The Visalia Planning Commission is expected to approve a plan to rezone 16-acres of city owned land at the northwest corner of Akers and Riggin for a possible shopping center.The Commission will take the matter at their August 11 meeting.
The idea to rezone the property, now bare land, has been taken up at several city council study sessions. The proposal is to change the land use designation on a 16-acre portion of a 21-acre parcel from Parks/Recreation to Commercial Mixed Use. The rezoned land is likely to be sold to a developer, likely through an RFP process, and should attract buyers in this northside corridor where plenty of new homes and commercial retail activity is underway like the new Costco nearby.
On the same block of land are several VUSD schools and a planned 30-acre multifamily development to the west. A widened Riggin road should improve access to the development.
Staff at the city planning department have bounced around the idea of a mixed-use retail center similar to one in San Luis Obispo that features multi-tenants with a big food court.
China Peak announced on their website today:”The sun is out, 12-16 inches of fresh powder and the skiing and riding is fantastic. Another storm is heading our way Wednesday, calling for 12-18 inches, then clearing Thursday through the weekend. Here comes Miracle March!”
Here is the latest Feather River forecast for the northern Sacramento Valley – a good measuring cup for rain and snow expected in the next 10 days for much of the state.They suggest 288% of normal.
Several inches of rain are expected in Middle and Southern California well over the next six days as a wet first half of March appears likely.
“Unlike the previous AR that targeted Northern California, we will see a significant amount of precipitation with this storm.”
NWS Hanford forecast discussion Monday said “The big story” is the atmospheric river event for later this week hitting the California coast. This setup is “very favorable for more rain in the Valley and foothills and Sierra Nevada snow.”
Latest probabilities have a 25 to 55 percent chance of an inch and a half or more of rain for the Valley total in this storm with the foothills having a 40 to 75 percent chance of 3 inches or more total in this storm. The highest probabilities have shifted over recent model runs to be concentrated towards Sequoia National Park.
Burn scars will also see a major impact from the rain with a 55 to 75 percent chance of 3 inches or more total except for the Borel burn scar near Lake Isabella which has a 45 percent chance of 2 inches or more total which is still significant. These high rainfall probabilities increase the risk of mudslides, debris, and flooding for the burn scars that a flood product may be issued as early as this afternoon.
Concern is high this week in the Los Angeles area that several of the major wildfire areas may suffer significant debris flow from intense rain.Most of the rain is expected to fall on Thursday.
Hanford NWS says in the Sierra Nevada, we are looking at a 65 percent and higher chance of 36 inches or more of snow total above 8,000 feet for the storm. On Saturday, the storm moves out.
Another NOAA chart expects up to 7.6 inches of precip in Sequoia NP, grey in the map. So far this year, the Giant Forest station has received under 13 inches of precip suggesting this AR, like some others, can help boost overall numbers for the water year in a big way.
The storm promises to be a big snow maker according to the resorts with both China Peak and Mammoth expecting over 5 feet.
A 5.9 acre used car dealership is taking shape near Plaza Dr and 198 in Visalia this new year. Construction is underway on the new CarMax dealership located at 605 W Hillsdale Ave, Visalia, near Camp Drive.
The publicly-traded company says they plan to open in Visalia in February.
Located next to two new car dealers, CarMax will have more auto related neighbors nearby expected in 2025 including a second used car dealer and a new Hyundai dealership on Century.The used car franchise is planned by Fresno auto dealer Scott Fahrney. He has received city approval to build a 20,000sf showroom on 5.5 acres.
Workers were busy over the holidays putting the final touches on landscaping on the new CarMax property with building exterior and paved lot completed.
California’s new light vehicle registrations fell by 1.7 percent YTD versus the year earlier, totaling 1,320,708 through September 2024 says the latest California New Car Dealers Auto Outlook.
The state is forecasted to reach 1.75 million new vehicle registrations by year-end. Overall sales in 2023 reached 1.77 million, indicating a flat YOY prediction. Additionally, early 2025 estimates remain in the narrow range, with total projected sales to reach 1.79 million.
New vehicle registrations in the Golden State seem to be leveling off post-pandemic with a new yearly average benchmark. Three of the past four years have totaled approximately 1.76 million registrations, far less than the pre-pandemic years (2015-2019), which hovered just above 2 million registrations. Affordability remains a key issue holding back numbers, but lower interest rates, falling inflation, increasing employment, and rising incentives may help sales rise into 2025.
Tesla loses market share
Tesla’s Model Y remains the top-selling car in California year-to-date, but the company’s sales continue to slip, losing 8.5 percent market share compared to last year. This marks a full year of registration declines for Tesla in California, leaving the “alternative powertrain door” open for traditional automakers. Manufacturers and dealers have embraced this shift, expanding their share of battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales to 40.2 percent as consumers increasingly turn to exciting, new electric vehicle (EV) options.
