[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6651237,"mediaKeyId","3424216-c094208114387894862838cd9e49b8bc","parentId",3424216,"title","Votes at a glance: council approves printing/mail contract and Live Oak PUD amendment with park enhancements","audioSeconds",773,"startMs",8206000,"endMs",8979000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3424216-c094208114387894862838cd9e49b8bc&start=8206&end=8979","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3424216-c094208114387894862838cd9e49b8bc/thumbnail_8206000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6651237/Hanford/Kings-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-council-approves-printingmail-contract-and-Live-Oak-PUD-amendment-with-park-enhancements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6651237-5fad40eaea76d6d3828d0049a80640f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200631&Signature=Hlh1QF88JMK7DPvJwXqZVz3uycZ1cPGAVfMfU9yrR8HKnrPvFJa4DF02Jpos3Cnq3hr6K8dFGMRJ-or8F39Yp4AQY1wLrplBU8DSWaA0nV229xggtG6qsAIiluNmzL6U-R0eiTlLj6UshM4FWl3KnFkzous9QMLCXT2BbfftjmEGcV2B6zobnoChpEfeGsrH1Kw4loOyySs72zhPHv32oG-BZbteKSgCUJDdBzZDvo-vuXJkDLT-put7JuK7EgJn1MJSCFyLgu2RHhtjpYO-Q~e3qetXME9vy80U0rEy5Y~eU4TLDb2VqgCgZGX-uRD1fVozKXsb0B~IxwtGe~EbUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Hanford","date","2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","article","The Hanford City Council recorded two separate, formal approvals during the May 20 meeting: a professional‑services agreement for printing and mailing utility bills, and an amendment to the Live Oak master planned unit development that removed the requirement for decorative lighting and accepted developer‑funded park improvements.

Infosend utility‑bill contract (Consent Calendar item H)

Motion: \"Approve agreement for professional services with Infosend at approximately $183,600 annually for utility billing print and mail services for a three‑year contract,\" as read into the record by staff and moved from the consent calendar.

Tally (roll call):
- Yes: Council member Kyres
- Yes: Council member House
- Yes: Council member Reagan
- Yes: Vice Mayor Payton
- Yes: Mayor Martinez

Outcome: approved (5–0). Staff noted the city’s incumbent vendor did not submit a new proposal and that the evaluation committee (finance staff) based its recommendation on vendors’ capacity to meet turnaround, postage and presort requirements. One public commenter earlier had asked about the composition of the evaluation committee and about prior costs; staff said the committee was finance department personnel and previous annual mailing costs were about $175,000.

Live Oak master plan / PUD modification and vesting tentative tract changes (public hearing)

Matter: requested modification to Planned Unit Development No. 2005‑04 and vesting tentative tracts 865, 881 and 912 to remove a requirement for decorative lighting and to accept alternate lighting and park‑improvement contributions proposed by the developer.

Developer proposal: two amenity packages were described to council. Both included solar park lighting and solar bollards, picnic tables and grills; one package included outdoor exercise equipment while an alternate package substituted concrete play/amenity features (shown as concrete \"amenities\" in the staff presentation). Staff and the developer provided maps of proposed amenity locations. The developer had increased its financial contribution toward park enhancements after follow‑up meetings with staff.

Motion: Councilmember moved to approve the alternate package (the second option) with the concrete amenity in place of exercise equipment and to authorize staff to modify conditions of approval accordingly.

Tally (roll call):
- Yes: Council member Kyres
- Yes: Council member House
- Yes: Council member Reagan
- Yes: Vice Mayor Payton
- Yes: Mayor Martinez

Outcome: approved (5–0). Staff said the approved action alters the tract resolutions and will change the prior $150,000 assumption because the developer’s revised proposal exceeds that figure; final language will reflect the amenities chosen by council.

Other consent votes

Council approved consent calendar items A through I with item H handled separately; the motion to approve A–I (omitting H for separate consideration) passed on a roll call vote 5–0 prior to the separate H vote.

