City of Fresno  
Tower Theater  
815 E Olive Ave., Fresno, CA 93728  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Tuesday, December 12, 2023  
5:30 PM  
Regular Meeting  
In Person and/or Electronic, Tower Theater Lounge  
815 E Olive Ave., Fresno, CA 93728  
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 THE TOWER THEATER, LOCATED AT 815 E  
OLIVE AVENUE, FRESNO, CA 93728  
The meeting can also be viewed live at 5:30 P.M. on Comcast Channel 96 and AT&T  
channel 99.  
PUBLIC COMMENT:  
The following options are available for members of the public who want to address  
Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee:  
1. You are invited to a Zoom webinar.  
a) Register in advance for this webinar:  
https://fresno-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_taAP1qgNRGGeXj2cB5mzQQ  
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.  
c) Those addressing Committee must state their name for the record.  
OR  
2. Join by phone: 1-669-900-9128  
Webinar ID: 951 8694 8275  
a) Those addressing the Committee must state their name and address for the  
record.  
3. Email: LongRangePlanning@fresno.gov  
a) Attendees may also email comments to be read during the meeting. Please 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.  
b) Emails will be a maximum of 450 words.  
c) All comments received will be distributed to the Tower District Specific Plan  
Implementation Committee prior and during the meeting and will be a part of the  
official record.  
d) Notwithstanding subsection c) above, unless otherwise required by law to be  
accepted by the City at or prior to a Tower District Specific Plan Implementation  
Committee meeting, no documents shall be accepted for review unless they are  
submitted to Long Range Planning at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of  
the meeting at which the associated agenda item is to be heard.  
All participants will be on mute until they are called upon at which point they will be  
unmuted and have three minutes to talk. To prevent participants from having their  
video on, we will remove the option to show their video.  
Pursuant to the Executive Order, and in compliance with the Americans with  
Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in the Tower District  
Specific Plan Implementation Committee meeting, please contact the Planning  
Division, 559-621-8277 within 48 hours of the meeting.  
I. Call to Order & Roll Call  
Chair called the meeting to order at 5:39 pm and initiated the roll call.  
Also present were Long Range Planning staff Sophia Pagoulatos, Casey  
Lauderdale, Yamilex Nava, Adrienne Asadoorian, Preston Her, Maya  
Mubarak, Christopher Green, and Matthew Chea; Council representative  
Brenda Cosio; consultant team Peter Winch, Diego Velasco, and Kate  
O'Beirne.  
Present 4 -  
Chairperson Christopher Johnson, Board Member Annie  
Lokrantz, Board Member James Kitch, and Board Member  
Joseph Catania  
Absent 3 -  
Board Member Michael Birdsong, Vice Chair Janay Conley,  
and Board Member Myra Coble  
II. Approve Agenda  
On motion of Board Member Lokrantz, seconded by Board Member  
Catania,the above AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by  
the following vote:  
Aye: 4 -  
Chairperson Johnson, Board Member Lokrantz, Board  
Member Kitch and Board Member Catania  
Absent: 3 -  
Board Member Birdsong, Vice Chair Conley and Board  
Member Coble  
III. Approve Meeting Minutes  
November 14, 2023 Tower District Specific Implementation Committee  
Regular Meeting Minutes  
III-A  
ID 23-1809  
On motion of Board Member Lokrantz, seconded by Board Member  
Kitch, that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried  
by the following vote:  
Aye: 4 -  
Chairperson Johnson, Board Member Lokrantz, Board  
Member Kitch and Board Member Catania  
Absent: 3 -  
Board Member Birdsong, Vice Chair Conley and Board  
Member Coble  
IV. Council District Updates  
Cosio from Council Member Annalisa Perea's office (District 1) did not have  
any updates. She provided information on the opening of a local business  
called Mi Cafecito (in Van Ness Village).  
Johnson asked about the ribbon cutting and the opening of the new  
neighborhood pocket park, and the removal of the fencing around the new  
park. Staff stated the fence would come down at the ribbon cutting as  
scheduled and explained how Council Member Perea’s office is working in  
conjunction with the Fresno Arts Council for an art installation.  
