Planning Commission

City of Fresno City Hall Council Chambers 2600 Fresno Street Meeting Minutes - Final Wednesday, August 6, 2025 6:00 PM Regular Meeting City Hall Council Chambers 2600 Fresno Street Planning Commission Chairperson – Peter Vang Vice Chair - Kathy Bray Commissioner – David Criner Commissioner – Monica Diaz Commissioner – Jacqueline Lyday Commissioner - Linda M Calandra Commissioner – Gurdeep Singh Shergill Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 6, 2025 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 by attending a meeting in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 2nd Floor, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721. When called to speak during a meeting, you may approach the speaker podium upon the Chair’s call for public comment. 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 the Planning & Development Department. 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. 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, pursuant to Article 4 (3). a. Email comments to PublicCommentsPlanning@fresno.gov. b. Emails should 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. 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 3. Participate Remotely via Zoom: https://fresno.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_JRC95sI1SW6vrTmNwLLrPw 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. Should any of these viewing methods listed above experience technical difficulties, the Commission meeting will continue uninterrupted. Commission meetings will only City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 6, 2025 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 August 6, 2025 I. ROLL CALL 6:02 p.m. Chair Vang made an announcement that the meeting would begin as soon as quorum was met. Chair Vang called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Also present were Jennifer Clark, Ashley Atkinson, Phillip Siegrist, Israel Trejo, Robert Holt, Kari Camino, Heather Thomas (CAO), and Luis Adrian Gonzalez (DPW). Present 5 - Chairperson Peter Vang, Commissioner David Criner , Commissioner Kathy Bray, Commissioner Linda Calandra, and Commissioner Gurdeep Singh Shergill Absent 2 - Commissioner Monica Diaz, and Commissioner Jacqueline G. Lyday II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 6:03 p.m. III. PROCEDURES 6:04 p.m. Chair Vang read the procedures aloud. Commissioner Shergill arrived at 6:05 p.m. IV. AGENDA APPROVAL 6:06 p.m. Trejo reported no changes to the agenda. On motion of Vice Chair Bray, seconded by Commissioner Calandra, the AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5 - Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Calandra, and Commissioner Shergill City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 4 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 6, 2025 Absent: 2 - Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday V. CONSENT CALENDAR 6:06 p.m. On motion of Vice Chair Bray, seconded by Commissioner Criner , the CONSENT CALENDAR was APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5 - Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Calandra, and Commissioner Shergill Absent: 2 - Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday V-A ID 25-1045 July 16, 2025 Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes VI. REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS 6:06 p.m. Commissioner Shergill thanked Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto, and the Fresno Police Department for keeping local businesses safe. He also inquired when the West Area Neighborhood Specific Plan would be presented to Planning Commission. Director Clark stated it would be coming before them for consideration in September. VII. CONTINUED MATTERS N/A VIII. NEW MATTERS City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 5 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 6, 2025 VIII-A ID 25-1007 Consideration of Annexation Application No. P24-04526; Pre-zone Application No. P24-04527; Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6502; Planned Development Permit Application No. P25-00027; and related E n v i r o n m e n t a l A s s e s s m e n t N o . T-6502/P24-04526/P24-04527/P25-00027 for approximately 39.51 acres of property located on the north side of East McKinley Avenue, between North Temperance and North De Wolf Avenues (Council District 7) - Planning and Development Department. 1. RECOMMEND ADOPTION (to the City Council) of the Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for Environmental Assessment No. T-6502/P24-04526/P24-04527/P25-00027 dated July 16, 2025, for the proposed project pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. 2. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Annexation Application No. P24-04526 (for the McKinley-Temperance No. 1b Reorganization) proposing detachment from the Kings River Conservation District and Fresno County Fire Protection District and annexation to the City of Fresno. 3. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Pre-zone Application No. P24-04527 proposing to pre-zone approximately 23.56 acres of the subject property from the Fresno County AE-20 (Exclusive Agricultural) zone district to the City of Fresno RS-4 (Single-Family Residential, Medium Low Density) zone district; and approximately 15.50 acres of the subject property from the Fresno County AE-20 (Exclusive Agricultural) zone district to the City of Fresno OS (Open Space) zone district. 4. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6502 proposing to subdivide approximately 23.56 acres of property into a 119-lot single-family residential development, subject to compliance with the Conditions of Approval dated August 6, 2025, and contingent upon approval of Annexation Application No. P24-04526, Pre-zone Application No. P24-04527 and the related environmental assessment. 5. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Planned Development Permit Application No. P25-00027 proposing to modify the RS-4 zone district development standards, for 28 of the proposed lots, to allow for gated private streets; a reduction in the minimum lot size, width, and depth; a reduction in the minimum garage, street side yard, and rear yard setbacks; and, an increase City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 6 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 6, 2025 in the maximum lot coverage requirement, subject to compliance with the Conditions of Approval dated August 6, 2025, and contingent upon approval of Annexation Application No. P24-04526, Pre-zone Application No. P24-04527, Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6502 and the related environmental assessment. 6:08 p.m. Holt made a presentation on the project including the general location, land use, zoning, proposed Tract Map, public outreach, opposition received, and Staff's recommendation. Brandon De Young (Applicant) thanked Staff for their hard work. He gave a brief overview of the new development including a variety of lot sizes and floor plans available, options and different levels of affordability, and the new neighborhood park and trail available to all residents. Commissioners asked about affordable housing and if the houses would be energy efficient. In response, De Young stated the houses would be market-value, high quality homes, and would be considered smart, and energy efficient. Public Comment: No public comment was given. On motion of Commissioner Calandra, seconded by Commissioner Shergill, that the above Action Item be RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5 - Chairperson Vang, Commissioner Criner , Commissioner Bray, Commissioner Calandra, and Commissioner Shergill Absent: 2 - Commissioner Diaz, and Commissioner Lyday City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 7 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 6, 2025 VIII-B ID 25-1055 Workshop: New State Legislation Affecting CEQA 6:23 p.m. Trejo gave a brief update on Assembly Bill 130. He spoke of Statutory Exemptions, including elements such as the size of a project site, if the project is consistent with General Plan and zoning requirements, Tribal consultation, and that a Phase I Environmental Assessment will be required for all projects. He went on to give an update on Senate Bill 131. He explained how a "Near Miss" exemption allows for a streamlined California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of housing projects which miss qualifying for a statutory or categorical exemption by a single condition. He went on to explain what types of projects the "Near Miss" exemption does not apply to, such as housing projects not "similar in kind", projects which do not meet two or more conditions, and any projects located on protected lands. Siegrist concluded the presentation by giving examples of projects that are statutorily exempt, such as Day Care centers, Non-Profit Food Banks, Food Pantries, and Advanced Manufacturing facilities when located in an industrial zone, and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Commissioners thanked Staff for the update. IX. REPORT BY SECRETARY 6:43 p.m. Director Clark reminded the Commissioners that the West Area Specific Plan is available for review on the City of Fresno website, and will be brought before the Commission in September. She encouraged the Commissioners to read and familiarize themselves with the upcoming Specific Plans. X. SCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS N/A City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 8 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 6, 2025 XI. UNSCHEDULED ORAL COMMUNICATIONS 6:44 p.m. None XII. ADJOURNMENT Chair Vang adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m. City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 9