Brands like Kia, BMW, and Hyundai have gained traction, increasing their year-to-date market shares by 1.4, 1.3, and 1.3 percent, respectively. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 is now the third best-selling BEV in California.
Internal Combustion Engine vehicle sales down
YTD, BEVs currently comprise 22.2 percent of the State’s market share, showing a slight increase this year. When considering all alternative powertrains—plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), hybrids, and BEVs— these vehicles account for 39.4 percent of new sales in the first nine months of 2024, a significant increase from just 11.6 percent in 2018.
By contrast last year ICE-powered vehicles (gas and diesel) accounted for 63.9 percent of the state’s new vehicle sales share in 2023, losing about 7.7 points from 2022 numbers.So far in 2024 the market share of ICE vehicles sold in the state declined to 58.3%, says the report.
In 2023, combined sales of BEVs, PHEVs, hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles in the state accounted for 35.9 percent of the market share (compared to 11.6 percent in 2018) and 39.4% this year.
“California’s franchised dealers are here to meet the needs of our customers, whether they prefer traditional gas-powered vehicles or are shifting to electric or hybrid alternatives. We’re proud to be at the forefront of the Nation’s evolving auto industry, providing the choices and expertise Californians need as they navigate their options,” says David Simpson, CNCDA Chairman and owner of Simpson Buick GMC Cadillac of Buena Park, Simpson Chevrolet of Garden Grove, and Simpson Chevrolet of Irvine. “At the end of the day, it’s about serving our communities and offering vehicles that best suit their lifestyle while supporting a greener future in a way that aligns with consumer demand and affordability.”
Brand Market Share and Summary
Among all powertrains, Toyota remains California’s preferred brand, with 215,402 registrations YTD and 16.3 percent of the market share.
Other YTD market share brand leaders: Tesla (with 12.1 percent market share) and Honda (with 10.9 percent market share). Honda also posted a noteworthy 11.2 percent increase in registrations this year, with 143,391 registrations YTD.
Still holding the position as California’s second best-selling brand, Tesla is grappling with significant hurdles. Its market share dropped by 12.6 points compared to last year, and Q3 2024 registrations fell by 3.5 percent from Q3 2023. This decline suggests that Tesla’s once-coveted appeal continues its downward trend, raising more concerns for the direct-to-consumer brand.
Five brands in the State have improved their registrations by 20 percent (or more) this year. These brands include Jaguar (222.6 percent), Buick (39.9 percent), Rivian (35.4 percent), Lincoln (27.6 percent), and Dodge (20 percent).
Model Segment Rankings
Unchanged from the last two quarters, California’s best sellers in the primary segments in Q3 2024 include the Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Tesla Model 3, Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Outback, and Lexus RX.
The top three passenger cars sold in California YTD saw variations from Q2. The Honda Civic is now the best-selling passenger car in California (with 40,741 registrations), followed by the Toyota Camry (40,025 registrations), with the Tesla Model 3 taking third place (37,219 registrations). The top three light trucks sold YTD were the Tesla Model Y (105,693 registrations), the Toyota RAV4 (49,810), and the Honda CR-V (37,759 registrations).
Regional Variances
Northern California car registrations dropped 15.4 percent YTD, while light trucks were up .6 percent. Southern California cars also slipped by 12.3 percent. However, southern California light truck registrations saw a jump of 4.2 percent.
Regionally, the San Diego County market has been the most insulated from declines, with a -0.7 percent dip in YTD registrations. The San Francisco Bay Area market saw the largest dip in registrations, posting -4.3 percent this year.
The nation’s largest solar farm got the green light from the Tulare County Planning commission this week to be built in southern Tulare County near Ducor.The site is scattered over 3614 acres of mostly grazing and dry field crop farm land with majority ofbisected by Highway 65.
Thebig project,called Rexford Solar Farmto be built by LA based 8 Minute, aprivately-held developer of large utility scale solar projects. The company ,with several large solar farms in Kern County plansto construct a 700 megawatt alternating current (MW AC) utility scale solar farm and an up to 700 MW AC energy storage system.
The project would involve the construction of both transmission and collector lines. Power generated by the proposed Project would be transmitted to the Southern California Edison (SCE) Vestal Substation via an up to 230 kilovolt (kV) overhead and/or underground gen-tie line.The transmission lines would beapproximately 13 miles in length. The construction period for the Rexford Solar Project from site preparation through construction, testing, and commercial operation, is anticipated to commence as early as Q4 2021 and could encompass approximately 12 to 24 months.
