REPORT TO CITY OF VISALIA PLANNING COMMISSION
HEARING DATE: October 23, 2023
PROJECT PLANNER: Brandon Smith, Principal Planner
Phone No.: (559) 713-4636
Email: [email protected]
SUBJECT: General Plan Amendment No. 2021 -16: A request by the City of Visalia to redesignate approximately 4 2 acres from Residential Low, Medium, and High Densities to Parks/Recreation to facilitate the East Side Regional Park.
Initiation of Proceedings for Annexation No. 2021 -02: A request by the City of Visalia to annex approximately 128 acres, located within the City of Visalia Urban Development Boundary Tier III, into the Visalia city limits. The annexation request includes authorizing the detachment from County Service Area No. 1 in accordance with State and County requirements.
Recommended certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report prepared for the East Side Regional Park & Groundwater Recharge Project (State Clearinghouse Number 2014121076).
The proposed Project is located on approximately 286 acres, between Mineral King Avenue and Houston Avenue, east of the Road 148 (Tower Street) alignment. (APN: 103-110-024, 025, 026, 027, 028, 029, 032, 033 ; 103-500-001, 002, 003; 103-510-002, 003, 004, 005, 007, 008, 009)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Final Environmental Impact Report:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 20 23-55, recommending that the City Council certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse Number 2014121076), including a Finding of Fact and Statement of Overr iding Considerations, for the project, based upon the findings in said resolution.
General Plan Amendment No. 2021-16 and Annexation No. 2021-02:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend that City Council approve the General Plan Amendment and initiate the Annexation , as conditioned, based on the findings in Resolution Nos. 2023-56 and 2023-57. Staff’s recommendation is based on the c onclusion that the request is consistent with the Visalia General Plan and the required findings for each respective entitlement.
RECOMMENDED MOTION
I move to recommend that the City Council certify the Final Environmental Impact Report prepared for the East Side Regional Park & Groundwater Recharge Project (State Clearinghouse Number 2014121076), according to Resolution No. 2023-55.
I move to recommend approval of General Plan Amendment No. 2021-16, based on the findings in Resolution No. 2023-56.
I move to recommend the initiation of Annexation No. 2021 -02, based on the findings in Resolution No. 2023-57.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The City of Visalia is the applicant and lead agency on the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report for the East Side Regional Park (ESRP) and Groundwater Recharge Project. The project has been proactively planned by the City to help develop solutions to the region’s receding groundwater table, and property acquisition by the City of Visalia has been occurring since 2001.
The development of eastside groundwater recharge facilities is part of the City’s implementation program to manage recharge water that will be received under the Water Exchange Agreement with Tulare Irrigation District along with other surface water deliveries received via the Kaweah River and/or the Central Valley Project Friant-Kern Canal.
The Project area consists of approximately 286 acres, including 40 acres of planned street & infrastructure improvements. The ESRP also includes a total of seven groundwater recharge basins (referred to as Basins A through G) of which four are currently identified and in different project phases within the City’s current CIP. The project will include Road 148 / Tower Street as a new arterial roadway, and improvements to Houston Avenue, Road 152, and Mineral King Avenue. The project has allocated approximately 148 acres for park uses. The dedicated groundwater recharge elements (basins) will encompass approximately 100 acres and are planned to receive allotted water deliveries to help replenish the area’s groundwater. Construction of park proper, groundwater recharge facilities, the future Road 148 / Tower Street and its interchange with State Route 198 will be within the footprint area.
Professional services for the preparation of design work began in 2014. On September 15, 2014, the City Council authorized Provost & Pritchard to enter into an agreement to prepare an Environmental Impact Report in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The agreement included the sub -consulting services of the HLA Group for the park master planning process. In early and mid-2015, master plan alternatives were developed through community input from four community workshops, the Park Planning Task Force, meetings with multiple City Committees and the Parks and Recreation Commission, and City staff.
