City Council
Regular MeetingFresno, CA · December 13, 2024
Minutes
City of Fresno 2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
www.fresno.gov
Meeting Minutes
City Council
President - Annalisa Perea
Vice President - Mike Karbassi
Councilmembers:
Miguel Angel Arias, Tyler Maxwell, Luis Chavez,
Garry Bredefeld, Nelson Esparza
City Manager - Georgeanne A. White
City Attorney - Andrew Janz
City Clerk - Todd Stermer, CMC
Friday, December 13, 2024 3:00 PM Council Chambers
Special Meeting
The City Council met in special session in the Council Chamber, City Hall, on the
date and time above written.
3:09 P.M. ROLL CALL
Councilmember Bredefeld led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Present: 7 - Councilmember Annalisa Perea
Council President Mike Karbassi
Vice President Miguel Angel Arias
Councilmember Tyler Maxwell
Councilmember Luis Chavez
Councilmember Garry Bredefeld
Councilmember Nelson Esparza
APPROVE AGENDA
On motion of Councilmember Maxwell, seconded by Councilmember
Bredefeld, the Agenda was APPROVED. The motion carried by the
following vote:
Aye: 6 - Perea, Karbassi, Maxwell, Chavez, Bredefeld and Esparza
No: 1 - Arias
ID 24-1698 Notice of Special Meeting - Signed
OPEN SESSION
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City Council Meeting Minutes December 13, 2024
Upon call, the following members of the public addressed Council: Darren
Rose, Corine Demetreos, Walter Smith, Will Oliver, and Ethan Smith.
ID 24-1699 Actions pertaining to a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of
Fresno and the County of Fresno (Sphere of Influence):
1. Adopt a finding that the Memorandum of Understanding between
the City of Fresno and the County of Fresno relating to property
tax sharing, sales tax sharing, annexation, and development
within the City’s sphere of influence is exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the common
sense exemption in that it can be seen with certainty that there is
no possibility the Memorandum of Understanding will have a
significant effect on the environment pursuant to Section
15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act
Guidelines; and
2. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding substantially in the form
attached between the City of Fresno and the County of Fresno
relating to property tax sharing, sales tax sharing, annexation,
and development within the City’s sphere of influence.
Council discussion included: expressions of gratitude toward the ad hoc
committee, City staffers, county supervisors, and the mayor's administration;
the need for increased housing construction across income levels;
clarification that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) does not
approve any development, including the Southeast Development Area
(SEDA); how the MOU increases revenue for essential City services; the
challenges and complexities of reaching an agreement; discussions of
development standards and fire transition fees; the importance of updating
the tax revenue-sharing agreement to reflect current City needs; the
definition and application of "substantially developed" land; the annexation
of county islands and conditions for initiation; fire district fees; concerns
about the timing and transparency of the meeting notice; compliance with
Brown Act and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regulations;
whether there was a financial emergency or critical reason to approve the
agreement immediately; concerns about the short notice for
Councilmembers and the public to review the document; the impact on
development projects; an explanation of the 10-year property tax payment to
the Fresno County Fire Protection District under the current agreement; the
property tax revenue splits, and a breakdown of tax rate adjustments for new
annexations in specific areas; financial incentives for expediting
development in SEDA; the County’s role in rezoning for high-density
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City Council Meeting Minutes December 13, 2024
development; the financial feasibility of expanding the city eastward, and
potential public subsidies for developers; and a comparison of the revenue
generated versus potential infrastructure costs.
On motion of President Perea, seconded by Vice President Karbassi,
that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by the
following vote:
Aye: 6 - Perea, Karbassi, Maxwell, Chavez, Bredefeld and Esparza
No: 1 - Arias
ADJOURNMENT
The Council meeting adjourned from open session at 4:43 P.M.
The above minutes were approved by unanimous vote of the City Council during the
January 9, 2025, regular meeting.
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Agenda
City of Fresno
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
www.fresno.gov
Meeting Agenda - Final
Friday, December 13, 2024
3:00 PM
Special Meeting
Council Chambers
City Council
President - Annalisa Perea
Vice President - Mike Karbassi
Councilmembers:
Miguel Angel Arias, Tyler Maxwell, Luis Chavez,
Garry Bredefeld, Nelson Esparza
City Manager - Georgeanne A. White
City Attorney - Andrew Janz
City Clerk - Todd Stermer, CMC
City Council Meeting Agenda - Final December 13, 2024
THE FRESNO CITY COUNCIL WELCOMES YOU TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER,
LOCATED IN CITY HALL, 2ND FLOOR, 2600 FRESNO STREET, FRESNO,
CALIFORNIA 93721.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – Public participation during Fresno City Council meetings is
always encouraged and can occur by attending a meeting in the Council Chambers on the
2nd floor of City Hall located at 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721.
To be called to speak during a meeting, please fill out a speaker card (located throughout
the chamber) and place it in the speaker card collection basket at the front of the chamber.
