McFarland meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

McFarland agendas take up Annexation No. 22, a $137,137 sidewalk bid and a Third Street land sale

McFarland's City Council was scheduled to meet Oct. 14 to open public hearings on Annexation No. 22 and related zoning changes, and to take up several contracts, a city-owned land sale and its latest expense and payroll reports. No minutes from that meeting have been published, so none of these items can yet be reported as decided. What follows is drawn from the published agendas.

City Council: annexation hearings, contracts and a land sale

The council's agenda listed public hearings on initiating proceedings for Annexation No. 22 and on a proposed zoning map amendment for Assessor's Parcel 060-250-02. Annexation would change which local government provides services to the land in question; the agenda does not identify the acreage or location involved.

Also on the agenda:

• A bid of $137,137.00 from Cen-Cal Construction for TDA Article 3 sidewalk in-fill improvements. TDA Article 3 refers to transportation development funding tied to transit use; the agenda does not detail which sidewalks are covered.
• A quote of $16,125.79 from 661 Communication for new police department communication work.
• A sale and development agreement with Triumph M LLC covering 0.21 acres on Third Street.
• An expense report of $1,403,558.36 and a payroll report of $469,207.50.

The agenda describes the contracts and the property sale as items under review. Whether the council awarded the bid, accepted the quote, approved the sale or acted on the annexation hearings is not established by the material available.

Three committees scheduled on goals and projects

Three committees were also set to meet Oct. 14, each with a single substantive item: a review of goals, objectives and project updates.

• The Quality-of-Life Committee agenda included that review plus a period for public comment on agenda and non-agenda items.
• The Public Policy and Finance Committee agenda listed the same goals and project review, with the rest of the agenda described as procedural boilerplate.
• The Public Safety Committee agenda likewise centered on the goals and project review, alongside procedural items.

None of the three agendas names specific projects, targets or dollar figures, and no minutes have been posted.

What is not yet known

All four meetings are recorded as agenda-only, with minutes not yet published. That means the record supplied here shows what was scheduled for discussion, not what was voted on, approved, rejected or continued. No vote tallies are available for any item, and no outcome should be inferred from an item's appearance on an agenda. The absence of minutes is a gap in the published record, not evidence that an item was dropped or that no action was taken.

Residents who want the actual outcomes can check the city's posted minutes and meeting recordings once they are available; those documents, not this summary, are authoritative.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings were listed in the information provided for the next 14 days, so there is nothing to flag for attendance at this time. Meeting notices are typically posted in advance; check the city's agenda page for any sessions added after this roundup.

Correction policy: figures and item descriptions above are reproduced as written in the agendas. Anyone relying on them for a decision should confirm against the official agenda packet.

McFarland meetings weigh $963K water well contract, Sherwood Avenue rezoning

McFarland's City Council and Planning Commission met over the past two weeks to consider a range of items, including a $963,000 water well contract and a rezoning along Sherwood Avenue. No final decisions have been reported yet, as minutes from these meetings have not been published.

Planning Commission (Aug. 6)

The Planning Commission met to consider two land-use items:

• A resolution (No. 2026-11PC) for a residential setback variance on an accessory unit at 220 Cedar Grove.
• A resolution (No. 2026-12PC) approving Tentative Parcel Map 12657.

The commission also had on its agenda approval of the July 1, 2026, regular meeting minutes and public comment periods. No vote outcomes are available.

City Council (Aug. 12)

The City Council agenda included several significant items:

• Awarding a $963,000 contract to Bakersfield Well & Pump for the New Elmo Water Well Project, plus a $96,300 contingency.
• A second reading of Ordinance No. 6-2026 to rezone about 10 acres along Sherwood Avenue between Browning Road and Blanco Park from M-2 and C-1 to C-2.
• Introduction of Ordinance No. 7-2026 to update municipal code terminology from "secondary units" to "accessory dwelling units."
• Discussion of a fee schedule and operating guidelines for the McFarland Commissary Launchpad at 103 W. Sherwood Avenue.
• Routine approvals of an expense report of $1,727,105.06 and a payroll report of $494,349.86.

The agenda also listed several police training travel requests and closed-session interviews for Police Lieutenant and Human Resources Director positions. No votes or decisions have been published.

Special Meeting (Aug. 14)

The City Council held a special meeting with a closed session to discuss the appointment of a Human Resources Director and a consultation with the Public Works Director regarding a threat to public services or facilities. No other business was listed, and the agenda was otherwise procedural.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days.

McFarland council scheduled dairy agreement, rezoning votes in late July; outcomes pending

The McFarland City Council held three special meetings between July 20 and July 22, 2026, with agendas covering litigation, a dairy industry agreement, a proposed ballot measure on animal operations, and several land-use and infrastructure items. Minutes have not yet been published for any of the meetings, so outcomes and vote tallies are not available.

July 20: Closed session on West-Star Dairy litigation

The council scheduled a special session on July 20 consisting of procedural items and a closed session to confer with legal counsel regarding the case *West-Star Dairy v. City of McFarland*. No minutes have been published, so no action taken in closed session is on the record.

July 22: Dairy MOU and November ballot measure on animal operations

A separate special meeting on July 22 included two notable agenda items:

• **Resolution No. 2026-94**: A memorandum of understanding with West Star North Dairy, identified as Sherwood Ranch.
• **Resolution No. 2026-95**: A ballot measure to amend Chapter 17.200 of the McFarland Municipal Code, which addresses concentrated animal feeding operations, for the November 2026 election.

The agenda also allocated public comment periods for agenda and non-agenda items and included a closed session on the Community Development Director employment matter.

Because minutes are not yet published, it is not confirmed whether the council voted to approve either resolution.

July 22: Sherwood Avenue rezoning and infrastructure agreements

A second special meeting on July 22 included public hearings and consent agenda items:

• **Ordinance No. 6-2026**: A public hearing to rezone approximately 10 acres along Sherwood Avenue between Browning Road and Blanco Park from M-2 and C-1 to C-2.
• **Resolution 2026-88**: A public hearing on a variance for height and setbacks for a block wall at 392 Maria Court.
• **Resolution 2026-87**: A waiver of the business license fee for Community Health Centers of America.
• **Supplement agreement F013**: Execution of an agreement for a park and ride facility at Taylor Avenue and Mast Avenue, using federal RTSP funding.
• **Supplement agreement F014**: Execution of an agreement for pavement rehabilitation on W. Perkins Avenue from Garzoli Avenue to Frontage Road, using federal RSTP funding.

The consent agenda also included authorization for a CalPERS member contribution pick-up. Minutes are not yet published, so approval of these items is not confirmed.

What this means for residents

The rezoning along Sherwood Avenue, if approved, would change the allowed uses on roughly 10 acres between Browning Road and Blanco Park from industrial and limited commercial to general commercial. The dairy MOU and the proposed ballot measure on concentrated animal feeding operations could affect how animal operations are regulated within city limits. The infrastructure agreements involve federal funding for a park and ride facility and road repaving. Residents should watch for published minutes to confirm what was decided.

Coming up

The McFarland Planning Commission meets Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The agenda includes:

• **Resolution No. 2026-11PC**: A setback variance for an accessory unit at 220 Cedar Grove.
• **Resolution No. 2026-12PC**: Approval of Tentative Parcel Map 12657.
• Approval of the July 1, 2026, regular meeting minutes.

The meeting also includes public comment periods.