Category: Central Valley

Who says stimulus is a bad word?

If it were not for local taxpayer-funded Measure R and the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) the City of Tulare would likely just have to wait some more to begin building two large transportation projects with a construction spending impact of $56 million that are key to the town’s business future.

The long awaited projects, the $18.5 million Bardsley railroad crossing  underpass and the $37.7 million Cartmill freeway interchange off Hwy 99 each face a “funding gap” says city manager Don Dorman in two early August letters to the TCAG board.

Each project could move forward this fall with construction next year  now that a request was approved at TCAG’s Aug 20 meeting.

The interchange project alone could spur millions of dollars in new office,residential and retail projects that are already approved beyond the $56 million in construction work.

Bardsley Project

Regards the Bardsely grade separation,Dorman says while the city has secured $7.1 million from the California Transportation Commission, has a commitment from Union Pacific railroad to pay $1.6 million and has spent $1.4 in Measure R funds, the local match is still short $6.5 million.

The city requested TCAG approve the $6.5 million to meet a state deadline to award a construction contract by November of this year.

The project should safely speed commerce in this town divided by a busy freight rail line. The city recently completed a second rail crossing at Cartmill. Both grade separations should help the city’s Downtown.

TCAG’s staff report suggests approval of the funds amounts to juggling of monies from future budget years and adding expected $2.2 million in project cost savings, they would borrow in a short term loan from the Tulare County treasurer – resulting in funding that “would not affect any other Measure R project.”

Measure R, a one-half cent sales tax approved by Tulare County voters in 2006, provides a 50% local match to state funds to “leverage additional state funding” says TCAG director Ted Smalley, also allowing flexibility to move projects up to take advantage of state funding availability.

This month’s TCAG agenda also included news that the Measure R funds has enjoyed a 12% increase in revenues vs last year on improved sales tax returns around the county.

The second – even larger project – the reconstruction of the Cartmill interchange – in the works since 2005 – promises to stimulate regional retail commercial and business activity along the freeway and at all four quadrants leading to an increase in sales tax and property tax revenues from expected development projects.

Dorman – in his letter – asks the TCAG board to decide “whether the city of Tulare should proceed with the right-of-way acquisition” using $5.1 million already budgeted by TCAG using Measure R funds now budgeted for the 12/13 and 13/14 fiscal years.

Without funds for the ROW the chance to receive state funds for construction any time soon is reduced, says Dorman.

Dorman points to an additional $5 million in “savings” from current Hwy 99 widening projects and other possible funding that still leaves a$4.5 million “funding gap’”based on the engineer estimate for the big project at $37.7 million.

The state is sharing the cost savings that have been coming in for the past several years on highway projects from hungry contractors and Tulare hopes to garner $5 million from CalTrans at some point.

Deadlines Loom For Cartmill Project

With some deadlines bearing down, Dorman says he plans to seek city council approval to move the project to construction based on TCAG’s decision at a Tulare City Council meeting to be held  September 4.

CalTrans plans to certify the EIR on the project August 29.

City Engineer Mike Whitlock says the schedule calls for advertising the project for bidding in January 2013 with construction set to start in April. The city needs to acquire about 30 acres on all four corners of the freeway interchange to do the reconstruction work. Offers to buy the property are going out now according to the project schedule.

Still, the city will need to come to an agreement with property owners who met July 31 with the city.”We are optimistic we will come to an agreement with the property owners” states Whitlock.

Tulare also seeks assurances from TCAG that if the project is delayed   for an extended time the city should not be found in default because of a project interruption.

According to the project schedule the interchange reconstruction would be complete by February 2014. Being built at the same time will be the Bardsley underpass  that could start construction in early 2013 on an 18 month construction pace.

Put them together and you have a nice shot in the arm to Tulare starting early next year and there after. Several major projects are approved to move forward near the Cartmill interchange that have been waiting for some certainty of better access that are expected to get the green light now.

Those include a major shopping center planned by the Lagomarsino group, a new bank headquarters who recently purchased land and a large retirement living complex.The nearby outlet mall should also expand.

Kaweah Delta Medical Center is expanding operations in the Exeter area over the next year say officials.The district continues to operate its rural health clinic out of four buildings on San Juan Ave – all part of the former hospital in town.

“We’re running out of room” says Dave Garrett who adds the rural clinics he oversees in Exeter, Woodlake and Lindsay – are each getting busier. The new Woodlake clinic opened this year is staffed by physician Rocio Medina, M.D.who went to Woodlake High and wanted to return to serve her community.