In addition to the groundwater recharge project, on August 17, 2015, the Cit y Council voted to adopt Concept B1 as the ESRP Site Master Plan (see Exhibit “A”). The park’s comprehensive plan as proposed includes 139 acres of active recreational park space. Some of the park’s major programmed uses include but not limited to separate lighted adult softball and youth baseball fields, soccer courts, tennis courts, pickleball courts, 3 -acre dog park, multi-use trails, event and open space turf areas, parking areas, amphitheater, and community center building. City staff has since carried Concept B1 as the basis of the EIR and design of all Groundwater Recharge facilities to date.
The concept plan was reviewed by the Site Plan Review Committee (Item No. 2015-115) on July 22, 2015. T he Community Development Planning Division commented that the project further required additional land use entitlement, specifically Annexation for the project area north of Mill Creek, and a General Plan Amendment to re-designate approximately 42 acres on the north side adjacent to Houston Avenue from Low, Medium and High Density Residential to Park. No Change of Zone is required for the property since the portion inside the City limits is suitably zoned QP (Quasi-Public) and the remaining portion will be annexed as QP in accordance with the General Plan Amendment. The General Plan Amendment will result in the loss of approximately 30 acres of Medium and High Density Residential land use designated property.
The land use entitlement issues are addressed and incorporated into the project’s Environmental Impact Report, and the land use entitlements are being processed concurrently with the CEQA review process. No Conditional Use Permit is required for the park f acilities in accordance with the Quasi-Public zoning designation, which allows such recreational uses as a permitted use.
Annexation No. 2021-02 is a request to annex parcels totaling approximately 128 acres located outside the city limits and within Tulare County (see Exhibit “ D”). Upon annexation, the Zoning designations for the project area will consist of Quasi-Public (QP zoning) , consistent with the underlying General Plan land use designation as proposed through the General Plan Amendment. Current land use designations for parcels being annexed are summarized as follows:
Land Use Designation Existing ac. Growth Tier
Parks / Recreation 84.5 Tier I
Conservation (Mill Creek) 1.5 Tier I
Low Density Residential 12.3 Tier III
Medium Density Residential 24.5 Tier III
High Density Residential 5.3 Tier III
General Plan Amendment No. 2021-16 is requested to change land use designations upon parcels totaling approximately 42 acres, located in Growth Tier III that are under ownership of the City of Visalia. The General Plan Amendment will further transfer the 42 acres from Growth Tier III to Growth Tier I, being that the property is associated with t he project area of the East Side Regional Park.
The properties currently designated as Parks/Recreation and Conservation are located within Growth Tier I, while the properties designated as Low, Medium, and High Density Residential area all located within Growth Tier III. This is due to the fact that the City in 2012 had already identified the 86 acres of Park/Recreation area , situated outside of the city limits in the Tier I Growth Area , for the Regional Park. However, between 2012 and 2014, while the Cit y was undergoing its General Plan Update to designate land uses within later growth boundaries, the City was still acquiring properties located in the designated Growth Tier III that would become part of the master plan area that would be designed by the HLA Group.
A portion of the project site is within the City’s Urban Development Boundar y (UDB) Tier III, however it is exempt from the City’s Agricultural Preservation Ordinance since the use constitutes a public facility.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Existing General Plan Land Use
Designation:
• Low Density Residential
• Medium Density Residential
• High Density Residential
• Conservation
• Parks / Recreation
Proposed General Plan Land
Use Designation:
• Conservation
• Parks / Recreation
Existing Zoning: • City portion: Q-P (Quasi-Public)
• County portion: AE-20
Zoning upon annexation to City: • Q-P (Quasi-Public)
Surrounding General Plan &
Land Use:
North: Residential, Commercial, and Public Institutional City General Plan designations / Open space, rural
residential, storage
South: AE-20 and C-2-SC County Zoning designations /
Divided highway, open space, rural residential,
service commercial uses
East: AE-20 and C-2-SC County Zoning designations /
Open space, rural residential, service commercial
uses
West: R-1-5 (Single-family Residential) City Zoning
designation / Edison transmission poles, single-
family residences
Environmental Review: Draft and Fi nal Environmental Impact Report for East Side Regional Park & Groundwater Recharge Project , State
Clearinghouse #2014121076
Special Districts: None
Site Plan Review: SPR No. 2015-115
RELATED PLANS & POLICIES
Please see attached summary of related plans and policies.
