Visalia City Council
707 W. Acequia
Visalia, CA 93291
Visalia City Council
Visalia City Council
Meeting Minutes - Final
Mayor Brett Taylor
Vice Mayor Liz Wynn
Council Member Steve Nelsen
Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto
Council Member Brian Poochigian
7:00 PM City Council ChambersMonday, August 3, 2026
ROLL CALL
Council Member Brian Poochigian, Mayor Brett Taylor, Council Member Steve Nelsen, Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez
Soto, and Vice Mayor Liz Wynn
Present:
CALL TO ORDER CLOSED SESSION - 6:30 PM (Unless otherwise noted) Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council and items listed on the Closed Session agenda. The Council asks that you keep your comments concise and positive. Creative criticism, presented with appropriate courtesy, is welcome. Each speaker will be allowed three minutes, and a timer will notify you when your time is expired. Please begin your comments by stating and spelling your name and providing your city of residence.
ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Taylor adjourned the meeting into closed session at 6:36 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION - 7:00 PM
Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR CHRIS ARCHER, NAZARENE CHURCH
SPECIAL PRESENTATION / RECOGNITION
Recognition of Regional Champions - Cal Ripken Blue All Stars 11U Recognition of Regional Champions - Cal Ripken Blue All Stars 12U
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 3, 2026
PUBLIC COMMENTS
This is the time for general public comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council. Each speaker tonight may speak for up to 3 minutes during this general comment period on a matter that is not on this agenda.
The public may also make one comment for up to 3 minutes prior to the consideration of the Consent Calendar, and immediately before any regular agenda item is heard. The Council asks that you keep you comments concise and positive. Creative criticism, presented with appropriate courtesy, is welcome.
Each speaker will be allowed three minutes and a timer will notify you when your time is expired. Please begin your comments by stating and spelling your name and providing your city of residence.
Public comments were received from the following: Jim Reeves, Bill Huott, Irene Lapin, Esteban Verduzco, Kathy Falconer, Mikki K., Sam Sciacca, Kathy Connely, and Efrain Becerra.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
CONSENT CALENDAR
Consent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted in one motion.
This is the time for members of the public to provide public comment on an item on the Consent Calendar. Comments will not be taken individually by the public if an item is pulled by a Council Member. Each speaker is allowed up to 3 minutes, and a timer will notify you when your time is expired. Please begin your comments by stating and spelling you name and providing your city of residence.
Council member Steve Nelsen requested that agenda item 3: Award contract for Fire Station 54 parking lot rehabilitation project, be pulled for separate discussion.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Brian Poochigian, to adopt the remainder of the Consent Calendar. The motion carried unanimously by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
1. 26-0006Authorization to read ordinances by title only.
This Consent Item was approved.
2. 26-0039Authorization for payment to the California Vanpool Authority (CalVans) - Authorize the payment of California Vanpool Authority (CalVans) invoices for the Visalia Transit contributions to the Authority’s vanpool program.
This Consent Item was approved.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 3, 2026
3. 26-0048Award contract for Fire Station 54 parking lot rehabilitation project - Authorize the City Manager to award the construction contract to Tosted Asphalt, Inc. for the Fire Station 54 parking lot rehabilitation project in the amount of $176,479.84 and appropriate $115,000 from the General Fund.
Council Member Steve Nelsen pulled this item for further discussion. City Engineer Chris Crawford stepped forward and provided a history of the project and addressed Council’s questions regarding the matter.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Brian Poochigian, to adopt. The motion carried unanimously by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
4. 26-0052Conditional acceptance of Federal Aviation Administration grant funds, with appropriation upon award - Authorize the conditional acceptance of a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Infrastructure Grant in the amount of $201,020 for the design phase of the Tiedown Apron A3 Reconstruction Project at the Visalia Municipal Airport, and authorize the appropriation of grant funds upon award and the local match of $10,580 from the Airport Fund.
This Consent Item was approved.
5. 26-0061Award contract and appropriate funds for St. John’s River Trail landscaping - Authorize the City Manager to award the
construction contract to Gowin Green Landscaping for the St.
John’s River Trail landscaping east of Dinuba Boulevard project in the amount of $287,826; and authorize the additional appropriation of $255,000 from the Waterways Capital Fund (Fund 261).
This Consent Item was approved.
6. 26-0064Ordinance adoption authorizing the City Manager to award a contract and approve a long-term lease agreement for 408 acres of open ground to Correia Custom Farming Inc. - Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-08 authorizing the City Manager to award a contract and approve a long-term lease agreement for 408 acres of open ground to Correia Custom Farming Inc.
This Consent Item was approved.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 3, 2026
7. 26-0068Ordinance adoption - Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-05, adding Chapter 4.04, “Commercial Cannabis
Activity” to the Visalia Municipal Code; rescinding Chapter 5.66; amending Chapter 8.64; and approving Zoning Text Amendment No. 2026-01, and adoption of Resolution No. 2026-42,
establishing the application and selection process for both storefront and non-storefront retail cannabis business license applications.
This Consent Item was approved.
8. 26-0076Ordinance adoption - Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-07 pertaining to the approval of Annexation No. 2025-04: A request by D.R. Horton to prezone ±78.11 acres to R-1 (Single-Family Residential zone), R-M-2 (Multi-family residential zone - 3,000 square foot minimum site area), R-M-3 (Multi-family residential zone - 1,200 square foot minimum site area), and QP (Quasi-public zone). The site is located on the northeast corner of Lovers Lane and Caldwell Avenue (APN:
127-020-020 and -021).
