Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee

City of Fresno Tower Theater 815 E Olive Ave. Fresno, CA 93728 Meeting Minutes - Final Tuesday, April 30, 2024 5:30 PM Special Meeting In Person and/or Electronic, Ted C Wills, 770 N San Pablo Ave., Fresno, CA 93728 Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee Chairperson - Christopher Johnson Vice Chair - Janay Conley Board Member - Annie Lokrantz Board Member - Michael Birdsong Board Member - Myra Coble Board Member - James Kitch Board Member - Joseph Catania Tower District Specific Plan Meeting Minutes - Final April 30, 2024 Implementation Committee THE COMMITTEE WELCOMES YOU TO TED C. WILLS COMMUNITY CENTER, LOCATED AT 770 N SAN PABLO AVE, FRESNO, CA 93728 The meeting can also be viewed live at 5:30 P.M. on Comcast Channel 96 and AT&T channel 99. PUBLIC COMMENT: The following options are available for members of the public who want to address Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee: 1. You are invited to a Zoom webinar. a) Register in advance for this webinar: https://fresno-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_taAP1qgNRGGeXj2cB5mzQQ 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) Those addressing Committee must state their name for the record. OR 2. Join by phone: 1-669-900-9128 Webinar ID: 951 8694 8275 a) Those addressing the Committee must state their name and address for the record. 3. Email: LongRangePlanning@fresno.gov 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 will be distributed to the Tower District Specific Plan City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 2 Tower District Specific Plan Meeting Minutes - Final April 30, 2024 Implementation Committee Implementation Committee prior and during the meeting and will be a part of the official record. d) Notwithstanding subsection c) above, unless otherwise required by law to be accepted by the City at or prior to a Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee meeting, no documents shall be accepted for review unless they are submitted to Long Range Planning at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of the meeting at which the associated agenda item is to be heard. All participants will be on mute until they are called upon, at which point each person will have the opportunity to speak for two minutes on each item. To prevent participants from having their video on, we will remove the option to show their video. Pursuant to the Executive Order, and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in the Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee meeting, please contact the Planning Division, 559-621-8277 within 48 hours of the meeting. City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 3 Tower District Specific Plan Meeting Minutes - Final April 30, 2024 Implementation Committee I. Call to Order & Roll Call Chair called the meeting to order at 5:34 pm and initiated roll call. Also present were Long Range Planning staff Sophia Pagoulatos, Adrienne Asadoorian-Gilbert, Yamilex Nava, Preston Her, and Matthew Chea; Public Works staff Andreina Aguilar and Jill Gormley; Present 7 - Chairperson Christopher Johnson, Board Member Michael Birdsong, Board Member Annie Lokrantz, Vice Chair Janay Conley, Board Member Myra Coble, Board Member James Kitch, and Board Member Joseph Catania II. Approve Agenda On motion of Board Member Coble, seconded by Board Member Lokrantz,the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 7 - Chairperson Johnson, Board Member Birdsong, Board Member Lokrantz, Vice Chair Conley, Board Member Coble, Board Member Kitch and Board Member Catania III. Approve Meeting Minutes ID 24-589 April 16, 2024 Tower District Specific Implementation Committee Regular Meeting Minutes On motion of Vice Chair Conley, seconded by Board Member Birdsong, that the above Action Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 7 - Chairperson Johnson, Board Member Birdsong, Board Member Lokrantz, Vice Chair Conley, Board Member Coble, Board Member Kitch and Board Member Catania IV. Council District Updates N/A V. Staff Updates Asadoorian-Gilbert updated the Committee and the public on the special meeting taking place on May 14th, 2024 at Ted C. Wills Community Center. City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 4 Tower District Specific Plan Meeting Minutes - Final April 30, 2024 Implementation Committee Pagoulatos explained the procedures to address the committee and public comment. VI. Continued Matters ID 24-590 Review and discuss the topic of Land Use of the Tower District Specific Plan Update. Asadoorian-Gilbert recapped the policies on Land Use. Conley made a recommendation on policy 2.6 to change the word from "offer" to "require". Birdsong commented on the ADUs located on Palm and suggested constructing a landscaped sidewalk with a sturdy brick wall from McKinley to Olive. Catania recommended removing ACUs from residential neighborhoods as smaller commercial developments would not be favorable for the area. Chairperson Johnson asked staff how policy 2.5 is measured and staff mentioned the City uses state metrics for updates. Catania mentions policy 5.1 needs language to restrict expansion of industrial zoning in residential. Birdsong inquired about balancing market-driven night entertainment with creating a family-friendly neighborhood. Member of the public expressed concern about Code Enforcement focusing on residential and not businesses. Member of the public questioned how Land Use could be distinguished for a library in the Tower District. A member of the public likes policy 3.3 and suggests changing "i.e. Tower Theater" to "e.g. Tower Theater". They agree with on-street parking limits City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 5 Tower District Specific Plan Meeting Minutes - Final April 30, 2024 Implementation Committee and think ACUs are a good idea. However, they believe that policy 4.10 needs further revision. Chairperson Johnson suggested that all the attendees should contact Code Enforcement in case of any issues. Staff strongly encouraged everyone to use the FresGo app to report any problems. Additionally, the Chairperson requested clarification on the zoning regulations for a library and staff informed that libraries are allowed in commercial zones. Conley asked if a historic museum would also align in the same zoning and staff said yes. Kitch suggested fixing the broken windows that had been covered up. Winch went over the 4 land use themes. (Residential Theme, Main Streets Theme, Park Opportunities Theme, and Employment Theme) VII. New Matters ID 24-473 Workshop regarding traffic as it relates to the Tower District due to the Truck Reroute Study and surrounding Caltrans and High Speed Rail projects. Public Works staff Aguilar presented on the South Central Fresno AB 617 Community Truck Reroute Study and Health Assessment. Public Works staff Gormley answered questions that were previously made regarding circulation and presented on the Thorne cul de sac, Belmont frontage road, Broadway overcrossing, and Weber. Chairperson Johnson had questions about the new Belmont frontage road having impacts on the neighborhood. Coble asked if businesses located on Belmont have access to the 99 freeway. Staff provided information on the various routes that businesses can take to get onto the freeway. Additionally, Coble inquired about the possibility of the City widening the street and staff stated that there are no plans to widen the street. City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 6 Tower District Specific Plan Meeting Minutes - Final April 30, 2024 Implementation Committee Catania inquired about the possibility of adding new traffic signals, but staff confirmed that there are no such plans at the moment. Chairperson Johnson asked about the closure of H street and staff stated there is no application on file. VIII. Unscheduled Oral Communications Member of the public had a question on development fees and the impacts it will have in Fresno and the Tower District and staff said the City is following it. Member of the public asked about the community outreach events on the Truck Reroute studies and staff said they will reach out once the dates have been set. Birdsong announced that Tower District Preservation is collaborating with D3 on a lamp post project and called on the community to assist in painting some of the lamp posts. IX. Adjournment Next Meeting: May 14, 2024 at Ted C. Wills Community Center The Chair adjourned meeting at 7:20 pm. City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 7