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Tulare County planning panel approves density-bonus permit to legalize nine residences in Teviston Hamlet
Summary
The Tulare County Planning Commission conditionally approved a special use permit to grant a density bonus allowing nine residences across two adjacent parcels in the Teviston Hamlet development boundary, concluding staff and the applicant have worked to correct prior code violations.
The Tulare County Planning Commission on Jan. 22 conditionally approved Special Use Permit PSP21-045, granting a density bonus that allows nine residences across two adjacent 1.21-acre parcels within the Teviston Hamlet development boundary.
The permit, requested by Dolores Urifi, was approved following a staff presentation that described prior code-enforcement findings on the properties and said the special-use permit is intended to bring the units into compliance. The commission approved a CEQA exemption and the permit by voice vote, recorded as seven yeses and one absence.
The county’s planner on the project, David Alexander, said the entitlement is grounded in the county code’s density-bonus provisions and the general plan housing element. Alexander said the parcels “have had some code enforcement violations, specifically GC19000083 for substandard housing,” and that the applicant has worked with county staff to correct problems including septic and well issues.
Frank Gomez, representing the applicants, told the commission the family has remediated most problems on the properties and that “I believe, 90% or a 100% of the violations that were on there before” have been corrected. Gomez described three mobile homes on the site and other stick-built units and said the properties now contain about 15 bedrooms in total.
Staff and the applicant said health and safety conditions — including verification of septic function and well testing — will be conditions of approval. Alexander said one well serving the combined parcels likely must be registered with the state because it would serve 25 or more people and thereby be treated as a community well.
The county report cites Section 15.7 (density bonus) as the entitlement source and notes the county’s objective to ensure long-term affordability and compliance with the general plan housing element. The planning commission’s action was framed by staff as an administrative path to legalize and regularize the existing residential use after prior code-enforcement action.
The motion to approve the CEQA exemption and conditionally approve PSP21-045 was seconded by Commissioner Bill Whitlatch; the vote was recorded as seven yeses and one absent.
The permit includes conditions requiring correction and verification of building, septic and well systems before continued use; staff said departments had no additional comments after the most recent consultations and that no members of the public registered opposition during the noticed comment period.
