SB 99 Analysis – Single Entrance/Exit Neighborhoods
Per SB 99, the Safety Element of the General Plan is required to identify neighborhoods in any hazard area that does not have at least two evacuation routes that would be accessible by car. For this analysis, a neighborhood is defined as 31 or more dwelling units that only have a single route to access a collector or arterial road, based on California Fire Code Appendix D1072. There were 35 neighborhoods identified in the city that have a single entry or exit point, as shown in Figure 1. About half of the single entry/exit neighborhoods are located in the northern half of the city (north of California State Route (SR) 198), while the remaining neighborhoods are spread across the southern half of the city (south of SR 198). Single entry/exit neighborhoods in the northern half of the city are predominately located within the vicinity of Akers and Demaree Streets and Golden West High School, while single entry/exit neighborhoods in the southern half of the city are spread evenly across. In the case of an evacuation event, these single entry/exit neighborhoods would likely use the easternmost and westernmost roads of the city to evacuate. Neighborhoods located in the southernmost area of the city, near Perry Family Park, may also use roads to the south.
AB 747 Analysis – Evacuation Scenarios
In accordance with AB 747, the following analyses and results outline the potential outcomes of a variety of hazard events requiring emergency evacuation.
Evacuation Assessment Methodology
Hazards Scenarios
In accordance with AB 747, a range of potential hazard scenarios have been presented in this evacuation analysis. The spatial extent and magnitude of a potential hazard highly affects how evacuation would occur within a city. With a near 100 percent probability in future years due to heavy rain events, inadequate drainage, and the flat geography of Visalia, evacuation scenarios included in this analysis evaluate the potential evacuation effects of widespread flooding across Visalia’s 100- and 500-year floodplains. Also contained within the Visalia’s borders and sphere of influence (SOI) are a few miles of the San Joaquin Valley Railroad (SJVR). The short-line SJVR periodically carries hazardous material through Visalia, and a derailment scenario would have an impact on the portions of Visalia’s transportation system since there are no grade-separated crossings between the railroad other than one freeway underpass. Therefore, this analysis evaluates the potential evacuation effects of a train derailment carrying hazardous material near downtown Visalia. A total of five hazard scenarios, in addition to a baseline scenario, are considered in this analysis:
• Baseline – Typical traffic conditions within Visalia on Monday at 5:00 PM • 100-Year Flood Event
• 500-Year Flood Event
• Hazardous Train Derailment Event (1)
• Hazardous Train Derailment Event (2)
• Hazardous Train Derailment Event (3)
Each of these hazard scenarios are described below in detail in the Evacuation Assessment Results section.
2 2019 California Fire Code, Title 24, Part 9 with July 2021 Supplement. Accessed at:
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/CFC2019P4/appendix-d-fire-apparatus-access-roads 288
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Figure 1 Single Entry/Exit Neighborhoods
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Data Sources and Data Processing
Transportation Network
The transportation network was created using ESRI’s StreetMap Premium. StreetMap Premium is a comprehensive dataset that provides enriched network data based on commercial street reference data from leading global and local street data suppliers: HERE and GeoTechnologies, Inc. The dataset includes detailed basemap data and a network dataset for routing, both of which were used in the evacuation analyses. This dataset is well-suited for emergency evacuation analysis because it includes a robust road network, baseline traffic data, and is regularly updated to ensure that it remains accurate and current.
Parcel Data
The parcel layer used in the model include residential, commercial/industrial, and public/institutional land uses from Visalia’s zoning code and General Plan Land Use (GPLU) data. The parcel polygons were joined to GPLU data, then converted into point features that retained the attributes of the original parcel polygon for use in the evacuation models.
Population Modeling
Population data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics were modeled to determine how many Visalia residents would be at risk during an emergency evacuation scenario. Using parcel data, residential land uses were identified and the estimates of people driving to work within each census tract were taken from ACS 5-year estimates data. The number of individuals driving to work was distributed among parcel data with residential land uses.
According to the ACS 5-year estimates, there are an estimated 59,569 individuals that drive to work in Visalia. Individuals driving to work was established as a population parameter because it is most likely that individuals leaving the city in an evacuation would do so by car. There are an estimated 5,797 people over the age of 16 that do not drive to work in Visalia.
In addition to the population living in Visalia, there are individuals that travel into the city regularly for work. These individuals would most likely be concentrated in non-residential land uses during a daytime emergency evacuation scenario. According to the 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 155,660 employees that work in Visalia.
Agricultural, educational instruction and library occupations, as well as police and sheriff’s patrol officers, were removed from the total number numbers of employees as they are assumed to be already captured in the residential population. The remaining 90,740 employees were divided by the total area of commercial/industrial land use parcel acreage for an average of 21.21 employees per acre. The average numbers of employees in educational instruction and library occupations were calculated using the same methodology, for an average of 14.14 employees per acre.
Evacuation Modeling
Evacuation routes and traffic congestion during an emergency evacuation event were modeled using ArcGIS’s Closest Facility tool included in the Network Analyst extension. The Closest Facility tool enables finding the closest facility (e.g., hospital, fire station, or gas station) to a given location or set of locations. The Closest Facility tool can also be customized to include other factors that affect travel time, such as speed limits and road closures. For this evacuation analysis, the “facilities” analyzed were points outside of Visalia city boundaries located on roads along three County-designated 290
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evacuation routes: SR 1983, SR 99, and SR 63. After distributing the modeled population throughout the city, the evacuation model was run to simulate the level of traffic congestion on roads and major highways during each hazard scenario assuming simultaneous departure of all populations from the evacuation origin to the nearest, available evacuation points along the transportation network.
The traffic congestion was shown by assigning average daily traffic (ADT) Level of Service (LOS) B capacities from Table 4-2 of the Visalia Circulation Element to each modeled evacuation route/trip.
The count of modeled evacuation routes/trips that intersected the segments of the road network were divided by the road segment’s ADT LOS B capacity to create a ratio (i.e., the percentage of ADT each portion of the road network would experience at the time of evacuation).
The total number of starting locations for evacuation trips were created by taking 75 percent of the population living in the city and driving to work, and 75 percent of the employees distributed across the city. This created a distribution of individuals across the city where evacuations would originate from.
Assumptions and Limitations
The 75 percent taken from each category of the modeled population is meant to account for the limitations of the data sources that were used to model the population, and where they would be within Visalia on a typical weekday.
These limitations include margin of error within the data, individuals that work an atypical work shift, individuals that may have been off from work at the time of the evacuation, and individuals that live within the city but drive outside the city for work.
Evacuation Assessment Results
Baseline
The baseline scenario evaluates the typical traffic congestion in the city at 5:00 PM on a Monday.
Baseline traffic data was derived from ESRI’s StreetMap Premium database and is used as the basis of comparison for each modeled evacuation scenario. As shown in Figure 2, most traffic congestion typically occurs near the downtown city-center and at intersections along major roads within the city, including Caldwell Avenue, Walnut Avenue, Goshen Avenue (Ave 304), and Riggin Avenue. All Countydesignated evacuation routes are available to residents for evacuation, with onramps for each evacuation route showing Free Flow to Moderate traffic congestion. 100-Year Flood Event
This scenario assumes a flood event across FEMA-designated 100-year floodplains within the city. As noted in the Evacuation Modeling section, SR 198 is not viable during a 100-year flood event due to the possibility that flooding could occur on SR 198, or that SR 198 could be used as an emergency flood basin during a flooding event. Although most outbound roads leading to County-designated evacuation routes are viable, it is assumed that eastbound evacuation would not be practical due to the high likelihood that flood flows would originate from areas east of the city, within the Kaweah River Basin and/or Southern Sierra watershed, during heavy storm events, resulting in northwest-, west-, and southbound evacuation.
3 In both flooding scenarios, evacuation route SR 198 is not viable, and therefore “closed” in the analyses, due to the possibility that flooding could occur on SR 198, and/or that SR 198 could be used as an emergency flood basin during a heavy flood event, per discussions with City personnel.
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Figure 3 shows traffic congestion originating along S. Court Street as impacted individuals near and within downtown Visalia travel southbound onto W. Caldwell Avenue, eventually exiting the city using SR 63, or S. Mooney Boulevard. Traffic congestion along S. Court Street and portions of southbound SR 63 (within City limits) exhibit 25-50 percent of ADT, while traffic congestion along W. Caldwell Avenue and one and a half miles of SR 63 (outside of City limits) exhibit 50-100 percent of ADT. Other areas of moderate traffic congestion include W. Riggin Avenue, Road 80 or N. Plaza Drive, and northwest bound SR 99, all of which exhibit 25-50 percent, and small portions of 50-100 percent, of ADT. The most severe traffic congestion, starting as 50-100 percent of ADT then transitioning to greater than 100 percent of ADT, occurs along Betty Drive as evacuees turn onto SR 99. Evacuation responders could consider activating evacuation traffic management at this junction to ensure evacuees can safely and quickly exit the city using SR 99. Alongside the roads listed above, other roads to consider monitoring in this scenario include S. Bridge Street, S. Conyer Street, N. Santa Fe Street, and other roads located within downtown Visalia floodplain evacuation areas, as these may become congested during simultaneous evacuation out of the floodplain areas. 500-Year Flood Event
This scenario assumes a flood event across FEMA-designated 500-year floodplains within the city. As noted in the Evacuation Modeling section, SR 198 is not viable during a 500-year flood event due to the possibility that flooding could occur on SR 198, or that SR 198 could be used as an emergency flood basin during a flooding event. Like the 100-year flood event scenario, it is assumed that eastbound evacuation would not be practical due to the high likelihood that flood flows would originate from areas east of the city, within the Kaweah River Basin and/or Southern Sierra watershed, during heavy storm events, resulting in northwest-, west-, and southbound evacuation.
With a much greater flooding area than the 100-year flood event scenario—covering nearly all of the city—this scenario is expected to cause moderate to severe traffic congestion along all available County-designated evacuation routes. Figure 4 shows the most severe traffic congestion, greater than 100 percent of ADT, along westbound W. Riggin Avenue, N. Plaza Drive, and SR 99 as individuals travel towards and evacuate using northwest bound SR 99; and portions of W. Caldwell Avenue and SR 63 as individuals travel towards and evacuate using southbound SR 99 and SR 63. Areas of traffic congestion exhibiting 50-100 percent of ADT include portions of S. Court Street, S. Ben Maddox Way, and all roads previously listed. Moderate traffic congestion, exhibiting 25-50 percent of ADT, include all roads previously listed, in addition to portions of W. Goshen Avenue, N. Akers Street, S. Roeben Street, S. Shirk Road, S. Mooney Boulevard, W. Main Street, Burke Street, and South Lovers Lane.
Evacuation responders could consider activating evacuation traffic management at the most impacted westbound evacuation route feeder roads (W. Riggin Avenue and W. Caldwell Avenue) and contra-flow lane reversal on south SR 63 to allow both lanes to be used for evacuation if necessary. Evacuation responders could also consider re-routing evacuees towards additional evacuation routes, such as Avenue 280, Road 80, and Road 140 if traffic congestion along the available County-designated evacuation routes becomes too severe.
Hazardous Train Derailment Event (1)
This scenario assumes a train carrying hazardous materials derails near downtown Visalia. The train derailment area is a half mile stretch along the SJVR tracks, with the evacuation area being a one-mile buffer around the crash site. As shown in Figure 5, the most severe traffic congestion, 50-100% percent of ADT, occurs within the evacuation area along E. Murray Avenue, as individuals proceed towards eastbound SR 198, and along the E. Noble Avenue onramp for eastbound SR 198. Less severe traffic congestion, exhibiting 25-50 percent of ADT, occurs along a small portion of E. Goshen Avenue, S. Ben Maddox Way, and parts of SR 198. Although traffic congestion during this hazardous 292
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train derailment event is not expected to be severe, emergency responders could consider activating evacuation traffic management at impacted roadways/intersections within and around the evacuation area and ensure evacuees can rapidly exit the evacuation area while no bystanders can enter.
Hazardous Train Derailment Event (2)
This scenario assumes a train carrying hazardous materials derails in the southeastern vicinity of Visalia where a derailment is relatively more likely due to the curvature of the tracks in this area. This is primarily because curves pose additional challenges to train stability and require careful management. Like the previous derailment scenario, the train derailment area is a half mile stretch along the SJVR tracks, with the evacuation area being a one-mile buffer around the crash site. As shown in Figure 6, little to no traffic congestion occurs within and around the evacuation area, with only small portions of E. Noble Avenue, E. Mineral King Avenue, and E. Main Street exhibiting 25-50 percent of ADT. Although traffic congestion during this hazardous train derailment event is not expected to be severe, emergency responders could consider activating evacuation traffic management at impacted roadways/ intersections within and around the evacuation area and ensure evacuees can rapidly exit the evacuation area while no bystanders can enter.
Hazardous Train Derailment Event (3)
This scenario assumes a train carrying hazardous materials derails in the northwestern vicinity of Visalia near a railroad junction. Although train derailments can occur at various locations along a railway, switches and junctions are potential points of vulnerability due to the complexity of rail layouts and the need for precise alignment. The train derailment area is a half mile stretch along the SJVR tracks, with the evacuation area being a one-mile buffer around the crash site. As shown in Figure 7, due to the location of the train derailment evacuation area, evacuating using westbound SR 198 or northbound SR 99 is not viable. The most severe traffic congestion, 50-100 percent of ADT, occurs along S. Shirk Road and W. Caldwell Avenue, as evacuees use these roads to move away from the evacuation away onto southbound SR 99. Other areas with less severe congestion, 25-50 percent of ADT, occur along Plaza Drive and small parts of eastbound SR 198. Like the previous scenarios, although traffic congestion during this hazardous train derailment event is not expected to be severe, emergency responders could consider activating evacuation traffic management at impacted roadways/intersections (notably, S. Shirk Road and W. Caldwell Avenue) within and around the evacuation area and ensure evacuees can rapidly exit the evacuation area while no bystanders can enter.
Evacuation Strategies
The following lists evacuation strategies that the City may consider to improve future evacuation events.
Traffic Management
• Reverse one or more lanes of a highway to accommodate an increased flow of traffic in one direction.
• Redirect all lanes of a designated evacuation route to accommodate rapid evacuation from a city or region.
• Temporarily close inbound travel lanes on selected unlimited access arterials (such as parkways and boulevards) to allow outbound traffic to utilize these lanes during evacuation. 293
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• Close inbound lanes on highways used for evacuation routes to prevent drivers on these routes from entering the city while evacuation is underway.
• Minimize left-turn movements along evacuation routes and on roads leading to evacuation routes. • Signage: Use variable message board equipment and targeted installation of permanent dynamic message signs on evacuation routes to improve communication and reduce public confusion. • Consider how to stage tow trucks at key bottleneck locations along evacuation routes to help detect and clear minor crashes and maintain traffic flow. • Increase the green time and/or progression band for through movements leading out of an evacuation zone.
• Install signal battery backups in case signal operations need to be maintained during a power outage. Consider using channeling devices, static signs, and coning strategies to manage intersection flow during power outage if the signals lack power. • Identify and communicate with communities that have at least two access points. Prioritize adding additional access to communities which are currently served by only one or two access points. • Develop transportation solutions such as the use of a bus system for evacuating individuals with special needs (such as those with mobility limitations). • Establish traffic control points (i.e., locations along designated evacuation routes with emergency management personnel) to maintain a greater degree of evacuation management. These locations could enhance the efficiency of an evacuation, reduce public confusion, and allow increased operational flexibility during an evacuation.
Communications
• Strengthen and maintain communication among coordinating emergency event agencies. This could be achieved through systems such as the Public Information Emergency System and Emergency Satellite Communications.
• Implement a traffic control center to coordinate all evacuation activities. This center would have up to the minute reports on traffic patterns and can communicate directly with the broadcast media to let drivers know about roadway congestion and conditions and direct them to alternate routes.
• Install counters and/or CCTV cameras to assess traffic flow, volume of vehicles evacuating, and monitor incidents.
• Develop a communication plan to provide information regarding primary and secondary evacuation routes and incidents to the public.
Vulnerable Populations
• Understand if there are areas in the city with a greater percentage of senior adults, disabled people, mobility impaired, visually impaired, people with medical conditions, and people without vehicles with of objective of identifying areas that should be prioritized by first responders during an evacuation.
• Develop system to ensure hearing impaired receive evacuation warnings. • Provide special assistance to mobility impaired, visually impaired, people with medical conditions, and people without vehicles such as paratransit.
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• Translated materials should be prepared to support communication to non-English speaking populations including during evacuation.
• Evacuation centers should provide dialysis machines or other life-sustaining equipment. • Provide resources for free to unhoused populations during evacuation.
Conclusion
The City’s transportation network allows for a streamlined evacuation north, west, south, and east of the city during a disaster4. However, due to the growing population density and potential hazard risks, an evacuation event could still put a burden on the transportation network. In compliance with SB 99, we have identified 35 neighborhoods that have a single entry or exit point throughout the city. The emergency evacuation analysis, according to AB 747, shows that in the case of a 100- or 500-year flood event, some portions of the City’s evacuation network could become unviable, namely SR 198.
Depending on the severity of the flooding, evacuation routes could become significantly impacted thus prompting emergency traffic management and the use of alternative evacuation routes. In the case of a hazardous train derailment, the analysis of three different derailment scenarios depicts only moderate impact on the evacuation network, however emergency traffic management during these derailment events should still be considered.
Implementing traffic management strategies will aid in efficient and expeditious flow of evacuation traffic, which is the most critical and challenging element in a successful evacuation. Communication during an evacuation event is found to be an extreme challenge due to the coordination between agencies responsible for communication. Improved training, procedures, platforms, and public education are all strategies that can occur pre-emptively to improve communication among entities involved in the management of response, and communication between the City and the general public.
Vulnerability of residents should also be considered in determining which areas may need to be prioritized by first responders during an evacuation. Areas within the city with a greater percentage of elderly people, disabled people, households that do not own vehicles (i.e., transit dependent populations), and institutionalized populations require a greater amount of support during an evacuation. Other vulnerable groups should be evaluated relative to evacuation route vulnerability.
It is recommended that the results of these analyses be considered to frame supportive policies for the Safety Element Update. These policies can be used to identify potential evacuation capacity and resiliency improvements throughout the city.
4 Excluding flood disasters, in which case eastbound evacuation would most likely become unviable. 295
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Figure 2 Baseline Traffic Conditions
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Figure 3 100-Year Flood Event
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Figure 4 500-Year Flood Event
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Figure 5 Hazardous Material Train Derailment (1)
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Figure 6 Hazardous Material Train Derailment (2)
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Figure 7 Hazardous Material Train Derailment (3)
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Appendix B
City of Visalia Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 302
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Table of Contents
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment i
Table of Contents Update
1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Report Overview.........................................................................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Background on Climate Change .................................................................................................................................................................2
1.3 Visalia Snapshot..........................................................................................................................................................................................2
1.4 Glossary ......................................................................................................................................................................................................3
1.5 Vulnerability Assessment Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................4 2 Climate Hazards .....................................................................................................................................................................................................8
2.1 Climate Drivers...........................................................................................................................................................................................8 3 Sensitivity .............................................................................................................................................................................................................17
3.1 Sensitive Populations ...............................................................................................................................................................................17
3.2 Natural and Managed Resources.............................................................................................................................................................19
3.3 Buildings and Critical Facilities.................................................................................................................................................................19
3.4 Infrastructure and Services ......................................................................................................................................................................19 4 Adaptive Capacity ................................................................................................................................................................................................20
4.1 Programs, Plans, and Policies to Manage Impacts of Climate Hazards on Visalia ...................................................................................20 5 Vulnerability Analysis...........................................................................................................................................................................................23
5.1 Sensitive Populations ...............................................................................................................................................................................23
5.2 Natural and Managed Resources.............................................................................................................................................................29
5.3 Buildings and Critical Facilities.................................................................................................................................................................32
5.4 Infrastructure and Services ......................................................................................................................................................................34 6 Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................................................................36 7 References............................................................................................................................................................................................................38 304
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ii
Tables
Table 1 Impact and Adaptive Capacity Scoring Rubric............................................................................................................................................7 Table 2 Vulnerability Score Matrix..........................................................................................................................................................................7 Table 3 Sensitive Populations in Visalia ................................................................................................................................................................18 Table 4 Programs, Plans, and Policies to Manage Impacts of Climate Hazards....................................................................................................20 Figures
Figure 1 California Adaptation Planning Phases to Assessing Vulnerability ............................................................................................................4 Figure 2 Vulnerability Assessment Flow Diagram....................................................................................................................................................4 Figure 3 100 and 500 Year Floodplain in Visalia.....................................................................................................................................................14 305
Introduction
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 1
1 Introduction
1.1 Report Overview
This report evaluates how climate change may impact vulnerable populations, natural and managed resources, buildings and critical facilities, and infrastructure and services in Visalia. This report is consistent with Government Code § 65302 (as amended by Senate Bill (SB) 379) which requires California’s local jurisdictions to prepare a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment to inform updates to the Safety Element of the General Plan. Understanding Visalia’s vulnerabilities to climate change provides a foundation to develop required climate adaptation goals, policies, and implementation programs for the Safety Element. The report is organized as follows:
1. Introduction provides background on climate change, Visalia snapshot, a glossary of terms used throughout the report, and describes the methodology and key data sources used to
prepare the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment.
2. Climate Hazards outlines climate drivers, relevant climate hazards, historical hazards events, how hazards are expected to change, and includes figures mapping climate hazards across Visalia.
3. Sensitivity identifies populations and assets most at risk to climate change.
4. Adaptive Capacity summarizes plans, policies, and programs that may help Visalia adapt to climate hazard events.
5. Vulnerability Analysis describes potential impacts for each hazard based on sensitive community, natural, managed, and built assets, with consideration given to their adaptive capacity.
The chapter includes vulnerability scores of low, medium, or high for each population group and asset. See Vulnerability Scoring Methodology section below for more detail.
6. Conclusion presents the key findings of this report. 306
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2 1.2 Background on Climate Change
This report evaluates how climate change may impact vulnerable community members, natural resources, agriculture, buildings, community facilities and infrastructure in Visalia. Government Code §65302, as amended by SB 379, requires cities, and counties across California to prepare a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment to inform updates to the Safety Element of the General Plan.
1.3 Visalia Snapshot
The land that Visalia occupies today was traditionally the territory of the Yokuts Native American tribes (Gorelick 2020). Founded in 1852, the City of Visalia is situated in the southern San Joaquin Valley and is the County seat of Tulare County. The City is approximately 190 miles north of Los Angeles and 230 miles southeast of San Francisco.
Visalia is flat, with a dry Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot and dry summers and moderate winters. The St Johns River runs along the city’s northeast edge. Visalia serves as the county’s economic center and is recognized as one of the most productive agricultural regions in the nation, with major crops including grapes, olives, cotton, citrus, and nursery products. The population in 2021 was 140,109, with the largest employers including Tulare County, Kaweah Delta Healthcare, College of the Sequoias, and CIGNA HealthCare (MHLHMP 2017).
Causes of Climate Change
Climate change is caused by the addition of excess greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere, which traps heat near the earth’s surface, raising global average temperatures and creating the greenhouse effect. This increase in average temperatures across the globe affects precipitation patterns, the severity of wildfires, the prevalence of extreme heat events, water supply, and ocean temperatures and chemistry (NASA 2022). According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), GHG levels are higher now than they have been in the past 400,000 years, with carbon dioxide levels increasing from 280 parts per million to 410 parts per million in the last 150 years (IPCC 2021). The dramatic increase in GHGs is attributed to human activities beginning during the industrial revolution in the 1800s, which represented a shift from an agrarian and handicraft-based economy to one dominated by industry and machine
manufacturing (NASA 2022).
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1.4 Glossary
Several words and phrases are used throughout the report to illustrate climate vulnerabilities within the city. ▪ Adaptation. The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, either to minimize harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate (IPCC, 2012). ▪ Adaptive Capacity. The ability for a community to cope with and adjust to the impacts of climate change (Cal OES 2020). ▪ Asset. Referential to a resource, structure, facility, or service that is relied on by a community.
▪ Cascading Impact. Climate hazard caused impacts that compromise infrastructure or disrupt critical services (i.e., power supply or water conveyance) broadening the scope of impact past a singular subject to reliant subsystems and populations (Collins et al. 2019). ▪ Climate Driver. A change in the climate which acts as the main source of change for subsequent climate hazards. Climate drivers relevant to the city and discussed in this report are temperature and precipitation.
▪ Climate Hazard. A dangerous or potentially dangerous condition created by the effects of the local climate (Cal OES 2020). Climate hazards of concern for Visalia are extreme heat, warm nights, chill hours, drought, tule fog, riverine and stormwater flooding, wildfire and secondary climate/wildfire impacts such as air quality. ▪ Compounding Risk. When two or more extreme events or average events occur simultaneously and increase the scope of impact or severity of the event; an additional risk brought about by increased frequency of events from climate change (Seneviratne et al. 2012). ▪ Impact. Effects on natural and human systems including effects on lives, livelihoods, health, ecosystems, economies, societies, cultures, services, and infrastructure due to the interaction of climate hazards and the vulnerabilities of the system or asset effected (IPCC 2012).
▪ Mitigation. An act or sustained actions to reduce, eliminate, or avoid negative impacts or effects (Cal OES 2020).
▪ Resilience. The capacity of an entity (an individual a community, an organization, or a natural system) to prepare for disruptions, to recover from shocks and stresses, and to adapt and grow from a disruptive experience (Cal OES 2020)
▪ Sensitivities. The degree to which a species, natural system, community, asset, or other associated system would be affected by changing climate conditions (Cal OES 2020).
▪ Vulnerable Populations. Vulnerable populations experience heightened risk and increase sensitivity to climate change and have less capacity and fewer resources to cope with, adapt to, or recover from climate impacts (Cal OES 2020).
▪ Vulnerability. The propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected (IPCC 2012).
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4 1.5 Vulnerability Assessment Methodology
The following section details state guidance, methods, and sources used to produce this report.
California Adaptation Planning Guide Phases
The City of Visalia Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment follows the vulnerability assessment process recommended by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), as documented in the 2020 California Adaptation Planning Guide (Cal APG). The adaptation planning process outlines by the Cal APG consists of four phases, illustrated in Figure 1, with Phase 2 detailing the vulnerability assessment process (Cal OES, 2020). The City of Visalia Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment is prepared consistent with Phase 2 of the Cal APG and is composed of the components described in Figure 2.
Figure 1 California Adaptation Planning Phases to
Assessing Vulnerability
Source: 2020 California Adaptation Planning Guide
Figure 2 Vulnerability Assessment Flow Diagram
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Key Data Sources
The following data sources and tools, many of which are recommended by the Cal APG, were used in preparation of this report. ▪ Cal-Adapt is an online tool that presents historic and modeled projections based on 10 different global climate models. The tool was developed and is maintained by the University of California with oversight from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Cal-Adapt is used to present projection data related to minimum and maximum temperature, precipitation, extreme heat, warm nights, drought, and wildfire.
