Fresno City Council
October 13, 2022

Exhibit T
A Resolution of the Council of the City of Fresno,
California, to adopt the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan (Plan Amendment application No. P22-01352)
RESOLUTION NO. ____ _

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, TO ADOPT THE WEST AREA

NEIGHBORHOODS SPECIFIC PLAN (PLAN AMENDMENT
APPLICATION NO. P22-01352)
WHEREAS, on December 18, 2014, by Resolution No. 2014-226, the City Council adopted the Fresno General Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Fresno General Plan includes general goals, policies and objectives that apply to the City of Fresno as a whole; and WHEREAS, residents of the West area have identified several issues that require a more specific approach; and
WHEREAS, the Fresno City Council voted to allocate for a West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan and Environmental Impact Report in the FY2019 budget and Infrastructure Financing Plan; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, the Fresno City Council Established an 11-member Steering committee, comprised of residents and stakeholders to offer guidance and review during the development of a West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan, pertaining to approximately 7,077 acres located in the DA-1 West Development Area; and WHEREAS, the Steering Committee has met 17 times during the period between April 25, 2018 and April 7, 2022, following Brown Act procedures, to consider issues raised by themselves and community members and to deliberate on potential land use related solutions; and
1 of 5
Date Adopted:

Date Approved:

Effective Date:

City Attorney Approval: Resolution No. - ---
WHEREAS, from April 25, 2018 and April 7, 2022, the Steering Committee and Planning and Development staff collectively held a series of public meetings and events including 17 steering committee meetings, 11 community workshops, and 13 informational presentations to committees and commissions; and
WHEREAS, on June 27, 2019, by Resolution No. 2019-140 pursuant to Fresno Municipal Code Section 15-4902-8, the Fresno City Council initiated the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan based on the Draft Land Use Map and Guiding Principles and initiated amendments to the West Area Community Plan and Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan pertaining to approximately 7,077 acres located in the West Development Area; and
WHEREAS, on April 30, 2021, the City released a Public Draft of the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan for a 90-day public comment period that was extended to 125 days; and
WHEREAS on April 25, 2022 the City released a Revised Public Draft and Comprehensive Redline Summary of the Plan which incorporated changes recommended by the Steering Committee in response to comments on the Public Draft, changes recommended by City staff in response to comments on the Environmental Impact Report, and technical revisions to improve clarity, update outdated information and correct typographical errors; and
WHEREAS on July 7, 2022 the City released the Planning Commission Draft and updated Comprehensive Redline Summary of the Plan which incorporated additional changes recommended individually by City staff and the District 1 Project Review Committee to provide additional clarity and protections regarding Specific Plan changes, 2 of 5
the Herndon Canal Class I trail, and the Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan; and WHEREAS there were no further changes to the Planning Commission Review Draft; and
WHEREAS, the Planning and Development Director has initiated Plan Amendment Application No. P22-01351 to repeal the West Area Community Plan and approximately 455 acres of the Highway City Specific Plan, Plan Amendment Application No. P22-01352 to adopt the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan; and WHEREAS, the Planning and Development Director has initiated Plan Amendment Application No. P22-01353 to update the Land Use Map (Figure LU-1) of the Fresno General Plan; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of 15-5809 of the Fresno Municipal Code, the Planning Commission of the City of Fresno held a duly noticed public hearing on July 20, 2022 to consider the subject applications, and the associated Final EIR; and WHEREAS, the Fresno City Planning Commission took action, as evidenced in Planning Commission Resolutions Nos. 13753 to -57, to recommend approval of the subject applications; and
WHEREAS, on August 18, 2022, the Fresno City Council held a public hearing to consider Plan Amendment Application No. P22-01352 and received both oral testimony and written information presented at the hearing regarding the subject applications; and WHEREAS, prior to taking action on this project, Council certified the Final EIR (SCH #2019069117) for the West Area Specific Plan, adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and determining that it was prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. 3 of 5
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Fresno as follows:

1. The Council finds the adoption of Plan Amendment Application P22-01352, as recommended by the Planning Commission, is in the best interest of the City of Fresno.

2. The Council of the City of Fresno hereby adopts Plan Amendment Application No. P22-01352 to adopt the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan, including all guiding principles, goals, objectives, policies, maps, and implementation measures, pertaining to approximately 7,077 acres as depicted in Attachment 1 - Specific Plan.

3. This resolution shall be effective upon final approval. 4 of 5
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF FRESNO ) ss.

CITY OF FRESNO )
I, TODD STERMER, City Clerk of the City of Fresno, certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Council of the City of Fresno, at a regular meeting held on the ____ day of _______ 2022.

AYES
NOES
ABSENT

ABSTAIN
Mayor Approval: _______________ , 2022
Mayor Approval/No Return: , 2022
Mayor Veto: , 2022
Council Override Vote: , 2022

TODD STERMER, CMC
City Clerk
By: ___________ _
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

RINA M. GONZALES
Interim City Attorney
By: _ _ _________ _
Mary Raterman-Doidge Date
Senior Deputy City Attorney
Attachment:
- Attachment 1 - Specific Plan
Deputy Date
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Exhibit T - Attachment 1
West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Planning Commission Draft (July 2022)
•
. FRESH!
•
i; .
• • • • -"'.EET/ .

WEST
AREA

NEIGHBORHOODS

SPECIFIC PLAN
Thank you to all community members
who provided input throughout
the planning process.
west
area
neighborhoods
specific plan
p l a n n i n g c o m m i s s i o n d r a f t
Alternate formats of this document will be provided by the City upon request.

To request alternate formats contact:

Planning and Development Staff at (559) 621-8515
www.fresno.gov/westareaplan
TABLE
OF

CONTENTS
West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

1.0 INTRODUCTION 01

1.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 02

1.2 History................................................................................................................... 06

1.3 Geographic Profile............................................................................................. 12

1.4 Demographic Profile......................................................................................... 20

1.5 Related Planning Efforts.................................................................................. 25

1.6 Equity & Health................................................................................................... 31

PLANNING PROCESS & COMMUNITY

2.0 ENGAGEMENT 33

2.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 34

2.2 Stakeholder Interviews.................................................................................... 35

2.3 Workshops........................................................................................................... 37

2.4 Survey.................................................................................................................... 38

2.5 Steering Committee.......................................................................................... 41

2.6 Guiding Principles.............................................................................................. 42

3.0 INFRASTRUCTURE & THE PUBLIC REALM 45

3.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 46

3.2 Transportation..................................................................................................... 47

3.3 Streetscape Improvements............................................................................. 62

3.4 Water Resources & Natural Habitats........................................................... 67

3.5 Goals & Policies.................................................................................................. 71

4.0 PUBLIC FACILITIES 75

4.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................... 76

4.2 Parks & Trails....................................................................................................... 77

4.3 Schools................................................................................................................. 86

4.4 First Responders............................................................................................... 88

4.5 Community Centers......................................................................................... 91

4.6 Goals & Policies................................................................................................. 93 i

5.0 LAND USE & HOUSING 97
Table of Contents

5.1 Introduction....................................................................................................... 98

5.2 Land Use Vision............................................................................................... 99

5.3 Land Use Maps................................................................................................. 101

5.4 Within Walking Distance.............................................................................. 113

5.5 Neighborhood Identity................................................................................... 123

5.6 Retaining Agriculture..................................................................................... 124

5.7 Housing.............................................................................................................. 126

5.8 Goals & Policies................................................................................................ 131

6.0 IMPLEMENTATION 135

6.1 Introduction....................................................................................................... 136

6.2 Infrastructure Financing Plan....................................................................... 137

6.3 Goals and Policies............................................................................................ 137

6.4 Implementation Summary Tables............................................................... 137

7.0 GLOSSARY 161

7.1 Definitions.......................................................................................................... 162 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 167
APPENDIX A - Maps A-1
APPENDIX B - Supplemental Materials B-1
APPENDIX C - Comprehensive Redline Summary C-1
ii

MAPS
AND

FIGURES
West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

INTRODUCTION
MAPS:
• Map 1-1: West Area Plan Boundary............................................................. 11 • Map 1-2: West Area Farmland....................................................................... 13 • Map 1-3: West Area Existing Land Use...................................................... 15 • Map 1-4: West Area SB 535 Qualifying Census Tracts......................... 17 • Map 1-5: Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan Boundary......... 28 • Map 1-6: West Area Community Plan Boundary..................................... 29 • Map 1-7: West Area and General Plan Growth Areas........................... 30 FIGURES:
• Figure 1-A: West Area Existing Land Uses................................................ 16 • Figure 1-B: West Area Race/Ethnicity......................................................... 21 • Figure 1-C: West Area Population Pyramid............................................... 22 • Figure 1-D: West Area Spoken Languages............................................... 23 • Figure 1-E: West Area Employment by Sector......................................... 24 • Figure 1-F: Visualizing Equality and Equity................................................ 31

INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE PUBLIC REALM
MAPS:
• Map 3-1: West Area Planned Catalytic Corridors.................................... 50 • Map 3-2: West Area Active Transportation Plan Bike Paths............... 54 • Map 3-3: West Area Existing FAX Bus Routes......................................... 56 • Map 3-4: West Area Roadway Existing Bottlenecks.............................. 59 • Map 3-5: West Area General Plan Planned Circulation......................... 60 • Map 3-6: West Area Existing Water Resources....................................... 69 • Map 3-7: West Area Existing Wastewater System................................. 70 iii

FIGURES:

Table of Contents
• Figure 3-A: Active Transportation Project Prioritization Tool.................................. 49 • Figure 3-B: Classes of Bike Lanes.................................................................................... 52 • Figure 3-C: Traffic Speed and Risk of Pedestrian Fatality......................................... 62 • Figure 3-D: West Fresno Community Landscape Plan Districts Map................... 66 • Figure 3-E: Community Landscapes Plan Forest District Tree & Plant Palette... 66

PUBLIC FACILITIES
MAPS:
• Map 4-1: West Area Parks Master Plan Existing Conditions Needs Graidient.. 78 • Map 4-2: Proposed Regional Park Location.................................................................. 82 • Map 4-3: West Area Existing and Proposed CUSD Schools................................... 85 • Map 4-4: West Area Existing Police and Fire Stations with Fire Response Coverage................................................................................................................ 89

LAND USE & HOUSING
MAPS:
• Map 5-1: Specific Plan Proposed Planned Land Use................................................ 105 • Map 5-2: General Plan Exisiting Planned Land Use.................................................. 106 • Map 5-3: Parcels Changing Under the Specific Plan (Proposed).......................... 107 • Map 5-4: Parcels Changing Under the Specific Plan (Current ).............................. 108 • Map 5-5a: West Area Bus Stops Walkshed with Planned Land Use.................. 115 • Map 5-5b: West Area Bus Stops Walkshed with CalEnviroScreen 4.0.............. 116 •
•
•
•
•
•
Map 5-6a: West Area Schools Walkshed with Planned Land Use....................... 117 Map 5-6b: West Area Schools Walkshed with CalEnviroScreen 4.0................... 118 Map 5-7a: West Area Commercial Uses Walkshed with Planned Land Use.....119 Map 5-7b: West Area Commercial Uses Walkshed with CalEnviroScreen 4.0..120 Map 5-8a: West Area Parks Walkshed with Planned Land Use........................... 121 Map 5-8b: West Area Parks Walkshed with CalEnviroScreen 4.0....................... 122 FIGURES:
• Figure 5-A: General Plan Figure UF-1: West Development Area Land Use Diagram............................................................................................................ 99 • Figure 5-B: Connected vs. Disconnected Neighborhood Design.......................... 114 • Figure 5-C: Missing Middle Housing Spectrum.......................................................... 128 • Figure 5-D: In-Demand Jobs Median Salaries & Fair Market Rent in Fresno MSA................................................................................................................... 130 iv
1 INTRODUCTION
1 Highway 99 in 1913 just south of the San Joaquin River Introduction
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

1.1 | Introduction
The story of the West Area is one that encompasses a living history of Fresno’s transition from a modest farm town to a growing regional city. While this success is a point of pride for our city, it is not one without tension. Where once there was the hum of agriculture, there is now the buzz of urban expansion and the West Area knows this tension well. It has often been called Fresno’s final frontier given its amount of developable land, but its uneven development and lack of much-needed infrastructure and commercial amenities has made some residents feel that it is a forgotten frontier instead. The challenge before us, and which this Specific Plan endeavors to address, is to end the fragmentation of infrastructure, encourage orderly and balanced development that brings needed amenities, identify future public facilities that will enhance quality of life, and to implement this charge in a manner that respects the long-standing businesses and residents of the West Area.

The West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan (the Plan) both reaffirms and refines policies from the Fresno General Plan on a range of topics that include land use and development, transportation, public facilities, and public utilities. The Plan, shaped through community input, creates both a vision for the future development of the Plan Area as well as a policy foundation to be leveraged and evolved by all community stakeholders. It is intended to be used by policymakers to guide decisions about the future of the West Area, to make land use determinations, and to acquire federal and state grant funding for public projects. The Plan is also intended to be used by community organizations, developers, and residents as a base for future public and private partnerships as well as a tool for future community-led planning endeavors.

In this Chapter:

1.2 | History

1.3 | Geographic Profile

1.4 | Demographic Profile

1.5 | Related Planning Efforts

1.6 | Equity & Health
Throughout this Plan a number of words
and phrases appear in bold. This indicates a
Glossary term that is defined in Chapter 7.
2 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
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CORE VISION

FOR THE WEST AREA
enhanced
infrastructure
new development that
respects agriculture and long
existing rural residential development
diverse
housing stock parkland
sense of community core commercial centers
3 Introduction 4
West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

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5 Introduction

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

1.2 | History

1.2.A | Early History & Settlement
The first people known to call the Plan Area (see
Map 1-1: West Area Plan Boundary) home are
the Yokuts, the indigenous people of the San
Joaquin Valley, Sierra, and Diablo Ranges who
are speakers of the Yokutsan languages (within
the Penutian language family). In many of the
Yokutsan dialects, the word yokuts or yokotch
translates to people. Many groups and speakers
of the Yokutsan language have been attached
with Tribal appellation by early anthropological
researchers.

The early economy of the indigenous peoples
was sustained through skill with hunting, fishing,
and gathering, but also through engaging in
trade.1 Following the Western colonization of
California, the Yokuts persevered through the
introduction of devastating diseases and years
of forced displacement, first by the Spanish
missions during 1769 until 1833, then by the
creation of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs in
1824, and through the 1887 General Allotment
Act which lead to establishment of reservations
and rancherias. Despite these unconscionable
actions, their decendants are still strongly rooted
in the geographic area that we today refer to
as Tulare, Madera, Kings, and Fresno Counties,
forming the communities of the Tule River Indian
Reservation, Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi
Indians, Tachi-Yokut Tribe, Table Mountain
Rancheria, Kings River Choinumni Farm Tribe,
Traditional Choinumni Tribe, and Wuksache
Indian Tribe/Eshom Valley Band.

After California transitioned from Spain and,
subsequently, Mexico to the United States,
Fresno became established as a railroad town by
the Central Pacific Railroad Company in 1872.

Leland J. Stanford, a Director for the Railroad at
the time, is credited with the site selection for the
new station, having been thoroughly impressed
by the 2,000-acre wheat field belonging to A.

Y. Easterby. He is reported to have exclaimed,
“Wonderful! Here we must build the town!”
During its earliest years, Fresno experienced
a population boom, contributed to by settlers
arriving from eastern and southern states as
well as abroad. Among the early groups were
immigrants from Armenia, China, Germany,
Italy, and Japan, but over the course of time
people would arrive from nearly every corner
of the world. Today, Fresno is a proudly diverse
community, with residents representing more
than 70 different ethnic groups.

The West Area shares a similar history with the
city as a whole, with families of many cultures
settling in the Plan Area. Highway City and
Jamestown, an African-American settlement
near Ashlan and Hayes, are examples of early
communities. The West Area also had one
residential colony, the Muscatel Estate, and
portions of two other colonies, the Dewitt and
Victoria colonies.
1 Wallace, William J. (1978). “Northern Valley Yokuts.” In Handbook of North American Indians. Vol. 8, California, edited by Robert F. Heizer, 462-470. Smithsonian Institution. 6 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

Colonies were tracts of land that were subdivided,
ranging from 20-acre to 40-acre parcels, irrigated
from a system of canals, and often landscaped
with boulevards of palms, eucalyptus, figs,
walnuts, oranges, and drought-resistant trees. By
1903, the growing population of Fresno County
was supported by forty-eight separate colonies,
yet by 1910, the colony system had begun to
lose its popularity and large holders sold portions
of their land to farming families.2
One of the main attractions to Fresno for settlers
was employment opportunity in the thriving
agricultural industries. The following, excerpted
from an exposé on “Fresno Vineyards” from
The San Francisco Examiner on April 6, 1890,
provides a narrative glimpse of Fresno’s early
agricultural vibrancy:3
“…Here there are wheat fields - through
which one may drive all day without reaching
the end. Fruits of every variety flourish here,
and yield prolifically. In this valley are grown
and dried the finest white figs produced
in the State. Peaches, pears, apricots and
nectarines have all been planted and have
produced marvelous results. / The product,
however, which will cause the name and
fame of Fresno to be sounded far and wide
is the grape. Without exception, the natural
advantages afforded here for the cultivation
of vines, and especially for the curing of
raisins, are unequaled in this State, if not in
the whole world. Already Fresno wines and
Fresno raisins are famous throughout the
length and breadth of the country.”

1.2.B | Golden State Highway
An early West Area community is Highway City,
a neighborhood of industrial and farm workers
that derives its name from its location straddling
Highway 99. The highway is the eastern border
for the Plan Area, therefore the southwestern
portion of Highway City falls within the
boundary of this Plan (see Map 1-5: Highway
City Neighborhood Specific Plan Boundary).

When it was established, Highway City was not
incorporated or within the city limits of Fresno.

Most of the land surrounding it and throughout
the Plan Area remained in agricultural use until
the 1970s.

The West Area currently has one historic resource
from this era: the José Garcia Adobe, also referred
to as the Brewer Adobe.4 It is located near the
southwest corner of Shaw Avenue and Hayes
Avenue- within the boundary of Highway City
and fairly central within the West Area. The Garcia
Adobe, which was determined to be eligible for
the National Historic Register, was constructed
between 1923 and 1937 as a residential property
type and is the only extant example of a vernacular
building in the Fresno area that employs three
construction techniques: traditional adobe brick,
board and batten over frame, and hardpan with
brick masonry construction. José “Joe” Garcia
was the first known building owner and tenant.
2 Thickens, Virginia Emily. “Pioneer Colonies of Fresno County.” Master’s thesis. (University of California, 1942).
3 “Fresno Vineyards.” The Examiner, San Francisco. April 6, 1890. 4 Hattersley-Drayton, Karana. (2011). Status Report on Condition of the Brewer Adobe (HP#227) Located at 5901 West Shaw Avenue Pursuant to FMC-1606(2)(23) and 12-1626. City of Fresno. 7 Introduction
JUNE 20, 1948
Located in an area that was originally known as
“Hardpan City”, the residents in this locale utilized
building materials that were available to them,
including adobe brick and hardpan. The Garcia
Adobe exhibits a traditional Hispanic use of earthen
materials in the construction of a house which
closely resembles a bungalow. The fusion of these
attributes became relatively common in the Central
Valley by the 1920s, and interest in the use of adobe
in particular increased by the economic Depression
during the 1930s. Baldassare Forestiere’s
Underground Gardens, another designated historic
resource located less than a mile east of the Garcia
Adobe, possibly influenced the use of hardpan as a
building material.

Property research from 1997 revealed that within
the area where the Garcia Adobe is located, there
has been an ethnic diversity among residents,
which included people of Mexican, Italian, and
Swedish descent. It was found that the Garcia
Adobe embodies the exchange of construction and
design ideas that could develop in such a region. It
is a fragile, but extraordinary resource that is critical to the understanding of the area’s working class
history. See also Policy PF 1.14.

Top: Jose “Joe” Garcia and his grandchildren, June 20, 1948 (source: Yolanda Garcia Valdez) Bottom: Jose Garcia Adobe, 2011 (Photo credit: Karana Hattersley-Drayton and Historic Fresno) 8 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Above: Astro Motel Sign by John Margolies
Right: Astro Motel by Jeff Brouws
The beloved Astro Motel sign was an eye-catching illumination located on the former Golden State Highway. The Motel was an example of the numerous motel strips that “sprang up at entryways to cities along the highway… The bright neon beckoned nighttime travelers to stop for the night and grab some shut-eye”.6 9 Introduction

Highway 99 in 2021
The property was first evaluated as a historic
resource in 1996 and referred to as the Brewer
Farm, after Les Brewer who purchased the parcel
in 1958.

Even before the construction of the modern
freeway system, Highway 99 was one of the
main thoroughfares through town. Once the
route’s modern era began, it gained momentum
at a rapid pace – “horses, carts, and stages gave
way to railroads, and railroads then yielded to
today’s paved lanes”.5 “In its passage through
the long, level stretch of the San Joaquin Valley,”
also known as California’s heartland, “Highway
99 was heralded as, and continues to be known
as, the Golden State Highway.”6 Much of the
highway through the Valley was widened to
at least twenty feet by the early 1930s, but a portion near Fresno was widened to thirty feet to
accommodate the Valley’s heaviest agricultural
traffic.7
The 1960s saw more drastic expansion when
Golden State was turned into a freeway with
dedicated entry and exit ramps. This furthered
the importance of the road for freight, especially
with Fresno’s central location within the state,
but it did so at the cost of bifurcating the city.

1.2.C | West of the 99
Like every city, improvements to transportation
made expansion possible. By the middle of the
century, Fresno had long since left its rail roots
to become a growing auto-centric metropolis. In
the 1970s this growth reached the Plan Area and
annexations of land into the city have remained
steady ever since. Yet despite the constancy of
development, there still remains a large amount
of developable land within the Plan Area, which
is why some call it the final frontier for the city.

As we move into that frontier, in a place so rich
with history, there will undoubtedly be more
hidden gems and profound stories to uncover.
10 5 Provost, Stephen H. (2017). Highway 99: The History of California’s Main Street Volume 1 of California’s Historic Highways Series. Linden. 6 Buckley, Patricia R. (1987). Highway 99: A California Chronicle, 28. Pamphlet. 7 Livingston, Jill. That Ribbon of Highway II: Highway 99 from Sacramento to the Mexican Border,

60. Photos by Kathryn Golden Maloof. (Living Gold Press: Second Edition, 2010).

West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
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MAP 1-1 West Area Plan Boundary
■ San Joaquin River
Specific Plan Boundary
r--1 L_J Fresno City Limits
i.J Fresno Sphere of Influence
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways City of Fresno GIS data. Clovis City Limits, Clovis Sphere of Influence, Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community 11 _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

1.3 | Geographic Profle
Introduction
The Plan Area is triangular in shape and located
west of Highway 99. It is bounded on the south
by Clinton Avenue, to the west by Grantland
and Garfield Avenues, and to the north near the
San Joaquin River. The Plan Area includes the
southwest portion of Highway City adjacent to
Highway 99. Map 1-1: West Area Plan Boundary
shows the Plan Area in relationship to the city.

The West Area is vast in land acreage,
encompassing 7,077 acres or approximately
11 square miles. For comparison, the size of
the West Area is larger than the capital cities
of Maryland (Annapolis), New Jersey (Trenton),
and Pennsylvania (Harrisburg), and Vermont
(Montpelier). A significant amount of land in the
Plan Area is farmland or rural residential lots. Of
the 11 square miles, nearly seven square miles are
located within the city limits while just over four
square miles are in the growth area. The growth
area is land outside the city limits but within the
city’s Sphere of Influence (SOI) boundary, which
is the adopted limit for future growth.
12 JJ I
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Al

SANTA FE RR

UNION PACIFIC
ayesH
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Herndon
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Gettysburg
Ashlan
Dakota
Shields
Garfield
Clinton
Grantland
Bryan
Cornelia
Blythe
·|þ}99
´
Hughes
McKinley This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties 1 in = 1 mile

West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
■
■
□
□
..
■ -
·-I
■
□
□
■
MAP 1-2 West Area Farmland
Prime Farmland - 1.47 Acres Semi-Agricultural and Rural Commercial Land - 24.51 Acres Farmland of Statewide Importance - 193.83 Acres Vacant or Disturbed Land - 122.89 Acres Unique Farmland - 861.23 Acres Rural Residential Land - 1,473.91 Acres Farmland of Local Importance - 1,263.29 Acres Urban and Built-Up Land - 3,134.06 Acres Nonagricultural and Natural Vegetation - 2.14 Acres Fresno City Limits Specific Plan Boundary Fresno Sphere of Influence
Source:

Specific Plan of West Area boundary, Fresno, City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways City of Fresno GIS 2017 data. Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database. California Department of Conservation Division of Land Resource Protection Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program 2016. Additional data is available at www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/fmmp, including detail on the program, full size PDF maps, map categories, statistics, field summaries, and GIS data for download. 13 Introduction

1.3.A | Farmland
Fresno County is ranked as the top agricultural
county in California and the nation. In 2019,
county crops had over $7.7 billion in value. A
majority of the crops produced are various types
of fruits and nuts. For many years, the West Area
was largely fig orchards and other agricultural
land, but currently residential and commercial
development abuts or is approaching farmland.

