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Visalia - People used to live in Downtown Visalia - upstairs in scores of the multi-story buildings whose second floor areas are now vacant.  Visalia businessman Lloyd Mosley says he thinks that idea may be coming back.

Mosley owns and works everyday at Bothof’s Bakery and McWilliams and Mosley clothier on Main St.  He’s been a downtown merchant since 1966.  Above his desk is a picture of an old furniture store building he owns on the same 200 East Main block as it looked in the 1930's.  In the picture (above) balconies jut out from the elegant turn of the century brick building that housed eleven separate units upstairs that are still up there today.

 Located on the corner of Garden and Main the building has a furniture store in a 7000 sq. ft. first floor, a 4000 sq. ft. mezzanine and another 7000 sq. ft. on the second story where the apartments were.

Ownership of the fine brick building and an interest in downtown has prompted Mosley to consider being a pioneer - bringing back living quarters to what has become today one of the liveliest places in the city.  “If it pencils out I’d like to be the first to develop residential units downtown.  I think its possible there could be 200 to 400 units down here some day.”

Mosley says he is still looking at the financial feasibility but should decide after the first of the year whether to plunge forward.  “We have the theaters, the restaurants and most of the services down here except for a grocery store.”  The parking garage next to the building might work well for people who need to park their cars at night.  The building is just steps from Mosley’s historic building.  The project will be only a block from the new $3 million city transit center as well.

“We’ve been talking to the city and they think there is a need for this,” says Mosley.  More people are living in downtowns in Sacramento, Santa Barbara and Pasadena for example, all cities with strong downtowns.
Moves to develop historic buildings, removing the 1960 era metal facade on this building, for example, restoring a building to its historic look, are encouraged in California, says assistant city manager Dianne Guzman.  Guzman recently hosted an expert on such matters and showed her the Mosley project.  “There are financial incentives available,” she says.

Downtown Visalians and Alliance are requesting they take over a facade renovation program the city has had for years but has gone lately untapped.  “We think it makes more sense as a grant fund” instead of a loan, says executive director Kelly Hauert.  “We will survey about 12 property owners to see if they would use the monies for facade renovation if it were available.”  Part of the lure will be to hire an expert to put together computer-generated photos of how the building would look if restored.  “That may make the difference,” she believes.  (See fountain story in Downtown tab.)

The city received about $250,000 to make a plaza at Garden and Main in the next few years, perhaps with a major water feature next to the parking garage.  But the city wants to wait to see if the Mosley project will fly being a possible key piece to the plaza.  Mosley says the look of the building would be restored and the storefront renovated for retail use down stairs.  On the other side of Garden St. plaza is the Enchanted Playhouse building.

Homebuilder Andy Mangano has looked at the idea of the downtown living quarters and says there may be a market for empty nesters in the future Downtown Visalia in the right circumstance.  Being next to secured parking is one major plus, he says.

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Visalia - To help offset the loss of hundreds of trees uprooted for the West 198 freeway project, multiple agencies are working to plant well over a thousand trees on or near the big highway over the next few years.
This winter the CSET organization and its youth army, Tulare County Conservation Corp. will begin out at the interchange of Highway 99 and 198 and plant nearly 250 valley oak trees in effect extending the famous Scenic Corridor out to the 99 interchange.  That interchange is now mostly bare with some plantings of eucalyptus.

“Really this is the first impression of Visalia people get,” says CSET manager Brad Albert and extending it is held “in high regard as a community value.”  The 130 member youth corps were involved in the recent tree planting in downtown Visalia helping to cut square holes through the concrete for the trees and planting hundreds over a weekend.  The 99/198 project funded by a $90,000 state grant.

But that’s just the beginning.  CalTrans has budgeted more than $2.5 million to do extensive tree planting and landscaping along the entire freeway corridor that will include planting well over 1000 trees says Elias Mafoud, a project manager for CalTrans.   “We’re waiting for the construction work to wind up before we let the contract,” says Mafoud.

By early February that contract will be bid and work that could take could take over a year to complete will get underway.  The freeway project may not be complete by February as envisioned earlier depending on how wet a winter we might have.  Mafoud has estimated that it could be the summer of 2001 before we are driving on the entire length of new freeway.

Oak tree expert Alan George says the oaks along west 198 and west Main  didn’t just happen by themselves.  As far back as the 1920s the community had a highway beautification effort on the stretch of road from dusty highway 99 into town.  Effort to releaf the corridor around Holiday Inn got a boost when Mayor Greg Collins help organize the planting of 25,000 acorns in the area followed by planting of native Valley Oaks.  The city has an oak tree nursery to help get seedlings started. Now George is concerned that arborists with Cal-Trans are going to plant a high ratio of costal oak tree that are susceptible to a new disease instead of Valley Oaks native to this part of California.