Helping to make more room at the Exeter clinic will be the relocation of their physical therapy clinic to a larger 2800 sf space in the Savemart shopping center on Visalia Rd this fall.

Kaweah Delta director of therapies Jag Batth, says the specialty clinic now called Exeter Specialty Therapists,will take over a former chiropractic office in the shopping center near Subway, at 1131 W Visalia Rd, when they move in as of November or December.

“This new space will be a nice upgrade for both patients and practitioners, with lots more visibility”suggests Batth. Services offered at the clinic will be physical,occupational and speech therapies with staffers for each.”We will have room to add more therapists too” he says.

All 3 Kaweah Delta physical therapy operations in other towns will be rebranded ‘Therapy Specialists.’

Garrett says the relocation of physical therapy will offer more room to expand the Exeter Draw Station at the clinic on San Juan Ave.

Speaking of new blood,most exciting long-term for Exeter is the coming of 6 graduate medical students to practice here in July of next year – the first cohort of student docs that will exclusively train in Exeter under the guidance of Kaweah Delta physicians. Over three years the number will increase to 18 (6 new docs a year) learning the art of rural oriented family practice in our town.

In February, Kaweah Delta received accreditation from the ACGME for its Family Medicine Residency Program, the first of five planned Graduate Medical Education (GME) Programs. The programs are affiliated with UC Irvine.

With the shortage of primary care physicians in Tulare County, the coming of  these resident physicians who have recently graduated medical school should help bring more expert practitioners here. By one estimate the county is short 15 primary care physicians for the population we have.

Garrett says his research shows about 60% of resident doctors who   train in an area – end up staying in that area when they settle down.

“People don’t understand the beauty of this part of California until you get off of Hwy 5 or 99” he adds.

Kaweah Delta will establish GME residency training programs in the areas of Family Practice and Emergency Medicine in 2013, followed by a Psychiatry Residency program in 2014, and a General Surgery and Transitional Year program in 2015.

The district’s existing physicians appear to be behind the program with as many as 100 physicians affiliated with the district expressing an interest in teaching or mentoring the residents.

Garrett says affiliation of primary care doctors with Kaweah Delta will mean better “coordinated care” for patients adding that when you need to go to the hospital – your physician will already know all about you since he will practice there as well.Better yet – you will know him, or her.

Tulare County officials are seeking public input as they begin to
consider final approval of the Tulare County General Plan 2030 Update.

Notices have been published and mailed for Tulare County*s General
Plan Hearing, which is scheduled to begin 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28,
2012 at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, located at 2800 W. Burrel
Ave. in Visalia.

During the General Plan Hearing, staff will provide a one to two hour
report then attendees are welcome to provide public comment. There will
be a break at 5 p.m. and the General Plan Hearing will reconvene at 7
p.m. The Board may take final action at the end of this process.

In addition to considering the proposed General Plan 2030 Update,
proposed Final Environmental Impact Report and proposed Climate Action
Plan, the Board of Supervisors will consider the Tulare County Planning
Commission*s recommendations regarding adoption of the proposed
General Plan 2030 Update and proposed Climate Action Plan.

Background

By a unanimous 7-0 vote in December 2011, the Tulare County Planning
Commission approved the following recommendations to the Board of
Supervisors: approve the certification of the proposed Final
Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the proposed General Plan 2030
Update and proposed Climate Action Plan; adoption of the proposed
General Plan 2030 Update; and adoption of the proposed Climate Action
Plan. The vote was not an approval or certification. The General Plan
Update and supporting documents will now be brought to the Board of
Supervisors for review and final approval.

The Tulare County General Plan 2030 Update provides a comprehensive,
long-term plan for the future land use and physical development of the
County though the year 2030.  The Plan promotes healthy sustainable
growth while protecting agricultural lands by directing growth to urban
areas. The General Plan Update consists of development policies that set
forth objectives, principles and standards that guide future land use
decisions within the County.

Tulare County Resource Management Agency staff has been working on the
General Plan Update since 2003. During the update process a series of 19
workshops, 11 public Board of Supervisors, 12 technical advisory
committee meetings and four joint Board of Supervisors and Planning
Commission meetings were held to discuss, review, recommend and provide
public input.

On March 25, 2010, staff released the General Plan Update documents
including a Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report (RDEIR) for a 60
day review period ending on May 27, 2010. A total of 44 letters were
received containing approximately 2,300 comments and 1,500 pages of
material. In response to these comments, staff has worked in conjunction
with consultants for more than a year to prepare a proposed FEIR
responding to these comments. During this time, staff conducted more
than 25 public outreach meetings to discuss the General Plan Update
materials and process.

