City of Fresno  
City Hall Council Chambers  
2600 Fresno Street  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Wednesday, November 20, 2024  
6:00 PM  
Regular Meeting  
City Hall, Council Chambers  
Planning Commission  
Chairperson – Peter Vang  
Vice Chair - Kathy Bray  
Commissioner – David Criner  
Commissioner – Monica Diaz  
Commissioner – Jacqueline Lyday  
Commissioner - Linda M Calandra  
Commissioner – Gurdeep Singh Shergill  
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).  
Anyone requiring reasonable ADA accommodations, including sign language  
interpreters, or other reasonable accommodations such as language translation,  
should contact the office of the City Clerk at (559) 621-7650 or clerk@fresno.gov. To  
help ensure availability of these services, you are advised to make your request a  
minimum of 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.  
I. ROLL CALL  
6:00 p.m.  
Director Clark made an announcement due to traffic and the difficulties  
getting to City Hall, the meeting would be delayed by approximately 10  
minutes. She advised that yellow speaker cards were available to be  
completed at the front of Council Chambers.  
Chair Vang called the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m.  
Commissioner Criner arrived at 6:20 p.m.  
Also present were Jennifer Clark, Ashley Atkinson, Israel Trejo, Sophia  
Pagoulatos, Adrienne Asadoorian-Gilbert, Casey Lauderdale, Michelle  
Zumwalt, Kari Camino, Heather Thomas (CAO), Dejan Pavic (DPU), Denise  
Soria (DPU), Jill Gormley (DPW), and Andreina Aguilar (DPW).  
Present 7 -  
Chairperson Peter Vang, Commissioner David Criner ,  
Commissioner Kathy Bray, Commissioner Monica Diaz,  
Commissioner Jacqueline G. Lyday, Commissioner Linda  
Calandra, and Commissioner Gurdeep Singh Shergill  
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
6:06 p.m.  
III. PROCEDURES - PROCEDIMIENTOS - KEV SAB LAJ  
6:07 p.m.  
Chair Vang read the procedures aloud.  
IV. AGENDA APPROVAL  
6:08 p.m.  
Trejo reported no changes to the agenda.  
On motion of Vice Chair Bray, seconded by Commissioner Calandra,  
the AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by the following  
vote:  
Aye: 6 -  
Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Diaz,  
Commissioner Lyday, Commissioner Calandra, and  
Commissioner Shergill  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Criner  
V. CONSENT CALENDAR  
6:09 p.m.  
On motion of Commissioner Diaz, seconded by Commissioner Lyday,  
the CONSENT CALENDAR was APPROVED. The motion carried by the  
following vote:  
Aye: 6 -  
Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Diaz,  
Commissioner Lyday, Commissioner Calandra, and  
Commissioner Shergill  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Criner  
October 2, 2024 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes  
V-A  
V-B  
V-C  
ID 24-1429  
ID 24-1480  
ID 24-1512  
October 16, 2024 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes  
Consideration of the Fresno City Planning Commission Meeting Schedule  
for Calendar Year 2025  
VI. REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS  
None  
VII. CONTINUED MATTERS  
N/A  
VIII. NEW MATTERS  
Consideration of Text Amendment Application No. P24-02419 and related  
Environmental Finding for Environmental Assessment No. P24-02419,  
amending Sections 15-4907 and 15-5016 of the Fresno Municipal Code,  
relating to modification authority for conditional use permits.  
VIII-A  
ID 24-1497  
1.  
RECOMMEND ADOPTION (to the City Council), of a finding  
set forth in Environmental Assessment No. P24-02419, that Text  
Amendment Application No. P24-02419 is exempt from the  
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section  
15061(b)(3).  
2.  
RECOMMEND ADOPTION (to the City Council), of Text  
Amendment Application No. P24-02419, to amend Sections 15-  
4907 and 15-5016 of the Fresno Municipal Code, relating to  
Planning Actions and Revocation of Permits to allow  
City-initiated modification of Conditional Use Permits.  
6:10 p.m.  
Asadoorian-Gilbert made a presentation regarding a Text Amendment that  
would grant authority to the City Council, Planning Commission, and  
Director of Planning and Development to modify Conditional Use Permits.  
Staff was available for questions.  
No public comment was given.  
On motion of Commissioner Calandra, seconded by Commissioner  
Bray, that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried  
by the following vote:  
Aye: 6 -  
Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Diaz,  
Commissioner Lyday, Commissioner Calandra, and  
Commissioner Shergill  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Criner  
Public hearing to consider adoption of the South Central Specific Plan and  
related Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR), State Clearinghouse  
(SHC) No. 2019079022. The following applications have been filed by the  
Planning and Development Director and pertain to approximately 5,567  
acres (see Exhibit A) in the South Industrial Priority Area:  
VIII-B  
ID 24-1570  
1.  
