Documented by Jackie Schuster
Here’s what you need to know
- Several Visalia residents asked the Visalia City Council to consider passing a resolution supporting a ceasefire in Palestine like the city of Madera recently did.
- The council heard the first readings of an ordinance to update chapters of the municipal code related to short-term rentals and an ordinance to regulate the location and operational requirements for massage establishments.
Follow-up questions
- Will the council consider passing an ordinance supporting a ceasefire in Palestine?
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
- Public comment
- Taylor, a Visalia resident, said that on Feb. 14 the city of Madera passed a resolution to support a ceasefire in Palestine. She quoted Mayor Santos Garcia as saying he hopes the resolution inspires other cities to act. Taylor said it’s time we take a bottom-up approach. She brought up the numbers of Palestinians who have been killed or are now displaced and starving, and the two people in the United States who have self-immolated in protest.
- Ibrahim asked the council to support a resolution for a permanent ceasefire. He said that this is a matter that affects Visalia because federal tax dollars are going toward the death of more than 30,000 people in Palestine. He brought up the fact that this meeting began in Christian prayer and said there are Palestinians who are Christians as well. He said he would ask the council to support a resolution for a permanent ceasefire and not something like a six-week ceasefire.
- Aasma said she feels blessed that she can speak and asked for the council to support saving humanity.
- Fabyeoa said that Vice President Kamala Harris came out recently in support of a ceasefire and she would like to ask the council to support a similar resolution to the Madera City Council’s. She said many community members are out every Sunday protesting.
- Another Visalia resident said she was born in Palestine and was able to come to Visalia and become a U.S. citizen. She said the world has a place for everyone and we were created to help each other. She said everyone has a right to live so she would like to see support for a ceasefire. She also said she is grateful to live in Visalia and this is a beautiful community that has accepted and respected her. She said the community coming together to support a ceasefire would be a great opportunity.
- Mariam said she hoped the council would support the community’s desire for a ceasefire. She said she is from the UK and moved to Visalia not knowing anyone, but has been accepted by her community. She said as a new mother it is hard to watch mothers and babies in Palestine suffer.
- Consent calendar
- (Brett) Taylor pulled item 4 from the consent calendar.
- Nelsen moved to accept the balance of the consent calendar, and the motion passed unanimously.
- Item 4, request by Great Valley Land Trust to be certified as an entity for holding agricultural conservation easements per the city of Visalia Agricultural Preservation Ordinance
- Taylor recused himself from this item because his wife serves on the board.
- Hernandez Soto moved to approve the request, and the motion passed 4-0 with Taylor abstaining.
- Regular item 1, first reading and public hearing for Ordinance 2024-02 to amend Visalia Municipal Code Chapters 5.04 and 5.28 to include general updates and to address changes required for compliance with other sections of the Visalia Municipal Code
- Melody Murch from the city finance department said the business regulations section of the municipal code was last updated nearly 30 years ago, and the recently adopted amendment addressing short-term rentals required some of the business definitions in chapters 5.04 and 5.28 to be updated. Some changes involve clarifications, reclassifications and revisions. Clarifications made are that the language has been updated to be gender neutral, the definition of a business tax certificate has been expanded, the definition of “employee” has been amended to include volunteers and outdated references have been updated. Reclassifications have been made to move certain definitions to more appropriate code sections. Revisions have been made to add and expand upon business definitions, clarify that provisional certificates will be issued if an entity has paid their business tax but is out of compliance with any city ordinance or other requirements, clarify that fees are set by the city’s annual rates and fees process, includes short-term rentals and removes references to hotels included in the definition of lodging.
- Taylor moved to accept the first reading of the ordinance; the motion passed unanimously.
- Regular item 2, consider the adoption of Ordinance 2024-03 as an emergency measure to regulate the location and operational requirements for massage establishments citywide
- Paul Bernal, planning and community preservation director, said this ordinance is an emergency ordinance that will enact new regulations for spa establishments. He said city staff are recommending the ordinance because recently they have seen an increase in requests for conditional use permits for massage parlors. If adopted tonight the ordinance would take effect immediately while city staff work on a more permanent solution. He said that the proposed restrictions in the ordinance don’t represent a ban but will include regulations to help manage nuisance activities at establishments that have previously occurred. Some requirements identified in the emergency ordinance prohibit the blocking of exterior facing windows, establish lighting requirements, ban living quarters in spa establishments, implement a 750-foot buffer zone of separation between massage establishments and maintain that doors must be unlocked during business hours and establishments must allow unannounced inspections. With the buffer zone that would be implemented, there are locations on Mooney Avenue that wouldn’t meet qualifications for that zone use anymore but they could be grandfathered in.
- Nelsen said when looking at the suggested distance between establishments there are some operating within 750 feet of each other, he asked if the locations currently on Mooney that are not maintaining the buffer zone would be grandfathered in. Bernal said yes. Nelsen asked if the enforcement aspect of this would be complaint based. Bernal said the city has implemented a new code enforcement officer position who would be tasked with going through uses the city has approved and making sure businesses are compliant with conditions.
- Wynn asked if hours of operation would be regulated. Bernal said the current hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will remain. He said multiple other jurisdictions are consistent with those hours.
- Taylor asked if the staff are looking at other cities to see what the best practices are or if they are consulting people in the industry to see what they suggest. Bernal said as staff is formulating regulations they are looking at other jurisdictions and what they do, he also said that they will do any outreach they can do. Taylor asked if Bernal could explain why staff recommended that a 750-foot buffer would be more appropriate than a 1,000-foot zone. Bernal said that since they have used the 750-foot buffer zone for other adult-oriented businesses it seemed appropriate to continue using a regulation they had already codified.
- Nelsen moved to adopt the ordinance; the motion passed unanimously.
With no closed-session report, the meeting ended at 7:36 p.m. The next Visalia City Council meeting will be held on March 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.
