Documented by Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know

  • A report on a hearing from the closed session on Jan. 9 was read. The board authorized defense of individual defendants in the case of Jryden Luke Farrell Garcia, et al. v. County of Tulare, et al. regarding the death of Jesse Garcia.
  • The board made a change of zone from two-family residential to two-family residential with mixed use overlay for a property  located in Richgrove. The purpose of this change is to allow for additional housing due to an increasing population in Richgrove. A boarded-up house is located on the property.

Follow-up questions

  • Why was the property in Richgrove boarded up?

Board of Supervisors

  • Larry Micari –chair, District One
  • Pete Vander Poel III – vice chair, District Two
  • Amy Shuklian, District Three
  • Eddie Valero, District Four
  • Dennis Townsend, District Five
  • Jason T. Britt, County Administrative Officer
  • Jennifer M. Flores, County Counsel
  • Melinda Benton, chief clerk

The Scene

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting was held simultaneously both in-person and live streamed via YouTube at 9 a.m. on Jan. 23, 2024. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.

Actions

  • Board of Supervisors matters
    • Valero
      • Earlier there was a Dinuba town hall meeting on fentanyl, Kings-Tulare agency on aging meeting, Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) meeting and the playground at Mooney Grove park opening. 
      • Upcoming is meeting with seniors in Ivanhoe, meeting with the Center for Community Transformation Fresno Pacific, Woodlake community development meeting, Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council meeting, Proteus board meeting, rebrand ribbon-cutting of a Walmart in Dinuba, meeting with the California Water Board, Cutler Orosi Lions Club event, Woodlake awards night and regional transportation meeting with Tulare County Regional Transit Agency.
    • Shuklian
      • Earlier there was the presentation of Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber awards, an Air Resources Board meeting, museum board meeting,and the playground at Mooney Grove park opening. 
      • Upcoming is a Tulare County Economic Development Corp. meeting, a meeting with the CEO of Kings View, meeting with county Animal Services and a San Joaquin Joint Powers authority meeting. 
    • Vander Poel
      • Earlier there was a Kings Tulare Agency on Aging (KTAAA) meeting and the playground at Mooney Grove park opening. 
      • Upcoming is a Tulare County Employees Retirement Association Board meeting, Tulare County Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCo) meeting, International AG center board meeting, community meeting in Matheney Tract and the Tulare Chamber of Commerce awards presentation.
    • Townsend
      • Earlier there was a Rural County Representatives of California board meeting and awards,  Sierra View Foundation board meeting, Porterville Chamber of Commerce awards presentation, TCAG meeting and the playground at Mooney Grove park opening. 
      • Upcoming is a meeting with Sierra Nevada Conservancy, LAFCo meeting, sustainable corridors committee meeting, Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting, Health and Human Services Agency check-in, and he will be helping Bountiful Box. 
    • Micari
      • Earlier was Tulare County Fire Department Family Night, meeting with Child Welfare Services managers, presented a plaque to the Tulare County Farm Bureau, Farmersville received a grant, Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber awards presentation, statewide Pistachio Day, playground at Mooney Grove park opening, KTAAA and the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting.
      • Upcoming: San Joaquin Valley Infrastructure meeting, helping with Bountiful Box,
  • (approved unanimously) Consent Calendar (Items 4-29)
    • Some of the approved items included the approval of the reaffirmation of the existence of an emergency due to the failure of the well at Bartlett Park (item 14), approval of the Tulare County Council on Child and Youth development 2024 annual certification statement (item 16) and approval of the purchase of a transit mobile van for Tulare County Health Care Centers (item 23). 
  • There were no board matter requests
  • A report on a hearing from the Jan. 9 closed session was read.
    • The board authorized defense of individual defendants in the case of Jryden Luke Farrell Garcia, et al. v. County of Tulare, et al. regarding the death of Jesse Garcia.
  • (Approved unanimously) Public hearing: Request from the Resource Management Agency (RMA) to introduce an amendment to the Tulare County Zoning Ordinance  to change the zone on approximately 0.25-acres from R-2 (two-family residential) zone to the R-2-MU (two-family residential with mixed use overlay) zone, on property located within the Richgrove urban development boundary. Adopt the findings of approval and OK the zone change. Find that this amendment is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the state CEQA guidelines. Direct the clerk of the board to publish the full text of the adopted ordinance and amended zoning map. Find that this ordinance by statute can only be passed after notice and a public hearing.
    • Aaron Bock, RMA assistant director, explained the item. The purpose is to allow for additional housing due to an increasing population in Richgrove. A boarded-up house is located on the property..
    • Supervisor Valero praised the item for allowing for more housing in a rural area.

Public Comment

There was no public comment

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at fresnodocs@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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