RELATED PROJECTS
None.
PROJECT EVALUATION
Staff supports the annexation based on the project’s consistency with the Land Use Element of the General Plan.
Completion of EIR
Completion of the EIR will increase the City’s opportunities for the acquirement of grant funding for either the park or recharge elements of the project. In the time that the Draft EIR has been finalized between 2015 and 2020, the City has been successful in acquiring grant funds for the design and construction of Basins G and D , requiring staff to prepare separate and individual environmental reviews (i.e., Mitigated Negative Declarations) for these projects. During that same process, notice of environmental determinations were also filed for Basins E and F due to their proximity and again for grant funding purposes.
Because the preparation of the EIR had been delayed for various reasons since 2015, it’s possible that there may be desire among City staff and the public to revisit certain park design elements and/or programming. However, it is the staff’s recommendation that the EIR process be allowed to move forward towards completion through certification. Any future changes in the park design element could be addressed afterwards as an addendum so long that proposed modifications have no significant impacts beyond those disclosed in the current document.
Groundwater Basins
The development of the East Side groundwater recharge project is part of the City’s implementation program to manage recharge water deliveries under the water exchange agreement with Tulare Irrigation District along with other surface water deliveries received via the
Kaweah River and/or the Central Valley Project Friant -Kern Canal. The area was selected because it is upgradient of the City’s groundwater, and thus is strategically located to receive the water deliveries and replenish the groundwater. Further, geotechnical analysis determined subsurface soil conditions favorable to water infiltration. During times of unprecedented storm events, the creation of these basins will also decrease stormwater flows before they reach t he City’s center, decreasing the potential for flooding in neighboring communities and the downtown core. Mill Creek, which bisects about midpoint of the project site, flows west through Downtown Visalia, through a FEMA flood zone. These basins will help to reduce the stormwater flow through the corridor to help reduce the flood risks. In addition, development of the park recreation features will provide access to much needed nature trails and open space in an area that currently has no parks within one mile of the site.
Annexation No. 2021-02
The project entails initiating annexation of 128 acres out of the project’s overall 286 -acre project site into the Visalia City limits. In addition to the project site, the final annexation area will include acreage from the portion of Houston Avenue adjoining the project site. The site will be pre-zoned to Quasi-Public, consistent with the subject site’s corresponding Parks / Recreation land use designation proposed through the General Plan Amendment . The annexation can be supported on the basis that the proposal is consistent with Land Use Policy LU-P-21, which allows for the annexation and development of residential land to occur within the Tier II Urban Development Boundary consistent with the City’s Land Use Diagram.
The General Plan Amendment will further amend the City’s Growth Tier boundaries so that the entirety of the project site will be within the Tier I Urban Development Boundary.
The site can be service d with all the requisite utility and infrastructure available to serve the site upon development.
Consistency with City’s General Plan
The General Plan’s Parks, Schools, Community Facilities, and Utilities Element contains multiple policies in support of the establishment of a new large city park situated on the City’s eastern edge. Policy PSCU-P-4 specifically directs the City to create such a park:
PSCU-P-4: Create one large new park at the City’s eastern edge to enhance the City’s eastern gateway along Highway 198, ensure separation between communities, and provide ample recreation space for the larger area.
The Element further classifies a “Large City Park” as “a park generally larger than 40 acres in size intended to serve the recreational needs of all city residents and to create opportunities for contact with the natural environment. These parks may include a concentration of sports fields, golf courses, and areas for picnicking and passive enjoyment of open space”. The proposed park has allocated approximately 148 acres for recreational uses and 100 acres for dedicated groundwater recharge elements (basins).
The proposed park will function jointly as a City park together with open space areas that function as groundwater recharge basins. The entire park is designed to include multi-use trails with fitness equipment that circle around the groundwater recharge facilities, which supports the Element’s Objective PSCU-O-6 that speaks of maximizing opportunities for joint use of public land and facilities that involve stormwater ponding basins and other areas under public jurisdiction suitable for recreation.