Because of its economic and cultural importance,
this Plan will incorporate policies to sustain
farmland and retain components of agriculture in
the West Area’s future.

Map 1-2: West Area Farmland displays important
farmland that is situated within the Plan Area.

The West Area has approximately 3,134 acres of
land classified as Urban and Built-Up, according
to the State Department of Conservation. Prime
Farmland is principally located outside of the
Plan Area, but within the Plan Area there are
194 acres of Farmland of Statewide Importance
along the western boundary, 861 acres of Unique
Farmland located in the southwest area, and
1,263 acres of Farmland of Local Importance
located throughout. The Plan Area also contains
land classified as Vacant or Disturbed Land
and Rural Residential Land that account for
approximately 1,597 acres.
14 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

■
■ •
■
■
■
■ •
■
■
■ • •
■
• •
■
■
•
■
jHerndon
Clinton
McKinley
1 in= 1 mile
MAP 1-3 West Area Existing Land Use
,_.,,,------

,__ _
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Residential Commercial Open Space Public Facilities ■ public facility/fire station (fs) □ rural residential ■ community ■ open space (os) ■ church (ch) ■ public/quasi-public facility (qp) □ low density ■ recreational commercial ■ open space/ag (oa) ■ convalescent hospital (coh) ■ pump station (ps) □ medium low density
□ medium density
■ general heavy
■ neighborhood
■ open space/canal (ca) ■ elementary school (es)
■ open space/neighborhood park (np) ■ fire station (fs) ■ special school (ss)
■ storage facility (s)
■ medium high density Employment
■ mobile home park office
■ high density ■ light industrial
■ open space/recreational park (rp)
■ ponding basin (pb)
■ high school (hs)
■ pg&e substation (pge)
■ public facility (pf)
Undesignated
D vacant parcel
;: I Specific Plan Boundary .--LJ Fresno City Limits ■-■ IL I Fresno Sphere of Influence .

Source: Specific Plan of West Area boundary, Fresno, City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Streets, City of Fresno GIS 2017 data. Fresno County boundary, Railraods, Fresno County Regional GIS database. 15 Introduction
■
■
■
■
■
■
■

1.3.B | Existing Land Use
Existing land use in the West Area is categorized
into eight land use types (see Map 1-3: West
Area Existing Land Use). They include rural/estate
residential (27 percent of the Plan Area), multifamily residential (two percent ), single-family residential (21 percent ), vacant land (15 percent ),
public/government facilities (six percent ), open
space/agricultural land (25 percent ), industrial
uses (one percent ), and commercial uses (three
percent ).

Figure 1-A: West Area Existing Land Uses
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL 21%
VACANT LAND 15%
COMMERCIAL USES 3%
INDUSTRIAL USES 1%
MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL 2%
OPEN SPACE/AGRICULTURAL LAND 25%
PUBLIC/GOVERNMENT FACILITIES 6%
RURAL/ESTATE RESIDENTIAL 27%
This figure depicts the percentage share of existing land uses within the West Area. 16 L_l ------ ---L__ r'- -,.I
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West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
□
□
■
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.. - MAP 1-4 West Area SB 535 Qualifying Census Tracts
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 - Percentile Range
75 - 80%
80 - 85%
85 - 90%
90 - 95%
95 - 100% (highest scores)
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno Sphere of Influence
Fresno City Limits
Note: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 is associated with Census Tracts and the Tracts in the West Area extend beyond the Plan Boundary.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, City of Fresno GIS data.

This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the Fresno County Boundary, Railroad, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community; CalEnviroScreen 3.0 (July 2018), California Office either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data. of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535 Date: 4/14/2022 CL
17 Introduction

1.3.C | Disadvantaged Communities
The term “disadvantaged community” is a
technical one, embedded in State legislation
(such as Senate Bill 535 [2012]) aimed at
identifying existing conditions such as poverty,
health, housing, and pollution burdens. However,
it doesn’t paint the full picture of neighborhoods,
which we know can still be vibrant and
fulfilling. This section identifies disadvantaged
communities, as defined by the State, to establish
a spatial indicator of where focused efforts can
generate improvements to health and welfare
where they are needed the most (see also Section

1.6 Equity and Health, and the walkshed map
series in Chapter 5 Section 5.4, Within Walking
Distance).

A large portion of the overall Plan Area falls within
the definition of a disadvantaged community (see
Map 1-4: West Area SB 535 Qualifying Census
Tracts). The California Environmental Protection
Agency designates the highest scoring 25
percent of census tracts from CalEnviroScreen 4.0
as disadvantaged communities. The percentile
range of a census tract represents the amount
of pollution exposure, environmental effects,
sensitive populations, and socioeconomic factors
relative to other census tracts. Higher percentiles
indicate greater risk of pollution impacts on the
local population. Adjacent census tracts can vary
in their percentile range based on how they rank
under the four aforementioned factors.8
The term disadvantaged unincorporated
community refers to a fringe, island, or legacy
community that meets the above criteria.

According to the Fresno Local Agency Formation
Commission 2020 Map Update, there are no
disadvantaged unincorporated communities
within the Plan Area.
8 For more information on CalEnviroScreen 4.0 visit https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/ calenviroscreen-40
18 19 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Introduction

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

1.4 | Demographic Profle

1.4.A | Population
In 2010, the estimated population of the West
Area was 33,257 people, while the total
population of the city was 494,665. By 2020, the
city’s population grew to 538,195 residents (an
increase of nearly nine percent ) while the West
Area grew to 39,608 (an increase of 19 percent )
showing a more rapid pace of growth.9 By 2025
it is anticipated that the West Area will be home
to approximately 42,225 residents.

The proposed land use configuration of this Plan
(see Chapter 5, Section 5.3 Land Use Maps) would
allow for up to 163,211 people to call the West
Area home.10 However, increases in population
are expected to occur over an expanded time
period, as new housing units are developed.

1.4.B | Race/Ethnicity and Sex
Figure 1-B: West Area Race/Ethnicity shows the
comparative racial and ethnic identities of the
populations of the West Area, the city of Fresno
and the state of California. Interestingly, the
West Area has more even representation among
various racial groups than the city or state, with
a greater percentage of residents identifying as
American Indian, Asian, Black, or Mixed Race.

With the distribution of the population according
to sex, the West Area follows city and state
patterns, showing a nearly even divide between
males and females.

1.4.C | Age and Family Size
The median age of West Area residents is 30.6
years old and the average household size is
between three and four people.11 Close to a
quarter of the population is 14 years of age or
younger, with approximately 66 percent between
15 to 64 years old. Nine percent of residents are
aged 65 or older. By comparison, the median age
of all residents of Fresno is 31.7 years old and
the average household size citywide is between
three and four people. Approximately 23 percent
of all Fresno residents are under 15 years of age,
64 percent is between 15 and 64 years old, and
12 percent are over 65. This means that the
West Area currently trends slightly younger than
the city as a whole.
9 2020/2025 ESRI Demographics Forecast
10 Based on the City’s General Plan Housing Element estimate of approximately 2.97 persons per dwelling unit and the maximum buildout allowance of 54,953 dwelling units. 11 2020/2025 ESRI Demographics Forecast.
20 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #
................................................... . ' Figure 1-B: West Area Race/Ethnicity
Race (non-hispanic) Ethnicity
Some other race 23.60%
Two or more races 4.09%
American Indian and 2.27%
Alaska Native
Asian 15.56%
White 43.71%
Black 10.50%
Native Hawaiian and Other 0.27%
Pacific Islander
Hispanic (all races)

31.91%
Non-Hispanic

69.09%
Native Hawaiian and Other 0.25%
Pacific Islander
Black 14.43%
Some other race 0.37%
Two or more races 3.97%
Asian 23.21%
American Indian and 1.19%
Alaska Native
White 56.59%
Hispanic (all races)

46.91%
Non-Hispanic

53.09%
Some other race 0.37%
Asian 20.55%
Native Hawaiian and Other 0.55%
Pacific Islander
Two or more races 4.17%
Black 9.31%
American Indian and 0.70%
Alaska Native
White 64.35%
Hispanic (all races)

37.62%
Non-Hispanic

62.38%
California City of Fresno West Area
This figure depicts the estimated percentage of people identifying by race/ethnicity (as reported by the 2010 Census) in the West Area, the city of Fresno, and the State of California. 21 Figure 1-C: West Area Population Pyramid
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Percentage of Population (in year 2020)
Age
Males Females
80-84
70-74
60-64
50-54
40-44
30-34
20-24
10-14
0-4
This figure depicts the population spread of the West Area based on birth and death rates, categorized by age range and sex.

Introduction 22
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t
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•• ~••
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- -
t
West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • l Jl Jl Jl I
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1.4.D | Language
It is estimated that more than 24 languages are
spoken in the Census Tracts that intersect the
West Area,12 serving as another demonstration
of the rich diversity present in the community
(see Figure 1-C West Area Spoken Languages).

The languages most commonly spoken at home
are English, Spanish, Other Indic Languages,13
and Hmong.

1.4.E | Education
In the Plan Area, 37 percent of residents have
attained a high school education or higher, while
approximately eight percent have attained a
bachelor’s degree or higher level. By comparison,
75 percent of Fresnans have attained a high
school education or higher, and 20 percent have
attained a bachelor’s degree or higher. At the
state level, 82 percent of Californians have a high
school education or higher and 31 percent have
attained a bachelor’s degree or higher.
12 2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
13 This year of the American Community Survey does not disaggregate this category, however it is likely that Punjabi is highly represented within it.

Figure 1-D: West Area Spoken Languages

AFRICAN LANGUAGES

ENGLISH

ITALIAN

MON-KHMER, CAMBODIAN

PORTUGUESE OR

PORTUGESE CREOLE

TAGALOG
ARABIC
GERMAN

JAPANESE

OTHER INDIC

LANGUAGES

RUSSIAN
URDU

ARMENIAN
HINDI
KOREAN

OTHER PACIFIC

ISLAND LANGUAGES

SCANDINAVIAN

LANGUAGES

VIETNAMESE

CHINESE
HMONG

LAOTIAN

PERSIAN

SPANISH OR

SPANISH CREOLE

OTHER (UNSPECIFIED)
23 Introduction
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 1.4.F | Income and Jobs
Although the traditional educational attainment
level is lower than the city as a whole, median
household income levels of the Plan Area are
higher than the city’s median household income
level. The median household income for the city
of Fresno is $41,531 while the median household
income in the Plan Area is $59,482.

Thirty percent of the Plan Area’s population is
employed within blue-collar sector industries.

Blue-collar employment is defined as a job that
is not performed in an administrative setting
and is skills-based such as a welder, plumber,
or warehouse and maintenance personnel. The
West Area’s strong representation in blue-collar
jobs could explain its higher income levels. As
an example, 44 percent of those working within
the blue-collar sector have transportation jobs.

According to a 2020 report from the American
Trucking Association (ATA), the median annual
wage for a truck driver who works for a private
fleet is approximately $86,000. This is one
example of an industry where a job that does
not require a bachelor’s degree can have a higher
earning potential than one that does.

Figure 1-E: West Area Employment by Sector

AGRICULTURE
Farm
Fisheries
Forestry
3%

EDUCATION & RECREATION
Education
Library Services
Arts
Entertainment
Recreation
6%

HEALTH CARE
Health Practice
Health Support
Personal Service
12%

SERVICE SECTOR
Sales
Food Preparation
Protective Services
17%
Building Maintenance
Construction
Maintenace/Repair
Transportation
Production

BLUE COLLAR EMPLOYMENT
30%
Management
Business Financial
Computer/Mathematical
Social Sciences
Social Services
Legal
Office/Administration
Architect/Engineer

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
32%
24 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
....................... . . . . . . . . . .
□
□
□
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

1.5 | Related Planning Eforts

CITY PLANS IMPACTING THE WEST AREA
Highway
City
Neighborhood
Speciÿc Plan
(1998)
West
Area
Community
Plan
(2002)
General
Plan
(2014)
Fresno
Municipal
Code Chapter
15: Citywide
Development
Code
(2015)
Active
Transportation
Plan
(2017)
Parks
Master
Plan
(2017)
The ADA
Transition
Plan for the
Right of Way
(2016)
This Plan serves as the first major specific
planning effort, environmental evaluation,
and infrastructure analysis for the West Area.

However, other past planning efforts impacting
the West Area have occurred and are described
below.

The Highway City Neighborhood Specific
Plan (1998)
The Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan,
which applies to about five percent of the West
Area, was adopted on January 6, 1998 and
was prepared to address problems, issues, and
opportunities of the Highway City neighborhood
(see Map 1-5: Highway City Neighborhood
Specific Plan Boundary). One of the guiding
principles for the Highway City Neighborhood
Specific Plan encouraged development of
neighborhoods characterized by a diverse
but compatible arrangement of residential,
commercial, industrial, and public uses to be
supported by existing single-family residential
areas. This Specific Plan will replace the
overlapping part of Highway City Neighborhood
Specific Plan, but will carry forward applicable
area-specific policies.

The West Area Community Plan (2002)
The West Area Community Plan was adopted on
February 1, 2002 as “Appendix W” of the 2025
General Plan and covers a larger area than this
Specific Plan, encompassing its boundaries plus
the area generally between Grantland Avenue,
Clinton Avenue, and Belmont Avenue (see Map
1-6: West Area Community Plan Boundary). The
core goals of the Community Plan were to develop
the West Area as a planned community with a
complete range of services, facilities, and public
infrastructure development, and to minimize land
use conflicts between agriculture and urban uses.

This Plan would repeal the Community Plan,
while updating and incorporating still-relevant
policies.

The General Plan (2014)
The General Plan was adopted on December
18, 2014 and set a forward-looking course
for the city focusing on infill development,
Complete Neighborhoods, and multimodal
transportation to achieve fiscally sustainable and
environmentally responsible growth. It establishes
the foundation for this Plan, anticipating that this
Plan will further refine the General Plan’s vision
for the West Area.
25 Introduction
One of the primary goals of the General Plan
is to support established neighborhoods
in Fresno with safe, well maintained, and
accessible streets; public utilities, education
and job training; proximity to jobs, retail
services, health care, affordable housing, youth
development opportunities, open space and
parks, transportation options; and opportunities
for home grown businesses. Another key goal
of the General Plan that will be reiterated in this
Plan is to resolve existing public infrastructure and service deficiencies, make full use of existing
infrastructure, and invest in improvements to
increase connectivity, competitiveness, and to
promote economic growth.

To achieve its goals while maintaining orderly
development, the General Plan designates a
sequencing of development that calls for roughly
half to occur in infill areas (defined as within the
city limits on December 31, 2012) and permits
half to occur in greenfield areas. For greenfield
areas, development must first occur in parts of
the Sphere of Influence defined as Growth Area
1, which is deemed to be infrastructure-ready.

Growth Area 2, on the other hand, is in need of
significant infrastructure investment that the City
has not planned for nor funded. Development
within the city and Growth Area 1 is supported
by and based on planned infrastructure
expansion, public service capacity, and financial
considerations undertaken during the General
Plan process. The West Area is within Growth
Area 1 and therefore has capacity to support
growth (see Map 1-7: West Area and General
Plan Growth Areas).

The General Plan’s vision for the West Area
is to create opportunities for the development
of Complete Neighborhoods. The concept of
Complete Neighborhoods is to enable Fresnans
to live in communities with convenient access
to services, employment, and recreation within
walking distance. It provides residents with
amenities that make their neighborhood mostly
self-sufficient and interconnected. Characteristics
of a Complete Neighborhood, which can create an
enhanced quality of life and increased property
values, include:
a) A range of housing choices;
b) Neighborhood-serving retail;
c) Employment opportunities;
d) Public services, such as health clinics;
e) Entertainment and cultural assets;
26 f) Parks and public schools;
g) Community services, such as a library,
recreation center, senior center, and/or
community garden;
h) Sidewalks, bikeways, trails and other active
transportation infrastructure;
i) Public plaza/civic space; and
j) Access to public transit.

The Fresno Municipal Code Chapter 15:

Citywide Development Code (2015)
The main purpose of the Development Code,
which was adopted in 2015, is to implement
the General Plan and other adopted plans. The
Development Code is the city’s zoning code, and
it seeks to protect and promote the public health,
safety, and general welfare of the residents of the
city of Fresno. It classifies the city into districts, or “zones” that allow various land uses, including:
residential single-family, residential multi-family,
mixed-use, commercial, public and semi-public,
downtown, and employment districts.
27 The Active Transportation Plan (2017)
The Active Transportation Plan (ATP) was
adopted on March 2, 2017 and serves as the city’s
comprehensive guide for active transportation.

The ATP envisions a complete, safe, and
comfortable network of trails, sidewalks, and
bikeways that serve as a means for people to
safely get to their destinations while reducing
roadway congestion and improving the air
quality. This also results in replacing vehicle
miles traveled with walking or biking. Additional
Class II bike lanes are planned for the West Area
and Class I bicycle and pedestrian trails are to
be constructed with four connection points
over Highway 99 at Herndon Avenue, Veterans
Boulevard, Gettysburg Avenue, and the Herndon
Canal which is located near West Shaw Avenue.

The Parks Master Plan (2017)
The Parks Master Plan was adopted on December
14, 2017 and serves as a community-based
vision and road map for achieving a complete
park system in the city of Fresno. Through a
public outreach process, examination of existing
conditions, and analysis of the General Plan’s
goals, the Parks Master Plan determined the
amount of parkland needed for the city’s existing
and future population.

The ADA Transition Plan for the Right of
Way (2016)
The City Council adopted the 2016 Update
to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Transition Plan for the Right of Way (ROW)
on February 25, 2016. The Transition Plan
incorporates retrofitting Curb Ramps, Sidewalks,
and Accessible Pedestrian Signals and replaces
the 2003 Amended Curb Ramp Transition Plan.

The goal of the Transition Plan is to ensure that
the City maintains accessible paths of travel in
the ROW for people with disabilities. Through
this and previous plans, the City of Fresno has
made a significant and long-term commitment
to improving the accessibility of the ROW. The
Department of Public Works is the primary
leader in these efforts, with collaboration from
the Disability Advisory Commission (DAC) in
prioritizing and providing input on the Transition
Plan.

West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
□
□
□
□

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rawleyB
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Introduction
.. -
•- I
-=-·· l. . .i
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the MAP 1-5 Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan Boundary City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Fresno City Limits
Specific Plan Boundary
Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan
Fresno Sphere of Influence
Source:

Specific Plan Areas, Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, City of Fresno GIS data. Fresno County Boundary, Railroad, Fresno County Regional GIS database. Nearmap Latest February 27, 2021, nearmap_us, Copyright nearmap 2015.
28 UQAOJ
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29 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

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i.. -·· . .i
1 in = 1 mile community
MAP 1-6 West Area Community Plan Boundary This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

West Area Community Plan Fresno City Limits
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno Sphere of Influence
Source:

Specific Plan Areas, Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, City of Fresno GIS data. Fresno County Boundary, Railroad, Fresno County Regional GIS database. Nearmap Latest July 20, 2020, nearmap_us, Copyright nearmap 2015.

Introduction

■
r
■ -
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0$3 1-7 West Area and General Plan Growth Areas This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Growth Area 1
Growth Area 2
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno Sphere of Influence
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·|þ}
Brawley
Shields
Grantland
Hayes
Cornelia
Marks
Ashlan
Shaw
Bullard
Herndon
Dakota
Gettysburg
Barstow
Sierra
Bryan
Polk
Blythe
Valentine
Hughes
Clinton
Garfield

SA N J O A Q U I N R I V E R
99 99
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1 in = 1 mile
Source:

General Plan IM-2: Growth Areas, Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, City of Fresno GIS data. Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. 30 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ,.,
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_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

1.6 | Equity & Health
Equity and health (and their intersection with
other aspects of our society from air quality to
zoning) have been at the forefront of recent
national dialogue. Here in Fresno we have also
engaged in conversations to acknowledge how
unjust decisions in our past have led to unequal
outcomes in our present, and we have discussed
ways to better shape our future so that every
resident may experience success, health, and
happiness.

Although this Plan does not include a formal
analysis of the social disparities that may exist in
the West Area, by building on the General Plan’s
emphasis of Complete Neighborhoods, it strives
to provide policies and recommendations that
will enable a built environment conducive to the
well-being of all West Area residents. That being
said, the City recognizes that more work will be
needed beyond this Plan.

When discussing equity it is important to distinguish it from equality. While both are well-intentioned by their definition, policies that only strive for equality can still lead to a deeply stratified community. Equality is about treating everyone the same, but this only works if everyone starts from the same place- an impossibility given historic decisions that created today’s disparities. Equity, on the other hand, is about giving everyone the unique resources they need to be successful.

Figure 1-F: Visualizing Equality and Equity
In this figure of runners on a track, the “equal” scenario where they start on the same line is actually unfair because the outside lanes are longer than the inside ones; the runner on the inside has an unfair advantage. In the “equitable” scenario, the runners realize that in order to have a fair race, the starting place needs to be adjusted for each runner. Source: Cultural Organizing. 31 Introduction 32
A Complete Neighborhood is one where every resident has access to the resources they need to thrive -including access to jobs, education, transit, and open space- within walking distance. Walking distance is key, as it is economical and enhances physical, mental, and emotional health. Planning for Complete Neighborhoods will help support the provision of resources to neighborhoods where they are currently lacking or are under-resourced.

PLANNING

PROCESS &
2 COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT
Planning Process & Community Engagement 34
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

2.1 | Introduction
“Nothing about us without us.”
This phrase - popularized by disability rights activists in the 1990s who fiercely rejected exclusion from decisions that impacted their community - has become embraced as a standard to which planners and policymakers hold themselves accountable. As a reflection of this value, the planning process for the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan included multiple methods of outreach to the community. This lead to an essential understanding of both the needs and aspirations that community members have for the West Area.

In this Chapter:

2.2 | Interviews

2.3 | Workshops

2.4 | Survey

2.5 | Steering Committee

2.6 | Guiding Principles
35 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

2.2 | Stakeholder Interviews
City staff interviewed community stakeholders
during the early portion of the outreach process,
learning their concerns about the Plan Area’s
limited amenities and housing, poor infrastructure,
and lack of broader community identity. Staff also
learned about the history of immigration to the
area that dates back to the early 20th century and
the community-based support systems that exist
for new Americans. It was in these conversations
that the concept of agritourism was introduced
and well-received. Below are some of the key
findings from the stakeholder interviews:

2.2.A | Positive Impressions
All of the community stakeholders interviewed
shared positive perspectives of the West Area,
with a common theme being that the West
Area has the potential to preserve and enhance
neighborhood cohesiveness as it continues
to grow. Many of the residents interviewed
reported feeling the connection to neighbors
through events and activities hosted by the
Central Unified School District (CUSD) or
local religious facilities. Based on the feedback
provided to City staff, the West Area community
mainly relies upon these two institutions as the
primary channels for people to develop closeknit relationships with their neighbors.

2.2.B | Roots Run Deep
Several stakeholders mentioned that the West
Area is home to many first-generation families
who have relocated from other countries,
primarily Italy and India. Historically, one of the
first things many new Americans did when they
arrived in Fresno was acquire land to farm and
raise a family. Some community members who
were interviewed shared that their families had
a longstanding agricultural heritage and tradition
that dates back to the early 1900’s.

2.2.C | Principal Concerns
Principal concerns by community stakeholders
included a lack of needed amenities and services
in the Plan Area; limited crossings over Highway
99; fragmented and bottlenecked roads; a need
for more quality parks, bike paths, and trails; and
a need for greater housing diversity to promote
long-term residency and neighborhood cohesion.

2.2.D | Agritourism
Agritourism is a mixture of two industries –
agriculture and tourism. Agritourism has gained
popularity in recent years and can be defined by
activities occurring on or near farmland such as
wagon rides, farm tours, bed-and-breakfast inns,
wineries/breweries, farmers markets, wedding
and special event venues, and much more.

Stakeholders were supportive of this concept
being incorporated into this Plan, as this could
promote the West Area as a destination.

2.2.E | Plan Area Name
In speaking with community stakeholders,
including longtime residents, there was general
perplexity concerning the identity of the Plan
Area. Some identified the area as simply West
Fresno or the West Area. Some community
members identified with recently developed or
planned housing communities in the Plan Area.