Besides, Cal Trans efforts native landscaping and tree planting is being planned on two stretches of west 198 closer in.  At the so-called Crenshaw Storm water pond on west Mineral King (next to the donut shop) CSET and the city, the Parks and Recreation Committee are applying for a $200,000 grant to completely re-landscape that pond with natural vegetation and trees.  Just east  of there, between Chinowth and Demaree, CalTrans will landscape the north side of the freeway where Mill Creek runs with native vegetation.

Back out west at Akers a city plan to move the Persian Ditch to accommodate development of the Westlands shopping center on the south side of the freeway will mean extensive tree planting and native-look vegetation along the new waterway at the entrance of Visalia.  The city is seeking state EEM grant funds there as well (Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation).  A stretch of creek in the Shirk area will also get re-vegetated if grant monies requested are successful.

If we have been mitigated enough on west 198 the Downtown Visalians too want to help clean the air with trees applying for funds to plant another 500 more trees downtown to add to the couple of hundred planted this summer and fall.  Also along the Goshen bikeway, a big new tree planting is being proposed.

Replanting Visalia with trees comes at a time when state and federal monies are available through a number of programs that are earmarked for alternatives to cars and parking lots like bike paths and trees.  Monies are now available to re-vegetate the once barren ditches and re-leaf Visalia, perhaps not to the degree when it was massive oak woodland before the 1850s, but a far greener (and cooler) place than we have seen in the past.  Activists like the urban Tree Foundation’s Brian Kmepf who helped spearhead the Downtown Visalia planting this summer and Mr. Oak Tree - Alan George who wants to insure CalTrans puts in the valley variety of oak trees ensures the re-leafing of Visalia will continue.

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In addition the city is planning a possible pilot program to install 12 public access electric charging bays in city owned parking lots and structures that would have the effect of encouraging private investment in ZEV vehicles in the next 18 months.

Even though part of our air pollution problem drift down from the Bay Area, mayor Don Landers says.  “We must do our part” to fix the problem.  As to which technology will get city investment dollars, Landers says they aren’t sure whether investing in the 12 recharge stations or more compressed natural gas vehicles, infrastructure is the way to go.  “We have a $600,000 grant to buy CNG buses.”

In their presentation to the council their report suggested that tighter air quality regulations may have a negative effect on efforts to attract new industry and jobs.  Indeed, the EPA is set to “bump” the Valley into a “severe non-attainment” status probably by February - a reclassification for the air basin that will mean tighter pollution controls.  “The alternative is that EPA could take away local control,” says SJVAPCD spokesperson Josette Merced Bello.  The air basin will have to prepare a new plan to meet a higher standard within 2 years.

The move by the Visalia council comes after the Tulare County Board of Supervisors suggested in September they would look into using “green” cars for their fleet replacement.  Supervisor Bill Sanders, who heads the San Joaquin Valley Air Board this year, has said that the County would purchase about a dozen new hybrid 4-door Toyotas this year to add to their fleet - cars that not only are low emission but get 52 miles to the gallon. “We’re looking at cutting our fuel costs in half,” with these cars says Sanders, “plus we will be helping to clean the air.”

Local agencies are stepping up to the plate in a Valley burdened by stubborn air pollution problems.  Motor vehicles make up some 57% of the air pollution problem according to the state ARB.

In September the State Air Resources Board reaffirmed their mandate requiring automakers to market thousands of zero emission vehicles in the state starting inj 2003.  Currently there are only some 2300 electric vehicles on the road in California.

Automakers cite less than strong demand by consumers for the vehicles and environmentalists say its difficult to find the cars.  The cars aren’t cheap.  Some cost over $40,000.  But all agree that a lack of charging stations for electric vehicles makes it problematic for widespread consumer acceptance.  That is why Visalia’s plans to site 12 charging stations around town could be important here.

In addition, the ARB says their strict mandate has helped develop other zero and low emission cars coming to the market including so-called hybrid cars - gas combined with electric as well as cars that use fuel cell technology that uses hydrogen.

The state ARB is under the gun as is the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Board to reduce tailpipe emissions by the federal government.  While cars are far cleaner than they used to be, the increasing number on the roads and the popularity of truck size SUV’s are pumping more smog into the atmosphere.

Still, cars have come a long way since 1965 when over a 100,000 mile life of an average car it spewed out a ton of pollution.  An average 1998 car put 50 lbs. over the same period and the new LEV II standard for cars in 2010 put out only 10 lbs.

