Seismic Shift

Kaweah Delta’s Future Downtown?

Visalia - Signaling a seismic shift in the thinking at Kaweah Delta Hospital a task force planning future facilities is suggesting that maybe the hospital has a long term future in Downtown Visalia after all.

The subject of discussion for the past few years the task force is now looking at expansion adjacent their core facilities, adding onto the series of towers that make up the hospital with self contained wings that already cover two square blocks. This alternative is in contrast to what appeared to be the favored notion going out of the edge of town and founding some sort 60 to 100 acre medical campus.

The hospital's Chief Financial Officer Gary Herbst who heads up the Facilities Taskforce meeting since August says the hospital board was updated this past week on evaluating expansion Downtown versus other potential sites.

Already the hospital has purchased a 100 acre site at Caldwell and Lovers Lane and have been talking with the City of Visalia about other potential sites including Shirk and 198. The city and county have discouraged the Caldwell site because is out the city's urban boundary.

Kaweah Delta had been reluctant to make a large new investment downtown because the state has pushed for extremely tough seismic standards for all hospitals in California and the simple fact was that the big downtown hospital was not up to the highest standard. Remodeling the existing buildings tied together with wings built at different times with different standards appeared to wildly expensive. Because a new sate law (SB 1953) requires acute care hospitals to meet the standard by the year 2030 the board was ready to look for a new campus other than try to expand incrementally downtown given the fact it might be cheaper to start over on a clean piece of dirt.

The future for the downtown hospital long term might be simply be a glorified nursing home, a skilled nursing facility while the new high tech stuff would be built at some new campus. But now there maybe some give on those tough standards. At the same time there is an new sense of urgency on the need to expand facilities both short term and long term.

"It appears the state mandates for hospitals upgrades could be un flux," says Herbst. With the price tag of improvements that appear to be required by SB 1953 expected to reach as $24 billion statewide the betting is that the standards are going to be eased. In addition the hospital learned that it could use those areas between the towers 2030. Before, the interpretation of the law was that the areas between the towers in the hospital may not be approved for acute care use through that year. "That gave us more life downtown," says architect Mike Williams who works at Kaweah Delta. Williams formerly with Quad is now on the hospital staff available to use his talents to lay out options to the board on how they might keep what they have and build on it by continuing to build multi story buildings.

All hospitals in the state must file their plans along with the cost of those plans mandated by SB 1953 by January 2001 which is likely to set in motion a political firestorm, a huge reaction to a price tag nobody can afford. Many hospitals are simply going to tell the state they can't afford to make the changes and would have to close.

Already three bills have been introduced that would modify the standard including a possible recognition that some parts of the state are clearly more prone to big earthquakes than others. The Central Valley does not have many active faults.

Already one rule has eased for single story wood frame building that were mandated to close by 2008 before, now extended to at least 2113. Meanwhile Kaweah Delta's very busy both at it's ER, record levels with staff shortages and long waits, and on an inpatient basis where all their 300 hospital beds are sometime spoken for. "Basically, we're full," admits Herbst.

There is a near time plan to move out transitional care patients to the old Community Hospital site on Court street on coming months to make room to add 32 more critical care beds. That's a short term solution but what about long term? There is a need to add additional emergency room service with the closure of 2 other local ER's recently. With a potentially critical lack of bed space and a reluctance to wait much longer to add ER space the board appears to be ready to at least try to make it work downtown. "No one felt comfortable with the idea of letting this place die," says one staffer.

"The bottom line is that we need to look at Downtown long-term." says Kaweah Delta Board Trustee Sue McAllister.

"And the success of any project downtown is dependent on the full cooperation of the City of Visalia." continues McAllister.

"Our city council has told us that working with Kaweah Delta was a top priority," says City Manager Steve Salomon.

Growth from increase utilization along with population growth means the hospital needs to plan for about 550 beds by the year 2030. "Our feeling is that with some sort of creative framework we might be able to come up with that," say Herbst.

