THE PLANNING COMMISSION WELCOMES YOU TO COUNCIL CHAMBERS,

LOCATED AT CITY HALL, 2600 FRESNO STREET, FRESNO, CALIFORNIA 93721.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – Any interested person may appear at the public hearing

and present written testimony or speak in favor or against the matters scheduled on

the agenda. Public participation during Fresno City Planning Commission meetings is

always encouraged and can occur by attending a meeting in the Council Chambers,

City Hall, 2nd Floor, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721. When called to speak

during a meeting, you may approach the speaker podium upon the Chair’s call for

public comment.

All public speakers will have up to 3 minutes to address the Commission pursuant to

Rule No. 13 of the Planning Commission Bylaws of the City of Fresno (available in the

City Clerk’s Office).

SUBMIT DOCUMENTS / WRITTEN COMMENTS –

1. E-mail – Agenda related documents and comments can be e-mailed to the Planning

& Development Department. Unless otherwise required by law to be accepted by the

City at or prior to a Commission meeting or hearing, no documents shall be accepted

for Commission review unless they are submitted to the Planning and Development

Department at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of the Commission meeting

at which the associated agenda item is to be heard. All comments received at least

24 hours prior will be distributed to the Planning Commission prior and during the

meeting and will be a part of the official record, pursuant to Article 4 (3).

a. Email comments to PublicCommentsPlanning@fresno.gov.

b. Emails should include the agenda date and item number you wish to speak on

in the subject line of your email. Include your name and address for the record, at

the top of the body of your email.

VIEWING PLANNING MEETINGS (non-participatory) – For your convenience, there

are ways to view Planning Commission meetings live:

1. Community Media Access Collaborative website: https://cmac.tv/

2. Cable Television: Comcast Channel 96 and AT&T Channel 99

3. Participate Remotely via Zoom:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I18M0bh8TbSGAo27i5ze1Q

a. The above link will allow you to register in advance for remote participation

in the meeting via the Zoom platform. After registering, you will receive a

confirmation email containing additional details about joining the meeting.

Should any of these viewing methods listed above experience technical difficulties,

the Commission meeting will continue uninterrupted. Commission meetings will only

be paused to address verifiable technical difficulties for all users participating via

Zoom or in the Chambers.

The City of Fresno’s goal is to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

I. ROLL CALL

Chair Vang called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Commissioner Criner arrived at 6:02 p.m.

Also present were Jennifer Clark, Ashley Atkinson, Israel Trejo, Robert Holt,

Juan Lara, Sophia Pagoulatos, Michelle Zumwalt, Kari Camino, Heather

Thomas (CAO), Dejan Pavic (DPU), Denise Soria (DPU), and Jairo Mata

(DPW).

Present 5 -

Chairperson Peter Vang, Commissioner David Criner ,

Commissioner Kathy Bray, Commissioner Monica Diaz, and

Commissioner Gurdeep Singh Shergill

Absent 2 -

Commissioner Jacqueline G. Lyday, and Commissioner

Linda Calandra

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6:01 p.m.

III. PROCEDURES

6:01 p.m.

Chair Vang read the procedures aloud.

IV. AGENDA APPROVAL

6:03 p.m.

Commissioner Criner arrived at 6:02 p.m.

Trejo reported no changes to the agenda.

On motion of Commissioner Criner, seconded by Commissioner Bray,

the AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by the following

vote:

Aye: 5 -

Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Commissioner

Bray, Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Shergill

Absent: 2 - Commissioner Lyday, and Commissioner Calandra

Consideration of Conditional Use Permit Application No. P24-02488 and

related Environmental Assessment No. P24-02488, pertaining to

VIII-A

ID 24-1613

approximately 7.57 acres of property located on the northwest corner of

East Copper Avenue and North Portofino Drive (Council District 6) -

Planning and Development Department.

1. ADOPT

Environmental

Assessment

No.

P24-02488,

dated

December 4, 2024, an Addendum to the Final Subsequent

Environmental Impact Report State Clearinghouse No. 2000021003

(“SEIR”) for the proposed project, pursuant to Section 15164 of the

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.