Besides electric cars that require charging after 100 miles or less, cars like hybrids on the road today charge themselves and new fuel class cars - highlighted by the recent opening of the new Sacramento-based Fuel Cell Partnership - promises cars and buses in the very near future with nothing coming out of the tailpipe but water.  The Fuel Cell Partnership has major backing from many of the major car makers and oil companies who are looking at the fuel of the future.  The “partnership” plans to put about 50 fuel cell vehicles on the road in the next few years to drive “real world conditions.”

Also, the state is working on making diesel powered engines used on and off road, marine, ag and other uses clean with incentives to replace polluting engines.

To help meet the new standards the state has made available  $25 million for heavy duty engines and off road equipment replacement.  The monies are also able to install alternative fuel infrastructure such as the charging stations the City of Visalia is interested in.

Regarding the high cost of electric vehicles, the state has offered a rebate of up to $9000 per vehicle on the cost, says air basin planner Dave Mitchell.  Whether Californians move toward more electric vehicle choices depends on costs, suggests Mitchell.  So-called hybrid vehicles being sold out of the showroom today are not costing much more than all gasoline vehicles by comparison.  Then fuel class technology may leap over the all battery cars in the future.  “A number of big car makers believe that 10 years from now most of the cars sold will be fuel cell technology,” says Mitchell.  “It may mean the end of the internal combustion engine.”  Whatever the choice “it’s a good sign that cities like Visalia, Tulare and Fresno have taken a leadership role on this,” says Mitchell.

Fresno passed a so-called Healthy City Ordinance earlier this year modeled after San Francisco.  Tulare has been purchasing a number of natural gas vehicles and has sited a fueling station on Highway 99.

In addition to incentives to clean the air, Mitchell says the Air District and DMV may order new Smog Check II rules for Tulare County soon that would test more cars at a higher standard for pollution problems.

Unlike San Francisco, the City of Visalia has decided not to pass a new ordinance but set a new policy for the purchase of cleaner cars and trucks.  In LA the air district “requires” municipalities purchase low emission vehicles for their fleet.  A city memo expects the Valley district to adopt a similar mandatory rule.

Interest in fighting smog and congestion has given cities like Visalia more options to fund alternatives like tree planting and bike paths that help offset more car travel.

Clean fuel vehicles include natural gas powered vehicles.  The city uses the natural gas fueling station operated by the Gas Company over on Tipton St., but the city has only vehicle currently.   Natural gas has significantly fewer oxides of nitrogen - one of the main producers of smog - than gasoline or diesel.

The city says state and federal monies are available for cities like Visalia that buy clean emission vehicles but pay a higher cost than standard vehicles.  That is offset by the low cost of natural gas as a fuel.

Currently various city divisions are working on grant proposals to convert city buses, garbage trucks, and trolleys to cleaner technologies.

ARB figures show of three standard pollutants in the Valley, PM10 volume was worse in 1995 than in 1985, NOx emissions are the same and ROG - reactive organic gases numbers are improved.  While pollution controls are tighter, population growth has made up for it.

Kern ROG numbers are 416 tons on average in 1985 vs 137 tons on average in 1995 - vastly improved due to clean air technology forced on the oil industry in that county.  NOx emissions in that county are 2/3 its 1985 level for the same reason.

That helps Tulare County because of the swirling air patterns that sometimes bring Kern County air into the lungs of residents of Tulare County.

Texaco’s Kern County refinery remains the biggest source of ROG in the air basin with 786 tons a year followed by Shafter-based Navel Petroleum Reserve plant number 1 at 723 tons a year.

The city’s Environmental Committee chaired by Greg Haag also pressed the city council to increase awareness of recycling and waste reduction requesting the city hire an Environmental Coordinator which the city council has now agreed to do.  In addition, the coordinator will work on water conservation issues.  The Committee also suggested the city step up efforts to acquire waterways and replant riparian habitat and trees.

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Signed into law October 30, 2000, the revenue is meant as compensation to counties that have seen their share of former timber revenues decline from the National Forest and BLM lands in the county that have historically gone to both county funds and school districts.

Since so much land in Tulare County is under federal jurisdiction, the payment to counties are the same as if the lands were held in private ownership.  Thus the new law take the highest year the county revenue from timber sales shared by the Forest Service and returns it to that historical level for six full years.  Tulare County’s best year brought in about $1.2 million shared half and half between the county and county schools.

The legislation has even more significance given the fact that the timber harvested in Tulare County is likely to decline more with the enactment of the Sequoia National Monument on over 350,000 acres of former forest service land.

Tulare County’s timber harvest was above 100 million board ft. in the late 80s but has declined to 17 million board ft. by 1995.

The announcement of the monument closed a Dinuba sawmill earlier this year but resulted in various initiatives  including a possible vocational school in Dinuba being championed by Senator Dianne Feinstein.