▪ California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment was developed by the CEC and other State of California coordinating agencies to present up-to-date climate science, projections and potential impacts associated with climate change. The CEC and
coordinating agencies developed nine regional reports to provide regional-scale climate information to support local planning and action. The San Joaquin Valley Region Summary Report (Santiago et. al 2021) presents an overview of climate science, regional projections, specific strategies to adapt to climate impacts, and key research gaps needed to spur
additional progress on safeguarding the San Joaquin Valley Region (including Visalia) from climate change. The San Joaquin Valley Region Summary Report was used to understand regional changes that may affect Visalia both directly and indirectly. ▪ Tulare County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJLHMP) presents information on existing processes and plans that address Visalia’s ability to prepare for climate change impacts and informed the adaptive capacity discussion of this report. The MJLHMP (2017) was also used to identify recent historical events. The MJLHMP includes information on past hazard events and resulting damage in and around Visalia. ▪ The California Healthy Places Index (HPI) is an online mapping tool that reports on community conditions known to predict health outcomes and life expectancy. The tool was prepared by the Public Health Alliance of Southern California, a collaborative of local health departments in Southern California. HPI displays 25 community characteristics at various legislative boundaries, including census tracts and city and county boundaries. The community characteristics relate to the following identified Policy Action Areas: economic, education, housing, health care access, neighborhood, clean environment, transportation, and social factors. HPI applies a relative percentile score across all census tracts in California using statistical modeling techniques based on the relationship of the Policy Action Areas to life expectancy at birth. Low percentile scores reflect unhealthy conditions. HPI was used to prepare the social sensitivity index score as described in more detail below. HPI is useful in providing both big picture and localized insights into community health. HPI was used to prepare the social sensitivity index score as described in more detail below. HPI is useful in providing both big picture and localized insights into community health. HPI was updated in the Spring of 2022 to include data averages from the U.S. Census 2015-2019 ACS.
▪ U.S. Census, 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) presents demographic data by census tract and was used to supplement the HPI percentile score. U.S. Census data was used to identify the percentage of the Visalia population that corresponds to each vulnerable group.
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6 Data Limitations
The limitations of this report and its analysis stem from gaps in the existing available data. Census data can miss portions of the population (e.g., unhoused, or undocumented populations) and general demographic information may not accurately capture populations vulnerable to climate change (Cantwell 2021). Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year and 500-year flood plains do not account for climate change projections; flood zones are instead based on historical information.
Extrapolating air quality hazard exposure data in the context of climate change is difficult for many reasons including compounding effects and therefore expected, exposures are likely to be underestimated. The data presented in Cal-Adapt tools are projections, or estimates, of the future. The limitation in these projections is that the long-term behavior of the atmosphere is expressed in averages – for example, average annual temperature, average monthly rainfall, or average water equivalent of mountain snowpack at a given time of year. The averages discussed often downplay the extremes by which daily weather events occur and when presented as an average, only show moderate changes within the climate. Using averages can result in an omission of the frequency of extremes. In the case of extreme weather events, atmospheric rivers may increase, while low-to-moderate intensity weather events decrease through the end of the century. In instances of modeled precipitation projections, an average maintains a quantification similar to historic levels which does not account for anticipated fluctuations in extremes (CEC 2021).
Vulnerable Communities Identification
Significant vulnerable communities are included in the report according to the following methodology. The list of vulnerable populations considered in this assessment originates from the Cal APG. Each population statistic from the Cal APG list is identified for the City from Healthy Places Index (HPI). If the data was not available for the population, the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) was used (more information can be found in the Key Data Sources section). A vulnerable population statistic is considered significant if the U.S. Census statistic is larger than the state average for that same population group. If the statistic originates from the HPI, it is considered significant between the 0- 50 percentile for unhealthy conditions (in comparison to other jurisdictions in the state). Some vulnerable communities, such as people experiencing homelessness and low income, were included regardless of the city having a population considered significant by this methodology, in order to account for the disproportionate burden of climate impacts on those communities.
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Vulnerability Scoring Methodology
Vulnerability scoring is a valuable step in the climate change vulnerability assessment process because it identifies which assets and populations face the greatest threat from climate hazards. This scoring methodology can aid in the prioritization of adaptation actions and measurement development. The vulnerability score is a combination of impact and adaptive capacity scores. The impact and adaptive capacity scores are developed using a qualitative methodology outlined in the Cal APG, as seen in Table 1. Impact and adaptive capacity scores are identified for every asset and population for each climate hazard. These impact and adaptive capacity scores were combined in a matrix, as seen in Table 2, to develop a vulnerability score. The range of vulnerability scores spans between 1 through 5 with 4 and 5 representing the greatest vulnerability.
Table 1 Impact and Adaptive Capacity Scoring Rubric
Score Impact Adaptive Capacity
Low Impact is unlikely based on projected exposure; would result in minor consequences to public health, safety, and/or other metrics of concern.
The population or asset lacks capacity to manage changes; major changes would be required.
Medium Impact is somewhat likely based on projected exposure; would result in some consequences to public health, safety, and/or other metrics of concern.
The population or asset has some capacity to manage climate impact; some changes would be required.
High Impact is highly likely based on projected exposure; consequences to public health, safety, and/or other metrics of concern.
The population or asset has high capacity to manage climate impact; minimal to no changes are required.
Source: Cal OES 2020
Table 2 Vulnerability Score Matrix
Potential
Impacts
High 3 4 5
Medium 2 3 4
Low 1 2 3
High Medium Low
Adaptive Capacity
Source: Cal OES 2020
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8 2 Climate Hazards
Climate change is a global phenomenon that can impact many aspects of society including public health, natural and managed resources, critical facilities, buildings infrastructure, and services.
Projected changes to the climate are dependent on geographic location. The Cal-Adapt tool provides climate data from global scale models that have been localized (downscaled) to 3.7 mile by 3.7- mile grids (CEC 2021). The data in Cal-Adapt is combined with information from the California Fourth Climate Change Assessment to model future changes in specific types of hazards within this assessment. Projections throughout this section are outlined by two separate Representative Concentration Pathways1 (RCP) (CEC 2021). ▪ RCP 4.5 is a medium emissions scenario where global emissions peak by the year 2040.
▪ RCP 8.5 is a high emissions scenario in which global emissions continue to rise through the end of the twenty-first century.
Projections are forecasted to mid-century (2035-2064) and endcentury (2070-2099) as 30-year averages to be compared to a modeled historical baseline (1961-1990) (CEC 2021).
The exposure section of this assessment presents information on temperature and precipitation, which are characterized as climate drivers. Subsequently, this section provides information on projected changes to natural hazards, including extreme heat, 1 Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) is a greenhouse gas concentration (not emissions) trajectory adopted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). A greenhouse gas concentration trajectory describes possible future scenarios based on the volume of greenhouse gases emitted globally in years to come. drought, wildfire, air quality, and riverine and stormwater flooding, which result from changes to climate drivers.
2.1 Climate Drivers
In Visalia, the climate drivers of concern include temperature and precipitation. All projections are taken from the Cal-Adapt Local Climate Change Snapshot tool and supplemented with the regional information found in the California Fourth Climate Change Assessment San Joaquin Regional Report (CEC 2021, Santiago et. al 2021).
Temperature
Visalia’s historical (1961-1990) average maximum temperature is
75.9°F and average minimum temperature is 49.6°F. Visalia’s midcentury projections for average maximum temperatures show a
3.8°F (RCP 4.5) to 4.8°F (RCP 8.5) increase. Mid-century projections for average minimum temperatures show a 3.2°F (RCP 4.5) to 4.1°F (RCP 8.5) increase. End of the century projections for average maximum temperatures are expected to increase in Visalia by approximately 5.0°F (RCP 4.5) to 8.6°F (RCP 8.5). End of the century projections for average minimum temperatures are expected to increase by approximately 4.2°F (RCP 4.5) to 7.7°F (RCP 8.5) (CEC 2021). Temperature increases affect extreme heat and warm nights, drought, wildfire, and air quality (Santiago et. al 2021). 313
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Precipitation
California’s San Joaquin Valley region experiences highly variable annual rainfall, ranging from 8 to 20 inches per year. The observed 30-year average annual precipitation in Visalia is 9.5 inches. Annual precipitation projections for the city shows minimal change. Under RCP 4.5, Visalia is projected to experience a slight change, 0.4-inch decrease by mid-century and a 0.3-inch decrease by end-century.
Under RCP 8.5 projections show a 0.2-inch decrease by mid-century and a 0.3-inch decrease by end-century. (CEC 2021).
Despite minimal projected changes in average precipitation, dry and wet extremes are both expected to increase in the future. In the San Joaquin region, there will be more dry periods punctuated by increased precipitation intensities of the largest storms or wet periods, producing little net change in precipitation totals but more extreme conditions. Atmospheric rivers bring between 20-50% of the state’s precipitation annually. These vary in in intensity, with some benefitting water supply and replenishing snowpack, while others are responsible for destructive and floods (Santiago et. al 2021).
Maximum 1-day precipitation values are projected to increase between 0.001-inch (RCP 4.5) and 0.034 inch (RCP 8.5) by midcentury and between 0.017-inch (RCP 4.5) and 0.050-inch (RCP 8.5) by end-century. Precipitation changes are expected to affect incidence of wildfire, drought, riverine and stormwater flooding, and air quality.
Hazards
This section outlines projected changes for the following climate hazards:
Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
Drought
Wildfire
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding
Air Quality
Tule Fog
Chill Hours
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10 Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
Extreme heat days are defined as days in which the daily maximum temperature exceeds the 98thpercentile value of the historical average. For Visalia, the threshold temperature is 103.4°F (CEC 2022). Climate change is causing a severe increase in temperatures throughout the San Joaquin Valley region. Annual average maximum temperatures have increased by about 1°F and are expected to increase 4 °F (RCP 4.5) to 5 °F (RCP 8.5) by mid-century and by 5 °F (RCP 4.5) to 8 °F (RCP 8.5) by the end of the century (Santiago et. al 2021). The Cal-Adapt Climate Change Snapshot Tool projects that extreme heat days in Visalia will increase from the annual average of 4 days to between 22 (RCP 4.5) and 30 (RCP 8.5) by mid-century and between 32 (RCP
4.5) 63 (RCP 8.5) by end-century (CEC 2022).
Exposure to extreme heat can cause direct heat-related illness (heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke) and death, and can also exacerbate certain existing medical conditions (Santiago et. al 2021). Increased frequency of extreme heat days can result in increased public health risks, particularly to vulnerable populations like older adults, young children, and individuals with underlying chronic diseases, through heat-related illnesses and increased vector-borne illnesses.
Warm nights can further exacerbate the risk of heat illness because they affect the body’s ability to cool after a day of heightened temperatures. According to Cal-Adapt, a warm night is defined as a day in April through October when the daily minimum temperature exceeds the 98th historical percentile of daily minimum temperatures based on observed data from 1961–1990. In Visalia, a warm night occurs when the minimum temperature is higher than 71.1°F. The 30-year observed average of warm nights in the city between 1961-1990 was 4. Warm nights in Visalia are projected to increase between 16 nights (RCP 4.5) and 24 nights (RCP 8.5) by mid-century and between 24 nights (RCP 4.5) 59 nights (RCP 8.5) by endcentury.
Prolonged extreme heat events can exacerbate drought conditions. Vulnerabilities for natural resources can include stressed vegetation and habitat depletion, while populations may be more vulnerable to heat stress and dehydration (CEC 2018). 315
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Drought
Climate change will increase the likelihood that low-precipitation years will coincide with above-average temperature years. Warming temperatures increase seasonal dryness and the likelihood of drought due to decreased supply of moisture and increased atmospheric demand for moisture as evaporation from bare soils and evapotranspiration from plants increases. The increased moisture loss from soils and vegetation amplifies dryness during periods without precipitation.
In California’s highly variable climate setting, climate models project annual precipitation will be characterized by more extremes and increasing variability with the number of dry years increasing (Santiago et. al 2021). The duration of dry spells is projected to vary depending on which emissions scenario is used. Like precipitation patterns, some of the annual variability is obscured within 30-year averages. Despite this, the clear trend is for maximum lengths of dry spells to increase through the end of century (CEC 2021).
Extreme droughts can diminish the natural recharge of groundwater aquifers, which can lead to increased risk of over-pumping. The city is dependent on groundwater supply for the majority of its needs, so prolonged drought conditions may lead to a need for importing water and/or water rationing. Drought can disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and agriculture and can impact economic productivity throughout Visalia. Vulnerabilities for natural and managed resources can include reduced crop productivity and increased livestock and wildlife mortality (City 2017).
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12 Wildfire
In the past two decades, wildfires in California have occurred more frequently and with greater intensity (Santiago et. al 2021). This trend is projected in the Tulare region through mid and end-century (CEC 2021). Though the cause of most wildfires relates to humanactivities or lightning, wildfire behavior is based on three primary factors: fuel, topography, and weather.
The City of Visalia has not experienced wildfire within its city limits. Neighboring wildfires have tended to occur east of the city, including the 2020 Castle Fire, which burned more than 129,000 acres in the Sequoia National Forest.
Current wildfire risk is projected using CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps which designate moderate, high, and very high Fire Hazard Severity Zones based on a set of factors that influence fire likelihood and fire behavior. Within Visalia’s city limits, there are no areas designated as Very High or High Fire Hazard Severity Zones Wildfire risk is increasing, both in the state of California and in the Tulare County region.
Though fire risk within Visalia city limits is limited, risk in neighboring areas, specifically those to the east of the city, is expected to increase as climate change conditions, such as prolonged drought and extreme temperatures continue to worsen (Santiago et. al 2021).
Cascading risks of neighboring wildfires can cause poor air quality and have additional impacts on public health.
Wildfires can create risk of injury, death, or financial hardship if personal property is damaged as well as physical damage to all other assets creating cascading risks for vulnerable populations when infrastructure is damaged or goes off-line. For example, individuals with chronic health conditions who rely on medical equipment for critical health care could be severely impacted by a wildfire-caused power outage. 317
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Riverine and Stormwater Flooding
Climate change may cause low-lying areas throughout Visalia to experience more frequent flooding and could increase the extent of 100-year or 500-year flood-affected areas.
Riverine flooding is projected to increase as precipitation extremes increase (CEC 2021). The City of Visalia Annex to the Tulare County MJLHMP sites flooding as highly likely. During heavy rain events, stormwater systems may be overwhelmed more frequently as more extreme rain events occur, causing localized flooding which could impact properties and close streets. Structures and infrastructure damages can lead to extreme financial losses to both the City and its residents. Flooding can also cascade into power, wastewater, and storm drainage infrastructure, leading to interruptions in services relied upon by the community.
Visalia is located in the heart of the Kaweah River’s delta system, so many rivers and creeks flow through the city. Surface runoff generally flows from east to west and terminates in the Tulare Lake Basin. The major water resources in the city include the St. Johns River, Mill Creek, Packwood Creek, Cameron Creek, Deep Creek, Evans Creek, Modoc Ditch, Mill Creek Ditch, Persian Ditch, Tulare Irrigation District (TID) Canal, and some other local ditches (City 2014).
The majority of Visalia is within the 500-year floodplain, with a large swath of the central portion of the city within the 100-year floodplain. Several critical facilities including health care facilities, schools, and City facilities are located within the flood pain, as shown in Figure 3.
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14 Figure 3 100 and 500 Year Floodplain in Visalia
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Air Quality
In Visalia, worsening air quality is likely as climate change intensifies. Poor air quality, due to increasing temperatures and wildfires, can create respiratory issues for vulnerable populations and impact indoor areas without adequate air filtration systems. There are several sources of poor air quality:
▪ Dust. Increased temperature leads to a lack of soil moisture and increased dry, dusty conditions also associated with drought and increased evaporation (Santiago et. al 2021). ▪ Smog. Increases in ambient temperature can lead to higher rates of smog, also referred to as ozone. Ground-level ozone, specifically, will be experienced at higher rates leading to raised cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality rates (CDPH 2014).
Ground-level ozone has also been shown to have particularly disproportionate adverse impacts on populations experiencing homelessness and lower median income (PNAS 2021). Visalia is expected to experience increases in ozone concentrations in tandem with temperature increases.
▪ Pesticide Drift. Air quality in Visalia may be impacted by pesticide drift, or the airborne movement of pesticides from an area of application to any unidentified site, from neighboring conventional agriculture operations.
▪ Fewer Natural Filtrations. Precipitation variability and long periods of dry spells lead to less reliable air quality for the entire region. Moisture in the air can filter pollutants and provide for overall improved conditions (Santiago et. al 2021). ▪ Wildfire Smoke. Temperature, severe wildfire conditions, and the area burned by wildfires throughout the state have increased and will continue to increase in the future.
Higher temperatures accompanied by an increase in the incidence and extent of large wildfires will lead to increased wildfire smoke exposure and associated toxins, air pollution, and particulate matter (Santiago et. al 2021). 320
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16 Tule Fog
Tule Fog, characteristic to the San Joaquin Valley, forms after intense precipitation through a combination of radiant heat and cool nights. This fog layer helps fruit and nut trees attain dormancy requirements, a component of the crop cycle that requires moisture and cool temperatures. Since 1980 the frequency of Tule Fog has dropped by 75%. With projected increases in average temperature as well as decreases in precipitation frequency, Tule Fog occurrences are projected to further decline (Angel et al. 2021).
Chill Hours
The City of Visalia and the surrounding Tulare County contain large portions of agricultural land, making the hazard of chill hours decline an acute concern (Angel et al. 2021). Chill hours are defined as hours below 45°F which help in facilitating synchronized blooming, pollination, and standardize production of quality and quantity of crops within the San Joaquin Valley (Angel et al. 2021). Chill hours are a necessary component of agricultural productivity, and a proxy measure of minimum temperature shows a steady decrease in time spent below the 45°F threshold (Angel et al. 2021). Chill hour declines impact the City of Visalia’s agricultural industry by negatively impacting crop yields.
Relevant Chill Hour Hazards
Tulare’s neighboring county, Fresno County, has experienced a decline in chill hours that is linked to significant county-wide agricultural damages. In 2014 the USDA declared a chill hours disaster which amounted to $53 million in damages for the county (Fresno County 2018).
Based on a survey of Fresno County asset managers, the
McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency observed a loss of crops, plants, and trees because of the 2014 Chill Hours disaster (Hurley 2022).
This neighboring disaster has implications for Tulare County and the City of Visalia, as both contain similar topography to Fresno County, and have economies similarly reliant on tree crops and agricultural success.
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3 Sensitivity
Populations and assets are affected by climate change depending on their sensitivity to climate hazards. This section identifies sensitive populations and assets within Visalia. Potential impacts from the climate hazards of concern on sensitive populations and assets are presented in the Vulnerability Analysis section.
Sensitive Populations
Natural and Managed Resources
Buildings and Critical Facilities
Infrastructure and Services
3.1 Sensitive Populations
While all people in a community will experience climate change, some may be more affected than others. For
example, older adults and young children may be more atrisk of heat illness during an extreme heat event. Several factors can influence sensitivity to climate hazards including an individual’s health, age, and ability, societal disadvantages, access to health care, economic opportunity, education and other resources, and inequities found in basic needs and exposure to environmental stressors (Cal OES 2020). Sensitive populations experience heightened risk to climate change and have fewer resources to adapt and recover from climate change impacts. Visalia has several vulnerable populations that will be disproportionately impacted by climate change that are grouped below and listed in Table 3 below. ▪ Individuals with high outdoor exposure. People experiencing homelessness and outdoor workers.
▪ Under-resourced individuals. Low income, renters, and households without access to a vehicle.
▪ Individuals facing societal barriers. Communities of color, undocumented immigrants, Native Americans, and linguistically isolated individuals.
▪ Individuals with chronic health conditions or health related sensitivities. Older adults, young children, and individuals with a disability.
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18 Table 3 Sensitive Populations in Visalia
Population Population Description
Percentage of
Population or Households
People experiencing homelessness Individuals who currently lack fixed, regular, and adequate housing 0.3 - 0.7%* Low-income Households below 80% of area median income 30.9% Undocumented immigrants People born outside of the US that are not US citizens 50.2% Older adults Individuals 65 years or older 11.7%
Young children Individuals 5 years and younger 8.5%
Communities of color Individuals that do not identify as white 61.1% Outdoor workers Individuals who are employed, 16 and older, and work outdoors 6.46% Renters Housing units that are renter occupied 54.9%
Linguistically isolated Households with individuals who are non or limited English-speaking 35.8% Individuals with a disability Individuals with access and functional needs (physical and mental) 13.2% Native Americans Individuals who identify as American Native and Alaskan Native 9.4% Households without vehicle access Households without access to a vehicle 5.2% Source: The percentages used in this table were acquired from the California Healthy Places Index 3.0, U.S. Census, 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) * Assumes 500 – 1,000 people experiencing homelessness (Personal communication with City of Visalia) and City of population of 143,966 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022). Census data can miss portions of the population (e.g., unhoused, or undocumented populations) and general demographic information may not accurately capture populations vulnerable to climate change (Cantwell 2021).
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3.2 Natural and Managed
Resources
Natural and managed resources within Visalia are detailed in the Parks, Schools, Community Facilities and Utilities chapter of the City’s General Plan. There are a total of 640 acres of City-owned and operated park land located in
within the city, including the following:
▪ Neighborhood Parks (greater than 2 acres): 23
▪ Community Parks (5-12 acres): 4
▪ Large City Parks (greater than 40 acres): 3
Plaza Park, Mooney Grove Park, Riverway Sports Park, and St. Johns Riverway are some of the largest managed spaces in the city. The Open Space Element of the General Plan identifies natural priorities including biological resources, cultural resources, soil and minerals, water resources, air quality, and open space (City 2014).
The City of Visalia is surrounded by agricultural land, with some portions falling within city boundaries, primarily in the north and southwest. Key crops include but are not limited to grapes, olives, cotton, citrus, and nursery products.
Natural and managed resources provide habitat and improve air and water quality, and are sources of community resilience, recreation, and economic productivity to the city. They are spread throughout the city and face various levels of exposure to climate hazards.
3.3 Buildings and Critical Facilities
Climate change is expected to amplify extreme weather
and climate hazards in Visalia. A jurisdiction’s vulnerability increases when buildings and critical facilities are not designed, operated, and/or maintained to function
effectively under extreme weather conditions or can be damaged by extreme weather conditions. Critical facilities are structures and institutions necessary for a community’s response to and recovery from emergencies. Critical facilities must continue to operate during and following a disaster to reduce the severity of impacts and accelerate recovery, such as:
▪ Fire Stations
▪ Police Stations
▪ Hospital/Healthcare Facilities
▪ Emergency Shelters
▪ Schools
▪ Jails
Additional buildings mentioned in this section include residential and commercial developments.
3.4 Infrastructure and Services
There are various types of infrastructure and services
within Visalia that are vulnerable to climate change.
Assets within this category include water services,
wastewater, emergency services, medical services,
utilities and major utility corridors, public transportation, roadways, and active transportation routes.
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20 4 Adaptive Capacity
Adaptive capacity is the ability to adjust to the effects of climate change. This section summarizes the ways in which the City currently plans for and manages the negative impacts of climate change. Types of adaptive capacity include adjustments in behavior, resources, and technologies.
Existing policies, plans, programs, and institutions that increase the City’s resilience to climate change impacts are organized by climate hazard and listed in Table 4. The adaptive capacity findings are overlayed with impacts of each climate hazard on different asset categories to produce a vulnerability score for each asset in the Vulnerability Analysis section.
4.1 Programs, Plans, and Policies to Manage Impacts of Climate Hazards on Visalia
Table 4 lists programs, plans, and policies that help increase the community’s resilience to extreme heat and warm nights, drought, wildfire, riverine and stormwater flooding, air quality, and tule fog.
Table 4 Programs, Plans, and Policies to Manage Impacts of Climate Hazards Existing and Planned Programs, Plans, and Policies Objectives Hazards Addressed City of Visalia General Plan (City 2014) The City’s General Plan provides a set of policies and programs that form a blueprint for long-term development of the community. It consists of written text and diagrams that express how a community should develop and is a key tool for influencing the quality of life. The plan is a basis for decision-making on land use, city services, and public works used by policymakers such as the Planning Commission and the City Council. The General Plan includes the following elements that pertain to climate change and resiliency: Land Use, Open Space and Conservation, Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases, and Safety. These include policies for land planning, resource conservation, and to minimize impacts from hazards including wildfire, flooding, and air quality.
All
City of Visalia Active Transportation Plan (ATP) (City
2017)
Active transportation refers to non-motorized, human-powered transportation, and refers mostly to walking, biking, wheeling, or rolling. The primary goal of the City’s ATP is to provide the means to support active transportation, specifically biking and walking, as an alternative mode of transportation. This provides opportunities for improving community health, and reducing impacts of transportation on air quality, noise, traffic congestion, and energy resources consumption.
Air Quality
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Existing and Planned Programs, Plans, and Policies Objectives Hazards Addressed Tulare County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan (MJLHMP 2017)
The Tulare County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan describes hazard mitigation policies for flooding, wildfires, drought.
All
City of Visalia Climate Action Plan (CAP 2013) The City of Visalia’s Climate Action Plan was created to guide the development and enhancement of actions designed to reduce Visalia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It includes GHG emissions inventory for the year 2005, which was used as a baseline, and includes emissions from all sectors within the city.
All
Visalia Urban Water Management Plan (District 2021) The purpose of this document is to be a baseline document and source of information for the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and to serve as:
▪ A short-and long-range planning document for water supply; ▪ A data source for developing a regional water supply plan; ▪ A resource for the City in preparing and updating the General Plan; ▪ A key component of an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.
Drought
Southern California Edison (SCE) Medical Baseline
Allowance Program (SCE 2022)
SCE provides eligible customers with a medical need for electricity (for oxygen, dialysis, etc.) with extra notifications (i.e., calls, texts, or doorbell rings) in advance of a public safety power shutoff. Public safety power shutoffs may occur during an extreme heat event.
Wildfire
Southern California Edison (SCE) Self-Generation
Incentive Program (SCE 2022)
The SCE Self-Generation Incentive Program pays for all costs associated with procuring battery storage for eligible customers. Medical Baseline Program customers qualify for full benefits of the Self-Generation Incentive Program.
All
Southern California Edison (SCE) Wildfire Safety Program (SCE 2022)
SCE regularly communicates with customers in the county during power outages and notifies customers when power will be restored. SCE provides translation assistance to non-English speaking individuals and the option to update language preference for PSPS alerts.
All
City of Visalia Agricultural Mitigation Program &
Feasibility Study (City 2020)
The Agricultural Mitigation program is intended to prevent urban development of agricultural land and address the conversion of Prime Farmland and Farmland of Statewide Importance by requiring a 1:1 ratio of preserved and converted agricultural land. While the City’s General Plan Policy does not specify the need to preserve like-for-like agricultural land, all land conserved through the program must have adequate water supply and the appropriate agricultural zoning.
