Planned Parenthood could be headed to Tulare, but not without a fight from anti-abortion group Tulare-Kings Right to Life.
The City of Tulare’s Site Plan Review Committee met Wednesday, February 22, to discuss an application submitted by Planned Parenthood Mar Monte to build a new facility in that city.
A site plan review is the first step to get a project approved by the city.
The meeting was held at 1:30 at Tulare City Hall on Kern Ave and supporters of Tulare-Kings Right to Life were there at the steps early, praying and holding up signs, to protest with about 50 members.
The application indicated that Del Lago Development Company, represented by Jamil Fraser, is proposing to build a new medical facility on the corner of Leland Ave and Paseo Del Lago. The empty lot is just under one acre and is currently owned by Fred Lagomarsino.
Though specifications may change, the building is anticipated to be a 6,000 square foot community medical clinic employing five to ten personnel.
When asked during the meeting if the medical facility will provide ambulance services Fraser said the services provided by the clinic “have not been finalized.”
This was assumed to mean that the developer had not decided whether to provide surgical abortions at the new clinic.
Even though a the site plan committee does not evaluate a project on its purpose, but rather if it conforms with city codes and zoning, members of Tulare-Kings Right to Life wanted to make their opposition heard from the beginning.
In an email blast sent out to its members it stated, “We are asking for support in voicing opposition!”
“We need your help to STOP PLANNED PARENTHOOD from building an abortion clinic in the town of Tulare. We need as many people as possible to contact the owner of the land Fred Lagomarsino or his assistant that is working on this project, Matt Warmerdam.”
The flyer gave a suggested script for those calling in opposition.
“I am calling regarding the proposed ABORTION Clinic/Planned Parenthood that is on the agenda for the Site Planning commission to be reviewed tomorrow, February 22nd at 1:30 pm. We would like to oppose this request to further the plans to build this Abortion Clinic. Please consider my request. Thank you.”
“Fred Lagomarsino was contacted on Wednesday but was out of the office,” said Rick Wehmuller, the Executive Director of Tulare-Kings Right to Life.
The group also encouraged members to call and email all Tulare City officials, providing their phone numbers and addresses on the flyer.
According to a City of Tulare staff member, many emails and calls were received from TKRL and “were duly noted.”
The group led similar protests when Visalia’s Planned Parenthood wanted to expand to a larger facility on Mooney. Though no surgical abortions would be performed at the Visalia facility, rumors persisted to the contrary.
The proposed 6,500 square foot medical clinic close to the corner of Mooney and Sunnyside Ave was voted down by the Visalia City Council after an appeal of the planning commission’s approval in December of 2021. The council said that they did not think Visalia’s busiest commercial zone was an appropriate location for a Planned Parenthood.
There is currently no facility available in Tulare and Kings Counties for medical abortions.
During the meeting a staffer said “there will be opposition to this project” insinuating the approval may take longer than usual.
It was assumed that if the Tulare Planning Commission did approve of the project that their decision would be appealed to the Tulare City Council.
According to Assistant City Manager Josh McDonnell, “the next step for them [Planned Partenthood] would be to submit an application to the City for a Conditional Use Permit along with the accompanying fee. The City would then review the application materials for completeness. Once an application is deemed complete, it typically takes the City 4 to 8 weeks to complete the analysis and get it to a public hearing.“
“The Planning Commission would serve as the decision-making body. The City Council would serve as the appeal body if the decision of the Planning Commission were appealed,” he added.
I think most people are against abortion witness this last election but think it should be legal and rare. Tulare & Kings counties has one of the highest poverty areas in the nation and I think teen pregnancy? I think instead of trying to take away women’s rights they need to castrate men or put them in jail for not taking responsibility for sex. Women shouldn’t have to bare the only burdern.
Most common services that are provided by Planned Parenthood for both WOMEN AND MEN
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/b3/8c/b38c6365-2337-4576-b07d-6a56cbf42ed2/ppst_abortion_facts.pdf
• Abortion (go to Internet link posted above for Planned Parenthood info provided)
• Birth Control
• Breast Exams
• Colposcopy
• Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)
• Gynecological Care
• Health Counseling
• HIV Testing, Counseling and Education
• HIV Prevention (PrEP)
• HPV Vaccine
• Pap Tests
• Pregnancy Testing and Options Counseling
• Smoking Cessation
• STD Testing and Treatment
•
Most common services that are provided by Planned Parenthood for MEN
• Erectile Dysfunction Education
• Erectile Dysfunction Referrals
• Erectile Dysfunction Exam
• Erectile Dysfunction Treatment
• Jock Itch Exam and Treatment
• Male Infertility Screening and Referral
• Premature Ejaculation Education
• Premature Ejaculation Referrals
• Premature Ejaculation Exam
• Premature Ejaculation Treatment
• Testicular and Prostate Cancer Screening
• Men’s Sterilization (Vasectomy)
• Other Men’s Reproductive Health Services
FACT: Abortions services are NOT provided at every clinic. So if you are still in need of good low cost health services then Planned Parenthood just may be a place that you could consider checking out.
Women in Tulare County already have plenty of access to quality medical care and reproductive health care.
Planned Parenthood is not needed,
and cannot be justified.
The Lagomarsino and Warmerdam families have been longstanding in their communities, and association with the Catholic Church & George McCann schools.
I find it surprising that a desire for money would be enough to convince these families to turn from their roots.
Margaret Sanger’s ideals- preventing “undesirables” and poor people from having children- are not the ideals of the good people of Tulare County. No thank you!
What I personally find undesirable is extremist sanctimonious religious cultists forcing THEIR will on others who simply wish to be in charge of their own healthcare and welfare and to make their own choices accordingly. They talk about God however they conveniently disregard the fact that God gave humans free will to make their own choices. Who are these anti-abortionist extremists? Where are they in the long run once these unwanted pregnancies are forced upon women/girls? Too darn bad if the mother’s health is in jeopardy, or that family straits are so bad that they can barely afford to feed themselves yet alone another mouth, or the 13-year-old girl who was raped by a friend, family member, schoolmate, or stranger and that young girl is forced to carry a child herself. Where are these holy than thou do-gooders? They mostly turn into uncaring do nothing creatures when it comes to the human conditions of the newborn, child or mother with a “not my problem” attitude. Their main focus has always been on what the unborn represents and serves which is a justification for their strong-armed anti-abortion activism. They say they are protecting human life but their actions after the fact tell a different truth; they disappear into the woodwork. I personally have never chosen abortion for any of my pregnancies but then I’ve never been in a position to where I needed to, lucky me. Planned Parenthood low cost healthcare is needed, wanted, and valued by many in our surrounding communities for those who wish to access their services. BTW since these same services that I listed in my previous post are offered by some of the other health clinics in Tulare then the Lagomarsino and Warmerdam families should have no problems with Planned Parenthood Clinic and quite frankly neither should you. As I stated before, not all Planned Parenthood Clinic offer abortions and I am more than sure that if one is established in Tulare it is highly unlikely that abortions will be offer. FYI, Planned Parenthood is more about prevention of unwanted pregnancies, thus birth control for both men and women is front and center of their services offered. It’s all about choice.
The City Council of the City of Visalia never heard the appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision on the Mooney project. The applicant voluntarily withdrew the project before the appeal was heard. No decision on the project was ever rendered by the Visalia City Council.
Pingback article is just another political hit piece written exclusively for religious zealots in spreading their blatant lies about Planned Parenthood. This deliberate lying headline attachment shows just how low these zealots will go. Lies and falsehoods are tools of their trade. How Christian is that?