The Planning Commission was informed on December 7, 2011, that
staff*s review of the additional written and verbal comments
received during the Planning Commission public hearing process did not
identify any new CEQA issues that would require additional environmental
studies.

For further information regarding this project, contact David Bryant,
Project Planner, at (559) 624-7000. Information is also available online
at http://generalplan.co.tulare.ca.us/.

By the end of the month Tulare County Superior Court will permanently close the Tulare courthouse shifting more court business to Porterville and Visalia. The court announced in late June it faced a $3 million shortfall and would cut 15% of its budget due to the fiscal crisis in the state.

Although the cuts will mean at least 26 position cuts, that won’t change the workload of the court, explains Judge Lloyd Hicks.”I like what Judge Roper said the other day.You,member of the public,won’t be affected unless you have business here to collect a bill, get a divorce or need to evict someone.It is going to mean higher fees and longer wait times to get decisions. Loss of these jobs means someone else has to do the work.” Hicks says the court’s overall workload is going up,not down.

Hard hit is the juvenile dependency court that has now lost commissioner Charlotte Wittig in the shuffle. Wittig had served for 14 years.

Besides the loss of 26 long time employees, Judge Hicks says the system has also lost the services of long time Judge William Silveira.”His assignment was not renewed” says Hicks, putting the extra workload on 3 remaining judges.

Although Judge Silveira had officially”retired”in 2005 after 29 years on the bench – he was still working and had an active caseload.

Famed in the county for his service to family and youth court issues, Judge Silveira pioneered a “Model Youth Court” and after a series of tragic shootings – promoted a half-cent sales tax, paying himself for full page ads in the paper – to build a new juvenile detention center that was successful. The Tulare naive joined the bar here in 1968 was first appointed to the court in 1976.

The shortage of space should be relieved next year with the construction of the new courthouse in Porterville to open in fall of 2013.
The loss of the courthouse in Tulare was not unexpected although now sooner than anticiapted.”It has long been the court’s intent to close the major operations of the Tulare division upon completion of the South County Justice Center currently under construction in Porterville. However, due to the significant budget reductions in fiscal year 2012-13, the Court concluded that closing the entire Tulare Division now would realize a significant and immediate cost savings and that consolidating these operations into the Visalia and Porterville divisions would improve efficiency.” said a court statement.

Expecting growth to continue at NAS Lemoore,developers appear to  betting that demand for residential units – both single family and multi-family, will more than keep pace in the community of Lemoore, some 7 miles away from the base.

“It’s important that our Navy folks don’t have to travel so far to get to their job”, says the city’s top planner Holly Smyth, noting that currently many are commuting from Visalia to get to work because of a lack of home choices in Lemoore.

The latest evidence is a permit application from Fresno-based Montrio Capital Partners to build a 184 unit gated multi-family apartment
community near Highway 41 and 19 1/2 Ave. The big complex, already approved by city council, is expected to get its final design approval at an October planning commission meeting and move to construction.

“They were going to build in two phases but now they want to build the whole thing starting this fall.” Demand for apartment space is driven in part by the fact that ”so many people lost their home in the downturn but still need a place to live.”

Smyth says the additional units help Lemoore “since more rooftops and population helps us attract more businesses and services to town.”
Another big plus – this project is not a subsidized residential complex meaning the city will see its share of tax revenue from the $20 million project.

Smyth says the city and base have “a symbiotic relationship” since  the base can not serve all the needs of the enlisted and private people who work there and their families.

As the base prepares for the possible deployment of the JSF-35  fighter squadrons, the Navy has insisted the city not continue to sprawl west of Highway 41 but they have no problem with new development east of the highway – where this development is planned.

Rolling Back Impact Fees

While some subdivisions have been idled in Lemoore in recent years Smyth says the city now has three reborn subdivisions being built this year in town in a surprising rebound from the housing crash.The city rolled back impact fees helping some foreclosed projects to come back to life.
These subdivisions include a 50 home subdivision bought up by Walthen Castanos and a second 81 home project, now being pursued by the same company. In addition, Lennar and Woodard Homes now have active projects in town. Smaller firms Daily Homes and Raven Homes continue to build here too.” Now people have real choice in Lemoore” notes Smyth. About 10% of the home inventory in town are rentals.

Watching Growth

A report highlights the importance of the military base to the area as the city urges the Navy to homebase the new JSF-35 stealth fighter squadron in Lemoore, the largest US navy base on the West Coast.

