November 20,2014 –
The JG Boswell Company continues to work on the draft EIR for Yokohl Ranch east of Exeter -planning a new town in rural Tulare County. The project – in the works since 2005 – may have a draft of their environmental study about a year away from being released by the County says Michael Spata,Director, Resource Management Agency.
“We’re working on it hard” says Spata.
The controversial development envisions a community of of 30,000 people in sparsely populated Yokohl Valley, some 15 miles southeast of Visalia. The big project on 36,000 acres would be phased over 25 to 30 years and keep more than half the acreage in open space.
Plans for a the ambitious project that would include 10,000 homes appeared to be sidelined by the five-year 2008 economic downturn that has now turned around but has helped delay final approval for what will be over 10 years of studies.
Release of the draft EIR will set in motion a comment period and a final hearing in front of the Board of Supervisors likely in 2016.
To date the supervisors appear to favor the project although the drought could insert a new wrinkle in the debate.