Map Streamlining
Discussion
City Council
March 2, 2026
Planning Division
WHY WE’RE HERE TONIGHT
• The State is asking jurisdictions to reduce governmental constraints to housing • Our Housing Element asks us to identify constraints to housing and seek to minimize them • Staff has identified a time and cost-saving measure by streamlining the approval of small and simple subdivisions, both residential and nonresidential • Staff is seeking your authorization to pursue this measure
THE QUESTIONS WE WILL BE ASKING YOU
1. Would Council support an amendment to the Subdivision Ordinance to subject the following types of subdivisions to a streamlined process? a. Residential tentative maps of 80 lots or 80 units or less, that do not require a General Plan Amendment, Annexation (Prezone), Change of Zone, Conditional Use Permit, Variance, or a Planned Unit/Residential Development permit (“other discretionary permits”).
b. Non-residential tentative maps (i.e., parcel maps for commercial/industrial developments), that do not require other discretionary permits (CUP, Variances, etc.).
THE QUESTIONS WE WILL BE ASKING YOU
2. Would Council support identifying a designated official as an administrative staff-level advisory agency for the streamlined process?
3. Would Council support establishing an administrative hearing process where noticing is limited to nearby property owners and residents?
WHAT WE’VE IDENTIFIED
• 6% of lots in residential subdivisions approved in the past 10 years complied with all requirements
✓ Complied with plans, policies, regulations, and standards ✓ No other permit was needed that otherwise required Planning Commission’s approval • Most nonresidential parcel splits do not authorize development; simply establish new parcels for sale, lease or finance
• These can be streamlined if approved administratively; avoids scheduling and noticing a public hearing; reduces approval by about a month
SMALL AND SIMPLE SUBDIVISION CRITERIA
• Complies with General Plan’s density and intensity requirements • Uses proposed are principally permitted in the zone district • Complies with City engineering standards and Subdivision Ordinance requirements • No deviation requests that otherwise require Planning Commission’s approval • Residential development: Unit count equivalent or less than multifamily administrative approval threshold (80 dwelling units)
QUESTIONS 1a. & 1b.
1. Would Council support an amendment to the Subdivision Ordinance to subject the following types of subdivisions to a streamlined process? a. Residential tentative maps of 80 lots or 80 units or less, that do not require other discretionary permits.
b. Non-residential tentative maps that do not require other discretionary permits.
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
S A N M A R I N O ( S H I R K S / O R I G G I N )
visalia.gov
✓ Met GP density requirements
✓ Met minimum lot area, width, and
depth requirements
✓ Met City engineering standards
✓ Met City subdivision standards
✓ No deviation or variances to
standards
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
C A N D E L A S I I ( T U L A R E E / O L O V E R S L A N E ) visalia.gov
✓ Met GP density requirements
✓ Met minimum lot area, width, and
depth requirements
✓ Met City engineering standards
✓ Met City subdivision standards
✓ No deviation or variances to
standards
STAFF ANALYSIS (Residential Maps):
• Staff identified 80 lot/unit “threshold” could be applied to residential subdivisions • The 80-unit metric is the threshold currently applied to by-right multifamily developments • This could help facilitate an incentive to develop infill sites / bypass parcels • No deviation requests that otherwise require Planning Commission’s approval
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
visalia.gov
✓ Met minimum lot area, width, and
depth requirements
✓ Met City engineering standards
✓ Met City subdivision standards
✓ No deviation or variances to
standards
✓ Existing development
D D G 6 9 7 V ( R I G G I N A N D P L A Z A )
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
visalia.gov
✓ Met minimum lot area, width, and
depth requirements
✓ Met City engineering standards
✓ Met City subdivision standards
✓ No deviation or variances to
standards
✓ Existing development
C A P R O C K ( P L A Z A A N D K I B L E R )
STAFF ANALYSIS (Nonresidential Maps):
• Most nonresidential projects not subject to discretionary review • These maps generally consist of subdividing commercial, office, industrial sites • Most of these sites tend to be developed already
• Again, no deviation requests that otherwise require Planning Commission’s approval QUESTION 2. APPROVAL BODY
2. Would Council support identifying a designated official as an administrative staff-level advisory agency for the streamlined process?