Drought
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22 Existing and Planned Programs, Plans, and Policies Objectives Hazards Addressed City of Visalia Municipal Service Review (MSR) (County
2013)
This report contains information about the municipal services provided by the City of Visalia. Information has been gathered about the capacity of services, the ability to provide services, the accountability for service needs, and the efficiency of service provision The MSR considers and makes recommendations based on the following information:
▪ Present and planned land uses in the area.
▪ Present and probable need for services in the area.
▪ Present ability of each service provider to provide necessary services. ▪ The fiscal, management, and structural health of each service provider.
All
Visalia Municipal Code Title 8 Health and Safety The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety, and general welfare through structural strength, means of egress facilities, stability, access to persons with disabilities, sanitation, adequate lighting and ventilation, and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards attributed to the built environment; to regulate and control the demolition of all buildings and structures, and for related purposes.
Wildfire, Flooding
Emergency Operations Plan (EOP 2003) The EOP describes what actions the local jurisdiction will take in response to an emergency. It discusses the role of the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) and the coordination between the EOC and the City’s departments and response agencies.
All
Local Energy Assurance Plan (LEAP 2012) The Energy Assurance Plan (EAP) specifies the policies, procedures, actions and departmental responsibilities and assignments necessary to maintain critical facilities and services in the City of Visalia during the disruption of electricity, natural gas and petroleum supplies. This energy assurance plan is an extension of the Visalia Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).
All
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5 Vulnerability Analysis
The following section outlines the impacts that each climate hazard has on vulnerable population groups and assets as described in the Sensitivity section. Existing plans, policies, and programs that contribute to the adaptive capacity of the assets, as outlined in the Adaptive Capacity section, are summarized throughout. An impact score and an adaptive capacity score is identified for each asset and climate hazard type producing the overall vulnerability score, consistent with the scoring methodology described in Vulnerability Assessment Methodology.
5.1 Sensitive Populations
Individuals with high outdoor exposure, including people experiencing homelessness and outdoor workers, face
high outdoor exposure, which may cause them to be
more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than the general population. Individuals in this group often live in homes that are less protected against climate hazards, lack a permanent residence, or don’t have shelter altogether. People experiencing may not have access to healthcare coverage or financial resources to address health concerns either caused by or exacerbated by climate hazards.
Under-resourced individuals are those who lack certain resources (i.e., income, vehicles, or sufficient housing) and therefore may not have the ability to effectively prepare for, cope with, and recover from climate change impacts. People in this group often face financial barriers and limited access to resources when preparing for and recovering from climate change hazards. For example, lowincome individuals may not be able to take time off work to address health concerns either caused by or exacerbated by climate hazards, and individuals without access to a vehicle may face hardship because they may not have the ability to evacuate, or access to critical services and medical assistance. Individuals who rent housing have limited ability to weatherize their homes for hazard events. They also may not have temperature control in their housing units and generally experience a higher water and energy utilities cost burden than homeowners (Cooley et al. 2012).
Individuals facing systemic discrimination are those that may be directly impacted by the social and economic challenges that are ubiquitous in society. These challenges can create educational, resource, economic, and health disparities that leave communities of color extremely vulnerable to and disproportionately impacted by climate change (Baird 2008). Communities of color and undocumented immigrants are more likely to live in high hazard risk areas and less likely to be homeowners, which leaves them vulnerable to climate hazards. Undocumented immigrants often lack access to medical services, quality housing, and basic needs.
Because these individuals are not citizens, they lack access to social and economic services that would allow them to prepare for, respond to, and cope with climate hazards. Individuals who are linguistically isolated have minimal or no English-speaking ability. If evacuation and/or advisory notices, hazard preparedness material, or governmental guidance is not provided in language appropriate versions, these individuals may not be able to properly prepare for, cope with, or recover from a climate hazard (Gamble et al. 2016). 328
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24 Visalia is located on the ancestral lands of the Yokuts tribes (Gorelick 2020). The city has a rich human history that continues to this day with several tribal groups having ties to the land. Not all city residents who identify as Native American have ties to tribal communities within Visalia. Most Native Americans experience some degree of the implications of colonial violence, cultural erasure, and social marginalization, and as a result, they are more likely to be under-resourced and low-income (Lynn et al. 2011). In 2020, one in three Native Americans across the United States were living in poverty (Northwestern Institute for Policy Research 2020).
Native Americans have lower health status and life expectancies compared to other populations due to a variety of factors including inadequate education, disproportionate poverty, cultural differences, and discrimination in the delivery or accessibility of health services. Native Americans are also less likely to have health insurance, which may limit their ability to seek medical care for injuries or illnesses caused or exacerbated by climate change impacts (Indian Health Services 2019). Native Americans are more likely to live in high-hazard risk areas and less likely to be homeowners, which leaves them vulnerable to climate impacts (Gamble et al. 2016). Within the vulnerability analysis, potential impacts to Native American populations are discussed in the context of people of color.
Individuals with chronic health conditions or health related sensitivities may be socially and physiologically vulnerable to climate change impacts and hazards. Older adults and young children may have limited or reduced mobility, mental function, or communication abilities, making it difficult to evacuate during or prepare for a climate hazard event (CDPH 2020). Individuals in this group are more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions or chronic illnesses that may exacerbate the risk of illnesses and medical problems from climate hazards. Treatment provided by medical equipment that requires electricity may be disrupted during a public safety power shutoff or climate hazard event. Children are socially and physiologically vulnerable to climate hazards due to limited understandings of climate hazards and insufficient resources to independently prepare for and safely respond during a climate hazard event. Children, especially those 5 years and younger, are reliant on their parental figures to ensure their health, safety, and wellbeing (CDPH 2020). Children also have vulnerable physical characteristics because they have not fully physiologically developed and are therefore may be more vulnerable to health effects of climate change impacts (Kenney et al. 2014).
Potential Impacts2
Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
People with high outdoor exposure, such as those experiencing homelessness and outdoor workers, are more likely to be at risk of health impacts from extreme heat than the general population.
People experiencing homelessness and outdoor workers are exposed to health-related impacts associated with extreme heat because they are more likely to have limited access to shelter and air conditioning. The primary health impacts to these populations can be heat-related illnesses, such as heat stress, heat stroke, and dehydration, which can be life-threatening (CDPH 2020).
Under-resourced individuals may not be able to afford adequate air conditioning or fans, which increases their exposure to extreme heat. Individuals in this group are less likely to receive medical care for illnesses triggered or exacerbated by extreme heat. Isolated individuals who do not have access to a vehicle may not be able to 2 Tule fog and chill hours are not discussed as potential impacts to sensitive populations as they are beneficial to the local agricultural system.
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Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 25
travel to cooling centers or move to temporary shelters during extreme heat events (Cooley et al. 2012).
Communities of color and undocumented immigrants are more likely to live in housing with insufficient protection from extreme heat events and limited or no affordable air conditioning. The primary health impacts to these populations can be heat-related illnesses, such as heat stress, heat stroke, and dehydration, which can be life-threatening (CDPH 2020). Undocumented immigrants may not have access to medical services to treat heat-related illnesses. Linguistically isolated individuals may not to be able to read heat advisory warnings or governmental guidance, potentially causing them to experience greater exposure to extreme heat (Gamble et al. 2016).
Older adults and young children may have difficulty turning on air conditioning or traveling to cooling centers during extreme heat events. Children are still physiologically developing which means that they are less able to regulate their bodies during extreme heat events (Kenney et al. 2014). Individuals in this group can be more prone to chronic medical conditions. Extreme heat conditions can exacerbate asthma, cardiovascular disease, certain disabilities, and other respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, potentially causing heat-related illnesses such as heat stress, heat stroke and dehydration, which can be-life threatening (CDPH 2020).
Drought
People experiencing homelessness are not likely to face disproportionate risk to drought conditions and associated cascading impacts unless there are major water shortages, which may increase water costs.
During periods of prolonged drought, under-resourced individuals are more likely to experience the cost burden associated with increased water rates (Feinstein et al. 2017). These individuals may struggle to access clean and affordable drinking water which may cause dehydration and/or exacerbate underlying health conditions and illnesses (Gamble and Balbuls 2016). Droughts often trigger cascading economic impacts through the agricultural sector, decreasing job availability and leaving under-resourced individuals particularly vulnerable to financial hardships (Howitt et al. 2015).
Communities of color may be at risk to prolonged drought conditions and associated cascading impacts and may face systemic and/or cultural barriers when seeking to access affordable and clean drinking water, which may cause dehydration and/or exacerbate underlying health conditions and illnesses (Gamble and Balbuls 2016).
Prolonged drought conditions can lead to water scarcity and individuals may need to rely on poor quality water supplies. Young children and older adults are especially at risk of dehydration as their bodies are not able to regulate as well (Kenney et al. 2014).
Dehydration may exacerbate underlying health conditions and illnesses.
Wildfire
Individuals with high outdoor exposure are vulnerable to wildfires and the associated cascading effects. People experiencing homelessness may be particularly at-risk during wildfire events as they often suffer from respiratory conditions, mental illness, and chronic health conditions that may be exacerbated from physical contact with wildfire or smoke inhalation. People experiencing homelessness may have limited access to shelter and do not have access to transportation to evacuate from burning areas. They may also have their personal belongings destroyed or damaged during a wildfire event (CDPH 2017). After wildfires, there are additional issues of displacement and the need for temporary shelters to serve 330
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26 uprooted communities. Some outdoor workers, including firefighters and emergency personnel, may be exposed to hazardous work conditions during wildfire events and may become injured from smoke inhalation or burns.
). Linguistically isolated individuals may not be able to read smoke advisory warnings or governmental guidance, potentially causing them to experience greater exposure to smoke. Undocumented immigrants may not have access to medical services to treat injuries (Gamble and Balbuls 2016).
Older adults may be vulnerable to health impacts from wildfire smoke and pollutants because they are more likely to have underlying respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions and illnesses. Children may experience respiratory health impacts from wildfire smoke because their respiratory systems are not fully developed and are sensitive to stressors. Children and older adults may rely on others to safely evacuate from wildfires, increasing the risk of health impacts from wildfire smoke inhalation (EPA 2022).
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding
People experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience health impacts during flood events because they may live in flood hazard areas and do not have access to transportation to evacuate inundated areas. They may also have their personal belongings destroyed or damaged during a flood event (Ramin and Svoboda 2009).
Under-resourced individuals may experience injuries or death from high velocity flooding and are less likely to receive medical treatment (CDPH 2017). Individuals in these groups may experience cost burdens if their belongings and homes are damaged from floodwater inundation. Isolated individuals with limited or no access to a vehicle may face difficulty evacuating flood hazard areas.
Renters may have limited control over home improvements that may protect against flood damage. Subsequently, they may experience economic and health impacts and a greater loss of belongings than homeowners (Gamble and Balbuls 2016).
Communities of color and undocumented immigrants are more likely to live in flood hazard areas and in housing with insufficient protection against riverine and stormwater flooding. Linguistically isolated individuals may not be able to read flood warning or governmental guidance, potentially causing them to experience greater exposure to flooding. Individuals in this vulnerability group may face systematic and/or cultural barriers when seeking access to the resources needed to safely evacuate hazard areas (Gamble and Balbuls 2016).
Older people and young children may be particularly at risk to injury and/or death from high velocity flooding (CDPH 2017). Riverine and stormwater flooding may also limit access to transportation systems, healthcare centers, and emergency response to those that are injured or in need or consistent medical care, such as those with chronic health conditions or illnesses. Children and older adults may rely on others to safely evacuate floodwater hazard areas.
Air Quality
People experiencing homelessness and outdoor workers may be more vulnerable to poor air quality because they spend significant amounts of time outdoors and are directly exposed to pollutants (CDPH 2017). Prolonged exposure to poor air quality may cause exacerbation or development of respiratory diseases and conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and respiratory infections, which in some cases may be lifethreatening (Ramin and Svoboda 2009). 331
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Under-resourced individuals may be disproportionally impacted by poor air quality because their housing may lack sufficient air filtration and they may not be able to afford supplemental air filtration equipment (Gamble and Balbuls 2016). Individuals in these groups may experience the development or exacerbation of respiratory illnesses and are less likely to receive quality medical treatment (CDPH 2017).
Communities of color and undocumented immigrants may be vulnerable to health impacts associated with poor air quality because their housing may lack sufficient air filtration and they may not be able to afford supplemental air filtration equipment (Gamble and Balbuls 2016). They may experience respiratory or
cardiovascular health impacts and are less likely to have access to sufficient medical services for treatment (CDPH 2020).
Undocumented immigrants are less likely to receive medical treatment for health impacts from poor air quality exposure (Mendez et al. 2020). Linguistically isolated individuals may not be able to read air quality advisory warnings or governmental guidance that are in English, potentially causing them to experience greater exposure to extreme heat (CDPH 2017).
Young children may be extremely vulnerable to health impacts from poor air quality because their respiratory system has not fully developed yet (CDPH 2017). Older adults are more likely to experience health impacts from poor air quality because they are more likely to have underlying respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions.
Adaptive Capacity for Vulnerable Populations
The City of Visalia has plans, policies and programs in place that protect vulnerable populations across many climate hazards. The level of enforceability, implementation, and efficacy varies based on the hazard type. ▪ Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
The City provides the following operational cooling centers for community members to access during extreme heat events:
– Visalia Public Library: 200 West Oak Ave, Visalia, CA 93291 – Visalia Transit Center: 425 East Oak Ave., Visalia, CA 93291 – Visalia Rescue Mission:322 NE 1st Ave., Visalia, CA 93291 – Visalia Transit Buses: Provide a mobile cooling station for all days 105 degrees or higher. SCE has several programs that provide low-income customers, non-English speaking customers, and those with medical needs for electricity with resources to mitigate the impacts and prepare for public safety power shutoffs, which may occur during an extreme heat event.
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28 ▪ Wildfire
The SCE Wildfire Safety Program provides customer support during public safety power shutoffs and increasing resistance to wildfire salience. The program provides specific support for non-English speaking individuals, individuals with disabilities, low-income individuals, the older adults, and those with chronic illnesses or health conditions. The City Code of Ordinance, Fire Code includes provisions for preventing hazard to life due to fires. ▪ Flooding
The City of Visalia Municipal Code provisions for protecting public health and safety in the case of flood conditions. ▪ Air Quality
The City of Visalia Active Transportation plan provides opportunities to improve community health by reducing the reliance on transportation that increases pollution and worsens air quality in the city. The Visalia Climate Action Plan details actions to reduce GHG emissions and limit pollution, leading to positive impacts on community health.
▪ All Hazards
The City Code of Ordinances include requirements to safeguard public health in light of climate hazards and makes specific mention of maintaining access of services to persons with disabilities.
Vulnerability Scoring for Sensitive Populations
As described in the Vulnerability Assessment Methodology section, vulnerability scoring is based on the combination of potential impacts to sensitive populations and existing adaptive capacity. The result of which produced a vulnerability score for this group. As summarized in Table 5, sensitive populations in Visalia are most vulnerable to extreme heat/warm nights, flooding, and air quality.
Table 5 Sensitive Populations Vulnerability Score
Climate Hazard Impact Score Adaptive Capacity Score Vulnerability Score Extreme Heat and Warm Nights High Medium 4-High
Drought Medium Medium 3-Medium
Wildfire Medium Medium 3-Medium
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality High Medium 4-High
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5.2 Natural and Managed Resources
Primary vulnerabilities for natural and managed resources are associated with climate hazard-caused stress and
physical damage to resource types within this asset
group. Compounding climate hazards stress natural ecosystems beyond their capacity to offset individual climate hazards. Wildlife will seek out more conducive habitats during climate events such as extreme heat or drought, which can tend to be where people recreate (USDA 2018). Recreational areas are also placed under increased risk as climate change creates additional stressors and competing needs for safe habitats.
Agriculture is seen as the heart of Visalia’s industry. The agriculture industry was valued at nearly $8 billion in Tulare County in 2021, and Tulare County remains in the top 3 agricultural counties in the country (County 2021). Impacts of climate change to the region’s agricultural sector will be far reaching. Some of the top economically profitable crop or rangeland types that can be found in Tulare County include fruit and nut crops, livestock and poultry, field crops, and nursery products (County 2021). The City of Visalia is surrounded by agricultural land, with some portions falling within city boundaries, primarily in the north and southwest. Key crops include but are not limited to grapes, olives, cotton, citrus, and nursery products. Both natural and managed resources are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change in Visalia.
Potential Impacts
Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
Natural and managed resources are potentially impacted by the same climate hazards as sensitive populations. Wildlife under extreme heat conditions face heat stress and heat related illness as well as disrupted reproductive cycles, and compounding risks associated with early and extended seasonal temperature increases (Backlund 2008). The timing of seasonal warmth may not overlap with food sources and extreme heat may stress dependent vegetation communities and wildlife (Dale 1997, Hamerlynck 1995, Maclean et al. 2011). Plants are more likely to experience heat stress and dehydration, habitat ranges may shift, and native species may be outcompeted by invasive species capable of surviving the harsh conditions. Natural resources are highly exposed to extreme heat and warm nights. Both mid- and end- of century projections depict dramatic increases in extreme heat days, indicating that heat exposure and related impacts will continue to increase (CEC 2021).
Higher temperatures will decrease the snowpack in California and raise the snowline, decreasing one of the most important surface water reserves for agriculture in the state (Santiago et. al 2021).
Extreme heat and warm nights can result in declines in crop yields because of heat stress and anomalous warmth during periods that are typically cooler (Parker et al. 2020). Lower crop yields and increased pest pressure are correlated with warmer temperatures (Hamerlynck 1995), both of which can result in increased costs and decreased agricultural profitability.
Drought
Impacts from drought involve risks associated with water scarcity and availability for reliant natural resources. Drought will disrupt habitats and will decrease the resiliency of wildlife. Extended or variable drought conditions affect the amount and duration of water available in ephemeral and permanent sources, which 334
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30 impacts plants and wildlife dependent on those aquatic resources (Burkett and Kusler 2000). Like extreme heat and warm nights, drought is linked to declines in crop yields, increasing costs, and decreasing crop profitability. Drought can result in regional losses of crops and can stress the statewide water supply.
Wildfire
The largest direct impacts to natural resources are caused by wildfires. The severity and frequency of wildfires can lead to long term habitat conversions, or vegetative communities that no longer support reliant species, and the landscape provides minimal alternative habitats (Bell et al. 1999, Coop et al. 2020).
No applicable designated wildfire hazard areas currently exist in Visalia. However, the projected expansion of wildfire prone areas, larger areas of croplands may be within fire hazard severity zones in the future. Wildfires in the region tend to occur in the late fall, which aligns with the harvest season of many crops. Wildfires and wildfire smoke can destroy and/or damage crops, such as wine grapes, which have high economic value to the City.
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding
The major impacts of flooding on natural and managed resources are the damage and destruction that occurs because of related erosion, as well as the degradation of freshwater quality (Talbot et al. 2018). One way that stormwater flooding reduces water quality is by causing algae blooms which lead to plant and wildlife health issues within wetlands and waterbodies (EPA 2022). Other impacts include damage from inundation in storm flooded areas including natural habitats and public and private land surrounding waterbodies in the city. Riverine and stormwater flooding will mostly affect sensitive species of plants and wildlife that are based in low-lying areas of the city, specifically those adjacent to the river and any other water bodies in the area. Agricultural operations situated within the FEMA flood zones in Visalia are susceptible to the impacts of riverine and stormwater flooding. These operations have the potential to be disrupted during flood events, and inundation is likely to result in crop yield reductions.
Air Quality
The direct effects of poor air quality on natural resources relate to plant and wildlife health as increased air pollutants are correlated with increased stress and mortality rates. Impacts from air quality can further impact natural resources since air quality declines correspond with other hazards (such as wildfire and extreme heat events), which compound risks. One direct impact of concern related to air quality and agricultural production is that smoke damage may render crops unsaleable, or poor air quality may impact a grower’s ability to harvest on time.
Tule Fog
Fog plays a critical role to achieve the necessary dormancy that some fruit and nut trees require to improve their quality and total crop yield. Tule Fog frequency is decreasing due to climate change which may impact the profitability of orchards in Visalia. Tule Fog can also have impacts on moisture presence of the air affecting air quality.
Chill Hours
Orchards depend on chill hours to break dormancy during the winter, to synchronize blooming, facilitate pollination, and produce standard quality and quantity of crops. Climate change is decreasing the number of chill hours for crops, resulting in reduced tree yield, particularly for pistachios and walnuts, and decreasing suitable locations for these trees.
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Adaptive Capacity for Natural and Managed Resources
▪ Extreme Heat & Warm Nights
There are minimal relevant plans programs or policies directly increasing the adaptive capacity of Visalia’s natural and managed resources to the climate hazard of extreme heat.
▪ All Hazards
The Tulare County MJLHMP, and specifically the Visalia Annex in the MHLHMP outlines climate change hazard related vulnerabilities to natural and managed resources.
▪ Riverine and Stormwater Flooding and Drought
Visalia’s Urban Water Management Plan and Groundwater Management impacts describe strategies to manage the city’s water supply and groundwater resources.
The Waterways and Trails Master Plan discusses maintenance of the waterways and channels for flood control purposes. It proposes opportunities for creating flood control basins.
Vulnerability Scoring for Natural and Managed Resources As described in the Vulnerability Assessment Methodology section, vulnerability scoring is based on the combination of potential impacts to natural and managed resources and existing adaptive capacity. The result of which produced a vulnerability score for this group. As summarized in Table 6, natural and managed resources in Visalia are most vulnerable to most climate hazards, including extreme heat/warm nights, drought, flooding, air quality, Tule Fog, and chill hours.
Table 6 Natural and Managed Resources Vulnerability Scores Climate Hazard Impact Score Adaptive Capacity Score Vulnerability Score Extreme Heat/Warm Nights Medium Low 4-High
Drought High Medium 4-High
Wildfire Medium Medium 3-Medium
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality Medium Low 4-High
Tule Fog Medium Low 4-High
Chill Hours Medium Low 4-High
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32 5.3 Buildings and Critical Facilities
Vulnerabilities within this category are primarily related to physical exposure and damage due to impacts to climate
hazards. Impacts associated with operations of critical services are discussed in the Infrastructure and Services section. Within the City of Visalia, there is a complex network of facilities and infrastructure vulnerable to climate change. Assets within this category are considered critical facilities and include:
▪ Fire Stations
▪ Police Stations
▪ Hospitals/Healthcare Facilities
▪ Emergency Shelters
▪ Schools
▪ Public Libraries
▪ Jails
▪ Public Safety and Emergency Communications Facilities Potential Impacts
Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
Extreme heat could impact occupants of buildings and critical facilities that are not adequately weatherized for increased temperatures. Increased frequency and severity of extreme heat events may lead to long-term impacts on the equipment located within the facilities and buildings in the city. High ambient operation temperatures may lead to a reduction of the lifespan for various electrical equipment (Water Utility Climate Alliance 2020).
Drought
Drought will have minimal impact on the physical structures of buildings and critical facilities in Visalia.
Wildfire
Potential impacts of wildfire to structures and buildings within Visalia is low. However, fire hazard severity zones may expand by end of century which could lead to more buildings and critical facilities at risk of structural damage.
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding
There is significant risk of riverine and stormwater flooding to the physical structures outlined under this asset category. Figure 3 (page 14) shows impact risks throughout the central portions of the city within the 100-year floodplain. The 500-year floodplains extend throughout the majority of the city, and include several medical/health care facilities, schools, fire stations, city buildings, police stations, the Tulare County Jail, and the Visalia Emergency Communications Center. Impervious surfaces can impede the absorption of water and lead to increased stormwater flooding in Visalia.
Air Quality
The impact of reduced air quality will have a similar effect as extreme heat for buildings and critical facilities. The ability to filter air will greatly affect the reliant subsystems, services, and populations reliant on buildings and critical facilities. The direct impact on structures is low.
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Adaptive Capacity for Buildings and Critical Facilities ▪ Multiple Hazards
The Visalia Annex to the Tulare County MJLHMP assesses the potential impacts of riverine and stormwater flooding and wildfire on critical facilities and buildings. The Plan outlines mitigation strategies to minimize riverine and stormwater flooding and wildfire impacts to buildings and critical facilities.
The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) outlines structural resilience strategies and identifies emergency response strategies to reduce property loss.
The Local Energy Assurance Plan (LEAP) specifies the necessary policies, procedures, and actions to maintain critical facilities in Visalia during emergencies.
Vulnerability Scoring for Buildings and Critical Facilities As described in the Vulnerability Assessment Methodology section, vulnerability scoring is based on the combination of potential impacts to buildings and critical facilities and existing adaptive capacity. The result of which produced a vulnerability score for this group. As summarized in Table 7, buildings and critical facilities in Visalia are most vulnerable to riverine and stormwater flooding.
Table 7 Building and Critical Facilities Vulnerability Scores Climate Hazard Impact Score Adaptive Capacity Score Vulnerability Score Extreme Heat/Warm Nights Low Low 3-Medium
Drought Low Medium 2-Low
Wildfire Low Medium 2-Low
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality Low Medium 2-Low
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34 5.4 Infrastructure and Services
Overall vulnerabilities associated with this asset category involve structural preparedness and service reliability in the face of climate change. This section is mainly
concerned with the cascading impacts physical damage to buildings and critical facilities can have on services and infrastructure.
Potential Impacts
Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
Extreme heat could impact occupants of buildings and facilities that are not adequately weatherized for increased temperatures. As temperatures increase, roadways, active transportation routes, and railroads are vulnerable to heat-related damages such as buckled highways, railroad tracks and premature deterioration of infrastructure (Santiago et. al 2021). Additional impacts from extreme heat are associated with increased emergency service calls which could strain health and medical services. Electrical infrastructure could be overwhelmed by demand and result in blackouts or energy providers could conduct power safety shutoffs to avoid impacts to electrical facilities. Power outages have significant impacts on communication networks, water conveyance, and vulnerable populations. The ability for emergency services to fully function is a cascading impact of power outages which can place additional strain on services during extreme heat events.
Drought
Drought can impact water reliability and water infrastructure.
Groundwater is the sole source of water supply for the Visalia District of the California Water Service Company (District 2021). All emergency services depend on water, particularly firefighters who require adequate water supply for fire suppression. Water providers within the city will encounter increased difficulty as drought impacts general service reliability. Drought impacts can create service strain on emergency and medical services. Cracked pavements from drought, compounded with extreme heat, affects roadways and transportation routes.
Wildfire
Infrastructure and services are at a high risk of wildfire. Dependent populations may experience cascading impacts due to power outages from downed utility lines, power safety shut offs and grid overload during wildfire conditions or events. All forms of power outages can affect how critical services are able to perform their needed functions during a hazard.
