REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SOPHIA PAGOULATOS, Planning Manager
Planning and Development Department
BY: ADRIENNE ASADOORIAN, Planner
Planning and Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Consider Acceptance of the Kings Canyon Corridor Transit Oriented Development Study:
1. Adopt a finding that the project is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 as a feasibility study.
2. RESOLUTION - Accepting the Kings Canyon Corridor Transit Oriented Development Study
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council take the following actions adopt a finding that the project is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 as a feasibility study and adopt a Resolution accepting the Kings Canyon Corridor Transit Oriented Development Study
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The primary purpose of the Study is to serve as a toolkit with resources for the City, partner agencies, private sector agencies, and community members, which can be used in the planning for the implementation of transit-oriented development along high-quality transit corridors in the city. These resources include station area plans for two station areas located along the Ventura / Kings Canyon Corridor, six development prototypes with associated proformas, and a list of potential funding / financing resources.
BACKGROUND
The General Plan envisions the Ventura / Kings Canyon Corridor (Corridor) as a mixed-use corridor with a “Main Street” character with active storefronts, outdoor seating, and pedestrian-oriented design at the neighborhood scale. To implement that vision, the City of Fresno (City) rezoned key corridors and updated the Development Code. Since the adoption of the General Plan in December 2014, the City also launched its first bus route with bus rapid transit features. Commonly referred to as the “Q”, this route provides faster, more convenient, and more reliable service than a traditional bus line. Together, these past efforts established a solid foundation for a multi-modal corridor primed for development. The City applied for grant funding to evaluate and demonstrate the viability of higher density, mixed-use, walkable development along the Corridor, as well as provide a framework to duplicate along other key corridors. In 2019, the City received notice it was the recipient of the Fresno County Measure C Transit-Oriented Development grant award totaling $325,000 through the Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG). The City entered into a Grant Agreement with the Fresno COG on October 30, 2019.
Since that time, staff conducted a competitive process to select a qualitied consultant firm to assess the existing conditions of the study area, participate in the community outreach and engagement process, develop a standardized framework for transit-oriented development to be applied to Corridor / Center Mixed-Use (CMX) and Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMX) zoned properties along high-quality transit corridors, and develop station area plans for the two stations along the “Q” line with the greatest near-term market potential. Upon staff’s recommendation, on June 10, 2021, the Fresno City Council awarded the consultant contract to Citythinkers as the consultant team for the Study. Additional contracts were awarded to Jackson CDC and Every Neighborhood Partnership to assist with the community outreach. The development of the Study has occurred through intensive and extensive community outreach.
Process: The planning process includes the following steps. The process is now in Step 7.
1. Project Kick-off
2. Initial Community Outreach/ Develop Existing Conditions, Challenges, and Opportunities Report & Market Analysis
3. Community Outreach / Development of Planning Concepts & Vision
4. Community Outreach / Selection and Development of Station Area Plans
5. Community Outreach / Development of Implementation Strategies
6. Public Review of Draft Study
7. Completion/ Acceptance
Study Features
The Study is intended to be utilized as a toolkit filled with resources for the City, partner agencies, private sector agencies, and community members, which can be used in the planning for the implementation of transit-oriented development along high-quality transit corridors in the city. These resources include station area plans for two station areas located along the Corridor, six development prototypes with associated proformas, and a list of potential funding / financing resources.
Outreach
Project partners produced a Community Engagement Plan (CEP) that aimed to maximize stakeholder participation and community engagement in the visioning and study drafting process. The CEP looked at methods to reach and engage essential stakeholders. Over the course of the project, the project team hosted and / or attended over 20 pop-up events, seven presentations, four workshops, two developers’ forums, two mobile workshops, conducted in-person and virtual interviews, and shared information about the Study through social media, flyers, and a series of zines (short for magazines) that were released on a quarterly basis. The various components of the outreach process are described below:
Stakeholder Interviews. The project team held stakeholder interviews throughout the entirety of the planning process, which included: residents, business owners, market-rate and affordable housing developers, Fresno Unified School District, community benefit organizations, and other representatives of stakeholder groups.
