Goshen Meat Packer Wins Suit
Goshen - Western Pacific Meat Packing has been waiting since 2001 to get its building permit that has been approved by the Board of Supervisors. The plan is to build a new state-of-the-art packing plant on land the company owns in Goshen. The project was challenged on environmental grounds by a group of neighbors who claimed the county did not adequately assess some environmental impacts the project would bring.
On July 3rd Judge Paul Vortmann weighed in after a lengthy court hearing process and decided against the neighbors - Catetano-Jung, et al. Now, Western Pacific Meat Packing can finally pick up that building permit.
“It’s been a year and a half of wasted time,” shrugs company owner Rod Bolcao who says he plans to move forward on the $32 million 13-acre project despite the lengthy delay.
Demand for new slaughterhouse facilities remains strong in the US since the federal government is mandating stricter compliance with standards today than just a few years ago. The facility remains viable “since it’s in the middle of the largest concentration of cattle” in the US because of the presence of the dairy industry, says Bolcao.
This will be one of the first meatpacking plants to be built in California in the past 20 years and the first meatpacking plant of its size in Tulare County.
The Board of Supervisors had approved the project based on the fact it would produce up to 200 full time jobs and the extent the company had cooperated to meet all the concerns.
Judge Vortmann pointed out that on a number of issues brought by the petitioners, the project had adequately addressed the concerns including:
Water quantity: that the site plan provided two wells using the same amount of water that had been used to irrigate the 54 acre parcel with alfalfa and that the project had a “will serve” letter from Cal Water for hook up to the water system in any case.
Water quality: waste water on the site will be treated using an anaerobic digester and re-aeration pond on site delivered to the sanitary sewer system through closed pipeline so that no runoff into the surrounding land is expected.
Solid waste: “all solid waste and inedible byproducts from the enclosed building would be removed daily.”
Traffic: the project had agreed to move the entrance to the facility 500 ft. away from the nearest residence. In addition the company would help pay for street improvements nearby. In fact, those improvements are now well underway.
Air quality: The judge noted that the issue was already addressed.
The fact that the applicant has won what has been a 3 year application process and now a 1.5 year litigation process doesn’t mean the project is officially ready to break ground. But at least now Mr. Bolcao can hold his permit in his hand as he plans his next move.
The new state-of-the art equipment being planned for the facility should be much less noisy and cumbersome than some of the equipment in older meatpacking sheds, said Jim Sullins, county director for University of California Cooperative Extension in Tulare County. "I think a lot of people are worried about odors and noise, but if they build it state-of-the-art, I think a lot of people will be surprised about how clean it can be," Sullins said.
Unlike meatpacking plants that were built in the 1940's through 1960s, which were run on hydraulic equipment, today’s newer electronic technology is much quieter and more efficient, Sullins said. "There have been tremendous breakthroughs with packinghouse equipment, including everything from breaking equipment where they cut the bones right down to the electric deboning knives. This makes the work safer, cleaner and faster and workers have a lot better working conditions," Sullins said.
A new meatpacking plant should help boost the meat industry's margin even more in Tulare County, Sullins said.
"Any time in agriculture when you can keep your value added process local, whether it be a meat packing plant or fruit packing plant or a chemical distributor or a tractor sales company, it gives you an economic advantage because you don't have to truck the product as far and it helps you keep the money within the county," Sullins said.
"This will seriously benefit the local dairy industry," said David Albers, the Fresno attorney representing Western Pacific Meat Packing Co. "The new slaughterhouse will be another outlet for dairy cattle which normally get sold out of the area for processing."
Lisa Liebermann contributed to this story.
Visalia - Visalia’s largest retail expansion ever is well underway with lots of new buildings going up on Mooney Blvd. But behind the scene there is plenty of competition between rival centers to fill thousands of square footage of available retail space. One result is a retail musical chairs involving the relocation of existing stores as well as new outlets that aren’t in town now.
The latest example of this trend is news that Sequoia Mall based Men’s Wearhouse has signed a deal to relocate in the new Kohl’s anchored shopping center at Walnut and Mooney. Developer Dave Paynter won’t confirm the deal but other sources say the deal is done.
