Visalia City Council
707 W. Acequia
Visalia, CA 93291
Visalia City Council
Visalia City Council
Meeting Minutes - Final
Mayor Brian Poochigian
Vice Mayor Brett Taylor
Council Member Steve Nelsen
Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto
Council Member Liz Wynn
7:00 PM Council ChambersMonday, August 5, 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 agenda. 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 August 5, 2024
1. 24-0276New Employee Introductions:
Convention Center:
Niccole Bartleson, Sales Representative
Neighborhood Preservation:
Celeste Parras, Maintenance Service Worker
Cesar Aceves, Maintenance Service Worker
Ryan Spittler, Maintenance Service Worker
Mike Gonzales, Maintenance Service Worker
Police Department:
Christopher Marx, Officer
Samuel Nevarez, Officer
Anthony McGowen, Community Service Officer
Public Works:
Landan Neal, Equipment Mechanic
Tim Helgeson, Senior Equipment Mechanic
Jakob Tos, Heavy Equipment Operator
Agustin Morales, Industrial Waste Inspector
Jennifer Flores, Pretreatment Program Coordinator (Promotion) Elsa Wendt, PW Intern
Kali Jones, WWTP Intern
2. 24-0308Little League All Stars - Recognition of Section 7 Champions - Visalia Little League 13-14 Junior All Stars
3. 24-0264Award Contract for Visalia Transit Management, Operations and Maintenance - Authorize the City Manager to award a 5-year base contract to RATP Dev not to exceed $109,000,000, with the option to have five (5) single option years up to ten (10) years, appropriate an additional $6,000,000 from the Transit
Operational fund balance, and hear the first reading of Ordinance 24-08 as is required by the City Charter for lease agreements with a duration of longer than five (5) years.
Angelina DeRossett, Transit Manager, and Caleb Bowman, Management Analyst, provided the report and recommendation to award a 5 year base contract to RATP Dev not to exceed $109,000,000, with the option to have five single option years up to ten years.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 5, 2024 ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION - 6:00 PM (Or, immediately following Work Session)
The meeting adjourned to Closed Session at 4:32 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION - 7:00 PM
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION
24-0324Reverend Ernest Cotta, Christian Faith Fellowship
ITEMS OF INTEREST
SPECIAL PRESENTATION / RECOGNITION
1. 24-0323Special recognition of Lori Caccamo, artist of the new City of Visalia logo.
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 citizens provided their name for public comment: Taylor, Fida Taha, Kathy Falconer, Sherrie Bakkee, Dale Simmons.
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:
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 5, 2024
1. 23-0459Authorization to read ordinances by title only.
2. 24-0266Contract Change Order, Fund Appropriation, & License Agreement - Authorize contract amendment for JFS Enterprises, Inc. for increased orchard clearing at the East Side Regional Park, the appropriation of additional funds, and a license agreement with Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District.
3. 24-0279Purchase of Two Ford F-250 Work Trucks with Service Beds and Appropriation of Funds - Authorize the City Manager to award a purchase order to Rush Truck Center of Whittier, CA for an amount not to exceed of $128,169.60 and appropriate an
additional $8,200 from the General Fund.
4. 24-0290Purchase of John Deere 344 P-Teir Compact Wheel Loader - Authorize the City Manager to award a purchase order to Lawrence Tractor Co. Inc. for the purchase of a John Deere 344 P-Teir Compact Wheel Loader through the Sourcewell
Cooperative contract in the amount of $209,027.93 and authorize an additional appropriation of funds in the amount of $10,000 from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund 441.
5. 24-0291Record Final Map for Sequoia Bend Unit 3 - Request authorization to record the final map for Sequoia Bend, Unit 3 subdivision, located on south side of East Goshen Avenue between North Cain and North Virmargo Street (42 lots); and authorize the annexation of Sequoia Bend Unit 3 into Landscape and Lighting Assessment District No. 22-06 “Sequoia Bend” (Resolution Nos. 2024-44 and 2024-45 required). APN:
098-142-057 and 098-330-006.
6. 24-0293Ordinance Adoption: Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 2024-07 for Zoning Text Amendment No. 2024-01, a request by the City of Visalia to amend Visalia Municipal Code Titles 17 (Zoning), 5 (Business Regulations), 8 (Health and Safety), 12 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Spaces), 16 (Subdivisions), and 18 (Agricultural Land Preservation) based on multiple factors including, but not limited to: changes in state law, errors in existing zoning text, changes in other sections of the Visalia Municipal Code or changes in city procedures, changes in business and/or development trends and activity, citywide.
