ORDINANCE NO. 2026-08
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VISALIA AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A LONGTERM AGRICULTURAL GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 408 ACRES OF CITYOWNED OPEN GROUND (APNs 118020036, 118020037, AND 119010021) WHEREAS, the City of Visalia owns approximately 408 acres of openground agricultural land located near State Highway 99 and State Highway 198, identified as APNs 118020036, 118020037, and 119010021; and WHEREAS, the City issued Request for Proposals No. 252615 seeking qualified agricultural operators to lease, farm, and conduct SGMAaligned recharge operations on said property; and WHEREAS, Correia Custom Farming Inc. submitted a responsive and qualified proposal based on its agricultural experience, prior operation of the property, and demonstrated ability to coordinate with the Tulare Irrigation District and MidKaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency; and WHEREAS, the negotiated LongTerm Agricultural Ground Lease Agreement includes a fiveyear initial term with five oneyear renewal options, annual rent of $25 per acre, SGMAcompliant recharge operations, prohibition on groundwater pumping, and full lessee responsibility for maintenance and improvements; and WHEREAS, Visalia Municipal Code Section 16 requires that “no lease shall be made for a period longer than five years except by ordinance adopted by the Council.”; and WHEREAS, the proposed lease exceeds five years and therefore must be approved by ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VISALIA:
Section 1. Authorization.
The City Manager is hereby authorized to execute, on behalf of the City of Visalia, the LongTerm Agricultural Ground Lease Agreement with Correia Custom Farming Inc. for the lease and agricultural management of APNs 118020036, 118020037, and 119010021, substantially in the form attached as Attachment 3.
Section 2. Effective Date.
This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days following its adoption.
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 2026-02 passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Visalia at a regular meeting held on _____________, 2026 and certify a summary of this ordinance will be published in the Visalia Times Delta.
Dated: LESLIE CAVIGLIA, CITY CLERK
By Reyna Rivera, Chief Deputy City Clerk