ORDINANCE NO. 2025-05
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY Council OF THE CITY OF VISALIA APPROVING A PREZONING ORDINANCE TO ANNEXATION NO. 2024-05: A REQUEST BY THE CITY OF VISALIA TO PREZONE BY ORDINANCE THE PROPERTY UNDERGOING ANNEXATION INTO THE CITY LIMITS OF VISALIA. THE PREZONE WILL CHANGE ZONES ON THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF VISALIA FROM 62 ACRES OF UNZONED TO APPROXIMATELY 55 ACRES OF R-1-5 (SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, 5,000 SQUARE FOOT MINIMUM SITE AREA) ZONE DESIGNATION AND APPROXIMATELY 7 ACRES OF C-MU (MIXED USE COMMERCIAL), CONSISTENT WITH THE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS OF THE VISALIA GENERAL PLAN LAND USE MAP AND CONSISTENT WITH SECTION 17.06.050 OF THE VISALIA MUNICIPAL CODE. THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SOUTH SANTA FE STREET AND EAST CALDWELL AVENUE (APNS: 123-400-005 & 123-400-001).
WHEREAS, Prezone to Annexation No. 2024-05 is a request by the City of Visalia to adopt a prezoning ordinance for the property undergoing annexation into the City limits of Visalia. The prezoning will change zones on the Official Zoning Map of the City of Visalia from 62 acres of unzoned to approximately 55 acres of Single-Family Residential, 5,000 square foot minimum site area (R-1-5) zone designation and approximately 7 acres of Mixed Use Commercial (C-MU) zone designation, consistent with the land use designations of the Visalia General Plan Land Use Map and consistent with Section 17.06.050 of the Visalia Municipal Code; and WHEREAS, San Joaquin Valley Homes has submitted entitlement applications with the City of Visalia for Tentative Subdivision Map No. 5602 and Annexation No. 2024-05, to facilitate annexation of the Blankenship Subdivision project, a 203-lot single-family residential development and future 7-acre mixed use commercial zone (not to be developed together with the residential project), located within the City of Visalia; and WHEREAS, the specific changes of organization requested consist of detachment of the project area territory from the County of Tulare and annexation to the City of Visalia; and WHEREAS, the territory to be annexed is within the Planning Area Boundary and the Urban Growth Boundary of the City of Visalia; and WHEREAS, the proposed R-1-5 and C-MU zone districts are consistent with Single-Family Residential, 5,000 square foot minimum site area and Mixed Use Commercial land use designations of the General Plan, respectively, in accordance with Table 9-1: Consistency Between the Plan and Zoning; and WHEREAS, Government Code (CGC) § 56375(a)(7) requires, as a condition to annexation, that a city prezone of the territory to be annexed or present evidence satisfactory to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) that the existing development entitlements on the territory are consistent with the city's general plan; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the City's Municipal Code and State Planning and Zoning Law, the Planning Commission of the City of Visalia is authorized to review and make recommendations to the City Council of the City of Visalia for actions related to the establishment of land use and zone designations on behalf of the City, which include General Plan Amendments and Change of Zones and extends to prezone actions; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Visalia, after duly published notice, held a public hearing before said Commission on July 14, 2025, and considered the Prezone to Annexation No. 2024-05 to be in accordance with Chapter 17.02, Chapter 17.06, and Chapter 17.44 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Visalia and on the evidence contained in the staff report and testimony presented at the public hearing, and recommended that the City Council approve an Ordinance for the Prezone of Annexation No. 2024-05; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Visalia adopted Resolution No. 2025-35 recommending approval of the Prezoning for the Project; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Visalia, after ten (10) days published notice, held a 1st reading and public hearing for the Prezone of the Annexation on July 21, 2025; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Visalia finds the Prezone to Annexation No. 2024-05 to be in accordance with Chapter 17.02, Chapter 17.06, and Chapter 17.44 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Visalia and on the evidence contained in the staff report and testimony presented at the public hearing; and, WHEREAS, the City Council considers that the proposed project has no new effects that could occur, or new mitigation measures that would be required that have not been addressed within the scope of the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Blankenship Project (SCH# 2025040063), certified by the Visalia City Council on June 2, 2025, by Resolution No. 2025-31. The IS/MND adequately analyzed and addressed this proposed project and determined with mitigation that there would not be significant impacts resulting from the development of the Blankenship Project. A Mitigation and Monitoring Plan adopted with the IS/MND includes mitigation measures that reduce or eliminate the severity of some of these impacts to a level that is less than significant.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Visalia finds that IS/MND for the Blankenship Project, State Clearinghouse No. 2025040063, was prepared consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act and City of Visalia Environmental Guidelines.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Visalia approves an Ordinance to Prezone designations for Annexation No. 2024-05, pursuant to Visalia Municipal Code Section 17.44.090 based on the following specific findings and evidence presented:
The proposed prezoning is consistent with the policies and intent of the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance of the City of Visalia.
