Visalia City Council

Visalia City Council Visalia City Council 707 W. Acequia Visalia, CA 93291 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 Monday, August 4, 2025 7:00 PM City Council Chambers ROLL CALL Present: Council Member Brian Poochigian, Mayor Brett Taylor, Council Member Steve Nelsen, Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, and Vice Mayor Liz Wynn CALL TO ORDER WORK SESSION - 3:00 PM (Unless otherwise noted) Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 3:00 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. WORK SESSION AND ACTION ITEMS (as described) Visalia City Council Page 1 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 1 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 1. New Employee Introductions 25-0312 Joseph Gonzalez, Sr. Street Department Maintenance Worker Garian Martin, Solid Waste Department Operator Cody Looper, Traffic Division Utility Locator Manuel Alvarez, WWTP Maintenance Mechanic Saul Guzman, WWTP Maintenance Mechanic Dallas Crow, GIS Analyst Gavin Silveira, IS Analyst Kimberlynn Verdugo, Computer Technician Sean Nourie, IS Analyst Angie Harill, Purchasing Specialist Osvaldo Panduro-Salas, Police Officer Tyler Richwine, Police Officer Kevin Renard, Lateral Police Officer Joaquin Rodriguez-Ortega, Lateral Police Officer Brent Eichelberger, Squad Paramedic Efrain Munoz, Squad Paramedic 2. Planning Commissioner Interviews - Conduct interviews to 25-0338 appoint upcoming Planning Commissioner vacancies/seats for the term of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, and/or the option to fill a second unexpired term which ends June 30, 2026 or reopen the recruitment. The Council interviewed the following applicants for the Planning Commission: Pura Cordero, Mario Fierro, Mario Hernandez, Kris Bruce, Efrain Becerra, Luis Valencia, and Nathan Merriweather. Mayor Taylor called for short breaks between interviews at the following times: 3:45 p.m. to 3:53 p.m.; 4:06 p.m. to 4:33 p.m.; 4:47 p.m. to 4:53 p.m.; and 5:06 p.m. to 5:17 p.m. A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Brian Poochigan to select Pura Cordero and Kris Bruce to fill the upcoming vacancies on the Planning Commission, resulting from the resignations of Commissioners Adam Peck and Chris Tavarez, effective August 26, 2025. The motion carried by the following unanimous vote: Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION - 6:00 PM (Or, immediately following Work Session) Mayor Taylor adjourned the meeting to closed session at 5:45 p.m. Visalia City Council Page 2 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 2 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION - 7:00 PM Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR SEAN EWBANK, CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH SPECIAL PRESENTATION / RECOGNITION Recognition of 8u Central California World Series Champions 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 comment was received from Roxanne Serna, District Representative for Senator Melissa Hurtado, and Irene Lapin. 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. Public comment was received from Kathy Falconer regarding Consent Calendar Item #11. A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Brian Poochigian, to approve the Consent Calendar. The motion carried by the following unanimous vote: Visalia City Council Page 3 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 3 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn 1. Authorization to read ordinances by title only. 25-0252 2. Valley Strong Stadium Clubhouse - Accept the Construction 25-0224 Proposal for Phase 2, Task 2 - Clubhouse & Related Site Work by the Design-Builder, 4CGlobal, Inc. dba 4Creeks Build for a lump sum amount of $3,222,783.52, appropriate $1,335,324 from the Baseball Fund and transfer funds in the amount of $298,700 from existing projects. 3. Developer Reimbursement Agreement and Appropriation of 25-0232 Funds - Authorize the City Manager to execute the reimbursement agreement with Visalia Parkway Partners Inc., for Visalia Parkway Phase 2 widening from west of Dans Lane to Woodland Street, in the amount of $3,281,799.52 with modified payment terms; and further authorize the additional appropriation of $1,788,400 from the Transportation Impact Fee Fund. 4. Accept Irrevocable Offer of Dedications - Adopt Resolution No. 25-0292 2025-58 authorizing the acceptance of a portion of the Irrevocable Offer of Dedication to the City of Visalia for additional street right-of-way as offered under Parcel Map No.5260 for Riggin Avenue and Parcel Map No. 4452 for Clancy Street. 5. Approve the Purchase of (3) Godwin Portable Pumps - Authorize 25-0310 the purchase of 3 Godwin Portable Pumps for the Wastewater Collections Division from Pac Machine Company for $181,561.06, appropriate $8,590.27 from the Storm Sewer Maintenance Fund, and appropriate $25,770.79 from the Wastewater Fund. 6. Park Pond Project Notice of Completion - Request authorization 25-0314 to file a Notice of Completion for the Plaza Park Pond Shoreline Replacement Project. 