Herbst cautions that while this is the direction they are heading the task force won't make it's final report to the board for about a year.

What shape would and expansion downtown take? Source say one favored idea would be add another tower to the north heading toward Center near West St. or Floral. A spin on that, perhaps span Center and getting help from the city in erecting a parking garage behind Buckman Mitchell or to where the old Gas Co. building owned by KDDH also the two block long city hall property is still on the table having been informally offered a year ago to KDDH. The city in the meantime is still seriously looking at a new city hall site on the east side of downtown. Downtown merchants and city leaders urged the hospital to "stay downtown" one way or another. But the thinking now may be a an expansion "close in."

Any plan downtown is going to be arduous and "detail oriented" say City Manager Steve Salomon if it is to succeed there will have to be lots of planning he says and with all the other project on the table it will take time.

The hospitals plans to erect the pedestrian overpass over Locust later next year once they get Cal Trans approval. It isn't clear if they will revive a plan for a parking garage in the parking lot that was put on hold in part because of uncertaintity over the future plan and because budgets were suddenly tight.

One significant factor in the switch to a downtown approach is that hospital doesn't feel quite as flush with cash as it has it has in the past with below cost reimbursement offered them through Medical, Medicare, and HMO's, all squeezing the hospitals bottom line like never before. This year's budget was held up for month because they were having trouble balancing it. Still Herbst reported black ink so far this year at a recent budget update.

Dr. Tom Mitts say he believes that Kaweah Delta has the where with-all to make a real difference in Visalia, perhaps more that the City of Visalia. He envisions that the hospital if they wanted could establish a teaching hospital program/research that could provide the necessary staff training the medical community needs including the hospital. Kaweah Delta officials have said that the nursing shortage here is so acute that if 100 qualified RN's applied, KDDH would hire them all. Providing higher education in medicine would also help change the focus of economic development away from "just ag" note Mitts. Ironically this week such a medical research school effort was announced this week in Fresno with Community Medical Centers.

There is one more factor that may be part of the picture. Keeping KDDH in downtown has become a cause embraced by many who want to see Visalia succeed by avoiding sprawl unlike our big neighbor to the north. There is tremendous momentum now in downtown that would be difficult to maintain if the hospital were to announce their ultimate future was not here signaling the loss of many thousands of employees to the city center. Even if they said a new campus was years away Downtown would no longer be the place for new investment. Downtown physicians would be on the phone in a heartbeat to the real estate broker to find them a new officer near the new KDDH campus. The community would be asked to fund police and fire to some new little city out on the fringe.

What has happened in the past few years is that Visalians don't want to start the tower over, they want to build on what we have.

The ecological principal is an economic principal as well. The physical plant can stay and expand outward where there is already a huge investment made including co-use parking garages, transits services, power plants, streets and lighting, ancillary services like restaurants and hotel and freeway off ramps, fire and police service 3 minutes away, the land itself paid off many years ago, can be reused for many decades even though building up costs more.

The hospital depends on the good will of the community perhaps unlike any other major institution. Again and again this past year Tom Johnson met with city and county officials to lobby legislators to help improve the delivery of health care. Johnson warned that the health district was not immune to the fate of other hospitals that have reduced service or even closure because of inadequate reimbursement. A few months ago Mayor Don Landers got a top official from Governor Gray Davis' office to attend a council meeting to listen to the plight of KDDH. Johnson says he expects something good will some out of that.

In the end existing community infrastructure already in place and the good will of the city may mean downtown is both a healthier choice plus it pencils out. Kaweah Delta needs the city of Visalia's help but the City of Visalia needs Kaweah Delta too.

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Visalia - In a see-saw meeting that was a little like watching returns form the Florida vote count, a joint meeting of the Visalia city council and planning commission (5 members each) ended up offering thumbs up to the idea of a Plaza Dr. auto mall.

