Wednesday, August 31, 2022
9:00 AM
City of Fresno
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
www.fresno.gov
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
Meeting Minutes - Final
Special Meeting
August 31, 2022City Council Meeting Minutes - Final
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
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
Present: 7 -
APPROVE AGENDA
On motion of Councilmember Arias, seconded by Councilmember Soria, that the Agenda be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Esparza, Maxwell, Soria, Karbassi, Arias, Chavez and Bredefeld
7 -
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 City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 2
August 31, 2022City Council Meeting Minutes - Final
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: Esparza, Maxwell, Arias and Chavez4 -
No: Karbassi and Bredefeld2 -
Recused: Soria1 -
ADJOURNMENT
City Council adjourned the Special Meeting at 9:29 A.M.
City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 3