Consistency with State Law: Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (Government Code Sec. 66300) The Housing Crisis Act of 2019 mandates that jurisdictions shall not adopt an entitlement that changes general plan land use designations of parcels to a less intensive use with regards to the site’s residential development capacity , below what was in in effect on January 1, 2018 (Government Code Section 66300(b)(1)).
However, it should be acknowledged that the City’s selected concept for this park and the Notice of Preparation of a Draft En vironmental Impact Report for the development of this park were completed in 2014 / 2015, which is before the January 1, 2018 threshold. Therefore, the City finds that there is reasonable argument that this statute pertaining to the Housing Crisis Act of 2 019 should not apply. Because the City Council had reviewed and started the process to have approximately 42 acres of Low, Medium, and High Density Residential land designations changed with the concept plan and this EIR, before January 1, 2018, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 does not apply.
Consistency with State Law: No Net Loss Law (Government Code Sec. 65863) The purpose of the No Net Loss Law is to ensure that a jurisdiction continues to maintain adequate sites to accommodate its remaining unmet region al housing needs allocation (RHNA) by each income category at all times throughout the entire Housing Element planning period. Similar to the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 explained above, a jurisdiction cannot take action to reduce a parcel’s residential density without finding that the jurisdiction has other remaining sites that can accommodate its remaining unmet RHNA.
For this project which will change approximately 42 acres of Low, Medium, and High Density Residential land designations to Parks / Recreation designation, the parcels are currently located outside of the City limits and located within Growth Tier III which is outside of the current growth boundary. As such, none of the affected parcels have been assigned units affiliated w ith the jurisdiction’s RHNA or site inventory. Therefore, the City has no obligation under state law to replace the land use designation. The Growth Tier III area contains several hundred acres of Medium and High Density Residential land designations and well in excess of 1,000 acres of Low Density Residential land designation. The City anticipates meeting the threshold for moving into the Growth Tier III boundary in no less than approximately 8 years based on historic growth trends.
Traffic Impact Study
A Traffic Impact Study (TIS) was prepared for the proposed project (ref.: City of Visalia East Side Regional Park & Groundwater Recharge Project EIR Traffic Impact Study Report, VRPA Technologies, March 2019), attached as Appendix M of the EIR . The purpose of the study is to analyze traffic conditions related to buildout of the project and its projected level of service (LOS) at multiple traffic scenarios, including Existing conditions, Near-Term opening year projection, and at the Cumulative Year 2040 scenario, and the corresponding environmental impact as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The TIS concluded that various intersection improvements are needed at the different buildout scenarios and timeframes . Intersection improv ements are summarized in Section 3.16.5 in the EIR.
Mitigation measures have been included in the Environmental Impact Report to address the roadway deficiencies described above, addressing various intersections.
For the Existing Plus Project and Near -Term conditions, Measures TR-1 and TR -2 require widening approaches or adding turning lanes to the intersections of Lovers Lane / Mineral King Avenue and State Route 198 Westbound Ramps / Mineral King Avenue. It should be noted that
Caltrans is expected to break ground on a reconfiguration of the State Route 198 Westbound Ramps at Lovers Lane in late 2023 / early 2024.
For the Cumulative Year 2040 conditions, Measures TR -3 through TR -32 require widening approaches or adding turn lanes to intersections, widen ing roadway segments, and lengthening turn lanes (queuing).
In addition to the Mitigation Measures, the Project would also be required to contribute its calculated “fair -share” towards the costs of improvements that are identified for the various Cumulative Year 2040 scenarios, as summarized in Tables 4-21 through 4-24 of the TIS.