Documentation and next steps

Staff recorded the approvals and said revised conditions and resolution language will be prepared and returned to the council. No ordinances or resolutions numbers were assigned in the meeting record; staff said they will update the formal files to reflect the revised tract resolutions and the professional‑services contract execution.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hanford - City Council - May 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the May 20 meeting the City Council approved a three‑year contract with Infosend for utility bill print and mail services and approved modifications to the Live Oak master planned unit development that remove a decorative‑lighting requirement and add developer‑funded park amenities; both measures passed on recorded roll calls.","taxTitle","Hanford, Kings County, California","taxId",4030,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6651242,"Hanford presents draft FY26‑27 budget and personnel master; council asks staff to return with cost estimates for baseball complex lighting",865,2972000,3837000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3424216-c094208114387894862838cd9e49b8bc&start=2972&end=3837","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3424216-c094208114387894862838cd9e49b8bc/thumbnail_2972000.jpg","/articles/6651242/Hanford/Kings-County/California/Hanford-presents-draft-FY2627-budget-and-personnel-master-council-asks-staff-to-return-with-cost-estimates-for-baseball-complex-lighting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6651242-dca5019083808a04b339e8a2641f2ad7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200631&Signature=b0EM5~RJJAdxO3AbxG0vhFroFKrmvMAX-BnpGNzbsLmgqT-N3G2-ho2B36U9KUume9AwP9y9KySjBr5UKIr4pYGqR4SCYIVPv0Bq08ryT97p6bYoBfb5umt4UEAKUqGHtXMOI0ijBkFI9BYIp4RPCqibqWjTtuTvyzhP-eRx7TAQFDpm7AmeKkd7SsvJ07CC9kRL-t4e8HELd-PeKwzYlI0SC2NbD-G76YOw9tg68JpVxErswcVyz7CcSdfQyu7AziXkPUmQ3k-iL4~Bg4umWpmPXJhYscotRiSH01VmmUkN8mkDgm7DXLxFIfo8dU79XxQuLA39va0bFzMVaek2oQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff reviewed a draft two‑year operating budget and personnel master for fiscal years 2025‑26 and 2026‑27 at the May 20 joint meeting, emphasizing non‑general funds, internal services and proposed staffing changes.

Finance presentation and high‑level figures

Finance staff reported proposed appropriations of about $150.7 million for FY26 and $158.7 million for FY27 and a budgeted full‑time headcount of 332 for each year; staff said the personnel master reflects a net increase of 26 FTEs versus the prior adopted budget with one newly requested position (assistant planner) and 20 additional positions proposed to be funded by Measure H. Staff also noted a $2 million addition to the fleet reserve for refuse trucks and described an employee health‑clinic initiative named the Hanford Employee Care Connection.

Staff said non‑general funds (including enterprise utility and refuse funds) account for a large share of appropriations, and that increases to utility‑related costs (tipping fees, chemicals, fuel) and updated city service allocations contributed to the higher totals. The presentation included a schedule: the budget will return for final adoption and the annual appropriation limit on June 3.

Council questions, public comment and park lighting

Council members questioned several items, including communications staffing capacity and use of interns to augment outreach. During public comment Hanford Youth Baseball leaders and other community members urged the city not to charge their league usage fees or asked that the city recognize the volunteer maintenance and facility investments the league provides. Public commenters also reported a May 13 incident at the Youth Athletic Complex in which a fixture failed and glass rained onto spectators; a speaker said the bulb and fixture blew and narrowly missed a parent.

Council members and staff discussed options. The city manager and staff said retrofitting or replacing fixtures will require engineering assessment and cost estimates and noted the timing challenge given the budget process. Councilmembers expressed concern for safety and urged staff to return with a future agenda item that would include an engineered estimate for light replacement and an assessment of energy‑efficiency options. The council gave consensus to direct staff to bring the lighting project back for consideration as a CIP request and possible appropriation.

Next steps

No formal action was taken on the draft budget at the May 20 study session. Staff said the presentation was for review and feedback only; the council is scheduled to consider final budget adoption and related items at a June 3 public hearing.