Recommend consideration (to the City Council) of Final  
Environmental Impact Report (EIR SCH No. 2019079022)  
for the South Central Specific Plan and related Plan Amendment  
and Rezone. (see Exhibits O, P, Q and R).  
a. Recommend consideration (to the City Council) of  
Findings  
of  
Fact  
and  
Statement  
of  
Overriding  
Considerations pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section  
15091; and  
b. Recommend consideration (to the City Council) of  
the  
Mitigation  
Monitoring  
and  
Reporting  
Program  
(MMRP) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15097.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
Recommend consideration (to the City Council) of Plan  
Amendment Application P24-03961, which proposes to  
repeal the North Avenue Industrial Triangle Specific Plan,  
pertaining to approximately 930 acres located in the South  
Industrial Priority Area (see Exhibit B).  
Recommend consideration (to the City Council) of Plan  
Amendment Application P24-03962, which proposes to  
repeal that part of the Roosevelt Community Plan that overlaps  
with the South Central Specific Plan area, pertaining to  
approximately 3,888 acres (see Exhibit C).  
Recommend consideration (to the City Council) of Plan  
Amendment Application P24-03963, which proposes to  
adopt the November 2024 Draft of the South Central Specific  
Plan, pertaining to approximately 5,567 acres located in the  
South Industrial Priority Area (see Exhibits E and H).  
Recommend consideration (to the City Council) of Plan  
Amendment Application P24-03965, which proposes to  
update the Land Use Map (Figure LU-1) of the Fresno General  
Plan, pertaining to 1,103 acres, to incorporate the land use  
changes proposed in the South Central Specific Plan (see  
Exhibit I).  
6.  
Recommend  
consideration  
(to  
the  
City  
Council)  
of  
Rezone Application P24-03970, which proposes to rezone  
approximately 279 acres of property within the South Central  
Specific Plan area to be consistent with the planned land uses  
proposed in the South Central Specific Plan (see Exhibit J).  
6:12 p.m.  
Commissioner Criner arrived at 6:20 p.m.  
Pagoulatos made a presentation on the South Central Specific Plan. She  
discussed the background, outreach and engagement, plan overview, the  
Environmental Impact Report, Land Use Change Requests, and public  
comment. She spoke of the building blocks, vision and goals, guiding  
principles, policies (which include transportation, air quality, environmental  
impacts, and community development.), and development regulations  
consistent with Council Resolution 2019-235. She further explained the  
1,000-foot Buffer of Sensitive Uses, and Staff recommendations. Sydney  
Coatsworth, and Kathie Washington from Ascent Environmental, Inc.  
(Consultants) were present and available for questions.  
Commissioners asked questions about comments received from the public,  
down-zoning concerns, and the creation of new jobs and a better living area.  
Pagoulatos spoke of the balance the Plan offers creating a buffer around  
sensitive areas.  
Public Comment:  
No one spoke in favor of the project.  
Chair Vang made a motion to allow public testimony from those in  
opposition of the project up to 6 minutes for translation services.  
23 people spoke in opposition of the project, voicing concerns of strict  
regulations, little notice, and lack of accommodations to meet the new  
requirements. They also spoke of how down-zoning would be detrimental to  
the industrial and manufacturing industries, and impact planned future  
developments. Others spoke of concerns regarding safety for the children in  
the neighborhood, increased pollution, and health risks from living in the  
area.  
From 7:47p.m. to 8:05 p.m. the Planning Commission Meeting was on a  
break.  
Pagoulatos addressed the Commissioners explaining the difficulty of  
balancing the concerns of the public, specifically the truck and fleet  
measures, and the buffer around Orange Center School.  
Commissioners asked about taking away value from the property owners,  
not encouraging businesses to come to Fresno, and with so much  
opposition, is this the right direction for the City. Chair Vang felt that the  
City worked hard to find a compromise, but with both parties uniting in  
opposition, he does not feel comfortable recommending for approval.  
Roll call vote was taken.  
On motion of Vice Chair Bray, seconded by Commissioner Calandra,  
that the above Action Item be RECOMMENDED FOR DENIAL. The  
motion carried by the following vote:  
Aye: 7 -  
Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Commissioner  
Bray, Commissioner Diaz, Commissioner Lyday,  
Commissioner Calandra, and Commissioner Shergill  
IX. REPORT BY SECRETARY  
8:17 p.m.  
Clark stated there are important items coming before the Commission in  
December and reminded them of the importance of notifying Staff of their  
attendance when trying to identify quorum.  
X. SCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
N/A  
XI. UNSCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
Public Comment Received  
ID 24-1536  
8:17 p.m.  
1 member of the public spoke about the City of Fresno's Draft Housing  
Element. She voiced concerns about information not being available, lack  
of community notification, and insufficient community meetings, especially  
in South West Fresno.  
Commissioners asked where the information could be accessed by the  
public, and spoke of meetings being held to insure the information was  
being provided.  
Commissioner Shergill wanted to thank the State of California, and the  
Department of Education for bringing awareness to Sikh Appreciation  
Month.  
XII. ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Vang adjourned the meeting at 8:26 p.m.