7. Award Contract for Solids Handling Improvement Project - 25-0319 Authorize the City Manager to award a construction contract to WM Lyles in the amount of $13,744,000 for the Solids Handling Improvement Project at the Visalia Water Reclamation Facility. 8. Conditional Acceptance of Federal Aviation Administration Grant 25-0320 Funds - Authorize the conditional acceptance of a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program grant in the amount of $134,520 for the design phase of the Taxilane Reconstruction Project at the Visalia Municipal Airport. Visalia City Council Page 4 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 4 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 9. Authorization for Payment to the California Vanpool Authority 25-0325 (CalVans) - Authorize the payment of CalVans invoices for the Visalia Transit contributions to the Authority’s vanpool program. 10. Ordinance Adoption - Second reading and adoption of Ordinance 25-0327 No. 2025-03, amending Visalia Municipal Code Section 5.68 “Massage Establishments” and Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-02, amending Visalia Municipal Code Title 17 (Zoning), Chapter 17.04 Definitions and Chapter 17.25 Uses in the Mixed Use, Office and Industrial Zones. 11. Prezone Ordinance Adoption - Second Reading and adoption of 25-0326 Ordinance No. 2025-04, a request by the City of Visalia to adopt a prezone of the property related to Annexation No. 2024-03, undergoing annexation into the City limits of Visalia. The prezone will change zones on the Official Zoning Map of the City of Visalia from 284 acres of unzoned to approximately 253 acres of Industrial (I) zone designation and approximately 31 acres of I-L (Light Industrial), consistent with the land use designations of the Visalia General Plan Land Use Map and consistent with Section 17.06.050 of the Visalia Municipal Code. The proposed Project is located on approximately 284 acres, on the north side of Riggin Avenue between Shirk Street and Kelsey Street. (APN: 077-840-004, 005, 006). 12. Prezone Ordinance Adoption - Second Reading and adoption of 25-0328 Ordinance No. 2025-05, a request by the City of Visalia to adopt a prezone of the property related to Annexation No. 2024-05, undergoing annexation into the City limits of Visalia. The prezone will change zones on the Official Zoning Map of the City of Visalia from 62 acres of unzoned to approximately 55 acres of R-1-5 (Single-Family Residential, 5,000 square foot minimum site area) and approximately 7 acres of C-MU (Mixed Use Commercial) zone designation, consistent with the land use designations of the Visalia General Plan Land Use Map and consistent with Section 17.06.050 of the Visalia Municipal Code. The proposed project site is located on approximately 62 acres, on the southeast corner of South Santa Fe Street and East Caldwell Avenue (APNs: 123-400-005 and 123-400-001). 13. Oak Tree Preservation Ordinance Amendment- Second reading 25-0335 and adoption of Ordinance 2025-06 amending Chapter 12.24 of the Visalia Municipal Code Relating to Oak Tree Preservation. Visalia City Council Page 5 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 5 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 14. Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 2025-07 Regarding 25-0309 Easements - Adopt Ordinance 2025-07 authorizing the grant of easements to Southern California Edison Company to construct and maintain electrical facilities on a portion of city-owned property and authorizing the City Manager to execute the grant of easements. 15. Convention Center Discount Authority - Confirmation of the City 25-0337 Manager’s authority to establish a discount policy for Convention Center usage and to have the authority to delegate the implementation of that policy. 16. Approval of Agricultural Conservation Easement Form - A 25-0341 request by Sequoia Riverlands Trust to have the agricultural conservation easement form and content filed approved as required per the City's adopted Agricultural Preservation Ordinance. 17. Approve Change Orders and Authorize Measure N Amendment 25-0346 Process - Approve change orders for the modernization of parking structures and Fire Station 52 elevators; and authorize City staff to initiate Measure N amendment process to increase project funds. 