Meeting Date: Monday, June 15, 2026 Work Session: 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Regular Session: 7:00 PM – 8:50 PM Location: City Council Chambers, 707 W. Acequia, Visalia, CA Presiding: Vice Mayor Liz Wynn (Mayor Brett Taylor absent) Council Members Present: Brian Poochigian, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
This meeting covered a work session on a new neighborhood park design and illegal fireworks enforcement, followed by a regular session that included a public hearing and adoption of the biennial budget, recertification of the Measure T tax plan, a zoning change from parkland to commercial use, approval of contested assessments, and a consent calendar of 37 routine items.
1. Conceptual Park Approval – Pearl Wood Property
Parks and Recreation Director Jason Glick, City Engineer Chris Crawford, and John McGee of Quad Knopf presented three conceptual designs for a new 5.5-acre neighborhood park at the Pearl Wood property. The park is located off Road 148 in Cameron Creek. Public input meetings in spring 2025 identified top amenities: walking path with lights, BMX pump track, pickleball courts, restrooms, adventure playground, and amphitheater. After reductions from a January 20, 2026 council meeting (saving $897,000), the project budget was approximately $6.6 million. Three new designs ranged from $5.9 million to $6.1 million. Staff recommended Conceptual Design No. 2 ($5.9 million) featuring two pickleball courts moved away from homes to reduce noise, a mini-pitch, nature playground, lit walking path, open green space with backstop, and trail along the basin. Council discussion focused on keeping the park appropriate for a neighborhood (not over-activating it) and moving the playground closer to the backstop to serve families with children in activities. Council Member Poochigian noted that siblings often use playgrounds during practices.
Vote: Motion by Council Member Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Poochigian, to approve Conceptual Design No. 2 with the revision to move the playground closer to the backstop. Passed 4-0 (Mayor Taylor absent).
2. Fire Department Illegal Fireworks Presentation
Fire Marshal Corbin Reed and Fire Chief Dan Griswold presented proactive efforts for Independence Day, including a safe-and-sane campaign, social media, utility bill mailers, 10 dedicated city staff call-takers for fireworks reports (operating from the EOC to reduce 911 burden), and joint VPD-fire patrols. Current fines: $2,000 first offense, $3,000 second, $4,000 third (tracked over 3 years). In 2025, 73 citations were issued. A reward system for information leading to arrests of illegal fireworks sellers was implemented in 2024; one reward was issued. Council discussed increasing fines (with possible $1,000 increase per tier) and reward amounts for future years, noting that Porterville now has higher fines. They also discussed coordinating social media messaging with Animal Services. The city’s third annual Independence Spectacular at Riverway Sports Park will include a fireworks show and an F-35 flyover from Lemoore Naval Air Base. No formal action required; staff will return with potential ordinance amendments for future years. Public comment from Jim Reeves questioned the effectiveness of raising fines and the need for 10 call-takers, but staff clarified call-takers are city staff on overtime and the system reduces 911 burden.
General Public Comment:
Public Comment on Consent Calendar:
Public Hearing Comments:
Consent Calendar – 37 items approved in one motion except those pulled. Council Member Poochigian pulled Items 5 and 6; Council Member Nelsen pulled Items 15 and 28; Vice Mayor Wynn pulled Item 34. Items pulled were individually discussed and voted:
Regular Items and Public Hearings:
1. Contested Special Assessments – Resolution 2026-44 to place six contested assessments on the Tulare County secured property tax roll. Financial Analyst Ruth Pena reported that after the June 1, 2026 public hearing, staff reviewed each contested case and found proper notification; payments are due by June 30, 2026, or they will be placed on the tax roll. The six parcels include three code enforcement cases, two utility billing, and one animal control. Paul Bernal clarified that the property owner (Harmeet Singh) received a permit for pigeons after a citation; the contested assessment relates to an earlier animal citation not appealed. Vote: 4-0
2. Fiscal Year 2026/27 & 2027/28 Biennial Budget Adoption – Finance Director Renee Nagel and Budget Analyst Amee Swearingen presented the budget: total appropriations of $408.7 million (Year 1) and $358.8 million (Year 2). General fund revenues projected at $112.8 million (FY26/27) and $116.4 million (FY27/28), with surpluses of $2.4 million and $5.6 million respectively. Public safety comprises 67% of general fund (including tax measures), which is average compared to similar-sized cities. The budget includes 21 new full-time positions (total 742 FTEs), 194 capital projects in special revenue and capital funds, and over 200 divisions. Sales tax growth projected at 2.5% annually; property tax at 3%. The emergency reserve is maintained at 30% of operations. Council praised staff’s thoroughness. Vote: 4-0
