Planning Commission

City of Fresno City Hall Council Chambers 2600 Fresno Street Meeting Minutes - Final Wednesday, November 15, 2023 6:00 PM Regular Meeting In Person and/or Electronic City Hall Council Chambers Planning Commission Chairperson – Peter Vang Vice Chair – Brad Hardie Commissioner – David Criner Commissioner – Haley M Wagner Commissioner – Kathy Bray Commissioner – Monica Diaz Commissioner – Jacqueline Lyday Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final November 15, 2023 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 of 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 City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final November 15, 2023 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. City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final November 15, 2023 I. ROLL CALL Chair Vang called meeting to order at 6:04pm Also present from staff were Jennifer Clark, Israel Trejo, Phillip Siegrist, Janice Monroe, Saul Perez, Diego St. Clair (Planning), Kristi Costa (CAO), Harmanjit Dhaliwal (DPW), & Dejan Pavic (DPU) Present 6 - Chairperson Peter Vang, Vice Chair Brad Hardie, Commissioner Haley M. Wagner, Commissioner Kathy Bray, Commissioner Monica Diaz, and Commissioner Jacqueline G. Lyday Absent 1 - Commissioner David Criner II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 6:04pm III. PROCEDURES - PROCEDIMIENTOS - KEV SAB LAJ 6:05pm Chair Vang read procedures aloud IV. AGENDA APPROVAL 6:06pm Costa explained that Commissioner Lyday was claiming Emergency Circumstances (AB2449) and the guidelines for the meeting. Lyday explained she was not yet fully recovered from a recent accident and was unable to attend in person. Trejo reported no changes from Staff. Agenda was approved with the condition that Lyday was allowed to attend the meeting via Zoom. On motion of Chairperson Vang, seconded by Vice Chair Hardie,the above AGENDA was APPROVED AS AMENDED. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5 - Chairperson Vang, Vice Chair Hardie, Commissioner Wagner, Commissioner Bray, and Commissioner Diaz City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 4 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final November 15, 2023 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Criner Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Lyday V. CONSENT CALENDAR N/A VI. REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS N/A VII. CONTINUED MATTERS N/A VIII. NEW MATTERS A. ID 23-1655 Hearing to consider Text Amendment Application No. P23-02808 and related Environmental Finding: 1. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of the Finding of No Possibility of Significant Adverse Effect as prepared for Environmental Assessment No. P23-02808 dated September 13, 2023. 2. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Text Amendment Application No. P23-02808 amending Subsection E to Section 3314 of Chapter 15 of the Fresno Municipal Code relating to the language of the required appeal hearing date from 30 days to 45 days. 6:08pm Rob Holt (Planning Supervisor) made a brief presentation on the Subdivision Map Act (SMA) and the Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) sections affected, explaining the changes proposed. He talked about outreach in District Committee meetings and Staff recommendations. No Public or Commissioner comments were made. On motion of Commissioner Wagner, seconded by Commissioner Diaz, that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 5 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final November 15, 2023 Aye: 6 - Chairperson Vang, Vice Chair Hardie, Commissioner Wagner, Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday Absent: 1 - Commissioner Criner B. ID 23-1657 Consideration of Tentative Tract Map No. 6392, Planned Development Permit Application No. P23-02692 and the related Environmental Assessment No. T-6392/P23-02692 for approximately 7.71 acres of property located on the south side of East Florence Avenue, between South Walnut and South Fruit Avenues (Council District 3). 1. ADOPT the Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for Environmental Assessment No. T-6392/P23-02692 dated October 27, 2023, for the proposed project pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. 2. APPROVE Planned Development Permit Application No. P23- 02692, proposing to modify the RS-3 (Single Family Residential, Low Density) zone district development standards to allow for a reduction in the minimum lot width, lot area, and front yard setbacks. 3. APPROVE Tentative Tract Map No. 6392, proposing to subdivide approximately 7.71 acres of the subject property into a 33-lot, single family residential development, subject to compliance with the Conditions of Approval dated November 15, 2023. 6:11pm Chris Lang (Planning Supervisor) made a brief presentation on the location, land use, proposed subdivision, low-income qualifications, requested modifications, District Committee outreach, and Staff recommendations. Christina Stokes Johnson (Applicant) was present and available for questions. Commissioner Bray asked about the cost of a home proposed. No public spoke in favor of the item. One person spoke in opposition, focusing on a lack of community outreach and the unrealistic cost of the houses for those who live in Southwest Fresno, saying this was not good for her community. City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 6 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final November 15, 2023 Johnson's rebuttal explained the outreach performed and addressed the affordability concerns with the option for a soft mortgage. Vang asked the applicant to share contact information with the community if they had more questions / concerns. Diaz asked about the number of people and who attended the meetings that were held but the applicant didn't have details. Staff explained the standard noticing requirements and steps taken by Staff. Lyday asked the applicant to explain terms such as median income, household income, and process of a soft-mortgage and the Johnson elaborated with examples. Wagner requested more communication with the community and originally was requesting to continue the item until such meeting occurred. However she made a friendly amendment when making her motion to approve Staff's recommendations, adding the condition that the applicant would hold a meeting with the local community. On motion of Commissioner Wagner, seconded by Vice Chair Hardie, that the above Action Item be APPROVED AS AMENDED. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 6 - Chairperson Vang, Vice Chair Hardie, Commissioner Wagner, Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday Absent: 1 - Commissioner Criner IX. REPORT BY SECRETARY N/A X. SCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS N/A XI. UNSCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS N/A City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 7 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final November 15, 2023 XII. ADJOURNMENT Chair Vang adjourned meeting at 6:29pm City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 8