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 Page 6 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 6 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 1. Visalia Police Department Overview Presentation - Visalia Police 25-0333 Department command staff will present an overview of the Department including a general overview of the operations, department staffing, response data, crime analytics, and project updates. Police Chief Jason Salazar, along with Captains Dan Ford and Andrew Swarthout, provided a presentation to Council on department operations, staffing, crime trends, traffic safety, and ongoing initiatives. The presentation included an overview of violent crime and gang activity, traffic collision data, enforcement strategies, homelessness response efforts, property crime trends, use of surveillance technology, and community engagement activities. Council discussed dispatch staffing, public safety technology, neighborhood crime concerns, and school resource officer programs. Mayor Taylor opened public comment at 7:56 p.m. Public comment was received from Jim Reeves and Maria Guillén. There being no further comments, Mayor Taylor closed the public comments at 8:02 p.m. Council thanked staff for the information. Visalia City Council Page 7 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 7 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 2. Fire Station 51 Project Update - Receive an update on the Fire 25-0057 Station 51 Project located between Stevenson Street and Conyer Street, south of Acequia Avenue; provide direction regarding the exterior building style for the project and determine if the project is ready to proceed to working drawings. Civil Engineer Mike Porter, Fire Chief Griswold, and Mike Scott, RRM Design Group representative, provided a presentation to Council on the Fire Station 51 project. The update included a review of the draft floor plan, site plan, long-term operational considerations, and proposed architectural styles for the facility. Captain input was incorporated into the layout, which is designed to support the department’s needs over the next 50 years. Council received an overview of the proposed location, building size, staffing accommodations, apparatus storage, and overall site functionality. The building is intended to house up to 12 personnel, with individual dorm rooms, enhanced operational space, and facilities to support both current and future public safety needs. Council provided direction on the preferred architectural style for the building exterior. Preferences were expressed for the Traditional Retrofit and Early California styles, with additional discussion regarding compatibility with adjacent civic and educational buildings. Council also requested clear examples of the proposed design options and a cost analysis of construction timelines. Mayor Taylor opened the public comment period. There being no speakers, the public comment period was closed. Council directed staff to proceed with the draft floor plan and site plan, and to return with renderings of the preferred exterior design options for further consideration. A motion was made by Vice Mayor Liz Wynn, seconded by Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, to approve as amended.The motion carried by the following unanimous vote: Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn Visalia City Council Page 8 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 8 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 3. Review the Visalia Police Department AB 481 Annual Report - 25-0294 Review Ordinance No. 2022-09, which adopted the Visalia Police Department Military Equipment Use Policy, the 2025 Visalia Police Department AB 481 Annual Report, and adopt Resolution 2025-60, a resolution renewing the Visalia Police Department Military Equipment Use Policy and approving the continued use of the equipment described in the AB 481 Annual Report pursuant to Government Code Section 7070 et seq. and determine that approval of Resolution 2025-60 is not a project under CEQA. Police Lieutenant Osvaldo Dominguez provided a presentation to Council on the Visalia Police Department’s 2025 AB 481 Annual Report and the Military Equipment Use Policy, as required by Government Code Section 7070 et seq. The report included a summary of equipment categorized as “military equipment” under AB 481, its use during the reporting period, and confirmation that all equipment use was in compliance with the approved policy. Council briefly discussed the state mandate and the requirements imposed by AB 481. Mayor Taylor opened the public hearing at 8:56 p.m. There being no speakers, the public hearing was closed at 8:56 p.m. A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council Member Brian Poochigian, to approve as recommended. The motion carried by the following unanimous vote: Aye: Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn CLOSED SESSION REPORT ADJOURNMENT Mayor Taylor adjourned the meeting at 8:57 p.m. UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Visalia City Council Page 9 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 9 of 10 Visalia City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 4, 2025 1. Upcoming City Council Meetings 25-0248 Monday, August 18, 2025 @ 7:00 p.m. at 707 W. Acequia Tuesday, September 2, 2025 @ 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 Visalia City Council Page 10 Printed on 9/12/2025 Page 10 of 10