This article has been updated to include comments by Councilmember Martin Devine. It was standing-room only April 24 at the Hanford City Council meeting as residents awaited the final vote on the 2035 General Plan. At stake were the rezoning of the vacant 18 acres of Hidden Valley Park and the protective zoning ordinances that […]
After more than three years of hard work the Hanford City Council was hoping, at its April 18 meeting, to finally approve Hanford’s 2035 General Plan. Supporters of Hidden Valley Park had other plans, though, and successfully filibustered for more than two hours to extend the decision to Monday, April 24. Many residents who spoke […]
Hanford residents have one last chance to make their voices heard concerning the Hanford General Plan. Afinal Public Hearing will be during the city council meeting Tuesday, April 18, at 7pm in the council chambers. The public hearing was originally scheduled for April 4, but Council Member Justin Mendes was unexpectedly unavailable to attend. Even […]
After making an impassioned plea to save Hanford’s “jewel” during its March 7 city council meeting, the council members rejected a bid to renovate the historic building during its March 18 meeting. Three bids were submitted, with the lowest coming in at $982,000 by JTS Construction. The vote was 5 – 0 against. The city […]
Hanford’s historical buildings bring in needed tourists’ dollars, and are cherished by the residents, but the question faced by the city council is how to pay for their maintenance. At the March 7 Hanford City Council meeting the debate raged over the Bastille, Old Courthouse, Rabobank and the Old Fire House. While the council members […]
The Hanford City Council decided at its March 7 meeting to pursue listing the undeveloped portion of Hidden Valley Park as surplus. If the Planning Commission votes to put this parcel on the surplus list the city council will be able to sell the property. The 18 acres will be zoned low-density residential if the […]
At the February 7 Hanford City Council meeting the members voted to go forward with a transient occupancy tax measure and a medical marijuana facility tax measure. If approved neither tax will be paid by the residents of Hanford. The transient tax will be a special election mail-in ballot in August, and the tax on […]
The local Fox theaters are starting to tell signs of their ages – well, maybe not just starting to, but rather again showing signs, each developing problems within the past week. On Wednesday, December 7 around noon, a Visalia Fox Theatre employee happened upon a pond of water rising in the theater’s orchestra pit subflooring. […]
The City of Hanford swore in two new city council members and conducted a reorganization of the council at its regular city council meeting on December 6. In addition to swearing in Martin Devin and former council member Sue Sorenson, David Ayers was appointed as mayor and Sue Sorenson was appointed as vice-mayor. The council […]
The Hanford City Council held a work session November 15 to hear a presentation by community development director, Darlene Mata, and Police Chief Parker Sever about two Canadian medical marijuana facilities. Mata and Sever visited the two facilities in October. City Manager Derrel Pyle, Police Chief Sever, and Police Captain Pat Crowe visited a third […]