-September 6,2022-
After losing in Tulare County Superior Court, the City of Visalia may be ready to to rescind their plan to ditch an agricultural land mitigation fee on developers of farmland being brought into the city for development. The lands are in Tier 2 on the city’s general plan map – on the outskirt of town.
The matter is coming to the city council Sept 6 closed door session and a vote by the council might be expected.
To listen to Mayor Steve Nelsen who has been a strong advocate of no mitigation fee in the past, Nelsen now is “ ready to move on” and allow the fee as demanded by the Sierra Club and others.
Nelsen says an appeal of the ruling would be both time consuming and uncertain requiring a whole new EIR process. Alternatively rescinding the no fee regulation has already been done a few weeks ago and the former EIR will now be in place that requires the fee.
Nelsen says is concerned that “we keep the momentum going“ on new development including pending new residential annexations and important projects like the Costco in NW Visalia.
Another council member has long advocated for ag land mitigation fee.That council member, Greg Collins will likely support reinstatement of the fee as well. As a practical matter fighting the judge’s ruling could jeopardize the boom in activity seen across all sectors of the Visalia economy. We will see how the rest vote.
Look for some kind of statement this week from the city.