Visalia City Council
707 W. Acequia
Visalia, CA 93292
Visalia City Council
Visalia City Council
Meeting Minutes - Final
Brian Poochigian, Mayor
Brett Taylor, Vice Mayor
Steve Nelsen, Council Member
Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Council Member
Liz Wynn, Council Member
7:00 PM City Hall Council ChambersMonday, March 4, 2024
ROLL CALL
Mayor Brian Poochigian, Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, Council Member Steve Nelsen, Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez
Soto, and Council Member Liz Wynn
Present:
CALL TO ORDER WORK SESSION - 4:00 PM (Unless otherwise noted) The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council and items listed on the Closed Session. 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.
WORK SESSION AND ACTION ITEMS (as described)
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 4, 2024
1. 24-0055New Employee Introductions:
Administrative Services:
Ashley Cook, Human Resources Analyst
POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Police Officers:
Michael Allen
Ezra Bryant
Daisy Garcia
Ezekiel Moreno
Johan Velasco
Parking Enforcement Officers:
Jeshua Contreras
Fernando Valenzuela
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 4, 2024
2. 24-0029Caltrans Update of Lovers Lane Roadway Rehabilitation and Operational Improvements Project - Receive a presentation and provide comments regarding the Caltrans Lovers Lane Roadway Rehabilitation and Operational Improvements Project, concluding the Project Development Phase and Commencing the
Construction Phase.
Rebecca Keenan, Senior Civil Engineer, Jason Huckleberry, Engineering and Building Director, and Shavonne Conley, Caltrans Project Manager provided an update of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Lovers Lane Roadway Rehabilitation and Operational Improvements project at the State Route 198 Interchange, concluding the Project Development Phase and Commencing the Construction Phase.
City staff and Caltrans have been working throughout 2023 to complete the Project Development Phase of the Lovers Lane Roadway Rehabilitation and Operational Improvements Project, which includes the preparation of Plans, Specifications, and Estimates and obtaining needed Right of Way. The Project Development phase is concluding, and the team will begin the Construction Phase in 2024.
Since 2015, City staff and Caltrans have worked to identify possible improvements to the Lovers Lane Interchange at State Route 198. Ultimate layouts were developed, however, to meet current Caltrans design standards the ultimate project would require considerable amounts of right of way and would significantly impact the surrounding businesses and residences. The acquisition and improvements would result in exorbitant costs, estimated at over $ 60 million in 2015 dollars.
There were no public comments.
3. 23-0439Capital Improvement Program - Review select FY 2024/25 and 2025/26 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budgets and future capital plans.
Melody Murch, Assistant Finance Director, provided the second presentation of the City’s draft Capital Improvement Program budget and requested for Council to provide direction as appropriate. (Impact Fees, Enterprise Funds and Special Revenue Funds). The Council is scheduled to act upon the CIP budget during the month of June in conjunction with the operating budget. No formal action is required or requested at this time.
Jason Huckleberry, Engineering and Building Director, and Engineer staff were available to answer questions.
There were no public comments.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 4, 2024 ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION - 6:00 PM (Or, immediately following Work Session)
The meeting adjourned to Closed Session at 5:15 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION - 7:00 PM
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION
ITEMS OF INTEREST
The Council commented on various activities they participated in the last few weeks.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION / RECOGNITION
PUBLIC COMMENTS
This is the time for people to comment on matters 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 the opportunity to address the Council on any matter of interest, whether on the agenda or not, other than the Consent Calendar. People may comment one time during the evening for up to three minutes unless additional time is authorized by the Council. 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.
The following Visalia citizens spoke in support of Council to pass a resolution for a permanent cease fire in Gaza:
Taylor, Ibrahim Beg, Aasma, Fabyeola Maldonado, Amay Homuday, Mayram Hussein.
CONSENT CALENDAR
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 by a City Council Member and then the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar to be discussed and voted upon by a separate motion.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, to Approve the Consent Calendar. The motion carried by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
1. 24-0057Authorization to read ordinances by title only.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 4, 2024
2. 24-0041Notice of Completion for Wood Ranch Unit 3 - Request authorization to file a notice of completion for Wood Ranch Unit 3 located along E Noble Ave, east of McAuliff St and north of Kaweah Ave, containing 11 private residential lots.
3. 24-0045Partial Notice of Completion for East Side Regional Park Basin G - Request authorization to file a Partial Notice of Completion for RFB 20-21-38, Groundwater Recharge Basin G at the East Side Regional Park (ESRP) site.
4. 24-0051Certified Entity Request - A request by Great Valley Land Trust to be certified as an entity for the purposes of holding agricultural conservation easements in accordance with the City of Visalia Agricultural Preservation Ordinance.
A motion was made by Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, seconded by Council Member Steve Nelsen to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
Brett TaylorRecused:
5. 24-0056CAC Appointment - Approve the Citizens Advisory Committee’s recommendation to appoint Jim Reeves to fill a vacant voting position on the Citizens Advisory Committee.
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.
1. 23-0466Business Regulations Amendment - 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, Assistant Finance Director, provided the proposed updates for the Business Regulations Amendment and requested the 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. There were no public comments.
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, seconded by Council Member Steve Nelsen, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote:
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 4, 2024 Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
2. 24-0061Urgency Ordinance - Consider adoption of Ordinance 2024-03, an interim ordinance to be adopted as an emergency measure to regulate the location and operational requirements for massage establishments, Citywide. (4/5’s approval of the City Council is required for passage.)
Paul Bernal, Planning and Community Preservation Director, provided the proposed Urgency ordinance. Over the past 12 months, City staff have seen an increase in requests for Conditional Use Permits for massage establishments.
A total of eight Conditional Use Permits have been filed with the Planning Division, with four Conditional Use Permits applications filed in the in the past 45 days.
Given the recent influx of request to establish massage establishments in shopping center locations, within close proximity to the local junior college, and residential neighborhoods, staff is requesting the City Council adopt an emergency ordinance to establish additional regulations.
There were no public comments.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:43 p.m.
UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
1. 24-0507Monday, March 18, 2024 at 707 W. Acequia @ 7:00 p.m.
Monday, April 1, 2024 at 707 W. Acequia @ 7:00 p.m.
If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to fully participate in the meeting, please contact Michelle Nicholson, to discuss your accessibility needs: 559-713-4512 or email at [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>.