Springville residents express concerns about zoning

SPRINGVILLE — After the discussion about the new library planned for Springville Tulare County planner Susan Simon spoke about the update of the zoning in Springville to make it compatible with the Tulare County General Plan for 2030.

Simon had packets of paperwork with the zoning information available for residents at the meeting, as well as proposed changes put together by students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo that were part of an exercise in urban planning with 3 different types of zoning suggestions.

In the meeting people expressed concern about the zoning.

Many people were adamant they wanted no changes in Springville as far as the zoning updates required by the county to fit with the 2030 TC General Plan.

As with all large meetings, there was a diverse crowd. There were people who attend the community meetings regularly, and many who don’t.

People started asking all kinds of questions about what was zoned where and Simon said she couldn’t specifically tell them about what goes where, but the zoning has to do with County property zoning.

She also said the planners are reviewing the zoning, and property owners don’t have to pay for zone changes made during the community plan update.

An audience member reminded people the Cal Poly zone proposal was just a proposal by college students who had no background or knowledge about the Springville Community.

Simon asked for community involvement in the meetings, and said she had sent online the notices about the meetings.

Much of the problems stem from members of the community feeling they’ve not been included because in

many cases people don’t have the internet, and if they do, often the internet connection or wi-fi doesn’t work, depending where they’re located in the Springville community.

“We are just updating the current plan, which dates from 1990, to make it fit with the TC General plan,” said Simon.

She said those who have concerns should let Tulare County District 5 Supervisor Dennis Townsend, who represents Springville, know about them.

Simon said everyone can have a voice on the changes during the Tulare County Planning Commission meeting on August 25, and the county is only updating the plan.

An audience member asked how they go about requesting an Environmental Impact Report.

Simon said the county will be doing an EIR for the Springville Community Plan. An audience member asked for more transparency, and Simon said a notice on the the EIR would be placed in The Porterville Recorder, and there would be a copy at the current Springville Library.

Someone asked about a foothills plan, and Simon said the county wasn’t involved with that.

Another audience member said to Simon, “I’d like to thank you. You have provided the information we asked about during the last meeting.”

Another person asked about the Springville commercial district, and another audience member said, “We have a commercial district, it’s called, ‘Porterville.’”

Simon asked everyone take home the Springville Plan paperwork and study it, and be prepared for the meeting August 25.

“Most of the policies will be part of the plan,” said said, adding information will be placed on the county’s website.

Simon thanked everyone for attending the meeting and said “see you at the next meeting.”

For more information visit http://generalplan. co.tulare.ca.us/

Many members of the Springville community are genuinely worried about the zoning issue, the 5-year plan, and want to maintain the community as it is. They want to have limited growth, with no businesses like Starbucks or Mcdonald’s.

Another issue people in the audience started talking about zoning was properties used for Bed and Breakfast places, and that morphed into Ctrains being converted to B&B’S with windows, instead of being used on property for storage or animal feed.