Utility lines have the potential to be damaged in high-risk locations, resulting in power outages. Certain high wind conditions can often trigger wildfires, especially when power lines are downed or damaged (Santiago et. al 2021). Power safety shut offs in response to wildfire risk can affect service reliability of power. Increased frequency of wildfires can place strain on fire and emergency services. Evacuation routes could be disrupted during a wildfire event limiting emergency responders and the ability for people to evacuate.
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding
Impervious surfaces can impede the absorption of water and augment stormwater flooding in areas of Visalia. There is risk of damage from increased extreme precipitation events including erosion, washouts, and sinkholes. Storm drainage and flood protection services for the city may be impacted by these events. 339
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Water supply for fire suppression as well as wildfire-caused declines in water quality are additional cascading impacts.
Air Quality
Higher incidence of unsafe air quality generated by increased smog, dust and wildfire smoke can create general strain on existing critical infrastructure and services through increased rates of
hospitalization and emergency and medical services (CDPH 2020).
Adaptive Capacity for Services and Infrastructure
▪ Multiple Hazards
The City of Visalia Urban Water Management Plan includes a discussion of the impacts of climate change on the water system, with minimal strategies for adaptation and mitigation.
The Visalia Annex to the Tulare County MJLHMP outlines strategies to reduce riverine and stormwater flooding and wildfire impacts on services and infrastructure.
The Visalia Comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan outlines strategies to streamline emergency response and evacuation protocols and reduce interruption to key utilities and services.
The City of Visalia Municipal Service Review contains information about the capacity of service providers to provide efficient, uninterrupted service to the community in the case of an emergency.
Vulnerability Scoring for Infrastructure and Services
As described in the Vulnerability Assessment Methodology section, vulnerability scoring is based on the combination of potential impacts to infrastructure and services and existing adaptive capacity. The result of which produced a vulnerability score for this group. As summarized in Table 8, infrastructure and services in Visalia are vulnerable to wildfires and riverine and stormwater flooding.
Table 8 Infrastructure and Services Vulnerability Scores Climate Hazard Impact Score Adaptive Capacity Score Vulnerability Score Extreme Heat Medium Medium 3-Medium
Drought Medium Medium 3-Medium
Wildfire High Medium 4-High
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality Low Low 3-Medium
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36 6 Conclusion
This report evaluates how climate change may impact vulnerable community members, natural and managed resources, critical facilities, buildings, services, and infrastructure in Visalia. The report provides a list of vulnerable population groups and assets for which adaptation policies and programs should be developed and implemented to increase community resilience. Vulnerability is based on the combination of potential impacts and adaptive capacity, as identified in the Vulnerability Analysis section of the report.
A list of asset categories and related vulnerability scores is provided on the next page. Highly vulnerable assets in Visalia are listed below:
▪ Individuals with high outdoor exposure, under-resourced individuals, individuals facing societal barriers, and individuals with chronic health conditions or health-related sensitivities are vulnerable to extreme heat & warm nights, stormwater and riverine flooding, and air quality.
▪ Natural and managed resources are most vulnerable to extreme heat/warm nights, drought, flooding, air quality, Tule Fog, and chill hours.
▪ Buildings and critical facilities are most vulnerable to wildfire. ▪ Infrastructure and services are most vulnerable to wildfire and riverine and stormwater flooding.
This report establishes a foundation for identifying adaptation policies and programs that can increase resilience to climate hazards in Visalia. The City of Visalia Safety Element Update will include policies and programs to increase the resilience of the population groups and asset categories with the highest vulnerability to climate change.
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Table 9 Vulnerability Score for Population Groups and Assets Climate Hazard Impact Score Adaptive Capacity Score Vulnerability Score Sensitive Populations
Extreme Heat and Warm Nights High Medium 4-High
Drought Medium Medium 3-Medium
Wildfire Medium Medium 3-Medium
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality High Medium 4-High
Natural and Managed Resources
Extreme Heat/Warm Nights Medium Low 4-High
Drought High Medium 4-High
Wildfire Medium Medium 2-Medium
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality Medium Low 4-High
Tule Fog Medium Low 4-High
Chill Hours Medium Low 4-High
Buildings and Critical Facilities
Extreme Heat/Warm Nights Low Low 3-Medium
Drought Low Medium 2-Low
Wildfire Medium Medium 2-Low
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality Low Medium 2-Low
Infrastructure and Services
Extreme Heat Medium Medium 3-Medium
Drought Medium Medium 3-Medium
Wildfire High Medium 4-High
Riverine and Stormwater Flooding High Medium 4-High
Air Quality Low Low 3-Medium
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Public Review Draft – May 2024
9 Environmental Justice
Element
348
CONTENTS
Introduction ........................................ 3 What is Environmental Justice?.................................. 3 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements ........ 3
Scope............................................................................. 10 Content of the Environmental Justice Element .... 10
Background and Context .................. 12
Statutory Requirements.............................................. 12 Identifying Environmental Justice Communities.. 12
Public Participation ........................... 22
Publicity and Outreach Strategy ............................... 22 Community Outreach Events................................... 23 Community Survey ..................................................... 25 Community Profile ............................ 28
Race and Ethnicity...................................................... 28 Household Income and Poverty Status................... 30 Unemployment............................................................ 30 Educational Attainment............................................. 31 Language Spoken and English Proficiency............. 32 Age ................................................................................ 33 Environmental Justice Concerns in
Visalia ................................................. 35 Community Health..................................................... 35 Pollution Exposure..................................................... 42 Healthy Food Access.................................................. 62 Physical Activity .......................................................... 69 Public Facilities............................................................ 78 Safe and Sanitary Housing......................................... 84 Civic Engagement....................................................... 93 Objectives and Policies ...................... 99
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INTRODUCTION
What is Environmental Justice?
The State of California defines Environmental Justice
as “the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development,
adoption, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies”
(California Government Code Section 65040.12). “Fair
treatment” means no group of people should bear a
disproportionate share of the negative environmental
consequences resulting from industrial, governmental,
and commercial operations, and policies.
While it is the hope that all people have convenient
access to safe housing, clean environments, adequate
community services, and healthy foods, the reality does not always align. Today, and throughout California
history, low-income residents, communities of color,
tribal nations, and immigrant communities often bear a
disproportionately large burden of exposure to
environmental hazards, such as pollution burdens,
urban heat islands, resulting in increased negative health outcomes for these groups. Conditions in these
communities can be traced to a variety of factors such
as underinvestment, inequitable land use and zoning
policies, lack of access to necessary amenities, and lack of meaningful public engagement with community
residents. These factors resulted in systemic
disadvantages for these communities. Environmental
justice seeks to remedy disproportionate health and
environmental burdens through democratic values of
fairness and equity. This Environmental Justice
Element addresses public health risks and
environmental justice concerns citywide as well as for
those residents living in Visalia’s Neighborhoods of
Focus.
Relationship to Other General
Plan Elements
The Planning for Healthy Communities Act of 2016
(Senate Bill 1000) was enacted to address
environmental justice at a local and regional level. The legislation requires cities and counties to incorporate policies and programs to promote environmental
justice in their general plans. The purpose of Visalia’s Environmental Justice Element is to develop a robust
set of goals, polices, and programs which prioritize
improving the health and quality of life of the city’s
vulnerable residents. As provided by State Government
Code 65302(h), the Environmental Justice Element has
the same weight as the other mandatory elements of a
General Plan and shall be internally consistent with the other elements.
The goals, policies, and programs in this Environmental Justice Element align with and expand upon those
found in other elements of the existing General Plan
which promote healthy, diverse, and equitable
communities in Visalia. Various policies within the
Environmental Justice Element closely relate to
subjects addressed in the following Elements:
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Visalia General Plan | 9-4
Land Use Element. Establishes the framework for
shaping the types and location of new development
along with strategies to maintain and enhance existing
development and character within the City. The City’s
most recent Land Use Element was adopted in 2014.
Circulation Element. Supports the Land Use Element
by identifying the major roads and transportation
systems necessary to support the development of the
land uses and densities laid out in the element. In
addition, the Circulation Element encompasses
objectives and policies that focus on establishing
secure, accessible, and efficient multi-modal
transportation systems to facilitate the movement of
individuals and goods throughout the City. The City’s
most recent Circulation Element was adopted in 2014.
Housing Element. Ensures that there is sufficient
residential capacity available to meet the minimum
needs established by the State for various income levels.
The City’s most recent Housing Element was adopted
in 2023.
Safety and Noise Element. Identifies hazards to
people and infrastructure and includes safety
considerations in the planning and decision-making
process by establishing policies related to future
development that will minimize the risk of personal
injury, loss of life, property damage, and environmental damage associated with natural and human-caused
hazards. The noise section identifies noise sources
within the city and includes mitigation measures to
reduce their impacts and regulate noise sources. The
City’s most recent Safety and Noise Element was
adopted in 2024.
Parks, Schools, Community Facilities, and Utilities
Element. Establishes the fundamental building blocks
for new neighborhoods, including the development and
maintenance of parks, schools, and important services
such as fire, police, water supply, wastewater and solid waste collection, and other utilities. This Element
supports the policies and programs found in the Land
Use and Circulation Elements. The City’s most recent
Parks, Schools, Community Facilities, and Utilities
Element was adopted in 2014.
Open Space and Conservation Element. Ensures
the conservation of natural resources in Visalia. This
element addresses open space resources; land resources
including farmland and minerals; water resources
including groundwater and waterways; biological
resources; and cultural and historic resources. This
Element supports the policies and programs addressed
in the Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Element. The
City’s most recent Open Space and Conservation
Element was adopted in 2014.
Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Element.
Identifies six air pollutants which contribute to poor air quality in Visalia and the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin and establishes policies and programs to reduce the
creation of these pollutants. In addition, an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and its impacts are
identified, along with subsequent policies and programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This element
supports the policies and programs found in the Land
Use and Circulation Elements. The City’s most recent
Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Element was
adopted in 2014.
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Many environmental justice-oriented policies are
already present in other General Plan elements.
Table 9-1, below, provides a list of these policies. The goals, policies, and programs in the Environmental
Justice Element aim to fill the gaps in other General
Plan elements and ensure the General Plan fully
addresses the environmental justice needs of the
community
Table 9-1 Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Efforts Policy Number Policy Text Page Number
Land Use Element
LU-P-19 Ensure that growth occurs in a compact and concentric fashion by implementing the General Plan’s phased growth strategy. 2-28
LU-P-29 Use regional and community parks and open space to enhance gateways to the City and as a buffer between adjacent communities.
2-32
LU-P-38 Develop a City-wide street tree and landscape master plan that enhances the City’s overall identity and lends distinct character to specific streets and districts. 2-38
LU-P-45 Promote development of vacant, underdeveloped, and/or redevelopable land within the City limits where urban services are available and adopt a bonus/incentive program to promote and facilitate infill development in order to reduce the need for annexation and conversion of prime agricultural land and achieve the objectives of compact development established in this General Plan. 2-39
LU-P-46 Adopt and implement an incentive program for residential infill development of existing vacant lots and underutilized sites within the City limits as a strategy to help to meet the future growth needs of the community.
2-39
LU-P-48 Establish criteria and standards for pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle circulation networks within new subdivisions and nonresidential development. 2-45
LU-P-50 Provide development standards to ensure that a mix of detached and attached single family and multi-family housing types can be compatible in a single development.
2-45
LU-P-58 Establish an Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning District (AHO) to promote the development of affordable housing on infill land within the existing City limits in areas designated by the General Plan for multi-family residential development.
Participation by affordable housing developers in the AHO program would be voluntary, with the incentives offered intended to make development of affordable housing feasible.
2-47
LU-P-72 Ensure that noise, traffic, and other potential conflicts that may arise in a mix of commercial and residential uses are mitigated through good site planning, building design, and/or appropriate operational measures.
2-53
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Table 9-1 Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Efforts Policy Number Policy Text Page Number
LU-P-74 Create new streets and public open spaces in East Downtown designed to be the focus for social and economic activities. Establish urban design guidelines to ensure that new projects help to shape and activate parks and streets; provide continuity and visual references; connect to contiguous development; and anticipate a future when central Visalia is the most sought after in-town residential and business address in the San Joaquin Valley.
2-54
LU-P-103 Require buffering land uses adjacent to existing or planned residential areas adjacent to industrial designations. Such uses may include parks, drainage ponds, open space, or other such uses.
2-60
Circulation Element
T-P-1 Provide transportation facilities based on a “Complete Streets” concept that facilitate the balanced use of all travel modes (pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users), meeting the transportation needs of all ages and abilities and providing mobility for a variety of trip purposes.
4-11
T-P-2 Optimize roadway operations with priority given to signal timing coordination in order to increase traffic-carrying capacity and decrease air pollution and congestion. Roundabouts shall be considered when feasible and beneficial as an alternative to traffic signals.
4-11
T-P-23 Require that all new developments provide right-of-way, which may be dedicated or purchased, and improvements (including necessary grading, installation of curbs, gutters, sidewalks, parkway/landscape strips, bike and parking lanes) other city street design standards. Design standards will be updated following General Plan adoption.
4-29
T-P-30 Give high priority to public transportation systems that are responsive to the needs of commuters, the elderly, persons with disabilities, the youth, and low-income citizens. Continue to work with transit providers to expand services to these populations and to underserved areas of the City.
4-35
T-P-33 Work with transit operators to establish transit stops adjacent to community and regional parks, senior housing facilities, areas with a high concentration of medical facilities, major employment centers, and major retail and commercial centers. 4-35
T-P-41 Integrate the bicycle transportation system into new development and infill redevelopment. Development shall provide short term bicycle parking and longterm bicycle storage facilities, such as bicycle racks, stocks, and rental bicycle lockers. Development also shall provide safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian access to high activity land uses such as schools, parks, shopping, employment, and entertainment centers.
4-40
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Table 9-1 Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Efforts Policy Number Policy Text Page Number
T-P-50 Provide pedestrian facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities and ensure that roadway improvement projects address accessibility and use universal design concepts.
4-41
T-P-51 Locate sidewalks, pedestrian paths, and appropriate crosswalks to facilitate access to all schools and other areas with significant pedestrian traffic. Whenever feasible, pedestrian paths shall be developed to allow for unobstructed pedestrian flow from within a neighborhood.
4-41
Housing Element
HE Policy 1.4 The City shall encourage a mix of residential development types in the city, including single family homes on a variety of lot sizes, as well as townhomes, row houses, live-work units, planned unit developments, accessory dwelling units, and multi-family housing.
136
HE Policy 2.2 The City shall encourage the development of vertical and horizontal mixed-use development projects as a means to increase housing supply while promoting diversity and neighborhood vitality.
138
HE Policy 2.4 The City shall provide a wide range of housing types (e.g., mixed use, flats, podium townhouses, row houses, small-lot single-family residential, and live-work lofts) in the Downtown and East Downtown areas, as well as encourage both affordable and market-rate housing opportunities.
138
HE Policy 3.1 The City shall encourage the development of housing that is affordable by design, such as small lot single family units, second units, and manufactured homes. 140
HE Policy 3.6 The City shall utilize available funds to subsidize the development of affordable housing for low-, very low-, and extremely low-income households. 140
HE Policy 3.10 The City shall strive to work with developers to ensure that low- and moderateincome housing is located within walking distance of or has access to public transit and services.
140
HE Policy 4.3 The City shall lead efforts to institute a holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization, including proactive code compliance, renter and landlord education programs, infrastructure reinvestment, and community engagement. 146
HE Policy 5.1 The City shall encourage the development of housing for elderly, persons with disabilities, large families, families with female heads of household, families and persons in need of emergency shelter, and farmworkers, where compatible with surrounding land uses and where site conditions and service capabilities permit.
Sites considered especially appropriate for these uses are those accessible to day care and transit, case management, commercial, and medical services. 147
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Table 9-1 Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Efforts Policy Number Policy Text Page Number
HE Policy 5.2 The City shall encourage the development of housing types that meet the needs of baby boomers and seniors, such as housing on smaller lots with modest building footprints and encourage development of affordable senior housing. 147
Safety and Noise Element
S-P-15 Require remediation and cleanup of sites contaminated with hazardous substances. 8-11 Parks, Schools, Community Facilities, and Utilities Element PSCu-P-1 Prepare a Parks and Recreation Master Plan to implement Park policies in this General Plan. The Plan should include:
An assessment of existing and future recreational needs, including the needs of specific user groups and the needs of older areas of the community as well as those in new neighborhoods; […]
5-9
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.
5-10
PSCu-P-5 Create new community parks in the Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast quadrants, consistent with the Parks and Open Space diagram and the following planning guidelines:
5-11
PSCu-P-6 Create a high-quality, accessible neighborhood park system based on the needs of the surrounding community, the Parks and Open Space diagram and the following planning guidelines:
PSCu-P-16 Provide at least one community center in each of the City’s four neighborhood quadrants. Use existing and new community center facilities to provide multicultural programs and teen recreation activities and provide space for meetings and classes. Community centers should be designed with community input, including guidance from a cross-section of user groups. 5-14
PSCu-P-24 Promote innovative park design that responds to neighborhood needs and user groups.
5-16
PSCu-P-37 Work with Visalia Unified School District and the Tulare County Office of Education to locate additional continuation schools and other special programs. 5-25
PSCu-P-39 Promote the location and development of vocational and trade schools and alternative and continuing education programs such as Visalia Charter Independent Study.
5-25
PSCu-P-42 Work with Tulare County Library to ensure that the central library remains an attractive and vibrant Downtown destination.
5-25
Open Space and Conservation Element
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Table 9-1 Policies in Other Elements Supporting Environmental Justice Efforts Policy Number Policy Text Page Number
OSC-P-2 Develop open space corridors along selected community waterways, power transmission line right-of-ways and abandoned railroad right-of-ways to serve as links between park and recreation facilities.
6-3
OSC-P-5 Support community gardens as a valuable open space resource. 6-3 OSC-P-11 Create incentives for new development along waterways to include pocket parks, patios or plazas that front onto the creek corridor as an amenity to residential occupants or visitors to commercial developments.
6-7
Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Element
AQ-P-2 Require use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce particulate emission as a condition of approval for all subdivisions, development plans and grading permits, in conformance with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Fugitive Dust Rule.
7-8
AQ-P-6 Amend the Street Tree Ordinance to promote use of plants and trees that are efficient pollutant absorbers.
7-9
AQ-P-9 Continue to mitigate short-term construction impacts and long-term stationary source impacts on air quality on a case-by case basis and continue to assess air quality impacts through environmental review. Require developers to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce air pollutant emissions associated with the construction and operation of development projects. 7-9
AQ-P-11 Continue to work in conjunction with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and others to put in place additional Transportation Control Measures that will reduce vehicle travel and improve air quality and to implement Air Quality Plans.
7-10
AQ-P-12 Support the implementation of Voluntary Emissions Reduction Agreements (VERA) with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (the District) for individual development projects that may exceed District significance thresholds.
71-5
AQ-P-17 Prepare and adopt a Climate Action Plan that incorporates a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Plan. The GHG Emissions Reduction Plan will quantify current and anticipated future emissions and focus on feasible actions the City can take to minimize the adverse impacts of General Plan implementation on climate change and air quality.
7-15
Source: City of Visalia General Plan
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Scope
This Element contains goals, policies, and programs
designed to enhance the participation and
empowerment of historically marginalized populations,
referred to in this Element as the “Neighborhoods of
Focus." This Environmental Justice Element addresses
public health risks and environmental justice concerns
citywide and for those residents living in Visalia’s
Neighborhoods of Focus. The goals, policies, and
programs of this Element focus on the following areas:
• Reducing pollution exposure and improving air
and water quality.
• Promoting healthy food access.
• Promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
• Promoting “civil engagement” in the public
decision-making process.
• Promoting public and recreational facilities.
• Promoting safe and sanitary homes.
• Prioritizing improvements and programs that
address the needs of Neighborhoods of Focus.
Content of the Environmental
Justice Element
To aid in the understanding of environmental justice
and how the City will address environmental justice
concepts, this Element is organized as follows:
• Introduction
This section provides a brief overview of
environmental justice concepts and the statutory
obligation for communities. A discussion on the
content and scope of this Environmental Justice
Element is also provided.
• Background and Context
This section discusses environmental justice
principles and the methodology for identifying
Neighborhoods of Focus within the Visalia city
limits. This section also identifies and shows the
location of the Neighborhoods of Focus in
Visalia.
• Public Participation
A key principle of environmental justice is
engaging the communities most impacted by
pollution burden and other environmental justice
factors. This section summarizes the community
outreach and publicity strategy employed for this
effort. A full summary of comments received at
each topic station during the community
workshop can be found in Appendix D.
• Neighborhoods of Focus: Context and
Demographics
This section identifies the Neighborhoods of
Focus in Visalia and provides an evaluation of
baseline demographic data for each community.
Data analyzed in this section includes race and
ethnicity, household income and poverty status,
educational attainment, spoken language and
English proficiency, and age.
• Environmental Justice Concerns
This section provides an evaluation of baseline
(2023) environmental issues within the
Neighborhoods of Focus including pollution
burden, healthy food access, physical activity,
public facilities, safe and sanitary housing,
language isolation, and civic engagement.
• Objectives and Policies
The goals and policies described in this section
establish how the City will incorporate
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9-11 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
environmental justice into decision making and
support positive outcomes for affected residents.
For the purpose of this Environmental Justice
Element, “goals” refer to the resulting purpose of
an effort and “policies” refer to a guiding action
that carries out a particular goal.
• Implementation
This section establishes the implementation
programs the City will undertake to address
environmental justice concerns citywide and in the
Neighborhoods of Focus. For the purpose of this
Environmental Justice Element, “implementation
programs” refer to specific actions, programs, or
techniques which carry out a particular policy.
• References and Appendices
This section Includes a comprehensive list of
associated appendices and reference materials.
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BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Statutory Requirements
With the enactment of Senate Bill (SB) 1000, California Government Code Section 65302(h) requires local
jurisdictions to incorporate environmental justice in
their general plans. The law requires local governments to develop policies to reduce the disproportionate
exposure to pollution in neighborhoods that also
experience increased social and economic challenges.
These requirements are organized into two subsections:
Section 65302 (h)(1) through Section 65302 (h)(2),
which are summarized in the call out box to the right.
Identifying Environmental
Justice Communities
California law refers to communities with high levels of environmental and socioeconomic vulnerability as
“disadvantaged communities.” Identifying
communities faced with social, economic, and
environmental challenges as “disadvantaged” does not
accurately capture the many strengths these
communities also possess, such as a strong sense of
community and local community-based organizations
and residents working to improve their neighborhood.
In recognition of the many assets and importance of
this area to the well-being of the City of Visalia,
determined that any area which qualifies as a
“disadvantaged community” is more accurately
identified as a “Neighborhood of Focus.”
California Government Code Section 65302(h)
65302 (h)(1) adds to the required elements of the
general plan an environmental justice element, or
related goals, policies, and objectives integrated
in other elements, which identifies
“disadvantaged communities.”
• 65302 (h)(1)(A) identifies objectives and
policies to promote the following in
disadvantaged communities:
o Public facilities;
o Food access;
o Safe and sanitary homes;
o Physical activity;
o Exposure to pollution, including
improving air quality; and
o Any unique or compounded health risks.
• 65302 (h)(1)(B) identifies objectives and
policies to promote civic engagement in the
public decision-making process in
disadvantaged communities.
• 65302 (h)(1)(C) identifies objectives and
policies that prioritize improvements and
programs that address the needs of
disadvantaged communities.
65302 (h)(2) requires the adoption or revision of
environmental justice element, or related goals,
policies, and objectives, upon the revision of two
or more elements concurrently on or after January
1, 2018.
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Methodology and Analysis
The City used two geospatial screening tools that
analyze socioeconomic, environmental, and health
factors to identify if a Neighborhood of Focus exists
within the city limits.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 is a screening tool developed by
the California OEHHA and is the primary screening
tool used by the CalEPA to identify disadvantaged
communities in California. CalEnviroScreen uses 21
indicators to assess pollution burdens and population
vulnerabilities for each census tract in California and assigns a score for each indicator. The higher the score, the more that census tract is impacted by that indicator.
Individual indicator scores are then summarized into
two primary metrics: pollution burden and population
characteristics, which are together calculated to
determine an overall CalEnviroScreen score. Census
tracts in the top 25 percent of overall CalEnviroScreen scores (percentile scores between 75 and 100) are
identified as disadvantaged communities by the
CalEPA. Figure 9-1 shows overall CalEnviroScreen
scores for Visalia.
EJScreen
EJScreen is a screening tool developed by the US
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that
combines environmental and socioeconomic factors to
calculate environmental justice index scores for each
census block group in the United States. EJScreen
provides an environmental justice index score for 12
environmental indicators that then receive a percentile score compared to both countrywide and statewide
scores. For the purposes of this Environmental Justice
Element, Visalia block groups were compared to
statewide percentile scores and a 75th percentile filter was used as the threshold for identifying environmental justice communities.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Cumulative Scores
The Pollution Burden score identifies census
tracts that are disproportionately affected by
pollution exposure and other adverse
environmental conditions that pose negative
health effects and environmental degradation.
The Population Characteristics score identifies
census tracts with higher concentrations of people
with physiological traits, health status, or
community characteristics that can result in
increased vulnerability to pollution.
The overall CalEnviroScreen score is a
cumulative score that combines the Pollution
Burden and Population Characteristics scores and
represents the cumulative impact of environmental
and socioeconomic effects on a community.
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Figure 9-1 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Cumulative Scores, City of Visalia 361
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Figure 9-2 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Pollution Burden Scores, City of Visalia 362
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Figure 9-3 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Population Characteristics Scores, City of Visalia 363
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SB 535 Communities
In 2012, Senate Bill (SB) 535 tasked CalEPA with
identifying disadvantaged communities. Disadvantaged
communities in California are targeted for investments
from State funding to improve public health, quality of life, and economic opportunity. In 2022, CalEPA
updated its designation of disadvantaged communities
to include any census tract that meets one or more of
the following four criteria:
1. Census tracts receiving the highest 25 percent
of overall scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0
2. Census tracts lacking overall scores in
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 due to data gaps but
receiving the highest five percent of
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 cumulative pollution
burden scores.
3. Census tracts identified in the 2017
Disadvantaged Community designation as
“disadvantaged,” regardless of their scores in
CalEnviroScreen 4.0
4. Lands under the control of federally
recognized Tribes
Figure 9-4 shows census tracts in Visalia identified as disadvantaged communities under the 2022 SB 535
designation criteria by the CalEPA.