Smoke in California heading to Hawaii: PGE forecaster John Lindsey tweets today that the smoke from all the wildfires inundating California is on the way to Hawaii and could reach the islands by Sunday.
Valley dairyman says believes smoke may be helping to cool the cows on his Hanford farm.But cooler weather may be helping drop the temps.Dairyman Joaquin Contente says last nightit dropped to 65 – cooler than the high 70s at nightseen recently. The warm nights are not allowing the animals or any of us to cool off. Valley counties have declared an emergency for lack of disposal alternatives during the heat wave. The Kings County Ag Commissioner says ”Due to extreme heat and increased demand for processing, Baker Commodities has suspended pickups until a backlog of carcasses can be addressed. Baker Commodities is unavailable to pick-up during this period. The accumulation of carcasses creates a potential for sanitary and safety issues within the County, and the situation requires alternative means for managing the safe disposal of carcasses. This emergency proclamation provide a means for County agencies to designate alternative disposal methods for carcasses until normal services are restored. Rendering services are expected to resume for fresh mortalities on August 21, 2020. “Tulare County declaredan emergency as well.
Home sales surge in July in California on pent up demand
California existing, single-family home sales totaled 437,890 in July on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, up 28.8 percent from June and up 6.4 percent from July 2019 the California Association of Realtors reported this week. July’s statewide median home price was $666,320 up 6.4 percent from June and up 9.6 percent from July 2019. But Year-to-date statewide home sales were down 10 percent in July.
July’s sales total climbed above the 400,000 level for the first time since February 2020, before the COVID-19 crisis depressed the housing market, and was the highest level in more than two and a half years. July sales rose 28.8 percent from 339,910 in June and were up 6.4 percent from a year ago, when 411,630 homes were sold on an annualized basis. July marked the first time in five months that home sales posted an annual gain.
“A housing market trifecta of strong pent-up demand, record-low interest rates and a renewed interest in the value of homeownership bolstered July’s home sales,” said 2020 C.A.R. President Jeanne Radsick, a second-generation REALTOR® from Bakersfield, Calif. “With this year’s delayed start of the homebuying season due to the pandemic, we expect home sales to remain robust in August and September, extending the season later than what’s typical.”
In our reading area SLO County sales were up 30% year over year while the median climbed to $659,000 from $625,000 a year ago. InTulare Countythe median was $268,000 compared to $245,000 a year ago.Sales dropped 1% from year ago. In Kings the median climbed to$275,000 from $254,000 a year earlier. Sales year over year were flat.
Kings/Tulare jobless rates improve
The unemployment rate in Tulare County was 16.2 percent in July 2020, down from a revised 17.1 percent in June 2020, and above the year-ago estimate of 9.9 percent. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 13.7 percent for California and 10.5 percent for the nation during the same period.
Total unemployed in the county was 21,400 with 12,100 of those farm workers. Hospitality and leisure workers unemployed number 1600 and 2700 in health and education.
Kings unemployed numbered 7400 in July 2020, down from 8200 in June but up from 4500 a year earlier.The unemployment rate in Kings County was 13.1 percent in July 2020, down from a revised 14.4 percent in June 2020, and above the year-ago estimate of 7.8 percent. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 13.7 percent for California and 10.5 percent for the nation during the same period.
Project includes seven live-work artist lofts and gallery
Self-Help Enterprises(SHE) has won the bidding to buy the Fort Visalia block in Downtown Visalia from the City. The fort was the first settlement in Visalia but had a more modern history as the vacant Copeland lumberyard. In recent years it has been used by the Arts Consortium to stage local art activities.
After several bids for the property, in a compromise move both the Arts Consortium and low income home builder Self-Help Enterprises will co-use parts of the square block with a plan to build three 3-story buildings – an architecturally designed mixed-use development.
CEO of Self Help Tom Collishaw says the nonprofit builder will carry out its long history of offering affordable housing, not just in rural parts of the Valley but in urban areas as well along with construction of an estimated 7 artist lofts featuring rollup door working spaces on the ground floor connected to second story residential units. The artist units built in a row – would face a proposed plaza allowing art events to be staged there along Oak St, home of not just the Consortium but Arts Visalia gallery and the dance studio.Office space for large art gallery will built on site here as well.
So you can see how they came upon the name The Lofts at Fort Visalia.All together the project is being designed with 81 units.
To add even more to excitement, the complex will likely feature a Fort Visalia model as well with perhaps space for displays telling something about Visalia’s early days,
Collishaw says like many of their projects that Self Help builds they are making the commitment anticipating funding in the next year or so.The development will likely not break ground until early 2012.