On south Mooney the Lowes anchored Packwood Creek shopping center is well underway with some stores expected to open as soon as early October. Here, too, real estate agent Walter Smith of Pearson Realty won’t confirm a signed lease but sources say Pier One imports will relocate to the center leaving the current Costco shopping center. Smith confirms the center is also working with Michaels - the craft store near the Visalia Mall for a possible location at Packwood Creek.
There may be more to come. “I told the city they would set up a shuffling of retail tenants,” says Sequoia Mall’s manager Dave Harris. Harris argued against the major expansion of Mooney retail space past Packwood Creek. Now with all the space available “they are out there stealing our tenants.” Ross stores is the subject of lots of solicitation as well.
Some centers indeed are winners in this battle while others like the older Sequoia Mall (now for sale) and the Costco-anchored Passco shopping center may not be. Passco is working hard to retain Circuit City who wants a larger store in Visalia. In addition, the investors have been sitting on an empty store at Home Base for more than a year now with no sign it is about to get refilled.
The competition between the Orosco and Paynter centers continues with Paynter saying their center has attracted a Baja Fresh and Jamba Juice outlet to the new Walnut and Mooney center. Baja Fresh had been an announced tenant at the Orosco center months ago.
Walter Smith says Orosco is concentrating on filling up the east side shopping center in the next few months before it works to fill in the west side north of the new Target, he says. Filling the old Target is problematic too. (See other article.) Krispy Kream on the west side will soon break ground.
Target Building On Auction Block
Visalia - Target Stores has put its current Visalia store property on the auction block as it prepares to relocate in a few months to its newer, larger location on south Mooney. Bids are due July 31 on the purchase of the 103,000 sq. ft. building and 9.4 acres of land at Caldwell and Mooney, according to Staubach Co. real estate representative Matthew Alexander. The asking price is $4 million.
“Companies sell their unused assets this way all the time,” says Alexander who suggests there has been “good interest” in the property. “We will probably negotiate with buyers for 30 days after the initial bid openings,” says Alexander. The property would be available to the buyer December 1.
The news of the scheduled sale of the Target storefront comes as a surprise to come city officials who were expecting Packwood Creek shopping center developer Don Orosco to acquire the older store and rehab it for a new user or demolish it for new development. Orosco is the developer that made the deal with Target to relocate to his center. As a condition for approval of the center with the city Orosco has pledged to back fill the older store so that the new development doesn’t create empty big boxes along the existing Mooney strip. But now Orosco appears to have no role in the pending sale. He was not available for comment.
But Alexander says that “Mr. Orosco is one of the people we are talking to” about buying the property. Planning Commission chair Victor Perez says “the situation certainly bears watching” since Mr. Orosco had pledged to backfill the property as part of the agreement to move Target to his property to the south. “Maybe it was Target who wanted to see if they can get a better deal,” questions Perez.
City planner Steve Brandt says he is trying to find out from Orosco what’s happening as well.
Bay Area Firm Developing Green Acres Airport Site
Visalia - Silicon Valley-based De Anza Properties is in escrow to buy most of the remainder of the 150 acre Green Acres airport land for a mixed use development including likely around 450 homes. The company will also develop a 13 acre portion for a shopping center along Demaree north of Goshen Ave.
The deal to sell the large vacant property is set to close in phases in August and September.
Finance director for De Anza Properties, Brian Tjader says the principal with the company, John Vidovich, is out of state this week and could not comment. But he says De Anza Properties has developed a number of mixed use projects in the Bay Area in the past decade and more recently invested in a California City almond grove. Mr. Vidovich has had a business relationship with Visalia farmer Clarence Ritchie who is also a partner in the Green Acres airport ownership.
Visalia home development has been sizzling for the past year - particularly in the northwest part of the city where all the major developers have projects. While subdivision land prices have been rising they remain a bargain compared to the Bay Area or even Clovis where reports of $100,000 per acre land makes our $40 to 45,000 per acre price seem like a bargain. Visalia appears to be a growth market compared to the Bay Area right now where communities are actually losing population according to recent reports.
The development of the Green Acres airport site is a long story that includes decades of expense to clean up the former crop duster site at the airport that was closed in the early 1990s. Six families own the land according to Shannon and Ritchie Farms who are managing the sale of the land.
