Tulare County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tulare County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Countywide zoning code overhaul (Ordinances 3672/3673)
First major rewrite of agricultural and residential zoning since 2012, affecting 32,000 parcels and 92% of county land. Adds zoning matrices, updates definitions, and raises event-neighbor notification from 300 to 1,200 feet.
Porterville ag-repair permit and alleged junkyard conditions
The denied Porterville service establishment illustrates how code enforcement drives land-use decisions: a follow-up inspection showed cleanup progress but mostly non-agricultural vehicles, and neighbors described sewage dumping and fluid runoff.
Allensworth Community Plan Update
The Board adopted a six-year, resident-driven plan that expands Allensworth's planning area to 3,845 acres, redesignates agricultural land to mixed use, and creates community districts with a local design review commission. Residents say it is a roadmap for jobs, tourism, and basic services in a historically underserved town founded by African Americans in 1908.