This week local agencies will hear exactly how much and when they will receive the monies at a meeting at Radanovich’s office in Fresno.  “We don’t expect to see the additional revenues until July,’ says John Wilborn, Director of External Affairs with Tulare Department of Education.  If the amount is $1.2 million, that more than doubles what the county and school district get today, about $567,000 in annual payments as of this fiscal year.

Historically 25% of the revenues that federal agencies get from timber sales must be returned to the county where they came from for the benefit of both schools and roads, that are suffering mightily.  The county has said they may need to stop maintenance on some 500 miles of roads in the county because of lack of funds.

If Tulare County is happy about the return of the monies, some northern California counties are likely to see more since they had far larger timber revenues historically.  Timber payments to Tulare, Fresno, Madera and Mariposa are expected to include more than $4 million annually over the six year term of the legislation.  Nationwide the legislation will benefit 800 rural counties.

Former timber industry lawyer Steve Worthley, now county supervisor from Dinuba says the monies are just one step in the right direction over what he sees as an increasingly voracious appetite by government to take private lands depriving counties of the revenue stream they once enjoyed.

Worthley is a vocal opponent of the Sequoia Monument and hopes that results from Florida soon will mean a Bush administration that could still modify the monuments, if not repeal it.  Tulare County has sued the federal government over the monument issue.

Worthley maintains that even if allowed to stand the monument at above 350,000 acres is far larger than needed to protect about 20,000 acres of Sequoias.

Worthley expects if a Republican administration is in charge Clinton’s ambitious plan to make more forest service land off limits to roads and logging will be reviewed in part because of their huge scale.  Clinton announced an additional 58 million acres across the nation would be roadless, banning commercial logging on those lands just in the past few days.

That could help focus attention on Sequoia Monument.  “The issue now has a better chance of showing up on the radar screen,” says Worthley.

Some timber interests have complained that wilderness designation on more land is the recipe for more insects and fire damage.  Last year was the worst fire year in 9 years across the nation.  Tulare County had a big fire as well in the extreme southern part of the county.

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“That’s the direction we’re heading,” says Tulare’s chief planner Kirk Lindsey.  “We’ve been discussing some trade offs,” confirms mayor Don Landers of Visalia.

The County had been planning to put in place a new urban development boundary around Tagus partly in response to two applications for convenience/gas stations at the mostly abandoned interchange.
It’s unclear that if Tulare lays claim to the interchange and is recognized by LAFCO whether the two applicants will be allowed to develop in the short term as they wish.

Tagus Ranch was a famous landmark for many years but has been boarded up for the past few years.  Recently at least three major development proposals have surfaced for the area just outside both Tulare and Visalia.  Council members from the two cities had been at odds over Tulare proposals to add Tagus to their sphere of influence in an application pending at the Local Agency Formation Commission.  Supervisor Steve Worthley who sits on the board says he too is hopeful that a deal can be worked out.

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Now after the report was submitted to the council last month, the trade group suggests they remain unconvinced that charges are fair.  BIA exec Bob Keene suggested to the council they were going to hire their own expert, the Paladin Group, to do their own study and demonstrate to the city that the fees they are proposing are higher than in other parts of the state.

He says building inspectors that are paid $20.65 an hour are charged at $115.57 an hour to builders to do an inspection.  They say estimates that inspections take over 9 hours are not consistent with standards.  But the continued resistance to pay cost directly relate to the new development is frosting some city officials who say tax payers should not have to pick up the tab for development costs.

The council this week sided with staff  and adopted the new fee structure despite BIA protests on a 4 to 1 vote, council member Wendy Thomason siding with the BIA.

At issue still is a possible stabilization fee that BIA claims is illegal.  The extra fee will be taken up at a future council session, the new fees go into effect in February.

City attorney, Dan Dooley, wrote a lengthy memo to council suggesting the fees adopted will stand up in court.  Keene said while the building industry has to pay “for every piece of paper” and the share of every staffers salary including the city manager even as the general public that comes to the building department gets “free public service.”

In southern California building inspectors are charged at $75 per hour says Keene. But assistant city manager Dianne Guzman says the figures don’t account for the entire cost of providing the service.  “They’ve made the decision to subsidize buildings in those jurisdictions,” she claims.  “Building is booming in Visalia and builders have to pay their fair share of the time and expense.  Inspectors bend over backward to work with the industry,” she claims.

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Visalia - Cigna health insurance is looking at possible expansion for its Visalia operations, says mayor Don Landers, adding 25,000 sq. ft. and 400 jobs to the 1000-1200 jobs already slated for their new Visalia headquarters.  The company, already the town’s largest private employer, has an option on another 3 acres of city owned land next to their new office building on Akers.  “Nothing is for sure yet but we’re hopeful,” says Landers.

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