3. Measure T District Tax Recertification – Required annual recertification of the quarter-cent sales tax for police and fire services (60% police, 40% fire). The plan has funded two police precincts, 23 police officers, and 13 firefighters. Maintenance-of-effort calculation shows general fund spending for police and fire is $7.7 million above the previous year’s level. The five-year forecast shows police Measure T surpluses each year, but fire Measure T shows deficits in later years unless vacancies are held. Vote: 4-0
4. Public Hearing and Ordinance Adoption – Zoning Change – General Plan Amendment No. 2025-02 and Change of Zone No. 2025-03 to re-designate a 21-acre parcel at the northwest corner of Akers Street and Riggin Avenue from Parks/Recreation (QP) to Commercial Mixed Use (C-MU). Principal Planner Brandon Smith explained that the site was designated parkland since 2010, but the city plans to use proceeds from its sale to fund park improvements elsewhere. Four potential sites for a 5-to-12-acre community park in the Northwest Quadrant have been identified, and a Parks Master Plan is underway (expected 2027). The zoning change allows flexible commercial, office, or residential uses; parks are allowed conditionally. Vote: 4-0
5. Fiscal Year 2026-27 Rates and Fees – Resolution 2026-02 adopting the annual rate and fee schedule. Standard CPI increase of 3.09% (California CPI); construction cost index decrease of -0.79% (affecting impact fees); business taxes increase 3.23% (based on 3-year U.S. CPI average). Effective dates: July 1, 2026 for most fees; August 10 for parks and recreation program fees (to align with fall registration); August 14 for impact fees (60-day notice). Vote: 4-0
Good afternoon. Welcome to Visalia City Council work session. Today is Monday, June 15th. And we'll start this afternoon with public comments. Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council and items listed on the closed session agenda. 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. Any 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. And in case you're wondering, I am not Mayor Taylor. He is out of town. Vice Mayor Finn. Good afternoon. And welcome to Vicelli City Council. Have anyone comments? Today is Monday, June 15th. Seeing none, um, we'll go ahead and we'll start work session item. The concept conceptual park approval staff report, please. Good afternoon. Vice Mayor Council. Jason Glick Parks and Recreation Director. I have uh John McGee from Quadnoff here with us, and uh Chris Crawford, our city engineer. Uh this afternoon we're going to talk about the neighborhood park, uh, Pearlwood property. Tonight's agenda will talk about the history, the public meetings, conceptual designs, budget, and the recommendation. Council, you've heard this a little pieces of this report during the January 20th meeting. Pearlwood property history. DR Horton chose Quadnoff to design the Pearlwood property park. The Pearlwood property is a five half five and a half acres with a five-acre ponding basin. The property was publicly noticed when it went to the Visalia Planning Commission of the Visely City Council. The Pearlwood property is off of Road 148 in Cammon Creek. Was recommended by the Visalia Planning Commission to move forward on June 12th, 2023 with a 5-0 vote and approved by the Visalia City Council on July 17th, 2023 with a 5-0 vote. Quadnoff engaged with city staff to get public input on park amenities from the community to create three conceptual designs for the Pearlwood Park location. The three conceptual the three input meetings were held during the spring of 2025. History at the January 20th City Council meeting. Council agreed on the park and recreation commission's recommendation to remove uh the muscle field lighting, the restrooms, and the park improvements. These reductions created a cost savings of $897,000, lowering the total project cost to approximately $6.6 million. Additionally, on January 20th, council directed staff to return with new conceptual designs that eliminate the botanical garden and incorporate a mini pitch while also presenting alternatives that include either two or four pickleball courts. Just as uh to look back, um during the public meeting process, these were the top amenities chosen for the Pearlwood property. Uh a walking path with lights was number one, a BMX pump track was two, pickleball courts was three, restrooms four, adventure theme playground, and then an amphitheater. During this time, we're also conducting public meetings for the Elliott property. So this slide shows both the Elliott property and the Pearlwood property amenities combined. What were the most popular? Again, walking path with lights was number one, followed by restrooms, pickleball courts, pump track, parking lot, botanical garden, athletic field space, amphitheater, traditional playground, adventure playground, basketball courts, and a mini pitch. The mini pitch was only shown for the Pearlwood property. This was a park and recommend recommendate park and recreation commission and staff original uh recommended conceptual design for the Pearlwood property. Again, the amenities that were eliminated from this was the Muscow Field Lighting, restrooms, parking lot, botanical garden, and art sculptures. The highlighted amenities for this conceptual designs was four pickleball courts, a botanical garden, the botanical garden had art sculptures. There was some discussion on how much the botanical garden cost during the last council meeting. The botanical garden was 53,000.