STAFF ANALYSIS (Approval Body):
• The Designated Official could be the City Manager, the Director, City Planner, Principal Planner, or their designee(s)
• Technical expertise – No training needed
• Availability – Administrative decisions not limited to twice a month • Ability to delegate – Manages conflicts of interest
STAFF ANALYSIS (Approval Body):
• An Official Body could comprise of anyone, much like the Planning Commission. • Wider array of opinions available
• Finding members to sit on committee, train them, establishing quorum, setting a schedule, and making the meeting open to the public to comply with the Brown Act would make this administratively burdensome and run counter to the intent of a streamlining process.
Staff recommends that the Designated Official approach be chosen.
QUESTION 3. PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCESS
3. Would Council support establishing an administrative hearing process where noticing is limited to nearby property owners and residents?
EXISTING PROCESS
Site Plan Review
Completeness Review
Project Review Environmental
Review
Public Hearing Notice
(Nearby Property
Owners, Residents,
Newspaper)
Planning Commission
Hearing Appeal Period
City Council
(if appealed)
PROPOSED PROCESS
Site Plan Review
Completeness Review
Project Review Environmental Review
Administrative Hearing
Notice
(Nearby Property
Owners and Residents)
Administrative Hearing
Decision Notice of Decision
Appeal Period
Planning Commission
City Council
(if appealed)
STAFF ANALYSIS (Administrative Hearing):
• An Administrative Hearing accomplishes the overall goals of existing process • Advance notice of a decision to be made (10 days), sent to nearby property owners and residents (300 feet)
• Staff report available for review
• Instructions on how to submit a comment or request to be notified of the decision • Ability to appeal
• No newspaper notices would occur
Staff recommends that Council selects an administrative hearing process with notices to nearby property owners and residents
PLANNING COMMISSION’S RECOMMENDATION AND
RESERVATIONS
Planning Commission voted unanimously to pass a recommendation, however with concerns in regards to:
• Staff workload
• Staff impartiality
• Limit public engagement
STAFF WORKLOAD
• Streamlining measures amounts to 6% of lot approved over the past 10 years • Nonresidential maps are generally noncontroversial
• Streamlining would remove administrative processes, not require these steps to be completed faster
• Newspaper noticing lead times
• Waiting for a public hearing date (twice per month)
• Approximately 5 hours saved per application
For these reasons, staff recommends a streamlined process includes, at minimum, the project types mentioned.
STAFF IMPARTIALITY
• Planning staff are employees that make or influence government decisions • Required under State law to file a Form 700
• Requires disclosures of personal financial interests
• Designated official can delegate on a case-by-case basis to avoid conflicts of interest For these reasons, staff recommends a streamlined process includes, at minimum, the project types mentioned by a designated official.
RECEPTIVENESS TO PUBLIC COMMENT
• Adequate notice would be provided
• Designated official required to consider public comments received • Appeal process to Planning Commission and City Council still available For these reasons, staff recommends a streamlined process includes, at minimum, the project types mentioned by a designated official, and a written administrative hearing process.
OTHER BENEFITS
1. Reduced processing time
2. Easier compliance with Subdivision Map Act
3. Easier compliance with Housing Accountability Act
4. Increased eligibility for grant funding
RECOMMENDED MOTION
I move to direct staff to begin the preparation of a
Subdivision Streamlining Ordinance for future
consideration that will also address:
RECOMMENDED MOTION
1. Nonresidential tentative maps and residential
tentative maps of 80 units or less, that do not
require other discretionary permits.
RECOMMENDED MOTION
2. Identifying a designated official as an
administrative staff-level advisory agency for the
streamlined process.
RECOMMENDED MOTION
3. Includes provisions establishing an administrative
hearing process where noticing is limited to
nearby property owners and residents.
Questions
&
Discussion