At full buildout of the Project, all study intersections are expected to operate with minimal delay (at or above LOS D) during peak hours, both with and without project traffic, or can be mitigated to operate at an acceptable LOS, excepting for the following intersections:
• State Route 198 Westbound Ramps / Mineral King Avenue, near Lovers Lane (see Measure TR-2 and TR-7)
• State Route 198 Eastbound Ramps / Lovers Lane (see Measures TR-4 and TR-6) • Road 152 / Mineral King Avenue (see Measure TR-7)
• State Route 198 Westbound Ramps / Mineral King Avenue, near Road 156 (see Measure TR-11)
As a result , even with implementation of all feasible mitigation measures, the project EIR concludes that full buildout of the Project will result in significant and unavoidable impacts.
A Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis was also conducted (attached as Appendix N of the EIR) using the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) Model by comparing the project’s expected VMT with the project and without the project . A comparison of the two model runs indicated that the model run with the project resulted in 184 fewer daily vehicle miles traveled than the model run without the project. Therefore, the project’s impacts to VMT are concluded to be less than significant under CEQA.
Environmental Review
A Draft and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (State Clearinghouse Number 2014121076), incorporated herein by reference, has been prepared in association with the East Side Regional Park & Groundwater Recharge project, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Significant and Unavoidable Impacts
The EIR has determined that all project impacts were either less than significant or could be mitigated to a less than significant level with the exception of the following impacts that are considered significant and unavoidable:
• Agriculture & Forestry Resources - Loss of farmland
• Transportation – Unacceptable Level Of Service at various intersections and road segments in the near term and long term, inconsistent with General Plan Policy T-P-9 Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15043, 15091 and 15092, the City, as the Lead Agency, may still approve a project for which the EIR identifies significant and unavoidable environmental impacts resulting from the project. This requires the adoption of a Statement of Overriding Considerations for each environmental impact that falls into the category of significant and unavoidable.
The decision to adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations must be supported by factual documentation that supports the decision that:
1. There is no feasible way to lessen or avoid the significant impact; and,
2. Specifically identified expected benefits from the project outweigh the policy of reducing or avoiding significant environmental impacts of the project.
The findings and recommended conclusions for each of the six environmental analysis areas noted above are contained in the resolution recommending certification of the EIR.
Mitigation Measures
The EIR further disclosed mitigation measures that are incorporated into the project to reduce or avoid significant effects on the environment. The measures address the following resources:
• Thirteen (13) mitigation measures pertaining to Biological Resources for impacts of the project to special-status wildlife species possible to occur on -site (i.e., Swainson’s hawk, white-tailed kite, tricolored blackbird, northern harrier, burrowing owl, loggerhead shrike, palled bat, western mastiff bat, and American badger).
• Four (4) mitigation measures pertaining to Cultural Resources to reduce the impacts of the project on the potential of exposing historical or archaeological materials during construction.
• Four (4) mitigation measures pertaining to Noise to address the impacts of playing fields and amphitheater noise upon noise-sensitive land uses, construction of block walls adjacent to residential uses, and construction noise measures. • Thirty-two (32) mitigation measures pertaining to Transportation, wherein two measures are for intersection improvements at the Lovers Lan e / Mineral King Avenue section and the SR 198 westbound ramps / Mineral King Avenue prior to the operation of Phase 2, and thirty measures are for constructing recommended on-site and site-adjacent improvements prior to the operation of Phase 3 for Cumulative Year 2040 Impacts.
Project Alternatives
CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.6 requires the consideration of a range of reasonable alternatives to the proposed Project that could feasibly attain most of the objectives of the proposed Project. This Draft EIR analyzed the following alternatives:
• Alternate #1: Under this Alternative, the site would be developed in a manner largely similar to the Project, except that that the location of park facilities within the Project site would be changed. This was considered as Concept A1 in the initial planning process. • Alternative #2: Under this Alternative, the site would be developed like the Project Concept except that sports lighting would be removed and park hours would be limited to mostly daylight hours.
• No Project Alternative: Under this Alternative, the Project would not be constructed, and the site would remain in agricultural production.
Public Review and Recommendation
Circulation of the Draft EIR followed a Notice of Availability period wherein the Draft EIR was duly noticed and conducted for the project for a 45 -day public review and comment period from February 2 to March 20 , 2023. The City of Visalia is the lead agency for the preparation of the EIR. Three comment letters were received during th is public review period , from California Department of Fish & Wildlife, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and California
Department of Transportation . City staff and the consultant have prepared r esponses to the comments received (refer to the Final EIR, dated October 2023). The Draft Program EIR, including the technical appendices, all the comments received and the responses to these comments, constitute the Final EIR.