7. 24-0294Riggin Avenue SCE Pole Relocation Agreement: Authorize the City Manager to execute the Southern California Edison (SCE) Facilities Relocations Agreement for $1,081,000 and adopt Resolution 2024-xx for the Riggin Widening project between Kelsey St to Shirk St.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 5, 2024
8. 24-0295Designate Voting Delegate - Authorize and designate Council Member Liz Wynn as the voting delegate for the 2024 League of California Cities Annual Conference and Leslie Caviglia, City Manager and John Lollis, Assistant City Manager as the alternate voting delegates.
9. 24-0297Award a Contract for On-Call Fencing Services - Authorize the City Manager to award an annual contract for On-Call Fencing Services to Ace Fence Company for one year, with 4 one-year optional renewals with an amount not to exceed $80,000 per year, or $400,000 over the life of the contract.
10. 24-0300Award Riggin Avenue Widening Project: Authorize the City Manager to award the construction contract with Cen-Cal Construction for Riggin Ave Widening Mooney Blvd to Conyer St. in the amount of $6,480,000.00; authorize the transfer of Measure R Regional funds; authorize the appropriation of additional Transportation Impact Fee and Measure R Regional funds; and authorize the amendment to the Measure R
Supplemental Agreement.
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.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 5, 2024
1. 24-0302Cameron Ranch Estates Subdivision Annexation - Public hearing and consideration of the following actions:
1. Adopt Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 2024- 19 for Annexation No. 2024-02 and Cameron Ranch Estates Tentative Subdivision Map No. 5598 (Resolution No. 2024-41 required); and
2. Initiation of Proceedings for Annexation No. 2024-02, a request by Artemis Partners, LLC to annex 46.01 acres of Residential Low Density land from the County of Tulare to the City Limits of Visalia. Upon annexation the site will be zoned R-1- 5 (Single-Family Residential, 5,000 square feet minimum lot area). The property is located on the south side of East Caldwell Avenue between the future South Ben Maddox Way alignment and South Pinkham Street within the jurisdiction of the County of Tulare (APNs: 124-010-005 and 124-010-007) (Resolution No. 2024-42 required); and
3. Authorize the detachment from County Service Area No. 1 in accordance with State and County requirements; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to sign and enter into a
Pre-Annexation Agreement.
Paul Bernal, Planning and Community Preservation Director, provided the report and details regarding the Cameron Ranch Estates subdivision annexation and requested for Council to conduct a public hearing to consider the following actions:
1. Adopt initial study, mitigated negative declaration No 2024-19 for annexation No. 2024-02 and Cameron Ranch Estates Tentative Subdivision Map No. 5598.
2. Initiation of Proceedings for Annexation No. 2024-02, a request by Artemis Partners, LLC to annex 46.01 acres of Residential Low Density land from the County of Tulare to the City Limits of Visalia. Upon annexation the site will be zoned R-1-5.
3. Authorize the detachment from County Service Area No. 1 in accordance with State and County requirements;
4. Authorize the City Manager to sign and enter into a Pre-Annexation Agreement.
The public hearing was opened at 7:37 p.m.and closed.
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, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 5, 2024
2. 24-0307Municipal Code Amendment - First Reading of Ordinance 2024-09 amending Chapters 12.32 and 12.52 of the Visalia Municipal Code relating to conduct in City Parks, Recreation Areas and other Public Property.
Ken Richardson, City Attorney, provided the overview of the new laws regarding City Parks, Recreation Areas and other public property. The City can eliminate the overnight camping and property storage exceptions for parks and trails.
Other amendments included detail of storage of personal property, new prohibitions on fires, fireworks, firearms, vandalism, animals in parks, and hazardous materials.
Jason Salazar, Chief of Police, addressed the Council regarding the new ruling.
From an enforcement perspective, this will provide a new tool for PD, Code Enforcement, and the HOPE Team; however, the scope is limited. Chief Salazar stated this new law will not fix homelessness in the City of Visalia.
The City Attorney commented the ordinance was drafted as an urgency ordinance and it will be at the Council's discretion as to approve as an urgency ordinance or regular adoption.
The following citizens provided their name for public comment specific to this item: Taylor, Fida Taha, Julia Doyal, Efrain Becerra, Erin Ford, Lisa Alvarado, Maria Guillen, Carlos Gomez, Suzy Ward, Dale Simmons, Neomi Ming.
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, seconded by Council Member Liz Wynn, to approve the first reading and continue the item to August 12, 2024 at 5:15 p.m. The motion carried by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Liz WynnAye:
Emmanuel Hernandez SotoNo:
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned to August 12, 2024 at 5:15 p.m.
The meeting was continued to Monday, August 12, 2024 at 5:15 p.m.
UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 5, 2024
1. 24-0113Upcoming City Council Meetings
Monday, August 12, 2024 at 5:15 p.m. @ 707 W. Acequia
(Adjourned from August 5, 2024)
Monday, August 19, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. @ 707 W. Acequia
Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. @ 707 W. Acequia (Monday Holiday Schedule)
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]
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