Collishaw says an award winning Sacramento architectural firm will design the The Lofts that will likely mean 100 to 200 new residents just a block from Main St.
The square block project fronts on Oak on the south,School to the north, Garden to the west and Bridge to the east.
The mixed-use development is a minute walking from significant new development in Downtown including the new Darling Hotel and its rooftop restaurant, well known Oak St restaurants, East Main brew pubs and scores of Main St eateries. It will be just 2 blocks from the convention center.
The design plan was was the subject of a city site-plan review meeting this week.
City of Porterville writes on its Facebook page last week” Monumental day with the approval of the Super Walmart building permit. Expect construction to begin by the end of summer.”The project has been mired in legal tangles since it was first proposed back in 2004. The project is part of the Riverwalk Marketplace at Jaye and Highway 190. The center could open next summer.
East Main expansion includes new sushi place
Visalia developer JR Shannon says he sold theformer Chad Clark building to the owners of new sushi eatery to be called Sushi Kuu located at 509 E Main. The owners are Puspaand Albert Utomo. Besides this project Shannon says the Downtown bike store,Sierra Bicycle Werks will be relocating just east of Stacked on E Main soon.
Proposed Fast Food Restaurant on Riggin
Plans for a new fast food restaurant on Riggin near the new Starbucks have been heard by the City of Visalia planning staff. Applicant is Tricon Building Solutions who typically builds new Burger Kings. The new eatery would have a Playland and drive-thru located at 2050 W Riggin, the address of the current ShannonRanch office
Tulare cheese plant going solar
The Saputo Hylux™Solar Energy Project is a Concentrated Solar Power Project. The energy collected from the Hylux™ CSP system will be in the form of heat and will be used to offset natural gas burned at the existing Saputo facility on Paige Avenue in Tulare which is used in cheese production. The project proposes to install a three-acre concentrated solar array on previously disturbed, but presently unused land at the site of an existing cheese production facility on a 40-acre parcel located at 800 East Paige Avenue in Tulare, California. The entire parcel is completely enclosed with a chain-link fence says a new mitigated negative declaration.
New Plaza Drive AM-PM to feature Burger King
The AM PM gas station and convenience store located at 9011 Crowley near Plaza Drive north of Hwy 198 will feature a Burger King unit as part of the complex according to a filingwith the City of Visalia.
Mainland Skate’s Mooney store could be future Wendy’s
Property owner Fung Lee who also owns the Mainland Skate company is considering the rental of his Mooney building in front of the Sequoia Mall for a drive-thru restaurant , likely a Wendy’s.The 7500sf building would have 2500sf left for Mainland Skate or other uses.The plan is the subject of a site plan review this week.
California’s California’s merchandise export trade continued to slide lower for the third straight month, according to Beacon Economics’ analysis of the latest U.S. trade statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Exports by California businesses totaled $13.86 billion for the month, a nominal 7.5% decline from the $14.98 billion recorded in April 2018. Exports of manufactured goods, totaling $8.96 billion, were 7.2% down from the $9.66 billion reported in the same month last year. Shipments abroad of non-manufactured goods (chiefly agricultural products and raw materials) fell by 10.9% to $1.71 billion from $1.92 billion. The value of re-exported goods meanwhile slipped by 6.2% to $3.19 billion from $3.40 billion.
“To be fair, comparing this April’s export trade with April 2018 is loading the dice since last April was largely avant le deluge,” said Jock O’Connell, Beacon Economics’ International Trade Advisor. “It was in April of last year when America’s major trading partners began retaliating against the tariffs the Trump administration had imposed earlier on imported steel and aluminum. Things have gone downhill ever since.”
But higher tariffs applied to a steadily expanding list of goods were not the sole reason for the state’s lagging export trade. A stronger dollar, lower prices on some export commodities, a slowdown in economic growth abroad, and even worsening traffic congestion at U.S.-Mexico border crossings, contributed to the decline.
The April drop in the dollar value of California’s export trade was manifested at California’s major international trade gateways. The number of loaded export containers shipped from the state’s three major container ports (the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland) dropped by 6.7% from one year earlier, while airborne export tonnage from LAX was down by 9.3%.
The strengthening U.S. dollar continued to discourage foreigners from buying California goods. The Bloomberg Dollar Index shows the greenback’s value relative to a basket of other major currencies was up nearly 8% in April from the same time one year earlier. California accounted for 10.3% of the nation’s overall merchandise export trade in April, down from 10.9% one year ago. Through the first four months of 2019, the state’s $57.49 billion in merchandise exports was lagging last year’s $59.26 billion total by 3.0%.
The nation’s largest solar farm got the green light from the Tulare County Planning commission this week to be built in southern Tulare County near Ducor.
