Visalia City Council
707 W. Acequia
Visalia, CA 93291
Visalia City Council
City Council
Meeting Minutes - Final
Mayor Brian Poochigian
Vice Mayor Brett Taylor
Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto
Council Member Steve Nelsen
Council Member Liz Wynn
7:00 PM City Council ChambersTuesday, January 17, 2023
ROLL CALL
Mayor Brian Poochigian, Council Member Steve Nelsen,
Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, and Council
Member Liz Wynn
Present:
Vice Mayor Brett TaylorAbsent:
1. 22-0472Government Code Section 54953(b) provides the rules for teleconferencing for City Council meetings. Councilmember Liz Wynn will participate in the January 17, 2023 Regular meeting via teleconference. The address of the teleconference location is Pueblo Bonito Rose Resort, Medrano 450, 23410 Cabo San Lucas, BCS Mexico. The public is able to attend and participate from this teleconference location.
CALL TO ORDER WORK SESSION - 4:30 PM
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, is 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.
There were no public comments.
WORK SESSION AND ACTION ITEMS (as described)
City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
1. 22-0458NEW EMPLOYEE INTRODUCTIONS:
Police Department:
Dominic Saelee, Police Officer
Edgardo Sandoval, Police Officer
Dana Boss, Analysis Technician
Erin Marquez, Records Specialist
Whitney Scarbrough, Community Outreach Coordinator
Parks Division:
Jon Carlton - Park Maintenance Lead Custodial
Francisco Castro - Park Maintenance Lead Custodial
Alx Medina - Park Maintenance Worker
Recreation Division:
Sandra Leyva - Recreation Coordinator
Emily Scarborough - Recreation Coordinator
2. 22-0424Receive, review, and discuss the narrative report and aviation forecast elements of the in-progress Visalia Municipal Airport (VMA) Airport Layout Plan (ALP).
Jody Miller, Airport Superintendent, provided the report and aviation forecast elements in progress.
3. 22-0474Presentation and discussion of the proposed 2023 Citizens Advisory Committee Annual Public Opinion Survey.
Frank Ruiz, Chair of the CAC and Jason Serpa, Public Works Manager discussed the 2023, City of Visalia Public Opinion Survey. The CAC recommended 5 open ended questions this year. The private ambulance question will be removed from the survey. The CAC will return to Council at a later date to finalize the survey.
ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION - 6:00 PM (Or, immediately following Work Session)
The meeting adjourned to Closed Session.
CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION - 7:00 PM
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION
City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
ITEMS OF INTEREST
The Council commented on various activities they participated in the last few weeks.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
This is the time for citizens to comment on subject matters that are not on the agenda and within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council. The Council asks that you keep your comments brief and positive. Creative criticism, presented with appropriate courtesy, is welcome.
This is also the time for citizens to request an item from the Consent Calendar be pulled for discussion purposes. Public comments related to all pulled Consent Calendar items and Regular or Public Hearing items listed on the agenda will be heard at the time that item is discussed or when the Public Hearing is opened.
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.
Jeff Toledo, Visalia, has a neighbor who is feeding feral cats in his neighborhood. His dog was outside and killed a feral cat that activated a call to Animal Control. Since then he has made concessions to keep the dogs in the house. His dog was deemed vicious and had to be surrendered to Animal Control. He set up a meeting with Tracy Robertshaw and when he met with her she was rude and would not listen to him. She informed Mr. Toledo that the first code enforcement officer was not doing his job so another officer was sent. Mr. Toledo filed an appeal and had to pay $350. He was also informed the first staff person who said his dog would not be deemed vicious is on leave. He has never been treated as bad as he was when he met with Mrs. Robertshaw.
Gabriel Jacquez, Visalia, congratulated the newly elected Council Members and provided words of encouragement to be guided by the moral compass as things come up for Council consideration. In addition, the Bird Land subdivision does not have proper lighting and it is badly needed to make it safe.
CONSENT CALENDAR
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto to approve the Consent Calendar except for items 6 (EHS) and 9 (SN). The motion carried by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Steve
Nelsen,Liz Wynn
Aye:
Brett TaylorAbsent:
Consent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these matters unless a request is made and then the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar to be discussed and voted upon by a separate motion.
City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
1. 22-0475Authorization to read ordinances by title only.
2. 22-0394Authorize and accept recommended expenditures for training, equipment, salary & benefits for 1.5 police officer positions through the State of California fiscal year 2022-2023 Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) Program funds of $219,458 and $139,245 for fiscal year 2021-22 COPS Growth funds for a total Grant $358,703, and appropriate $115,500 for the current Grant and $46,797 from prior year funds.
