October 19, 2026
City Council Work Session
General Plan Reserve Area Planning
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
1. Preferred Land Use Plan
2. Preferred Circulation Plan
3. Development Tier
Boundaries
4. Location of Enhanced
Design Standards
5. Architectural Design
Standards
W H A T W E ’ L L B E D I S C U S S I N G
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Staff and the consultant have prepared a preferred planning framework • Direction is requested on 5 questions
• Council direction will guide environmental review and plan preparation • No final approvals tonight – only a check-in to receive direction C I T Y C O U N C I L ’ S D I R E C T I O N S H A P E S T H E N E X T P H A S E O F T H E P L A N P R E P A R A T I O N visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
1. Use the PC recommended land use plan?
2. Use the PC recommended circulation plan?
3. Use the PC recommended development tier plan?
4. Should industrial design standards be the same throughout or enhanced only in highly visible areas?
5. Use a Traditional Industrial architectural design standard or an architecturally-neutral design standard?
F I V E D E C I S I O N S A R E R E Q U E S T E D
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Airport safety zones
• Existing and planned residential
development
• Council direction emphasizing
industrial and employment-generating
uses
• Infrastructure availability
• Input from property owners,
developers, and the real estate
community
L A N D U S E P L A N C O N S T R A I N T S A N D I N P U T S visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Industrial and employment uses
concentrated near SR 99 and the airport
• Residential uses continue existing
development patterns
• Higher-intensity uses located along
Caldwell Avenue
• Commercial uses positioned to serve
planned residents and employees
• Parks and schools conceptually located
based on projected demand and
compatibility constraints
B A L A N C E O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D R E S I D E N T I A L G R O W T H visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
An Initial Study was prepared and found that the project, with the implementation of mitigation, would result in a less than significant impact.
Staff recommends that City Council adopt MND.
• Area A
– Industrial Specific Plan area
– Production, distribution, and employment-generating
uses
– Limited workforce-supporting services
– Subject to airport intensity, height, and avigation
easement requirements
• Area B
– Higher-density residential and commercial mixed use
development
– Transition along the Caldwell Avenue corridor
– Conceptual park sized at five acres per 1,000 residents • Area C
– Sequoia Gateway Business Park
– Existing County-oriented plan adapted to City standards and procedures
– City Specific Plan required before annexation
S T U D Y A R E A S A , B , A N D C – E M P L O Y M E N T A N D C O R R I D O R U S E S visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Area D
– Residential uses adjacent to Sequoia Gateway
– Conceptual park where residential development is
constrained
– Park design subject to airport safety and wildlife-hazard review
• Area E
– Existing estate-sized residential area
– Proposed Very Low Density Residential designation
– Portions located within Airport Safety Zone 4
• Area F
– Neighborhood Commercial designation relocated to
existing major streets
– Approximately seven additional developable acres
– Conservation designations refined
– One larger planned elementary school site
S T U D Y A R E A S D , E , A N D F – R E S I D E N T I A L A N D C O M M U N I T Y N E E D S visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Existing residential development would remain
• Proposed designation recognizes the existing residential character
• Very Low Density Residential would still increase capacity above existing County zoning
• Proposed High Density Residential designation is expected to conflict with ALUCP policies
• Environmental review will evaluate:
– Airport safety
– Aircraft noise and overflight
– Existing and potential residential capacity
– Alternative land use approaches
• Applicable plans will be referred to the ALUC before
adoption
• No ALUC override direction is requested at this work
session
A I R P O R T C O M P A T I B I L I T Y R E V I E W
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Decision 1 - Should Attachment A be used as the preferred land use plan for environmental review and further plan
preparation?
D E C I S I O N 1 — P R E F E R R E D L A N D U S E P L A N visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
D E C I S I O N 1 — P R E F E R R E D
L A N D U S E P L A N
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
D E C I S I O N 2 — C I R C U L A T I O N P L A N
• Shirk Road and Caldwell Avenue provide the principal
existing framework
• Proposed collectors would generally follow the Clancy alignment
• Visalia Parkway and Whitendale Avenue alignments would be extended
• Proposed network supports:
– Internal connectivity
– Emergency and service access
– Future development
– Connections to surrounding neighborhoods and
employment areas
• Decision 2 - Should Attachment B be used as
the preferred circulation plan for
environmental review and further plan
preparation?