Although many potential names were considered,
no single proposal rose to the top.

Planning Process & Community Engagement 36
The Sikh Institute that is located within the Plan Area provides essential services to Indian immigrants looking to permanently settle in the United States. 37 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

2.3 | Workshops
City of Fresno Planning and Development staff
held two Community Conversations workshops
at Central High School – East Campus in May and
June of 2018. At each workshop, staff shared
information with community members and
asked them to provide feedback in a charrettestyle format.

In the first Community Conversation, held on
May 3, 2018 with 165 attendees, City staff gave
a presentation and community members shared
input on various subjects at Ideas Stations. The
Ideas Stations consisted of multiple locations
around the room where participants gave
feedback on desired amenities, what they liked
and disliked about the West Area, the identity of
their neighborhood, and identity of the West Area.

In addition, a space was provided for community
members to share their general comments and
concerns about the West Area.

The second Community Conversation was held
on June 14, 2018 with 75 attendees, and asked
community members to provide input on the
location of certain land uses within the Plan
Area. Using a dot-map exercise, participants
were asked to place a green dot on a map of the
West Area to indicate support or a red dot to
indicate opposition to the location of various land
use types, such as housing, retail and commercial
development, higher education, and parks.

The outcomes of these workshops reinforced
what was heard in the community stakeholder
interviews and formed the Guiding Principles and
land use approach that became the foundation of
this Plan.

In addition to the two Community Conversations
workshops, City staff also hosted a smaller
“Coffee with the Clergy” meeting on May 30, 2018
to receive feedback from West Area religious
leaders. This meeting hosted 15 religious leaders
and clerical staff and provided a forum for leaders
to discuss concerns brought forward from their
congregations. Many of the concerns upheld
what was heard during stakeholder interviews
and the community workshops. In addition,
religious leaders requested that recreation and
after-school programs such as a Boys and Girls
Club or YMCA be planned to support the West
Area’s youth.

Planning Process & Community Engagement 38
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

2.4 | Survey
To garner a wider lever of input, a 10-question survey was made available as a paper copy and online for community members. The survey collected 373 responses over the course of two months. Survey questions and a summary of responses received are discussed below. ?
?
?
What are your reasons for choosing to
live and/or work in the Plan Area?
Respondents were allowed to select
more than one answer. Affordable cost
of living (49 percent ), rural atmosphere
(38 percent ), and quality of education
provided by CUSD (36 percent ) were the
top three most frequently selected reasons
for choosing to live in the Plan Area.

What aspects would discourage you
from remaining in the West Area?
Respondents were allowed to select
more than one answer. Nearly 73 percent
of the respondents indicated that an
increase in crime would discourage them
from remaining in the West Area. Lack of
transportation infrastructure (46 percent ),
and lack of retail and recreational amenities
(42 percent and 40 percent, respectively)
would also serve as factors that would
discourage residents from staying.

How satisfied are you with the quality of
life within the West Area?
More than two-thirds of respondents
are either satisfied (58 percent ) or very
satisfied (nine percent ) with the quality
of life in the West Area, while 23 percent
of respondents were dissatisfied and
eight percent were very dissatisfied. Two
?
?
percent of survey takers opted to select
“not applicable” as their response to this
question.

What improvements do you believe need
to occur within the West Area?
For this open-ended question, responses
were largely related to the desire to
provide for additional or new commercial
establishments within the West Area
and the installation of transportation
infrastructure to improve traffic flow.

The year is 2035, and the Fresno Bee is
preparing an article on the improvements
that have occurred within the West Area.

What should the highlight of the article
be?
Almost half of the respondents want the
highlight of the article to be about improved
traffic flow across Highway 99, especially
at the Shaw Avenue interchange. This
interchange is one of the main routes to
gain access to Highway 99 and the east
side of the highway, and is reported to be
heavily congested.
? What do you think about housing options
within the West Area?
A plurality of the respondents (27 percent )
felt that there are too many apartments,
townhouses, or condominiums in the
West Area. Respondents also said
there are not enough luxury or custom
housing options (23 percent ) nor enough
affordable housing (16 percent ). Twenty
percent of survey takers gave a write-in
response, the sentiment of which varied
widely. While some respondents were
content with existing housing options,
others wanted more housing of certain
types. There were also respondents who
felt that already too many new homes
were in the Plan Area, and expressed
concern about sprawl and pressure on
existing schools and infrastructure.
?
?
What kinds of commercial development
would you like to see within the West
Area?
Twenty-four options for commercial
development were listed and respondents
were permitted to select as many as
desired. The most popular choices
included supermarkets (67 percent ),
movie theaters (57 percent ), bakeries (50
percent ), and restaurants (other than fast
food) (66 percent ).

Do you agree with the idea that West
Shaw Avenue, from Highway 99 to
Grantland Avenue, should serve as the
town center for the West Area?
Close to 70 percent agreed with the idea
that West Shaw Avenue should serve as
the town center or main commercial hub
for the West Area.

? Agritourism is a mix of two industries
– agriculture and tourism. Agritourism
has gained popularity in recent years.

Activities can include wagon rides, farm
tours, bed-and-breakfasts, wineries/
breweries, farmers markets, wedding
and special events venue, festivals, and
much more. Do you believe the concept
of agritourism should be incorporated
into the Specific Plan of the West Area1?
Approximately 80 percent of respondents
supported the concept of agritourism
being incorporated into this Plan.
? What name do you think should be used
to identify the West Area?
Similar to the feedback received from
other outreach activities, there was no
consensus on a name for the West Area.

Not one suggestion garnered support
from more than half of the respondents.
1 The West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan was formerly referred to as the Specific Plan of the West Area.
41 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

2.5 | Steering Committee
To facilitate the development of the Specific Plan in a way that reflects the experience of West Area stakeholders, the City Council established an 11-member Steering Committee with five members appointed by District 1 (which contains a majority of the Plan Area) and three members each appointed by Districts 2 and 3. Committee members represent West Area residents, businesses, and property owners.

The Committee held regular public meetings, convening nine times between April 2018 and February 2019 to develop the draft land use map and guiding principles, based on the input received from community members.

Glacier Point Middle School was host
to many Steering Committee meetings.

Planning Process & Community Engagement 42
_____________________________________________________________

2.6 | Guiding Principles
The Steering Committee recommended the
following Guiding Principles to serve as a
foundation for this Plan.

Transportation
• Accommodate and improve roadway
access, connectivity, and mobility among
all modes of transportation, and prioritize
roadway widening where bottlenecking
exists.
• Accommodate planned transit services
in the West Area by locating routes near
or adjacent to the community centers,
schools, parks, and retail centers.
• Provide a complete, safe, and wellmaintained sidewalk network from residential neighborhoods to commercial
centers, schools, parks, and community
centers.
• Provide a complete, safe, and wellmaintained roadway network that allows for efficient and smooth access from the
West Area to other sections of the city
and region.

Parks & Trails
• Create parks that are within existing and
planned neighborhoods that are easily
accessed by community members using
pedestrian and bicycle pathways, transit
services, or motor vehicles, consistent
with the City of Fresno’s Parks Master
Plan.
• Provide for the location of a flagship
regional park in the Plan Area that has
components of the Plan Area’s agricultural
history through the planting of droughtresistant vegetation or trees, and the creation of public art that exhibits the
Plan Area’s contribution to the agricultural
industry.
• Increase the tree canopy to improve
air quality and health outcomes for
residents while enhancing neighborhood
streetscapes.

Agriculture
• Incorporate elements of agriculture in
future parks by planting a mixture of native
drought tolerant vegetation, shrubs, and
trees that can serve to provide shade and
enhance the streetscape.
• Encourage and provide land use
opportunities for agritourism ventures to
occur in the West Area.
• Encourage the development of harvestproducing community gardens.

Retail
• Attract desired and needed local retail
establishments to serve the needs
of the West Area community. Such
establishments include grocery stores,
bakeries, restaurants (other than fast
food), and boutiques.
• Discourage the expansion of undesirable
retail establishments such as liquor stores,
tobacco and vapor stores, short-term loan
and pawn shops, and adult stores.
• Encourage the development of retail
establishments along commercial
corridors.
43 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Housing
• Encourage a variety of housing types and
styles.
• Encourage the development of housing
to accommodate an aging population
including multi-generational houses and
other elder housing options.
• Reaffirm the City’s commitment and
obligation to affirmatively furthering
access to fair and affordable housing
opportunities by strongly encouraging
equitable and fair housing opportunities
to be located in strategic proximity
to employment, recreational facilities,
schools, neighborhood commercial areas,
and transportation routes.

Catalytic Corridors
• Encourage the orderly and consistent
development of civic, parkland, retail and
commercial, mixed-use, and multi-family
uses along West Shaw Avenue, West
Ashlan Avenue, Veterans Boulevard, West
Shields Avenue, West Clinton Avenue,
and Brawley Avenue.

Education
• Attract much-needed educational
opportunities for the residents of the
West Area, especially for post-secondary
education, and access to programs for
life-long learners.

Public Safety
• Provide for safe routes to schools for
children, with the City and County
working together with residents, to
provide sidewalks in neighborhoods that
have sporadic access.
• Work to promote Neighborhood Watch
in all neighborhoods, and further assess
the need for the location of emergency
response facilities west of Highway 99.

Catalytic Corridors are envisioned to be vibrant, highly walkable areas with broad sidewalks, trees and other landscaping, and local-serving uses with new buildings that step down in relationship to the scale and character of adjacent neighborhoods (see Map 3-1: West Area Planned Catalytic Corridors on page 50).

Planning Process & Community Engagement 44

CATALYTIC CORRIDORS OF THE WEST AREA
The Corridors will have distinct themes, but consistent elements that provide visual clues (alongside land use designations) that will promote the Catalytic Corridors as the neighborhood hubs of the West Area. The elements for each Corridor can include a focus on pedestrian environments with trees and wide sidewalks; unique landscaping; and local-serving retail that is comfortably accessed by walking and biking from the adjacent neighborhoods.

Storm drain mural by Sarahlaine Calva via raleighnc.gov “Open Streets Lyndale 2019” by Fibonacci Blue / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

INFRASTRUCTURE &

THE PUBLIC REALM
3 Class 1 Bike/Pedestrian Path on Gettysburg Ave.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 46
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • _____________________________________________________________

3.1 | Introduction
A city’s infrastructure is the fulcrum, or lever, by which our activities are made possible, from our transportation system facilitating the movement of goods and people (and thus knowledge and labor) to the water and wastewater systems that provide us clean drinking water and ensure our sanitation and health. Some aspects of infrastructure, such as our roads and sidewalks, also compose an essential part of our public realm. The physical form of our public realm is significant, as it influences how we function within, and navigate through, our built environment. It has the potential to increase safety and reduce crime; motivate us to walk or bike; and instill a sense of identity with our neighborhoods.

In the West Area, the current infrastructure reflects years of what can be described as “patchwork” development, leading to uneven transitions between city and county roads and utilities. This has created a particularly problematic situation where sidewalks, bike paths, and travel lanes abruptly end, leading to bottlenecks for automobile traffic and dangerous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.

One major goal of this Plan is to provide a policy framework in which the patchwork will be mended and urban-rural transitions will be harmonized through a shift to more orderly development patterns.

While development occurs, efforts will be made to create a vibrant streetscape that enhances safety and provides a sense of place for West Area neighborhoods.

Finally, while the expansion of the city’s infrastructure enables it to grow, providing more opportunities for residential, commercial, and employment uses, it does incur a substantial and lasting cost. In the past, such expansion was permitted without careful consideration of the long-term fiscal impacts to the City’s budget. This occurred at the detriment of the city’s established neighborhoods, which then lacked needed funding for maintenance as funds became stretched over the broadening city limits.

In light of this issue, contemporary policies - like the establishment of community facilities districts (CFDs) - have sought to remedy this imbalance, asking that new development pay its fair share to both install and maintain infrastructure that benefit its users. However, additional efforts are needed; such as pursuing new tools and grants, to address infrastructure gaps that would lie outside the responsibilities of new development. As the West Area is primed for new growth, these policies must be continued and enforced.

In this Chapter:

3.2 | Transportation

3.3 | Streetscape Improvements

3.4 | Water Resources & Natural Habitats

3.5 | Goals & Policies
The public realm is the physical environment
that is accessible to and shared by the
general public, whether privately or
publically owned. Streets, sidewalks, parks,
and plazas and all the amenities therein are
part of the public realm.
47 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________

3.2 | Transportation
Like many other cities that developed in the
same era and with similar geography, Fresno’s
transportation infrastructure and land use
patterns prioritized the use of private autos.

This prioritization has, in turn, reduced freedom
of transportation mode choice due to the
underinvestment in the infrastructure needed to
use any other mode, such as walking, biking, or
taking transit. In the West Area, approximately
256 miles of roadway is dedicated to motor
vehicles, 19 miles for bike facilities, 110 miles
for sidewalks, and the city’s bus system, Fresno
Area Express (FAX), uses 11 miles of the city’s
roadway system.1
Given the history of the land use and
infrastructure patterns in the West Area, it
follows that the most dominant mode of travel
is by private automobiles. However, through the
outreach process for this Plan, many community
members advocated for the expansion of active
transportation infrastructure in order to improve
their ability to bike, walk, or ride transit as a way
to reach their places of employment, education,
and recreation. As a note, support for active
transportation does not mean the elimination
of means to travel by private auto. Rather, the
goal is to provide West Area residents with
infrastructure for safe, accessible and reliable
travel, no matter their choice of transportation
mode.

3.2.A | Sidewalks
Sidewalks are critical infrastructure, as they
enhance public safety and provide the ability
to walk and roll (ex. via wheelchairs, mobility
scooters, skateboards, push scooters, etc.) to
key locations such as retail centers, parks, and
schools- a fundamental component of Complete
Neighborhoods. The West Area, however,
currently lacks a continuous sidewalk network,
sometimes forcing pedestrians to share a busy
roadway with motorists. Unfortunately, these
conditions have had fatal consequences and
must be rectified. Key efforts to improve existing
conditions have been undertaken. For instance,
the Fresno Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and
ADA Transition Plan for the ROW have identified
areas within the Plan Area to have either a high,
medium, or low priority level for infrastructure
based on connectivity and safety needs (see Map
3-2: West Area Active Transportation Plan Bike
Paths). Additionally, the Department of Public
Works examines how individual developments
can provide improved routes to K-12 schools
through neighborhood-level pedestrian and
bicycle infrastructure improvements.

Future development will facilitate the addition
of sidewalks that will connect to existing and
planned neighborhoods and add to the
transformation of Catalytic Corridors within the
Plan Area (see Map 3-1: West Area Planned
1 The City’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data counts roadways as one line, regardless of how many lanes are present, whereas it counts both sides of the street for sidewalks and bike paths. To create a more apt comparison, 128 miles was multiplied by two to account for two-way travel, similar to how sidewalks and bike paths are calculated.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 48
Catalytic Corridors). In order for new sidewalk
networks to function well and be utilized, is
imperative that new development projects
provide the characteristics that make them
desirable. This includes, but is not limited to:
curb, curb ramps, gutter, streetlights, street
trees, and sidewalks on both sides of the
street; and pedestrian connections, sometimes
called paseos, from neighborhoods to adjacent
commercial uses and to major streets. If these
characteristics are not completed alongside new
development, the burden may fall on the City to
pay for their installation later, or the neighborhood
will likely experience barriers to walking through
the indefinite future.

Other sidewalk amenities include those that
enhance the pleasure of walking and rolling itself,
and which create resiliency against a warming
climate. These include wider sidewalks so that
people may stroll either side-by-side or at a
comfortable distance; trees to provide shade in
the hot summer months and to create a natural
buffer from automobile traffic; and benches to
take rest. In some areas, such as along Catalytic
Corridors, water features (using rain or recycled
water) and public art can add to the dynamism of
the sidewalk and the wider public realm.

Where new development isn’t expected or where
development has already occurred without
sidewalks, future improvements will be prioritized
according to the Active Transportation Project
Prioritization tool, created by the City of Fresno
Department of Public Works. This matrix scores
projects based on factors such as compatibility
with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
standards, safe routes to schools, alignment with
equity goals, and holistic network needs.

Through new development and prioritized
retrofitting, the goal of a connected, safe, and pleasant pedestrian experience throughout the
West Area can be achieved.
49 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Figure 3-A: Active Transportation Project Prioritization Tool Score Description
5 Project addresses an accessibility complaint from a person with a disability filed with the office of the ADA Coordinator. 4 Project addresses multiple existing barriers to access identified by the City of Fresno's ADA Transition Plan for the Public Right of Way or confirmed by the ADA Coordinator.
2 Project address a single existing barrier to access identified by the City of Fresno's ADA Transition Plan for the Public Right of Way or confirmed by the ADA Coordinator.
0 Project does not address any existing barriers to access. 18 Project is located within severely disadvantaged census tracts as determined by the CalEnviroScreen tool (score falls into 96 to 100 percentile range).
13 Project is located within disadvantaged census tracts as determined by the CalEnviroScreen tool (score falls into 91 to 96 percentile range). 8 Project is located within 1/2 mile radius of disadvantaged census tracts as determined by the CalEnviroScreen tool. 0 Project does not provide direct access to disadvantaged community. 5 Identified as a high priority in the Active Transportation Plan. 4 Identified projects on behalf of the community through means such as FresGo and 621-City, community petitions, requests to City Staff and Council Members and community based organizations.
3 Requested as part of a community planning process or adopted plan in the last 5 years. 0 Not identified through a community planning process in the last 5 years or is identified as a low priority in the Active Transportation Plan. 2 The percent of households with zero automobiles in the project area is ≥ 50%. 0 The percent of households with zero automobiles in the project area is < 50%.

Total: 30
3 Fills a network gap between any two existing bicycle or pedestrian facilities. 2 Connects with one existing bicycle or pedestrian facility. 0 Provides no connections to existing bicycle or pedestrian facilities or is immediately adjacent to existing & equivalent alternative path of travel. 15 Provides direct access to two or more K-12 schools within 1/4 mile radius of the project. 12 Provides direct access to one K-12 school within 1/4 mile radius of the project. 9 Provides direct access to two or more K-12 schools within 1/2 mile radius of the project. 6 Provides direct access to one K-12 school within 1/2 mile radius of the project. 0 Does not provide access to a K-12 school.
4 Located within 1/2 mile of public transportation including: FAX, Amtrak, Greyhound or High Speed Rail station. 0 Does not provide direct access to public transit.
4 Project is located within 1/4 mile of an existing park. 4 Project is not located within 1/2 mile of a park and is located within a community where for every 1,000 residents there are 1.02 acres of parkland or less.
2 Project is located within 1/2 mile of an existing park. 0 Project is not located near existing parks.
4 Located within 1/4 mile of grocery store, health provider, civic center, large employment center or other regional destination. 4 Project is not located within 1 mile of grocery store, health provider, civic center, large employment center or other regional destination. 3 Located within 1/2 mile of grocery store, health provider, civic center, large employment center or other regional destination. 0 Does not directly provide access to an activity center. 2 Fills a bikeway network gap between an existing and a funded near term (5 years) proposed facility of any type. 0 Does not provide access to an existing bikeway or shared use paths. 1 Provides connectivity within 1/4 mile of regional network in one or more neighboring jurisdiction(s). 0 Project provides no direct connectivity to a neighboring jurisdiction's network. 2 Anchored place type - location efficiency factors will increase over time; land use supports high levels of non-motorized travel and transit use. 0 Transitional place type - location currently "evolving", likelihood of future development of the adjacent property.

Total: 35
20 One fatality reported within 1/4 mile of project area in the last five years AND the proposed project provides countermeasures appropriate to collision type as determined by the Local Roadway Safety Manual. 15 Three or more bicycle or pedestrian related collisions reported with 1/4 mile of proposed project area in the last five years AND the proposed project provides countermeasures appropriate to collision type as determined by the Local Roadway Safety Manual. 10 Two bicycle or pedestrian related collisions reported within 1/4 mile of proposed project area in the last five years AND the project provides countermeasures appropriate to collision type as determined by the Local Roadway Safety Manual. 8 One bicycle or pedestrian related collision reported within 1/4 mile of proposed project area in the last five years AND project provides countermeasures appropriate to collision type as determined by the Local Roadway Safety Manual. 0 Proposed path that did not experience any bicycle or pedestrian related collisions within 1/4 mile of the project area in the last five years AND/OR the proposed project does not provide countermeasures appropriate to collision type(s) as determined by the Local Roadway Safety Manual.
4 Project is ≥ 1 mile in length for Class II or IV facilities or project is ≥ 1/2 mile for Class I or sidewalk facilities or project creates a controlled crossing.
0 Project does not meet above project type criteria.
7 Greatest greenhouse gas reduction benefits anticipated, ADT on immediately adjacent corridor ≥ 24,000 vehicles. 6 Greenhouse gas reduction benefits anticipated, current ADT on immediately adjacent corridor <24,000 to 12,001 vehicles. 4 Greenhouse gas reduction benefits anticipated, current ADT on immediately adjacent corridor ≤12,000. 0 Greenhouse gas reduction benefits negligible, current ADT on immediately adjacent corridor ≤1000 to vehicles. 4 Population ≥ 30,000 within 1/2 mile radius of proposed project. 3 Population ≥ 20,000 within 1/2 mile radius of proposed project. 2 Population ≥ 10,000 within 1/2 mile radius of proposed project. 1 Population > 1,000 to 9,999 within 1/2 mile radius of proposed project. 0 Population ≤ 1,000 within 1/2 mile radius of proposed project.

Total: 35
100
Adopted by Council - March 2, 2017
T-3
Potential for
Mode Shift
and
Greenhouse
Gas
Reduction
T-2 Project Type
T-4
Location
Efficiency:

Population
Density
Total Points
Traffic Control, Mode Shift and User Comfort
T-1
Bicycle or
Pedestrian
Collisions
C-8 Place Type
C-7 Regional
Significance
C-6
Connectivity
to Future
Network
C-5
Connectivity
to Key
Destinations -
excludes
schools &
parks
C-4 Connectivity
to Parks
C-3
Connectivity
to Public
Transit
C-2 Connectivity
to Schools
A-4 Vehicle
Ownership
Connectivity
C-1
Connectivity
to Existing
Network
A-3
Community
Identified
Priority
Variables
Access and Equity
A-1 Accessibility
Active Transportation Project Prioritization Tool
A-2 Equity

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 50
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Source: City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, General Plan Planned Land Use, Specifc Plan of the West Area Steering Committee Proposed Land Use, City of Fresno Planning and DevelopmentDepartment, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; Fresno County boundary, Railroad, Fresno County Regional GIS database; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin,© OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

Cornelia
Blythe
·|þ}99
Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Fresno City Limits
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno Sphere of Influence
51 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

3.2.B | Bike Paths
As mentioned, one of the goals of the General
Plan - reiterated in this Specific Plan - is to provide more network balance and increase
confidence that whatever mode of transportation
residents choose, it will be safe and reliable. Part
of achieving this vision, similar to sidewalks, is
through the provision and connection of more
bicycle infrastructure throughout the West Area.

The City of Fresno has made great strides
increasing bicycle infrastructure throughout
the city, earning it a Bronze status by the
League of American Bicyclists. Furthermore, the
Department of Public Works has adopted
a Complete Streets policy that calls for the
construction of both sidewalk and bicycle
infrastructure alongside roadway improvements.2
Examples include the installation of bike
detectors that trigger intersection signal cycles
and the dedication of road space for bike lanes.

This policy will help provide new and improved
bike infrastructure as development occurs in the
West Area.

Through the implementation of the ATP, the
West Area will see Class I bicycle and pedestrian
paths and Class II bicycle lanes on arterial and
collector streets that will connect to the existing
and future network, integrating with other parts
of the city to the east and south (see Map 3-2:

West Area Active Transportation Plan Bike
Paths). Class I bicycle and pedestrian paths,
which are physically separated from automobiles,
are also planned within proposed
housing developments and on the future Veterans
Boulevard. Approximately 72 miles of Class II
bike lanes, which are on-street facilities that use
striping, stencils, and signage to denote exclusive
use by cyclists, are planned for the West Area (see
Figure 3-B: Bike Facilties for more information on
the different types of bike facilities). Core design
standards call for maximum bike lane widths
(seven feet) when possible to allow bicyclists
to pass other riders safely and navigate around
parked cars and other road hazards. This Plan
calls for the continued implementation of the
vision provided in the General Plan and the ATP.
2 City of Fresno. Department of Public Works. (2019). Complete Streets Policy. https://www.fresno. gov/publicworks/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2019/10/Complete-Streets-091119.pdf Exceptions to this policy must meet certain criteria and be approved by either the Public Works Director or City Council.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 52
• • I
.

I
.............................................................................................

