Input Needed From Tulare County's Rural Residents

August 31, 2010

Tulare County’s Resource Management Agency (RMA) is conducting a series of meetings in rural communities in an effort to update redevelopment implementation plans.

RMA officials say these meetings will help shape the future of these communities and encourage all residents who live within the redevelopment boundaries to participate. There will be two meetings – one in Ivanhoe and one in Earlimart – this week. 

RMA Community Development Specialist Scott Cochran, who will help facilitate the community meetings, said the purpose of an implementation plan is to serve as a multi-year planning document for setting forth community goals, objectives, anticipated projects and programs for a five-year planning period. One main goal is to alleviate blight in the eight Tulare County Redevelopment Project Area Communities. Blighted areas are areas that exhibit substantial and prevalent adverse physical, and economic conditions requiring redevelopment assistance.

“Community dialogue and input received as a result of the redevelopment project area community workshops is integral to the preparation of these implementation plans,” Cochran said. “It is important for not only the residents to attend, but members from the school districts, public utilities and community service districts to attend as well.”

Redevelopment is a tool created by state law to assist local governments in eliminating blight from a designated area, as well as to achieve goals of development, reconstruction and rehabilitation of residential, commercial, industrial and retail districts.

The Redevelopment Agency must renew or adopt a new plan every five years. Community input is integral to the preparation of this new plan, and will help shape the futures of Cutler-Orosi, Earlimart, Goshen, Ivanhoe, Pixley, Poplar-Cotton Center, Richgrove, and Traver.

During the Five Year Implementation Process, the community has the opportunity to specifically provide input at the community workshops and at the public hearing before the Board of Directors.

Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Steve Worthley said residents of the redevelopment project areas are encouraged to get involved at the earliest possible time and to stay involved during the process.

“Redevelopment can be an effective way to inspire action into our County’s unincorporated communities,” Chairman Worthley said. “We rely on public input in this important process.”

For more information, please contact RMA Community Development Specialist Scott Cochran at 559/624-7000.

Meeting Schedule

Ivanhoe Implementation Plan Community Meeting
September 1, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Church of the Nazarene
15427 Ave. 328
Ivanhoe, CA 93235

Earlimart Implementation Plan Community Meeting
September 2, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Earlimart Veterans Memorial District Building
712 E. Washington Ave.
Earlimart, CA 93219

Goshen Implementation Plan Community Meeting
September 8, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Goshen Elementary School Cafeteria
6505 Ave. 308
Goshen, CA 93227

Cutler-Orosi Implementation Plan Community Meeting
September 9, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Orosi High School Multi-purpose Room
41815 Rd. 128
Orosi, CA 93647

Poplar-Cotton Center Implementation Plan Community Meeting
September 15, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Pleasant View Elementary School Multi-purpose Room
14004 Rd. 184
Poplar, CA 93257

Pixley Implementation Plan Community Meeting
September 23, 2010
Pixley Veterans Memorial District Building
718 N. Park Drive
Pixley, CA 93256