V. Staff Updates  
N/A  
VI. Continued Matters  
Consideration of the Revised Committee Meeting Schedule for Calendar  
Year 2024  
VI-A  
ID 23-1817  
Lauderdale presented the projected schedule for the TDSP Committee  
Meetings for 2024 and outlined the Specific Plan projected milestones for  
the upcoming year. Staff recommended changes to the upcoming year  
meeting schedule and proposed that the Committee meet twice in February  
2024. Also, posed that the August 2024 meeting could be a joint meeting  
with the Tower District Design Review Committee since they oversee the  
Tower District design standards.  
The Committee agreed to meet on February 20th and 27th and expressed  
interest in a joint meeting with the Tower Design Review Committee.  
On motion of Board Member Lokrantz, seconded by Board Member  
Kitch, that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried  
by the following vote:  
Aye: 4 -  
Chairperson Johnson, Board Member Lokrantz, Board  
Member Kitch and Board Member Catania  
Absent: 3 -  
Board Member Birdsong, Vice Chair Conley and Board  
Member Coble  
VII. New Matters  
Regular Monthly Subcommittee Updates  
VII-A  
ID 23-1818  
1. Implementation Role Subcommittee  
2. Historic Preservation Subcommittee  
3. Land Use, Zoning, & Entertainment District Subcommittee  
4. Circulation Subcommittee  
5. Public Spaces Subcommittee  
Catania represented the Land Use Subcommittee and provided an update  
on their latest discussions. The subcommittee delved into the southwest  
region of the Tower District, where they addressed concerns about industrial  
uses, truck routes that pass through residential areas zoned for industrial  
use, and the High-Speed Rail. Additionally, Catania shared on the  
subcommittee's plans to explore options for increasing density in the Tower  
District.  
Lauderdale elaborated on the additional topics the Subcommittee will cover  
and provided the date of the next meeting, Jan 9, 2024.  
Report of Targeted Revitalization Strategy  
ID 23-1819  
VII-B  
Winch presented the Targeted Revitalization Strategy, the feedback on the  
community engagement, and the types of improvements people would like  
to see. Also discussed was the current zoning throughout the Tower District  
and the significance of how zoning in the TDSP could aid in revitalization.  
Velasco from City Thinkers explained the Development Prototypes. The  
prototypes varied from townhomes, bungalow/cottage courts, commercial  
mixed-use, and podium mixed-use. He provided additional specifications for  
each type and showed the proposed development ideas in areas in the  
Tower District.  
O'Beirne from EPS presented the Economic Feasibility Study. Townhomes  
and bungalow courts were found to be feasible, but the others were  
infeasible due to the high construction cost. O'Beirne provided ideas to  
lessen the construction cost, like streamlining the entitlement process,  
indirect public subsidies, and changing parking regulations.  
Winch highlighted how the TDSP update could provide a way to start  
implementing the previously discussed changes and aid in revitalizing the  
Tower District, like updating building regulations, enabling bungalow/duplex  
housing, and more flexibility with ADUs.  
Johnson asked WRT to provide the analysis regarding the construction cost  
and staff. O'Beirne provided the different development prototypes from the  
study and showed the rental rates for brand-new construction and building  
costs.  
Johnson shared positive comments for the economic study was as it showed  
the relationship between the cost and return of new construction.  
Birdsong, joining as a member of the public questioned the conversion of  
the motels for revitalization, and staff responded to how the study focused  
on new developments.  
Members of the public discussed the Tower revitalization strategy,  
recommended looking at case studies from similar development  
revitalization strategies, the plan for live-work spaces, the feasibility of  
townhome/ bungalow style, the Dairy Producer Industrial Use, aging  
infrastructure, conversion of office to land use, and mother-in-law suites.  
Staff members explained how the live-work spaces could be examined by  
looking at existing zone districts that can permit them or expand the use  
regulation. Staff will work with the consultants to publish the information  
presented and give information on the city's ADU program.  
Chairperson Johnson elaborated on how the Economic Feasibility Study is  
essential to bring to Fresno's City Council and commented further on  
development costs and CA's Building Code update driving prices up.  
VIII. Unscheduled Oral Communications  
Lauderdale thanked the Fresno Holiday Home Tours Organizers and Sense  
of Place Gallery for allowing Tower Rocks to participate in the event.  
Lokrantz expressed excitement seeing the Youth Ambassadors and  
encouraged people to engage with them.  
Staff Member Her provided information on the live Tower Rocks Hub map.  
IX. Adjournment  
Next Meeting: January 16, 2023 at Tower Theater  
The Chair adjourned meeting at 7:15 pm