REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
July 31, 2014
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director
Development and Resource Management Department
SUBJECT
Title
Workshop on the City of Fresno's Draft General Plan
Body
RECOMMENDATION
None
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fresno General Plan (Plan) articulates a vision for the City and presents a set of policies and implementation actions to achieve that vision. The Plan is the result of hundreds of interviews, workshops, meetings, and other outreach to thousands of residents, business owners and other stakeholders which has been compiled into this comprehensive document. The Plan draws from the ideas and visions of those who participated in the planning process, under the leadership provided by the General Plan Citizens Advisory Committee (GPCC), the Planning Commission, the Mayor, and the City Council.
On April 19, 2012, the City Council selected a preferred alternative and on August 23, 2012, the City Council initiated the Fresno General Plan after receiving extensive public comment and conducting considerable discussions regarding alternative growth scenarios. These actions were a culmination of a plan development process that included 12 public workshops, 22 GPCC meetings, 6 Planning Commission meetings and 3 extensive City Council hearings. Based upon the Council's direction, the staff, together with the consulting firms of Dyett & Bhatia and MW Steele Group, has prepared the Fresno General Plan. The Public Review Draft of the Plan is now available for public review and comment through Monday, August 18, 2014.
The Draft Master Environmental Impact Report (DMEIR) with technical studies, conducted by FirstCarbon Solutions, will be available for public review and comment through September 8, 2014.
BACKGROUND
As noted in previous reports to the City Council, the effort to update the City's General Plan and the City's Zoning Ordinance through the preparation of the Fresno General Plan and new implementing development code has been funded by federal grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program and HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative, and a state grant from the California Strategic Growth Council Sustainable Communities grant funding. The DOE grant was provided to the City of Fresno for the Energy Efficiency Survey program and to encourage comprehensive energy conservation and efficiency in Fresno's land use planning and property development standards. The other grants were provided to integrate long term community sustainability principles and practices into the City's comprehensive general plan addressing land use, transportation, public utilities and services, and resource management goals and the implementing property development regulations.
A complete description of the Fresno General Plan update planning process and alternative growth concepts was presented to the City Council on April 5, 2012, with additional requested information presented at a follow-up meeting occurring on April 19, 2012. Both meetings included thorough discussion. At the conclusion of this review, the Council selected a preferred alternative and four months later on August 23, 2012, initiated the completion of the Plan.
PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD
The Public Review Draft of the Fresno General Plan is available for public review and comment through Monday, August 18, 2014.
The DMEIR is available for public review and comment through Monday, September 8, 2014.
Comments may be sent to:
Jennifer K. Clark, AICP, Director
Development and Resource Management Department
2600 Fresno Street, Room 3065
Fresno, Ca 93722
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The environmental studies and findings are available in the DMEIR.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for consultants to assist in completion of the Fresno General Plan and Development Code documents are provided by a grant from the California Strategic Growth Council. All environmental assessment studies and reports are funded by grants from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Housing and Urban Development.