The Planning Commission is asked to review the overall content of the F inal EIR, the responses to the comments received to date, and consider any further testimony received during the public hearing. At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Planning Commission will make its recommendations on the F inal EIR and entitlements, including recommendations to the City Council where they have final authority . The recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council in Resolution form to be included in the materials presented to the City Council for its final determination. The certification of the EIR for this project rests with the final approving body, which is the City Council.
RECOMMENDED FINDINGS
Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse Number 2014121076 The findings are incorporated into Resolution No. 2023-55.
If the Planning Commission finds that the Annexation and General Plan Amendment are consistent with the intent of the General Plan , staff recommends that the following finding s be made:
Annexation No. 2021-02
1. That the Annexation is consistent with the intent of the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, and is not detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity.
2. That the proposed Annexation, which will re -designate 128 acres of AE -20 (Agricultural Exclusive 20-acre) County zone district to QP (Quasi -Public) zone, will not impose new land uses or development that will adversely affect the subject site or adjacent properties.
3. That the parcel is not located within an Agricultural Preserve.
4. That the parcel will be annexed into Voting District 5 per the Council Election Voting District Map.
5. That the project is consistent with the project description contained in the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) (SCH# 2014121076) for the project associated with this Annexation, specifically for development is identified and described in the East Side Regional Park and Groundwater Recharge Project , and for which said FEIR is recommended to be certified by the City Council precedent to the Planning Commission and City Council’s consideration of this Annexation request, consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and City of Visalia Environmental Guidelines.
General Plan Amendment No. 2021-16
1. That the proposed General Plan Amendment is consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the General Plan, and is not detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity.
2. That the proposed General Plan Amendment creating 128 acres Parks / Recreation designation will not impose new land uses or development that will adversely affect the subject site or adjacent properties.
3. That the General Plan Amendment will help facilitate the development of a regional park use and groundwater recharge basins within the Tier I Urban Development Boundary, consistent with General Plan Po licies, including Policy PSCU -P-4 which specifically calls for creating large new park at the City’s eastern edge to enhance the City’s eastern gateway along Highway 198, ensure separation between communities, and provide ample recreation space for the lar ger area. Furthermore, the proposed park project resulting from the amended General Plan land use map is compatible with the adjacent residential uses.
4. That the project is consistent with the project description contained in the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) (SCH# 2014121076) for the project associated with this General Plan Amendment, specifically for development is identified and described in the East Side Regional Park and Groundwater Recharge Project , and for which said FEIR is recommended to be certified by the City Council precedent to the Planning Commission and City Council’s consideration of this General Plan Amendment reques t, consiste nt with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and City of Visalia Environmental Guidelines.
RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS
Annexation No. 2021-02
1. Upon annexation, the territory shall be zoned QP (Quasi-Public) zone, consistent with the underlying General Plan land use designations as proposed through the General Plan Amendment.
APPEAL INFORMATION
Annexation No. 2021-02 and General Plan Amendment No. 2021-16 For the Annexation and General Plan Amendment, the Planning Commission’s recommendation is advisory only. The final decision will be by the Visalia City Council following a public hearing.
Therefore, the Planning Commission’s recommendation in this matter is not appealable.