Figure 3-B: Classes of Bike Lanes
Class I - off-street, separate path
Class II - on-street, designated lanes
Class III - on-street, shared roadway
Class IV - on-street, protected lanes
Made with StreetMix, CC BY-SA 4.0
53 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
A Class I Bike/Pedestrian Path along Gorma Avenue
is a prominent feature of this future neighborhood
Shaw
Gettysburg
Cornelia
Extending Cornelia or Gettysburg (with bike lanes) under Highway 99 can help increase multimodal connectivity.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm
MAP 3-2 West Area Active Transportation Plan Bike Paths -
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e::::cE Rails to Trails2
County/City Trail3
Class I Bicycle/Ped Path
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno City Limits
ATP Planned Bicycle Facilities
Class II Bike Lane
Class III Bike Route
Class IV Separated Bikeways
Priority Bike Network -
ATP Existing Bicycle Facilities
Class I Bike Path
Class II Bike Lane
Class III Bike Route

1. Conceptual alignment of existing and proposed path and trail.

All planned Parkway access and projects, their features, uses, and locations, are subject to the acquisition of lands and/ or easements from willing sellers, and project-specific, sitespecific environmental review.

2. Required unless there is an existing railroad. Should existing railroad lines be vacated, they shall be converted to a greenbelt.

3. Conceptual alignment, subject to City/County cooperative planning adoption, and implementation. City preferred
location depicted.
54 This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source: City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; Fresno County boundary, Railroad, Fresno County Regional GIS database; Active Transporation Plan, February, 2016, Fehr and Peers. World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors,and the GIS user community. 55 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

3.2.C | Public Transit
The City of Fresno Department of Transportation
operates the city’s public transit system, known
as Fresno Area Express (FAX). FAX has grown
from its origins as a horse-driven line in the late
nineteenth century to today’s system that runs
eighteen fixed bus routes and Handy Ride, an
on-call paratransit service that serves seniors
and persons with disabilities. Within its fixed
route service, FAX operates a Bus Rapid Transit
line that runs north/south on Blackstone Avenue,
from North Fresno to Downtown, and east/west
from Downtown to Clovis Avenue on Ventura
Avenue/Kings Canyon Road. Until the coronavirus
pandemic emerged in the spring of 2020, FAX
was on path for another year of record ridership
since the great recession. While ridership has
decreased during the pandemic, FAX expects
to recover at a faster pace than other transit
systems given that many Fresnans rely on transit
as a primary mode of travel.

The West Area is currently served by bus Routes
12, 35, 39, and 45 (see Map 3-3: West Area
Existing FAX Bus Routes). One of Route 12’s
key destinations is Inspiration Park, a universally
accessible community park on Gettysburg Avenue
near Hayes Avenue. An important stop for Route
39 is the Central Learning Adult/Alternative
School Site (C.L.A.S.S.) near the intersection
of Ashlan and Brawley Avenues. Meanwhile,
the extended Route 45 creates a connection to
Central High School East via Ashlan Avenue.

Together, Routes 12, 35, 39, and 45 are within
walking distance for roughly 66 percent of the
West Area’s residents (see also Maps 5-5a and
5-5b: West Area Bus Stops Walksheds).

The West Area routes have a one-transfer link
with up to 12 other FAX routes, including Route
20, which connects the Shaw/Brawley area to
the El Paseo shopping center via Figarden Loop
and Riverside Drive. This is also where Route 3
intersects, connecting the West Area to Herndon
Avenue with two transfers. Within the West
Area, the interline of Routes 12 and 35 provide
a seamless connection between the southern
portion of Route 12 and the western segment
of Route 35, resulting in a direct connection to
the east for residents of the Plan Area via Olive
Avenue.

As development continues to occur and the land
uses along the Catalytic Corridors are intensified,
FAX will review additional service changes to
reach a wider constituency. For example, West
Shaw Avenue between Highway 99 and North
Grantland Avenue is envisioned to develop as a
transit-oriented Town Center with enhanced bus
service.

Under current procedures, new development does
not typically contribute to the public transit system
beyond an occasional requirement to improve
transit-adjacent stops. In other words, there is
a need to develop a methodology to determine
a fair contribution from new development to the
transit system, so that it may adequately serve
the development’s new residents, workers, and/
or clients without needing subsidy or cuts from
other parts of the system. Another supportive
measure would be to work with large employers
and educational institutions to provide transit
passes to employees and students. FAX
continually seeks grant funds and other revenue
sources to sustain and expand its operations and
improve its transit amenities, and will continue
to explore resources and opportunities for
additional service expansions in the West Area
in the future.

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Infrastructure & the Public Realm 56
-
MAP 3-3 West Area Existing FAX Bus Routes either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data. - Route 03
- Route 09
- Route 12
Route 20
- Route 22
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, City of Fresno GIS data. FAX Bus Routes City of Fresno Department of Transportation, 2019; Fresno County Boundary, Railroads, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. 57 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • FAX is a vital transportation mode for many
Fresnans, especially for our youth who are too
young to drive, for some of our older adults
who no longer feel safe driving, and for people
with disabilities. It serves everyone from people
who have no other means of transportation
to people who simply prefer public transit for
economic, environmental, or personal reasons.

Supporting the city’s public transit system thus
not only moves us towards the goal of providing
a balanced transportation infrastructure network
for the West Area, it also helps Fresno become a
more equitable city as well.

3.2.D | Roadways
One of the recurring concerns voiced through the
public outreach process for this Plan was about
the bottlenecking and congestion occurring at
the points where the West Area connects across
Highway 99. There are currently four access
points in the Plan Area: an underpass on Herndon
Avenue, and overpasses at Shaw Avenue, Ashlan
Avenue, and Clinton Avenue. The primary pinch
points are occurring at the Shaw/Polk intersection,
Shaw/Highway 99 interchange, and the Ashlan/
Parkway intersection.

Two additional crossing points are planned. The
first is Veterans Boulevard, which will connect
Herndon Avenue from east of Highway 99 to
Grantland Avenue south of Shaw Avenue in the
Plan Area. It is currently under construction. Once
completed, it will serve as a super arterial, similar
to Willow Avenue and Temperance Avenue. The
second is Gettysburg Avenue, which is planned
to underpass Highway 99 from the west to
connect to Golden State Boulevard on the east.

Residents also expressed frustration
that they would clear the congestion
at the Highway 99 and Shaw Avenue
interchange only to be stopped again at
the railroad tracks just on its east side.

Future improvements funded through
California High Speed Rail, which include
a train overpass at Shaw Avenue and
an underpass at Herndon Avenue, will
help resolve this issue and provide for
smoother traffic flow.

Traffic congestion is not limited to Highway 99
crossing points; the West Area experiences a
fragmented roadway network throughout, where
portions of the roadway network transition
abruptly from having three or more travel lanes
down to one narrow travel lane in each direction.

This creates, as one resident quipped, “streets that
look like boa constrictors after lunch” (see Map
3-4: West Area Roadway Existing Bottlenecks).

These conditions reflect the pattern of uneven
development in the Plan Area, as roadway
widening, traffic lights, and other transportation
improvements are primarily the responsibility of
incoming private development.

Highway 99, running north and south, is the central roadway network for residents to access the other parts of the city and region for education and employment centers, medical facilities, and shopping and commercial centers. Yet because of the limited number and lengths of crossings, Highway 99 also serves as a barrier to the needed amenities east of the West Area.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 58
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Other proposed roadway improvements include
extending Dakota Avenue from Hayes Avenue to
Grantland Avenue, making Gettysburg Avenue
a complete collector street from Highway 99 to
Veterans Boulevard, and providing for a collector
street on Garfield Avenue from Gettysburg
Avenue to Shields Avenue (see Map 3-5: West
Area General Plan Planned Circulation). For
definitions of the various roadway types, see the
Glossary in Section 7.1. The City and Caltrans are
also preparing a feasibility study for the Highway
99 and Shaw Avenue interchange.

The City of Fresno, Fresno County, and
the State of California are responsible for
roadway maintenance within the Plan
Area. The State oversees Highway 99,
while the County and City maintain the
roads within their respective boundaries.

3.2.E | Micromobility
Micromobility is a term that refers to lightweight
vehicles including bikes, electric bikes, shared
bikes, electric scooters, electric unicycles, and
electric skateboards that typically run at speeds up
to 15 mph. The rise of this form of transportation
has improved connectivity for underserved
communities, provided job opportunities for
residents, and even holds promise to reduce
pollution levels. In Portland, Oregon, a 2018 pilot
study of e-scooters found that they replaced
more than 300,000 vehicle miles traveled over
a 120-day period.3 The study also found that
more than 44,000 trips were taken with 243
e-scooters in an underserved area, equating to
more than 366 trips per day or approximately
181 trips per scooter.

As with any nascent and emerging technology,
there have been new challenges presented
alongside their growing adoption. For instance,
e-scooters gained early infamy for users who
would leave them parked inappropriately. Another
issue has been a conflict of shared space, where
micromobility users will ride on sidewalks when
they don’t feel comfortable sharing the roadway
with cars. However, many of these issues have
been addressed in cities where micromobility is
well established. For instance, some solutions
have included installing protective barriers on
bike lanes to increase rider comfort, designating
parking spots for micro-vehicles, and restricting
speeds and operating times. Beyond addressing
these issues, many cities have found innovative
ways to encourage micromobility such as letting
users pay with their bus smart cards or mobile
ticketing systems, installing shared mobility
nodes near transit stops, and working with
operators to provide affordable plans to people
with limited income.

Although micromobility has not yet caught on en
masse in Fresno4 the way it has in some other
metropolitan areas, there is an opportunity to
incorporate it into our infrastructure plans; to
support it as another mode of transportation
while reducing negative externalities. In the West
Area, this can include planning for wider bicycle
lanes in popular corridors, dedicating parking
areas where micro-vehicles will not impede foot
or vehicle traffic, restricting scooter operations 3 Portland Bureau of Transportation. 2018 E-Scooter Findings Report. https://www.portlandoregon. gov/transportation/article/709719
4 Note that Shared Mobility Devices are permitted pursuant to Chapter 9 Article 34 of the Fresno Municipal Code.

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- -
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Number of Lanes
! ! ! ! 1 (Oneway or 1 lane ea. side of lanscape or median future widening) -
-
2 (2 lane ea. side of left turn median or local street) -
3 (3 lane ea. side of left turn median or 2 lane w/ cont. left turn) 4 (2 lane ea. side off painted double divider line)
5 (4 lane w/ cont. left turn lane)
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Number of Lanes, City of Fresno Department of Public Works; Fresno County Boundary, Railroads, Fresno County Regional GIS database; World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

MAP 3-5 West Area General Plan Planned Circulation

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Infrastructure & the Public Realm 60
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, General Plan Circulation Element, City of Fresno Public Works Dept.; The bridge inventory data obtained from Caltrans Structure Maintenance and Investi-gations (SMI) Database, as of April 15, 2015; Caltrans Division of Maintenance, Structure Maint-enance: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/structur/strmaint/; Transportation, Rail network, California Region Timetable, 2013 California State Rail Plan in PDF file is available at website: http://californiastaterailplan.dot.ca.gov/; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. 61 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • at night, and allowing room for shared mobility
docks to be installed near major destination
points. This can coincide with a general policy
to promote micromobility as an affordable
alternative to single occupancy vehicle commutes
and as a first/last-mile connector.

Single occupancy vehicle (SOV) is a term
used to describe a single person utilizing
a private automobile. Because most autos
are built for two or more people, this leads
to inefficiencies that impact the form of
the built environment, requiring more
space for fewer people.

First/last mile is a term that refers to the
distance between a person’s home, work,
school, or other destination from a public
transit stop.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 62
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • •
_____________________________________________________________

3.3 | Streetscape Improvements
The streetscape of the city forms a vast majority
of its public realm and can influence feelings of
access, safety, and sense of place within the
areas we live, work, and recreate. Therefore it
is vital that the streetscapes within the West
Area are designed to connect and appropriately
transition neighborhoods rather than serve as
barriers between them.

3.3.A | Safety
Real and perceived safety can be influenced by
the design of the streetscape. For instance, using
physical elements like bulb outs and trees that
make the road feel narrower to drivers have been
shown to reduce speeding. Reduced speeds
decrease the average risk of death, should
someone be struck with a vehicle (see Figure 3-C:

Traffic Speed and Risk of Pedestrian Fatality).

Figure 3-C: Traffic Speed and Risk of Pedestrian Fatality at 23 MPH
10% 9 of 10 people survive
at 32 MPH
25% 7-8 of 10 people survive
at 42 MPH
50% 5 of 10 people survive
Tefft, Brian. 2011. Impact Speed and a Pedestrian’s Risk of Severe Injury or Death. Washington, DC: AAA Foundation for Traffc Safety.

This figure shows that slower speeds decrease the average risk of death for pedestrians when struck by vehicles. The speed limit for many streets in the Plan Area is 40 miles per hour; at this speed, the average risk of a pedestrian fatality is close to 50 percent. 63 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • One way to think about an accessible
built environment is to consider if any
person from eight years old to 80 years
old can use it comfortably and safely.

At intersections, these elements can be
augmented by Leading Pedestrian Intervals,
which allow pedestrians a few seconds lead
time to cross before auto traffic going the
same direction. This increases the visibility of
the pedestrians, leading to fewer collisions. At
midblock crossings, especially near schools,
median refuge islands and Pedestrian Hybrid
Beacons (PHB) can further increase pedestrian
safety. PHBs can be described as an on-demand
stop light for midblock crossings. They are also
sometimes called “HAWKs,” short for High
Intensity Activated Crosswalks.

A new HAWK light being installed being
installed at the trail crossing on Bryan Avenue
Pedestrian-scale lighting is another streetscape
enhancement that can enable natural surveillance
and provide a greater sense of safety. Such lighting
should be provided with special consideration
for transit stops, crosswalks, and along Catalytic
Corridors. To lower the effects of streetlights on
light pollution and save on energy costs the City
can also research available options to dim lights
when they are not needed.

Similar to lighting, the proper planting and
care of landscaping within the streetscape can
increase a neighborhood’s ability to have passive
surveillance. For instance, shrubbery should not
be so tall or dense as to impede visibility.

3.3.B | Sense of Place
While it is important to install crossings, lighting,
and landscaping in a way that promotes safety,
these elements of the streetscape can also be
utilized to enhance a community’s sense of place.

First and foremost, our built environment must
be welcoming and safe to all users, regardless
of their age, ability, or language. This means
that planning for the streetscape should include
physical, visual, and audial elements that provide
a meaningful experience for the users of the
space. These experiences can then translate into
feelings of connection.

The incorporation of art and history into a space
are two ways to bring this vitality to the future
streetscapes of the West Area. With intersections
and midblock crossings, the City can work with
residents to create artfully designed crosswalks
that celebrate a local school or tie into West
Area’s agricultural history. These designs can
even be themed based on the identity of the
Infrastructure & the Public Realm 64
neighborhood and located as a motif throughout
it. In highly visible corridors, murals can
accomplish similar aspirations, and those located
at a pedestrian level can incorporate tactile
elements to additionally be enjoyed by people
who are blind or visually impaired. Benches and
trees add further invitation to enjoy these spaces.

These elements should be prioritized where
there is significant pedestrian activity at retail or
commercial centers, schools, bus stops, public
parks, community resource centers, the public
library, and places of worship.

Another method to add visual identity to the West
Area is to incorporate a banner program along
major streets and other pedestrian-oriented
areas. Similar to those seen in Downtown,
banners are hung from streetlights to denote
entrance into a particular district or to share
information in a celebratory or honorific way.

For example, a military service banner program
would be a natural fit for Veterans Boulevard.

The program allows families to hang a banner
to honor the military service of a loved one. The
banners are displayed for a specified period,
which provides opportunity for more families to
participate over time.

Finally, attention should be paid to the areas
visible from Highway 99 that act as an
unofficial gateway to the city. Beautification and
wayfinding signage can promote the West Area
as a destination, in particular for agritourism
activities. As part of the latter, additional signage
pointing to local wineries and farm stands can
enhance the exploration aspect of wine and
produce trails.

In order to retain the positive influences these ideas can generate, implementation should be
accompanied by a long-term maintenance plan
with identified funding sources.

Photo Credit: Chieko Hara, Porterville Recorder
65 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

3.3.C | Landscaping
Landscaping plays an important role in the
aesthetic and utilitarian functionality of
streetscapes. In addition to influencing the safety
and sense of place within the public realm, the
right kind of landscaping can also help recharge
groundwater, protect against flooding, and
reduce the urban heat island effect. Trees are
essential for shade during Fresno’s hot summer
months. Drought-resistant landscaping can also
reduce maintenance and water costs. To achieve
these benefits, the City should review and
encourage the adoption of landscaping in new
and retrofitted development that incorporates
safety, social, and environmental benefits.

As part of the aforementioned review, the
City should investigate refinement of Tree
Fresno’s Community Landscapes Plan for West
Fresno.5 In this Plan, Tree Fresno and other
community partners, including Fresno Council
of Governments, developed a concept plan for
themed landscape districts within the West
Fresno area.

The Community Landscapes Plan boundary
and this Specific Plan boundary overlap, but are
not congruent. However, the concepts could be
refined to suit the Plan Area. This effort should
be done through further resident engagement
to align landscape districts with neighborhood
identities and can also include neighborhood
art strategies that incorporate planning for the
design of crosswalks, location of murals, etc.

Figure 3-C: West Fresno Community Landscapes
Plan Districts Map and Figure 3-D: Community
Landscapes Plan Forest District Tree & Plant
Palette demonstrate just a few of the concepts
that can be refined to a neighborhood level
throughout the West Area.

The Forest District concept includes
vegetative barriers along busy corridors,
such as Highway 99 to provide a
buffer that can reduce noise while
improving both air quality and landscape
beautification.

Garfield Avenue, lined with olive trees
5 Tree Fresno (2019). Community Landscapes Plan – West Fresno. Fresno Council of Governments. https://www.fresnocog.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/West-Fresno-CLP-executive-V9- FINAL-101519-1.pdf.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 66

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_____________________________________________________________

3.4 | Water Resources & Natural Habitats
Fresno’s water and wastewater systems
provide the minimum basic needs for residents
to live healthfully within the city: clean drinking
water and sanitary sewer systems. Promoting
a continuous network, implementing recycled
water systems, and maintaining a high level of
service are priorities for the West Area.

3.4.A | Water
The City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities
Water Division is tasked with providing potable
water to Fresno residents and some residents
located within Growth Area 1, which amounts
to a customer base of over 500,000 residential,
commercial, and industrial users. The primary
water source is derived from the King’s River
Subbasin, a large underground water system that
supplies many communities within the Central
Valley and is Fresno’s sole source aquifer. Over
the last few years the City has been in the process
of transitioning from sourcing groundwater
to surface water in order to preserve water
resources for long-term sustainability.

The City operates approximately 260 wells that
draw water from the King’s River Subbasin,
which is then conveyed through several
thousand miles of pipes. Map 3-6: West Area
Existing Water Resources shows the location
of active wells and water pipes within the West
Area and surrounding neighborhoods to the
east and south. Many neighborhoods within the
Plan Area already utilize active water wells and
future development will be required to build or
contribute towards the expansion of systems to
meet the built-out capacity of the Plan Area. This
may provide areas that are not presently served
by the municipal water system an opportunity
to connect. Immediate connection to the City’s
water system, however, is not required should
an existing residential or commercial property be
annexed into the city. It is only required when the
existing well runs dry, is abandoned, or otherwise
becomes unusable.

In addition to providing the community with safe
drinking water, restoration of our groundwater
supply and increasing our city’s drought
resilience are important goals for this Specific
Plan. Water security and quality is driven by a
collective effort among all residents, business
operators, and municipal bodies - we must be
good stewards of this resource. On an individual
level, this might mean reducing lawn watering
or taking shorter showers, but on the Plan Area
level it can mean encouraging the installation of
grey water systems, expanding groundwater
recharge efforts, incorporation of droughtresilient landscaping, and reduction of nonporous surfaces in new subdivisions, commercial centers,
and public streetscapes.

3.4.B | Wastewater
The Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater
Reclamation Facility is the seventh largest facility
in the state of California. Over 1,500 miles of
sewer pipelines and other sanitary collection
system infrastructure, such as lift stations and
manholes, are necessary to help clean wastewater
in order for it to be safely recycled. The system
Infrastructure & the Public Realm 68
treats approximately 68 million gallons of
wastewater every day. In the future, some of the
recycled water may be directed to 1,700 acres of
ponding basins to percolate into the ground. The
wastewater infrastructure located in the Plan
Area includes sewer pipes from smaller than
12” in diameter to 33” or greater in diameter. A
sewer lift station is also located in the Plan Area
(see Map 3-7: West Area Existing Wastewater
System).

The wastewater infrastructure in the West Area
is anticipated to accommodate future growth and
development. Some areas currently utilize septic
systems and future development will provide an
option to connect to the City’s sewer system. As
with water, new development will be required
to build or contribute towards the design and
construction of collections systems sufficient to
serve the built-out capacity of the Plan Area.

Should an existing residential or commercial
property be annexed into the city, sewer
connection would be required within three years
after the annexation into the city took effect.

3.4.C | Recycled Water
Use of recycled water is a large component of
Fresno’s strategy to ensure a sustainable water
supply and reduce overuse of groundwater
by treating and reusing water for non-potable
purposes. Non-potable uses include watering
golf courses, cemeteries, open space and parks,
street medians, and other pervious surface areas
throughout the region.

The City is in the process of planning and
constructing a comprehensive Recycled Water
System, which will include parts of the West Area.

Many of the segments of the overall System are
either under construction or already completed,
and a Water Reuse Master Plan is underway to
evaluate all options and plan for the future use of
recycled water throughout the city.

3.4.D | Natural Habitats
The public realm is not limited to urban, humanmade environments. It also consists of natural habitats that require preservation to sustain
species for future generations. As Fresno’s urban
landscape expands into uninhabited land, special
attention must be paid to locating and protecting
any existing, sensitive natural habitats.
69 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
MAP 3-6 West Area Existing Water Resources

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Source: City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Dept.; Waste Water Resources, Sewer Lift, City of fresno Public Utilities Dept.2019; FID data, Fresno Irrigation District; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community 70 71 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

_____________________________________________________________

3.5 | Goals & Policies
The goals and policies within this section are based on input from community members, the recommendations of the Steering Committee, and current best practices. They are intended to advance the functionality and vibrancy of the West Area. For purposes of readability, the phrase “Infrastructure & the Public Realm” will be abbreviated as “IPR” in this section. Each policy shall be interpreted as an affirmative and required action.

IPR Goal 1 Improve access, movement, and safety for all transportation modes in the West Area.

IPR 1.1 Implement the Active Transportation Plan, ADA Transition Plan for ROW, and the General Plan to provide for complete, safe, and well-maintained sidewalk, bicycle, and trail networks that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and which connect established and planned residential neighborhoods to destinations such as commercial and employment centers, schools, parks, and community centers.

IPR 1.2 Identify and address existing infrastructure gaps in the West Area; target remedies through the creation of a priority areas list.

IPR 1.3 Collaborate with Central Unified School District and Fresno County to support complete routes to schools by collecting family travel data, prioritizing infrastructure improvements near schools, and promoting annual Walk & Bike to School Days to encourage active transportation.
a. Priority routes to update include (but are not limited to) a. Ashlan from Cornelia to Hayes, b. Valentine from Shields to Clinton, c. Dakota from Brawley to Cornelia, and d.

Polk from Clinton to Dayton.

IPR 1.4 Create a connected, safe, and pleasant pedestrian experience by requiring the provision of curb, curb ramps, gutter, streetlights, sidewalks, and street trees on both sides of the street in and adjacent to all new developments.

IPR 1.5 Encourage the provision of amenities that enhance the pedestrian experience, such as sidewalks that are 5-7 feet or wider to allow people to stroll both together or apart at comfortable distances, as well as benches, shade, greenery, and - in more prominent gathering places - water features (using rainfall or recycled water).

IPR 1.6 Require the installation of bicycle-supportive infrastructure to future development and roadway improvements, including bike parking facilities as well as through lanes and detection loops at every signaled intersection where Class II and Class IV bike lanes are existing and planned.

IPR 1.7 Where Class II and Class IV bike lanes currently exist and are planned on roads with Infrastructure & the Public Realm 72
speeds of 30 mph or greater, add a painted buffer to the bike lane to provide improved safety and permit future installation of a protective barrier.

IPR 1.8 Expand transit services in the West Area as development occurs, by locating routes near or adjacent to civic centers, schools, public parks, and retail centers and explore feasbility to create a West Area-Downtown Connector Route.

IPR 1.9 When a project generates Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) above an established threshold, require mitigation consistent with the City’s VMT Program. If consistent with the Program, mitigation could potentially include funding for active transportation improvements, such as upgrades to bicycle, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure, transit service extensions, or contributions to an active transportation fund.