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Figure 9-4 SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities, City of Visalia 365
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Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus
The term “Neighborhoods of Focus” refers to the
census tracts within the city where residents experience disproportionate pollution burdens, health impacts, and socioeconomic barriers. The City has identified four
neighborhoods as part of Visalia’s Neighborhoods of
Focus. Below is a list of Visalia’s four Neighborhoods
of Focus and the census tract(s) included in each:
Table 9-2 Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus
Neighborhood Name Census Tracts
North-West Visalia Tract 10.03 (6107001003)
Oval Park Tract 10.04 (6107001004)
Tract 11 (6107001100)
Tract 12 (6107001200)
East Visalia Tract 13.02 (6107001302)
Seven Oaks Tract 17.01 (6107001701)
Source: City of Visalia; Mintier Harnish
Figure 9-5 shows Visalia’s Neighborhoods of Focus.
These neighborhoods were determined primarily based
on SB 535 census tract boundaries, CalEnviroScreen
4.0 scores, and defining features (i.e., major roads).
2020 Census Tract Redistricting
The census tracts listed above are those used in the
2010 U.S. Census, however, in 2020, four of these six
census tracts were split up to form new, additional
census tracts as a result of redistricting. Table 9-3 shows the redistricting changes made to the census tracts
within the Neighborhoods of Focus.
As of October 2023, CalEnviroScreen 4.0 uses 2010
census tracts to showcase data on pollution exposure,
environmental effects, sensitive populations, and
socioeconomic factors. Given the importance of
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 in determining which areas of
Californian cities experience greater social inequities and environmental burdens, this Element uses the 2010
census tract boundaries to identify Visalia’s
Neighborhoods of Focus.
Table 9-3 Visalia Redistricting Changes in
Visalia’s Neighborhoods of Focus
2010 Census Tract 2020 Redistricting
Changes
Tract 10.03 (61070001003) Split into Tracts 10.07,
10.08, 10.11, and 10.12
Tract 10.04 (6107001004) Split into Tracts 10.09 and
10.10 Tract 11 (6107001100) Split into Tracts 11.01 and
11.02 Tract 12 (6107001200) No change
Tract 13.02 (6107001302) Split into Tracts 13.05 and
13.06 Tract 17.01 (6107001701) No change
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2023)
Additionally, American Community Survey (ACS) data
is not available for redistricted census tracts prior to 2020. As a result, for certain topics in the demographics analysis, 2019 ACS data is used. To ensure 2019 data
was still consistent with current conditions in these
census tracts, a weighted average of 2021 ACS data
from each set of redistricted 2020 census tracts was
compared against 2019 ACS data.
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Location and Context
North-West Visalia
The North-West Visalia Neighborhood of Focus
includes one census tract in the northwestern area of
the city. The residential areas in this Neighborhood of Focus are primarily located north of W Goshen Avenue
to the northern Visalia City Limit. The portion of this neighborhood west of N Shirk Road is primarily
industrial and manufacturing. North-West Visalia
extends east to North Mooney Boulevard, North
Giddings Street, and Dinuba Boulevard. It should be
noted that the census tract that covers North-West
Visalia extends slightly beyond Visalia City Limits to the north, most of which is agricultural land.
Note: Census tract boundaries used to identify the
North-West Visalia Neighborhood of Focus (Census
Tract 10.03) received heavy redistricting changes from
the 2020 Census as a result of substantial new
residential developments in the area. As shown in
Table 9-3, Census Tract 10.03 was split into four tracts during the 2020 redistricting. A majority of residences in new Census Tracts 10.07 and 10.08, and significant
portions of Census Tracts 10.11 and 10.12, have been
constructed within the last 20 years. As a result of these changes, the portions of this neighborhood that have
undergone extensive growth may not experience the
same disproportionate burdens, impacts, and barriers
described in this element as other longer-established
portions of this neighborhood.
Oval Park
The Oval Park Neighborhood of Focus includes three
census tracts in the north-central area of the city. The Oval Park neighborhood is centered around SR 63
extending from SR 198 to the northern City Limits. The
eastern boundary of the neighborhood is North Santa
Fe Street and extends west to North Mooney
Boulevard, North Giddings Street, and Dinuba
Boulevard. The southern portion of the Oval Park
neighborhood includes commercial areas of
Downtown Visalia around Main Street.
Seven Oaks
The Seven Oaks Neighborhood of Focus includes one
census tract in the east-central area of the city. This neighborhood is bordered by SR 198 to the north,
South Watson Street to the west, East Walnut Avenue
to the south, and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad tracks to the east. The Seven Oaks neighborhood is primarily
residential with some commercial and medical uses
along South Santa Fe Street and South Court Street.
East Visalia
The East Visalia Neighborhood of Focus includes one
census tract in the eastern area of the city. The
neighborhood is bordered by SR 198 to the south,
North Santa Fe Street to the west, Houston Avenue to
the north, and Visalia city limits to the east. The
neighborhood is also bisected by SR 216. The northern
and eastern portions of the East Visalia neighborhood
are primarily residential, whereas western and southern portions include a mixture of commercial around Main
Street and light industrial around East Goshen Avenue.
It should be noted that both census tracts in East Visalia extend beyond the Visalia City Limits to the east, most of which is agricultural land.
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Figure 9-5 Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus
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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A key principle of environmental justice is engaging the residents most impacted by pollution burden and other
environmental justice factors. In August 2023, the City facilitated a series of community engagement events to
gather community input on environmental justice
issues. This section provides an overview of the
publicity strategy for this effort, as well as a summary of the community engagement events, and feedback
received. The publicity and outreach strategy included:
• Three community outreach events
• An online and physical community survey
• E-blasts, social media posts, community flyers,
and coordination with local schools and CBOs
The feedback received throughout the public
participation process was used to develop the goals,
policies, and programs contained in this Environmental
Justice Element.
Publicity and Outreach
Strategy
Several methods were used to publicize the
Environmental Justice Element and associated
community engagement opportunities. Below is a
summary of the City’s publicity strategy. See Appendix
E for copies of publicity materials used throughout the process.
Project Website
The project website (HouseVisalia.com) was updated
one to two weeks before each event with the
information, time, and location of the event. The
environmental justice community survey was also
posted on the project website from July 27, 2023,
through November 30, 2023.
E-Blasts
Email blasts (e-blasts) were sent out to the project
mailing list one week before each event with a follow
up email sent one day prior or morning of the event. Eblasts also went out at least once a month promoting the environmental justice survey. A total of 11 e-blasts were sent over the course of five months that included
event information (time, location, goal of the event), a link to the project website, and a link to the
environmental justice survey.
Community Advertising
The Project Team created a vinyl banner that was
displayed at numerous community events to encourage
community input on the Environmental Justice
Element. The banner included the project logo,
directions to provide feedback, and a QR code to the
environmental justice survey. The banner was also
displayed at the Cowhide football game, a highly
anticipated annual high school rivalry game, on October 27, 2023.
Farmer’s market booth from August 5, 2023, event.
Physical surveys of the online community survey
were available at all outreach events.
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School District Email
The Project Team coordinated with the Visalia Unified
School District to share the environmental justice
survey to all parents and school district staff via email.
The email included a link to the survey and a brief
written announcement about the project and purpose
of the survey.
Community Based Organization (CBO)
Outreach
The Project Team contacted seven CBOs that work
with environmental justice communities in Visalia
and/or the surrounding region. CBOs are valuable
partners in the engagement process since they actively
work in environmental justice communities and have
established relationships and trust with community
members. City staff contacted CBOs to provide
information about the overall project and how
community members can get involved. Many of the
CBOs that were contacted for this effort were
recommended by community members during the first
two community outreach events.
Social Media
The Project Team posted notifications of the
environmental justice survey and outreach events on
the City’s social media pages that included event
information, the survey link, and a link to the project website. Between July and November 2023, the Project
Team made nine social media posts across Facebook,
Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as
Twitter).
Community Outreach Events
Throughout August 2023 and November 2023, the City
facilitated three in-person community outreach events.
All three events featured similar content and activities to ensure any community members who attended only
one event would receive the same information as
attendees at any other event. See Appendix A for all of the materials used at the community outreach events.
Farmer’s Market Booth
August 5, 2023
The Project Team facilitated a “pop-up” booth at the
Visalia Farmers’ Market on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
The purpose of the booth was to provide community
members with an understanding of environmental
justice topics and identify crucial issues within the
community and suggest preliminary ideas for potential
improvements. In attendance was one City staff
member and two members of the consultant team. The
booth consisted of an informational poster with an
overview of environmental justice and an interactive
activity. All booth materials and activities were available in both English and Spanish.
The booth activity encouraged participants to identify
issues in Visalia related to the six environmental justice topic areas and potential solutions to those issues. The activity was framed around the idea if the participant
was “Mayor for the Day” what issue would they try to
solve or opportunity they would implement.
Participants were provided with an index card to write
down their issue and corresponding solution.
Completed index cards were displayed for other
participants and marketgoers to read. The Project Team
Booth at the El Grito En Visalia event on September 16, 2023..
Booth at the 2023 Farmworker Women’s Conference
event on November 16, 2023.
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was available to answer questions, facilitate dialog and provide activity assistance.
In addition to the activity, participants had the
opportunity to take the environmental justice
community survey. The Project Team had hard copy
surveys available, in both English and Spanish, and
cards with the survey QR code. A full summary of
feedback received during the community workshop can
be found in Appendix D.
In total, 20 people visited the pop-up booth over the
course of three hours. The Project Team received eight
activity cards and eight completed environmental
justice surveys.
El Grito En Visalia Event Booth
September 16, 2023
The Project Team facilitated a second pop-up booth at
the El Grito En Visalia event on Saturday, September
16, 2023. The El Grito En Visalia event is a Mexican
Independence Day celebration with a variety of
activities, performances, and food. The purpose of the
booth was to provide community members with an
understanding of environmental justice topics and
identify key issues in the community and propose initial ideas for improvements. In attendance were two City
staff members, one of which was a Spanish-speaker,
and three members of the consultant team.
The booth featured an informational poster on
environmental justice, available in both English and
Spanish. The poster provided an overview of
environmental justice topics and emphasized the
significance of community outreach in identifying
issues within environmental justice communities. The
booth featured an interactive exercise like the Farmers’ Market booth (Outreach Event #1). Participants
received colored index cards and were asked to identify neighborhood issues related to an environmental justice topic. Following this, participants were encouraged to
propose potential solutions. Completed index cards
were displayed on the booth table for other participants to read and to generate more interest toward the booth.
City staff and the consultant team were available to
answer questions and help as needed.
About 20 people attended the pop-up booth over the
course of two hours. The Project Team received 10
activity cards and seven completed environmental
justice surveys. A full summary of feedback received
during the community workshop can be found in
Appendix D.
2023 Farmworker Women’s
Conference
November 16, 2023
The Project Team facilitated a booth at the 2023
Farmworker Women’s Health, Safety, Employment,
Education and Environment Conference on Thursday,
November 16, 2023, at the Visalia Conference Center.
The Farmworker Women’s Conference is an annual
conference that provides farmworker women resources
and information to maintain and improve the health,
safety, and quality of life for both them and their
families. The conference is attended primarily by Latina, Spanish-speaking women who work in the Central
Valley agricultural industry.
The booth was in the conference exhibit hall and
consisted of an environmental justice informational
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poster, informational flyers, and a vinyl banner with the QR code to the online environmental justice survey.
The booth materials were provided primarily in Spanish
with English translation available if needed.
Additionally, since the conference was not specific to
Visalia, the booth had a small sign that asked “Vives en Visalia?” (Do you live in Visalia?) to draw the attention of Visalia residents. Three City staff were in attendance, two of whom were Spanish-speaking.
The central focus of the booth was to encourage
participation in the environmental justice community
survey, which participants could fill out either in person or online. Additionally, cards featuring a QR code to
access the survey were provided for those interested in completing the survey later. A shorter version of the
environmental justice survey, containing nine
questions, was created, and made available in hard copy form. This condensed survey could be completed
quickly (in less than five minutes), catering to attendees with limited time between conference sessions and
booth visits. See the “Community Survey” section for
more information on the differences between the long
survey and short survey.
The conference drew approximately 1,300 attendees,
and during the four-hour booth duration, the Project
Team collected a total of 81 completed surveys (32 in
Spanish and 49 in English). An additional 31 online
surveys were submitted on the same day.
Community Survey
The environmental justice community survey was
available online from July 27, 2023, through November
30, 2023, in both English and Spanish. The survey was
created using the platform Maptionnaire, which allowed
for interactive mapping questions within a traditional
online survey. The survey was divided into six sections covering the six environmental justice topic areas
(pollution exposure, public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary housing, physical activity, and civic
engagement) with the goal of understanding lived
experiences of community members related to each
topic area. Each section had two to five questions that were either multiple choice or interactive mapping
questions with a total of 18 questions.
A total of 885 survey responses with meaningful data
were gathered throughout the outreach process,
including physical survey responses received at
outreach events. The English survey received 833
responses, and the Spanish survey received 52
responses. Although the survey was optimized for
online participation, printed versions of the survey were available at in-person community outreach events.
Printed surveys included the same questions in the
online survey and were later entered into Maptionnaire
by the Project Team following each outreach event.
An abbreviated version of the printed survey was
created for the Farmworker Women’s Conference to
allow conference attendees with limited time to visit the booth to complete the survey in less than five minutes.
The Project Team selected nine questions from the fulllength survey to include in the abbreviated survey, with at least one question per topic area. When entering
abbreviated survey responses in Maptionnaire, the
Project Team left questions not included in the
abbreviated survey blank. See Appendix B for a copy of
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the full-length and abbreviated printed survey, and
Appendix C for a full summary of all survey responses.
The survey asked participants to identify where they
lived in Visalia by selecting one of 11 zones provided
on a map (see Figure 9-6). The areas were created by
grouping census tracts using key features (such as major roads and railroad tracks) and CalEnviroScreen 4.0
census tract scores. This information allowed the
Project Team to better understand where in Visalia
respondents live while also maintaining anonymity of
individual respondents. The zone(s) included in the
Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus are as follows:
• North Visalia1: Zone 1 and Zone 2
• Oval Park: Zone 8
• Seven Oaks: Zone 9
• East Visalia: Zone 10
How Survey Responses are Used in the
Environmental Justice Element
Survey responses are used in this Element to
supplement the analysis of environmental justice
concerns in Visalia. It should also be noted that about 56 percent of all survey respondents (498 respondents)
provided a response for the zone/location-specific
question of the survey. To maintain the integrity of
survey data, survey responses that did not answer the
zone/location-specific question are not included in
discussions of survey results referencing neighborhood
1 North Visalia includes two Zones because Zone 1
includes primarily non-residential uses and minimal
responses were received from residents in this Zone.
areas but are included in survey result discussions that reference all survey respondents.
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Figure 9-6 Residential Zones from Visalia Environmental Justice Community Survey 374
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COMMUNITY PROFILE
Residents in the Neighborhoods of Focus represent
diverse cultures, incomes, and ages. Additionally, many residents in the Neighborhoods of Focus provide
critical support to the agricultural and service industries in the surrounding San Joaquin Valley region. This
section summarizes the population and socioeconomic
factors for each Neighborhood of Focus.
Race and Ethnicity
Analyzing the racial and ethnic makeup of communities
helps to identify potential disparities related to pollution burdens, health impacts, and quality of community
services. Race and ethnicity factors are often tied to a community’s overall health equity and the social
determinants of health, along with income, educational
attainment, employment status, and access to
healthcare. Through understanding and addressing
environmental justice inequities, further inequities can be prevented. Table 9-4 shows a summary of racial and
ethnic demographics in the Visalia Neighborhoods of
Focus compared to citywide and countywide totals.
North-West Visalia
The North-West Visalia Neighborhood of Focus is the
largest of the four Neighborhoods of Focus with a total population of 25,636, which is about 19 percent of the
citywide population. The largest racial/ethnic group in North-West Visalia is Hispanic/Latino (51 percent),
which is slightly less than the City of Visalia (52 percent) and Tulare County (65 percent). The second largest
racial/ethnic group is white alone (39 percent), which is similar to the City of Visalia (38 percent) but about 10 percent higher than Tulare County (29 percent). The
percentage of residents that identify as Asian alone in North-West Visalia (eight percent) is higher than the
citywide percentage (five percent) and the countywide
percentage (three percent).
Oval Park
The Oval Park Neighborhood of Focus has a total
population of 15,986, about 12 percent of the citywide
population. The largest racial/ethnic group in Oval
Park is Hispanic/Latino (74 percent), which is
significantly higher than the City of Visalia (52 percent) and Tulare County (65 percent). The second largest
racial/ethnic group is white alone (12 percent), which is significantly less than any other Neighborhood of
Focus as well as the city (38 percent) and county (29
percent). About 10 percent of residents in Oval Park
identify as Asian alone, which is higher than any other Neighborhood of Focus as well as the city (five percent) and county (three percent).
East Visalia
The East Visalia Neighborhood of Focus has a total
population of 9,219, which is about seven percent of
the citywide population. The largest racial/ethnic group 375
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in East Visalia is Hispanic/Latino (63 percent), which
is higher than the City of Visalia (52 percent) and
slightly lower than Tulare County (65 percent). The
second largest racial/ethnic group is white alone (28
percent), which is less than both the city (38 percent) but similar to the county (29 percent).
Seven Oaks
The Seven Oaks Neighborhood of Focus is the smallest
of the four Neighborhoods of Focus with a total
population of 6,626, about five percent of the citywide population. The largest racial/ethnic group in Seven
Oaks is Hispanic/Latino (63 percent), which is slightly higher than the City of Visalia (52 percent) but similar to Tulare County (65 percent). The second largest
racial/ethnic group is white alone (32 percent), which is slightly less than the city (38 percent) but slightly higher than the county (29 percent).
Table 9-4 Race and Ethnicity in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus Race/Ethnicity North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
White alone 38.7% 12.1% 27.8% 31.9% 38.4% 28.5%
Black or African
American alone
0.1% 1.3% 2.2% 1.2% 1.8% 1.3%
American Indian and
Alaska Native alone
0.0% 0.5% 0.4% 0.2% 0.4% 0.6%
Asian alone 8.0% 9.9% 5.5% 2.6% 5.1% 3.2%
Native Hawaiian and
Other Pacific Islander
alone
0.1% 0.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.1%
Some other race alone 0.0% 0.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.2%
Two or more races 2.2% 1.0% 0.9% 1.7% 1.8% 1.5%
Hispanic or Latino 50.9% 74.3% 63.3% 62.5% 52.2% 64.6%
Total Population 25,636 15,986 9,219 6,626 132,104 461,898 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019 (5-year Estimates), Table B03002 376
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Household Income and
Poverty Status
As shown in , in 2019, the median income within the
Community of Focus ranged from $26,591 in Oval Park
to $83,097 in North-West Visalia. Compared to the
median income of both Visalia residents ($62,263) and
Tulare residents ($49,687), the median incomes within
the Community of Focus vary significantly. NorthWest Visalia has the highest median income ($83,097) which is significantly higher than both the City of
Visalia and Tulare County. Oval Park has the lowest
median income ranging from $26,591 in Census Tract
12 to $43,364 in Census Tract 10.04. East Visalia has a median income ranging from $57,241 in Census Tract
13.01 and $60,185 in Census Tract 13.02, which lies
between that of Visalia and Tulare County. Seven Oaks
reports a median income of $48,945, which is lower
than both Visalia and Tulare County. Mean income
follows a similar trend, although Oval Park ($55,387) is the only community that is below both Visalia ($82,412) and Tulare County ($69,493). North-West Visalia has
the lowest poverty rate (13 percent), followed by East
Visalia (25 percent) and Seven Oaks (30 Percent). Oval
Park has the highest poverty rate of 38 percent, which
is higher than both Visalia (18 percent) and Tulare
County (25 percent).
Table 9-5 Income and Poverty in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
Median Income 83,097 26,591 -
43,364
60,185 48,945 62,263 49,687
Average Income (Mean) 108,155 55,387 70,392 78,570 82,412 69,493 Population in Poverty 12.9% 38.2% 24.6% 30.2% 18.1% 25.1% Total Population 25,636 15,986 9,219 6,626 132,104 461,898 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019 (5-year Estimates), Table S1501 Unemployment
The unemployment rate of residents directly influences
the mental, physical, and financial health of those
unemployed, their families, and the community at large.
Gaps in employment can significantly reduce the
amount of disposal income available to individuals and
their families, which can impact the ability to pay for essential items such as housing, food, and other living expenses. This decreased spending caused by a
temporary or long-term reduction in disposable income
can have a direct impact on the total amount of money
spent locally, which in turn can negatively impact the
local economy of the region. Additionally, the many
stressors associated with being unemployed can cause a
number of physical health problems, including high
blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. 377
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As shown in Table 9-6, the Neighborhoods of Focus
have varying levels of unemployment compared to the
city and the county. Oval Park has the highest
unemployment rate (seven percent), which is
significantly higher than the City of Visalia (three
percent) and similar to Tulare County (six percent).
East Visalia has the second highest unemployment rate
(two percent), followed by Seven Oaks (one percent)
and North-West Visalia (one percent).
Table 9-6 Unemployment in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
Unemployment Rate 1.3% 6.6% 2.2% 1.4% 3.0% 5.6%
Total Population 25,636 15,986 9,219 6,626 132,104 461,898 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP03), 2019 Educational Attainment
The level of educational attainment achieved by
residents influences their social determinants of health, which in turn tends to impact their level of accessibility and involvement in public decision-making processes.
According to the California Healthy Places Index, all
people should be able to seek opportunities for higher
education, access quality jobs and higher wages, gain
knowledge to make healthy choices, and build
important social and cognitive skills.
As shown in Table 9-7, the Neighborhoods of Focus
have varying levels of educational attainment across the four neighborhoods when compared to the City of
Visalia and Tulare County. Oval Park has the lowest
level of educational attainment in both education
categories, where 23 percent report having a high
school diploma or higher and less than two percent
report having a bachelor’s degree or higher. High
school attainment is significantly lower than the City of Visalia (79 percent) and Tulare County (67 percent).
East Visalia has the second lowest rate of educational
attainment, where 37 percent of residents have a high
school diploma or higher and eight percent have a
bachelor’s degree or higher. Seven Oaks has an
educational attainment rate generally consistent with
the City of Visalia and Tulare County, where 72 percent of the population has a high school diploma or higher
and 8 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
North-West Visalia has the highest rate educational
attainment where 83 percent of residents have a high
school diploma or higher and 29 percent have a
bachelor’s degree or higher, which is greater than both the City of Visalia and Tulare County in each category. 378
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Table 9-7 Educational Attainment in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
High School or Higher 82.5% 23.2% 36.6% 72.2% 78.7% 66.9% Bachelor’s or Higher 28.9% 1.8% 7.8% 7.9% 19.6% 11.9%
Total Population 25,636 15,986 9,219 6,626 132,104 461,898 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S1501), 2019 Language Spoken and English
Proficiency
It is common for residents of impacted communities to
speak languages other than English. Historically, this
has created additional barriers to navigate the traditional public decision-making processes without additional
resources and support. Both English and Spanish are
the primary languages spoken in the Community of
Focus. This is consistent with the statistics of Visalia and Tulare County, though there is some variation in
the exact proportion Spanish and English speakers in
the Community of Focus compared to the city and
county.
As shown in Table 9-8, English is the primary language
spoken in all neighborhoods and in both the City of
Visalia and Tulare County, with the exception of Oval
Park. Spanish is the primary language spoken in Oval
Park and is spoken by 49 percent of the population,
followed by English with 32 percent. The percent of
Spanish speakers in Oval Park is similar to Tulare
County (44 percent) and significantly higher than the
City of Visalia (28 percent). English is spoken at a
similar rate in East Visalia (51 percent) and Seven Oaks (51 percent) but is more common in North-West
Visalia (60 percent). Spanish is more widely spoken in
Seven Oaks (37 percent) when compared to East Visalia
(34 percent) and North-West Visalia (26 percent).
Notably, Noth-West Visalia has the lowest percent of
Spanish speakers with 26 percent, which is similar to the City of Visalia (28 percent). Asian and Pacific Island
languages make up the third most common language
category across all neighborhoods, the City of Visalia, and Tulare County. Oval Park has the largest
population of Asian and Pacific Island language
speakers with 9 percent, which is significantly higher
than all geographic areas included in this study. The City of Visalia has the second largest population (three
percent) while Tulare County has the smallest (two
percent). Other languages, which includes Arabic and
Creole, are the least commonly spoken languages and
account for less than one percent of languages spoken
in each of the regions.
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Table 9-8 Language Spoken at Home - Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
English Only 60.2% 32.1% 50.9% 50.5% 59.0% 44.8%
Spanish 28.3% 54.5% 33.5% 41.0% 30.1% 47.4%
Other Indo-European
Languages
2.9% 0.0% 3.0% 0.2% 1.4% 1.4%
Asian and Pacific Island
Languages
3.0% 9.6% 4.4% 3.1% 3.3% 2.1%
Other Languages 0.2% 0.1% 0.5% 0.1% 0.4% 0.4%
Total Population 25,636 15,986 9,219 6,626 132,104 461,898 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S1601), 2019 Age
Age distribution analysis related to environmental
justice examines the extent to which the most
vulnerable populations, namely the young and elderly,
are impacted. These age groups are more susceptible to
health impacts from environmental hazards such as air
pollution and extreme heat. Children may also be more
likely to spend time outdoors or in playgrounds, which
can expose this age group to environmental hazards
such as lead in soil or pesticide residue on grass.
Considering age distribution in environmental justice
efforts ensures the needs and concerns of different age groups are considered, resulting in more equitable and
sustainable communities for all residents.
As shown in Table 9-9, the percentage of residents
between the ages of 15 and 64 is generally similar
between the Community of Focus, the City of Visalia,
and Tulare County. Seven Oaks has the highest
proportion of the population aged 15 to 64 (67 percent) followed by North-West Visalia (65 percent) and Oval
Park (65 percent). Children under 15 years old make up
a relatively similar percentage of each population, with East Visalia having the highest percentage of residents under the age of 15 (33 percent). Seven Oaks has the
smallest percentage of residents under 15 years old with 23 percent, which is lower than both the City of Visalia (25 percent) and Tulare County (26 percent). The
community of focus has a lower percent of residents
aged 65 or older compared to the City of Visalia (12
percent) and Tulare County (11 percent). North-West
Visalia has the smallest population aged 65 or older (7 percent) and Seven Oaks has the highest (10 percent).
Oval Park and East Visalia have a comparable
percentage of residents aged 65 or older, with East
Visalia slightly higher.
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Table 9-9 Age Distribution - Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus Age Group NorthWest
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven
Oaks
City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
Children (<15) Count 7,419 4,204 3,026 1,539 33,058 119,670 Percent 28.9% 26.3% 32.8% 23.2% 25.0% 25.9%
General Population
(15-64)
Count 16,554 10,322 5,296 4,426 83,822 290,697
Percent 64.6% 64.6% 57.4% 66.8% 63.5% 62.9%
Older Population
(65+)
Count 1,663 1,460 897 661 15,224 51,531
Percent 6.5% 9.1% 9.7% 10.0% 11.5% 11.2%
Total Population 25,636 15,986 9,219 6,626 132,104 461,898 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP05), 2019 381
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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERNS IN VISALIA
Community Health
The risk and severity of chronic health problems such
as asthma, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes can be a direct or indirect result of someone’s environment.