3. 22-0457Affirm the submission to the Caltrans Aeronautics Airport Improvement Program matching grant for the amount of $6,075 to fund a portion of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required Pavement Maintenance Management Plan (PMMP).
Resolution 2023-01 required.
4. 23-0001Authorize the City Manager to execute the reimbursement agreement for the dedication of riparian waterway areas as dedicated with the River Island Ranch Phase 1 and Phase 2 final subdivision maps.
5. 23-0004Accept the City of Visalia Cash and Investment Report for the first quarter of the fiscal year which consists of months July, August, and September 2022.
6. 23-0005Appoint Karen Ayala to a partial term on the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
Paul Bernal, Community Development Director, was available to answer questions. Councilmember Hernandez Soto pulled the item to abstain from vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Mayor Brian Poochigian to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Steve Nelsen,Liz WynnAye:
Brett TaylorAbsent:
Emmanuel Hernandez SotoAbstain:
City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
7. 23-0007Authorize the City Manager to execute an Automotive and Truck Replacement Parts, Accessories and Services contract with Genuine Parts Co. dba NAPA Auto to supply aftermarket parts and accessories for the Fleet Division of Public Works. The contract will be Not-To-Exceed $500,000 per year with the costs split monthly through allocations to the appropriate City divisions.
The contract will be for one year with an option to annually renew for up to two consecutive years to coincide with the Sourcewell contract termination date of May 19, 2025, for a maximum of 3 years.
8. 23-0008Approve the Citizens Advisory Committee’s recommendation to appoint Bryan Prosser to fill a vacant voting position on the Citizens Advisory Committee vacated by Dr. Juan Lopez.
9. 23-0010Authorize staff to apply for Encampment Resolution Funding Program, Round 2 in the amount of $3.3 million to assist with the development of the Visalia Navigation Center to provide interim shelter for persons living in encampments within the City of Visalia.
Councilmember Nelsen pulled the item for clarification of the timeline for the program. Margie Perez, Housing Specialist explained that 50% of the funds must be spent by 2025 and the remainder in 2026.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Liz Wynn, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez
Soto,Liz Wynn
Aye:
Brett TaylorAbsent:
10. 23-0012Authorize the recruitment and reappointment process for two Planning Commission positions with terms expiring June 30, 2023.
REGULAR ITEMS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS
Comments related to regular Items and Public Hearing Items are limited to three minutes per speaker, for a maximum of 30 minutes per item. The Mayor may reasonably limit or extend the public comment period to preserve the Council's interest in conducting efficient, orderly meetings.
City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
1. 22-0476Appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of Conditional Use Permit No. 2022-15, a request by 7Ten Properties LLC to amend previously approved Conditional Use Permit Nos. 279 and 365 in order to operate “The Woodlands” outdoor
entertainment/event venue on a developed lodge site in the Quasi-Public zone. The property is located at 4211 West Goshen Avenue (APN: 085-630-001 and -003).
Paul Bernal, Community Development Director, explained the appeal request regarding a permit for an outdoor venue referred to as the Woodlands. The appellant is seeking modification to a condition approved by the Planning Commission. Condition is regarding placement of an acoustical sound dampening fence.
Sam Ramirez, provided a document handout regarding the project site and sound decibels. The location of the study is on the project site and noted the will not be outside music, bands, and only a sound machine.
Comments by Council.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
1. 23-0014For the purposes of reporting out, for the record, transactions that occurred as a result of Closed Session Real Property Negotiations: Buyer: The Creative Center, a California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation and Visalia Players, a California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation Seller: City of Visalia APN:
094-095-001 Purpose: sale of surplus land Price: $1,400,000.00 Closing Date: 1/11/2023 Closed Session Council Date: 8/2/2021 & 5/2/2022 Ordinance: 2022-13, dated 11/9/2022, Project Manager: Devon Jones.
Ken Richardson, City Attorney, reported our for the record the real property transaction that was approved by Council as listed on the agenda.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m
City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
1. 22-0465UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS:
Monday, February 06, 2023 @ 7:00 p.m., 707 W. Acequia
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 @ 7:00 p.m., 707 W. Acequia
Note: Meeting dates/times are subject to change, check posted agenda for correct details.
In Compliance with the American Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in meetings call (559) 713-4512 48-hours in advance of the meeting. For Hearing Impaired - Call (559) 713-4900 (TTY) 48-hours in advance of the scheduled meeting time to request signing services.
Any written materials relating to an item on this agenda submitted to the Council after distribution of the agenda are available for public inspection in the Office of the City Clerk, 220 N. Santa Fe Street, Visalia CA 93292, during normal business hours.