Visalia City Council

Visalia City Council Visalia City Council 707 W. Acequia Visalia, CA 93291 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final Brian Poochigian, Mayor Brett Taylor, Vice Mayor Steve Nelsen, Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Council Member Liz Wynn, Council Member Monday, December 4, 2023 7:00 PM City Council Chambers ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Brian Poochigian, Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, Council Member Steve Nelsen, and Council Member Liz Wynn Absent: Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto CALL TO ORDER WORK SESSION - 4:00 PM (Unless otherwise noted) The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council. 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. Don Nuckols, Visalia, spoke regarding the railroad tracks on Walnut, between Ben Maddox and Santa Fe. When cars are driving over the tracks, it is very bumpy and can cause cars to become unaligned. WORK SESSION AND ACTION ITEMS (as described) Page 1 of 7 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final December 4, 2023 1. New Employee Introductions: 23-0447 Public Works Ben Litwack, WWTP Superintendent Jason Villalva, Streets Maintenance Worker Michael May, Solid Waste Operator Mark Bradley, Solid Waste Operator Parks & Recreation Department Lance Turner, Park Ranger Christopher Godinez, Lead Custodian Zach Huff, Parks & Urban Forestry Supervisor Guy Schiff, Landscape & Irrigation Technician Julia Kirkman, Landscape Inspector Brian McAlister, Landscape Inspector Anthony De la Cruz, Park Maintenance Worker/Trails 2. Federal Lobbyist Presentation - Receive presentation from Thorn 23-0449 Run Partners on 2023 national legislative activity and authorize City Manager to extend annual contract with this firm for one additional term. Devon Jones, Economic Development Manager, and Greg Burns, Federal Lobbyist provided the presentation regarding the 2023 national legislative activity and requested to extend the annual contract with this firm for one additional term. A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Liz Wynn Absent: Emmanuel Hernandez Soto ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION - 6:00 PM (Or, immediately following Work Session) SPECIAL PRESENTATION 1. Tour of the Visalia Transit, New Flyers bus. 23-0478 CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION - 7:00 PM The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE INVOCATION - Archpriest Rev. Father Vartan, Armenian Apostolic Church. Page 2 of 7 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final December 4, 2023 ITEMS OF INTEREST SPECIAL PRESENTATION / RECOGNITION PUBLIC COMMENTS This is the time for citizens to comment on subject matters that are not on the agenda and within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council. The Council asks that you keep your comments brief and positive. Creative criticism, presented with appropriate courtesy, is welcome. This is also the time for citizens to request an item from the Consent Calendar be pulled for discussion purposes. Public comments related to all pulled Consent Calendar items and Regular or Public Hearing items listed on the agenda will be heard at the time that item is discussed or when the Public Hearing is opened. 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. Lucia Vasquez requested item 8 to be pulled from the Consent Calendar. Barry Caplan, Visalia, stated that Council Member Nelsen should recuse himself on the Public Hearing item regarding special events due to his role with the Downtown Visalians. Mr. Caplan opined the Measure N Committee has issues with the agenda and minutes and believes the group just rubber stamps their approvals. CONSENT CALENDAR Consent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these matters unless a request is made and then the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar to be discussed and voted upon by a separate motion . A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, to approve the Consent Calendar except for item 8. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Liz Wynn Absent: Emmanuel Hernandez Soto 1. Authorization to read ordinances by title only. 23-0473 2. Contract for Land Surveyor - Authorize the City Manager to enter 23-0128 into a contract with Bedrock Engineering for, to provide professional land surveyor services for a one-year term, with the option to renew for four additional one-year terms, in an amount not to exceed $200,000 per year. Page 3 of 7 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final December 4, 2023 3. Encampment Grant Application - Authorize staff to apply for the 23-0424 Encampment Resolution Program grant in the amount of approximately $2.5 million for operational funds for the Visalia Navigation Center on N. Court to provide interim shelter, and a combination of operating and development funds for Majestic Gardens on W Noble for permanent housing. 4. Railroad Reimbursement Agreement - Adopt Resolution 2023-58 23-0435 authorizing City Manager to execute a reimbursement agreement with San Joaquin Valley Railroad for engineering services associated with the design of the Goshen Trail Reconstruction Project, authorize an additional appropriation of $75,000 from the Measure R Trailways and authorize an amendment to the Measure R Supplemental Agreement. 5. COPS Grant - Authorize and accept expenditures for training, 23-0387 equipment, salary & benefits for 1.5 police officer positions through the State of California Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) Program funds of $222,386 and $189,083 for fiscal year 2022-23 COPS Growth funds for a total Grant $411,469, and appropriate $111,300. 