City of Fresno  
City Hall Council Chambers  
2600 Fresno Street  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Wednesday, February 5, 2025  
6:00 PM  
Regular Meeting  
City Hall Council Chambers  
2600 Fresno Street  
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:  
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  
Vice Chair Bray called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.  
Commissioner Shergill arrived at 6:05 p.m.  
Commissioner Criner arrived at 6:20 p.m.  
Also present were Jennifer Clark, Ashley Atkinson, Israel Trejo, Robert Holt,  
Kari Camino, Heather Thomas (CAO), Dejan Pavic (DPU), Denise Soria  
(DPU), and Jairo Mata (DPW).  
Present 6 -  
Commissioner David Criner , Commissioner Kathy Bray,  
Commissioner Monica Diaz, Commissioner Jacqueline G.  
Lyday, Commissioner Linda Calandra, and Commissioner  
Gurdeep Singh Shergill  
Absent 1 - Chairperson Peter Vang  
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
6:00 p.m.  
III. PROCEDURES  
6:00 p.m.  
Vice Chair Bray read the procedures aloud.  
IV. AGENDA APPROVAL  
6:02 p.m.  
Trejo reported no changes to the agenda.  
On motion of Commissioner Calandra, seconded by Commissioner  
Diaz, the AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by the  
following vote:  
Aye: 4 -  
Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Diaz, Commissioner  
Lyday, and Commissioner Calandra  
Absent: 3 -  
Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , and Commissioner  
Shergill  
V. CONSENT CALENDAR  
6:02 p.m.  
Commissioner Diaz made a motion to approve the Consent Calendar, which  
was seconded by Commissioner Calandra. The motion was left on the  
table. No vote was taken. Item continued to February 19, 2025.  
January 15, 2025 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes  
V-A  
VI. REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS  
6:03 p.m.  
None  
VII. CONTINUED MATTERS  
N/A  
VIII. NEW MATTERS  
Hearing to consider Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6397 and related  
Environmental Assessment No. T-6397 for approximately 4.72 acres of  
property located on the east side of North Cornelia Avenue, between West  
McKinley and West Hedges Avenues (Council District 3) - Planning and  
Development Department.  
VIII-A  
1. ADOPT Environmental Assessment No. T-6397 dated February 5,  
2025, a determination that the proposed project is exempt from the  
provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)  
pursuant to Section 15332/Class 32 (In-fill Development Projects) of  
CEQA Guidelines.  
2. APPROVE Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6397 proposing to  
subdivide approximately 4.72 acres of property into  
a
26-lot  
single-family residential development, subject to compliance with  
the Conditions of Approval dated February 5, 2025.  
6:03 p.m.  
Commissioner Shergill arrived at 6:05 p.m.  
Holt made a presentation on the project including location, land use, zoning,  
proposed tract map, development standards, Conditions of Approval, and  
Staff recommendations.  
Commissioners had questions regarding traffic,and road improvements, and  
they spoke of the availability of the FresGo application to report issues  
within the City of Fresno.  
Dale Mell (Applicant) stated that road improvements and sewer repairs are  
part of the Conditions of Approval. He also spoke of the project being  
unique and a great opportunity for families. In response to Commissioners  
questions about pricing and size of the houses, he stated the floor plans are  
still in the planning stage and the houses would be market rate.  
Public Comment:  
No public comment was given.  
On motion of Commissioner Shergill, seconded by Commissioner  
Diaz, that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by  
the following vote:  
Aye: 5 -  
Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Diaz, Commissioner  
Lyday, Commissioner Calandra, and Commissioner Shergill  
Absent: 2 - Chairperson Vang, and Commissioner Criner  
Workshop: Development Code Text Amendments  
VIII-B  
6:16 p.m.  
Commissioner Criner arrived at 6:20 p.m.  
Assistant Director Atkinson made a presentation on Development Code Text  
Amendments. Under Article 58 of the Development Code (Chapter 15 of the  
Fresno Municipal Code) the Planning Commission has the authority to  
review and recommend such items as Development Code Text  
Amendments, Rezones, and Plan Amendments. She went into further detail  
defining a Text Amendment, gave examples, and said that an Amendment  
to the text could be initiated by the Director, and by a Resolution of Initiation  
by the City Council or the Planning Commission. She explained that  
several Committees and Commissions must review Text Amendments prior  
to their presentation at Planning Commission, and the public must be made  
aware of any Planning Commission or City Council Meetings at least 20  
days ahead of the hearing. She concluded with specific criteria an  
Amendment must meet, clarified the Planning Commission's role, the three  
options available to them, and that City Council has the ultimate authority  
over adoption or denial.  
Commissioners asked for clarification on the three options, and what would  
happen if there was not a majority vote. Director Clark explained that the  
role of the Planning Commission is to review the Text Amendments and  
make a recommendation to City Council to either recommend with no  
changes, recommend with associated changes, or deny recommendation  
based on the evidence in the record and findings. She also stated that  
additional training on the provisions for a minority report could be presented  
at a future meeting. Atkinson also confirmed that Text Amendments are  
discretionary and legislative in nature.  
IX. REPORT BY SECRETARY  
6:34 p.m.  
None  
X. SCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
N/A  
XI. UNSCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
6:34 p.m.  
Commissioners had concerns with the condition of the roadways in Fresno,  
and asked if they could be briefed on what maintenance was scheduled.  
Director Clark stated she would reach out to the Director of Public Works to  
see if they would be available to give a presentation on the overall work  
program as it relates to road repair and reconstruction.  
No public comment was given.  
XII. ADJOURNMENT  
Vice Chair Bray adjourned the meeting at 6:37 p.m.