The primary responsibility of the Planning Division is to provide professional advice and service to the Planning Commission, City Council, City Manager and other staff members regarding all matters pertaining to planning and zoning in accordance with the scope of City Ordinances and state planning laws.

The Planning Division maintains the City’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and Specific Plans. 

The Planning staff considers a wide variety of matters, including subdivisions, zoning, annexations, conditional use permits, design review and assessment of environmental review, updating and implementation of the Tulare General Plan. 

Site Plan Review Committee

Site Plan Review is a free pre-application process that gives citizens relevant feedback on any changes they wish to make to a site. Whether there are proposed physical alterations to a site or a change of use, site plan review will provide initial guidance for the project in order to meet all applicable codes and requirements of the City of Tulare. Feedback from Site Plan Review can help citizens maintain their property legally and produce coherence among the varying city land uses. Site Plan Review seeks to help sites develop in a way that enriches the community that they are in.

Site Plan Review is held every Wednesday beginning at 1:30 p.m.  Items are reviewed in the order that they are received. Site Plan Review applications must be submitted by Thursday at 3 p.m. in order to be reviewed by staff the following week. All Site Plan Review submissions must include a Site Plan Review application form and a site plan. Some applications may also require floor plans, elevations or an operational statement.

Once submitted, City staff will review the information provided and provide the primary contact a copy of the Site Plan Review agenda for which your item is scheduled.  Emails are generally sent out the Friday prior to each week.  

Site Plan Review applications can be submitted electronically here, or can be emailed to planningdept@tulare.ca.gov, or submitted in-person at 411 E. Kern Avenue, Tulare, CA 93274.

Site Plan Review Application Form

Current Projects 

Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance

Public Review Draft Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Update

Proposed 2024 City of Tulare Zoning Update Map

Planning Staff

Mario Anaya, AICP, MPA, 
Community Development Director
(559) 684-4217
manaya@tulare.ca.gov

Steven Sopp, Principal Planner
(559) 684-4216
ssopp@tulare.ca.gov

Jonathan Coelho, Assistant Planner                                                                                          (559) 684-4221                                                                                                                  jcoelho@tulare.ca.gov

Julian Reynaga, Assistant Planner                                                                                            (559) 684-3125                                                                                                                  jreynaga@tulare.ca.gov

Maria Sanchez, Senior Administrative Assistant
(559) 684-4217
maria.sanchez@tulare.ca.gov

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