Earlier the 10 panelists had voted 8 to 2 against the favored idea outlined in a city funded consultant study to site a what would be at least a 25 acre dealership complex at Shirk and 198. The LA consultant group Katz Hollis had suggested one proposed site on the east side of south Ben Maddox had "political liabilities" because neighbors might object to the site for auto sales. "Were you aware that your favored site at Shirk and 198 has political liabilities of its own?" asked council member Jim Harbottle. The consultant said no.

East Visalia auto dealers who have poured probably $20 million into new facilities along Ben Maddox over the past decade including the $5 million new Giant dealership suggested they are happy on Ben Maddox and would like the two dealerships seeking relocation-Razzari Ford and Surroz Dodge/BMW to join them.

"We think if you cluster dealers in one district and put out a big marquis sign - the people will come," dealer Frank Serpa told the meeting. That seemed to sway the panelists since most recognized that the issue of new development along the "scenic corridor" could stir up lots of opposition as Harbottle had pointed out.

Katz Hollis report suggested a look at 5 alternate sites concluding that two dealerships both supported Shirk and 198 but had problems with the rest. The report said that Razzari would consider south Ben Maddox.

"Maybe we should consider going with where the majority wishes"(along Ben Maddox) offered Serpa given that you would accommodate the relocation of at least one of the big dealerships to the east Ben Maddox site right across form the new Giant Automotive showroom.

Mayor Don Landers asked if other dealers present wanted to speak and they shook their heads. Council member Bob Link suggested that as a businessman he understood the plight of car dealers who have to do what is best for their businesses. "You cant -as a city council member - just look at the planning issues"

Sitting just behind the decision makers were the two principals everyone had been talking - even speculating about for the past hour who at least until late in the meeting didn't want to state their case.

Prompted by council member Jim Harbottle Mooney car dealer Frank Surroz suggested all the talk had been "so negative " he hadn't wanted to say anything. But asked which sites were acceptable Surroz suggested Shirk was his number one choice and Plaza would be acceptable as well. A few seats away Tim Razzari finally spoke up. When asked if the consultant report was correct that he would consider the south Ben Maddox site - Razzari ,who has multiple freeway oriented car dealerships in the north Valley said -"absolutely not". Suddenly, the decision turned away from south Ben Maddox.

That was when city manager Steve Salomon offered his two cents worth indicating that "you can't force businesses to invest money where they don't want to" and that the city needs the additional tax revenue that the expansion of the two dealers could bring in. "None of you city council members are going to come to me and ask if we can cut expenses next year -you are going to ask if we can find the money to add programs or offer pay raises".

The Katz Hollis study indicated the city could see an additional $456,000 dollars in sales tax revenue annually if the relocations went forward.

On the other hand it suggested a scenario where both dealers might locate out of town meaning instead of gaining tax monies the existing revenue would be lost."That is a real possibility" suggested the consultant."We heard that from Costco too and they are still here" says planning commissioner Victor Perez who said earlier that he would be concerned about the precedent of leap frog development regarding both west 198 sites.

Tim Razzari spoke suggesting Plaza Dr might work under the right conditions." Just talking about it here today probably raised the cost of the land" suggested the Merced based car dealer. Surroz said his only concern about the Plaza site was that if you miss the Plaza interchange it is hard to make your way back to the site." Access and visibility are critical to the success of an auto mall "said Razzari who preferred the Shirk site where is no development currently.

Salomon continued to push the idea of a Plaza Dr. option suggesting that there would soon be a four lane divided road all the way to Dinuba" and that while there had been community opposition to the big Kashian project as this site last year auto dealers don't pose any competition to downtown or Mooney businesses the way the big shopping center did.

"Maybe Plaza - if its done right could be a potential" Salomon coaxed. What about Shirk as a back up plan asked the city manager question.

The panelists were again polled about Plaza Dr and most said ok.