The proposed prezoning would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the city.
The proposed prezoning is internally consistent with other applicable provisions of these regulations.
The site is physically suitable (including ability to meet requested zoning regulations, access, provision of utilities, compatibility with adjoining land uses, and absence of physical constraints) for the requested zoning designations and anticipated land uses.
That the proposed prezoning, being processed as a Zone Amendment in accordance with Chapter 17.44 of the Visalia Municipal Code, is being done to achieve the objectives of the Zoning Ordinance prescribed in Section 17.02.020, which are established as a means to preserve and promote the public health, safety and welfare of the city, and of the public generally and to facilitate growth and expansion of the municipality in a precise and orderly manner, and is being done to confirm the classification of the zone designation that is consistent with the Visalia General Plan, in accordance with Section 17.06.050 of the Zoning Ordinance.
That the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 2024-63 prepared and certified for the Blankenship Project (SCH# 2025040063) adequately address the impacts of the prezone since the project description anticipated the zoning on the property to be R-1-5 (Single-Family Residential, 5,000 square foot minimum site area) and C-MU (Mixed Use Commercial).
That no new information has arisen since certification of the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration that alters its analysis of impacts or conclusions as to effects and required mitigation. Therefore, the IS/MND adequately addresses environmental impacts associated with this project.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Visalia approves the 1st Reading of an Ordinance of the Prezone to Annexation No. 2024-05, as depicted per Exhibit “A”, on the real property described herein, in accordance with the terms of this resolution and under the provisions of Chapter 17.02, Chapter 17.06, and Chapter 17.44 of the Ordinance Code of the City of Visalia.
PASSED AND ADOPTED: BRETT TAYLOR, MAYOR
ATTEST: ___________________________
LESLIE CAVIGLIA, CITY CLERK APPROVED BY CITY ATTORNEY ___________________________
STATE OF CALIFORNIA)
COUNTY OF TULARE ) ss.
CITY OF VISALIA )
I, Leslie Caviglia, City Clerk of the City of Visalia, certify the foregoing is the full and true Ordinance 2025-05 passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Visalia at a regular meeting held on July 21, 2025, and certify a summary of this ordinance will be published in the Visalia Times Delta.
Dated: July 22, 2025 LESLIE CAVIGLIA, CITY CLERK
By Reyna Rivera, Chief Deputy City Clerk
EXHIBIT “A” OF ORDINANCE NO. 2025-05,
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVING A PREZONING PERTAINING TO ANNEXATION NO. 2024-05 WHICH PERTAINS TO the BLANKENSHIP project.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VISALIA:
Single-family Residential5,000 sq. ft. site area (R-1-5) Zone DesignationSingle-family Residential5,000 sq. ft. site area (R-1-5) Zone DesignationCommercial Mixed Use (C-MU) Zone DesignationCommercial Mixed Use (C-MU) Zone DesignationSection 1: The zone classifications of the Zoning Map shall be changed as follows, upon the effective date of Annexation No. 2024-05. = Single-family Residential
5,000 sq. ft. site area (R-1-5) Zone Designation
Single-family Residential
5,000 sq. ft. site area (R-1-5) Zone Designation
Commercial Mixed Use (C-MU) Zone Designation
Commercial Mixed Use (C-MU) Zone Designation
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-05
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-05