Joint Meeting of City Council
and Planning Commission
City of Visalia
August 19, 2025
Agenda Item 3: Dwelling Units & Parcel Sizes
Consider updates to City regulations and Zoning Standards and provide comments / guidance as directed Housing Element Program 2.7: Missing Middle Housing
Consider Visalia’s range of housing types to provide a more affordable alternative to the local workforce Housing Element Program 3.17: Planning for Large Sites
Consider removing constraints towards parceling sites exceeding 10 acres, including waiver of public hearings AGENDA ITEM #3
Definition:
A range of low to medium density range housing types, such as duplexes, triplexes, townhomes & cottage homes, located within residential neighborhoods and providing a more affordable alternative to the local workforce.
In existing single-family neighborhoods, they could entail smaller detached dwelling units, including ADUs, or duplexes developed in a manner that maintains the neighborhood’s existing character.
Permit Types Issued the Last 5½ years in Visalia:
Single-family Houses: 66% 5+ unit structures: 25%
Accessory Dwelling Units: 3% 2-4 unit structures: 9%
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING
Duplexes
Townhomes
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING
Cottage / Courtyard Housing
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING
ADU facing Side Street of Corner Lot
Duplex on Corner Lot
Direction on Location
Should Visalia consider expanding its range of building types in high resource, infill parts of the City? Housing along corridors in close proximity to transit and locally-serving retail? Infill areas with undeveloped or underdeveloped lots with R-5 zone and having larger lot sizes?
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING
Alternative
Pursue amendments to existing Zoning Ordinance sections to provide more clarity on allowed unit types and streamline the approval process
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING
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1. Rename R-1-5 Zone to R-1 Zone to reflect existing permitted use of lots below 5,000 sq. ft.
Does not change minimum lot size to this zone; standards are already in place for lots under 5,000 sq ft The Zoning Ordinance’s list of permitted / conditional uses would be updated to reflect allowed lot sizes Permitted if between 3,600 to 4,999 sf. ft. and meets requirements in Section 17.12.135 Conditional / Planned Development Permit required if less than 3,600 sq. ft.
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2. Eliminate PUD / CUP requirements for simple lot splits Responding to ample number of parcel maps processed for oversized properties Require Parcel Maps to complete Site Plan Review and proceed to Engineering Review Waive PUD / CUP process if only intended to establish an access easement for vehicular / pedestrian purposes
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3. Reduce the City’s 25-foot rear yard setback requirement Reduction responds to trend of smaller lot sizes and challenges fitting developers’ production plans on lots Tulare, Fresno, and Clovis all have rear yards at 20’ or less To lessen impact upon established residences, setbacks could apply to interior lots or backing to streets
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4. Eliminate CUP requirement for multi-family lots less than 2 acres in size Standard may be considered as a constraint towards the development of multi-family residential units that would otherwise be permitted by-right Listed as a necessary Municipal Code Update in Housing Element Program 5.8
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5. Remove Multi-Family Residential Zone’s 10-foot side yard requirement for access to more than one dwelling unit Intended to apply when a pedestrian walkway adjacent to side property line provides access to 2+ units Standard side yard setback is 5 feet
10-foot setback may be seen as creating an unnecessary hardship toward smaller parcels
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6. Consider reducing parking space requirements for residential uses meeting certain criteria Recommend adding language in Zoning Ordinance regarding applicability of approved AB 2097 If Missing Middle Housing is considered in corridor areas or infill sites, consider allowing 1.5 spaces per unit to correspond with multi-family standard
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7. In Mixed Use Zones (D-MU and C-MU), remove CUP / public hearing requirement for adding to an existing number of units Eliminates redundancy when residential uses are already established on-site and surrounding uses are already conditioned to having existing residential uses 405 N. West Street
117 E. Main Street
PLANNING FOR LARGE SITES
Housing Element Program to facilitate sites that conform with State HCD’s recommended parcel size of between 0.5 and 10 acres for lower-income households Colegio Property, Dinuba / Glendale
“Pinnacle” project, Riggin / Roeben
PLANNING FOR LARGE SITES
City must adopt incentives to encourage the development of large RHNA sites, such as:
expedited approval of lot splits
waiving public hearings for parcel maps
waiving public hearings for large multifamily uses (if affordable by deed-restriction) additional density bonus, lot coverage, or height
fee waivers, reductions, or deferral
PLANNING FOR LARGE SITES
City must adopt incentives to encourage the development of large RHNA sites, such as:
expedited approval of lot splits
waiving public hearings for parcel maps
waiving public hearings for large multifamily uses (if affordable by deed-restriction) additional density bonus, lot coverage, or height
fee waivers, reductions, or deferral
Staff Recommendation
*If Parcel is Zoned R-M-2 or R-M-3 or has RHNA Site Inventory
Recommendations will be the basis for a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Public Hearings will be noticed and scheduled to Planning Commission by November / December
NEXT STEPS
Thank you
City of Visalia - Planning Division