“In fiscal year 2008, NAS Lemoore contributed $654 million to the regional economy, it generated $75 million in federal, state and local tax revenue, and it supported more than 4,540 jobs in Kings County and the surrounding area. We realize that the continued success of NAS Lemoore will have a significant economic effect on our community for many years to come and that is why we stand firm in our commitment to support it.” said Mayor Willard Rodarmel at a packed city hearing last year.

News of growth at the base also includes the deployment of a three helicopter, Search and Rescue squadron adding 30 active personnel beginning this October. Last year, a North Carolina squadron was transferred here and the Navy is expected to transfer two more East Coast squadrons between 2012 and 2015. Every squadron adds about 500 new residents that include family members.

The big prize remains the Navy’s pending decision on where to base the West Coast home for the JSF-35 fighters that will replace the current Navy planes – the older F/A-18C Hornets and Super Hornet aircraft that fly off aircraft carriers. The Navy is expected to release their choice in the competition between Lemoore and El Centro this fall.

Besides active personnel and private contractors,retired Navy families continue to enjoy living in the Lemoore area, says Smyth.”About 50% of the people who live here are related or have close ties to the base.”

The increasing population here, now over 25,000, has led to improvements in the city’s Downtown including the addition of a 10 screen movie theatre,educational improvements including the expansion of West Hills Community College also helping the local economy provide a stable and well educated labor force.”Its the best of small town living with all the modern conveniences” gushes a chamber advertisement.

 Visalia Walmart Store Construction To Start: The building contractor for the new Walmart Neighborhood Market at Demaree and Houston has picked up a building permit from the city last week and will begin construction of the new 40,000 sf supermarket this month. Shame Construction of Livermore is the builder. Walmart spokesperson refuses comment but City of Visalia permit says Walmart is tenant

Sequoia Mall has new women’s clothing store – M’Fasis – next to Hobby Lobby – that opened last month. The 9000 sf storefront was formerly Mode Five. M’Fasis has 5 locations in the Central Valley including one at the Tulare Outlet Mall.

Vacant Industrial Park Building To Be Bought By Perfection Pet Foods. Fast growing Perfection Pet Foods is expected to buy the former Food 4Less (Whitco Foods) warehouse in the Visalia Industrial Park. The 54,000 sf building on 8 acres would be used for warehousing to start says owner Kevin Kruse but would be the home to pet biscuit manufacturing later on, he says.”It made more sense to buy this warehouse rather than build a new one” says Kruse noting the building is close to their current manufacturing site. The purchase is set to close next week.

Foreclosed homes in Tulare County in the 1st quarter of 2012 were down 33% from the same quarter a year ago – 607 to 408. Statewide the number was down 48.5% says DataQuick.

Former Market Could Be County Office. Visalia Planning Commission will hear a plan to relocate the county Department of Mental Heath to the  former Fairway Market building at 520 E Tulare Ave. The 38,452 sf building has been vacant since 2006.

County/Visalia & Tulare Near Hearings on Their General Plans. Tulare County, the City of Visalia and the City of Tulare are each nearing a milestone on their General Plan updates.

Winning the award for longest wait will be Tulare County who has been working on their 2030 General Plan update since 2003,almost 10 years. The long awaited growth plan will likely come to Board of Supervisors late this month says Dave Bryant,county planner noting there is no firm date yet.

In Visalia the General Plan Update is expected to come to the city council in September after a select committee gets one more look at it August 30. Expect a big debate on growth to follow.

In Tulare the city has to redraw portions of their General Plan in response to a court order based on a a lawsuit brought by Tulare activist Don Manro. In the past few days the city filed a Notice of Preparation for a new study that offered this summary.

“The City of Tulare is revising a General Plan Update that was published in 2007 and underwent CEQA review in 2008. The revision is addressing Tulare County’s Superior Court order requiring modifications to both the General Plan and the General Plan EIR. a) TOD Plan: In conjunction with the General Plan revision, the project includes preparation of a TOD Plan. TOD is a planning and urban design concept that calls for a mix of land uses centered on access to public transit. b) General Plan Revisions: Besides incorporating the TOD Plan, the General Plan revision will largely focus on court-identified modifications. c) Climate Action Plan: In addition to the analysis of the General Plan and TOD Plan, the EIR will analyze potential impacts associated with implementation of the Climate Action Plan, completed in April 2011.”