Residents of environmental justice communities tend to
have higher rates of these chronic health problems due
to increased pollution exposure (at work and/or at
home), lack of physical activity, lack of access to healthy foods, unhealthy living conditions, or a combination of these factors. Lack of investment and incompatible land uses in residential areas can either cause or worsen these chronic health conditions, resulting in someone’s
overall health being partially determined by their zip
code. This section describes the presence of chronic
health problems in Visalia.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that causes an
individual’s airways to narrow and swell, making it
difficult to breathe and triggering symptoms such as
coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness. Although it is unclear what causes asthma, exposure to high levels of
air pollutants such as traffic, particulate matter, smog, and diesel exhaust can trigger asthma attacks. People
who live, work, or spend time outside near major roads, highways, and railways are at higher risk of more
frequent and severe asthmatic attacks that can lead to
emergency room (ER) visits.
Table 9-10 shows the number of children and adults
diagnosed with asthma in the Visalia Neighborhoods of
Focus compared to the City of Visalia and Tulare
County. The asthma rates for children in Oval Park
(eight percent) and East Visalia (seven percent) are
slightly higher than the citywide and countywide asthma rates for children. The asthma rates for adults in Oval Park, Seven Oaks, and East Visalia are similar to the city and county, however, the adult asthma rates in NorthWest Visalia (19 percent) are slightly higher than the city, county, and other Neighborhoods of Focus.
Overall the asthma rates in the Visalia Neighborhoods
of Focus are similar to the city and county for both
children and adults, with some neighborhoods’ rates
being slightly higher (within two to three percent).
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 measures the Asthma Indicator by
estimating the average number of asthma related ER
visits per 10,000 people, measuring the most severe
asthma attacks. As shown in Figure 9-7, in Visalia,
census tracts in Oval Park and North-West Visalia have
asthma percentile scores between 44 and 52, meaning
the rate of asthma related ER visits are higher than 44 to 52 percent of census tracts in California. Seven Oaks and one of the census tracts in East Visalia have slightly lower percentile scores, between 38 and 40.
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Table 9-10 Rate of Asthma in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East
Visalia
Seven
Oaks
City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
California
Children (0-17)
ever diagnosed
with asthma
5.6% 8.1% 6.7% 6.0% 5.9% 6.2% 12.3%
Adults (18+) ever
diagnosed with
asthma
19.4% 12.1% 15.7% 14.3% 16.3% 14.1% 16.1%
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2020 Obesity
Obesity is a health condition that is present when a
person’s body mass index (BMI) is equal to 30 or more.
Individuals who are obese have a higher risk of serious health problems that can require regular medical care to manage, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, and liver disease. Two major factors that contribute to increased obesity rates include physical activity and access to healthy food options. In environmental justice communities, inequitable
development patterns and policies often lead to a higher prevalence of unhealthy food options, such as fast food and liquor stores. Additionally, these communities also tend to receive less investment in neighborhood
infrastructure that promotes physical activity, such as sidewalks, trees, and bike lanes. Additionally, lowincome households may lack the money, education, or tools to purchase and prepare healthy foods and often
cope with food insecurity by consuming nutrient-poor
but calorie-rich foods that can increase risk of obesity and/or malnutrition.
As shown in Table 9-11, the adult obesity rates in the
Neighborhoods of Focus tend to be slightly higher than
the citywide and countywide rates. Oval Park (43
percent), East Visalia (44 percent), and Seven Oaks (45 percent) are all two to four percent higher than the
citywide obesity rate. North-West Visalia has a slightly lower adult obesity rate (39 percent) than the city and county. Additionally, the obesity rate across the
Neighborhoods of Focus, city, and county are 12 to 18
percent higher than the statewide obesity rate (27
percent). This data suggests that residents in Visalia, particularly the Neighborhoods of Focus, may face
greater challenges with access to healthy food options
and opportunities for physical activity.
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Table 9-11 Rate of Obesity in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East
Visalia
Seven
Oaks
City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
California
Adults (18+) with
a BMI of 30+
39.4% 42.6% 44.0% 44.5% 40.5% 41.9% 26.8%
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2018 Note: 2018 data is the most recent year that CHIS has for all Neighborhoods of Focus Census Tracts 384
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Figure 9-7 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Asthma Related ER Visits, Visalia 385
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Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or when the
body cannot use the insulin it has effectively. Over time, the symptoms of diabetes can cause serious health
problems, including heart disease, vision loss, and
kidney disease. There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by genetic disposition, not environmental or lifestyle choices, whereas type 2
diabetes can be prevented through regular physical
activity and healthy food choices. Regardless of type,
management of diabetes requires healthy lifestyle
choices including healthy food choices, regular physical activity, controlling blood pressure, and controlling
cholesterol, all of which can be more challenging for
environmental justice communities that tend to
experience lower incomes and less access to regular and high-quality medical care.
The rate of diabetes in North-West Visalia and Oval
Park is slightly higher than the city and county average, as shown in Table 9-12, whereas the diabetes rate in
Seven Oaks and East Visalia are similar or slightly lower compared to the city and county. Additionally, the
diabetes rates across the Neighborhoods of Focus, City
of Visalia, and Tulare County are three to seven percent higher than statewide diabetes rates (11 percent).
Although neighborhoods that reflect higher rates of
diabetes may not be due to environmental conditions,
it demonstrates the importance of providing an
environment that promotes healthy lifestyle choices in
these neighborhoods such as adequate sidewalks, parks,
and recreational opportunities, as well as access to
healthcare and healthy food.
Table 9-12 Rate of Diabetes in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East
Visalia
Seven
Oaks
City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
California
Adults (18+) ever
diagnosed with
diabetes
17.3% 17.7% 16.0% 14.0% 15.3% 15.5% 11.1%
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2020 Heart Disease
Heart disease includes a variety heart conditions and is the leading cause of death in the United States. The
most common type of heart disease in the U.S. is
coronary artery disease, which can cause heart attacks.
Risk factors for heart disease include high blood
pressure and blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity.
Heart disease can be prevented through regular physical activity and a healthy diet, both of which are less easily attainable in environmental justice communities due to
a lack of neighborhood infrastructure that promotes
physical activity (i.e. parks, sidewalks, proximity to high traffic roads) and lack of healthy food choices due to
income, access to full-service grocery stores, or time or knowledge to prepare healthy foods at home.
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As shown in Table 9-13, the rate of adults diagnosed
with heart disease in the Neighborhoods of Focus are
similar (within one to two percent) to the citywide,
countywide and statewide heart disease rates.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 measures the Cardiovascular
Disease Indicator by estimating the number of people
per 10,000 who visited the ER for a heart attack. As
shown in Figure 9-8, other than Seven Oaks, all Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus have Cardiovascular Disease
Indicator percentile scores between 60 and 70, with
East Visalia being the highest, meaning the rate of heart attack related ER visits are higher than 60 to 70 percent of census tracts in California.
Table 9-13 Rate of Heart Disease in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus North-West
Visalia
Oval Park East
Visalia
Seven
Oaks
City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
California
Adults (18+) ever
diagnosed with
heart disease
6.6% 6.2% 6.9% 7.3% 7.5% 7.1% 6.9%
Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), 2020 387
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Figure 9-8 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Heart Attack ER Visits, Visalia 388
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Pollution Exposure
Pollution exposure occurs when people come into
direct contact with pollutants in the air, water, food, or soil. Pollution can be the result of polluting land uses (e.g., industrial facilities, agriculture), heavy or high traffic transportation facilities (e.g., railroads, freeways), or household conditions (e.g., lead paint, indoor air
quality). Environmental justice communities, especially low-income communities, are more likely to live or
work near one or more polluting sources due to
underinvestment and land use decisions that
concentrated polluting land uses near low-income
communities. Living or working near polluting land
uses can result in a higher risk of serious health issues such as respiratory infections, cancer, or heart disease due to consistent and regular exposure to one or more
pollutants.
This section discusses the major pollution burdens in
Visalia based on data from CalEnviroScreen 4.0 and
EJScreen.
Diesel Particulate Matter
Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) is a type of air
pollution that derives from diesel engine emissions.
Major sources of DPM include on- and off- road
mobile sources such as trucks, buses, cars, ships, trains, and heavy machinery (e.g., tractors). For this reason,
DPM is concentrated near ports, rail yards, and
freeways where there are high traffic volumes.
DPM is made up of extremely small particles of dirt and soot that come out of the exhaust pipes of vehicles.
With consistent exposure, these particles are easily
inhaled and cause irritation to the eyes, trouble
breathing, heart disease, and lung cancer. Children,
elderly, and people with existing respiratory diseases
such as asthma are more vulnerable to the negative
health effects of DPM.
Visalia is located along SR 99, which is a major northsouth highway for passenger vehicles and trucks and is a major source of DPM in neighboring communities.
Although most of the areas within the city limits that
are adjacent to SR 99 are non-residential, SR 99
intersects with SR 198, which is an east-west connection that diverts truck and passenger traffic directly through Visalia. The city is also bisected by two other California highways: SR 216 (east-west) and SR 63 (north-south).
Figure 9-10 shows concentrations of DPM emitted near
the populated part of census tracts as reported in
CalEnviroScreen 4.0. In Visalia, the census tracts
located along SR 198 and SR 63 have the highest DPM
percentile scores. Tract 10.04 in the northern portion of the Oval Park Neighborhood of Focus has the highest
DPM percentile score in the city at 77, meaning that the tons of DPM emitted per year is higher than 77 percent
of census tracts in California. The percentile scores in other Neighborhoods of Focus census tracts range
from 38 in East Visalia to 69 in Seven Oaks.
In the community survey, air pollution from cars and
trucks was one of the most reported types of pollution
across all areas in Visalia, accounting for 40 percent of all respondents. As shown in Figure 9-9, 42 to 48
percent of respondents in North Visalia, Oval Park,
Seven Oaks, and Non-EJ Areas reported experiencing
air pollution from cars and trucks in their
neighborhood. East Visalia has a significantly lower
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response rate for air pollution from cars and trucks
compared to other areas of the city, accounting for only 28 percent of responses. Seven Oaks has the highest
response rate for air pollution from cars and trucks,
accounting for 48 percent of respondents in the
neighborhood, most likely due to the neighborhood’s
close proximity to SR 198 and South Santa Fe Street,
which is a major north-south corridor through the city.
Figure 9-9 Community Survey Responses – Air pollution from cars and trucks 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Non-EJ Zones North Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents Air pollution from cars and trucks
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Figure 9-10 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Diesel Particulate Matter – Visalia Note: The community survey responses shown on the map are points that survey respondents identified as issue areas. The number of points shown is not representative of all survey responses, as not all respondents answered the mapping question. 391
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Ozone
Ozone is a gas formed when oxygen-containing
compounds react with other air pollutants (e.g., carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide) in the
presence of sunlight and can be either good or bad
depending on where it is found. Ozone found in the
earth’s upper atmosphere provides protection from the
sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays at the earth’s surface. In
contrast, ozone found at the ground level is the primary component of smog and can cause adverse health
impacts such as respiratory irritation, lung disease,
asthma, and cancer. Common air pollutants that create
ozone at the ground level include cars, trucks, power
plants, chemical plants, and farms.
To monitor ozone levels across California, the
California Air Resources Board (CARB) maintains a
network of air monitoring stations, one of which is in
Visalia on North Church Street. Ozone levels are
typically their highest in the afternoons and summer
months when the days are longer and hotter, therefore,
the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Ozone Indicator score is
determined based on the daily maximum ozone
concentration in summer months (May – October).
As shown in Figure 9-11, all census tracts in Visalia have an Ozone Indicator percentile score between 89 and 94,
meaning the ozone concentrations in Visalia is 89 to 94 percent higher than all other census tracts in California.
Ozone concentration in northern and eastern Visalia is
slightly higher than other areas of the city. This
demonstrates that ozone pollution exposure affects not
only Visalia’s Neighborhoods of Focus, but also the
citywide population.
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
PM2.5 is a form of air pollution that that is made up of very small particles (less than 2.5 micrometers in
diameter) and can include a variety of particles,
including organic chemicals, dust, soot, and metals.
Particulate matter can come from any activities
involving combustion, such as transportation,
agriculture, industry, and construction.
The small size of PM2.5 particles can cause serious
health effects on the heart and lungs, as these fine
particles can penetrate deeper into the lungs if inhaled.
Exposure to PM2.5 can result in lung irritation,
exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory diseases,
lung disease, heart disease, and increased risk of strokes.
PM2.5 levels are monitored by CARB’s air monitoring
stations, which is used by CalEnviroScreen 4.0 to
measure the PM2.5 Indicator percentile scores based on
annual average concentrations of PM2.5. Similar to the
Ozone Indicator percentile score, in Visalia the PM2.5
Indicator percentile scores for all census tracts are
between 97 and 99 (see Figure 9-13), meaning the
PM2.5 concentrations in Visalia are 97 to 99 percent
higher than all other census tracts in California.
Did you know?
The size of particle matter has a direct relation
to its potential health impacts. PM2.5 particles
are smaller than the thickness of a human hair.
Particles of this size can more easily penetrate
into the lungs and even into the bloodstream.
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Figure 9-11 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Ozone Concentration, Visalia 393
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Figure 9-13 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 PM2.5 Concentration, Visalia 394
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Pesticide Use
Pesticides are chemicals used to control insects, plant diseases, and other pests that threaten crops. Pesticides applied in agricultural areas can become airborne and
drift to neighboring communities and become a
significant source of pollution exposure to residents.
Chronic exposure to harmful pesticides can cause
serious health issues such as respiratory illnesses, birth defects, cancer, and neurological impacts2. Additionally, environmental justice communities, especially in the
California San Joaquin Valley, are more likely to work
in the agricultural industry resulting in higher risk of exposure at work.
Although over 1,000 pesticides are registered for use in California, the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Pesticide Use
Indicator assesses only 132 of the most toxic and
volatile active pesticide ingredients residents may be
exposed to. The indicator adds the total pounds per
square mile of these selected pesticide ingredients for the years 2017-2019 for each census tract. Some of the
active pesticide ingredients assessed as part of the
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 indicator found in and around
Visalia include:
• 1,3-dichloropropene. Typically used in soil that
can cause short-terms and long-term health
impacts to humans if exposed, such as nose and
throat irritation, chest pain, difficulty breathing,
skin sensitivity, and chronic respiratory issues.
• manocozeb. A fungicide typically used a variety
of crops (notably potatoes, apples, and grapes)
2 National Institute of Health. Tudi, Muyesaier et al. “Exposure Routes and Health Risks Associated with Pesticide Application.” Toxics vol. 10,6 335. 19 Jun. 2022, doi:10.3390/toxics10060335 that can cause health impacts to humans such as
thyroid issues, cancer, and birth defects.
Manocozeb was banned in the European Union in
2021 due to severe birth defects reported.
• paraquat dichloride. An herbicide typically used
to control weeds and to reduce moisture for preharvest crops. Paraquat can have severe health impacts on humans such as respiratory failure,
kidney failure, liver failure, and death.
As shown in Figure 9-15, Visalia is surrounded by
farmland with some areas of the city having little to no buffer between residential and agricultural uses making these areas more susceptible to pesticide drift. As
shown in Figure 9-16, census tracts on the outer edges
of the city that are adjacent to agricultural areas have much higher CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Pesticide Use
percentile scores than other areas of the city.
Two census tracts in Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus
have pesticide percentile scores above 75. The census
tract in East Visalia has a percentile score of 90,
meaning the pounds of active pesticide ingredients used per square mile is higher than 90 percent of the census tracts in California. The census tract in North-West
Visalia has a percentile score of 79. It should be noted that these two Neighborhoods of Focus extend beyond
the city limits into agricultural areas that are not within the city.
In the community survey air pollution from pesticides
or dust was the most commonly reported type of
pollution experienced in all areas of the city, accounting 395
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for 56 percent of all respondents. As shown in Figure
9-14 below, North Visalia had the highest response rate for pesticide and dust pollution, accounting for 66
percent of respondents, which is 24 percent higher than any other pollution type reported in North Visalia.
North Visalia and Seven Oaks have a higher response
rate for pesticide and dust than Non-EJ Areas of the
city, whereas Oval Park and East Visalia have a lower
response rate. Although East Visalia has one of the
highest CalEnviroScreen Pesticide percentile scores, as seen in Figure 9-16, it had a lower response rate in the community survey compared to other parts of the city.
Figure 9-14 Community Survey Responses – Pesticide Use
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Non-EJ Zones North Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents Air pollution from pesticides and dust
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Figure 9-15 Farmland Surrounding Visalia
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Figure 9-16 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Pesticide Use, Visalia
Note: The community survey responses shown on the map are points that survey respondents identified as issue areas. The number of points shown is not representative of all survey responses, as not all respondents answered the mapping question. 398
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Drinking Water Contaminants
Public water systems in California have a high rate of
compliance with drinking water standards set by the
State. However, contaminants may still be introduced
into the water system by a variety of sources including natural occurrence, accidental discharge, industrial
release, and agricultural runoff. Exposure to
contaminants in drinking water, even in small amounts,
can have adverse health effects over time such as cancer and pulmonary issues.
CalEnviroScreen’s Drinking Water Contaminants
Indicator is a measure of a combination of contaminant
data that takes into account the average concentrations of 16 contaminants and violations compared to other
census tracts3.
North-West Visalia has a Drinking Water
Contaminants Indicator percentile score of 78, making
it the only Neighborhood of Focus with a Drinking
Water Contaminants Indicator score that exceeds the
75th percentile threshold, as shown in Figure 9-17.
Drinking Water Contaminant scores for other
Neighborhoods of Focus ranged between 67 and 68.
Table 9-14 shows the percentile scores for each
contaminant and violation in the North-West Visalia
census tract. The individual contaminants in NorthWest Visalia with the highest percentile score include 1,2,3 trichloropropane, nitrate, total coliform rule
violations, and dibromochloropropane.
3 It should be noted that the CalEnviroScreen Drinking Water Contaminants Indicator does not indicate whether drinking water is safe to drink. For up-to-date drinking water compliance information, please visit calwater.com.
Common Drinking Water Contaminants in
Visalia
The following drinking water contaminants
have the highest percentile scores in the
Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus out of the
16 contaminants and violations
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 measures for its
Drinking Water Contaminants Indicator.
1,2,3-Trichloropropane: A carcinogen
typically found in agricultural regions where
it is used as a soil fumigant. Health Concern:
cancer
Nitrate: A chemical used in fertilizer that
typically contaminates drinking water via
agricultural and urban runoff and discharges
from municipal wastewater treatment plants.
Health Concern: cancer
Dibromochloropropane: A pesticide
chemical used for as a fumigant in
agriculture. Health Concern: cancer
Source: EWG, 2021
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Table 9-14 North-West Visalia Drinking
Water Contaminant and Violation Percentile
Scores
Contaminant or Violation Percentile
1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) 92.1
Arsenic 32.63
Chromium, Hexavalent 61.63
Dibromochloropropane
(DBCP)
87.32 Gross Alpha 45.11
Lead and Copper Rule (lead
only)
34.39 Nitrate as N 89.11
Perchlorate 85.78
Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) 77.84
Total Coliform Rule (TCR)
Violations
89.85 Total Trihalomethanes (THM) 6.87
Note: This table only contains percentiles for contaminants and violations with a percentile above 0.0.
Source: CalEnviroScreen 4.0, 2021
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Figure 9-17 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Drinking Water Contaminants, Visalia 401
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Groundwater Threats
Groundwater, which is water stored beneath the
Earth’s surface in underground aquifers, can be
contaminated by commercial, industrial, and
agricultural sites that store and dispose of hazardous
materials on land or in underground storage tanks.
These underground storage tanks can leak and
contaminate soil and groundwater, which is often used
for drinking water. Common contaminants from these
sites include gasoline, heavy metals, and pesticides.
Other groundwater threats include produced water
ponds, industrial sites, airports, dairies, dry cleaners, and publicly owned sewage treatment plants. Although
these are potential groundwater threats, a leak could
contaminate soil or groundwater that could expose
residents to chemicals and contaminants that can have
short-term or long-term health impacts such as
irritation, headaches, dizziness, cancer, or reproductive harm. In addition to the threat to water quality, the
presence of these contaminants can limit future
development or repurposing of these sites due to
cleanup costs and liability concerns.
The CalEnviroScreen 4.0 groundwater threat indicator
identifies cleanup sites that could potentially impact
groundwater based on type of site and proximity to
residentially populated areas based on information from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
The SWRCB's GeoTracker Database identifies nine
groundwater threat sites in Visalia, three of which are in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus (see Table 9-15).
Figure 9-18 shows the groundwater threat sites and
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 census tract Groundwater Threat
Indicator scores.
North-West Visalia is the only Neighborhood of Focus
that has a groundwater threat percentile score over 75, with three groundwater threat sites.
Table 9-15 Groundwater Threat Sites in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus Site Cleanup
Status
Site Name Potential Contaminant of Concern
Open -
Remediation
Cooper Power Systems
Facility • 1,2-dichloroethylene – a flammable, colorless liquid used for solvents and chemical mixtures that can cause serious health impacts such as liver cancer.
• chlorinated solvents – industrial chemicals used primarily for metal cleaning and production plastics, lacquers, PVC, and perfumes. Chlorinated solvents can cause dizziness, nausea, and liver and lung damage.
• chromium - used to produce heavy metals and can cause respiratory issues, skin irritation, cancer, gastrointestinal issues, and reproductive harm.
• volatile organic compounds - gases that are emitted into the air that can cause serious health impacts such as cancer 402
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Table 9-15 Groundwater Threat Sites in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus Site Cleanup
Status
Site Name Potential Contaminant of Concern
Open -
Remediation
Goshen and Shirk Road;
Snyder General/Stanley
Bost
• volatile organic compounds (see above)
Completed –
Case Closed (as
of 11/1/2023)
Kawneer Company • 1,1,1-trichloroethane - a colorless liquid that can cause irritation to the eyes and skin, dizziness, headaches, nausea, or liver damage.
• dichloroethene - a flammable colorless liquid that can cause irritation to skin and eyes or drowsiness.
• other inorganic/salt
Source: State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) GeoTracker Database , 2024. 403
9-57 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Figure 9-18 Groundwater Threats in Visalia
404
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Hazardous Waste and Toxic Releases
Hazardous Waste
Certain facilities, such as chrome plating companies and mechanical manufacturers, use chemicals that generate
hazardous waste that can be harmful to health and the
environment. Hazardous waste can be liquids, solids, or gases and can range from automobile oil to highly toxic chemicals used at heavy industrial sites. Negative effects of living near a hazardous waste site include possible air, water, or soil contamination, decreased property values, and economic disinvestment.
According to CalEnviroScreen 4.0, there are 33 waste
generators in Visalia, 21 of which are within the
Neighborhoods of Focus. Most of the hazardous waste
generators (about 71 percent) within the
Neighborhoods of Focus are located in North-West
Visalia in the industrial areas located in the western
portion of the neighborhood as shown in Figure 9-19.
Many of the hazardous waste generators within
residential areas are drug stores with a pharmacy
department that generate hazardous waste related to
pharmaceuticals.
Toxic Releases
Some industrial facilities can release toxic chemicals
into the air that present potential health risks to
surrounding communities. Environmental justice
communities tend to be at higher risk of exposure to
toxic chemicals because low-income neighborhoods
tend to be located in closer proximity to industrial areas.
The U.S. EPA maintains a Toxic Release Inventory
(TRI) to track the release of toxic chemicals from
industrial facilities. According to the TRI, there are
eight facilities in Visalia that release toxic chemicals, seven of which are located within the North-West
Neighborhood of Focus. As shown in Figure 9-19,
most of these facilities are located in Visalia’s industrial area west of North Shirk Road and north of West
Goshen Avenue.
Nitrate compounds are the most common chemicals
released from the industrial facilities in Visalia, making up more than 75 percent of releases. Exposure to
nitrate can cause a variety of negative health impacts
including blood disorders, reproductive harm, birth
defects, and cardiovascular problems. Other chemicals
released from industrial facilities in Visalia include
chromium, nickel, and peracetic acid.
Cleanup Sites
Cleanup sites are properties that are contaminated with hazardous materials and require cleanup actions from
the property owners before new development or
operations can happen on that site. Cleanup sites not
only present an increased risk of exposure to hazardous materials but can also increase the amount of
underutilized land in a community due to high cleanup
costs and risk of liability, limiting the benefit of that land to the surrounding community.
As shown in Figure 9-21, there are 38 cleanup sites in
Visalia, 27 of which are in a Neighborhood of Focus.
All but one census tract in the Visalia Neighborhoods
of Focus have a Cleanup Sites Indicator percentile score between 89 and 93. A high concentration of cleanup
sites are in the southern portion of Oval Park and East Visalia.
Brownfield Development
Cleanup sites are often referred to as
“brownfields.” The reuse and development of
brownfield sites is limited by the costs and
processes required to mitigate and remove the
presence of pollution on the site. Brownfield sites
can often take years or even decades to cleanup
and redevelop, resulting in increased blight and
vacant land in communities and reducing the
potential benefits of that site to the surrounding
community and residents.
In Visalia, one major site for the development of a
brownfield is the proposed Visalia Civic Center
along North Burke Street and East School Avenue
near the railroad. The property was previously
owned by the Union Pacific Railroad and was
assessed by the EPA to have soil contamination
from lead. The vacancy of the site resulted in illegal
dumping and the lost use of Mill Creek.
Redeveloping this site as a Civic Center can not
only eliminate potential exposure risk, but also
provide a significant community benefit.
405
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Figure 9-19 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Hazardous Waste Sites, Visalia 406
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Figure 9-20 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Toxic Release Sites, Visalia 407
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Figure 9-21 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Cleanup Sites, Visalia
408
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Healthy Food Access
Adequate access to healthy, affordable, and culturally
appropriate food is key to high quality of life in any
community. Food access is determined not only by
physical proximity to grocery stores and other food
providers, but also the affordability and availability of healthy foods in residential neighborhoods.
Environmental justice communities often have a more
difficult time achieving food security than other areas since residents in these communities tend to have lower incomes, limited access to a vehicle, or lack the
equipment or skills to prepare healthy foods at home.
Food Environment
The food environment represents the quantity and type
of food providers in a community, such as grocery
stores, farmer’s markets, food banks, and community
gardens. The food environment also represents the
presence of unhealthy food options in a community,
such as liquor stores and fast food.
Grocery Store Access
As of 2023, there are a total of 23 grocery stores within the Visalia city limits. Of those 23 grocery stores, 10 are located within the Neighborhoods of Focus (see Table
9-16), and five are located just outside of the
Neighborhoods of Focus but within a half mile walking
distance. Figure 9-22 shows the locations of grocery
stores within Visalia as well as residential areas that are within a half mile walking distance of each store. As
shown in Table 9-17 about 91 percent of residentially
zoned parcels in Oval Park are within a half mile of a
grocery store, which is significantly higher than other areas of the city, primarily due to Oval Park’s central location along major commercial corridors.
