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 in one of the two

following ways:

1. Participate In Person: Council Chambers, City Hall, 2nd Floor, 2600 Fresno

Street, Fresno, CA 93721

a. To speak during a Commission meeting in person: You may approach

the speaker podium upon the Chair’s call for public comment.

2. 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.

b. To speak during a Commission meeting while attending remotely in the

Zoom application, click on the icon labeled “Participants” at the bottom

the screen. Then select “Raise Hand” at the bottom of the Participants

window. Your digital hand will now be raised. You will be asked to

“unmute” when your name is called to speak. You will not be visible via

video and there will be no opportunity to share your screen.

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

PublicCommentsPlanning@fresno.gov. 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.

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 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.

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

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

Chair Vang called meeting to order at 6:00pm

Also present from staff were Jennifer Clark, Israel Trejo, Phillip Siegrist,

Janice Monroe, Saul Perez, Diego St. Clair (Planning), Talia Koulluri (CAO),

Harmanjit Dhaliwal (DPW), & Dejan Pavic (DPU)

(Attending via zoom were Vang & Hardie (AB2449))

Present 7 - Chairperson Peter Vang, Commissioner David Criner , Vice

Chair Brad Hardie, Commissioner Haley M. Wagner,

Commissioner Kathy Bray, Commissioner Monica Diaz, and

Commissioner Jacqueline G. Lyday

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6:01pm

III. PROCEDURES - PROCEDIMIENTOS - KEV SAB LAJ

6:01pm

Chair Vang read procedures aloud

IV. AGENDA APPROVAL

6:03

Trejo stated there were no changes to the agenda

On motion of Commissioner Bray, seconded by Commissioner Criner

,the AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by the following

vote:

Aye: 7 - Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Vice Chair

Hardie, Commissioner Wagner, Commissioner Bray,

Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday

V. CONSENT CALENDAR

6:04PM

On motion of Commissioner Criner , seconded by Commissioner

Wagner, that the CONSENT CALENDAR be APPROVED. The motion

carried by the following vote:

Aye: 7 - Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Vice Chair

Hardie, Commissioner Wagner, Commissioner Bray,

Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday

Consideration of the Fresno City Planning Commission Meeting

Schedule for Calendar Year 2024

V-A

ID 23-711

August 16, 2023 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes

November 1, 2023 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes

V-B

V-C

ID 23-1770

ID 23-83

VI. REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS

6:05

None

VII. CONTINUED MATTERS

N/A

VIII. NEW MATTERS

Consideration of Annexation Application No. P23-03757; Pre-zone

VIII-A

ID 23-1711

Application No. P23-03758; and related Environmental Assessment No.

P23-03757/P23-03758 for approximately 141 acres of property generally

located along the north and south sides of West Ashlan Avenue

between North Bryan and North Polk Avenues.

1. RECOMMEND ADOPTION (to the City Council) of the Mitigated

Negative Declaration prepared for Environmental Assessment

No. P23-03757/P23-03758 dated November 10, 2023, for the

proposed project pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act

(CEQA) Guidelines.

2. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Annexation

Application No. P23-03757 (for the Ashlan-Hayes Nos. 2, 3, and

4 Reorganization) proposing detachment from the Kings River

Conservation District and North Central Fire Protection District

and annexation to the City of Fresno.

3. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Pre-zone

Application No. P23-03758 proposing to pre-zone: approximately

97.55 acres of property from the Fresno County RR/NB (Rural

Residential/Neighborhood Beautification) zone district to the City

Fresno

RS-5/ANX

(Single-Family

Residential,

Medium

Density/Annexed Rural Residential Transitional Overlay) zone

district; approximately 18.65 acres of property from the Fresno

County RR/NB (Rural Residential/Neighborhood Beautification)

zone district to the City of Fresno RS-1/ANX (Single-Family

Residential, Low Density/Annexed Rural Residential Transitional

Overlay) zone district; approximately 14.13 acres of property from

the

Fresno

County

RR/NB

(Rural

Residential/Neighborhood

Beautification) zone district to the City of Fresno RM-2/ANX

(Multi-Family Residential, Urban Neighborhood/Annexed Rural

Residential Transitional Overlay) zone district; and, approximately

1.76 acres of property from the Fresno County RR/NB (Rural

Residential/Neighborhood Beautification) zone district to the City

of Fresno OS/ANX (Open Space/Annexed Rural Residential

Transitional Overlay) zone district.