2. APPROVE Conditional Use Permit Application No. P24-02488

which requests authorization to construct

90-unit multi-family

residential development, subject to compliance with the Conditions of

Approval dated December 4, 2024.

6:05 p.m.

Lara made a presentation on the project including location, existing land

use, Fresno Municipal Code 15-906, development standards, public

outreach, and Staff recommendations.

Commissioners asked about community involvement, comments from

residents in the area, and what the price range would be.

Brenda Cosio (Applicant) introduced herself and spoke of the Granville

House of Hope Giveaway. She stated that a summary of the Neighborhood

Meetings was included in the Staff Report provided, and the project would

be market rate housing.

No public comment was given.

On motion of Commissioner Diaz, seconded by Commissioner

Shergill, that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion

carried by the following vote:

Aye: 5 -

Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Commissioner

Bray, Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Shergill

Absent: 2 - Commissioner Lyday, and Commissioner Calandra

Hearing to consider Plan Amendment Application No. P24-04066, filed by

the Planning and Development Director, to amend the text of Chapter 11 of

the Fresno General Plan by replacing the current Fresno Housing Element

(2015-2023) with an updated Fresno Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element

VIII-B

ID 24-1625

(Fresno Housing Element, 2023-2031). The Housing Element is

state-mandated plan for meeting the city’s housing needs, including

housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households and special

needs populations. The Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element is applicable

within the Fresno city limits and would apply to all lands annexed into the

City of Fresno.

1. RECOMMEND that the City Council FIND that the project is

exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental

Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines pursuant to the commonsense

exemption set forth in Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be

seen with certainty that adoption of the Fresno Housing Element

(2023-2031) has no possibility of causing a significant effect on

the environment.

2. RECOMMEND

that

the

City

Council

ADOPT

RESOLUTION - approving Plan Amendment Application No.

P24-04066, amending the text of Chapter 11 of the Fresno

General Plan to replace the 2015-2023 Fresno Housing Element

with

the Fresno Housing Element (2023-2031), including all

Text, Policies, Maps, Tables, and Exhibits contained in the

Fresno Housing Element dated December 2024 and authorizing

the Planning and Development Director to file all necessary

material with the Department of Housing and Community

Development (HCD) for HCD to find that the Housing Element is

in conformance with State Housing Element Law and to make all

non-substantive changes to the Housing Element to make it

internally consistent or to address any non-substantive changes

or amendments requested by the HCD to achieve certification.

6:14 p.m.

Director Clark introduced Pagoulatos (who was available on Zoom), and

Chelsey Payne, Director of Urban Planning at Ascent (Consultant), and

spoke of how the Fresno Housing Element has been a work in progress.

Payne made a presentation on how the Fresno Housing Element is a

state-mandated Plan, including an overview, Regional Housing Needs

Allocation (RHNA), Action Plan, community engagement, and Staff

recommendations. She spoke of how the RHNA is determined, allocated,

broken down by income level, and a detailed inventory of housing available.

She further explained how Assembly Bill 686 mandates the City to

affirmatively further fair housing, and the key implementation programs to

achieve those mandates. She summarized comments from the State

Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), public review

of the Draft Plan, public comments, the submittal and revision process, and

was available for questions.

Commissioners asked questions regarding public comments, prioritizing

most need neighborhoods (especially South of Shaw Avenue), and

examples of how the City is providing for those neighborhoods. Clark stated

a great example is Measure P, and how the City is working on developing

online availability to show where the improvements are being completed.

Public Comment:

4 people spoke in opposition of the Housing Element voicing concerns of

the Plan not meeting the State's standards, deficiencies in critical housing

needs, failing to address the needs of the un-housed, and seniors with

disabilities.

Commissioners asked about the Housing Element not meeting requirements

in certain areas, which Payne responded that they are working closely with

the State to make revisions. Commissioners appreciated the passion from

the Public, and encouraged them to continue the discussions with City

Council, however, they were recommending for approval because this

Housing Element is better than what Fresno currently has.

On motion of Chairperson Vang, seconded by Vice Chair Bray, that

the above Action Item be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. The

motion carried by the following vote:

Aye: 5 -

Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Commissioner

Bray, Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Shergill

Absent: 2 - Commissioner Lyday, and Commissioner Calandra