City Council
Regular MeetingFresno, CA · August 31, 2022
Minutes
City of Fresno
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
www.fresno.gov
Meeting Minutes - Final
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
9:00 AM
Special Meeting
Council Chambers (In Person and/or Electronic)
City Council
President - Nelson Esparza
Vice President - Tyler Maxwell
Councilmembers:
Esmeralda Z. Soria, Mike Karbassi, Miguel Angel Arias, Luis Chavez,
Garry Bredefeld
City Manager - Georgeanne A. White
Interim City Attorney - Rina Gonzales
City Clerk - Todd Stermer, CMC
City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 31, 2022
The City Council for the City of Fresno convened in special open session on August
31, 2022, at 9:00 A.M.
9:02 A.M. ROLL CALL
Present: 7 - Council President Nelson Esparza
Vice President Tyler Maxwell
Councilmember Esmeralda Z. Soria
Councilmember Mike Karbassi
Councilmember Miguel Angel Arias
Councilmember Luis Chavez
Councilmember Garry Bredefeld
APPROVE AGENDA
On motion of Councilmember Arias, seconded by Councilmember
Soria, that the Agenda be APPROVED. The motion carried by the
following vote:
Aye: 7 - Esparza, Maxwell, Soria, Karbassi, Arias, Chavez and
Bredefeld
ID 22-1396 Notice of Special Meeting - Signed
OPEN SESSION
Councilmember Soria announced a conflict and recused herself from
Special Meeting item ID 22-1395 regarding an extension of the South Fulton
Street mixed use residential rental project. She left the meeting at 9:05
A.M. and was absent for the duration of the discussion.
ID 22-1395 RESOLUTION - Finding good cause and public benefit for extension of the
South Fulton Street mixed use residential rental project pursuant to Fresno
Municipal Code Section 4-204 relating to disposition of real property
(Requires five affirmative votes) (City Action)
Sponsor: Successor Agency
The above item was introduced to Council by Councilmember Arias and the
applicant, Mehment Noyan. The Executive Director to the Housing
Successor to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fresno also
addressed Council.
Upon call, the following member of the public addressed Council: Lisa
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City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 31, 2022
Flores.
Discussion on this item included: the removal of Terance Frazier as a
partner on the project; completion of the first and second phases of the
project; the increase in the number of planned units since the last extension;
the length of time other Development Agreements have been in place; the
number of affordable housing units included in the project; the amount of tax
payer money utilized for the project; the original target completion date and
the number of extensions; policies against land banking and making
exceptions by super majority vote of Council; the overall financing for the
project; the timeline of Councilmember Soria's absences during votes on
Terance Frazier related projects before Council; past audits and unresolved
irregularities; fairness when it comes to rejecting real property agreements
based on the number of extensions; issuing a new Request for Proposals as
a fair alternative; the purpose of the state funding allocated to the project
and the inability to use the funds to pay rent, and; the possibility of a chilling
effect on development if extensions are not granted.
On motion of Councilmember Arias, seconded by Council President
Esparza, that the above Action Item be approved. The motion, which
required five affirmative votes, FAILED by the following vote:
Aye: 4 - Esparza, Maxwell, Arias and Chavez
No: 2 - Karbassi and Bredefeld
Recused: 1 - Soria
ADJOURNMENT
City Council adjourned the Special Meeting at 9:29 A.M.
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Agenda
City of Fresno
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
www.fresno.gov
Meeting Agenda - Final
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
9:00 AM
Special Meeting
Council Chambers (In Person and/or Electronic)
City Council
President - Nelson Esparza
Vice President - Tyler Maxwell
Councilmembers:
Esmeralda Z. Soria, Mike Karbassi, Miguel Angel Arias, Luis Chavez,
Garry Bredefeld
City Manager - Georgeanne A. White
Interim City Attorney - Rina Gonzales
City Clerk - Todd Stermer, CMC
City Council Meeting Agenda - Final August 31, 2022
PUBLIC ADVISORY:
THE FRESNO CITY COUNCIL WELCOMES YOU TO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS,
LOCATED IN CITY HALL, 2ND FLOOR, 2600 FRESNO STREET, FRESNO,
CALIFORNIA 93721.