Ending

Staff will return June 3 with the formal adoption packet; staff also agreed to prepare a focused report and cost estimate on lighting at the Youth Athletic Complex for a future agenda item at council direction.","Finance presented the city’s proposed FY26‑27 operating appropriations and personnel master (332 FTEs budgeted), including Measure H funding recommendations; council discussed capital needs after a light bulb failure at the Youth Athletic Complex and asked staff to prepare a future agenda item and cost estimate for lighting replacements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6651248,"Hanford begins REAP‑funded planning work on environmental‑justice element and single‑family objective standards",1587,83000,1670000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3424216-c094208114387894862838cd9e49b8bc&start=83&end=1670","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3424216-c094208114387894862838cd9e49b8bc/thumbnail_83000.jpg","/articles/6651248/Hanford/Kings-County/California/Hanford-begins-REAPfunded-planning-work-on-environmentaljustice-element-and-singlefamily-objective-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6651248-b729481f471965a4250c3ba898bcce2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200631&Signature=QIEQBrxiJVEnQQqR43qIVV7IEXOIS-PTirFETLTT2xB0TwDDYdYdaWfh4IvbJswl-RYLBjTkm4DBD3M-ymJ72BAlwxZzGJnjekkYOdXWBSMHNpRTHtWMhNsR3qd2pFhWlvjyQqSH1-Y4c1fEGCuybusVjjT532UCUs6W5fTijnjE-~hcRyW6pGDyLjLCKhVFB8Dg95Rm7csDdIfo-hdyqTL-E0AN0qclUUcOWbdqwCNrgaVQSWYnBekjO5daDjZo1GkigHBCqLNb1nsf2mIi72l2MvdTENDIn3l8yveDn0zWf8nSbBE5mLM005q8EG0aF1OdmVGWn3ZKZygmQKkC0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Hanford on May 20 opened a joint study session of the City Council and Planning Commission to review a package of planning projects funded by a Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant, including a state‑required environmental‑justice (EJ) element and proposed single‑family objective design standards.

Minteer Harnish planners Brent Gibbons and Michael Gibbons said the work has been divided into phases and stressed that staff and consultant work will rely on community engagement. \"This project is only as good as the feedback in the community engagement that we get,\" Brent Gibbons said, listing a kickoff, plan and document reviews, public workshops and a spring 2026 target for final adoption.

The state requirement and what it means

Consultant Michael Gibbons summarized the new statutory requirement enacted by Senate Bill 1000 (SB 1000), which directs cities and counties in California to add an environmental‑justice element or related policies when updating general plans. The element, the consultant said, must identify areas within city limits that are both lower income and carry higher pollution burdens and then set community‑wide goals, policies and programs to address those inequities. Michael Gibbons said the consultants will use publicly available datasets (he said the analysis considers roughly 170 metrics) and will pair the data review with targeted outreach, and that final maps would be prepared at the census‑tract level.

The consultants described a multi‑part outreach plan: two farmers‑market pop‑up booths (tentatively June 5 and June 26), a community workshop (tentatively July 2), commission and council study sessions, and materials translated into English and Spanish. Michael Gibbons said the EJ element will consolidate cross‑cutting topics — for example healthy food access, pollution exposure, and civic engagement — into a single element and produce a list of programs for implementation.

Objective design standards for single‑family

Brent Gibbons then described objective design standards, which are measurable, non‑discretionary rules for building design and site placement. He said state policy promoting objective standards aims to streamline approval for qualifying housing projects (citing implementation under SB 35) by removing subjective design review as a barrier to approval. Gibbons explained that Hanford already treats multifamily housing as a by‑right use and that the consultants and staff are therefore focusing on single‑family subdivisions and new tract maps.

Two implementation routes were presented for single‑family standards: apply objective standards to all single‑family development (including tear‑downs and infill), or apply standards only to new subdivisions of a specified size (for example, five or more lots). The consultants noted tradeoffs: ministerial review of projects that meet objective standards increases certainty and speed but reduces discretionary review and public noticing for streamlined projects.

Discussion and next steps

Council members and commissioners asked about the scope of environmental‑justice metrics (air, water, pesticide exposure, health outcomes) and about whether objective standards would prevent unique or quality designs. Michael Gibbons said projects that do not meet the objective standards could still seek discretionary approval but would not receive the streamlined route.

Consultants and staff emphasized the timeline and public outreach schedule; the consultants said they expect public review and adoption in spring 2026. The consultants also said the team will prepare an audit of existing general plan goals and policies and \"fill the gaps\" based on community input.

What’s next: the consultants requested feedback on draft outreach and draft standards; staff said the project will return to planning commission and council for review of draft language and for environmental review under CEQA.

Ending

City staff and consultants said they will return with draft language and outreach materials and noted that the project is grant‑funded. The team asked both bodies and the public to participate in the scheduled pop‑ups and workshops so the final EJ element and objective standards reflect local concerns and technical data.","City staff and Minteer Harnish presented a REAP grant–funded package of planning work including a state‑required environmental‑justice element of the general plan and proposed objective design standards for single‑family subdivisions; consultants outlined public outreach and two implementation options for the design standards.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: council approves printing/mail contract and Live Oak PUD amendment with park enhancements

Hanford presents draft FY26‑27 budget and personnel master; council asks staff to return with cost estimates for baseball complex lighting

Hanford begins REAP‑funded planning work on environmental‑justice element and single‑family objective standards