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Reserve Area currently has no growth
tier boundary assignment
• Staff recommends designating
different tiers based on sewer access
and construction requirements
• The new industrial area would be in
Tier 2 (the current tier)
• New residential area north of Caldwell
would be in Tier 2 and new residential
area south of Caldwell would be Tier 3
D E C I S I O N 3 – G R O W T H T I E R B O U N D A R I E S visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
S E W E R M A S T E R P L A N
Recommended
Tier 2 uses the
existing Walnut
sewer trunk
line.
Recommended
Tier 3 must wait
for the future
Visalia Parkway
sewer trunk
line.
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
North of Caldwell and Sequoia
Gateway Development
• Connects to Walnut Avenue sewer
system
• Needs approximately $2.43 million
capital improvement cost
• No highway or railroad crossing
• Staff recommendation: Tier II
S E W E R R E Q U I R E M E N T S D I F F E R S U B S T A N T I A L L Y N O R T H A N D S O U T H O F
C A L D W E L L
South of Caldwell
• Requires new sewer trunk line under
SR-99 and railroad
• Needs approximately $16 million
capital improvement cost
• Staff recommendation: Tier III
Should Attachment C be
used as the preferred
development tier plan?
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
• Option A - Perimeter-focused (Red Area)
Enhanced standards only along major
external frontages where there is high
visibility
• Option B - Area-wide (Entire Industrial
Area)
Enhanced standards apply to all
new industrial development
• Option C - Tiered (Red Area + Blue Circles)
Enhanced standards at gateways, major
entries, and highly visible frontages
D E C I S I O N 4 — W H E R E S H O U L D E N H A N C E D S T A N D A R D S A P P L Y T O T H E N E W I N D U S T R I A L D E V E L O P M E N T ?
Planning Commission
Recommended
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
P A S T D E S I G N E L E M E N T S E S T A B L I S H A R E C O G N I Z A B L E A R C H I T E C T U R A L
V O C A B U L A R Y
P U R P O S E
Looking to the Past for Architectural Guidance
• Visalia’s Traditional Industrial Buildings
from 1930s to 1950s
• Garages
• Small Businesses
• Merchants
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
P A S T D E S I G N E L E M E N T S E S T A B L I S H A R E C O G N I Z A B L E A R C H I T E C T U R A L
V O C A B U L A R Y
• Entrance defined by the parapet
• A solid base at the ground
• Vertical columns to exude structural strength
• Strong horizontal band
• Metal awnings
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
P R E S E N T D A Y E X A M P L E S O F T H E S E D E S I G N E L E M E N T S visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
A R C H I T E C T U R A L G O A L – L O O K I N G T O T H E P A S T T O M O V E F O R W A R D • Create Traditional Industrial Buildings
that reflect Architectural Design
Elements used in Visalia in the past.
• Recommend cost-efficient and strong
building materials to develop a
contemporary design aesthetic.
• Develop different possible design
variations that collectively reflect one
cohesive theme but offer flexibility.
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
A R C H I T E C T U R A L O B J E C T I V E – H O W W E M O V E F O R W A R D • Develop architectural schematic
drawings that exemplify the Traditional
Industrial aesthetic.
• Create an objective design standard
process describing design intention and
development standards.
• The Review would occur at Staff level,
not with an architectural review
committee.
visalia.gov
P L A N N I N G D I V I S I O N
Planning Commission and staff recommend that City Council approve General Plan Amendment No. 2025-04 and
Annexation No. 2025-04.
• Traditional Industrial Standard
–Objective framework based on selected
historic design elements
–Flexibility for different building types
and users
–Stronger district cohesion and a
recognizable identity that reflects
Visalia’s history
D E C I S I O N 5 – T R A D I T I O N A L I N D U S T R I A L O R A R C H I T E C T U R A L L Y -N E U T R A L ? • Architecturally-Neutral Standards
–Objective requirements for
articulation, entries, materials,
landscaping, and screening only
–No prescribed architectural character
–Greater individual project flexibility
–Less assurance of a cohesive district
identity
• Which approach should guide
preparation of the Specific Plan
design standards?
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
I move to recommend that City Council direct staff to:
1. Use Attachment A as the preferred land use plan for environmental review and further plan preparation;
2. Use Attachment B as the preferred circulation plan for environmental review and further plan preparation;
3. Use Attachment C as the preferred development tier plan for further infrastructure and land use planning;
4. Prepare Specific Plan design standards using the Option B Area-wide approach; and
5. Develop a Traditional Industrial architectural standard containing objective requirements and several schematic design variations.
Questions and
Discussion