The percentage of residentially zoned parcels within a
half mile of a grocery store in North-West Visalia (23
percent), East Visalia (26 percent), and Seven Oaks (20 percent) is significantly lower than non-EJ areas of the city (41 percent).
Table 9-16 Grocery Stores in Visalia
Neighborhoods of Focus
Neighborhood Grocery Store(s)
North-West Visalia Walmart Neighborhood Market
Oval Park MT&Y Oriental Food Market
Carniceria y Taqueria Nueva Italia
Bangkok Thai Grocery Store
Vallarta Supermarkets
Watson's Health Foods
Food 4 Less
Target
Smart and Final
East Visalia FoodMaxx
Seven Oaks There are no grocery stores
located in the Seven Oaks
Neighborhood of Focus
Source: City of Visalia, Mintier Harnish (2024)
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Figure 9-22 Food Environment, Visalia
410
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Table 9-17 Percentage of Residential Areas within ½ mile of a Grocery Store, Visalia Number of
Residentially
zoned parcels
Number of residentially zoned
parcels within ½ mile of a
grocery store
Percentage of residentially
zoned Parcels within ½ mile of a
grocery store
North-West Visalia 9,403 2,145 22.8%
Oval Park 4,382 3,979 90.8%
East Visalia 2,363 602 25.5%
Seven Oaks 1,477 297 20.1%
Non-EJ Areas 26,603 10,977 41.3%
Citywide 44,228 18,000 40.7%
Source: City of Visalia; Mintier Harnish (2024)
There are five cultural grocery stores in Visalia, four of which are located in the Oval Park Neighborhood of
Focus. Cultural grocery stores carry products specific to certain cultures that are not necessarily carried by
mainstream supermarkets. Culturally specific grocery
stores are important not only to increasing food
availability, but also in maintaining cultural traditions and affirming group identity and community.
Farmer’s Market and Alternative Food Sources
In addition to grocery stores, farmer’s markets, fruit
stands, gardens, and food banks are alternative ways for residents to access healthy foods. Figure 9-23 shows the percentage of community survey respondents that
reported getting healthy foods from local farmer’s
markets, community or private gardens, and/or local
food banks or pantries.
Farmer’s Markets
The Visalia Farmers’ Market is held in two locations
throughout the year. The Main Market is available yearround every Saturday on West Main Street at the courthouse parking lot. The Kaweah Health Market is
available during summer months (May through August)
on Wednesdays in southwest Visalia on Akers Street
and Tulare Avenue. Customers can use CalFresh
benefits at the Farmer’s Market by using EBT cards and
WIC Fruit and Vegetable Vouchers to purchase tokens
that can be used like cash at vendor stalls. The Visalia Farmer’s Market also participates in California’s Market Match program where CalFresh and WIC customers
can receive a dollar-to-dollar match up to $10 to $15 per day. Allowing these food assistance benefits at local
farmer’s markets helps make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible and affordable for low-income families. 411
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Community and Personal Gardens
Community and personal gardens are another way for
residents to access fresh fruits and vegetables, however, this requires space, upfront costs, and specialized
knowledge that many residents, especially
environmental justice communities, may not have
access to due to income, space, or education.
Food Banks
Food banks and similar programs help low-income
households obtain fresh, canned, and frozen food and
meals necessary to fill gaps in food assistance programs such as CalFresh. Food banks or pantries are often
operated by non-profit organizations and provide
boxes of food and serve meals to low-income
households on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. There
are four food pantry/meal services in Visalia, all of
which are located in the Oval Park Neighborhood of
Focus near Main Street and Dinuba Boulevard.
Individuals that use these services tend to be homeless individuals or low-income households, many of whom
do not have access to a personal vehicle and rely on
alternative transportation methods to access food
pantry services.
Figure 9-23 Community Survey Responses – Alternative Food Sources 27%
5%
2%
26%
6%
0%
18%
3%
5%
33%
8%
0%
14%
5%
0%
22%
4%
1%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Visalia Farmer's Market Private or community garden Food bank/pantry Non-EJ Zones North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 412
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Food Insecurity
While there are several grocery stores both within and
immediately adjacent to the Neighborhoods of Focus,
other factors such as household income can impact an
individual's ability to purchase healthy foods on a
regular basis. Table 9-18 shows the median income of
census tracts in each of the Neighborhoods of Focus
compared to the citywide and countywide income
levels. Except for North-West Visalia, all
Neighborhoods of Focus have a median income less
than the citywide median income. Additionally, Oval
Park and Seven Oaks both have a lower median income
than the countywide median income. Similarly, except
for North-West Visalia all Neighborhoods of Focus
have a higher poverty rate than the city with Oval Park having the highest poverty rate.
Table 9-18 Median Income and Poverty
Rate
Median
Income
Poverty Rate
North-West Visalia $83,097 9.3%
Oval Park $26,591 -
$43,364
26.1% - 44.2%
East Visalia $60,185 24.4%
Seven Oaks $48,945 21.3%
City of Visalia $62,263 16.2%
Tulare County $49,687 23.8%
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2021)
Barriers to Healthy Food Access
In the community survey, respondents were asked what
prevents them and their family from regularly getting
healthy foods. Figure 9-24 shows the top five responses throughout the community (see Appendix C for a full
summary of responses).
The most common response across all neighborhoods
and citywide was that healthy foods are too expensive,
accounting for about 25 percent of all survey
respondents. The cost of healthy food had a
significantly higher response rate in Oval Park (46
percent) and East Visalia (42 percent), compared to
other neighborhoods in the city. Additionally, the
convenience of fast-food restaurants tends to be a
bigger barrier to healthy food access for
Neighborhoods of Focus, compared to other areas of
the city. The lack of time and knowledge of how to
prepare healthy meals at home both tend to be a bigger
barrier to healthy food access in Neighborhoods of
Focus compared to other areas of the city.
As shown in the survey results, convenience can be a
major determinant of daily food choices. Beyond cost,
healthy food often requires more time, effort, and
background knowledge to prepare making it more
inconvenient for working families. At the same time,
fast food and take out can often present itself as a more convenient and cheaper alternative.
413
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Figure 9-24 Community Survey Responses – Barriers to Healthy Food Access Although Figure 9-25 shows that most survey
respondents reported that they do not currently use
food assistance benefits and have not used food
assistance benefits in the past five years, Oval Park,
Seven Oaks, and East Visalia had a much higher
number of residents who reported currently using food
assistance benefits or have used food assistance benefits in the past five years compared to other areas of Visalia.
Although food assistance programs such as CalFresh
are a resource available to low-income households, not
all low-income households meet the income
requirements to be eligible to receive benefits. In 2021, Feeding America estimated that Tulare County had a
food insecurity rate of about 14 percent, of which about 12 percent reported an income above the CalFresh
income limits. Tulare County’s food insecurity rate is
slightly higher than the California average of about 11 percent, however the percent of food insecure
households above the CalFresh income limits is
significantly lower than the statewide average of 42
percent.
Additionally, CalFresh benefits may not always cover
the cost of meals, especially in areas with a higher cost of living. Feeding America estimates the average meal
cost in Tulare County is $3.62, which is slightly lower than the average estimated meal cost of $3.92 statewide. 28%
7%
9%
7%
26% 26%
6% 5% 4%
26%
46%
11%
16%
11% 13%
33%
13% 13% 12%
23%
42%
19%
11%
5%
19%
25%
6% 8%
4%
22%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Healthy food is too
expensive
Fast food is more
convienent in my
neighborhood
I do not have time to
cook and prepare
healthy meals regularly.
I am not good at cooking I do not have any
problems with getting
and preparing healthy
food on a regular basis
Non-EJ Zones North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 414
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Visalia General Plan | 9-68
CalFresh benefits in California cover approximately
$2.50 to $3.00 per meal depending on the household
size. Food pantries in Visalia commented that many
households use their meal services when their CalFresh
benefits run out towards the end of the month.
Figure 9-25 Community Survey Responses – Use of food assistance benefits 5%
29%
6%
11%
3%
37%
6% 6%
15%
28%
18%
7% 8%
25%
17%
12%
9%
22%
17%
13%
5%
25%
8% 8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
I am currently using food
assistance benefits.
I am not currently using food
assistance benefits and have
not used food assistance
benefits in the past five years.
I am not currently using food
assistance benefits, but have
in the past 5 years.
I want to use food assistance
benefits, but I am not eligible.
Non-EJ Zones North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 415
9-69 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is important in maintaining
good physical and mental health. The built
environment, including, but not limited to, the
availability and quality of parks, open spaces, pedestrian infrastructure, and bicycle infrastructure, can
significantly impact the accessibility of recreational and active transportation opportunities. Environmental
justice communities often have reduced access to these
opportunities within their neighborhoods due to a
variety of factors including the lack of physical
infrastructure that promote physical activity (i.e., parks, sidewalks), safety concerns (i.e., crime, vehicle traffic, street-lighting), or incompatible land uses that make it uncomfortable to be outside due to noise, air quality, or heat (i.e., proximity to freeways, industrial uses, lack of shade and trees).
Active Transportation
Biking and walking, whether for transportation or
recreation, is a low-cost way for many people to get
daily physical activity if the proper infrastructure is available. Providing and maintaining safe pedestrian
and bicycle infrastructure can improve access to these
modes of transportation for all residents.
In the community survey, respondents were asked what
prevents them from walking in their neighborhood and
to identify any specific areas where they experience
these barriers on a map, which are shown in Figure 9-
28. In Oval Park, over 49 percent of survey respondents indicated that a lack of street lighting is the largest barrier to walking in their neighborhood, which is over 11 percent more than responses from other areas of the
city. Over 37 percent of responses in Oval Park also
reported crime as being a large barrier to walking, which is over seven percent more than other responses
throughout the city. Crime, feeling unsafe crossing
streets with vehicle traffic, and a lack of street lighting were the next most frequently reported barriers to
walking across all Neighborhoods of Focus, although
many Neighborhoods of Focus also reported a lack of
sidewalks, a lack of nearby places to walk to, and
walking being unpleasant as general barriers to walking.
Visalia has an existing bike network throughout the city of Class I, Class II, and Class III bike facilities as shown in Figure 9-26. In the community survey, respondents
were asked what prevents them from biking in their
neighborhood and to identify any specific areas where
they experience these barriers on a map, which are
shown in Figure 9-27. In all areas of Visalia, safety
concerns from vehicle traffic were the most reported
barrier to biking in respondents’ neighborhoods, as
shown in Figure 9-27. Individual comments from
respondents noted that this safety concern primarily
stemmed from speeding vehicles, poor bike lane
conditions, and a lack of dedicated, protected bike lanes throughout the city to protect bicyclists from vehicles.
Respondents from Oval Park reported higher rates of a
lack of bike lanes as a barrier to biking compared to
other areas of Visalia (30 percent), although all other Neighborhoods of Focus apart from East Visalia also
cited a lack of bike lanes as a general barrier to biking.
Other common barriers to biking across Visalia’s
Neighborhoods of Focus include crime and lacking a
functioning bike.
416
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Figure 9-26 Bicycle Facilities in Visalia
Note: The community survey responses shown on the map are points that survey respondents identified as issue areas. The number of points shown is not representative of all survey responses, as not all respondents answered the mapping question. 417
9-71 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Figure 9-27 Community Survey Responses of Pedestrian Issues Note: The community survey responses shown on the map are points that survey respondents identified as issue areas. The number of points shown is not representative of all survey responses, as not all respondents answered the mapping question. 418
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Figure 9-28 Community Survey Responses – Barriers to walking 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Crime Not enough
sidewalks
Not enough
places to walk to
that are close by.
I feel unsafe
crossing streets
with vehicle
traffic.
Not enough
street lighting
I have a health
condition or
disability that
makes it difficult
for me to walk.
It is not pleasant
to walk in my
neighborhood
because of noise,
air pollution, lack
of trees/shade,
high
temperatures, or
something else.
I don’t want to
walk more.
Other
Non-EJ Zones North Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 419
9-73 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Figure 9-29 Community Survey Responses – Barriers to Biking Park Accessibility
Access to quality parks and other recreational areas
promote physical activity and provide green spaces that help reduce the effects of air pollution and extreme
heat. There are 34 parks, one plaza, one skate park, and one sports park in Visalia, 16 of which are located
within the Neighborhoods of Focus:
1. Lion’s Park is located at 6500 West Ferguson
Avenue. The park includes trees, barbeques, a
playground, a basketball court, and a multipurpose field.
2. Foxwood Park is located just south of the
intersection of West Ferguson Avenue and
North Roeben Street. This small park contains
trees, grassy open space, and benches.
3. Soroptimist Park is located at the intersection
of Linwood Street and Prospect Avenue,
immediately adjacent to Oak Grove
Elementary School. This park’s amenities
include picnic tables, barbeques, a playground,
a basketball court, and a multi-purpose field.
4. Woodland Park is located at 1701 North
Woodland Street. Its amenities include covered
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Crime I do not have a
bike or my bike
needs repair.
I do not know
how to ride a
bike.
There is not
enough bike
parking at my
destination.
There are not
enough bike
lanes.
I don’t feel safe
riding on streets
with a lot of
car/truck traffic
Places I want to
go are too far
away to bike to.
I have a disability
of health
condition that
makes it difficult
to bike.
It is not pleasant
to bike in my
neighborhood
because of noise,
air pollution, lack
of trees/shade,
high
temperatures, or
something else.
I don’t want to
bike more.
Non-EJ Zones North Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 420
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Visalia General Plan | 9-74
picnic tables, a barbeque, a playground, a
basketball court, a ball field, a walking path,
and an open play area.
5. Riverway Sports Park is located at 3611
North Dinuba Boulevard, just off Highway 63.
This is a highly popular sports park, particularly
in the spring and fall seasons. Its amenities
include a splash pad, picnic areas, a tot lot, a
playground, soccer fields, a baseball complex,
and a softball complex.
6. Fairview Park is located at the intersection of
West Wren Drive and North Highland Street,
immediately adjacent to the Global Learning
Charter School. Its amenities include a walking
loop, a playground, and soccer fields.
7. Riverbend Park is located at the intersection
of Court Street and Wren Drive. This park’s
amenities include a covered picnic area, a
playground, a walking path, and an open play
area.
8. Summers Park is located at the intersection of
Summers Lane and West Fergusen Avenue,
immediately adjacent to the Manuel F.
Hernandez Community Center. This 3.7 acre
park has three lighted basketball courts, picnic
tables, a barbeque, and a children’s play area.
9. Wittman Village Park is located just west of
the intersection of Pearl Street and North
Court Street. This park offers picnic tables,
barbeques, an open play area, a playground,
and a basketball court. This park is also
adjacent to the Wittman Village Community
Center and a community garden.
10. Lincoln Oval Park is located just north of the
intersection of North Court Street and
Northeast 2nd Avenue. Its amenities include
trees and an open play area.
11. Provident Skate Park is located at 345 North
Jacob Street, behind the Anthony Community
Center and immediately adjacent to Recreation
Park. This 24,00 square feet skate park is one
of the largest municipal skate parks in
California and includes a large fun box, barbell,
volcanoes, and a snake run ending in a bowl.
The park can accommodate 50 to 75 skaters at
one time.
12. Recreation Park is located at the intersection
of North Jacob Street and West Center
Avenue. Its facilities include a baseball
stadium, picnic tables, a barbeque, an ADA
accessible playground, a lighted basketball
court, a lighted volleyball court, and a pickleball
court.
13. Miki City Park is located at the intersection of
South Stevenson Street and West Mineral King
Avenue. This park honors the 50-year
relationship between Visalia and Miki, Japan,
Visalia’s sister city. Its amenities include
drought-tolerant landscaping, a small walking
path, and a small plaza.
14. Jefferson Park is located at the intersection of
South Watson Street and West Myrtle Avenue,
across the street from Mt. Whitney High
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School. This park’s amenities include a
playground, picnic tables, barbeques, a multipurpose field, a lighted softball field, and a lighted basketball court.
15. Garden Street Plaza is located in downtown
Visalia on 300 E. Main St. This shaded outdoor
space contains trees and a water feature and
hosts many outdoor events throughout the
year.
16. Mill Creek Garden Park is located at the
intersection of North Lovers Lane and Mill
Creek Parkway. Its amenities include picnic
tables, a barbeque, a multi-purpose field, a
walking path, an open play area, and a soccer
field.
Figure 9-30 shows the locations of parks within Visalia as well as a half mile buffer area around each park, plaza, and sports field. As shown in Table 9-19, about 78
percent of residentially zoned parcels in the
Neighborhoods of Focus are within a half mile walking
distance of a park; interestingly, this is about six percent higher than other residentially zoned areas in the city.
Although access to parks is very high in Oval Park and
Seven Oaks, approximately 28 percent of North-West
Visalia residents and 42 percent of East Visalia residents do not live within a half mile walking distance of a park.
Table 9-19 Park Accessibility
Number of
Residentially Zoned
Parcels
Number of Residentially
Zoned Parcels within ½
mile of park
Percentage of Residentially
Zoned Parcels within ½ mile
of a park
Visalia Neighborhoods
of Focus
17,625 13,811 78.4%
North-West Visalia 9,403 6,774 72.0%
Oval Park 4,382 4,224 96.4%
East Visalia 2,363 1,373 58.1%
Seven Oaks 1,477 1,441 97.6%
Non-Neighborhoods of
Focus
26,603 19,072 71.7%
Citywide 44,228 32,883 74.3%
422
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Figure 9-30 Park Accessibility in Visalia
Note: The community survey responses shown on the map are points that survey respondents identified as issue areas. The number of points shown is not representative of all survey responses, as not all respondents answered the mapping question. 423
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In the community survey, the high cost of gym
memberships, a lack of recreational sports fields, a lack of nearby neighborhood parks, and lacking the time to
exercise as a result of work or childcare were reported as the main barriers to engaging in regular physical
activity across all of the Neighborhoods of Focus.
Although these barriers were reported, approximately a
quarter of respondents across all Neighborhoods of
Focus did not report having difficulty getting regular
exercise. Over 31 percent of responses from Seven
Oaks reported higher rates of a lacking the time to
exercise as a barrier to engaging in regular physical
activity, which is over eight percent more than other
responses throughout the city. Oval Park and East
Visalia neighborhoods reported generally higher rates
of a lack of nearby sports fields and/or parks in good
condition as a barrier to engaging in regular physical
activity; however, Table 9-19 shows that 96 percent of
Oval Park residentially zoned parcels are located within a half mile of a park, while only 58 percent of East
Visalia residentially zoned parcels are located within a half mile of a park. Individual comments from
respondents clarified that concerns about park
conditions generally stem from feeling unsafe, with
several residents stating that the presence of unhoused individuals living in parks caused them to avoid visiting local parks. Other residents expressed concern about
park access, stating that a lack of sidewalks and unsafe walking conditions kept locals, especially families with younger children, from visiting nearby parks and
recreational sports fields.
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Figure 9-31 Community Survey Responses – Barriers to physical activity Public Facilities
Public facilities include public service and amenities
such as community centers, libraries, public transit,
parks and recreation facilities, water and sewer services, streets and sidewalks, and health care services.
Environmental justice communities often lack access to
some or many of these public facilities, or the facilities that do exist are in poor condition, due to lack of
transportation, underinvestment, or lack of engagement
between public agencies and these communities when
decisions on public facilities are being made. A lack of access to public facilities can negatively impact health care access, educational opportunities, physical and
mental health, and overall quality of life.
Educational Facilities
Educational attainment can be a predictor of income,
socioeconomic status, and health. People with higher
educational attainment not only tend to have higher
incomes than people with lower educational attainment,
but also tend to be at lower risk of serious health
conditions and pollution exposure. Access to
educational institutions such as primary and secondary
schools; continuing education; and community colleges
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Gym
memberships
are too
expensive.
There are not
enough fields
or courts to
play
recreational
sports.
Available
fields, courts,
or parks in my
neighborhood
are not in
good
condition.
I do not have
time to
exercise
because of
work,
childcare, etc.
My job
includes
physical labor
so I do not
exercise
outside of
work.
I have a
disability or
health
condition that
makes it
difficult for me
to exercise.
I do not like or
want to
exercise.
I do not have
any problem
getting regular
exercise.
Other
Non-EJ Zones North Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 425
9-79 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
and universities are important in providing educational opportunities to environmental justice communities.
Primary and Secondary Schools
Primary and secondary schools include schools that
serve kindergarten through 12th grade. Visalia is served by a single school district, Visalia Unified School
District, which serves a total of 28,893 students across Visalia, Goshen CDP, Ivanhoe CDP, Patterson Tract
CDP, West Goshen CDP, and other surrounding
unincorporated areas. Out of the 42 public schools in
the district, 38 are located within the Visalia City Limits.
Of those 38 schools, 15 are located within the
Neighborhoods of Focus. These schools teach a range
of grade groups from preschool through 12th grade,
including 11 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and
3 high schools. However, it should be noted that the
East Visalia Neighborhood encompasses no public
schools. In addition to the community’s public schools, there are nine private schools in Visalia, three of which are located in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus:
Catholic School of Visalia (pre-kindergarten through
12th grade), Charter Home School Academy
(kindergarten through 8th grade), and St. Paul’s School (pre-kindergarten through 8th grade). All schools
within the Neighborhoods of Focus have adequate
sidewalks adjacent to school campuses as well as
adequate sports field facilities for their respective
students.
Continuing and Higher Education
Visalia Unified School District offers continuing
education programs for adults to earn their high school diplomas or GED, complete language courses, and
complete career technical programs. These courses are
provided at Sequoia High School (continuation high
school) and Visalia Adult School, however only Sequoia
High School is located within the Neighborhoods of
Focus. Additionally, Visalia Unified School District
offers early college high school courses at Visalia
Technical Early College High School; although this
high school is not located within the Neighborhoods of
Focus, any high school student living within the District may attend. One private career-training college (San
Joaquin Valley College’s Visalia Campus), one
community college (College of the Sequoias), and two
universities (Fresno Pacific University Visalia campus
and Golden State College) are located within Visalia
City limits; however, none are located within the
Neighborhoods of Focus.
Public Libraries
Libraries are an important public service that ensures
that books, literary resources, media, databases, and
services are accessible to the public. Visalia has one
public library, located at 200 W Oak Avenue in Visalia.
The library is a branch of the Tulare County Library
system and offers access to books, eBooks, magazines,
and other digital media loans, as well as large printing services, a music recording space and equipment, help
for students, adult literacy classes, basic computer skills classes, and preparation classes for both the U.S.
citizenship test and the written driver’s license test. The Visalia Public Library is located within the Oval Park
neighborhood.
Public Transportation
Public transportation can serve as an important public
service, especially for households and individuals who
do not have regular access to a personal vehicle or are 426
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-80
unable to walk or bike. As shown in Figure 9-32, the
City of Visalia Transit operates 12 fixed bus routes
which operate year round and are only closed on
various holidays. This transit system serves Visalia,
Farmersville, Exeter, Goshen, and Tulare. Ten of these
twelve routes intersect the Visalia Neighborhoods of
Focus: Route 1, Route 2, Route 5, Route 6, Route 7,
Route 8, Route 9, Route 11, Route 15, and Route 16
The fixed-route service provides transportation services to 13 local schools located within and adjacent to City limits, including three which are located within the
Neighborhoods of Focus: Green Acres Middle School,
Redwood High School, and Sequoia High School. In
addition to its fixed-route service within the transit
system’s boundaries, the City’s transit system connects with Tulare InterModal Express, Tulare County Area
Transit, Kings Area Regional Transit and Greyhound.
The City also operates the Sequoia Shuttle from
Memorial Day weekend through early September,
which offers round-trip transportation between
Sequoia National Park and Visalia. Accommodations
for passengers with disabilities are offered through the City’s Complementary Paratransit “Dial-A-Ride”
service. The Dial-A-Ride is organized to provide
comparable paratransit services for ADA certified
individuals with disabilities that prevent them from
riding the VT fixed-route buses.
According to City’s 2016 Long Range Transit Plan,
Visalia Transit saw approximately 5,700 riders in 2016
and aims to have 18,350 riders in 2035. The main transit center for the City is located at 425 E Oak Avenue,
which is within the Oval Park neighborhood. One-way
fares are $1.75 and $3.00 for a full day bus pass. The
City provides discounted fares for seniors, ADA
certified, and disabled passengers, as well as free
ridership to children six years old and younger.
Medical and Emergency Services
Hospitals
Living close to a range of nearby medical facilities
greatly improves access to necessary healthcare.
According to the California Department of Public
Health, there are 45 medical facilities in Visalia. Of
these facilities, there are sixteen skilled nursing facilities, two surgical clinics, three chronic dialysis clinics, four home health agencies, six hospice centers, fourteen
primary care clinics, and one general hospital that
provides emergency services. As shown in Table 9-20,
10 of these facilities are within the Neighborhoods of
Focus, including one general care hospital, one surgical center, three clinics, two hospice centers, two home
health agencies, and three intermediate skilled care
facilities.
427
9-81 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Figure 9-32 Public Transit System, Visalia
428
Environmental Justice
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Table 9-20 Medical Facilities in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus Facility Name Type/Services Provided Address
Visalia Ambulatory
Surgical Center
Ambulatory Surgical
Center
105 E Noble Avenue
Family Healthcare
Network
Community Clinic 501 N Bridge Street
Omni Family Health Community Clinic 311 W Noble Avenue
Planned Parenthood Community Clinic 211 N Stevenson Street Kaweah Health
Medical Center
Emergency Care
Hospital, General Acute
Care Hospital, Home
Health, Hospice
400 W Mineral King Avenue
Lenity Home Care Home Health Agency 315 W Oak Avenue
Seva Hospice Hospice 100 Willow Plaza
Sierra Vista Residential
Care Home
Intermediate Care
Facility/Developmentally
Disabled – Nursing
1412 N Maple Street
Steele's Visions –
Terrace
Intermediate Care
Facility/Developmentally
Disabled – Nursing
2146 N Terrace Court
Emergency Facilities
In times of emergency, it is important for citizens to
have nearby emergency services to ensure prompt, safe
handling of a variety of urgent situations. Close
proximity to emergency services such as fire and police stations increases the response time to emergency
situations that can affect the life and safety of residents.
This section discusses the emergency facilities available in Visalia.
Police station(s)
Police departments are an important community
service that maintains public order and safety, enforces the law, and investigates criminal activity. The Visalia Police Department has four stations, with the City’s
headquarters located at 303 S. Johnson Street in Visalia.
The remaining substations are located at 204 NW Third
Street, 4100 S. County Center, and 420 N. Burke Street, all of which are located in Visalia. The department
employs over 250 employees, including police
personnel, community service officers, parking
429
9-83 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
enforcement officers, communications operators,
records specialists, administrative support personnel,
crime lab technicians, property and evidence
technicians, and civilian investigators. Two of Visalia’s police stations are located within the Oval Park
neighborhood.