IPR 1.10 When a development project is planned at major intersections or along a Catalytic Corridor with existing or future transit service, require enhancements to transit stops, such as sidewalks, benches, lighting, trash cans, accessibility improvements, shelters, and/or shading.

IPR 1.11 When improvements related to large employers or schools (defined as having 100 or more employees or students) are proposed, consider requiring a subsidized transit pass program for employees and students.

IPR 1.12 Improve multimodal transportation access across Highway 99 by a) completing the Veterans Boulevard interchange project and the underpass at West Gettysburg Avenue, b) consider updating the ATP and General Plan to include potential future multimodal crossings (such as an extension of Cornelia Avenue either across Highway 99 or from Shaw to the future undercrossing at Gettysburg Avenue), and c) update Golden State Avenue in the ATP and General Plan to have enhanced bike facilities.

IPR 1.13 Designate Grantland Avenue and Veterans Boulevard between Clinton Avenue and its overcrossing of the railroad tracks as a boulevard area, with a required 30-foot landscaped setback. Planned elements of the city’s master trail system may be located partially within this setback.

IPR 1.14 Reduce the impacts of freight trucks through a) examining truck routes in the West Area to provide a strategy to alter any routes that utilize lower-intensity residential roads or are near K-12 schools and b) reviewing the Development Code for potential improvements that willl help mitigate health impacts from freight-realted uses.

IPR 1.15 Continue to support and coordinate with California High Speed Rail to create a railroad overpass at Shaw Avenue and underpass at Herndon Avenue.

IPR 1.16 Work to reduce roadway bottlenecking and collaborate with Caltrans and other regional partners to improve the interchange at Highway 99 and Shaw Avenue. 73 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

IPR 1.17 Address issues of vehicle congestion in the West Area through a) studying congestion patterns, location, and traveler characteristics to determine potential solutions.

Furthermore, new development should strive to promote active transportation to reduce auto-dependency and overall traffic impacts.

IPR 1.18 Encourage the use of micromobility in the West Area, consider it when designing or retrofitting transportation-related infrastructure, and explore potential for integration with public transit.

IPR 1.19 As part of the next General Plan process, perform an analysis of access to transportation options across socio-economic factors to determine how to improve connections for currently under-resourced communities.

IPR Goal 2 Provide streetscapes that are welcoming and safe to all users, instill a sense of place within the West Area, and contribute to the community’s safety and quality of life.

IPR 2.1 Install traffic calming elements such as bulb outs and trees in pedestrian-oriented areas, such as at intersections and crosswalks to lower speeds and increase safety.

IPR 2.2 Install pedestrian safety features such as midblock crossings, especially near schools; leading pedestrian intervals at intersections; median refuge islands along wider streets; scramble crossings in high pedestrian areas; and pedestrian-scale lighting along major corridors, at crosswalks, and at transit stops. Midblock crossings near schools should include Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHB) and traffic signal timing changes.

IPR 2.3 Build on the Highway 99 Beautification Master Plan and create attractive gateways from Highway 99 to the West Area.

IPR 2.4 Collaborate with the Fresno County Office of Tourism, the Vintners and Distillers of Fresno County, Fresno County Farm Bureau, and other potential partners to incorporate wayfinding signage throughout the West Area that promotes agritourism activities, including highlighting the locations of local wineries and farm stands.

IPR 2.5 Consider implementing a streetlight banner program along major streets and other pedestrian-oriented areas to promote spatial identity and local celebrations, including a military service banner program for Veterans Boulevard to permit families to apply to have a banner hung in honor of their loved one’s military service.

IPR 2.6 Collaborate with Central Unified School District to identify and facilitate needed streetscape improvements to add safety features, create unique landscapes, and enable student-led art projects to increase visibility and sense of place around local schools.

IPR 2.7 Engage residents to identify cohesive neighborhoods within the West Area and develop landscape districts and arts strategies for each neighborhood.

Infrastructure & the Public Realm 74

IPR 2.8 Encourage streetscape improvements to incorporate tactile, visual, and audial elements to allow broad enjoyment of the public realm and prioritize these elements where there is significant pedestrian activity at retail or commercial centers, schools, bus stops, public parks, community resource centers, and places of worship.

IPR 2.9 Plant locally appropriate, drought-tolerant landscaping and, where possible, incorporate designs that can contribute to groundwater recharge, flood protection, and reduced urban heat island effects.

IPR 2.10 Increase tree canopy coverage in the West Area, with prioritization for areas that a) currently have minimal tree coverage, b) have a high level of pedestrian activity (ex. near schools, commercial centers, etc.) and c) are disproportionately exposed to pollution.

IPR Goal 3 Continue to plan for, properly manage, and preserve water resources and natural habitats in the West Area.

IPR 3.1 Encourage the incorporation of water conservation methods in new development, such as greywater systems, drought-resilient landscaping, and reduction of nonporous surfaces.

IPR 3.2 Continue to evaluate Capital Improvement Programs and update them to add missing infrastructure and to meet the demand for new development.

IPR 3.3 Continue to set appropriate conditions of approval for each new development proposal to ensure that water resource facilities are in place prior to construction and building occupancy.

IPR 3.4 Continue to plan for, install, and operate recycled water systems to benefit the West Area and to support local resource conservation goals.

IPR 3.5 Utilize existing regulations and procedures, including but not limited to, the Development Code and the environmental review process, in order to conserve any existing or discovered wetland, riparian, or other sensitive habitats within the Plan Area.

IPR 3.6 Where sensitive biological habitats have been identified or are discovered on or immediately adjacent to a project site, the project shall include appropriate mitigation measures determined by a qualified biologist.

IPR 3.7 Coordinate with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fresno County, and local watershed protection groups to identify potentially impacted aquatic habitat within the Plan Area and to develop management guidelines to be implemented by development, recreation, and other projects adjacent to ponds, ditches, canals, and other waterways.

IPR 3.8 Plan for a groundwater recharge greenway, with an incorporated Class 1 trail, near the western edge of the West Area boundary.
4 PUBLIC FACILITIES
4 Inspiration Park
Public Facilities 76
_____________________________________________________________

4.1 | Introduction
No neighborhood is complete without access to the important services that public facilities provide.

In this Chapter, we review the existing and planned public facilities in the West Area, including parks, trails, and open space; schools; police, fire, and medical facilities; and community centers. With astute planning, public facilities can become anchors within Complete Neighborhoods, contributing to the identity, health, safety, and overall quality of life for West Area residents.

In this Chapter:

4.2 | Parks & Trails

4.3 | Schools

4.4 | First Responders

4.5 | Community Centers

4.6 | Goals & Policies
77 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________

4.2 | Parks & Trails

4.2.A | Existing & Planned Parks
The General Plan identified park needs based on acreage and population estimates, with the goal of having two acres per 1,000 residents for regional, open space, and special use parks and three acres of park space per 1,000 residents for pocket, neighborhood, and community parks.

Park Type Typical Acreage Description
Pocket 0.5 - 2
Intended to serve the needs of a smaller, specific neighborhood located within a half-mile radius of the pocket park. Pocket parks should include amenities to draw neighbors to the park such as a tot lot, picnic bench, or shade structure.

Neighborhood 2 - 10
Provides basic recreational activities for neighborhoods located generally within a one-mile radius. These parks contribute to neighborhood identity and accommodate a range of facilities.

Community 10 - 40
Helps define a community or district and is intended to serve the more active recreational needs of persons who live or work within a two to four-mile radius.

These parks typically include facilities such as lighted sport fields and a community center building with a gym, meeting rooms, and restrooms.

Regional 40+
Meant to serve a large number of residents across a broad area of the city, or around 100,000 residents. Regional parks typically include community park features and/or unique recreational opportunities.

Open Space Any Undeveloped areas that serve the entire city of Fresno, providing opportunities for unstructured, low-impact recreation, and/or conservation.

Special Use Any Parks that include spaces that do not fall within a typical park type and usually serve a single purpose.

The 2017 City of Fresno Parks Master Plan found
that there were 952 acres of regional, open
space, and special use parks throughout the city,
giving a ratio of 1.81 acres per 1,000 residents.

This measurement is taken at a citywide scale as
these parks are intended to serve a large number
of residents across a broad area, however it
should be noted that there are no regional parks
located within the Plan Area. To address this,
Section 4.2.B discusses the potential to add
a regional park or special use park in the West
Area.

For pocket, neighborhood, and community parks,
the West Area currently has one neighborhood
park, Inspiration Park (7.92 acres), and 7.08
acres of pocket parks, which are located in
newly established housing developments. The
Parks, After School, Recreation and Community
Services (PARCS) Department is in the planning
stages for a new five-acre neighborhood park,
to be located at Dakota and Milburn Avenues.

The nearest community park to the Plan Area
is Jaswant Singh Khalra Park, which is located
just outside the Plan Boundary at the southeast

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served by parks
parks priority
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, Existing Parks and Open Space, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; Existing Condidtions Needs Gradient Map, Public Schools with Open Campus, Planned Parks, Fresno Parks Master Plan, Adopted December 14, 2017; https://www.fresno.gov/darm/general-plan-development-code/#tab-11; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. 79 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
corner of Clinton and Brawley Avenues. See
Map 4-1: West Area Parks Master Plan Existing
Conditions Needs Gradient for an estimate of
the areas served and not adequately served by
existing parks.

The combined 15 acres of pocket/neighborhood/
community park space in the West Area equates
to approximately 0.38 acres of park space per
1,000 residents. This does not include Central
Unified School District (CUSD) campuses that
are open to residents. To meet the General
Plan’s goal for the residential population in
2020, the West Area needs an increase of 104
acres, for a total of 119 acres (see Table 4-A:

West Area Existing, Needed, and Proposed
Park Acres). A future population of 163,211
residents will require a total of 490 acres of
pocket, neighborhood, and community parks.

The Specific Plan designates a total of 112 acres
of pocket, neighborhood, and community parks,
seven acres of open space, and 130 acres of
ponding basins, some of which may be able to
function fully or partially as seasonal parks (see
Map 5-1: Specific Plan Proposed Planned Land
Use). Parks are permitted in all zone districts, so
there is flexibility to add additional park space.

Rendering of Milburn-Dakota Park
Public Facilities 80
Table 4-A: West Area Existing, Needed, and Proposed Park Acres Park Type Existing Acres Existing Ratio(1)
Additional
Acres
Needed(2)
Proposed
Total Acres(3)
Additional Acres
Needed for Full
Buildout(4)
Pocket,
neighborhood,
and community
parks
15 with CUSD: 97
.38
with CUSD: 2.5
104
with CUSD: 22
112
with ponding
basins &
open space:
248
378
with CUSD: 281

1. Calculated by dividing the park acres by the population and multiplying the factor by one thousand.

2. Calculated by dividing the park acre ratio goal by one thousand and multiplying the factor by the population and subtracting the product by the existing acres.

3. Should the preferred 74-acre regional park site be adopted, it would re-categorize approximately 24 acres from community park to regional park. This would be a net addition of 50 acres of parkland, which would create a total of 162 acres of proposed parkland.

4. Based on a future population of 163,211 residents; accounts for 112 planned acres; CUSD count does not include available acreage from future campuses.

Table 4-B: Citywide Existing, Needed, and Proposed Regional Park Acres(1) Park Type
Regional/Open Space/Special Use
Existing Acres
952
Existing Ratio

1.81 Additional Acres Needed
97 1. Data from 2017 City of Fresno Parks Master Plan.
81 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

4.2.B | West Area Harvest Park
The proposal of a regional park for the West
Area responds to a request from the Steering
Committee, supported by members of the
community, who desire additional recreation
space. Some amenities on the community wish
list include lighted athletic facilities, picnic tables and benches, paved trails, playgrounds with
universally accessible equipment, an indoor gym,
chess/checkers tables, tennis courts, a putting
green, fitness equipment for adults and kids, a
concert amphitheater, basketball courts, practice
fields, and pickle ball courts. The park could also
contain a visitor’s center.

Another potential feature of the park could be
the incorporation of a demonstration farm or
edible garden, integrated with a walk-through,
open-air agricultural museum that showcases
artifacts and interpretive signage that highlight
the agricultural history of Fresno and the West
Area. The scale of this “harvest park” component
could be lower-intensity (ex. community
garden), medium-intensity (ex. apple picking),
or higher-intensity (ex. farm incubator). Should a
component such as this be added, the park may
also qualify as a special use park.

The Steering Committee suggested three
potential locations for a flagship regional park
(see Map 4-2: Proposed Regional Park Location):

Option A: in the most northern portion of the
Plan Area;
Option B: at the southwest corner of Shields and
Bryan Avenues;
Option C: on undeveloped land that extends
from Parkway Avenue along both sides of the
Herndon Canal.

From a list of 13 criteria, Option C scored the
highest (see Appendix B for more information).

This site is 74 acres in size and incorporates
undeveloped land already planned for a
community park while extending along and
including the Herndon Canal to the undeveloped
parcels south of the waterpark. This site would
be connected to transit, would support the use
of the canal as a trail, and has the potential for
a shared use agreement with the waterpark’s
parking lot. It is also situated in a location where
there is a need for park space and where it is
simultaneously cohesive with urban growth
(as opposed to inadvertently spurring leapfrog
development in a currently rural part of the Plan
Area).

As this is proposed to be a regional park, this Plan
affirms that its location, features, and amenities
will need to be vetted through a citywide
discussion.

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MAP 4-2 Proposed Regional Park Location
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Option B Fresno Sphere of Influence
Option C (proposed*) Specific Plan Boundary
Existing Parks
CFD Parks and Open Space
Planned Trails
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data. *The proposed location is a suggestion and will be vetted through a public review process Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Proposed Regional Park, City of Fresno GIS data. Nearmap Latest July 20, 2020, nearmap_us, Copyright nearmap 2015. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. 83 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

4.2.C | Trails
Although there are not many miles of Class I
trails within the West Area today, a network
that connects north, south, east, and west is
anticipated under the build out of the Plan (see
Map 3-2: West Area Active Transportation Plan
Bike Paths). These trails will notably provide
access to the San Joaquin River, to the area south
of the Plan Area along Grantland Avenue, and to
the east of Highway 99 along new crossings at
Gettysburg Avenue and the Herndon Canal.

Herndon Canal in the West Area
The Herndon Canal presents a special
opportunity to not only leverage its water
feature as an attractive trail element, but to also
be a unique connector for the West Area as it
traverses across the city from the northwest
to the southeast. It is already used by nearby
residents as an area for recreation; it isn’t hard
to find people enjoying a jog or walking their dog
along its banks.

The City can work with the Fresno Irrigation
District to ensure that future development, or
integration into a regional park, will further
amplify the potential of this resource. For
instance, planting trees and other greenery
by the trail can create a shady and peaceful
environment, similar to the Fancher Creek Canal
Trail in Southeast Fresno.

Fancher Creek Canal in Southeast Fresno
(Photo Credit: Matthew Woodward)
While the Herndon Canal provides a trail
opportunity that connects to the east, there is
room to also imagine a future trail that could link
residents and visitors alike to the wineries and
farm stands that lie both within and to the west
of the Plan Area. Such a trail could emulate the
successful concept of Fresno County’s Blossom
Trail and build on existing the wayfinding network
created for the Fresno County Wine Journey.

Public Facilities 84

4.2.D | River Access
The San Joaquin River is a principal amenity to
the city, thus providing public access points to
it is of high priority. The West Area does not have a formal access point to date, however, the
northernmost portion of the Plan Area reaches
to the San Joaquin River environs, establishing
a prospect of creating the first river connection.

This area, which includes the site of the future
Aquarius Aquarium, is also connected by an
informal path underneath the highway bridge
and high speed rail viaduct to the eastside where
Camp Pashayan and a future regional park are
located. Because this is a distinctive opportunity
to build river and trail amenities and an additional
access point from west to east, this Plan is
supportive of creating a river access point that
leverages the future aquarium and formalizes
the existing pathway. Additionally, the area
surrounding the aquarium site, though currently
outside of the City’s Sphere of Influence, is
advocated to be future open space, enabling
further recreation and river access for the West
Area, while augmenting river conservation goals.

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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, General Plan Planned Land Use, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; School Districts, School Facilities, City of Fresno Information Services Department; Central Unified School District Attendance Area, http://www.fresnomls.net/wp/CentralUnified2012.pdf; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © Open StreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

Public Facilities 86
_____________________________________________________________

4.3 | Schools
Schools are essential parts of the fabric of our
neighborhoods and are natural community
gathering places. This Plan encourages
the interconnectivity between schools and
neighborhoods and provides support for the
addition of more higher education facilities within
the West Area.

4.3.A | K-12
Although the Plan Area technically contains
two school districts -Central Unified and
Fresno Unified- the small portion of land to the
northeast of Clinton and Marks Avenues that lies
within Fresno Unified School District’s boundary
is predominately commercial and light industrial
uses, therefore this section will focus on providing
information about Central Unified School District
(CUSD).

Seven of CUSD’s 22 schools are physically located
within the Plan Area, although a greater number
of schools have overlapping boundaries with, and
draw students from, Plan Area neighborhoods
(see Map 4-3: West Area Existing and Proposed
CUSD Schools). The following schools are those
that are physically located within the Plan Area:

Central High School – East Campus. Serves
grades 9-12 and is located on Cornelia Avenue
at Dakota Avenue.

Central Learning Adult School Site (CLASS).

CLASS is an alternative high school that utilizes
a hybrid independent study program. It shares a
campus with the adult school on Brawley Avenue
at Shields Avenue.

Glacier Point Middle School. Serves grades 7
and 8 and is located on Bryan Avenue at Ashlan
Avenue.

Harvest Elementary School. Serves grades K-6
and is located on Gettysburg Avenue at Bryan
Avenue.

Herndon-Barstow Elementary School. Serves
grades K-6 and is located on Grantland Avenue
between Tenaya Avenue and Bullard Avenue.

Steinbeck Elementary School. Serves grades
K-6 and is located on Milburn Avenue between
Ashlan Avenue and Dakota Avenue.

Teague Elementary School. Serves grades K-6
and is located on Polk Avenue between Acacia
Avenue and Gettysburg Avenue.

Preschool.Three preschool locations are provided
at Herndon-Barstow and Teague Elementary
Schools and the CUSD administrative offices.

In order to meet demand from new residential
development, CUSD plans to construct three
new schools in the Plan Area- two elementary
schools and one high school. Justin Garza
High School, located adjacent to Glacier Point
Middle School at the intersection of Ashlan and
Grantland Avenues, is projected to open prior to
the start of the 2021-22 academic school year.

As schools and the neighborhoods that surround
them are developed, the City must work closely
with CUSD to ensure that their interface
promotes the prioritization of pedestrian and
bicycle connectivity. This can enhance the
87 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
already-central role they play in neighborhood
and community cohesion, and will increase
accessibility to the many public services these
schools provide, from distributing free meals to
hosting public meetings.

4.3.B | Postsecondary
The city of Fresno is home to several institutions
of higher learning. California State University,
Fresno, aka Fresno State, is located in the
northeastern section of the city and offers
undergraduate and graduate degrees in addition
to non-degree educational opportunities such as
certificate and lifelong learning programs. Fresno
City College is a junior college providing associate
degrees and vocational training. It is operated
by the State Center Community College District
(SCCCD) and located centrally in the city. A new
SCCCD campus is planned for construction south
of the Plan Area in Southwest Fresno.

The West Area currently does not have any
public postsecondary educational institutions;
however, it is home to A-1 Truck Driving School,
which provides training to students seeking
a commercial driver’s license to operate large
commercial vehicles for employment.

During the outreach phase of this project,
community members expressed a desire for
a higher education facility to be located in the
Plan Area. One suggestion that would fill two
needs simultaneously is to establish a learning
medical center that could double as a health
care facility for West Area residents. This Plan is
accommodating to this request by proposing land
use designations that permit higher education
facilities.

Public Facilities 88

_____________________________________________________________

4.4 | First Responders
The City of Fresno provides police and fire
protection for residents, while American
Ambulance, a private company, provides
paramedic and ambulatory services. Police and
Fire make up the City’s top two fiscal priorities
with 42 percent and 15 percent of the City’s
FY2020 General Fund allocation, respectively.1
The location of fire, police, and medical facilities
impacts the time it takes for first responders to
help a person in need. Meeting and exceeding
baseline response times is a goal supported by
this Plan and will demand ongoing attention as
development progresses (see Map 4-4 West
Area Existing Police and Fire Stations with Fire
Response Coverage).

4.4.A | Police
The West Area is located in Police District 5 -
Northwest. The district office is approximately

2.5 miles east of the Plan boundary at 3080 W.

Shaw Avenue. There are currently no substations
in the Plan Area.

During the outreach process for this Plan, some
community members said they were concerned
about a rise of crime in the West Area. To address
this, there are several land-use related crimeprevention methods that can be employed as more people settle in the area. One of the primary
methods is to design new neighborhoods in a
manner that increases passive surveillance, or
“eyes on the street.” This is discussed further
in the Land Use & Housing Chapter. A second
method is to ensure there are places within
neighborhoods that can host activities such as
after-school and job training programs. These
methods can be the building blocks for robust,
community-based crime prevention, lessening
the need for direct police presence.

Should such presence become desired, however,
there is a unique opportunity in the West Area to
explore a more integrated model of community
policing. Rather than building more substations
where police facilities and neighborhoods are
separated, the City can consider creating a koban
system instead.

Koban are a type of police “station” that are small
and integrated into neighborhoods (koban means
“police box” in Japanese). Usually anywhere from
two to a dozen officers will staff a koban, and officers routinely walk around the neighborhood,
building relationships with residents and business
City of Fresno. Mayor’s Adopted Fiscal Year 2020 Budget. https://www.fresno.gov/finance/wpcontent/uploads/sites/11/2019/10/FY2020AdoptedBudgetUpdated2.pdf. Pg A-5. 1

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89 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
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MAP 4-4 West Area Existing Police & Fire Stations with Fire Response Coverage ") Police Stations
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Fresno Sphere of Influence
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department; City of Fresno Police Stations, City of Fresno Plocie Department GIS Data; City of Fresno Fire Stations, City of Frenso Fire Department GIS Data; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; Fresno County Boundary, Railroads, Fresno County Regional GIS database; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors,and the GIS user community.

Public Facilities 90
owners. In fact, the word for police officer in Japanese translates to “the one who makes the
rounds.” The koban themselves become informal
community centers where bulletin boards are
posted and people stop by to ask for advice or
share concerns.

Undoubtedly a new approach such as this would
require thorough conversations between the
Police Department and community members and
a pilot program would be warranted where the
community can establish terms such as asking
koban officers to complete cultural awareness
training, to be unarmed, and/or to operate
primarily as community liaisons.

As the West Area grows there will ultimately be a
need for additional police facilities, yet the quantity and design of such may change depending on
the crime-prevention mechanisms that can be
facilitated through the built environment. As
consideration is given towards this Plan and the
discussion of orderly development in the West
Area, it is an opportune time to discuss and
deliberate these mechanisms.

4.4.B | Fire
The City of Fresno Fire Department has two
stations located in the West Area. Fire Station
No. 16 is situated at the northeast corner of
West Clinton Avenue and North Polk Avenue
at 2510 N. Polk Street. In the northern portion
of the Plan Area, Fire Station No. 18 is located
at a temporary site near Bullard and Grantland
Avenues, however it will relocate to a permanent
location at 6605 W. Shaw Avenue once
construction of the new station is complete. The
site of the new station, which broke ground in
March 2020, will maximize the department’s “4
Minutes to Excellence” response time goal.

The City will continue its efforts to maintain this
service coverage and response time goals for all
new and existing development.

4.4.C | Medical
While there are two medical clinics currently in
the Plan Area, both of which are located on West
Ashlan Avenue between Cornelia Avenue and
Blythe Avenue, the Area overall is underserved
in terms of access to health care facilities. The
Plan does afford opportunities to develop more,
including hospitals, through its inclusion of
certain Mixed Use, Commercial, Employment, and
Public and Semi-Public land use designations
where health care uses are permitted. Health
care services could also be incorporated as an
ancillary use at educational institutions and
community centers.
91 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________

4.5 | Community Centers
Community centers are highly valued facilities where neighbors are able to connect with one another and receive important services. These centers may be provided through the City- such as a community building within a park; through a school- for instance, a cafeteria that stays open late; or through community groups- such as within a place of worship. As touched on in Section 4.4.A, Centers can play a central role in community-based crime prevention, but also in community-based health interventions as well, by holding space for programs that engage and provide resources for members of the whole community.

