City of Fresno  
Ted C Wills  
770 N. San Pablo Ave.  
Fresno, CA 93728  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Tuesday, January 14, 2025  
5:30 PM  
Special Meeting  
City Hall, Room 2165  
Tower District Specific Plan Implementation  
Committee  
Chairperson - Christopher Johnson  
Vice Chair - Janay Conley  
Board Member - Annie Lokrantz  
Board Member - Michael Birdsong  
Board Member - Myra Coble  
Board Member - James Kitch  
Board Member - Joseph Catania  
THE COMMITTEE WELCOMES YOU TO FRESNO CITY HALL, LOCATED AT 2600  
FRESNO STREET, FRESNO, CALIFORNIA 93721, ROOM 2165.  
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 Tower District Specific Plan Implementation  
Committee meetings is always encouraged and can occur by attending a meeting in  
City Hall room 2165 located at 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, California 93721.  
When called to speak during a meeting, you may approach the speaker podium upon  
the Chair's call for any additional public comment. Unless otherwise announced, all  
public speakers will have up to 3 minutes to address the Committee.  
SUBMIT DOCUMENTS / WRITTEN COMMENTS –  
Email – Agenda related documents and comments can be emailed to the Long Range  
Planning Division. Unless otherwise required by law to be accepted by the City at or  
prior to a Committee meeting, no documents shall be accepted for Committee review  
unless they are submitted to the Long Range Planning Division at least 24 hours  
prior to the commencement of the meeting at which the associated agenda item is to  
be heard.  
a. Email comments to LongRangePlanning@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.  
c. Emails will be a maximum of 450 words.  
VIEWING MEETINGS (non-participatory) – For your convenience, there are ways to  
view Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee meetings live:  
2. Cable Television: Comcast Channel 96 and AT&T channel 99  
3. Zoom:  
https://fresno-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_taAP1qgNRGGeXj2cB5mzQQ  
Webinar ID: 951 8694 8275  
a) Register in advance for this webinar: After registering, you will receive a  
confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  
b) If you do not wish for your name to appear on the screen, then use the drop  
down menu and click on “rename” to rename yourself.  
Should any of these viewing methods listed above experience technical difficulties,  
the Committee meeting will continue uninterrupted. Committee meetings will only be  
paused to address verifiable technical difficulties for all users participating in Zoom  
or in person.  
The City of Fresno’s goal is to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  
Anyone requiring reasonable ADA accommodations, including sign language  
interpreters, or other reasonable accommodation such as language translation,  
should contact the Planning Department, 559 621 8277 within 48 hours of the  
meeting.  
I. Call to Order & Roll Call  
Also present were Long-Range Planning Staff Sophia Pagoulatos, Adrienne  
Asadoorian-Gilbert, Ashley Atkinson, and Adeena Navarro.  
Present 6 -  
Chairperson Christopher Johnson, Vice Chair Janay Conley,  
Board Member Annie Lokrantz, Board Member Myra Coble,  
Board Member James Kitch, and Board Member Joseph  
Catania  
Absent 1 - Board Member Michael Birdsong  
II. Approve Agenda  
On motion of Chairperson Johnson, seconded by Board Member  
Lokrantz,the above AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by  
the following vote:  
Aye: 6 -  
Chairperson Johnson, Vice Chair Conley, Board Member  
Lokrantz, Board Member Coble, Board Member Kitch and  
Board Member Catania  
Absent: 1 - Board Member Birdsong  
III. Approve Meeting Minutes  
October 15, 2024, Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee  
Regular Meeting Minutes  
Conley requested to reorder names in Agenda Minutes. Staff responded that  
they will look into revising.  
On motion of Vice Chair Conley, seconded by Board Member  
Lokrantz, that the above Action Item be APPROVED AS AMENDED.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Aye: 6 -  
Chairperson Johnson, Vice Chair Conley, Board Member  
Lokrantz, Board Member Coble, Board Member Kitch and  
Board Member Catania  
Absent: 1 - Board Member Birdsong  
IV. Council District Updates  
N/A  
V. Chair's Report  
Johnson stated a desire to hold meetings out in the community.  
Coble made a request to change meeting nights due to conflict, which was  
deferred to later discussion as the subject was an existing agenda item.  
VI. Staff Updates  
Asadoorian-Gilbert gave an update and an overview of the Implementation  
Committee timeline.  
Johnson made a request for the Committee timeline to be sent to the  
Committee and asked for clarification on the inclusion of the Tower District  
Entertainment District.  
VII. Continued Matters  
N/A  
VIII. New Matters  
Consideration of the Tower District Specific Plan Implementation  
Committee Meeting Schedule for Calendar Year 2025  
Coble made a request to change meeting dates from second Tuesdays, due  
to a preexisting commitment. Staff noted that second Tuesdays were chosen  
after much deliberation considering time, location, and room availability.  
Conley asked about possible sponsorships for locations within the  
community; staff confirmed that no sponsorship agreements had been  
discussed.  
On motion of Chairperson Johnson, seconded by Vice Chair Conley,  
that the above Action Item be CONTINUED. The motion carried by the  
following vote:  
Aye: 6 -  
Chairperson Johnson, Vice Chair Conley, Board Member  
Lokrantz, Board Member Coble, Board Member Kitch and  
Board Member Catania  
Absent: 1 - Board Member Birdsong  
Update on the Tower District Design Guidelines  
Pagoulatos provided background on the 2004 Tower District Design  
Guidelines.  
Asadoorian-Gilbert gave a presentation on the Tower District Design  
Guidelines.  
Johnson asked for clarification on the process of the Design Guidelines  
review as well as the structure and intent of this and future meetings.  
Coble asked about the fate of existing non-compliant structures; Staff  
clarified that the guidelines would apply only to proposed new structures.  
Johnson asked how much of the original narrative text will remain; Staff  
stated that some text will be ‘refreshed and strengthened’ but much of the  
original document will be maintained.  
Johnson wants to ensure that any referred-to zoning code remains relevant  
to the Tower District. Also noted that he would like to see the digital version  
of the document feature accessibility features, such as links directly to the  
referred zoning codes.  
Coble asked whether the Implementation Committee could provide input on  
whether text should be classified as a guideline or standard.  
Johnson noted the Implementation Committee would like to review Design  
Guidelines alongside the consultant WRT; Staff reassured that the  
consultant will be present at future meetings.  
IX. Unscheduled Oral Communications  
Brooke Payton asked whether there is a rough draft available for public  
comment and review.  
Aaron from The Lincoln expressed concern that the Tower Entertainment  
District is being worked on by two separate groups, the Implementation  
Committee and City Council, and that the two groups are lacking  
communication.  
Conley asked that Implementation Committee be made aware of any  
meetings or conversations pertaining to the Tower Entertainment District.  
Staff reassured that no matter pertaining to the Tower Entertainment District  
has been approved and that there are no ancillary committees or meetings  
being conducted by Staff.  
X. Adjournment  
Johnson adjourned the meeting at 6:30pm.