Vander Poel on "Yokohl Valley Ranch"-style projects
question:
What should the county do about growth? Do you support large-scale "Yokohl Valley Ranch"-style projects, smaller-scale efforts, or something else? answer:
Growth should absolutely be encouraged by the county. However, that growth needs to be intelligent, well-planned, and needs to occur after the proper infrastructure (i.e. water, air quality, roads, public safety, etc.) is in place. The preservation of viable agricultural land is essential for Tulare County as the number two agricultural county in the United States, thus development on land that is less suitable for cultivation is critical in achieving this goal. The scale of the project simply raises questions regarding water availability, air quality, public safety and other impacts to Tulare County. Provided these infrastructure questions are addressed and the projects pay their own way, the scale of the project becomes irrelevant.