In the past few months the company sold off a few acres to the Visalia Unified School District to expand their car and bus yard to the west. That still leaves over 102 acres for new single family homes. Currently the owners of the airport site are seeking a change in the general plan for the project area to relocate the multi family portion of the project on the far east of the project area and reduce the size of the office development behind the commercial space at the corner of Demaree and Goshen.
The Green Acres site already has an approved master plan meaning development could happen relatively soon. Most expect entry to mid level priced homes in this area despite the fact the land if located right across the street from the Green Acres Golf Course and Green Acres itself. “The market is hot in entry level,” suggests Tokkie Elliot, whose family owns a piece of the land.
Adding all the new homes coming into the northwest area, it’s no wonder the school district now has a new elementary school and future high school campus ready and demand for a grocery store site at Houston and Demaree could happen sooner than later.
It’s likely that this northwest area of town will be the home to 3000 to 4000 new homes in the next 10 years.
Local Veal Calf Ranch Promotes Welfare Standards
Tulare - Tulare area calf ranch Rancho Vitello is the first state veal calf ranch to be audited on its treatment of veal calf animals through the science-based Farm Animal Care Training and Auditing LLC organization (FACTA). The FACTA organization is led by experts in animal handling and welfare who recently conducted a site visit to the ranch documenting that the ranch exceeds US and European animal welfare standards in the treatment of its veal calves.
Veal calf raising has been a source of controversy in the US in part because of a tradition in some culinary circles to serve veal with virtually no flavor to allow the sauces to carry the dish, say experts.
That strategy mandates the calf be only milk fed and not ever move around normally. Health wise the animals are often subanemic, says Dr. Jim Reynolds of UC’s Tulare Veterinary Center.
But European standards insist the calf be fed to develop in a normal way developing the stomach section “rumen” that process grains just like a full grown cow does. It also mandates a larger pen and group pens.
CEO of the audit firm, Dr. John McGlone says that “Rancho Vitello uses science-based production methods that are consistent with the highest standards of welfare. Based on an on-farm visit and examination of documentation, we are pleased to be able to certify that all of the welfare policies of the farm are being followed.”
Joost Teunissen, Managing Partner of Rancho Vitello, was enthusiastic about obtaining this new, independent certification. “Animal welfare is important to our customers and Rancho Vitello strives to achieve the highest animal welfare standards to meet the desires of the most discerning consumers,” he said.
Rancho Vitello produces special-fed veal using a program modeled after the most humane European production methods. The company purchases quality calves from local dairy farms, has traceability from birth to marketing, does not tether its calves, administers iron to prevent anemia, group houses older calves and feeds roughage to allow for development of the rumen.
The herd health program and program for veterinary care is provided by dairy veterinarians led by Dr. Jim Reynolds at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Jim Cullor, director of the School’s Veterinary Medicine Teaching Center, states, “Dr. Reynolds collaboration in the design of this program is a classic example of the commitment of the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center to animal health and well-being.
Grocers, restaurants and other consumers of the food product are now looking to third party audits to assure them the producer is following through on how the product is handled until it arrives at their dinner table.
Looking to open new markets - selling to certain restaurant chains for example - provides the incentive for producers like this Tulare County ranch, to follow through on the new guidelines. It’s a trend we may see spreading to other food commodities produced in the valley.
Dr. Reynolds says the better treatment of the animals pays off in the healthy growth of the calf.
Food Industry Standards Impacting Dairy Practices
Tulare County - How the US dairy, poultry, egg and cattle industry raise food for the table is increasingly becoming a high profile issue - not just in the US but world wide. California farmers now realize they are in a global food business selling to fewer buyers. Those buyers are seeing a need to identify stricter growing standards that farmers are having to pay attention to if they want to supply the marketplace.
“The recent announcement by the McDonald’s Corp. calling on its suppliers worldwide to phase-out the use of animal growth promotion antibiotics that are used in human medicine is a reminder that consumers are having more influence in livestock care and management issues,” says Dr. Jim Reynolds, research veterinarian at the UC Tulare Veterinary Center.