Tulare County’s total gross production crop value for 2011 is a record$5,629,396,000. This represents an increase of $765,691,000, or 16% above 2010’s value of $4,863,705,000.

Milk continues to be the leading agricultural commodity in Tulare County with a total gross value of $2,056,043,000, an increase of 28% over last year’s total gross value.

Milk represents 37% of the total crop and livestock value for 2011. Milk prices continued to rebound in 2011, as the overall economy made slow improvement. Total milk production in Tulare County remained relatively stable.

“What that does not measure is the high cost of production with feed costs so high” says ag commissioner Marilyn Kinoshita. Those high costs helped 17 county dairies quit last year.

Livestock and Poultry’s gross value of $624,339,000 represents an increase of 10% above 2010.

Fruit and Nut commodities were valued at $2,201,584,000, representing an increase of 5%. Modest price gains accounted for most of the increased value. The total value of all Field Crops was $615,898,000 for 2011, an increase of 34% from the previous year.
Local demand for dairy support commodities continues to keep prices up in this sector.

Citrus farmer continue to plant new acreage with non-bearing citrus trees totaling 3067 acres. Tangerine acreage is nearly as large as valencia acreage in the county, a big change from a decade ago.
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Pistachio farmers have planted the biggest number of new trees with non-bearing acreage at 3600 acres. The almond crop increased from $98 million in 2010 to $128 million in 2011.

“The biggest change is the conversion of more field crop land to permanent plantings” says Kinoshita.

Nursery Products were valued at $65,717,000 representing a increase of 2% from 2010. This minor increase is a reflection of the continuing uncertainties in both the housing and agricultural markets. Vegetable Crops were valued at $19,506,000 in 2011, representing a 4% decline. Harvested vegetable acreage continues to decline in the county.

The number of pigs raised in Tulare County has gone up from 113,00 head in 2010 to 142,000 in 2011.

Korea is the top export partner to Tulare County but ag commissioner Kinoshita notes the relationship has not always bee so cozy.” They should be taking about 6 million cartons of fruit but they have been coming back” from 2009 when they pushed for tougher regulations that limited shipments to about half that.

Tulare County’s agricultural strength is based on the diversity of the crops produced. The 2011 report covers more than 120 different commodities, forty-three of which have a gross value in excess of $1,000,000. Although individual commodities may experience difficulties from year to year, Tulare County continues to produce high-quality crops that provide food and fiber to more than 85 countries throughout the world.

A Nike U-Tube commercial that began airing today as the London,England Olympics is set to launch – features many of towns named London around the world that are not so famous including our own London, Tulare County, California – not far from Traver. Also called New London to some here, the impoverished town is a farm worker bedroom community.

A Nike film crew came to shoot our few seconds of fame in the commercial last month and the clip shows a quick shot of  skateboarders near the green London population sign as well as a quick shot of a neighborhood ‘homie’ with London tattooed on his back.

Turns out Nike is trying to make the point that everyone aspires to greatness around the world.Nike is not an Olympic sponsor so there is no mention of the London,UK games.

Here a link to the commercial:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqbN7BNjDIE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The former Uhlmann Offices shopping center on Hwy 198 at Demaree in Visalia has been sold. Anchored by Kmart and Save Mart, the center has entitlements to add an additional 60,000 sf of retail space.

Spokesman for the buyer, Thompson National Properties’s REIT,  Ronnie Miranda, says they are”working with a prospect to fill the space but that it is too early to discuss.”

“We would not have bought the center unless we were optimistic about  its future. The best is yet to come.”

TNP Strategic Retail Trust, Inc. a public non-traded Real Estate Investment Trust(REIT) that invests in grocery and drug-store anchored, multi-tenant retail properties announced June 26 the completion of the company’s 20th acquisition, Visalia Marketplace, a 200,794-square-foot retail center located in Visalia, Calif.

Visalia Marketplace was recently renovated in 2008. The center is 92 percent leased and anchored by Save Mart Supermarkets and Kmart. Other national and regional tenants include Starbucks, Brandman University and Great Clips.

The anchor tenants have long-term leases, with Save Mart Supermarket’s lease expiration at the end of 2028 and Kmart’s lease expiration in 2024.

“We believe we have found exceptional value in this property, acquiring it for $1.8 million less than an appraised value established by KeyBank in June 2012,” said Steve Corea, senior vice president of acquisitions for Thompson National Properties. “Further, this property has the zoning and land parcels to add 60,000 square feet of additional leasable area and has excellent freeway frontage and minimal lease rollover during the next five years.”

