Visalia Planned Parenthood clinic hearing delayed after developer appeals over parking dispute

A public hearing to determine the fate of a proposed Planned Parenthood clinic on Mooney Boulevard in Visalia has been delayed for the second time in as many months.

City planning commissioners approved the clinic to open at 3221 S. Mooney Blvd. in December over the objections of David Paynter, a local developer who argued that the planned medical office did not have sufficient parking and would disrupt shoppers at neighboring retailers Bed Bath & Beyond and Marshalls. Paynter manages the businesses as well as nearby Sequoia Mall and numerous centers along Mooney.

Commissioners ruled those concerns unfounded at a Dec. 13 meeting. An agreement between the clinic and the owner of a nearby restaurant — formerly Visalia Ryan's Place — to lease 10 parking stalls would give the clinic more than required under city code, planners said in their report.

Planned Parenthood officials allege that the dispute is not about parking but rather wanting to keep the perceived controversial clinic from expanding in the city. Planned Parenthood has operated an existing clinic in Visalia for more than six years without incident, said Lauren Babb, vice president of public affairs.

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"This is far bigger than the parking. I'll be very frank to say that we have been looking for a new location for six years," she said. "All we want to do is provide health care to people that we know need it."

The new clinic would offer many of the same services as well as primary care physicians for Tulare County's many residents who are insured through Medi-Cal. The Visalia clinic would not offer abortions, Babb said.

Tulare County has among the lowest resident-to-physician ratios in the state coupled with one of its highest rates of poverty, making access to affordable health care a challenge. The Mooney clinic plans to treat an average of 40 patients a day, many of whom are lower-income, Babb said.

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Planned Parenthood leaders said they “won’t give up” on a new Visalia location if the appeal is successful.

"You're talking about people that literally have no resources in terms of being able to access health care, and that's our mission: To make sure people are able to live healthy lives," she said.

Planned Parenthood's current location, at about 1,500 square feet, severely limits the clinic's ability to provide care, she added. The new clinic would occupy about 6,500 square feet inside an existing commercial building shared with Aspen Dental.

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"Our ability to provide health care in general really depends on having a facility that allows us to see more people and do primary care and all of those things," Babb said.

Paynter said in his appeal that he was fearful of protesters and demonstrations "significantly harm(ing)" neighboring business on Mooney.

"Our concern is that the typical demonstrations which occur outside of Planned Parenthood will also be significantly harmful to both Marshalls and Bed Bath and Beyond as well as to the current and future businesses located at the Sequoia Mall," Paynter wrote in his appeal to Visalia City Council members.

Babb said no protests have happened at the Visalia clinic.

"We had no intentions of trying to rock the boat, so to speak, when we chose this location," she said. "We just chose it because it was the first one that made sense in six years."

Council members will hear the clinic's supporters and opponents at a March 7 public hearing to be held at the Visalia Convention Center. Already, council members told the Times-Delta they have received more than 250 emails from constituents on both sides of the issue.

The hearing was initially scheduled for Jan. 18 but was delayed by the appellant after two council members failed to attend the meeting. A rescheduled hearing on Monday was again delayed to accommodate the anticipated blockbuster turnout and a request by the building's owner.

Joshua Yeager is a reporter with the Visalia Times-Delta and a Report for America corps member. He covers Tulare County news deserts with a focus on the environment and local governments.

Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Planned Parenthood seeking larger Visalia clinic to boost service