Notice of Preparation - Visalia General Plan Update

Proposal for the City of Visalia
General Plan Update and EIR
or wetland delineation according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requirements are proposed
under this scope of work.
P. Sustainability (D&B, with Urban Green). D&B and Urban Green will establish a list of key
sustainability indicators related to land use and future development. D&B will gather data
about the proposed indicators from available existing data and from other data being
created for the General Plan. We will look at current trends in Visalia, benchmarks based
on State standards and/or other comparable cities, and compare where Visalia stands relative
to these benchmarks.
Q. Community Design (D&B). D&B will analyze Visalia’s urban form at three levels: the citywide
scale, neighborhood, and individual block. The citywide analysis will emphasize entrances,
edges, views, and streetscapes. Analysis at the neighborhood scale will identify key
areas that give the City its unique character, including Downtown, and residential neighborhoods
developed during different decades of the City’s growth. These elements will be
depicted on the base map, described according to their contributing characteristics, and illustrated
by photographs. The block-level analysis will examine block sizes and the prototypical
relationship between buildings and streets, in residential and non-residential areas—
both traditional and emerging.
Using GIS, D&B will analyze city and neighborhood walkability—accessibility to shops,
services, downtown, and open spaces. We will also review recently-built projects, design
and development regulations in the Zoning Ordinance, and see how these match with
community values and livability desires, and what changes in City policies and standards
will foster better community design. Scenic highways will also be identified and evaluated.
R. Parks and Open Space (D&B). Using information from City (and County) staff, the Planning
Area’s parks and recreational open space will be fully mapped and quantified, including
planned open space acquisitions. Existing park standards will be described. Using service
radii and walking distances from existing parks, current deficiencies in recreational
open space will also be visually represented, and neighborhoods or other areas lacking in
such facilities will be identified.
S. City Staff Meeting. (D&B) Review the maps, major findings, and conclusions of the Existing
Conditions and Key Issues Report at a meeting with City staff from all departments.
City staff will review and comment on the draft, and then D&B will revise the document to
respond to staff comments.
T. Existing Conditions and Key Issues Report (D&B). Using information provided by City
staff and available through compiled resources, D&B will prepare a graphically-oriented
Existing Conditions and Key Issues Report. It will include a series of maps, tables and
summary text documenting existing land uses, analysis of existing neighborhood form
(block and lot patterns, connections, open space and density), major development projects
(City staff to provide), public facilities, environmental conditions, existing noise, regional
policy considerations, and potential growth areas. The demographic analysis and the economic
analysis will be included.
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