About TNP Strategic Retail Trust, Inc.
TNP Strategic Retail Trust, Inc. is a publicly registered non-traded REIT that invests in grocery and drug-store anchored, multi-tenant necessity retail properties, located primarily in the Western United States, and real estate related assets, including investment in or origination of mortgage, mezzanine, bridge and other loans related to commercial real estate. TNP Strategic Retail Trust has acquired 20 shopping centers in 14 states containing more than 2.1 million square feet at an overall purchase price of approximately $259 million. For more information regarding TNP Strategic Retail Trust, please visit www.tnpsrt.com.

About Thompson National Properties, LLC
Thompson National Properties, LLC (TNP) is an international real estate advisory company, specializing in the creation and management of real estate investment funds. TNP uses a variety of investment structures to fit the needs of its investors, which are designed for both institutional and high net worth individual investors. Thompson National Properties is also a leader in both property and asset management and receivership services, a key element in any successful commercial real estate investment in today’s lender-driven marketplace.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Thompson National Properties was founded in April 2008 and has six regional offices. As of June 26, 2012, Thompson National Properties manages a portfolio of 153 commercial properties, in 30 states, totaling approximately 17.6 million square feet, on behalf of over 5,600 investor/owners with an overall purchase value of $2.1 billion.

How about a dog with that carwash? Business owner Salim Tahir wants to open a drive-thru car wash and a Wienerschnitzel eatery near Mary’s Vineyard shopping center on Noble.The project would be located on a island between 198 and Noble across from KFC.You want sauerkraut with that shine?

Some signs of life in the Valley’s new homebuilding business. Visalia’s chief building official Greg Adams says they are processing three new home subdivisions this month,the first time in a while builders have submitted new tract plans.”They are pre-selling the homes before they build them” notes Adams, a way that clearly reduces the risk.Mangano Co is processing a 74 lot subdivision on 14.6 acres called Tumblerose on Linwood. In Lemoore two homebuilders have acquired mothballed new home tracts expecting the town to grow because of the NAS Lemoore expanding.

Lennar Fresno leads the builders pack with 65 new homes permitted so far this year in Tulare County followed by McMillin and Smee each with about 25 so far this year. Permits for 261 new homes have been issued to date compared to 315 this time last year, according to Construction Monitor.

American Tire Co wants to build a 7000 sf service center and store on So Mooney at 3921 S Mooney according to a plan filed with City of Visalia this week.  Fast growing Discount Tire and America’s Tire are two names for one nationwide company. The firm started in Michigan in 1960 and has since spread from coast to coast with over 800 stores

In Shape Fitness will remodel the former 24Hr Fitness facility in back of the Sequoia Mall in Visalia according to a plan filed with the City of Visalia. The 20,400 sf building has been vacant for several years. As they remodel the space the company, who already has 3 locations in town, will open a space in the new location to market membership. It is considered likely the firm will close their nearby Caldwell Ave gym when the new larger space on Mooney at Caldwell opens

Central Valley hospitality industry recovery is not as strong as it is statewide in June with Fresno being the only metro ares in California reporting a decline, year-over-year, in hotel occupancy – 0.8% lower. Smith Travel Research reports occupancy in the Tulare/Visalia metro region was 1.5% higher and Bakersfield was up 12.2%. The state average was was up 6.5%. RevPAR for the three local metro area were all up, with Fresno at 1.6%,Visalia at 2.4% and Bakersfield at 18.5%.

Bakersfield likes to shop, with this community being the most important source for customers visiting the Tulare Outlet Mall according to a recent report given to the Visalia City Council. This 226,000-square-foot outlet mall anchored by a Polo Ralph Lauren Factory store with other brand name soft goods outlets reported to have maintained a 98 percent occupancy rate since opening in 1995 in northeast Tulare. The primary trade area  encompasses 30-miles.”The center receives greater support from residents in the Bakersfield area (approximately 71 percent of visitation) than the Fresno area (approximately 19 percent of visitation)“ says the report.

Water customers in Visalia have reduced their consumption of water in the past few years but in order for private purveyor CalWater to come out on the deal,they have applied to the PUC to increase water rates phased-in over 3 years.The typical residential customer’s monthly bill would increase by $4.37 or 14.3% in 2014, followed by additional increases of $4.93 or 14.1% in 2015, and $0.91 or 2.3% in 2016 according to their filing. Most costs of operating the water system are fixed, regardless of the level of usage. “With lower water usage in your area, rates then have to be increased to cover these fixed costs”  reasons CalWater.