Court Rules in Favor of Tulare County Community Group and California DOJ in Industrial Zoning Case

A Tulare County judge has ruled in favor of the Matheny Tract Committee — a resident-led advocacy group — and the California Department of Justice, ordering the City of Tulare to void its December 2024 Zoning Ordinance Update. The ruling, issued February 23, 2026, protects a community that has long been overburdened by industrial pollution.

The zoning update had permitted light and heavy industrial uses — including warehouses and cold-storage facilities — to be approved without environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The court found the update improperly relied on a "common sense exemption" to CEQA requirements and directly conflicted with the city's own 2014 General Plan, which mandated health protections for communities located near industrial development.

Matheny Tract is an unincorporated community surrounded by industrial zones. Residents have experienced ongoing environmental burdens from heavy truck traffic, warehouse operations, and industrial machinery. One Matheny Tract resident testified: "We want it to be known that the City is harming us, our community — without us."

Under the ruling, the City of Tulare must conduct proper environmental review and comply with health protection measures requiring industrial projects near residential areas to assess and mitigate air pollution impacts before receiving future approvals.

Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, which provides legal and advocacy support to frontline communities in California's Central Valley and Inland Empire, supported the Matheny Tract Committee in bringing the challenge.

"This decision confirms that communities have a right to know what is being built next to their homes and schools, and that cities cannot quietly exempt the most harmful industrial projects from review," said a Leadership Counsel spokesperson.

Source: Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability | https://leadershipcounsel.org/court-rules-in-favor-of-tulare-county-community-group-and-california-department-of-justice-in-industrial-zoning-case/