Documented by Jackie Schuster
Here’s what you need to know
- The Visalia City Council unanimously approved consent calendar items including reappointing the City Attorney.
- The council approved the initial study, annexation proceedings and an amendment to the General Plan that will allow a project that will provide 541 new dwelling units in Visalia to start.
Visalia City Council Members
Liz Wynn, District One
Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, District Two
Mayor Brian Poochigian, District Three
Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, District Four
Steve Nelsen, District Five
The Scene
The Visalia City Council meeting started at 7:01 p.m. All council members were present.
Actions/Discussions/Public comment
- The meeting began with a special presentation from Mayor Poochigian to recognize the Visalia Blue 11U Cal Ripken All Stars for winning the Cal Ripken Pacific Southwest 11-under regional tournament championship in July, securing their spot in next year’s 2024 Cal Ripken 12U World Series.
- Public comment
- No public comments.
- Consent calendar
- With no items pulled from the consent calendar, Councilmember Nelsen motioned to pass all items. Councilmember Soto seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
- Regular item one, public hearing to initiate annexation, rezoning, general plan amendments, and a specific plan for project
- Brandon Smith from the city’s planning division presented the item. This project would annex and rezone 95.56 acres of land in Visalia near Mooney Blvd., Pratt Ave. and Riverway Ave. to add approximately 541 new dwelling units and 8.3 acres of parks and trails.
- In the existing general plan, the land is currently zoned as very low density residential. This rezone would change the land designations to low density residential, medium density residential and parks/recreation. The annexation is allowed by land use policy LU-P-22, which allows for annexation across development tiers when development is under a unified control or single ownership.
- The specific plan functions as planned residential development but will be deviated to meet city standards and is subject to development agreement. The area will be added to voting district four, and there is only one residence there currently.
- At the planning commission meeting on August 7, three neighbors to the property commented on concerns regarding home values, water, wells, project density, and traffic. The planning commission moved to tentatively approve most of the entitlements and allow the city council to approve the rest.
- Nelsen moved to initiate proceedings for the project by adopting the initial study and Mitigated Negative Declaration 2023-37, initiate proceedings for Annexation 2021-04, approve General Plan Amendment 2021-05, and introduce first reading of Ordinance 2023-08 approving Specific Plan 2021-06. Taylor seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
With no closed session to report on, the meeting ended at 7:49 p.m. The next Visalia City Council meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at fresnodocs@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