Bob Link - who earlier said he would support a Shirk plan asked again -would the group accept the idea of Shirk/198 as a "back up plan"? With the wind changing by the minute mayor Don Landers again polled the 10 members and found some wavering on their earlier vote. Both Jim Harbottle and mayor Landers suggested they would look at Shirk only after the West Visalia Specific Plan was brought back and a decision on development along the highway was made. "Earlier a number had remarked that the interchange of Shirk and 198 would likely be developed in the future but that auto use "may not be the highest and best use".

Others like planning commissioner Phil Cox suggested there wasn't much left now of what he remembered about the scenic corridor - "Cal Trans cut down all the oaks" and "now it looks like the industrial park."

With a split vote on Shirk, Salomon got his marching order to try to make Plaza Dr. work - where all land is in the city limits and where there is likely less opposition in the community for the planned development.

Yet to be heard from are the existing auto dealers who point out that the city forced them to go to the site on Ben Maddox and perhaps the city now should buy them out as a matter of fairness. Council member Wendy Thomason asked staff to report back what that would cost us.

Relocating from Mooney and from downtown would free up both properties for other development noted assistant city manager Dianne Guzman. Both sites are leased although Razzari owns a few parcels on Center. The study suggested a relocation could take place after about a year's worth of environmental review and regulatory approvals.

One idea brought up at the end was that the city itself could sell the southeast corner of Plaza and 198 to the dealers - part of the city park used for ballfields. The idea came up after concerns were raised that the price tag for the north side of Plaza might be too high.

The two dealers say they would co-locate despite auto dealers natural tendency to be competitive."We didn't know each other a year ago" said Razzari of Frank Surroz. The two had been working with a realtor to find a location in the city pushing earlier for Akers and 198 on the city owned 30 acres in escrow now to Westland Development.

They apparently tested the waters in Goshen as well- the out-of- city option referred to. But lack of freeway access near the 99/198 and Goshen Ave. area make this option appear unlikely. There is clearly great visibility and obviously no access. Cal Trans plans to decrease access south of 198/99 soon as well. Another issue- development on other ag land would require they break with their own general plan.

"We don't want to lose you" was the assurance given this long evening that ran about an hour over its scheduled time putting the regularly scheduled city council meeting back to 8 PM as a crowd waited in the hallway.

Mr. Serpa was ready to roll with the punches suggesting under the right conditions he might take 6 acres at a new auto mall since he needs more land than he has at the existing auto mall on Ben Maddox. It was an evening full of surprises.

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Visalia - The huge 133,000 sq. ft. Cigna call center on Akers completed this past summer is already out of room. Cigna spokesman Jim Harris confirmed this week that "we have optioned another three acres from the City of Visalia and will add another 50,000 sq. ft. building." The building that now houses some 1000 workers will have space for some 500 more, says Harris.

"We're breaking ground next year although I don't have an exact time table," says Harris, who works out of the Glendale office for Cigna. "I understand we have already filed building plans with the city."

Cigna already has 11 acres it purchased last year from the city with parking for up to 1100 cars. The building's owner, Dorn-Platz will handle construction of the new two story building on the north end of the project - facing West 198.

The Visalia customer call center "is state-of-the-art" says Harris, handling calls from both health care members and providers. "It's highly automated helping people with their claim problems and providing referrals. The building has the latest fiber optics," says Harris that helps speed the calls.

Mayor Don Landers says the deal with Cigna has been in the works for some weeks. He calls the new jobs "more great news for Visalia."

Visalia got some other good news this week when Congressman Cal Dooley announced another $3 million funding for the cross valley rail project.

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Two organophosphates – diazinon and Lorsban – widely used in the Valley and in Tulare County on numerous crops have been implicated in frog deaths in the Sierra in a new U.S. Geological Survey study. Researcher Gary Fellers' study of frogs in both Yosemite and Sequoia Park regions suggests airborn pesticides may be playing a major role in their demise. The moist skin of frogs make them susceptible to environmental contaminants, says Fellers.