6:05pm

Rob Holt (Planner) made a presentation covering the location, General Plan

map, amount of developed properties in area, outreach & concerns of the

neighborhood, existing water and sewer service, and the annexation

process between the City and LAFCo. He also explained why the item was

coming before the Planning Commission, elaborating on the previous

annexation and Tax Sharing Agreement. Holt concluded his presentation by

explaining in detail the Annexation Criteria within the Fresno Municipal

Code.

Brian Spaunhurst (LAFCo representative) talked about the LAFCo process

and protest options, including the application process, hearing, Authority

Proceedings. He explained when voters and property owners would have

opportunity to speak.

Vang confirmed with Spaunhurst how the public could contact LAFCo after

the meeting and the Commission clarified with Staff the terms of the

Annexation Overlay.

Public Comment:

No one spoke in favor, but 5 people spoke in opposition, highlighting

concerns of the cost, inconsistent noticing, and an unfair situation that is out

of their control.

Pavic (Public Utilities) spoke about the loan available to annexed properties

(3.75% fixed interest rate for 15 years, up to $20,000). The Commission

asked for an estimate of how much it would cost the average person to

connect to water & sewer but Pavic was unsure. He reported the current fee

schedule and explained where in the Master Fee Schedule this information

was available.

The Commission voiced sympathy for the residents who were not interested

in annexing and encouraged the community to work it out together.

Consideration of an appeal related to Conditional Use Permit Application

ID 23-1719

VIII-B

No. P19-04757, which requests to establish

State of California

Alcoholic Beverage Control Type 21 (off-sale general: beer, wine, and

distilled spirits for consumption off the premises where sold) alcohol

license for a proposed combination service station and general market

with detached car wash located south of West Ashlan Avenue, between

State Route 99 and North Golden State Boulevard (Council District 1) -

Planning & Development Department.

1. DENY the applicant’s appeal and UPHOLD the action of the

Planning

and

Development

Department

Director

deny

Conditional Use Permit Application No. P19-04757 requesting to

establish a State of California Alcoholic Beverage Control Type

21 (off-sale general: beer, wine, and distilled spirits for

consumption off the premises where sold) alcohol license for a

proposed service station and general market.

6:47pm

Thomas Veatch (Planner) made a presentation on the location, land

use/zoning, project summary (including site plan, elevations, & floor plan),

background (including related applications & existing license), application

analysis, restrictions & exceptions (highlighting the census tract with nearby

locations), outreach, timeline, and staff recommendations.

Present on behalf of applicant were Dirk Poeschel, Sunny Singh (property

owner), and Scott Vincent (architect). Poeschel talked about the previous

location, High Speed Rail acquisition, background on the property owner's

journey between locations, support received, proposed site plan &

elevations, and the Code changing after the condemnation (without a

grandfathering exception available). He addressed each of the findings

Veatch mentioned and asked Commission to grant appeal.

Will Oliver (CEO of Economic Development Corporation) spoke in support of

the project and explained the background his agency had with the applicant

since the HSR acquisition.

The Commission discussed the necessary findings (only finding a. of CUP

findings was still needed) and exceptions (only finding a. & c. of the

exceptions were needed to grant the appeal), clarifying restrictions and

limitations. They asked questions about the timeline of when the Code

changed (RNMA) versus when the process started for the project.

No Public Comment was given

Bray found the project was not detrimental, alcohol sales were inevitable as

a result of a grocery store, it was meeting an unserved need, and that the

primary use meets the definition of a general market, therefore moved to

approve the appeal.

On motion of Commissioner Bray, seconded by Commissioner Criner ,

that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by the

following vote:

Aye: 7 - Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Vice Chair

Hardie, Commissioner Wagner, Commissioner Bray,

Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday

IX. REPORT BY SECRETARY

7:30pm

Clark reported that she expected another meeting in December, but

because there was a change the item would be continued to the new year

she wanted to take time to thank the Commissioners and Staff for their

investment and wished them a happy, healthy holiday. Vang also showed

gratitude to Staff.

X. SCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS

N/A

XI. UNSCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS

N/A

XII. ADJOURNMENT

Chair Vang adjourned meeting at 7:32pm