do from supporting local businesses and organizing events to enhancing the downtown environment is centered around creating a downtown that is welcoming, vibrant, and economically successful. We take pride in our unique specialty shopping, diverse dining experiences, and the wide variety of community events and entertainment that make downtown Visalia a destination for both residents and visitors. You can keep it on that first the first slide. Yeah, there you go. Behind the downtown Viselians team is a team of three. Myself as executive director, Gabrielle as assistant executive director, and Rudy as our enhancement technician. Together we manage downtown programs, support businesses, coordinate events, and help keep downtown Viselia clean, vibrant, and welcoming. You could go to the second slide now. Thank you.