Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tulare County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
Local Election Results
Tulare County is posting live election results for county supervisor seats, city council races, and ballot measures. If you vote there, these races decide who writes and enforces local rules for the next few years, so it is worth checking who is winning.
Deed fraud protections — ordinance and recorder notification program
Scammers can forge deeds and steal your home title without you knowing. Under SB 255, the county will now mail property owners a notice within 30 days whenever a deed, mortgage, or deed of trust is recorded on their property — and the new ordinance requires parcel numbers on the first page so the system works reliably.
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.
FEMA reimbursement for 2023 floods and 2020 fire secured
The Sultana storm drain is done; a Kings River study, storm pump standardization backed by $2 million in grant funds, the Friant-Kern Canal project, and two FEMA flood studies (Antelope Creek, Deer Creek/White River) are in various stages — with FEMA funding uncertainty looming.
Matheny tract water and sewer consolidation
East Orosi's tap water is contaminated with nitrates, so residents rely on bottled water while the county runs the system as administrator. The $13 million project to connect East Orosi to the Orosi PUD finally broke ground after 20+ years.
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.
Election Results
Tulare County's key races are being called, and the results will shape who runs local government for the next term. If you care about budgets, services, or local policy, this is the scoreboard to watch.
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.
Eight-foot wall for gated compound near Highway 137 (PZV 26045)
A couple developing a six-parcel gated residential compound near Tulare got permission for a taller-than-normal block wall to block highway noise, stray vehicles and ditch-side trespassing.
Monson ag hauling facility dispute (PSP 26023)
Neighbors say the Nagra site is really a commercial truck terminal, not an ag service business, and worry about heavy truck traffic at a congested rail crossing on Avenue 384. The commission punted, ordering staff to verify the ag claims (including receipts) before deciding. Expect this one back.
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.
Countywide zoning code overhaul (Ordinances 3672/3673)
The county is rewriting its agricultural and residential zoning rules to remove outdated language and add clear zoning tables. Changes include a simpler poultry limit (50 birds per half acre), taller fence allowances (up to 8 feet), an animal-unit conversion chart for small ag parcels, removal of the mobile-home overlay section, and expanded noticing for event permits.
Filipino American History Month recognition
The Board proclaimed October 2026 as Filipino American History Month, honoring the Filipino farm workers who helped build the Central Valley's agricultural economy.
ICE access and Truth Act transparency
The county adopted state-required policies limiting how county agencies interact with immigration authorities, with departments implementing them by January 1, 2027. A public commenter argued county edits removed a mandatory vendor data-protection provision and could fall short of the legal standard.
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.
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.
SJV Biodiesel assessment appeal settlement
Twelve Dollar Tree store assessment appeals were denied because no company representative appeared. The property assessments now stand as issued.
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.
Deer Creek flooding threat to Alpahtchi and Allensworth
Nearly 2,000 people live in Alpahtchi and Allensworth, two rural towns that nearly flooded in 2023 — including a deliberately cut levee. An advocate is asking commissioners to meet with the Deer Creek district manager about emergency floodway options before this winter's storms.
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.
Aging flood pumps and capital improvement program
Most of the county's flood pumps are over 40 years old, and a five-year replacement plan from years ago never got done. Roughly 30 grant applications are pending with the state to standardize and replace them — and pumps keep breaking in the meantime.
El Niño storm preparedness for unhoused residents
The county is bracing for a wet 2026-27 winter by ratifying a local emergency and giving two agency directors power to quickly buy goods and services for flood response. Residents are urged to clear properties and drainage ahead of storms — property owners are responsible for natural waterways on their land.
Permanent supportive housing capacity nearly exhausted
The county has 235+ behavioral health beds and 136 more coming online at the renamed Monarch facility, but can't force people to accept them. Members and staff discussed how relationship-building at shelters and warming centers might get more unsheltered people into beds and treatment voluntarily.
HAP Round 7 homelessness funding allocation
Westcare's veterans program and the VA introduced themselves and want a future presentation slot — timely, since Visalia and the Housing Authority just landed Home Key funds for veteran housing units.