The study released December 7th says researchers found proof that pesticides were being absorbed by frogs on both land and water and were suppressing an enzyme called chlorinesterase essential for proper function of the amphibian's nervous system. Decreases in this essential enzyme can indicate exposure to certain common pesticides. In the study samples of tadpoles then from 23 sites including near Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and Sequoia Park and Lassen and along with the coast.

The study found that chlorinesterase enzyme suppression was higher in frogs found on the western Sierra range than in the eastern Sierra or the coast. The theory is that frogs that are affected by the prevailing winds just uphill from the central valley are suffering far more than frogs on the other side of the Sierra on the coast.

In addition, they found measurable amount of certain insecticides including Diazinon (registered for use in 1952) and chloropyrifos (Dursban-1965) –both older organophosphates –in 50% of both adult and tadpole samples found in Yosemite indicating recent exposure to the chemicals. In the lab these chemicals ingested the nervous system of frogs can be toxic to them. These results from Pacific Tree Frogs suggests to Fellers that other frogs like the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog that spend longer in the water as a tadpole and as an adult may even be affected more. The amphibian could get a pulse of toxic materials as snow melt suggests the research. Another Frog, the foothill yellow-legged frog, has been gone from Sequoia/Kings Canyon for 20 years and today this higher elevations cousin is gone as well.

Dramatic population declines in red-legged frogs, foothills yellow-legged frogs, mountain yellow-legged frogs and Yosemite toads have occurred in California over the last 10-15 years, but no single cause for these declines has been positively identified. Scientists and managers have been especially concerned because many of these declines occurred in some of the state's most seemingly pristine areas. Declines have been particularly drastic in the Sierra Nevada, which lie east of the intensely agricultural San Joaquin Valley. The red-legged frog is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and the mountain yellow-legged frog and Yosemite toad have been proposed for listing.

"While crucial to the agriculture industry, pesticides by their very nature can result in serious harm to wildlife both by directly killing animals and through more subtle effects on reproduction, development and behavior," said Dr. Donald Sparling, a research biologist and contaminants specialist at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland. "Unfortunately, now there appears to be a close correlation between declining populations of amphibians in the Sierra Nevada and exposure to agricultural pesticides."

Why should we care?

Amphibians are good indicators of significant environmental changes. Amphibians, unlike people, breathe at least partly through their skin, which is constantly exposed to everything in their environment. Consequently, their bodies are much more sensitive to environmental factors such as disease, pollution, toxic chemicals, ultraviolet radiation, and habitat destruction. The worldwide occurrences of amphibian declines and deformities could be an early warning that some of our ecosystems – even seemingly pristine ones – are seriously out of balance.

Both organophosphates are widely used in California in both the ag and structural pest control. Diazinon was targeted by the EPA for phased out over a three year period (announced December 5th) and ealier banned to use the Chloropyrifos or Dursban for all residential uses of this month. This summer it was announced that the Durshan – the most widely used household pesticide would be pushed out for home and termite control uses and the lower allowable residues on food often eaten by children – like grapes – would be lowered. In addition, another widely used organophosphate methyl parathion was recently restricted. Diazinon is widely used by homeowners in the home to kill ants and on lawns and gardens. Over 11 million pounds of Diazinon are used nationwide annually.

Both pesticides were targeted out of concern about exposure to children.

Both are widely used in farming in the Central Valley and in Tulare County. Diazinon is a major pesticide sprayed on almond orchards up and down the valley as a dormant spray on alfalfa – both applied in February and March. A study by the USGS of pesticide residues found in the San Joaquin River found Diazinon concentration spiking during February storms in the early 90s. In Tulare County about half of the Diazinon use was for structural pest control and most of the rest on stonefruit orchards – a total of 45,000 lbs in 1999. Dursban was used more heavily in Tulare County in 1999 with over 221,000 lbs applied – almost half of that one citrus, 20,000 lbs on walnuts, 12,000 lbs on alfalfa, and 18,000 lbs on grapes. Structured pest control amounts used in Tulare County in 1999 were 14,000 lbs.