4.5.A | Northwest Community Resource Center
One of the new community centers in the West Area is the Northwest Community Resource Center, created through an effort driven by Highway City Community Development in collaboration with private and public partners. Located directly east of Teague Elementary on Polk Avenue, north of Gettysburg, the Center includes a multi-purpose room, a new branch of the Fresno County Library, and a health office that provides wellness exams and dental and vision screenings. The Center is planned to accommodate future expanded services that will incorporate educational resources for parents and children within CUSD. Furthermore, it has become a popular food truck stop, adding to its function as Public Facilities 92
a community gathering space and to the West
Area’s culture of food-oriented entrepreneurship.

4.5.B | Places of Worship
The West Area, like the city as a whole, has
numerous places of worship for different religions.

Many of the places of worship in the West Area
provide institutional resources in addition to
meeting the spiritual and community needs of
residents. Some of the assistance they provide
includes community and economic development,
employment and education resources, and
addiction recovery. The Public Facilities land use
designation for places of worship has increased
44 percent under this Plan, acknowledging
the growth of these supportive, faith-based
communities.
93 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

_____________________________________________________________

4.6 | Goals & Policies
The goals and policies within this section are based on input from community members, the recommendations of the Steering Committee, and current best practices. They are intended to advance the functionality and vibrancy of the West Area. For purposes of readability, the phrase “Public Facilities” will be abbreviated as “PF” in this section. Each policy shall be interpreted as an affirmative and required action.

PF Goal 1 Develop new parks, trails, and open space within the West Area.

PF 1.1 Meet the General Plan standard for at least three acres of parkland per 1,000 residents for parks less than 40 acres in size and strive to provide park space within a 1/4 mile walk of at least 85 percent of all existing and future residential units.

PF 1.2 Establish new parks and open space through enforcement of Municipal Code requirements for new residential development; through the utilization of vacant and undevelopable land; and through partnerships with landowners, residents, community groups, and public agencies.

PF 1.3 Pursue and advocate for new and prioritized funding sources for parks, trails, and open space.

PF 1.4 Ensure parks are accessible to community members by multiple modes of transportation - including via sidewalks, bicycle facilities (with bike parking), and transit services - consistent with the City of Fresno Parks Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan.

PF 1.5 Encourage the inclusion of neighborhood-serving amenities such as playgrounds, dog runs, picnic tables, barbeques, benches, and produce-growing community gardens in new residential subdivisions; and review Development Code requirements to incorporate such amenities.

PF 1.6 Plan for parks that collectively provide community members with passive and active recreation opportunities to be used by residents and visitors of all ages. These include, but are not limited to: illuminated practice fields and courts, fitness equipment, concert space, public gathering space, nature observation, walking/jogging paths, and seating areas.

PF 1.7 Develop new trails according to the Active Transportation Plan and General Plan Figure MT-2 and explore additional future trails that can promote agritourism and access to the San Joaquin River.

Public Facilities 94
PF 1.8 Initiate a citywide community review of the proposed regional park designation as shown on Map 4-2 and collaborate with residents to identify the desired amenities and agricultural features to be incorporated along with methods to fund its development.

PF 1.9 Consider and explore the potential for shared parking and interconnected site design for the proposed regional park and adjacent existing and future commercial development to create efficient use of land and to generate a dynamic sense of activity between uses.

PF 1.10 Develop the Herndon Canal as a Class I trail, on the north side of the canal west of Veteran’s and on the south side east of Veteran’s, and integrate it within the proposed regional park site while requiring new development abutting the segment between Highway 99 and Veteran’s Boulevard to provide open space and active frontage (i.e. front doors, windows, balconies, etc.) to support active use and safety for the trail.

PF 1.11 Provide trashcans and pet waste bins within parks and along trails to keep facilities tidy and enjoyable for all users.

PF 1.12 Support the creation of an access point to the San Joaquin River to provide a wide range of unique recreational opportunities from fishing and boating/kayaking to nature viewing and general exercise.

PF 1.13 Formalize the existing pathway connecting the West Area to the east of Highway 99, in alignment with the Active Transportation Plan, and advocate for the preservation of the area around the future aquarium between Herndon Avenue, Highway 99, and the River to be conserved as open space.

PF 1.14 Through conditions of approval or other mechanisms and strategies, ensure the preservation and promotion of the José Garcia Adobe and other historic resources in the West Area.

PF 1.15 Continue to support Central Unified School District’s open campus policy, which provides recreational space for residents during non-school hours.

PF Goal 2 Encourage the role of schools as interconnected, neighborhood-supportive facilities.

PF 2.1 Work cooperatively with Central Unified School District to find appropriate locations for future schools to meet the needs of students and neighborhoods in the West Area.

PF 2.2 Encourage adjacency of proposed new school sites with parks and community centers.

PF 2.3 Continue to promote joint-use agreements to support increased recreational opportunities and community-oriented programming for West Area residents. 95 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

PF Goal 3 Advocate for the expansion of educational opportunities within the West Area, especially for higher education.

PF 3.1 Provide land use designations that permit higher education uses.

PF 3.2 Support strategies and programs of Central Unified School District and the Fresno County Office of Education that will provide access to alternative, vocational, and post-secondary education and support services.

PF 3.3 Attract and encourage the location of postsecondary educational or vocational educational uses along Catalytic Corridors and support Central Unified School District sites to serve as satellite campuses to existing colleges and vocational schools.

PF Goal 4 Develop public facilities for first responders that increase service efficiency and enhance community safety.

PF 4.1 Locate future public safety facilities according to their ability to meet efficiency and community safety goals.

PF 4.2 With input from residents, consider co-locating new facilities with other first-responder facilities, parks, or other public facilities, as may be appropriate.

PF 4.3 Discourage new development outside of existing service coverage/response time catchments, unless new facilities are planned for near-term construction that would provide adequate coverage to the development.

PF 4.4 With input from residents, explore and support approaches to community-based alternatives to, and/or community supported forms of, police facilities.

PF Goal 5 Increase access to new and existing community centers within the West Area.

PF 5.1 Partner with residents, developers, Central Unified School District, neighborhood groups, and faith communities to determine ideal locations for new community centers to serve existing and planned neighborhoods.

PF 5.2 Encourage community centers to host a variety of programs and services, including community meetings, educational courses, edible gardens, senior services, activities for teens and youth programs; and to provide space for establishments that support daily needs such as medical clinics, day cares, libraries, and post offices.

PF 5.3 Pursue and advocate for new and prioritized funding sources for community centers and programming.

Public Facilities 96

LAND USE
& HOUSING
5 Land Use and Housing 98
_____________________________________________________________

5.1 | Introduction
The designation of planned land use and zoning districts provides for the allocation, management, and use of land that will meet community needs while minimizing potential conflict between uses. This includes providing capacity for a diversity of housing units to meet the needs of residents across the lifecycle spectrum.

This Chapter will summarize existing General Plan land use policy and will describe the changes proposed by this Plan, which were derived from conversations with the West Area community. It will also discuss strategies to enhance interconnectivity and transition within and between land uses.

In this Chapter:

5.2 | Land Use Vision

5.3 | Land Use Maps

5.4 | Within Walking Distance

5.5 | Neighborhood Identity

5.6 | Retaining Agriculture

5.7 | Housing

5.8 | Goals & Policies
99 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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5.2 | Land Use Vision

5.2.A | General Plan Vision
The General Plan envisioned the West Area
being developed into Complete Neighborhoods,
incorporating existing subdivisions as
neighborhoods grew and evolved, and increasing
the integration of the West Area with the east
of Highway 99 through roadway connections
and a future Bus Rapid Transit service corridor.

The General Plan specifically called out
development schemes for three future West
Area neighborhoods.

West Shaw Avenue Corridor & Transit Village.

The General Plan envisioned the Shaw Avenue
Corridor from Highway 99 to the Grantland
Avenue intersection to be developed as a mixeduse corridor supported by enhanced transit service, which would include high density and
urban neighborhood residential components,
along with retail, employment, and civic uses. A
proposal for a Community Park, up to 40 acres in
size, was placed along the east side of Veterans
Boulevard between Shaw Avenue and Barstow
Avenue to anchor the West Shaw Transit Village.

Figure 5-A: General Plan Figure UF-1: West Development Area Land Use Diagram* The Plan Area is technically
a subset of the General
Plan’s West Development
Area in which the original
southern border was
Highway 180 and not West
Clinton Avenue.
* To compare to the Specific
Plan Proposed Planned Land
Use map, see page 105.

Land Use and Housing 100
Grantland-East Communities. The GrantlandEast communities, generally bounded by Ashlan, Polk, Clinton, and Grantland Avenues,
was planned to be coordinated with the
Grantland Avenue Transit Village. The General
Plan envisioned the communities to develop
via concept plans that captured the Complete
Neighborhood potential of these areas, with
parks, and in some cases, a school, located at the
center, and with housing density decreasing as it
moved away from the core.

Grantland Avenue Transit Village. The General
Plan contemplated a transit-oriented center along
the east side of Grantland Avenue between Ashlan
and Shields Avenue, as part of the previously
proposed Grantland-East communities. The
Grantland Avenue Transit Village was to be an
area of focus for a Complete Neighborhood, as
a high density and urban neighborhood with
residential development around a 15-acre park,
complementing a Central Unified School site on
the west side of Grantland Avenue.

5.2.B | Specifc Plan Vision
This Specific Plan proposes a refinement of
the General Plan’s land use vision for the West
Area. While holding firm to the goal of achieving
Complete Neighborhoods, this Plan proposes
lowering and shifting higher density land uses
away from the western and southwestern
portions of the Plan Area to prime corridors. The
following are refined development concepts for
the Plan Area.

West Shaw Avenue Town Center. The West
Shaw Avenue Town Center, extending from
Highway 99 to the east side of Grantland
Avenue, is envisioned to be a mixed-use corridor
supported by enhanced transit service. The Town
Center will maintain higher density land uses on
the south side of the street as proposed by the
General Plan and the proposed community park
on the east side of Veterans Boulevard remains
as an anchor destination. The community park
could potentially expand into a regional park,
incorporating the future Class I Herndon Canal
trail and land located to the south of the Island
Waterpark.

Catalytic Corridors. This Plan proposes the
designation of higher density land uses along
strategic corridors to catalyze compatible
development, enhance existing and planned
transit services, create critical mass for a lively
public realm along well-traveled corridors, and to
reduce the dispersion of retail uses to fringe areas,
where they are less accessible to all residents.

The corridors are designed to enable Complete
Neighborhoods, providing opportunities for
neighborhood and pocket parks, commercial and
retail uses, educational facilities, multi-family
dwelling units, and professional offices. The
Catalytic Corridors are designated as follows
(see also Map 3-1: West Area Planned Catalytic
Corridors):
• Shaw Avenue, from Highway 99 to
Grantland Avenue.
• Ashlan Avenue, from Highway 99 to
Grantland Avenue.
• Blythe Avenue, from Shields Avenue to
Ashlan Avenue.
• Clinton Avenue from Highway 99 to Brawley
Avenue.
• Veterans Boulevard, from Gettysburg
Avenue to Barstow Avenue.
101 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________

5.3 | Land Use Maps
This section contains the proposed land use map for the West Area and other maps that compare the transition from the General Plan designations. Upon adoption, the Specific Plan will amend the General Plan to provide consistency and any land within the city limits will be rezoned to match the new planned land use designation. A dual land use designation will be applied for all new parks, open space, and public facilities (such as school sites) so that if that facility is not needed, private and public development consistent with zoning and development standards may be approved. A description of each proposed land use and a summary table of the acreage per use are provided.

5.3.A | Land Use Descriptions
This section provides a description of the land
uses that are proposed in this Specific Plan. If a
land use is not included below it is because it is
not proposed for the West Area. Table 5-A: West
Area Land Use Classification Acreages provides
a summary view of the total acreages for each
land use designation.

Residential
Residential land uses permit a diversity of
housing types from rural residential to urban
neighborhoods.

Low Density. The Low Density residential land
use designation permits 1 to 3.5 dwelling units
per acre. This designation generally allows for a
large residential structure built on a large tract of
land. Many homes in this land use classification
are described as rural residential.

Medium Low Density. This designation permits

3.5 to 6 dwelling units per acre. Medium Low
Density usually only includes detached singlefamily structures.

Medium Density. Medium Density allows for
5 to 12 dwelling units per acre. This land use designation can accommodate a range of
residential housing types, including detached
single-family homes, apartment houses, and
townhomes.

Medium High Density. This designation permits
12 to 16 dwelling units per acre. This land use
can accommodate single-family homes, but
generally allows for compact single-family
homes, apartment houses, townhouses, and
multi-family buildings.

Urban Neighborhood (UN). Urban Neighborhood
allows 16 to 30 dwelling units per acre. This land
use accommodates attached single-family homes
(ex. townhomes) and multi-family dwelling units.

High Density. This land use allows for 30
to 45 dwelling units per acre, accomodating
multi-family dwelling units as well as planned
communities with commercial and community
amenities.

Commercial
A mixture of commercial uses is designed to
serve individuals within and around the city of
Fresno.

Community (CC). The Community Commercial
land use designation is intended for commercial
Land Use and Housing 102
Medium High. Urban Neighborhood.

Community Commercial. Commercial Recreation. Commercial General.

Low. Medium Low. Medium.

High Density.

Regional Commercial. Office. Business Park.
103 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
development that primarily serves local needs
such as convenience stores, day care centers,
and professional offices.

Recreation (CRC). Commercial Recreation
provides for private commercial recreation
uses. Typical uses include, but are not limited
to, bowling alleys, video arcade centers, driving
ranges, golf courses, tennis clubs, skating rinks,
waterparks, and family entertainment centers.

General (CG). This land use accommodates a
wide range of commercial uses. Examples of
permitted uses include: movie theaters, building
materials stores, storage facilities with active
storefronts, equipment rentals, and specialized
retail not normally found in shopping centers.

Regional (CR). This land use designation allows
for local and regional retail uses such as largescale retail stores, professional offices, civic and entertainment uses, hotels and gas stations,
along with some residential uses.

Employment
Employment uses are designated for industrial,
office, research and development, and
flexible commercial uses to strengthen the
city’s economic base by providing a range of
employment opportunities for the current and
future population of the city and the region.

Office (O). The Office designation is intended
to provide sites for administrative, financial,
business, professional, and medical offices. Some
public and commercial uses are also permitted,
including schools, day cares, religious facilities,
restaurants, banks and credit unions, and grocery
markets.

Business Park (BP). This land use designation
is designed to provide for large offices or multitenant buildings.

Light Industrial (IL). The Light Industrial land
use designation is intended to provide for a
range of uses to include limited manufacturing
and processing, research and development,
fabrication, utility equipment and service yards,
wholesaling, warehousing, and distribution
activities.

Mixed-Use
Mixed-Use designations are intended to
encourage infill and pedestrian-oriented
development, consistent with the General
Plan. The General Plan calls for transforming
auto-oriented roadways into lively, diverse, and
attractive multimodal corridors that support a
mix of pedestrian-oriented retail, office, and
residential uses in order to achieve an active
social environment within a vibrant streetscape.

Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMX). This land use
designation provides for mixed-use residential
uses that include small-scale, pedestrianoriented commercial development, such as a boutique or professional office in a two- or threestory building. However, this land use allows for other kinds of uses such as produce stands,
urban farm, bed-and-breakfast establishments,
and community gardens.

Corridor/Center Mixed-Use (CMX). This land
use designation is intended for mixed-use
developments up to five or six stories, located
along key circulation corridors in the city. While
ground-floor retail and upper-floor residential or
offices are the primary uses, many public and
semi-public uses are also permitted.

Land Use and Housing 104
Open Space
This designation applies to pocket parks,
neighborhood parks, community parks, regional
parks, open spaces areas, environmentallysensitive land, trails, waterways, wetlands, and ponding basins. These uses accommodate a wide
range of recreational opportunities throughout
the city.

Public Facilities
The Public Facilities designation permits
community and public uses, including hospitals,
schools, places of worship, government offices,
utility facilities, and cultural and institutional uses.

These kinds of uses serve regional residents,
visitors, and businesses. Examples of public
facilities located in the Plan Area are Central
Unified District schools, Fire Station 16 and Fire
Station 18, and religious centers.

Light Industrial.

Neighborhood Mixed Use.

Corridor/Center Mixed Use.

Public Facilities. Open Space.

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MAP 5-1 Specific Plan Proposed Planned Land Use

RESIDENTIAL
□ Low Density (1-3.5 D.U./acre)
□ Medium Low Density (3.5-6 D.U./acre)
□ Medium Density (5.0-12 D.U./acre)
□ Medium High Density (12-16 D.U./acre)
■ Urban Neighborhood (16-30 D.U./acre)
■ High Density (30-45 D.U./acre)

COMMERCIAL
□ Community
■ Recreation
General
■ Regional

EMPLOYMENT
□ Office
□ BP Business Park
□ Light Industrial

MIXED USE
NMX Neighborhood Mixed Use
C
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OPEN SPACE
CP Community Park
NP Neighborhood Park
■
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Source: City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, General Plan Planned Land Use, Specifc Plan of the West Area Steering Committee Proposed Land Use, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; Fresno County Boundary, Railroads, Fresno County Regional GIS database; World Light Gray Canvas Base;Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

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Land Use and Housing 106
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Map 5-2 General Plan Existing Planned Land Use

RESIDENTIAL
□ Low Density (1-3.5 D.U./acre)
□ Medium Low Density (3.5-6 D.U./acre)
□ Medium Density (5.0-12 D.U./acre)
□ Medium High Density (12-16 D.U./acre)
■ Urban Neighborhood (16-30 D.U./acre)
■ High Density (30-45 D.U./acre)

COMMERCIAL
□ Community
■ Recreation
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EMPLOYMENT
□ Office
[g] BP Business Park
□ Light Industrial

MIXED USE
=i CMX Corridor/Center Mixed Use
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OPEN SPACE
CP Community Park
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Fresno City Limits
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno Sphere of Influence
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source: City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, General Plan Planned Land Use, Specifc Plan of the West Area Steering Committee Proposed Land Use, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © Open StreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

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RESIDENTIAL
Low Density (1-3.5 D.U./acre)
■ Medium Low Density (3.5-6 D.U./acre
■ Medium Density (5.0-12 D.U./acre
■ Medium High Density (12-16 D.U./acre
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source: City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, General Plan Planned Land Use, Specifc Plan of the West Area Steering Committee Proposed Land Use, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

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■ Medium Density (5.0-12 D.U./acre)
■ Medium High Density (12-16 D.U./acre)
■ Urban Neighborhood (16-30 D.U./acre)
■ High Density (30-45 D.U./acre)

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EMPLOYMENT
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MIXED USE
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OPEN SPACE
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PUBLIC FACILITIES
■ Public Facility
■ Fire Station
Fresno City Limits
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno Sphere of Influence
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source: City Limits, Sphere of Influence, Specific Plan of the West Area, General Plan Planned Land Use, Specifc Plan of the West Area Steering Committee Proposed Land Use, City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, GIS Data 2019; Streets, City of Fresno Public Works Department; World Light Gray Canvas Base; Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. 109 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

5.3.B | Land Use Classifcation Acreages
Table 5-A: West Area Land Use Classification Acreages*
Planned Land Use General Plan Acreage Specific Plan Acreage Commercial | Community 139 58
Commercial | General 143 215
Commercial | Recreation 41 41
Commercial | Regional 0 4
Subtotal Commercial 323 318
Mixed-Use | Neighborhood 0 308
Mixed-Use | Corridor/Center 106 96
Mixed-Use | Regional 145 0
Subtotal Mixed-Use 251 404
Residential | Low 818 517
Residential | Medium Low 826 1,440
Residential | Medium 2,357 2,118
Residential | Medium High 349 280
Residential | Urban
Neighborhood
429 154
Residential | High 66 47
Subtotal Residential 4,845 4,556
Employment | Office 8 82
Employment | Business Park 77 75
Employment | Light Industrial 33 33
Subtotal Employment 118 190
Open Space | Parks 124 112
Open Space | Ponding Basin 107 129
Open Space | Other 7 7
Subtotal Open Space 238 248
Public Facility | School 292 302
Public Facility | Other 39 87
Subtotal Public Facility 331 389
Total 6,106 6,106
* Rounded to the integer.

Land Use and Housing 110
Included in Table 5-A: West Area Land Use
Classification Acreages is a comparison of the
land use allocation from the General Plan to the
Specific Plan. To summarize, this Plan will have
the following impacts:
• Residential: A housing capacity decrease of
approximately 10,437 housing units.
• Commercial: A commercial capacity increase
of approximately 2,920,262 square feet and
housing capacity increase of approximately
67 housing units (some commercial districts
permit housing). Although the acreage
designated as commercial is decreased
overall in the Specific Plan, there is a gain in
the amount of Commercial General, which
has a higher floor area ratio, which increases
the developable square footage.
• Employment: An employment capacity
increase of approximately 6,401,578 square
feet.
• Mixed-Use: A housing capacity decrease
of approximately 1,883 housing units and
commercial capacity increase of approximately
6,878,995 square feet.
• Open Space: An increase of approximately
10 acres of open space. Note: the proposed
Regional Park is not included, as it will first
need to be vetted with community members.
• Public Facilities: An increase of approximately
58 acres of land designated for public facilities.

Under the proposed land use configuration,
the Specific Plan would allow for the future
development of up to 54,953 housing units and
60,621,006 square feet of non-residential uses.
111 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

5.3.C | Supporting Commercial
Development
One of the greatest needs in the West Area is
the provision of new commercial amenities that
will allow residents to fulfill both their daily and recreational needs without having to cross
Highway 99. This includes additional sit-down
restaurants, grocery markets, coffee shops, and
clothing stores. The current commercial landscape
in the West Area is dominated by strip-mall style
commercial that is unevenly dispersed. The land
use configuration proposed by this Plan aims to
create more centered commercial corridors that
will support neighborhood-oriented retail while
having the potential to become experiencebased shopping centers.

Over the last decade, the rise of online shopping
has brought into question the viability of brickand-mortar retail. Yet even alongside headlines of prominent store closures, we see an adaptive
response shaping new formats of retail space.

For instance, some brands have shifted from
holding inventory in their physical stores, opting
instead to have a showroom where customers
try on apparel to find the right size and style, then completing their purchase online.

Other retail models that have gained popularity
are open-air markets and food halls, where
multiple businesses share a single structure,
akin to a permanent farmers market or food
truck plaza. The variety of shops and eateries is
An experience-based shopping center
is a retail node that gives customers a
reason to linger by offering a diversity of
activities within walking distance of one
another. A local example is the Tower
District, where visitors can dine, go to a
show, window shop, and people watch.

Land Use and Housing 112
enticing to customers, and the smaller footprint
of each retail space allows business owners a
physical presence at a lower cost. The latter can
be particularly helpful for starting entrepreneurs.

Creating adequate retail opportunities for local
entrepreneurs is important, not only to help
grow the economy, but to prevent “commercial
cannibalism” where a store relocates from one
neighborhood to another, leaving behind vacant
buildings that are often hard to adapt to new uses.

As the commercial environment in the West
Area develops, there is opportunity for retail
centers to be designed in a way that facilitates
experiential shopping while meeting residents’
daily needs, especially if the new centers can
integrate community services, schools, and
offices. Furthermore, emphasizing smaller yet
adaptable buildings can help retain flexibility
that can accommodate both upsizing and
downsizing, and provide a lower cost to entry for
new businesses.
113 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________

5.4 | Within Walking Distance
The foundation of Complete Neighborhoods
rests on locating most daily needs within walking
distance, which in turn promotes health, safety,
and civic connection. This requires having a range
and variety of residential, commercial, public
services, and employment opportunities within
proximity of one another. It is important to note
that Complete Neighborhoods can exist within
an array of built form and density, from rural
town centers to center-city nodes. What makes
this possible is allowing flexibility for the scale of
diverse uses. For example, a small neighborhood
of low density residential could not typically
support a large department store, however it
could support a corner grocery or hardware store.

Furthermore, the implementation of a robust
multimodal system will allow residents to easily
connect to any amenities not located within their
own neighborhood.

In order to determine where amenities
are potentially needed to create Complete
Neighborhoods in the West Area, the upcoming
series of maps show a ½ mile walkshed (about a
10 to 15 minute walk) from existing and planned
bus stops, schools, commercial uses, and parks.1
The factors that lead to walkable neighborhoods
often reinforce one another. For instance the
desire to walk is usually dependent on having
a destination to walk to, yet the pathway to
get there is just as important. Pathways should
be both convenient and enjoyable, meaning
connections should be as direct as possible,
visually interesting, and comfortable (i.e. can be
used safely by a person of any age or ability and
in any season). Some ways to create pathways
such as this, as they relate to the public realm,
are discussed in Chapter 3 Section 3.3. However
the private realm is also influential. For instance,
modern subdivisions (and the codes that support
them) routinely back houses onto major streets,
creating a tunnel effect of monotonous fencing
with no natural surveillance. Housing that
orients towards the street, on the other hand,
creates a more dynamic visual environment that
permits more “eyes on the street.” Additionally,
in the past many subdivisions created dead-end
streets and long blocks that made it difficult to
connect to amenities by walking, even if they
were nearby. Newer standards, however, have
sought to remedy this issue by emphasizing
gridded street patterns and requiring direct
pathways from residential neighborhoods to
nearby destinations such as stores, schools, and
bus stops, allowing for improved pedestrian and
bike connectivity (see Figure 5-B: Connected vs.