You can also participate in the meeting on our City’s website click on the URL
https://fresno.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the “In progress” link under
“video” for the corresponding meeting. The Council meeting can also be viewed live
at 9:00 A.M. on Comcast Channel 96 and AT&T Channel 99.
The City Council Chambers are open for public participation. However, members of
the public are encouraged to participate electronically because of reduced capacity
of seating in the Chambers to allow for social distancing, and masks will be required
for the vaccinated and unvaccinated.
PUBLIC COMMENT: The following options are available for members of the public
who want to address City Council:
1. eComment at https://fresno.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
a) eComments is a tool for citizens to use to make comments on agenda items. It will
be open during the Council meeting and closed at the end of the meeting and will be
a part of the official record. The User Agreement and Procedures document for
eComment can be accessed by the URL https://www.fresno.gov/cityclerk/
b) eComments will be a maximum of 450 words.
OR
2. You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: August 31, 2022 9:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: August 31, 2022, Special Meeting
a) Register in advance for this webinar:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sgM91yWpT_2mux5avZagCw
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) If you wish to address Council during the public comment portion of the agenda,
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City Council Meeting Agenda - Final August 31, 2022
click on the icon labeled “Participants” at the bottom center of your PC or Mac
screen. At the bottom of the window on the right side of the screen, click the icon
labeled “RaiseHand”. Your digital hand will now be raised.
d) Those addressing Council must state their name for the record.
e) To facilitate electronic access, no person shall speak until recognized by the
Presiding Officer.
OR
3. Email: to clerk@fresno.gov
a) Residents 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.
b) Emails will be a maximum of 450 words.
c) All comments received will be distributed to Council prior and during the meeting
and will be a part of the official record.
Pursuant to Rule 11 (c) of the Rules of Procedure for the City Council of the City of
Fresno, no documents shall be accepted for Council review unless submitted to the
City Clerk at least 24 hours prior to the Council Agenda item be heard.
All participants will be on mute until they are called upon at which point they will be
unmuted. To prevent participants from having their video on, we will remove the
option to show their video.
The City of Fresno’s goal is to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, If you
need additional accommodations such as interpreters, sign language signers, or the
services of a translator, please contact the office of the City Clerk at (559) 621-7650
or clerk@fresno.gov. To ensure availability, you are advised to
make your request at least three business days prior to the meeting.
The City of Fresno thanks you in advance for taking all precautions to prevent
spreading COVID19 virus.
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City Council Meeting Agenda - Final August 31, 2022
NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY IN ITS
CAPACITY AS HOUSING SUCCESSOR TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE
CITY OF FRESNO, AND THE FRESNO REVITALIZATION CORPORATION
DATE: Wednesday, August 31, 2022
TIME: 9:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter as it may be heard
LOCATION: City Hall and Electronic meeting
Please Take Notice the Council of the City of Fresno hereby calls a Special Meeting
of the City Council pursuant to California Government Code section 54956 at the
above stated time and place. The purpose of the special meeting is to meet and
consider the following:
9:00 A.M. ROLL CALL
APPROVE AGENDA
ID 22-1396 Notice of Special Meeting - Signed
Sponsors: Esparza
OPEN SESSION
ID 22-1395 RESOLUTION - Finding good cause and public benefit for
extension of the South Fulton Street mixed use residential
rental project pursuant to Fresno Municipal Code Section
4-204 relating to disposition of real property (Requires five
affirmative votes) (City Action)
Sponsor: Successor Agency
Members of the public shall have an opportunity to address the City Council
concerning this matter.
ADJOURNMENT
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