ORDINANCE NO. 2026-01
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY Council OF THE CITY OF VISALIA APPROVING A PREZONING AND CHANGE OF ZONE ORDINANCE NO. 2025-06: A REQUEST BY TCOE TO CHANGE THE ZONING DESIGNATION ON APN: 122-480-004 FROM C-MU (MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL) TO QP (QUASI-PUBLIC) AND TO PREZONE APNs: 122-470-003, 122-480-008 and 122-480-018 to QP (QUASI-PUBLIC). THE SITE IS LOCATED AT 11720 AND 11836 AVE 264 AND 6200 SOUTH MOONEY BOULEVARD (APNS: 122-470-003, 122-480-004, 122-480-008, AND 122-480-018).
WHEREAS, Prezone and Change of Zone No. 2025-06 is a request by TCOE to change the zoning designation on APN: 122-480-004 from C-MU (Mixed-Use Commercial) to QP (Quasi-Public) and to prezone APNs: 122-470-003, 122-480-008 and -018 to QP (Quasi-Public). The site is located at 11720 and 11836 Ave 264 and 6200 South Mooney Boulevard (APNs: 122-470-003, 122-480-004, 122-480-008, and 122-480-018); and WHEREAS, Tulare County Office of Education has submitted entitlement applications with the City of Visalia for General Plan Amendment No. 2025-05 and Annexation No. 20225-03, to facilitate expansion of the existing TCOE facilities at 6200 South Mooney Boulevard by expanding the Urban Development Boundary and annexation of APNs: 122-470-003, 122-480-008, and 122-480-018 for a total acreage of 37.5-acres of unincorporated territory to be prezoned to determine the zoning that will apply to that territory upon annexation to the city. The Change of Zone will change the existing zoning for the TCOE (APN: 122-480-004) site from C-MU (Commercial Mixed Use) to QP (Quasi-Public), which is also consistent with the General Plan Amendment No. 2025-05; 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 proposed Q-P (Quasi-Public) zone district is consistent with Public Institutional 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 March 23, 2026, and considered the Prezone and Change of Zone No. 2025-06 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 and Change of Zone No. 2025-06; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Visalia adopted Resolution No. 2025-58 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 April 6, 2026; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Visalia finds the Prezone and Change of Zone No. 2025-06 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 TCOE produced Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Project, certified by the Visalia City Council on April 6, 2026, by Resolution No. 2026-20. 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 TCOE 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 TCOE Project, 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 and Change of Zone No. 2025-06, pursuant to Visalia Municipal Code Section 17.44.090 based on the following specific findings and evidence presented:
That the proposed Prezone and Change of Zone is consistent with the intent of the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, and is not detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity.
That the proposed Change of Zone from C-MU (Mixed-Use Commercial) to QP (Quasi-Public) will not impose new land uses or development that will adversely affect the subject site or adjacent properties.
That the proposed zoning designations under the proposed Change of Zone results in zoning and land uses that suitably buffer and provide an efficient transition between the existing commercial, agricultural, and residential zoning and uses surrounding the site.
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, is being processed 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 TCOE prepared an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the project and, following circulation of the document for public review, TCOE adopted the Mitigated Negative Declaration and approved moving forward with the project finding that, with implementation of identified mitigation measures, the project would not result in significant environmental impacts. TCOE consulted with City staff on the preparation of the Initial Study and MND. The City has independently reviewed and considered the Initial Study and MND, together with the administrative record associated with the Lead Agency’s approval of the project, and finds that the environmental document adequately evaluates the environmental impacts of the project. Therefore, staff recommends the Mitigated Negative Declaration be adopted for 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 and Change of Zone No. 2025-06, 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 2026-01 passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Visalia at a regular meeting held on April 6, 2026, and certify a summary of this ordinance will be published in the Visalia Times Delta.
Dated: April 20, 2026 LESLIE CAVIGLIA, CITY CLERK
By Reyna Rivera, Chief Deputy City Clerk
EXHIBIT “A” OF ORDINANCE NO. 2026-01,
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVING A PREZONING and change of zone NO. 2025-06
WHICH PERTAINS TO the TCOE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VISALIA:
Section 1: The zone classifications of the Zoning Map shall be changed as follows, upon the effective date of Annexation No. 2025-03.
ORDINANCE NO. 2026-01
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-05