McDonald’s is not alone in pressing for better treatment of livestock. Pushed by animal rights activists like PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals there has been heavy lobbying of the restaurant chain KFC to adopt new rules on treatment of their birds. Now the company has announced new poultry raising standards. But the latest push was the industry itself represented by the National Council of Chain Restaurants and Food Marketing Institute.
Reynolds is chairman of American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Animal Welfare Committee who is coordinating an industry effort to respond to new animal welfare guidelines developed by the Milk and Dairy Beef Quality Assurance Center and approved by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR). These two organizations (FMI and NCCR) represent grocery stores and fast-food chain restaurants and account for more than 85% of the food marketed in the US.
Chain restaurants such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s had been responding to consumer and animal welfare group concerns regarding animal welfare guidelines for each instance. Rather than continue to make competing ad hoc welfare guidelines, the food marketing companies last year directed their marketing associations, FMI and NCCR, to review and endorse welfare guidelines that will become the industry standards for each species group (dairy, beef, egg layers, broilers, swine, etc.)
Dr. Reynolds suggests that it is important to recognize that this request for guidelines “has come from the marketing side of the food industry and represents attempts to assure consumers that food animals are cared for with compassion and respect.” Companies and restaurants that belong to FMI or NCCR will be encouraged to buy food (milk, cheese, powder milk, meat) from processors who buy from livestock producers who have been certified to be in compliance with the NCCR-FMI endorsed animal welfare guidelines. The AABP Animal Welfare Committee members were involved in the process by providing input and reviewing the guidelines.
Coordinated Approach
While there have been several attempts by various groups in different states to make animal welfare guidelines, none have really been ready for industry adoption. The Dairy Quality Assurance Center’s guidelines have been adopted by NCCR-FMI and appear to be ready for acceptance and implementation. While not finalized, the NCCR-FMI endorsed system looks like it will have the following components:
• Dairy producer self-evaluation. Dairy producers will obtain (probably from their cooperatives or other milk markets) the Caring for Dairy Animals Technical Reference Guide and On-the-Farm Self Evaluation Guide. This booklet has been developed by the Milk and Dairy Beef Quality Assurance Center (DQA Center) in Iowa and will be the tool that dairy producers will use to educate themselves on the welfare.
• The dairy will have a third-party verification to ensure compliance with the guidelines. The DQA Center expects veterinarians to provide this verification service and charge the dairy a consulting fee.
• NCCR-FMI may require a third-party confirmation audit. Veterinarians may or may not be the auditors for this part of the process. Only a percentage of the dairies would be confirmed. This service might be provided by the Ag Marketing Service (a part of USDA) if the producer so selects.
Down Cows
One issue that remains unresolved in the California dairy industry is how to deal with “down cows” disabled animals who can’t get up typically because they are ill. Right now if the animal is down on the farm, the dairy owner can have the animal dragged away and sent to the slaughterhouse.
The AABP welfare committee disagrees with this approach suggesting that if the animal’s too sick, isn’t eating or in dire distress, then it should be immediately euthanatized or humanly slaughtered to limit its suffering.
USDA does not disallow these down animals from going to the meat processing plant although there is a bill in congress to ban the sale of down animals to meat suppliers. The argument is that a sick animal should not be part of the food chain.
But the state’s dairy industry has resisted changing the law. While there is state law against dragging an animal it is routinely ignored, say sources.
The committee recommends if an otherwise healthy animal has been recently injured, and the animal is ambulatory, it should be treated, shipped directly to a state or federally inspected slaughter plant, humanely slaughtered on the farm (where state laws permit) or euthanatized. Injured ambulatory animals should not be commingled with other animals during transport.
“I want to point out that in general I think the California dairy industry is dong an excellent job in how they treat their animals” knowing full well that a comfortable cow is a better milk supplier. “Some dairies could improve a little and some could improve a lot,” he admits.
One suggestion Dr. Reynolds has is for dairymen to feed their bull calves natural colostrum that is high in antibodies that fight off disease. As an industry only 30% of the bull calves are fed colostrum from their mother’s milk.http://www.mcdonalds.com/corporate/social/index.html
What's New
Renting the roof: COS thinks it can rent its roof to wireless companies for $9000 a year - one way to help a sagging budget.
