Agenda Item Wording:
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Adoption of General Plan Elements - Public hearing and adoption of General Plan Amendment No. 2024-01: A request by the City of Visalia to adopt a comprehensive update to the Safety Element of the Visalia General Plan, and to adopt a new Environmental Justice Element for inclusion in the Visalia General Plan. The regulations will apply Citywide to properties within the Urban Growth Boundary of the City of Visalia. The project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Code of Regulations Section 15061(b)(3).
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Deadline for Action: 2/18/2025
Submitting Department: Community Development
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Brandon Smith, Principal Planner, brandon.smith@visalia.city, (559) 713-4636
Paul Bernal, Planning and Community Preservation Director, paul.bernal@visalia.city, (559) 713-4025
Department Recommendation:
The Planning Commission recommends that the City Council conduct a public hearing and adopt Resolution No. 2025-07, adopting the comprehensive update to the Safety Element of the Visalia General Plan and a new Environmental Justice Element for inclusion in the Visalia General Plan. This recommendation is based on the Update's consistency with the General Plan and State housing law.
Staff further recommends that the Environmental Justice Element incorporate three edits to address dated or overlooked details in the Community Profile and Concerns sections, as raised in the correspondence included as Attachment 4.
Background Discussion:
State housing law (Government Code Section 65580, et seq.) mandates that all California jurisdictions maintain and regularly update a general plan housing element and that the element be approved by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). In September 2024, the City of Visalia's 6th Cycle Housing Element, covering the eight-year planning period of 2024 to 2031, was certified by the State. With the Housing Element ...
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