Disconnected Neighborhood Design). Increasing
opportunity and convenience to walk and bike
not only increases healthier transportation
options, it provides an alternative that can allow
for reduced traffic as fewer people need to drive
to complete simple daily errands.
1 For existing uses a walkshed based on the existing sidewalk network was used. For planned uses, a geometric buffer of 1/2 mile was used to create the estimated walkshed.

Land Use and Housing 114
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with fragmented parallel & cul-de-sac street pattern
Figure 5-B: Connected vs. Disconnected Neighborhood Design This figure shows the difference between a connected neighborhood (left) with a traditional grid pattern providing shorter, more direct travel routes versus a disconnected neighborhood (right) that creates longer, more circuitous travel routes.

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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, Schools, City of Fresno GIS data. Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software ; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database.

World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c)
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Land Use and Housing 116
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Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, FAX Bus Stops, City of Fresno GIS data. Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software ; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

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117 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, Schools, City of Fresno GIS data. Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software ; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database.

World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c)
OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

Land Use and Housing 118
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, Schools, City of Fresno GIS data. Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software ; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. ..__
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119 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
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CH Church
FS Fire Station
Half Mile Walkshed from Existing
and Planned Commercial Uses
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno City Limits
Fresno Sphere of Influence
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, Schools, City of Fresno GIS data. Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software ; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database.

World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c)
OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

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Land Use and Housing 120
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, City of Fresno GIS data. Planned Commercial Uses from West Area Proposed Land Use. Land Use, Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

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121 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
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Medium Density (5.0-12 D.U./acre)
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El CH Church
a FS Fire Station
Half Mile Walksheds From Existing
and Planned Parks
Specific Plan Boundary
Fresno City Limits
Fresno Sphere of Influence
This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, Schools, City of Fresno GIS data. Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software ; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database.

World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c)
OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community.

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Land Use and Housing 122
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This map is believed to be an accurate representation of the City of Fresno GIS data. However, we make no warranties either expressed or implied for the correctness of this data.

Source:

Specific Plan of West Area Boundary, Fresno City Limits, Fresno Sphere of Influence, Highways, City of Fresno GIS data. Planned Commercial Uses from West Area Proposed Land Use. Land Use, Walksheds created using ESRI ArcGIS software; Fresno County Boundary, Fresno County Regional GIS database. World Light Gray Canvas Base, Esri, HERE, Garmin, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community. 1 in = 1 miles
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123 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
_____________________________________________________________

5.5 | Neighborhood Identity
Do we live in a neighborhood or just a house on
the street? Do we have amenities and events, like
a local playground or garden or an annual block
party, that help us get to know our neighbors,
or are they strangers to us? Building community
in the West Area is a priority of this Specific Plan, therefore special focus is given to the
neighborhood as a basic “unit” of community
gathering.

With few exceptions, Fresno does not have a
tradition of defined neighborhoods. Instead, the
name of a major intersection or a nearby school
or shopping center is often used by residents
to identify where they live and work. One of
the discoveries during the Plan’s community
engagement process is that the West Area does
not have strong neighborhood identities and is
therefore missing out on some of the benefits they
can provide. Defined neighborhoods can facilitate
community attachment and -with its spatial
delineation- can also develop a sense of history,
place, and pride. Establishing neighborhood
boundaries can provide a foundation for
community and civic efforts, including the ability
to measure key indicators over time, which can
enable a more enriched understanding of how
community resources can be leveraged. Creating
neighborhood committees can further bring
people together by being a platform for local
needs and by hosting local events.

The City should partner with local educational
institutions and community development
organizations to create a basis for neighborhood
identification in the West Area. This could be
completed through research of the West Area’s
history; ascertaining natural features, amenities
and landmarks; surveys; and the collection of
empirical data. Community members of each
identified area could stay engaged through the
establishment of neighborhood committees.

The committees (which should aim for equitable
representation) could be leveraged to fulfill the
goals of the Plan and to provide information and
guidance on evolving issues and opportunities in
the West Area.

Land Use and Housing 124
_____________________________________________________________

5.6 | Retaining Agriculture
Expansion into the Sphere of Influence will place
pressure on farmland, including prime farmland,
to convert to urban development. While the Plan
Area is designated for such development, in order
to retain the historical connection of the West
Area to its agricultural roots - and also protect
farmland of importance to the city, county, and
state - the City will need to remain supportive
of farmland preservation efforts, uphold the
directive for orderly development, and continue
to pursue methods to facilitate community-scale
agriculture projects.

Within both existing and new development,
there are ways in which agricultural uses can
be actively expanded in the West Area. For
instance, the Development Code permits the
use of many agriculture-related businesses and
activities, including: community gardens, urban
farms, crop cultivation, produce stands, farmers
markets, farm-to-table restaurants, farm tours
and education courses, bed-and-breakfast
establishments, wedding and special event farm/
agriculture venues, wine tasting rooms, mead
tasting rooms, and urban wineries and micro-
125 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
breweries. Building from this list, the City should
also explore widening the allowance of animal
keeping to include chickens, goats, and bees to
enhance food production, access, and security for
the community. This can also lead to more smallscale agriculture-based businesses in Fresno, sustaining our agricultural pride and heritage.

Another concept that has yet to be explored, but
which has potential to perpetuate the West Area’s
farming roots, is the agricultural neighborhood,
or agrihood. An agrihood is the incorporation of
a working farm within a residential development.

How the farm operates may vary. For instance,
in one homeownership model the residents pay
a fee as part of their monthly Homeowner’s
Association dues which support the salaries of
on-site farmers. The farmers not only manage
the farm, but host special events, tours, and
cooking classes for residents and visitors alike.

The residents also receive a monthly box of
produce from the farm. Another model, however,
offers a combination of for-sale and rental
housing while supporting beginner farmers with
access to land and community. This agriculturefocused style of development could create a highly desirable amenity that’s truly unique to
the West Area, especially for Fresnans seeking
greater connection to the land and our region’s
history.

Finally, to support the growth of community farms
and neighborhood gardens within existing areas,
the City should consider adoption of an Urban
Agriculture Incentive Ordinance. Pursuant to AB
465, the Ordinance would authorize the City to
enter into contracts with landowners to restrict
the use of vacant, unimproved, or blighted land for
the small-scale production of agricultural crops
and animal husbandry in exchange for reduced
property tax assessments. In implementing this,
there are certain State requirements that would
need to be met, such as the length of the contract
and size of the property. A local engagement
process, however, would be required to help
further define what a desired outcome of such
contracts would look like for our neighborhoods.

Land Use and Housing 126
_____________________________________________________________

5.7 | Housing

5.7.A | Urban-Rural Interface
Even though the West Area is rapidly developing, it is still home to many families who prefer a rural lifestyle, some of whom have lived in the Plan Area for generations. One way to permit new development in a way that respects existing rural uses is to soften the edge between them by creating a “rural/urban buffer” or transition space. Instead of installing tall, concrete walls to separate a new development from an existing rural use, the new development should provide open space, landscaping, or a boundary street. This should apply to all new development, but is especially pertinent to new housing subdivisions.

Current conditions
with landscaping with open fences
with landscaped path with boundary street
127 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

5.7.B | Housing Opportunity & Stability
An important outcome of this Plan is to increase
housing opportunity and stability for existing
and future West Area residents. Housing
opportunity and stability is not just about
housing affordability, it also means providing
enough options for residents to not have to
move out of their neighborhood when their life
circumstances change. As an example, a resident
may need to move into a larger home to meet the
needs of a growing family or into a smaller one
when becoming an empty nester, or perhaps to
transition from being an owner to a renter should
home maintenance become too burdensome.

Housing variety that supports diversity can also
lead to more secure neighborhoods, especially
where seniors and parents of young children
are not priced out. People who are a part these
groups are more likely to be natural keepers of
their neighborhoods by virtue of their active
presence.

In order to promote housing opportunity in
the West Area, the City should reexamine the
regulations and incentives that either prevent or
support the interlinked conditions of variety and
affordability. For instance, the City can encourage
the development of Accessory Dwelling Units
(ADUs) alongside new housing, increasing
opportunities for multi-generational living and
providing new homeowners an option to utilize
rental income to allocate towards their mortgage
payments.

The City should also consider revising its
Development Code to allow for missing middle
housing by permitting by-right approval of smallscale multifamily in lower density zone districts, as long as the homes meet design guidelines.

Local examples of missing middle housing
(Photo Credit: Dan Zack)
Land Use and Housing 128
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Missing middle housing consists of multiunit buildings that are comparable in scale to single-family homes. These include duplexes,
townhomes, and bungalow courts among other
similar kinds of housing types. In Fresno, the
area around Fresno City College and the Tower
District demonstrates the effective incorporation
of missing middle housing where many duplexes
and even triplexes are nearly indistinguishable
from neighboring single-family homes.

The increase of housing variety in a neighborhood
offers a greater range of price points for entry,
with ADUs and missing middle housing types
typically being more affordable. There are other
regulatory actions, too, that the City can employ
to improve both housing affordability and
stability. The first is enacting a below-marketrate housing program that can require a small percentage of units within larger housing projects
to be provided for families whose incomes are
less than the County median. Nearly 60 percent
of renters and 27 percent of homeowners in
the city are housing-cost burdened, meaning
more than 30 percent of their household income
is dedicated to housing. For many workers in
Fresno, including those in the top five most indemand jobs in the County, annual wages fall short of fair market rents.

An additional way the City can improve housing
opportunity in the West Area and throughout
Fresno is to approve a Tenant Opportunity to
Purchase Act (TOPA). TOPAs vary from each city
where they are enabled, but the basic premise is
to give tenants better opportunities to purchase
the homes they live in. Usually this is done by
providing tenants the right of first offer and/or
Figure 5-C: Missing Middle Housing Spectrum
This figure shows the wide spectrum of “missing middle” housing types that fit gently between single-family homes to mid-rise multi-family buildings. Source: Opticos Design, Inc. / CC BY (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
129 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
the right of first refusal. For example, tenants in a
multi-unit apartment building (or a single-family
home) would be notified by the owner of their
intention to sell. The tenants can then decide
if they want to pool together their resources
or work with a third party to be first in line to make an offer to the owner- this is the right of
first offer. Should the offer be unacceptable to
the seller, the building would go on the market
in a normal manner and tenants would have one
more opportunity to match a higher bid. With
these rights, TOPAs help provide greater housing
stability by giving tenants more opportunity to
stay in their current neighborhoods. It should
be noted that TOPAs do not apply to owneroccupied single-family homes (i.e. where the owner rents out a room) or property given to
heirs.

Housing stability for our most vulnerable
populations is a primary concern for the City.

In the West Area especially, where residents
feel there is a growing number of unsheltered
community members, the City will continue
to support housing solutions for people
experiencing homelessness. This support can
include services that help community members
become re-housed and programs that prevent
homelessness, such as providing limited financial
support through temporary hardships. A Local
Housing Trust Fund can be an appropriate
method by which to support such efforts, among
other housing programs that increase housing
opportunity and stability.

Repair and upkeep of homes is another important
facet of both individual and neighborhood
housing stability. In some cases homeowners
may not know the current standards for home
upkeep, or they may not have the financial or
physical ability to maintain their homes to those
standards. Beyond providing information and
third-party resources to those owners, the City
can continue to actively fund owner-occupied
home repair programs.

By the Numbers...
• Out of Fresno County’s top five most in-demand jobs (shown as “Top 5” in Figure 5-B), not one pays enough to meet the fair market rent for a one-bedroom home. Even some of the top twenty most in-demand jobs fall short of affording a one- or two-bedroom home.1 • More than 55 percent of city of Fresno residents are renters. 2 • Sixty-one percent of the city’s housing stock is detached, single-family housing.2 • Nearly 60 percent of city of Fresno renters and 27 percent of homeowners are housing-cost burdened.2
1 2020 HUD User Data and State of California Employment Development Department 2016-2026 Long-Term Occupational Employment Projections.
2 2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

Land Use and Housing 130
......
-
-
-
■
Figure 5-D: In-Demand Jobs Median Salaries & Fair Market Rent in Fresno MSA 0 $10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
Annual Salary
Annual Salary
Needed to Afford 2BR ($39,200)
Needed to Afford 1BR ($31,480)
Needed to Afford Studio ($27,640)
$30,525
$45,182
$92,174 $94,937
$23,116 $23,699 $23,719 $24,256 $24,306
$32,509
Top 5
Farmworkers
& Laborers
Top 5
Combined Food
Preparation and
Serving Workers,
Including Fast Food
Top 5
Cashiers
Top 5
Retail
Salespersons
Top 5
Personal
Care Aides
Top 20
Teacher
Assistant
Top 20
Offce Clerks,
General
Top 20
Heavy and
Tractor-Trailer
Truck Drivers
Top 20
Registered
Nurses
Top 20
Farmers, Ranchers,
and Other
Agricultural
Managers
131 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

5.8 | Goals & Policies
_____________________________________________________________ The goals and policies within this section are based on input from community members, the recommendations of the Steering Committee, and current best practices. They are intended to advance the functionality and vibrancy of the West Area. For purposes of readability, the phrase “Land Use & Housing” will be abbreviated as “LUH” in this section. Each policy shall be interpreted as an affirmative and required action.

LUH Goal 1 Promote the orderly development of the West Area.

LUH 1.1 Continue to implement policies that encourage orderly development and discourage premature development (i.e. leapfrog development) of land near the planned urban fringe.

LUH 1.2 Uphold the General Plan’s vision for the sequencing of development areas, focusing new development on land within the City Limits first followed by land within Growth Area 1.

LUH 1.3 Promote development of vacant, underdeveloped, re-developable land within the Plan Area where existing and planned public infrastructure is available.

LUH 1.4 Create a Small Area Plan for the West Shaw Avenue Town Center, which shall incorporate the Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan Area, to further refine and support orderly, transit-oriented urban design and development.

LUH 1.5 Maintain the General Plan’s requirement that new residential and commercial developments that require annexations pay their fair and proportional share of needed community improvements.

LUH 1.6 Review annexation requirements for applications to demonstrate that they will not lead to peninsular or leapfrogged development patterns, where the urban edge intrudes into agricultural and undeveloped land on three sides.

LUH 1.7 Review annexation requirements for applications to demonstrate they will not lead to fragmented infrastructure systems, including bottlenecked roadway networks.

LUH Goal 2 Increase opportunities to retain agricultural uses and promote agritourism within the West Area.

LUH 2.1 Continue to recognize existing Agricultural Land Conservation Contracts (i.e., Williamson Act contracts) and promote the enrollment of all Prime Farmland outside of the Sphere of Influence.

Land Use and Housing 132
LUH 2.2 Partner with the Fresno County Farm Bureau and other agriculture-focused organizations to develop a strategy to fund, protect, and promote agriculture in the West Area. The strategy should include an examination of potential funding and grant opportunities as well as appropriate activities to support, including, but not limited to: agritourism, farmers markets, shipping container farms/markets, farm incubators, farmland preservation, marketing & wayfinding programs, etc.

LUH 2.3 Promote the planting of home, school, and community gardens and consider revising the Development Code to remove provisions that prevent the keeping of chickens, bees, and goats.

LUH 2.4 Continue to apply the ANX overlay to rural and agricultural properties annexed into the city until a subsequent subdivision, rezoning, or special permit is approved for the property. Upon application for such a subsequent entitlement, permitted uses will be reconsidered for conformance to city zoning standards.

LUH 2.5 Encourage new developments to incorporate agricultural features, such as agrihoodstyle amenities, community gardens, container farms, farmers market plazas, or public art celebrating the West Area’s agricultural heritage.

LUH 2.6 Consider adopting an Urban Agriculture Incentive Ordinance to allow the reduction of property tax assessments on land dedicated to small-scale agriculture use, in alignment with AB 465.

LUH Goal 3 Create Complete Neighborhoods in the West Area that provide a variety of amenities within walking distance to meet the daily needs of residents.

LUH 3.1 Attract desired and needed local retail establishments to serve the needs of the West Area community, such as grocery stores, bakeries, restaurants (other than fast food places), and boutiques - with a special focus on Catalytic Corridors.

LUH 3.2 Support the formation of a group or committee – led by West Area community members with participation from City of Fresno staff, community groups, and community businesses – that works to identify specific types of retail and commercial development sought for the West Area, form ideas for specific projects, and promote their development. This group may be considered as a subcommittee to a neighborhood association and/or a Specific Plan Implementation Committee.

LUH 3.3 Consider updating the Development Code to permit limited, small-scale neighborhood commercial uses within all residential districts, with restrictions on the sale of items such as liquor, tobacco, and other adult products.
133 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
LUH 3.4 Support the co-location of community centers, such as libraries, within retail nodes to increase mutually supportive pedestrian activity.

LUH 3.5 Encourage the development of more adaptable retail formats, such as open-air markets or stores with smaller square footage, especially where such formats provide affordable space for local entrepreneurs and contribute to walkable and lively commercial nodes.

LUH 3.6 Continue to enforce strict application review processes and solicit community input regarding retail establishments with potential negative externalities such as liquor stores, tobacco and vapor stores, short-term loan and pawn shops, and adult stores.

LUH 3.7 Develop incentives to encourage redevelopment activities within the Highway City neighborhood to create a wide range of housing types and attractive, pedestrian-oriented commercial nodes.

LUH 3.8 Require transitions between land use types to emphasize the pedestrian experience.

This should include, but is not limited to, attention to lighting, pathways, landscaping, fence types, and frequency of entry points.

LUH 3.9 Encourage street patterns in new development that optimze connectivity, such as a gridded street pattern.

LUH Goal 4 Identify West Area neighborhoods as a means to leverage resources and build community.

LUH 4.1 Partner with West Area residents and educational institutions to identify the individual neighborhoods of the West Area, incorporating the history, natural features, amenities, and landmarks of each.

LUH 4.2 Following the completion of LUH 4.1, encourage community members to stay actively engaged through the establishment of neighborhood committees. The neighborhood committees can provide a platform for local needs and host events to bring community members together. Committees should provide mechanisms for equitable representation among their respective communities.

Land Use and Housing 134
LUH Goal 5 Provide for urban edge transitions that respect existing rural residential and agricultural uses.

LUH 5.1 Consider updating the Development Code so that when land proposed for urban development abuts active farmland, planned farmland, or rural residential, the new project shall include and provide for the maintenance of one of the following design features to provide a rural/urban buffer:
• Provide landscaping and setbacks to fully obscure the new development’s buildings and fences.
• Do not include fencing, or provide only see-through fencing no greater than four feet in height between the new development and the existing property. • Provide open space such as edible gardens, landscaped walkways, trails or rain gardens to be no less than 30 feet in width.
• Locate boundary streets between the new and existing developments.

LUH Goal 6 Establish clean, safe, and stable housing opportunities that provide for a variety of housing types; are available to people of all incomes, ages, and family sizes; and strengthen the pride and identity of residential neighborhoods.

LUH 6.1 Encourage the development of housing to accommodate multi-generational and aging households, including incorporating Accessory Dwelling Units into new housing designs.

LUH 6.2 As part of the next General Plan process, perform an analysis of access to housing options across socio-economic factors to determine how to improve opportunities for currently under-resourced communities.

LUH 6.3 Promote the use of porches, patios, stoops, balconies, etc. and require future residences to face parks, public streets, and/or public schools in order to provide natural surveillance (“eyes on the street“) and security for all users.

LUH 6.4 Continue to support and develop resources for property owners to improve and maintain the conditions and appearance of existing residential structures.

IMPLEMENTATION
6 Implementation 136
_____________________________________________________________

6.1 | Introduction
Every plan is destined to fail if there is no commitment to its implementation. This Chapter therefore provides information regarding the Infrastructure Financing Plan, which will be an important implementation guide, and summary tables that detail each of the Specific Plan’s goals and policies.

Each of these are meant to be used as tools by community stakeholders, to measure the infrastructure needs and policy progress over time.

In this Chapter:

6.2 | Infrastructure Financing Plan

6.3 | Goals & Policies

6.4 | Implementation Summary Tables
137 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

6.2 | Infrastructure Financing Plan
_____________________________________________________________ Accompanying the Specific Plan is an Infrastructure Financing Plan (IFP) that will evaluate the cost of public infrastructure needed to support the Plan’s Proposed Planned Land Uses. The IFP, provided under separate cover, will also include suggested phases and funding approaches to meet the costs.

6.3 | Goals & Policies
_____________________________________________________________ I Goal 1 Pursue measures that implement the Goals of the Specific Plan.

I 1.1 Establish a West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan Implementation Committee with representatives from different areas within the Plan Boundary to pursue and evaluate implementing Policies.

I 1.2 Investigate the establishment of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) for the West Area to financially support the development of parks, trails, and open space and to address critical infrastructure gaps for active transportation.

I 1.3 Any substantial changes to the policies of this Plan shall occur through a robust public engagement process, which shall minimally include a) notifying community members in the Plan Area of proposed changes via direct mail, b) at least two community meetings, and c) solicitation of formal recommendations of the Specific Plan Implementation Committee and all District Review Committees representing the Plan Area.

6.4 | Implementation Summary Tables
_____________________________________________________________ To aid in tracking implementation efforts, this section provides summary tables that list each goal and its associated policies along with responsible parties and suggested measurements of progress.

No timeframes are given as it is expected that progress will be made annually, based on available staff capacity and funding. In instances where no progress can be reported, an explanation should be provided with action steps to take for the following year. Reporting on these goals and policies will be done in tandem with the General Plan Annual Progress Report.

Through both incremental and dynamic change, and above all persistence and dedication, we will realize the vision for a rooted and vibrant future for the West Area.

Implementation 138
IPR | Infrastructure & the Public Realm
IPR Goal 1
Improve access, movement, and safety for all transportation modes in the West Area.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR 1.1
Implement the Active Transportation Plan, ADA
Transition Plan for ROW, and the General Plan to
provide for complete, safe, and well-maintained
sidewalk, bicycle, and trail networks that are
compliant with the Americans with Disabilities
Act, and which connect established and planned
residential neighborhoods to destinations such
as commercial and employment centers, schools,
parks, and community centers.

Public Works
# of projects
funded, in process,
and completed
# of projects
addressing
fragmentation
IPR 1.2
Identify and address existing infrastructure gaps
in the West Area; target remedies through the
creation of a priority areas list.

Public Works/
Planning
# gaps identified
# gaps/priority
gaps closed
IPR 1.3
Collaborate with Central Unified School District
and Fresno County to support complete routes to
schools by collecting family travel data, prioritizing
infrastructure improvements near schools and to
promoting annual Walk & Bike to School Days to
encourage active transportation.
a. Priority routes to update include (but are not
limited to) a. Ashlan from Cornelia to to Hayes.
b. Valentine from Shields to Clinton, c. Dakota
from Brawley to Cornelia and d. Polk from
Clinton to Dayton.

Public Works,
Police, PARCS/
Bicycle &
Pedestrian
Advisory
Committee, CUSD,
community groups
# of projects/
priority projects
initiated/
completed
# of schools/
students
participating
139 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR 1.4
Create a connected, safe, and pleasant pedestrian
experience by requiring the provision of curb, curb
ramps, gutter, streetlights, sidewalks, and
street trees on both sides of the street in and
adjacent to new developments.

Public Works/
private developers
# linear feet of
new sidewalk,
curb, gutter, bike
lanes
# new street trees,
streetlights in new
developments
# gaps closed
IPR 1.5
Encourage the provision of amenities that enhance
the pedestrian experience, such as sidewalks that
are 5-7 feet or wider to allow people to stroll both
together or apart at comfortable distances, as
well as benches, shade, greenery, and - in more
prominent gathering places - water features
(using rainfall or recycled water).

Planning, Public
Works/ private
developers
# linear feet of
sidewalk by width
# of benches
IPR 1.6
Require the installation of bicycle-supportive
infrastructure to future development and roadway
improvements, including bike parking facilities as
well as through lanes and detection loops at every
signaled intersection where Class II and Class IV
bike lanes are existing and planned.

Public Works
% bike detection
loops at
intersections
# added through
bike lanes
IPR 1.7
Where Class II and Class IV bike lanes currently
exist and are planned on roads with speeds of 30
mph or greater, add a painted buffer to the bike
lane to provide improved safety and permit future
installation of a protective barrier.