Fire station(s)
The Visalia Fire Department provides a wide range of
emergency and non-emergency services including fire
suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous
conditions, fire prevention, and public safety education.
As of 2019, the Fire Department had 78 total personnel
including 70 safety personnel. The most recent year of
response time data for the Fire Department is from
2019; at this time, the department met the National Fire Protection Association’s response time criteria of six
minutes for 90 percent of all calls. The Visalia Fire
Department has six stations throughout the city which
are staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are
located at the following addresses:
• Fire Station 51: 309 S. Johnson Street
• Fire Station 52: 2224 W. Monte Vista
• Fire Station 53: 5025 W Walnut Avenue
• Fire Station 54: 440 W. Ferguson Street
• Fire Station 55: 6921 W. Ferguson Avenue
• Fire Station 56: 1968 S. Lovers Lane
Visalia Fire Stations 51, 54 and 55 are located within the North-West Visalia and Oval Park neighborhoods;
however, firefighters from any station may respond to
calls originating from within the Neighborhoods of
Focus, depending on type of incident, location, existing or potential emergencies, and resources available.
Community Centers
Community centers are important community assets
that help provide programs and resources that support
physical activity, educational opportunities, social
services, youth services, and community involvement.
Community centers can also serve as important
community partners for government agencies since
they often have established trust in the community and
are already implementing programs in line with
environmental justice goals. Effective environmental
justice policies can help support services offered by
community centers in environmental justice
communities and encourage continued partnerships
with these centers to increase transparency and
connection with community. The following community
centers and resource centers are in the Neighborhoods
of Focus:
• The Anthony Community Center (345 North
Jacob Street) is located in the City of Visalia
Recreation Park and includes a community space
as well as a gymnasium. The space hosts various
events and classes hosted by the City’s Parks and
Recreation department. In addition, the
community space can be rented for private and
public events and meetings.
• Visalia Senior Citizen Center (310 North
Locust Street) provides a wide variety of social
and engaging activities, including recreational
sports, art, and other classes on weekdays. This
center also provides low cost, nutritious meals for
seniors in the community.
• The Visalia Unified School District Family
and Community Resource Center (505 North
Court Street) helps families access needed
430
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-84
resources to increase the success of students and
increase access to needed services for students and
their families. Promoted services range based on
individual student needs and includes support
groups, support for American Indian students,
support for foster youth, support for students
experiencing homelessness, and support for
migratory students.
• The Source LGBT+ Center (109 NW 2nd
Avenue) is a community space that supports the
LGBT+ community in Visalia through research,
education, and advocacy in the community. The
Center aims to improve access to mental health
systems, promote community health equity for all,
and create a more inclusive and accepting
community.
Safe and Sanitary Housing
Housing conditions contribute to the overall health and safety of residents. Household income heavily
determines the type, location, and quality of housing
someone lives in since newer housing in neighborhoods
with more community amenities (i.e., good schools,
parks, safe streets) tend to be more expensive.
Occupants of housing built before the widespread
adoption of building standards and regulations are at
higher risk of pollution exposure in their homes,
particularly asbestos and lead. Additionally, older
housing may have poor ventilation that can lead to
mold, uncomfortable indoor temperatures, and
increased exposure to indoor and outdoor pollutants.
Household overcrowding can also have serious health
impacts on occupants. Overcrowding occurs when the
number of occupants in a household exceeds the
capacity of a dwelling unit, typically measured by the
number of rooms and the age and relationship of the
occupants. Overcrowding can lead to a variety of
adverse health outcomes, such as exposure to infectious disease, increased stress, and sleep disorders. High rent and home prices increase risks of overcrowding and
homelessness and leave households with less income to
spend on home improvement/repairs, healthy food,
healthcare, and other goods and services. The following sections describe the existing housing conditions in
Visalia.
Lead Exposure
Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can enter the
bloodstream and cause serious neurological or
behavioral health problems, especially in young children due to their developing brains and increased risk of
exposure. Historically, lead was used as an additive in house paint, plumbing materials, and gasoline.
Although the use of lead in common household items
and building materials is now regulated, house paint is still a significant source of lead exposure in older,
unrenovated homes.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0’s Children’s Lead Risk from
Housing indicator calculates lead exposure risk by
combining the percentage of homes with a higher
likelihood of having lead-based paint (LBP) hazards and the percentage of low-income households with
children. CalEnviroScreen 4.0 calculates the likelihood of LBP hazards based on the age of housing. The older
the home, the higher likelihood of LBP hazards.
As shown in Figure 9-33, Oval Park is the only
Neighborhood of Focus in Visalia with a Children’s
431
9-85 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Lead Risk from Housing indicator score in the 75th
percentile or higher, ranging between 77 and 98. The
homes in the Oval Park neighborhood, especially those
closer to Downtown Visalia, tend to be older than those in other areas of the city that have newer growth and
development. It should be noted that Seven Oaks has a
percentile score of 74, which is high compared to other areas of the city even though it is not above the 75th
percentile threshold. Seven Oaks is also located more
centrally near downtown where there are older homes.
According to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA), homes built prior to 1978
are at a much higher risk of LBP exposure if proper
measures have not been taken to test for and mitigate
the presence of LBT in the home. As shown in Table
9-21, Oval Park and Seven Oaks have a much higher
percentage of homes built prior to 1980 (61 percent and 77 percent respectively) compared to other
Neighborhoods of Focus, the city, and the county. This
means housing units in Oval Park and Seven Oaks are
at a higher risk of LBP exposure. Additionally, renters in these areas may not have the knowledge of the
home’s history and renovations or may not be allowed
to make renovations due to lease restrictions.
Table 9-21 Age of Housing Stock
Year Built NorthWest
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
Built 2020 or later 30 37 - - 325 841
Built 2010 to 2019 1,565 135 175 10 4,770 12,156
Built 2000 to 2009 2,544 449 705 12 10,164 24,053
Built 1990 to 1999 677 423 666 169 6,708 22,834
Built 1980 to 1989 225 835 610 308 7,205 22,058
Built 1970 to 1979 491 539 123 615 8,993 27,175
Built 1960 to 1969 - 529 71 248 3,322 14,797
Built 1950 to 1959 86 880 132 316 3,441 12,591
Built 1940 to 1949 - 378 147 312 1,528 6,729
Built 1939 or earlier 16 575 14 151 1,348 7,956
Total Occupied
Housing Units
5,634 4,780 2,643 2,141 47,804 151,190
432
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-86
Table 9-21 Age of Housing Stock
Year Built NorthWest
Visalia
Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of
Visalia
Tulare
County
Percentage of
occupied housing
units built prior to
1980
10.5% 60.7% 18.4% 76.7% 39.0% 45.8%
Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2022), Table B25034. 433
9-87 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Figure 9-33 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Children’s Lead Risk from Housing, Visalia 434
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-88
Housing Conditions
The conditions of the existing housing stock can be an
indicator of the living standards of residents. Although the data on housing conditions is limited, the U.S.
Census provides information on the availability of
plumbing and kitchen facilities as well as the age of the housing stock (year the structure was built), which can provide a starting point for assessing the conditions of the existing housing stock. Housing units typically
require more repairs and renovations as they get older
to maintain a good condition, therefore knowing the
year a housing unit/structure was built can be an initial indicator of substandard conditions. Homes typically
start needing major repairs (i.e., roofing, major
appliances, heating and air conditioning systems) after 20 to 25 years.
A majority of housing units in the Visalia
Neighborhoods of Focus, with the exception of NorthWest Visalia, were built prior to 2000, suggesting that most housing units have already undergone major
improvements and repairs, or will be in need of these
improvements in the near future.
North-West Visalia, however, has seen the largest
growth in the past two decades, with almost 45 percent
of occupied housing units built between 2000 and 2009.
This suggests that several homes in this area may be in need of major repairs in the next five years, which may result in major home costs to residents of North-West
Visalia.
Although this data can provide information about how
many homes may need major repairs or maintenance, it
is difficult to know how many homes have undergone
these repairs. As shown in Figure 9-34, about 49
percent of respondents in Oval Park and 35 percent of
respondents in Seven Oaks said homes in their
neighborhood are old and need major repairs, which is
higher than other areas of the city and is consistent with U.S. Census data. Additionally, about 41 percent of
respondents in Oval Park, 33 percent of respondents in
Seven Oaks, and 31 percent of respondents in East
Visalia said it is too expensive to make the necessary
repairs for homes to feel safe and comfortable, which is higher than other areas of the city.
435
9-89 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Figure 9-34 Community Survey Responses – Housing Issues Survey respondents were asked to select one of four
options that best described the physical condition of
homes in their neighborhood. As shown in Figure 9-35,
with the exception of Oval Park and North-West
Visalia, the most common response across all areas of
the city was that most homes are older but in overall
good condition, needing only minor repairs. In Oval
Park, 39 percent of respondents selected “some homes
need major repairs, several homes need minor repairs”
and 25 percent of respondents selected “several homes
are in need of major repairs”, which is a significantly higher response rate than any other area in the city. This suggests that the Oval Park Neighborhood of Focus
has poorer housing conditions than other areas of the
city.
As suggested by the U.S. Census data, respondents
from North-West Visalia reported that most housing
units in their neighborhood are newly constructed or
newly remodeled.
20%
25%
9% 12%
49%
41%
35% 33%
28% 31%
20%
25%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Homes are old and need major repairs It is too expensive to make necessary repairs to make homes safe and comfortable.
Non-EJ Zones North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 436
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-90
Figure 9-35 Community Survey Responses – Housing Conditions Housing Cost Burden
A household is considered cost burdened when more
than 30 percent of the household income is spent on
housing (i.e., rent, mortgage payment, utilities) and
severely cost burdened when more than 50 percent of
the household income is spent on housing. Housing
cost burden can have several negative effects on health and quality of life by limiting a household’s ability to pay for other goods and services (e.g., food,
transportation, recreation), increasing risk of
overcrowding or homelessness, and limiting a
household’s ability to contribute to a savings or
retirement fund.
Although any household, regardless of income, can
experience housing cost burden, low-income
households are at higher risk of being cost burdened
and severely cost burdened. As shown in Figure 9-38,
census tracts in Oval Park and Seven Oaks have a
higher Housing Cost Burden percentile scores than
other areas of the city. As mentioned in the previous
section, these areas also have a higher rate of older
housing units that may have costly repairs or
renovations that can result in higher housing
maintenance costs for homeowners or increased rental
costs, which can cause financial hardship for those
already cost burdened.
Overcrowding
A housing unit is considered overcrowded when there
is more than one person per room. Overcrowding can
occur when a household either cannot find or afford
housing with enough rooms to accommodate all
members of the household. Figure 9-36 shows the rate
overcrowding in the Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus
based on U.S. Census data. Oval Park and East Visalia
19%
62%
14%
4%
58%
33%
4% 5%
25%
11%
39%
25%
5%
59%
30%
5%
18%
50%
24%
9%
31%
47%
16%
6%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Several homes are newly
constructed new or newly
remodeled
Most homes are older, but in
overall good condition with
only some needing minor
repairs
Some homes need major
repairs, several homes need
minor repairs
Several homes are in need of
major repairs
Non-EJ Zones North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 437
9-91 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
have a higher rate of overcrowding compared to other
Neighborhoods of Focus, the city, and the county. In
most areas across the city, except for Seven Oaks,
overcrowded units are comprised mostly of renters.
Figure 9-37 shows that 33 percent of survey
respondents in Oval Park reported “too many people
living together in one home” as a housing issue in their neighborhood, which is significantly higher than any
other area in the city.
Figure 9-36 Overcrowding by Tenure in Visalia Neighborhoods of Focus Figure 9-37 Community Survey Responses - Overcrowding as a Housing Issue 5%
12% 11%
3% 5% 6%
4%
4%
4% 2%
4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
North-West Visalia Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of Visalia Tulare County Overcrowded renters Overcrowded owners
14% 14%
33%
15% 16% 16%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Non-EJ Areas North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents Respondents who reported too many people in same home as a housing issue in their neighborhood 0%
438
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-92
Figure 9-38CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Housing Cost Burden, Visalia 439
9-93 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Civic Engagement
Meaningful community engagement is key to creating
equitable policies and programs that meet the needs of
all residents. Unfortunately, environmental justice
communities have historically been excluded from
these conversations, resulting in inequitable planning
practices. Factors such as language barriers, time and
location of public meetings, and knowledge of topics
influence if and how people participate in the public
decision-making process. Innovative engagement
strategies and partnering with community-based
organizations (CBOs) can make community workshops
and meetings more accessible to environmental justice
communities. Traditional methods of community
engagement, such as community meetings held at
government buildings can be difficult for people to
attend due to scheduling conflicts, language barriers,
lack of transportation, and lack of overall trust in
government agencies.
Internet Access
It is increasingly common for government agencies to
post notices, documents, informational materials online and host virtual community meetings. Although an
online format can make participating in the public
decision-making process more convenient for many
people, it also requires households to have access to a computer or smartphone and high-speed internet. As
shown in Figure 9-39, the percentage of residents in the Neighborhoods of Focus with access to at least one
computer or smartphone is similar to that of the city
and state percentages. The percentage of residents in
the Neighborhoods of Focus with a broadband internet
subscription is slightly less than the city and state
percentages, with the exception of East Visalia. This
suggests that residents in the Neighborhoods of Focus
may have a more difficult time accessing online
information or virtual meetings than other areas of the city due to a lack of dependable, high-speed internet.
440
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-94
Figure 9-39 Internet Access in Visalia
Linguistic Isolation
Language isolation occurs when households have
individuals over the age of 14 who have limited English proficiency. These households face disadvantages when
seeking information about meetings and engagement
opportunities, particularly if the information and
materials are solely available in English and no language interpretation/translation is available. According to
CalEnviroScreen 4.0, two census tracts in Oval Park
score above the 87th percentile for linguistic isolation (see Figure 9-41), meaning that the percentage of
households in these census tracts that do not speak
English well is higher than 87 percent of census tracts in California. The primary languages spoken besides
English in Oval Park include Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese, and other Asian/Pacific-Islander languages.
Although most survey respondents did not select “I
don’t understand or have trouble understanding
English” as a main barrier to community participation,
about 10 percent of Oval Park respondents reported it
as a barrier to participation. This is significantly higher than any other area of the city, as shown in Figure 9-42.
Ensuring meaningful and effective participation from
individuals with limited English proficiency requires the commitment to providing meeting notices, and
informational materials in languages other than English.
This can bridge the language barrier and enable
individuals with limited English proficiency to access
crucial information about community meetings and
engagement opportunities. Additionally, offering
language interpretation services at these meetings is
vital to facilitate active involvement from individuals with limited English proficiency, allowing them to fully 98%
93%
98%
96% 96% 97%
86% 87%
95%
88%
90%
93%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
North-West Visalia Oval Park East Visalia Seven Oaks City of Visalia California Percent of households with one or more computer Percent of households with broadband internet 441
9-95 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
understand discussions, express concerns, and
contribute to decision-making processes.
Apart from English proficiency, many people who are
proficient or native English speakers can have a difficult time understanding the terminology and subject matter
related to planning documents and processes. Many
planning documents can also be long, dense, and data
heavy, which can be difficult for the public to read,
understand, and provide meaningful feedback on.
Creating engagement and information materials in a
way that is easy to understand can make the subject and processes of planning more accessible to a wider
audience.
Figure 9-40 Community Survey Responses – Language barriers Barriers to Community Involvement
There are several reasons that prevent people from
participating in community meetings and outreach
events such as scheduling, comfort level with the
subject matter or speaking in front of other people,
distrust in government, or lack of knowledge about how
to get involved. To get more people involved in the
public decision-making process, it is important to
understand why people aren’t participating and find
ways to overcome those barriers.
Survey respondents were asked to select the top three
reasons that prevent them from attending public
meetings. Figure 9-42 shows the top five reasons
selected by respondents in the Neighborhoods of
Focus. In Visalia, improving publicity of events and
engagement opportunities, providing childcare, creating spaces that allow people to feel comfortable sharing
their opinions, and explaining how community
feedback will be used are all ways the City can begin to break down these barriers to participation.
0%
10%
2%
3%
2% 1%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
North Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents Non-EJ Zones Percent of respondents that reported language as a barrier to public participation 442
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-96
Figure 9-41 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Linguistic Isolation, Visalia 443
9-97 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
Figure 9-42 Community Survey Responses – Barriers to participation Simply holding public meetings and events does not
ensure meaningful engagement. Publicizing meetings
and events where people are most likely to see them is
essential. As shown in Figure 9-42 between 29 percent
of all survey respondents said they do not know when
or where meetings are happening. In the community
survey, participants were also asked where and how
they get information about news and events in Visalia.
As shown in Figure 9-43, an overwhelming majority of
respondents reported getting their information through
social media and word of mouth (i.e., friends, family,
neighbors).
34%
20%
29%
6%
14%
30%
18%
31%
11% 10%
36%
15%
31%
21%
10%
35%
28% 27%
10% 8%
27% 25% 25%
6%
17%
29%
17%
26%
7%
11%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
I don’t know when or
where meetings are
happening
I am too busy to attend
meetings
I don't think my
opinions will be taken
seriously or any real
change will come from
attending meetings.
No childcare I don’t feel comfortable
speaking in front of
people.
Non-EJ Zones North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 444
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-98
Figure 9-43 Community Survey Responses – Information sources 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Social media Local newspaper
or magazine
Bulletin boards
at local
businesses
A newsletter
from a local
community
organization or
agency
School
newsletter or
parent
organization
Word of mouth City of Visalia
website
Non-EJ Zones North-West Visalia Oval Park Seven Oaks East Visalia All Respondents 445
9-99 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Objective EJ-1 Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles To increase physical activity and healthy lifestyles to reduce health risks for residents of all backgrounds and improve the pedestrian network for safer, more convenient travel. [Source: New objective]
Policies
EJ-1.1 The City shall encourage employers and developers to include secure bicycle parking and storage in existing and new businesses and in all new development projects. [Source: New policy] EJ-1.2 The City shall promote physical activity programs and healthy lifestyle education programs offered to residents and encourage residents to regularly participate in active lifestyles. [Source: New policy]
EJ-1.3 The City shall collaborate with the Visalia Unified School District, Board of Education, parent teacher associations, and community residents to identify and address access and safety issues for students arriving at school by bike or on foot. [Source: New policy] EJ-1.4 The City shall collaborate with private and public partners to enhance pedestrian amenities, such as lighting, shade, benches, trash and recycling receptacles, bathrooms, water fountains, particularly in the Neighborhoods of Focus. [Source: New policy]
EJ-1.5 The City shall prioritize compliance with American Disability Act (ADA) standards and accessibility for all pedestrian, transit, and bicycle improvements, through ongoing engagement and incorporation of feedback from disability stakeholder groups. [Source: New policy] 446
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-100
Objective EJ-2 Health Equity
To increase health equity and improve access to medical services. [Source: New objective] Policies
EJ-2.1 The City shall encourage the provision of a range of medical and health services (e.g., primary, preventive, specialty, prenatal, dental care, mental health) in a manner accessible to all residents. [Source: New policy]
EJ-2.2 The City shall coordinate with the Tulare County Public Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and other public agencies during master planning efforts to identify and integrate design elements into land use plans that encourage physical activity and pollution exposure reduction measures. [Source: New policy] Objective EJ-3 Air Quality
To improve air quality conditions so all residents can live, work, and play in their community without disproportionate risk of air pollution and related negative health impacts. [Source: New objective]
Policies
EJ-3.1 The City shall continue working with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to determine what, if any, mitigation measures can be implemented to reduce air pollution impacts to the Neighborhoods of Focus and residential areas adjacent to the State Route 99 and State Route 198. [Source: New policy]
EJ-3.2 The City shall encourage the retrofitting and installation of appropriate air filtration at existing schools, residences, and other sensitive receptor uses adversely affected by air pollution sources. [Source: New policy]
447
9-101 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
EJ-3.3 The City shall enforce California’s five-minute maximum diesel truck idling law, require warehouse and distribution facilities to provide adequate on-site truck parking, and require refrigerated warehouses to provide generators for refrigerated trucks. [Source: New policy] Objective EJ-4 Pollution Exposure
To actively support and expand land use development patterns, transportation infrastructure, pollution mitigation, and other techniques to reduce pollution exposure. [Source: New objective]
Policies
EJ-4.1 The City shall require new sensitive land uses and/or industrial and commercial land uses to incorporate setbacks, barriers, landscaping, or other design and development standards as necessary to minimize pollution exposure. [Source: New policy] EJ-4.2 The City shall encourage the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to provide pesticide use education to raise awareness about the potential health impacts from pesticide use and process to report pesticide violations. [Source: New policy] EJ-4.3 The City shall encourage existing stationary sources of pollution emissions to use feasible measures to minimize emissions that could have potential impacts on community health. [Source:
New policy]
EJ-4.4 The City shall minimize heavy truck traffic by designating truck routes away from residential areas and sensitive land uses in and around the Neighborhoods of Focus. [Source: New policy] EJ-4.5 The City shall ensure that residents and businesses are made aware of the potential adverse pollution, noise, odor, vibration, lighting, and the effects of toxic materials and emissions when pollution generating land uses are proposed near them. [Source: New policy] 448
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-102
Objective EJ-5 Access to Healthy Foods
To expand access to nutritious and affordable food to reduce food insecurity and to support varied cultural and nutritional food choices. [Source: New objective] Policies
EJ-5.1 The City shall encourage food stores and retailers to improve the quality and selection of healthy foods and fresh food products, particularly in the Neighborhoods of Focus. [Source: New policy] EJ-5.2 The City shall support the planning and development of community gardens within walking distance of high-density residential areas. [Source: New policy] EJ-5.3 The City shall promote a full range of urban agriculture activities, including farmers’ markets, farm stands, community gardens, on-site garden produce market stands, and urban farms. [Source: New policy]
EJ-5.4 The City shall promote healthy food and beverages at City-sponsored events, programs, and recreation activities. [Source: New policy]
Objective EJ-6 Public and Recreational Facilities
To ensure residents of all ages have access to a range of safe and accessible opportunities for recreation and physical activities. [Source: New objective] Policies
EJ-6.1 The City shall strive to maintain and improve recreational facilities with adequate lighting, signage, extended park supervision/hours, and programs representative of the multicultural needs and income levels of the community. [Source: New policy]
EJ-6.2 The City shall strive to enhance public facilities, infrastructure, services, and crime prevention strategies that are responsive to community needs. [Source: New policy] 449
9-103 | Public Review Draft / May 2024
EJ-6.3 The City shall encourage the use of existing parks, public venues, and programs through marketing, promotion, and reduced rates for the Neighborhoods of Focus. [Source: New policy] Objective EJ-7 Equitable Civic Engagement
To fully engage the public in City decision-making and facilitate public involvement in civic life. [Source: New objective]
Policies
EJ-7.1 The City shall partner with appropriate organizations (e.g., community-based, faith-based, advocacy, and service) that have built relationships, trust, and cultural competency to conduct meaningful outreach for relevant planning initiatives and environmental justice concerns. [Source:
New policy]
EJ-7.2 The City shall provide translation and interpretation services at public meetings on issues affecting populations whose primary language is not English. Translation time should not be counted as a part of a person’s time limit for comments. [Source: New policy] EJ-7.3 The City shall strive to make public meetings, notices, and education materials available online and in-person and accessible to all residents. [Source: New policy] EJ-7.4 The City shall strive to schedule events using different days, times, and formats (e.g., virtual and digital accessibility) to encourage and facilitate participation among community members with work, school, family, and other obligations that conflict with more traditional scheduling. [Source:
New policy]
EJ-7.5 The City shall implement a transparent public decision-making process through effective public outreach, engagement, and participation that is inclusive of socially disadvantaged individuals and groups. [Source: New policy]
450
Environmental Justice
Visalia General Plan | 9-104
EJ-7.6 The City shall support opportunities for all residents to engage in community service that integrates community health and civic engagement. [Source: New policy] Objective EJ-8 Safe and Sanitary Homes
To ensure all residents enjoy living conditions that are both safe and healthy, while also providing a mix of affordability. [Source: New objective] Policies
EJ-8.1 The City shall promote awareness of City regulations and enforcement measures citywide to improve unsafe and unsanitary conditions, focusing on trash and dumping, overcrowded housing, maintenance of older homes, graffiti, and lack of building and yard maintenance. [Source: New policy]
EJ-8.2 The City shall encourage the rehabilitation of substandard housing conditions and preservation of affordability for dwellings owned/occupied by lower-income households in the Neighborhoods of Focus. [Source: New policy]
EJ-8.3 The City shall review new development projects for natural surveillance design techniques and apply proven best practices in urban planning for crime reduction. [Source: New policy] 451
1 Brandon Smith
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 5:03 PM
To: Brandon Smith
Cc: Leslie Caviglia
Subject: Corrections for Environmental Justice Element
GreeƟngs Brandon.
Again, thank you for the copy of the Environmental JusƟce Element Policy. I reviewed the pages and found a couple items in the text that are not complete if the policy is to be "current" when approved.
1. Page 9-45 Ozone, second paragraph. "California Air Resource Board maintains a network of air monitoring staƟons, one of which is in Visalia, on North Church." Currently, North Church is no longer uƟlized but now there is one on W.
Ashland - sƟll operated by CARB.
2. Figure 9-22, page 9-63.
There is a SaveMart Grocery Store at the corner of Walnut and Akers which is not idenƟfied or pined on the map.
3. Page 9-83, Community Centers
You are missing the Emmanual Hernandez Community Center, 247 W. Ferguson Ave.- a really acƟve one. It is located in the Oval Park Neighborhood of Focus.
4. Page 9-82 Under Police StaƟons
Every Ɵme I go to the 204 NW Third Police StaƟon it is closed. Has it been opened recently? I now have completed a summary of the content and am planning to look at all the proposed ObjecƟves and Policies for the Environmental JusƟce porƟon of the General Plan.
This is a very thorough review of the PolluƟon Sources and PopulaƟon CharacterisƟcs of each Focus area. I am very familiar with the CalEnvironScreen 4.0. Such hard work went into this program. You should be proud of the work you and others have done over the last year.
In appreciaƟon,
Kathy Falconer
310.995.6295
452
Visalia City Council
Staff Report
Visalia City Council
707 W. Acequia
Visalia, CA 93291
File #: 24-0594 Agenda Date: 2/18/2025 Agenda #: 1.
Agenda Item Wording:
Upcoming City Council Meetings
Monday, March 3, 2025 @ 7:00 p.m. at 707 W. Acequia
Monday, March 17, 2025, @ 7:00 p.m. at 707 W. Acequia
Note: Meeting dates and 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 contact 713-4512.
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.
Visalia City Council Page 1 of 1 Printed on 2/7/2025
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