Tulare planning commission pauses Final EIR hearing for East Tulare Annexation after school districts’ attorney letter

The Tulare Planning Commission voted Jan. 27 to table the public hearing on the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Annexation No. 202401, known as East Tulare No. 38, after staff said it received a 12‑page letter from an attorney representing the local school districts and needs time to prepare responses.

Planning staff told the commission the letter arrived late last week and asked for additional time so staff and the applicant could prepare and provide written responses before the hearing. “Staff received, very late last week, a letter from an attorney representing the local school districts. That's about a 12 page letter, raising a number of concerns, and staff would like to make sure your commission has adequate information to be able to review staff's response to the concerns and how those would be addressed, before we hold a public hearing,” planning staff said.

The request to continue drew agreement from an on‑site speaker, Steve Macias, who said he and others had not had adequate time to respond and supported the continuance. “We kind of agree with Mario's recommendation of continuing the item until we have adequate time to prepare a response letter to this attorney's letter that was received,” Macias said.

Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to table the hearing for the EIR, general plan amendment and annexation report for East Tulare No. 38. The item was approved in a roll call vote in which Commissioners Miguel, Guerrero and Limas were recorded as voting “aye.” The audio record does not capture all roll‑call responses; the commission chair announced the item was adopted and will be renoticed once staff identifies a new hearing date.

At the same meeting staff also reported on related procedural topics. Planning staff described the EIR as the most detailed form of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for subdivisions and said some sections had been screened out during the project's initial study. Staff noted that other agencies and districts — including the air quality district, biological resources reviewers and, in this instance, the local school districts — are submitting more comment letters, which increases the volume of materials staff must prepare and circulate before hearings.

A commissioner asked about a separate zoning or sign ordinance matter related to a project called the Mavericks; staff said a revised plan met the square footage requirements for freeway signage and that the signage is moving through the building permit process.

Staff told the commission it will renotice the public hearing and aims to provide the commission with the response materials in advance so commissioners have time to review them.

Votes at a glance: The commission adopted the consent calendar by voice vote earlier in the meeting; the consent calendar motion was made and seconded and the chair declared it adopted after a voice vote. The commission then approved a motion to table the public hearing for Annexation No. 202401 (East Tulare No. 38).