6. 4Creeks Design Contract - Authorize the City Manager to bypass 23-0453 the public bidding process and award a professional design services contract to 4Creeks, Inc., for the design of Riggin Avenue Widening from Roeben St to Akers St for an amount not to exceed $470,035. 7. Project List For Grant Funding - Authorization to submit a $25.7 23-0454 million project list to Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) to be prioritized for upcoming SB125 funding which is transit related funding. Page 4 of 7 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final December 4, 2023 8. Cemetery District Zone Change - Second reading and adoption 23-0462 of the second reading of Ordinance No. 2023-04 pertaining to the approval of Change of Zone No. 2022-02, a request by the Visalia Public Cemetery District to change the zoning designation of 14 parcels totaling 3.17 acres from R-1-5 (Single Family Residential, 5,000 sq. ft. minimum site area) to Q-P (Quasi-Public), and to change the zoning designation of one parcel totaling 0.24 acres from R-M-2 (Multi-Family Residential, 3,000 sq. ft. minimum site area per dwelling unit) to Q-P (Quasi-Public). The project sites are located at 919 West Allen Avenue, 618, 700, 706, 808, 918, 1010 North Rinaldi Street, 1410, 1420, 1430 West Sady Avenue, and 816 North Turner Street. Paul Bernal, Community Development Director, provided the background on the item for the Visalia Cemetery District Zone Change and second reading of the ordinance. A motion was made by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, seconded by Council Member Steve Nelsen, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Liz Wynn Absent: Emmanuel Hernandez Soto 9. Notice of Completion Highland Park 1 - Request authorization to 23-0463 file a Notice of Completion for Highland Park, Unit No. 1 subdivision containing 76 single-family residential lots located at the northwest corner of North Conyer Street and West Riggin Avenue. 10. Notice of Completion Highland Park 2 - Request authorization to 23-0464 file a Notice of Completion for Highland Park, Unit No. 2 subdivision containing 49 single-family residential lots located at the northeast corner of North Giddings Street and West Riggin Avenue. 11. Consideration of state grant - Authorize the Visalia Police 23-0469 Department to apply for the State Homeland Security Grant Program for up to $500,000 towards the purchase of a replacement vehicle for the Central Valley Regional Bomb Squad. 12. Street Light On Call Contract - Authorize the City Manager to 23-0470 award an annual contract for On-Call Electrical Services for Street Light Repairs to A-C Electric Company of Visalia for an amount not to exceed $160,000 per year, with an option to renew annually for up to four (4) additional one-year terms. Page 5 of 7 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final December 4, 2023 13. Traffic Signal On Call Contract - Authorize the City Manager to 23-0471 award an annual contract for On-Call Electrical Services for Traffic Signal Repairs to A-C Electric Company of Visalia for an amount not to exceed $160,000 per year, with an option to renew annually for up to four (4) additional one-year terms. 14. Department Head Appointment - Request by City Manager for 23-0479 Council approval of the reassignment/appointment of Jason Huckleberry to a Department Head position overseeing Engineering, Development Services and Building Safety Divisions at the salary of $175,000. 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. 1. Special Event Ordinance - A Public Hearing and First Reading of 23-0378 Ordinance No. 2023-12, a request by the City of Visalia to amend Visalia Municipal Code Section 12.48 “Special Events”. Tracy Robertshaw, Neighborhood Preservation Manager, provided the background information regarding the revision to section 12.48 of the Visalia Municipal Code for Special Events. The land use reclassification to Public Institutional / Q-P is requested to permit usage of the 15 parcels for cemetery operations and burial sites, activities which are prohibited in residential zones but are conditionally permitted in the Q-P zone. All 15 sites proposed for reclassification are owned by the VPCD and located within its existing master plan boundary. The second reading of the Ordinance is the final action the City Council takes in order for Change of Zone No. 2022-02 to take effect. The public hearing was opened and the following citizens provided comment: Lucia Vaquez, Barry Caplan, Bill Kitchen, Dewayne Rodriguez, Janine Robins. A motion was made by Vice Mayor Brett Taylor, seconded by Council Member Liz Wynn, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Liz Wynn Absent: Emmanuel Hernandez Soto CLOSED SESSION REPORT - None ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:44 p.m. Page 6 of 7 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final December 4, 2023 UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS 1. Upcoming City Council Meetings: 23-0472 Monday, December 18, 2023 @ 7:00 p.m., Location: 707 W. Acequia Ave, Visalia, CA Tuesday, January 16, 2024 @ 7:00 p.m., Location: 707 W. Acequia Ave, Visalia. CA If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to fully participate in the meeting, please contact Michelle Nicholson, on or before Monday, December 18, 2023 to discuss your accessibility needs: 559-713-4512 or Michelle.Nicholson@Visalia.City <mailto:Michelle.Nicholson@Visalia.City> If you would like to more information regarding a specific item, contact Michelle Nicholson at 559-713-4512. Page 7 of 7