Shoshone Inn reportedly has some new investors who are buying into the failed resort in Three Rivers. According to the Bank of Visalia who holds the note - escrow is likely to close by the end of July. Sources say that owner John Webley will still have a stake in the venture. The restaurant there could reopen this fall.
Proposed 70-plus acre westside auto mall - Visalia Auto Plaza - off Plaza Dr. will get its first hearing Monday, July 28 at 7 p.m. in front of the Visalia planning commission. The commission will review the plan's EIR.
Tulare County could have all-Gannett daily papers - if a reported purchase takes place by Gannett, who owns the Times Delta and Tulare Advance Register, of the privately-held Freedom Communications newspapers chain who owns the Porterville Recorder. Freedom, based in Irvine, has put itself up for sale and Gannett has been reported in the business press as a possible buyer. Owning all three papers could allow Gannett to combine them all, goes the theory, since they have been thinking about combining the Advance Register into the Times Delta for years, perhaps simply changing the front page for each town's edition.
Visalia Industrial Park could expect to get a new warehouse - new construction project starting at 15,000 sq. ft. up to 60,000 to be built by Mr. Fung Lee owner of Mainland Surf of Visalia. The surf wear company now has six stores including a new store planned in Pleasanton, says architect Walter Diesler. The new warehouse will be on land owned by Mr. Lee on Sunnyview.
Payoff for property owners - Completion of the expansion of Terminus Dam later this year could help property owners save on the flood insurance believes city manager Steve Salomon. He told council this week that a new federal flood plain survey could exempt substantial portions of the city of Visalia where property owners currently have to fork out an estimated $1 million in premiums currently.
Salomon wants the city to look at increasing some fees and adding a new development impact fee in the city. They include the waterways fee, transportation impact fee and parks fee. The new fee would be a public facilities impact fee covering the cost of the expansion of public safety buildings and corporation yard. The building industry will weigh in.
Cool new dome on one of the buildings at the city's new transit center and Oak St is made of copper and features a lightening rod on top designed to take the jolt instead of the waiting passengers in a storm.
One scenario in the move to recall Governor Gray Davis is that Davis is able to halt the recall at any time simply by resigning and handing the reins over to Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante of Dinuba. While some say that Davis' ego wouldn't allow it - the maneuver would save the Democratic party from losing power and suffering a likely thumping at the ballot box this fall. Both Oakland mayor Jerry Brown and Senator Barbara Boxer have reportedly sketched this same concept in private conversations, according to press reports.
Next month the California High Speed Rail Authority will issue their draft plan for a preferred route through the state for the 200 mph train system. Valley representative and vice chair of the Authority, Fran Florez of Shafter (mom of Dean Florez), says she has not made up her mind whether the route down Highway 99 from Bakersfield to Fresno - via the Visalia airport - would be preferred over the current Amtrak route on the BNSF through Hanford. But Fresno's decision to support rail consolidation through its Downtown could support the Highway 99 route. Florez says she will invite valley government groups including Tulare County to a meeting soon to receive input. Visalia is hoping for a station near the airport, but Hanford has not been clear whether it would support more trains coming through town or not.
Tulare County - Tulare County Sheriff Bill Wittman, who has already lost experienced staffers to other jurisdictions because of the low pay scale, is about to lose 19 of the most experienced staff on this whittled down roster in order to save budget funds.
Those 19 include Assistant Sheriff Janet Hinesley, 2 captains, 3 lieutenants and 5 sergeants. "That lots of experience that will be leaving," says Undersheriff David Whaley. The way the department can save money is to eliminate some of the positions, he says and hire new employees in some of the positions at a lower starting pay.
The deal is part of an offer made to all county employees in the so-called tier-one category who needed to notify the county by July 1 that they would accept the so-called "golden handshake". County spokesman Eric Coyne says the 19 are part of 70 county employees that have agreed to the deal. The 19 Sheriffs Department staffers will end their service in mid December.
Sheriff Wittman is under the gun to further reduce his already depleted budget by another $5.5 million as part of the reduced state funding. Because of that Wittman has said it's possible that the Porterville and Pixley substations could be closed.
