Agenda Item Wording:
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Narrow lot subdivision discussion - Provide staff direction with respect to narrow lot subdivisions, including, but not limited to: establishing objective subdivision design standards; amending the Planned Residential Development ordinance; amending Engineering standards; and amending City street tree standards.
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Agenda Date: 06/01/2026
Prepared by:
Jarred Olsen, AICP, Principal Planner, jarred.olsen@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4449
Paul Bernal, Planning and Community Preservation Director, paul.bernal@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4025
Department Recommendation: Receive the staff report and presentation and provide staff with direction on a zoning and/or subdivision ordinance amendment to the Planned Development Standards, Single-Family Residential Objective Design Standards, and Subdivision Design Standards.
Summary:
Staff has received recent development concepts for narrow lot subdivisions, which staff defines as subdivisions with lots that are below the City's non-Planned Residential Development (PRD) threshold of 3,600 square feet, wherein a two-car garage becomes the predominant streetscape feature of the residence, and typically precluding any lower-story windows associated with the living space from facing the street frontage. Just in the last few months, the lot widths proposed on two new residential subdivisions with detached units submitted to the City have been proposed with 33-foot widths, a figure which is unprecedented in recent times. Staff has concerns that various factors stemming from this type of product will lead to reduced livability, which is described further below.
The purpose of this work session is to review the narrow lot residential development concept and to provide the City Council with Planning Commission's consensus, observations, and recommendations pertaining to this emerging residential development concept.
Background Discussion:
Single family residential subdivisions that do not propose to meet the app...
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