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File #: 25-0230    Version: 1
Type: Public Hearing Item Status: Agenda Ready
File created: 6/3/2025 In control: Visalia City Council
On agenda: 6/16/2025 Final action:
Title: Ordinance Adoption - Public hearing and first reading of Ordinance No. 2024-16 to adopt Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-01: A request by the City of Visalia to amend text within the Visalia Municipal Code Title 17 (Zoning Ordinance) to clarify and facilitate City Council adoption of Single-Family Residential Objective Design Standards and Planned Residential Development standards applicable to new single-family residential developments by Resolution rather than by Ordinance.
Attachments: 1. Attachment 1 - Ordinance 2024-16 1st Reading for 6-16-2025 Agenda, 2. Attachment 2 - CC Staff Report 4-21-2025, 3. Attachment 3 - CC Staff Report 5-5-2025 Approved with Resolution
Agenda Item Wording:
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Ordinance Adoption - Public hearing and first reading of Ordinance No. 2024-16 to adopt Zoning Text Amendment No. 2025-01: A request by the City of Visalia to amend text within the Visalia Municipal Code Title 17 (Zoning Ordinance) to clarify and facilitate City Council adoption of Single-Family Residential Objective Design Standards and Planned Residential Development standards applicable to new single-family residential developments by Resolution rather than by Ordinance.
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Prepared by:
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:
Staff recommends that the City Council hold a public hearing and introduce the first reading of Ordinance No. 2024-16, to amend portions of Municipal Code Title 17 (Zoning Ordinance).

Summary:
This item was originally noticed and agendized for June 2, 2025. At City Council's direction, the item and the public hearing were continued to June 16, 2025. Following is a copy of the staff report originally presented to City Council.
On April 21, 2025, staff presented to the City Council a revised draft Objective Design Standards (ODS) Ordinance (Attachment 2 contains the original staff report presented to City Council). The Ordinance was intended to establish new sections in the Zoning Ordinance and finalize the Council-directed effort to prepare regulations pertaining to ODS and Planned Residential Development (PRD) Standards applicable to new single-family residential development. The effort is in response to current growth trends where developers have been utilizing smaller lot sizes and new design techniques. The standards address a range of topics that include appearance, landscaping, fences, off-street parking, and common open space areas within planned residential developments.
Following the public hearing, the City Council voted to adop...

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