This Consent Item was approved.
9. 26-0075Adoption of revised Resolutions - Adoption of revised Resolution Nos. 2026-47 and 2026-48 pertaining to the upholding of an appeal in accordance with the City Council's prior action taken for Clements Ranch Tentative Subdivision Map No. 5606 and Tentative Parcel Map No. 2025-13, a request to subdivide parcels totaling ±78.11 acres into 292 lots for single-family residential uses and additional out lots for private streets, utilities, landscaping, lighting, trails, and parks, to be located within the proposed R-1, R-M-2, and QP zones. The project is located on a ±78.11-acre site located on the east side of South Lovers Lane Avenue, north of Caldwell Avenue (APN: 127-020-020 and -021).
This Consent Item was approved.
10. 26-0069Notice of completion - Request authorization to file the notice of completion for the Mill Creek culvert replacement project.
This Consent Item was approved.
11. 26-0070Notice of completion - Request authorization to file the notice of completion for the installation of cellular radios in the City of Visalia’s sanitary sewer lift stations.
This Consent Item was approved.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 3, 2026
12. 26-0071Designate City owned property into public right of way - Adopt Resolution 2026-55 designating City owned property located at the northwest corner of Clancy Street and Nicholas Avenue into the public right of way system.
This Consent Item was approved.
13. 26-0079Authorization to accept the CHP Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program - Authorize the Visalia Police Department to accept fiscal year 2026/27 California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program in the amount $156,978 and approve Resolution No. 2026-54.
This Consent Item was approved.
14. 26-0089ATP Grant Letter - Authorize the City Manager to issue a letter to the California Transportation Commission terminating an Active Transportation Program grant of $795,000 that was awarded to the City of Visalia for construction of the Goshen - Visalia Corridor improvement project, from Mooney Boulevard to
Giddings Street; and to include a statement of support in the letter from the City to reprogram these ATP funds to the Caltrans Ivanhoe Safe Routes to School project, located in Tulare County.
This Consent Item was approved.
REGULAR ITEMS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS
Comments related to regular Items and Public Hearing Items are limited to three minutes per speaker, for a maximum of 30 minutes per item. The Mayor may reasonably limit or extend the public comment period to preserve the Council's interest in conducting efficient, orderly meetings.
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 3, 2026
1. 25-0786Shopping Cart Ordinance Update - Consideration of and direction on initiating potential Municipal Code updates to Visalia Municipal Code Chapter 8.70 Abandoned Shopping Carts,
Citywide.
Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Riedmann presented a PowerPoint regarding proposed updates to Visalia Municipal Code Chapter 8.70, Abandoned Shopping Carts, including increasing the City's cost recovery fee from $50 to $100 per shopping cart, as authorized by Senate Bill 753, and requiring physical containment systems for shopping carts at certain new or expanded businesses.
Council discussed the proposed ordinance updates, including the City's collection and enforcement processes, business reporting of stolen or abandoned carts, the proposed physical containment requirements for new construction and significant improvements, the threshold for triggering those requirements, and the impact on businesses and the community.
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Liz Wynn, seconded by Council Member Steve Nelsen, to approve. The motion carried unanimously by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
2. 26-0059Review the Visalia Police Department AB 481 annual report and adopt Resolution 2026-53 - Conduct the annual public meeting required by Assembly Bill 481 to review the Visalia Police Department 2025 Military Equipment Annual Report, review Ordinance No. 2022-09 adopting the Military Equipment Use Policy, adopt Resolution 2026-53 renewing the Military
Equipment Use Policy and approving the continued use of the equipment described in the AB 481 annual report.
Lieutenant Dominguez stepped forward and provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Visalia Police Department’s 2025 Military Equipment Annual Report and Military Equipment Use Policy.
Public comment was received from Efrain Becerra.
Council discussed the report and clarified that the annual report and related information are required by law and are available for public review on an ongoing basis.
A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Vice Mayor Liz Wynn, to adopt. The motion carried unanimously by the following vote:
Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn
Aye:
Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 3, 2026
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Richardson provided the following information.
1. 26-0082For the purposes of reporting out, for the record, transactions that occurred as a result of Closed Session Real Property Negotiations:
Buyer: City of Visalia
Seller: Albe Industries, Inc., a California corporation APN: 077-200-007(portion)
Purpose: Shirk Capacity Enhancement Project
Price: $2,718.00
Closing Date: 7/23/2026
Project Manager: Bryce Nagel
Buyer: City of Visalia
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Taylor adjourned the meeting at 8:08 p.m.
UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
1. 26-0030Upcoming City Council Meetings
Monday, August 17, 2026 @ 7:00 p.m. at 707 W. Acequia
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 @ 7:00 p.m. at 707 W. Acequia Note: Meeting dates and times are subject to change, check posted agenda for correct details. In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in meetings contact 713-4512.
Written materials relating to an item on this agenda submitted to the Council after distribution of the agenda are available for public inspection in the Office of the City Clerk, 220 N. Santa Fe Street, Visalia CA 93292, during normal business hours.
Respectfully Submitted,
Reyna Rivera,
Chief Deputy City Clerk