Visalia Industrial Park could see new new 1.8mil sf complex

Farmer Steve Etchegaray has submitted a plan to build on 122 acres with five industrial buildings adding up to 1.8 million square feet on the eastern edge of the Visalia Industrial Park.Like other developers before him in Visalia, the plan precedes firm commitments to lease space by tenants.

Located at the intersection of Kelsey and Hurley, the acreage – currently in farming- is one of the largest open spaces between Plaza and Sherk north of 198.The plan was first hatched in 2011 and was once proposed by LA developer Greenlaw Partners. Now the property owner has submitted the plan to the city in hopes of having the acreage approved as an industrial zone and annexed into the city limits. The current document is a draft EIR that would likely be heard by the city council sometime in 2027.

The Draft EIR identifies significant and unavoidable project and cumulative impacts from conversion of approx. 118.8 acres of Prime Farmland and vehicle miles traveled.

The site is bounded by Hurley Avenue to the north,
Road 88 to the east, 198 to the south, and Kelsey Street to the west. The location benefits from direct access to 198, proximity to  99, and close proximity to the Visalia Municipal Airport, and is located within Visalia’s established Industrial Park area, a major regional employment center for manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution.

Besides the five large industrial buildings, the plan includes  thirteen pads totaling approximately 55,500 SF for
service-based businesses supporting the industrial park and surrounding area, including seven pads (approximately 28,900 SF) in the northwest corner of the site  and six pads(approximately 26,600 SF) in the northeast corner.

The project would be phased, says the draft EIR