Whaley says turnover at the sheriff's department has increased in recent years jumping from just 25 in 1999 to 55 in 2001, 46 sworn employees in 2002 and 23 so far this year. Out of the 456 budgeted sworn positions in the department, 48 are vacant currently but the department can't find people or remains uncertain if it can pay for the position, he says. "We are under an interim budget right now," says Whaley until the state and county can finalize their budget.
Wittman has solicited help from some 50 local business members who are looking at suggestions to "save our Sheriff Department" (SOS). Sources say while some would like to promote a sales tax increase to help fund the shortfall, consolidation of the department and joint use cooperative effort with other police departments might be a way to go. The SOS group is planning a second meeting to air some ideas, says former Visalia PD chief Bruce McDermott.
Former Lumberjack Center To Get $1.5 Mil Makeover
Visalia - Local developer John George who owns the Works property next door acquired the vacant Lumberjack property on south Mooney and now plans a $1.5 million make-over of the retail center. "We are targeting the work to be completed by January 1," says George, who with the help of Miller Matejcek as leasing agent thinks there are good prospects for the 90,000 sq. ft. center to fill with retail or commercial tenants.
The complex is three buildings all of which will get a complete rehab with the help of Mangini Associates as architects. The site has some 600 ft of Mooney frontage just south of Mooney Grove. "We see this property as a prime location being the southern entrance to Visalia," says Bill Miller.
Miller says three separate buildings will be leased including the largest at 45,000 sq. ft. in front where the retail Lumberjack store was.
In addition, the plan is to remove an older house that is just to the north of the property to give the project additional visibility and possibly another pad.
George has completely filled the Works property by remodeling some buildings to the tune of $1.5 million for a Health and Human Services office for the County.
For more information about the project contact Miller Matejcek.
Woodlake Gains Lumber Yard
By Miles Shuper
Woodlake - Woodlake, which lost it's lumber yard six months ago when Keith Brown Building Materials, formerly Copeland Lumber, left town, now has one.
High Sierra Lumber and Supply, Inc. is expected to open its doors by the end of this moth, offering a full line of lumber, building and hardware supplies.
The new business is located along Avenue 344 on the site of the former Orange Belt Supply Company which closed its Woodlake operation three years ago this coming September. High Sierra, formed by local investors, will be run by experienced lumber and building materials personnel, including two managers, Jeff Holmes and Jerry Kramlich, who combined have more than 40 years experience in the lumber business. Holmes, who managed the Woodlake Copeland and then the Keith Brown store, returns to Woodlake after managing the Keith Brown store in Dinuba.
Kramlich was manager of the Keith Brown store in Lindsay. He also worked in the Exeter store prior to going to Lindsay. He has more than 25 years in the lumber industry, most of them in Tulare County. Several other former Keith Brown employees from the Dinuba and the Lindsay stores have joined the new Woodlake based company. Ronda Vannorsdall is the office manager.
Kramlich said High Sierra Lumber of Supply Inc. will be open July 28 with a grand opening celebration scheduled for Aug. 30. High Sierra will be open six days a week, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
The new company is located on two and one-third acres. The main building is about 12,000 square feet.
The return of a lumber and building supply company is welcomed news to city officials, builders, homeowners and area residents, said City manager Bill Lewis. Although there had been speculation that someone might reopen a lumber yard at the former Keith Brown (formerly Copeland Lumber), that property is still up for sale. The opening of the new company has taken a relatively short time, mainly because the site was zoned for that kind of use, and the Orange Belt Supply buildings had been in relatively good shape.
Lewis said having a lumber yard in Woodlake is a benefit to the city and a help in keeping local money from leaving town. "We're glad they are here and we will do whatever we can to help," he said. One thing the city has done is remove a number of Oleander bushes along Naranjo Avenue, providing better visibility and access.
Lewis also Woodlake housing construction, while not fast paced, has picked up and an 80-unit project near Castle Rock elementary school is being considered.
Co-Manager Holmes said High Sierra will serve the entire county and surrounding areas, including Kings and Fresno counties. Holmes and Kramlich said having a local lumber and building materials firm is not only a convenience for area residents, but also keeps money in the community.
The above stories are the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.
July 16, 2003