Community Workshops. The planning process included four community workshops, held on February 22, May 14, August 22, and November 8, 2022. Each workshop was held in a hybrid format to allow for community members to join online or in-person. The tasks at the first workshop were to identify existing conditions, challenges, and opportunities in the study area, as well as comment on the draft Existing Conditions Report, Market Analysis, and Transit Benefits Analysis; the second workshop invited residents to comment on the initial development concepts for the Corridor, and invited attendees to also build their own station area plan using 3D models of the concepts presented; the third workshop invited input on the draft prototypes and station area plans developed; and the fourth workshop invited participants to cast their vision for how they would like to see transit-oriented development implemented on the Corridor in story form.
Mobile Workshops. The project team developed an outreach process designed to overcome common barriers to public participation. Outreach efforts were integrated into established and ongoing community meetings and events. City staff brought mobile workshops to over 20 community group meetings / events in and near the study area, receiving input from local stakeholders.
Developers Forums. While centering community wisdom and community voice is vital in a planning process, it was also important to ground-truth investment opportunities with the development community. For that reason, two developers’ forums were held to present and solicit feedback on the two station area plans and six development prototypes / associated proformas. Both developers’ forums were held in a hybrid format and included the attendance of both market-rate and affordable housing developers.
Surveys. Three surveys have been produced and distributed to residents, business owners, and other interested parties. The first survey was aimed at getting an understanding of the community’s view of the existing issues of the study area; the second survey allowed residents to identify their desires and concerns associated with transit-oriented development; and the third survey was intended to gather information for the development of the station area plans. Approximately 253 individuals responded to the surveys.
Zines. In an effort to further lower the barrier to entry into the planning process, staff developed a series of zines. The zines (short for magazines) were hand-drawn in comic book style and used everyday terms to make the information being conveyed accessible and fun to read. By incorporating storytelling, art, and creativity in public outreach, staff was able to conduct a more dynamic, engaging, and inclusive outreach approach that promoted public participation and collaboration from disenfranchised communities and our youth.
Public Review Draft. There were several opportunities for community involvement that followed the release of the Public Review Draft. This included pop-ups to share key elements of the Study and to solicit feedback from local stakeholders. Pop-ups were held at Council District 5 and 7 community events, neighborhood association meetings, parent engagement hours at local schools, and other existing community events in the area. Study documents were featured on a special webpage created for the project (www.fresno.gov/KCCTOD) and hard copies were distributed in the Study Area.
Public Comment
To date, one comment letter has been received from the Sunnyside Property Owners Association, expressing a preference for neighborhood scale housing and more opportunities for homeownership. Staff acknowledges those comments and notes that this study does not affect current zoning, housing capacity or housing tenure. It focuses on what is feasible within the existing regulatory and market framework. That framework would accommodate neighborhood scale buildings as well as rented and owned housing.
Council District Project Review Committee
The Study Area includes portions of both Council Districts 5 and 7. The Study was presented to the Council District 5 Project Review Committee on June 12, 2023. Council District 7 does not have an active committee.
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission considered this Study at its regularly scheduled meeting of July 5, 2023, and unanimously recommended approval.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 exempts projects involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future action which the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded does not require the preparation of an EIR or Negative Declaration but does require consideration of environmental factors.
The Study qualifies for this exemption because it does not propose any land use changes or rezoning, it does not commit the City to any actions set forth in the document, and it does not include funding for future project approvals. Therefore, the Study is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
N/A due to State and Federal money; N/A because it is more than ½ of 1%; or yes, state why.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding source, clarify whether General Fund is or is not impacted; appropriation authority already approved, or an AAR is attached; if appropriate explain impact on other projects or timing of funding from other agencies; future obligations.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
Vicinity Map
Aerial Photograph
CEQA Statutory Exemption
KCCTOD Study - Public Review Draft
Public Comment
Planning Commission Resolution
Presentation