Board approves SME Homes development agreement for Goshen subdivision; Townsend recuses

Aaron Bock, assistant director with the Resource Management Agency, presented Development Agreement DEV25-002 for final map phase 3 of tentative subdivision map TSM 19-003 at the southwest corner of Avenue 308 and Road 64 in the community of Goshen. Bock told the board the map contains 90 residential lots and that CEQA review for the tentative map (a mitigated negative declaration) was completed in 2019; the county has approved prior final maps for this project since 2020.

Bock described coordination with the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District (transcript packet referenced the agency and a letter from its staff). Kaweah Delta asked for a 20-foot access corridor along the South Fork Mill Creek to preserve maintenance access after channel shifts; SME Homes agreed to provide access and construct fortification measures (a wall under the fence) to reduce erosion risk. In exchange, Kaweah Delta accepted a reduction in its full setback request, and the county agreed to abandon a roadway, enter a maintenance agreement with Kaweah Delta, and waive building permit fees consistent with the portion of abandonment. Bock said the county agreed to waive fees and provide assistance up to $120,000 of the roughly $270,000 expected in costs for Kaweah Delta's flood-control access work; he characterized the fee assistance as a portion of costs, not full reimbursement.

Supervisor Townsend read a public statement and said he had a potential financial conflict of interest under Government Code section 87100 regarding DEV25-002 because of possible future income from SME Homes; he said he would not attend the hearing or review any nonpublic information, and asked that the clerk make the announcement part of the official public record. Townsend did not participate in the later vote.

Board members asked whether the county should develop ordinance/zoning language to establish future setbacks for waterways; Bock said starting with maintenance agreements with irrigation/district partners such as Kaweah Delta would be the initial approach and that ordinance work could be pursued as part of the Goshen community plan update. After no public comment at the hearing, Supervisor Vanderpool moved and Supervisor Valero seconded approval of DEV25-002; the motion passed 4-0 with Townsend recused.