You may also approach the speaker podium upon the Council President’s call for any
additional public comment.
Unless otherwise announced, all public speakers will have up to 3 minutes to address
Council pursuant to Rule No. 10 of the Rules of Procedure for the City Council of the City
of Fresno (available in the City Clerk’s Office).
SUBMIT DOCUMENTS / WRITTEN COMMENTS - Pursuant to Rule 11 (c) of the Rules of
Procedure, 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. Documents / written
comments related to an agenda item can be submitted by one of the following methods:
1) eComment – eComment allows the public to submit agenda related comments through
a website prior to the meeting. Submitted comments are limited to 1440 characters and
will be a part of the official record.
a) Submit an e-Comment by visiting https://fresno.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and
selecting the “eComment” link.
b) e-Comment is available for use upon publication of the agenda and closes 24
hours prior to the meeting start time [pursuant to Rule 11(c)].
c) e-Comment is not permitted for Land use or CEQA items.
d) The e-Comment Electronic User Agreement can be viewed at:
https://www.fresno.gov/cityclerk/#information
2) E-mail – Agenda related documents and comments can be e-mailed to the Office of
the City Clerk at least 24 hours prior to the agenda item being heard, pursuant to Rule
11(c).
a) E-mail the Clerk’s Office at clerk@fresno.gov
b) E-mails should include the agenda date, and the related agenda item number.
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City Council Meeting Agenda - Final December 13, 2024
VIEWING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS (non-participatory) - For your convenience, there
are several ways to view Fresno City Council meetings live:
1) City of Fresno website: https://fresno.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx (click “In Progress”
to view the live meeting).
2) Community Media Access Collaborative website: https://cmac.tv/
3) YouTube - City of Fresno Council, Boards and Commissions Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3ld83D8QGn1YBDw6aD5dZA/videos
4) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FresnoCA/videos
5) Cable Television: Comcast Channel 96 and AT&T Channel 99
6) Zoom: https://www.fresno.gov/council-meeting/
Should any of the six viewing methods listed above experience technical difficulties, the
Council meeting will continue uninterrupted. Council meetings will only be paused to
address verifiable technical difficulties for all users participating via Zoom or in the Council
Chamber.
The City of Fresno’s goal is to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Anyone requiring reasonable ADA accommodations, including sign language interpretation
should contact the office of the City Clerk at (559) 621-7650 or clerk@fresno.gov. The
office of the City Clerk should also be contacted if spoken language translation is expected
to be needed during a meeting. To help ensure availability of these services, you are
advised to make your request a minimum of three business days prior to the scheduled
meeting.
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City Council Meeting Agenda - Final December 13, 2024
GOVERNMENT CODE 84308 CONTRIBUTION PROHIBITIONS AND MANDATORY
DISCLOSURES - The Political Reform Act of 1974 (Act) restricts campaign contributions
over $250 from a party to or participant in a proceeding involving a license, permit,
contract, or entitlement for use before the City. The Act requires disclosure of the
contribution and creates a conflict where a decisionmaker has received $250 or more from
a party or participant to a proceeding in the prior 12 months. A decisionmaker must
disclose on the record during the proceeding that they have received contributions from a
party, participant, or agent of a party or participant, greater than $250 within the preceding
12 months and the name(s) of the contributor(s). (See 2 CCR 18438.8(a).) Parties and
participants to a proceeding are required to disclose on the record if they made
contributions over $250 within the prior 12 months, and are prohibited from making
contributions to a decisionmaker during the proceeding and for 12 months after the date a
final decision is rendered on the proceeding. Violations of these provisions are punishable
as a misdemeanor.
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City Council Meeting Agenda - Final December 13, 2024
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRESNO
DATE: Friday, December 13, 2024
TIME: 3:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as it may be heard
LOCATION: Council Chambers, City Hall
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:
3:00 P.M. ROLL CALL
APPROVE AGENDA
ID 24-1698 Notice of Special Meeting - Signed
Sponsors: Council President Perea
OPEN SESSION
ID 24-1699 Actions pertaining to a Memorandum of Understanding
between the City of Fresno and the County of Fresno
(Sphere of Influence):
1. Adopt a finding that the Memorandum of Understanding
between the City of Fresno and the County of Fresno relating
to property tax sharing, sales tax sharing, annexation, and
development within the City’s sphere of influence is exempt
from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to the common sense exemption in that it can be
seen with certainty that there is no possibility the
Memorandum of Understanding will have a significant effect
on the environment pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the
California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines; and
2. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding substantially in
the form attached between the City of Fresno and the County
of Fresno relating to property tax sharing, sales tax sharing,
annexation, and development within the City’s sphere of
influence.
Sponsors: Council President Perea, Vice President Karbassi and
Councilmember Maxwell
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City Council Meeting Agenda - Final December 13, 2024
ADJOURNMENT
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