Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tulare County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
18 issues with medium priority
Caldwell 99 interchange groundbreaking
After decades in the making, construction is finally starting on the Caldwell 99 interchange — safer traffic flow and a boost for economic development in that corridor.
City Council Election
Tulare voters are deciding three city council seats, with three candidates in the running. The results matter because the new council could change how the city votes on local issues and budget priorities. If you live in Tulare, this is the local race that shapes day-to-day decisions.
Election Guide
It’s Election Day in California, and the Visalia Times-Delta has a guide to what’s on your 2026 ballot and what each measure actually means. If you’re voting in Tulare County, this is your quick cheat sheet before you head to the polls.
Rural land divisions and small-lot zoning
In honoring Community Planning Month, the county's planning chief highlighted 24 community plans completed since 2012, designed to unlock state and federal funding and manage growth along Highway 99 and 65 corridors.
Forcum-Mackey construction contract increases
Two big county building projects cost more than planned: the Goshen Fire Station grew by about $536,000 and the Assessor relocation by about $40,000 due to unforeseen conditions.
State legislative developments affecting the county
Three state water bills remain alive this session — AB 2180, SB 1125, and SB 1417 — while several others died or were suspended. The subcommittee took no position on any of them.
Williamson Act agricultural preserves
Landowners seeking Williamson Act preserve contracts will wait a bit longer — the hearing was continued to November 17 so staff can finish the packet.
Strathmore flooding at Friant-Kern Canal crossing
Avenue 196 where it meets the Friant-Kern Canal is a known flooding point. Fixing it needs upstream storage, bigger storm pipes through Strathmore, and more storage at Success Lake — now waiting on the Friant Water Authority to partner on a solution.
Streambed permitting breakthrough with Fish and Wildlife
A routine maintenance agreement with state Fish and Wildlife — in the works for over a year and a half — would clear the CEQA permitting hurdle so landowners and agencies can actually clean out channels. Fish and Wildlife is being unusually cooperative, though the Army Corps and State Water Board may still have a say.
Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant Applications
The county is applying for seven grants worth an estimated $12.7 million total to improve road safety. That could mean funded safety projects on county roads.
Tipton Well No. 6A Completion Project
No bids came in for the Tipton well project, so the county awarded the construction contract to Travioli Construction for up to $750,570 using American Rescue Plan Act funds.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Response
Supervisor Micari reported the county's pointed letter to FEMA finally got a response after a year and a half of silence on disaster recovery questions.
Three Rivers road acceptance
The board vacated unused Canyon Drive and Quail Run Drive rights-of-way in South Fork Estates Unit 2, a subdivision approved in 1985 whose third unit was never built. Owners must consolidate lots and prove legal, physically viable access by December 31, 2029. A property owner described a private fire-access road to the cemetery as an escape route.
Sheriff-DEA task force and dispatch agreements
The sheriff's office locked in a five-year DEA task force deal and Lindsay signed on for county emergency dispatching through 2031.
Red Ribbon Week drug prevention
The county proclaimed October 23-31 as Red Ribbon Week, with a free family event at Mooney Grove Park on October 24 and prevention programs reaching an estimated 100,000 students.
GSA well registration program
A new groundwater agency is registering wells — both irrigation and domestic. Registering your domestic well helps the agency know where you are and protect you.
2025 Agricultural Crop and Livestock Report
Gross farm value jumped 10% to $9.14 billion, keeping Tulare County in the running as California's top ag county, though rising costs and a 28% drop in table grapes show pressure on growers.
County road construction and infrastructure awards
The Board awarded contracts for slurry seal countywide, the $5.6 million Farm to Market project near Pixley and Terra Bella, a culvert replacement near Strathmore, and accepted new roads in Goshen — better roads and drainage for rural communities.