With tighter restrictions on organophosphates were announced by EPA in the summer of 1998 California ag leaders were cautioned about their responses. Ann Veneman, who headed CDFA testified to Congress that "without suitable alternatives, California agriculture, its farmers and consumers will suffer greatly. The state's many commodities, which provide nearly half the nation's fruits, vegetables and nuts, will see declining yields unless suitable alternatives and a smooth transition are found," she said.

Veneman may very well be George Bush's new ag secretary.

Not that just chemicals appear be killing off our amphibian friends. Scientists have found that stocking Sierra lakes with trout may have been disastrous for both frogs and salamanders who find they are the main course on the trout's menu. Another possible factor – increased ultraviolet light caused by the ozone hole could be a factor as well. The fact is that the decline in amphibian populations is seen worldwide.

The Tablelands in Sequoia National Park, a lake-studded expanse of rolling granite high country above Lodgepole, used to have thousands of Mountain yellow-legged frogs; now there are none. As an experiment, Gary Fellers would like to bring them back. He would reintroduce eggs, tadpoles, and subadults, then monitor the frogs as they develop, trying to identify the factors causing their death.

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Corcoran - Despite a statewide surplus of processing tomatoes and the collapse of TriValley Growers last season there is still an appetite for new investment as the industry continues to move south. New tomato processing plants have cropped up in the south valley including the huge new Del Monte plant in the Handford industrial park and a new paste plant in Lemoore soon under construction.

Now rural Corcoran may be the site of a $100 million, 300,000 sq. ft. plant that would employ 150 workers year round. That's the hope and expectation of Sacramento developer Andy Gilton who says he has worked in the tomato industry since 1972. "We expect to be operational for the packing season of 2002," says Gilton, "and want to break ground in March of this coming year."

Gilton says he is optimistic a highly efficient, modern plant can make money. "Look at the reasons many of these plants went out of business" says Gilton, noting that the "number one reason has been environmental problems and the cost of freight." Sewage disposal costs in an urban setting are high and many plants that were built at the edge of the Bay Area or near San Jose could not afford the freight. Recently big plants in Davis and Woodland closed and are out of business in part because the tomato growing areas are shrinking in the north valley and the plants themselves are inefficient.

Meanwhile the industry is growing on the south valley's west side from Firebaugh down to Kern County. "We want to locate right in the middle of the tomatoes" says Gilton, "in a place where the waste water can be used for irrigation and by product for cattle feed." Kings County tomato production doubled from 1998-1999 the last year we have figures for. Gilton says that the plant is expected to produce about 340,000 tons annually. Kings County produced 304,029 tons of processed tomatoes in 1999.

Gilton says financing of the facility won't be a problem given that he expects firm contracts to buy product from food companies.

Gilton would not confirm a report that he is teaming up with J. G. Boswell to grow the tomatoes as well as site the plant on land owned by the world's biggest farming company. Boswell has been diversifying away from cotton in the past few years into dairy, dairy feed and dairy processing, onion and onion packing (see last issues of the Valley Voice) and possibly other ventures. The site for the new plant is said to be a few miles south of the Penny Newman grain facility.

Although the growing season for tomatoes is only June through September Gilton says he expects the plant to run year round making tomato sauce, paste, salsa and other tomato based products. " We think we can keep better employees if they know they will have year round jobs."

Another concern-energy efficiency says Gilton, "given the uncertainty of the electricity in California" we're looking at a co-generation plant on site." The knock against many of the older processing plants run by Tri Valley for example was that they were antiquated along with the fact that they were located in urban areas raising the cost of disposal of waste water. "Some of the guys had $100,000 sewer bills."

Gilton says he expects design plans underway now should take about a month and then the new start-up will be going through the permit process.

Gilton's father Baxter Gilton is also working on a big plan on Boswell land near by The California Natural Cheese plant. Baxter Gilton's project is still in the financing stage however.

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December 20, 2000