Proposition 1 housing bond on the ballot
Members discussed the National Low Income Housing Coalition gap analysis showing only about 25 affordable units per 100 extremely low-income renter households, and a Self-Help Enterprises plug for Proposition 1 on the November ballot to fund more affordable housing.
Leadership of County Behavioral Health Services
Tulare's brand-new shelter holds an open house June 5 with residents moving in by early summer. The county's behavioral health urgent care center has its roof and walls and should open by year's end, with the larger Casa Grande campus targeting 2027.
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.
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.
Goshen development and infrastructure
The county awarded a $1.9 million contract to rebuild Road 67 in Goshen, approved a countywide guardrail safety project, added a stop sign near Exeter, and adopted its official road mileage of 2,960.99 miles — while supervisors noted rural counties get far less per mile for road maintenance than urban ones.
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.
County cybersecurity posture
IT staff reported local governments are now the most-targeted hacking victims, with public sector break-ins rising from 36% to 61% of breaches. The county blocks tens of thousands of phishing emails monthly and joined a no-cost state monitoring partnership worth roughly $300,000 a year commercially.
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.
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.
Data center moratorium and future zoning rules
The county extended its ban on new data center development in unincorporated areas for 10 months and 15 days while permanent zoning rules are drafted, then separately voted to formally oppose large data center projects. Residents packed the hearing demanding a permanent ban over concerns about water, power, noise, and air quality.
SGMA implementation and Tule subbasin probation
Well registration in the Greater Kaweah area is about halfway done (roughly 2,000 of 4,000), Tulare subbasin GSAs are reorganizing, and agencies are exploring pumping retirement and water purchase tools.
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.
Behavioral health services contracts and grant oversight
The large no-bid contract for children's mental health services was pulled from the calendar after a resident questioned its retroactive award, lack of competitive bidding, and the provider's audit findings. It will come back for separate consideration.
Employee health plan premium increases
The county renewed employee health plans with notable increases — Anthem PPO plans up 15.3%, Kaiser up roughly 9.75%, and Delta Dental PPO up 14.13% — affecting county workers' benefit costs.
Seville Community Park Push
Students and families from the disadvantaged unincorporated community of Seville asked the county to sponsor a state park grant application before a December 17 deadline. The Board cannot act on public comment items, so the request awaits future agenda action.
IHSS Caregiver Wages
IHSS caregivers, roughly 9,000 strong in the county, urged supervisors to support a raise, citing rising cost of living. The Board cannot act on non-agenda public comment.
Mineral King Road & Wishon Drive Permanent Restoration Bid Dispute
The board split over whether to waive a paperwork error by low bidder Rehak Construction, whose bid was $115,000 below the next bidder. After one failed vote, the contract went to Rehak for $317,001.62, with repairs to be reimbursed at 88% by the federal emergency relief program.
2027 Assessment Appeals Calendar
The board set the hearing schedule for property assessment appeals next year, with minor changes. These are the dates residents and businesses can contest their property valuations.
Public Health Linkage During Homeless Counts
The count found 20 people reporting HIV/AIDS, up from 12 last year, prompting discussion about getting public health nurses and resource materials to outreach teams and navigation centers.
Kern County Homeless Response System
Kern County shared how it funds and runs its homeless programs — tiny homes, a navigation center, and a self-governing safe camping site — while facing hard choices as ARPA funds run out and the state demands proof programs move people into housing.
2026 Point-in-Time Count Results
Tulare County counted 1,023 people experiencing homelessness in January 2026, down 13% from the year before — the second straight annual decline. Street homelessness dropped from 890 to 677, likely reflecting new low-barrier shelters, but smaller towns like Dinuba and Exeter saw increases.
FY 2026/27 County Budget Adoption
The county's $2.26 billion budget funds public safety, health and human services, and 4% raises for elected officials and staff. Only about $256 million is truly discretionary — most goes to public safety. CAO Britt flagged future risks: federal HR 1 cuts could push people losing Medi-Cal back onto county indigent health care, and pending AB 690 could add $2-5 million a year in conflict-defender costs.