Attachments:
• Related Plans and Policies
• Resolution No. 2023-55 – Recommendation of certification of Final EIR • Resolution No. 2023-56 – General Plan Amendment No. 2021-16 • Resolution No. 2023-57 – Annexation No. 2021-02
• Exhibit "A" – Master Plan Concept
• Exhibit “B” – Project Planning Area Map
• Exhibit “C” – Recharge Basins Location Map
• Exhibit “D” – Annexation Area
• Draft Environmental Impact Report (for EIR Appendices, refer to website links below) The Draft EIR is also found at https://www.visalia.city/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=52873 • Final Environmental Impact Report
The Final EIR is also found at https://www.visalia.city/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=54441 • General Plan Land Use Map
• Zoning Map
• Aerial Map
• Location Map
Available online via City of Visalia Website:
• EIR Appendices A - D: https://www.visalia.city/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=52874 • EIR Appendices E - R: https://www.visalia.city/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=52875
RELATED PLANS AND POLICIES
General Plan and Zoning: The following General Plan and Zoning Ordinance policies apply to the proposed project:
General Plan Land Use Policies:
LU-P-19: Ensure that growth occurs in a compact and concentric fashion by implementing the General Plan’s phased growth strategy. The General Plan Land Use Diagram establishes three growth rings to accommodate estimated City population for the years 2020 and 2030. The Urban Development Boundary I (UDB I) shares its boundaries with the 2012 city limits. The Urban Development Boundary II ( UDB II) defines the urbanizable area within which a full range of urban services will need to be extended in the first phase of anticipated growth with a target buildout population of 178,000. The Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) defines full buildout of the General Plan with a target buildout population of 210,000. Each growth ring enables the City to expand in all four quadrants, reinforcing a concentric growth pattern.
LU-P-21: Allow annexation and development of residential, commercial, regional retail, and industrial land to occur within the Urban Development Boundary (Tier II) and the Urban Growth Boundary (Tier III) consistent with the City’s Land Use Diagram, according to th e following phasing thresholds: • “Tier II”: Tier II supports a target buildout population of approximately 178,000.
The expansion criteria for land in Tier II is that land would only become available for development when building permits have been issued in Tier I at the following levels, starting from April 1, 2010:
Residential: after permits for 5,850 housing units have been issued.
PSCU-O-1 Design parks and recreation facilities that will enhance community identity and serve the recreation and social needs of Visalians of all ages, economic situations and physical abilities.
PSCU-O-6 Maximize opportunities for joint use of public land and facilities involving schools, stormwater ponding basins and other areas under public jurisdiction suitable for recreation.
PSCU-P-2 Strive to achieve and maintain a citywide standard of at least five acres of neighborhood and community parks per 1,000 residents.
Credits for pocket parks can be granted under the Park Acquisition and Development Fee Program, subject to the design review criteria of Policy PSCU-P-8. These credits may be on a less than 1:1 basis.
PSCU-P-3 Reserve land and develop parks and public open spaces and recreation facilities consistent with designated Parks and Open Space land on the Land Use Diagram.
This designation is intended to cover existing and proposed new neighborhood, community, and regional parks; recreations centers; golf courses; multi-use paths and trails; and other open space areas.
PSCU-P-4 Create one large new park at the City’s eastern edge to enhance the City’s eastern gateway along Highway 198, ensure separation between communities, and provide ample recreation space for the larger area.
PSCU-P-11 Develop a system of natural corridors and greenways, consistent with the Parks and Open Space diagram (Figure 5-1).
These corridors will have biking and walking trails offering recreational opportunities and links between neighborhoods, parks, and Downtown. The system of corridors will include waterway
corridors as well as linear landscaped corridors to create natural gateways, parkways or buffer areas.
More specifically, this system is envisioned to include:
• Greenway corridor along the St. Johns River, including broader areas to the northwest to accommodate open space areas, large group picnic facilities, a nature center, or other uses; • Greenway corridors along Mill, Packwood and Cameron Creeks, and segments of other waterways, with sufficient width to protect riparian habitat and accommodate a multi-use trail; • A landscaped corridor on both sides of Highway 198 providing a scenic gateway into Visalia from the west; and
• A landscaped buffer zone or parkway along Shirk Road separating industrial from residential areas, and a greenway along Road 148 marking the eastern edge of the City, both accommodating a multi-use trail.
PSCU-P-26 Encourage cooperative agreements with the City and the Kaweah Water Conservation District, levee districts, irrigation companies, school district, College of the Sequoias, Southern California Edison Company and other public agencies and utilities to explore innovative recreation open space facilities throughout the Visalia planning area.