Kings County: Pitman Farms Grows /More

Poultry farmer Pitman Family Farms continues to build on their new  industrial campus on Iona in the industrial park. In 2013 Sanger-based Pitman bought the Cargill feed mill and yard along the BNSF line and now have completed a unit-train loop line to bring in Midwest grain and other products. In the meantime the company is adding more buildings according to permits including a new 80,000sf commodity building, a 7200 sf warehouse as well as a crew building and new boilers. They have a “big plan“ on the site says City Manager Darrel Pyle.
The 110 acre project is a “major investment in our community” says Kings EDC Economic Development Manager Jay Salyer. Hanford is in “the center of their poultry growing region” he adds and “this is a hub that feeds a regional industry.”

Salyer discussed the ag-based industry at this months EDC board meeting showing pictures of the  new construction along the outside of the new rail loop.”We see new silos that will hold corn,the commodity building underway and construction of a soybean mill that will extract oil and grind out product. Salyer says Pitman is also looking at uses for the land on the inside of the loop. The company provides feed for both conventionally grown and organically raised poultry and feed stock must be kept separate.

PG&E will be adding 20 megawatts to their substation that supplies the  Hanford Industrial Park.The substation is just south of the SCE substation. City manager Darrel Pyle says the additional capacity will add growth potential for the industrial park.

Hanford Firm Will Demonstrate Heat Recovery TechnologyThe California Energy Commission is funding a demonstration project at a Hanford meat company. Gas Technology Institute (GTI) will demonstrate an emerging heat recovery technology for industrial steam applications that require hot process water. The technology will be demonstrated at Central Valley Meats and will independently document the energy efficiency, energy cost reductions, performance and installation requirements for this innovative approach to low cost industrial heat recovery. The process is expected to reduce emissions as well as save costs.

Harriman Appeals Apartment ProjectA public hearing will be held before the Hanford City Planning Commission on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers regarding an appeal by Richard Harriman.The attorney is objecting to the request by Bajun American to construct a 216-unit apartment complex on 31.1 acres in the “RM-2” Multi-Family Zone District. The project is located on the corner of Centennial & Millennium Way in the City of Hanford.The Community Development Department has determined that the project would not have significant adverse impacts on the environment with the incorporation of mitigation measures.

Dam/Rail Initiative Off November Ballot

Proponents of a ballot initiative to take bond money earmarked for high-speed rail as well as bonds for water projects said Friday that they were halting their petition drive and instead of targeting this November will aim for the 2018 ballot. The petition drive is being funded by farmers including some 15 from Kings County. The proposed initiative had split the farm community over the wisdom of taking water bond money already in the pipeline to build more dams

Kings Home Price Median $200k – Foreclosures Fall

CoreLogic says February median home price in Kings County rose to $200,000 from $182,000 a year ago – a 9.9 percent increase. They also reported that foreclosures fell in the local metro area in January and the mortgage delinquency rate also decreased. Only 3 percent of mortgage loans 90 days or more were delinquent compared with 3.51 percent for the same period in 2015.