Public Works,
Police
# roads with
reduced speed
# painted buffers
added
# reduction in
collisions
Implementation 140
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR 1.8
Expand transit services in the West Area as
development occurs, by locating routes near or
adjacent to civic centers, schools, public parks,
and retail centers and explore feasibility to create
a West Area-Downtown Connector Route.

FAX
# added transit
stops
route miles added
% pop within
1/2 mile walk of
transit stop
% pop within
1/4 mile walk of
transit stop
IPR 1.9
When a project generates Vehicle Miles Traveled
(VMT) above an established threshold, require
mitigation consistent with the City’s VMT Program.

If consistent with the Program, mitigation
could potentially include funding for active
transportation improvements, such as upgrades
to bicycle, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure,
transit service extensions, or contributions to an
active transportation fund.

Planning, FAX,
Public Works/
private developers
# upgrades
creation of fund
$ added to fund
Δ VMT
IPR

1.10 When a development project is planned at
major intersections or along a Catalytic Corridor
with existing or future transit service, require
enhancements to transit stops, such as sidewalks,
benches, lighting, trash cans, accessibility
improvements, shelters, and/or shading.

Planning, FAX,
Public Works/
private developers
# and type of
added amenities
IPR

1.11 When improvements related to large employers
or schools (defined as having 100 or more
employees or students) are proposed, consider
requiring a subsidized transit pass program for
employees and students.

FAX/ large
employers,
schools
# participating
entities
# transit passes
141 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR

1.12 Improve multimodal transportation access across
Highway 99 by a) completing the Veterans
Boulevard interchange project and the underpass
at West Gettysburg Avenue, b) consider updating
the ATP and General Plan to include potential
future multimodal crossings (such as an extension
of Cornelia Avenue either across Highway 99
Public Works % project
completion
or from Shaw to the future undercrossing at
Gettysburg Avenue), and c) update Golden State
Avenue in the ATP and General Plan to have
enhanced bike facilities.

IPR

1.13 Designate Grantland Avenue and Veterans
Boulevard between Clinton Avenue and its
overcrossing of the railroad tracks as a boulevard
area, with a required 30-foot landscaped setback.

Planned elements of the city’s master trail system
may be located partially within this setback.

Public Works n/a
IPR

1.14 Reduce the impacts of freight trucks through
a) examining truck routes in the West Area to
provide a strategy to alter any routes that utilize
lower-intensity residential roads or are near K-12
schools and b) reviewing the Development Code
for potential improvements that will help mitigate
health impacts from freight-related uses.

Planning, Public
Works/ Caltrans
% project progress
# subject routes
altered
IPR

1.15 Continue to support and coordinate with California High Speed Rail to create a railroad overpass at
Shaw Avenue and underpass at Herndon Avenue.

Public Works,
CAHSR n/a
IPR

1.16 Work to reduce roadway bottlenecking and
collaborate with Caltrans and other regional
partners to improve the interchange at Highway
99 and Shaw Avenue.

Public Works/
Caltrans, regional
partners
# bottlenecks
remedied
% project progress
Implementation 142
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR

1.17 Address issues of vehicle congestion in the
West Area through a) studying congestion
patterns, location, and traveler characteristics to
determine potential solutions. Furthermore, new
development should strive to promote active
transportation to reduce auto-dependency and
overall traffic impacts.

Public Works,
Planning, FAX/
private developers
% project progress
IPR

1.18 Encourage the use of micromobility in the West
Area, consider it when designing or retrofitting
transportation-related infrastructure, and explore
potential for integration with public transit.

Public Works,
FAX/ Planning
# projects
initiated/
completed
IPR

1.19 As part of the next General Plan process, perform
an analysis of access to transportation options
across socio-economic factors to determine
how to improve connections for currently underresourced communities.

Planning/ FAX,
community groups % project progress
143 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
IPR Goal 2
Provide streetscapes that are welcoming and safe to all users, instill a sense of place within the West Area, and contribute to the community’s safety and quality of life.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR 2.1
Install traffic calming elements such as bulb outs
and trees in pedestrian-oriented areas, such as at
intersections and crosswalks to lower speeds and
increase safety.

Public Works/
private developers
# of projects
initiated/
completed
# reduction in
collisions
IPR 2.2
Install pedestrian safety features such as
midblock crossings, especially near schools;
leading pedestrian intervals at intersections;
median refuge islands along wider streets;
scramble crossings in high pedestrian areas; and
pedestrian-scale lighting along major corridors,
at crosswalks, and at transit stops. Midblock
crossings near schools should include Pedestrian
Hybrid Beacons (PHB) and traffic signal timing
changes.

Public Works/
private developers
# of projects
initiated/
completed
# reduction in
collisions
IPR 2.3
Build on the Highway 99 Beautification Master
Plan and create attractive gateways from
Highway 99 to the West Area.

Planning, Public
Works/ private
developers
# of projects
initiated/
completed at
gateways
IPR 2.4
Collaborate with the Fresno County Office of
Tourism, the Vintners and Distillers of Fresno
County, Fresno County Farm Bureau, and other
potential partners to incorporate wayfinding
signage throughout the West Area that promotes
agritourism activities, including highlighting the
locations of local wineries and farm stands.

Public Works,
Economic Dev./
Planning, named
parties, ag.
businesses
# of signs added
Implementation 144
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR 2.5
Consider implementing a streetlight banner
program along major streets and other pedestrianoriented areas to promote spatial identity and local celebrations, including a military service
banner program for Veterans Boulevard to permit
families to apply to have a banner hung in honor
of their loved one’s military service.

Public Works
# programs
# banners
IPR 2.6
Collaborate with Central Unified School District
to identify and facilitate needed streetscape
improvements to add safety features, create
unique landscapes, and enable student-led art
projects to increase visibility and sense of place
around local schools.

Public Works,
CUSD/ community
groups
# of projects
initiated/
completed
IPR 2.7
Engage residents to identify cohesive
neighborhoods within the West Area and develop
landscape districts and arts strategies for each
neighborhood.

Planning, Council,
community
groups/ Public
Works
# strategies
initiated/
completed
IPR 2.8
Encourage streetscape improvements to
incorporate tactile, visual, and audial elements to
allow broad enjoyment of the public realm and
prioritize these elements where there is significant
pedestrian activity at retail or commercial centers,
schools, bus stops, public parks, community
resource centers, and places of worship.

Planning, Public
Works/ private
developers
# added amenities
IPR 2.9
Plant locally appropriate, drought-tolerant
landscaping and, where possible, incorporate
designs that can contribute to groundwater
recharge, flood protection, and reduced urban
heat island effects.

Public Works,
private developers
# projects
initiated/
completed
IPR

2.10 Increase tree canopy coverage in the West Area,
with prioritization for areas that a) currently have
minimal tree coverage, b) have a high level of
pedestrian activity (ex. near schools, commercial
centers, etc.) and c) are disproportionately
exposed to pollution.

Public Works/
Planning % tree coverage
145 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
IPR Goal 3
Continue to plan for, properly manage, and preserve water resources and natural habitats in the West Area.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR 3.1
Encourage the incorporation of water conservation
methods in new development, such as greywater
systems, drought-resilient landscaping, and
reduction of nonporous surfaces.

Planning/ private
developers
# conservation
features
% reduction in
water usage
IPR 3.2
Continue to evaluate Capital Improvement
Programs and update them to add missing
infrastructure and to meet the demand for new
development.

Public Utilities
# of projects
addressing
fragmentation
IPR 3.3
Continue to set appropriate conditions of approval
for each new development proposal to ensure
that water resource facilities are in place prior to
construction and building occupancy.

Public Utilities n/a
IPR 3.4
Continue to plan for, install, and operate recycled
water systems to benefit the West Area and to
support local resource conservation goals.

Public Utilities
# projects
initiated/
completed
# added pipes
IPR 3.5
Utilize existing regulations and procedures,
including but not limited to, the Development
Code and the environmental review process,
in order to conserve any existing or discovered
wetland, riparian, or other sensitive habitats
within the Plan Area.

Planning, private
developers
# of habitats
identified
IPR 3.6
Where sensitive biological habitats have been
identified or are discovered on or immediately
adjacent to a project site, the project shall include
appropriate mitigation measures determined by a
qualified biologist.

Planning, private
developers
# of habitats
identified
# of mitigation
measures
determined
Implementation 146
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
IPR 3.7
Coordinate with the California Department of Fish
and Wildlife, Fresno County, and local watershed
protection groups to identify potentially
impacted aquatic habitat within the Plan Area
and to develop management guidelines to be
implemented by development, recreation, and
other projects adjacent to ponds, ditches, canals,
and other waterways.

Planning/
California
Department of
Fish & Wildlife,
Fresno County,
FID, private
developers
# of habitats
identified
management
guidelines
developed
IPR 3.8
Plan for a groundwater recharge greenway, with
an incorporated Class 1 trail, near the western
edge of the West Area boundary.

Planning/County,
Public Works,
FMFCD
plan completed
147 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
PF | Public Facilities
PF Goal 1
Develop new parks, trails, and open space within the West Area.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
PF 1.1
Meet the General Plan standard for at least three
acres of parkland per 1,000 residents for parks
less than 40 acres in size and strive to provide
park space within a 1/4 mile walk of at least 85
percent of all existing and future residential units.

PARCS, Planning/
private developers
ratio parks to
population
% pop within 1/4
mile walk to park
PF 1.2
Establish new parks and open space through
enforcement of Municipal Code requirements
for new residential development; through the
utilization of vacant and undevelopable land; and
through partnerships with landowners, residents,
community groups, and public agencies.

PARCS, Planning,
Public Works/
private developers
# added parks by
type
# park acreage by
type
PF 1.3 Pursue and advocate for new and prioritized
funding sources for parks, trails, and open space.

PARCS, Public
Works/ Planning,
community groups
# grants applied
$ added
% of cost for
improvement
achieved
PF 1.4
Ensure parks are accessible to community
members by multiple modes of transportation
-including via sidewalks, bicycle facilities (with bike parking), and transit services- consistent
with the City of Fresno Parks Master Plan and
Active Transportation Plan.

Private
developers/
PARCS, Public
Works, FAX
% of all
multimodal
options
PF 1.5
Encourage the inclusion of neighborhood-serving
amenities such as playgrounds, dog runs, picnic
tables, barbeques, benches, and producegrowing community gardens in new residential subdivisions.

Planning/ private
developers
# added amenities
Implementation 148
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
PF 1.6
Plan for parks that collectively provide community
members with passive and active recreation
opportunities to be used by residents and visitors
of all ages. These include, but are not limited to:
illuminated practice fields and courts, fitness
equipment, concert space, public gathering space,
nature observation, walking/jogging paths, and
seating areas.

PARCS/ Planning,
community groups
# parks planned
# added amenities
PF 1.7
Develop new trails according to the Active
Transportation Plan and General Plan MT-2 and
explore additional future trails that can promote
agritourism and access to the San Joaquin River.

Public Works/
ag. businesses,
San Joaquin River
Conservancy,
community groups
# added trails
PF 1.8
Initiate a citywide community review of the
proposed regional park designation as shown on
Map 4-2 and cultivate a participatory strategy
to identify the desired amenities and agricultural
features to be incorporated along with methods
to fund its development.

Planning, PARCS,
community groups
% project
progress
# participants in
outreach
PF 1.9
Consider and explore the potential for shared
parking and interconnected site design for the
proposed regional park and adjacent existing and
future commercial development to create efficient
use of land and to generate a dynamic sense of
activity between uses.

Planning, PARCS
# agreements
# shared spaces
# gateways to
park
PF 1.10
Develop the Herndon Canal as a Class I trail, on
the north side of the canal west of Veteran’s and
on the south side east of Veteran’s, and integrate
it within the proposed regional park site. For the
segment between Highway 99 and Veteran’s
Boulevard, additionally require new development
to provide open space and active frontage (i.e.
front doors, windows, balconies, etc.) to support
active use and safety for the trail.

Public Works,
Fresno Irrigation
District/ PARCS,
private developers
% project
progress
# compliant
developments
149 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
PF 1.11
Provide trashcans and pet waste bins within
parks and along trails to keep facilities tidy and
enjoyable for all users.

PARCS # bins
PF 1.12
Support the creation of an access point to the San
Joaquin River to provide a wide range of unique
recreational opportunities from fishing and
boating/kayaking to nature viewing and general
exercise.

San Joaquin River
Conservancy/
private
landowners,
Public Works,
PARCS, Planning
% project
progress
PF 1.13
Formalize the existing pathway connecting the
West Area to the east of Highway 99, in alignment
with the Active Transportation Plan, and advocate
for the preservation of the area around the future
aquarium between Herndon Avenue, Highway
99, and the River to be conserved as open space.

San Joaquin River
Conservancy/
Public Works,
PARCS, Planning,
Aquarius
Aquarium
% project
progress
PF 1.14
Through conditions of approval or other
mechanisms and strategies, ensure the
preservation and promotion of the José Garcia
Adobe and other historic resources in the West
Area.

Planning/ private
developers,
community groups
$ committed
% project
progress
PF 1.15
Continue to support Central Unified School
District’s open campus policy, which provides
recreational space for residents during nonschool hours.

PARCS n/a
Implementation 150
PF Goal 2
Encourage the role of schools as interconnected, neighborhood-supportive facilities.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
PF 2.1
Work cooperatively with Central Unified School
District to find appropriate locations for future schools to meet the needs of students and
neighborhoods in the West Area.

Planning, CUSD
# schools planned
# students per
classroom
PF 2.2 Encourage adjacency of proposed new school
sites with parks and community centers. Planning, CUSD
# schools near
parks, centers
PF 2.3
Continue to promote joint-use agreements to
support increased recreational opportunities and
community-oriented programming for West Area
residents.

PARCS
# acres
# amenities
# programs
# people served
PF Goal 3
Advocate for the expansion of educational opportunities within the West Area, especially for higher education.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
PF 3.1 Provide land use designations that permit higher education uses. Planning
# acres where
permitted
PF 3.2
Support strategies and programs of Central
Unified School District and the Fresno County
Office of Education that will provide access
to alternative, vocational, and post-secondary
education and support services.

Economic
Dev./ CUSD,
County Office of
Education
# programs
# people served
PF 3.3
Attract and encourage the location of
postsecondary educational or vocational
educational uses along Catalytic Corridors and
support Central Unified School District sites to
serve as satellite campuses to existing colleges
and vocational schools.

Economic Dev./
CUSD
# higher ed.
programs
151 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
PF Goal 4
Develop public facilities for first responders that increase service efficiency and enhance community safety.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
PF 4.1
Locate future public safety facilities according
to their ability to meet efficiency and community
safety goals.

PARCS, Fire,
Police/ Planning
% service
coverage
PF 4.2
With input from residents, consider co-locating
new facilities with other first-responder facilities,
parks, or other public facilities, as may be
appropriate.

Fire, Police,
community
groups/ PARCS,
Planning
# co-located
facilities
# participants in
outreach
PF 4.3
Discourage new development outside of existing
service coverage/response time catchments,
unless new facilities are planned for near-term
construction that would provide adequate
coverage to the development.

Planning/ Fire,
Police, private
developers
n/a
PF 4.4
With input from residents, explore and support
approaches to community-based alternatives
to, and/or community supported forms of, police
facilities.

Police, community
groups
# alternative
facilities
# participants in
outreach
% police calls
Implementation 152
PF Goal 5
Increase access to new and existing community centers within the West Area.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
PF 5.1
Partner with residents, developers, Central Unified
School District, neighborhood groups, and faith
communities to determine ideal locations for new
community centers to serve existing and planned
neighborhoods.

Planning, PARCS/
CUSD, community
groups, private
developers
# facilities planned
# participants in
outreach
PF 5.2
Encourage community centers to host variety
of programs and services, including community
meetings, educational courses, edible gardens,
senior services, activities for teens and youth
programs; and to provide space for establishments
that support daily needs such as medical clinics,
day cares, libraries, and post offices.

PARCS/ CUSD,
community groups
# programs
# people served
PF 5.3
Pursue and advocate for new and prioritized
funding sources for community centers and
programming.

PARCS/ Planning,
community groups
# grants applied
$ added
153 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
LUH | Land Use & Housing
LUH Goal 1
Promote the orderly development of the West Area.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 1.1
Continue to implement policies that encourage
orderly development and discourage premature
development of land near the planned urban
fringe.

Planning, Public
Works
# annexations
# added acres
LUH 1.2
Uphold the General Plan’s vision for the sequencing
of development areas, focusing new development
on land within the City Limits first, followed by
land within Growth Area 1.

Planning
% within city
limits
% in growth area
# annexations
# added acres
# developments
LUH 1.3
Promote development of vacant, underdeveloped,
re-developable land within the Plan Area where
existing and planned public infrastructure is
available.

Planning # developments
LUH 1.4
Create a Small Area Plan for the West Shaw
Avenue Town Center, which shall incorporate the
Highway City Neighborhood Specific Plan Area,
to further refine and support orderly, transitoriented urban design and development.

Planning/ FAX % project
progress
LUH 1.5
Maintain the General Plan’s requirement that new
residential and commercial developments that
require annexation pay their fair and proportional
share of needed community improvements.

Planning # annexations
LUH 1.6
Review annexation requirements for applications
to demonstrate they will not lead to peninsular
or leapfrogged development patterns, where
the urban edge intrudes into agricultural and
undeveloped land on three sides.

Planning # annexations
Implementation 154
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 1.7
Review annexation requirements for applications
to demonstrate they will not lead to fragmented
infrastructure systems, including bottlenecked
roadway networks.

Planning # annexations
LUH Goal 2
Increase opportunities to retain agricultural uses and promote agritourism within the West Area.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 2.1
Continue to recognize existing Agricultural Land
Conservation Contracts (i.e., Williamson Act
contracts) and promote the enrollment of all Prime
Farmland outside of the Sphere of Influence.

Planning,
Economic Dev./
County, ag.
businesses,
community groups
# promotion
activities
# enrolled farms
# added acres
LUH 2.2
Partner with the Fresno County Farm Bureau and
other agriculture-focused organizations to develop
a strategy to fund, protect, and promote agriculture
in the West Area. The strategy should include
an examination of potential funding and grant
opportunities as well as appropriate activities to
support, including, but not limited to: agritourism,
farmers markets, shipping container farms/
markets, farm incubators, farmland preservation,
marketing & wayfinding programs, etc.

Planning,
Economic Dev./
Public Works,
ag. businesses,
community groups
% project
progress
# projects
initiated/
completed
LUH 2.3
Promote the planting of home, school, and
community gardens and consider revising the
Development Code to remove provisions that
prevent the keeping of chickens, bees, and goats.

Planning/ CUSD,
community groups
# gardens
% project
progress
# interactions
w/promotional
materials
155 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 2.4
Continue to apply the ANX overlay to rural and
agricultural properties annexed into the city until a
subsequent subdivision, rezoning, or special permit
is approved for the property. Upon application
for such a subsequent entitlement, permitted
uses will be reconsidered for conformance to city
zoning standards.

Planning
# added ANX to
properties
LUH 2.5
Encourage new developments to incorporate
agricultural features, such as agrihood-style
amenities, community gardens, container farms,
farmers market plazas, or public art celebrating
the West Area’s agricultural heritage.

Planning/ private
developers
# added
amenities
LUH 2.6
Consider adopting an Urban Agriculture Incentive
Ordinance to allow the reduction of property tax
assessments on land dedicated to small-scale
agriculture use, in alignment with AB 465.

City Council/
Planning,
Economic
Development
% project
progress
LUH Goal 3
Create Complete Neighborhoods in the West Area that provide a variety of amenities within walking distance to meet the daily needs of residents.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 3.1
Attract desired and needed local retail
establishments to serve the needs of the West
Area community, such as grocery stores, bakeries,
restaurants (other than fast food places), and
boutiques - with a special focus on Catalytic
Corridors.

Private
developers/
Economic Dev.,
Planning
# applications
# approved
Implementation 156
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 3.2
Support the formation of a group or committee
– led by West Area community members with
participation from City of Fresno staff, community
groups, and community businesses – that works
to identify specific types of retail and commercial
development sought for the West Area, form
ideas for specific projects, and promote their
development. This group may be considered as a
subcommittee to a neighborhood association and/
or a Specific Plan Implementation Committee.

Community
members/
Economic Dev.,
Planning, City
Council
group formed
# projects
LUH 3.3
Consider updating the Development Code
to permit limited, small-scale neighborhood
commercial uses within all residential districts,
with restrictions on the sale of items such as
liquor, tobacco, and other adult products.

Planning % project
progress
LUH 3.4
Support the co-location of community centers,
such as libraries, within retail nodes to increase
mutually supportive pedestrian activity.

Private
developers/
Economic Dev.,
Planning
# co-located retail
& community
centers
LUH 3.5
Encourage the development of more adaptable
retail formats, such as open-air markets or stores
with smaller square footage, especially where
such formats provide affordable space for local
entrepreneurs and contribute to walkable and
lively commercial nodes.

Private
developers/
Economic Dev.,
Planning
# new and
expanded
businesses
# local businesses
# of “highly
adaptable”
businesses
LUH 3.6
Continue to enforce strict application review
processes and solicit community input regarding
retail establishments with potential negative
externalities such as liquor stores, tobacco and
vapor stores, short-term loan and pawn shops,
and adult stores.

Planning
# applications
# approved
157 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 3.7
Develop incentives to encourage redevelopment
activities within the Highway City neighborhood
to create a wide range of housing types and
attractive, pedestrian-oriented commercial nodes.

Planning,
Economic Dev.
% project
progress
# applications
# approved
LUH 3.8
Require transitions between land use types
to emphasize the pedestrian experience. This
should include, but is not limited to, attention to
lighting, pathways, landscaping, fence types, and
frequency of entry points.

Planning n/a
LUH 3.9
Encourage street patterns in new development
that optimize connectivity, such as a gridded
street pattern.

Planning n/a
LUH Goal 4
Identify West Area neighborhoods as a means to leverage resources and build community.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 4.1
Partner with West Area residents and
educational institutions to identify the individual
neighborhoods of the West Area, incorporating
the history, natural features, amenities, and
landmarks of each.

Planning/
educational
institutions
% project
progress
LUH 4.2
Following the completion of LUH 4.1, encourage
community members to stay actively engaged
through the establishment of neighborhood
committees. The neighborhood committees
can provide a platform for local needs and host
events to bring community members together.

Committees should provide mechanisms for
equitable representation among their respective
communities.

Community
groups/ Planning
# participants in
outreach
# committees
Implementation 158
LUH Goal 5
Provide for urban edge transitions that respect existing rural residential and agricultural uses.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 5.1
Consider updating the Development Code so
that when land proposed for urban development
abuts active farmland, planned farmland, or
rural residential, the new project shall include
and provide for the maintenance of one of the
following design features to provide a rural/urban
buffer:

Private
developers/
Planning
# and type of
features used
• Provide landscaping and setbacks to fully
obscure the new development’s buildings and
fences.
• Do not include fencing, or provide only seethrough fencing no greater than four feet in height between the new development and the
existing property.
• Provide open space such as edible gardens,
landscaped walkways, or rain gardens to be
no less than 30 feet in width.
• Locate boundary streets between the new
and existing developments.
159 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
LUH Goal 6
Establish clean, safe, and stable housing opportunities that provide for a variety of housing types styles available to people of all incomes, ages, and family sizes; and strengthen the pride and identity of residential neighborhoods.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
LUH 6.1
Encourage the development of housing to
accommodate multi-generational and aging
households, including incorporating Accessory
Dwelling Units into new housing designs.

Planning/ private
developers # developments
LUH 6.2
As part of the next General Plan process, perform
an analysis of access to housing options across
socio-economic factors to determine how to
improve opportunities for currently underresourced communities.

Planning/
community
groups, private
developers
% project
progress
LUH 6.3
Promote the use of porches, patios, stoops,
gardens, balconies, etc. and require future
residences to face parks, public streets, and/
or public schools in order to provide natural
surveillance (“eyes on the street”) and security for
all users.

Planning n/a
LUH 6.4
Continue to support and develop resources for
property owners to improve and maintain the
conditions and appearance of existing residential
structures.

Planning, Code
Enforcement
# interactions w/
resources
# people served
Implementation 160
I | Implementation
I Goal 1
Pursue measures that implement the Goals of the Specific Plan.

Policy # Policy Responsible/
Support Parties
Suggested
Measurements
I 1.1
Establish a West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Implementation Committee with representatives
from different areas within the Plan Boundary to
pursue and evaluate implementing Policies.

City Council/
Planning
committee
established
I 1.2
Investigate the establishment of an Enhanced
Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) for
the West Area to financially support the
development of parks, trails, and open space and
to address critical infrastructure gaps for active
transportation.

PARCS, Planning,
Public Works /
City Council
report on EIFD
investigation
complete
EIFD established
I 1.3
Any substantial changes to the policies of this Plan
shall occur through a robust public engagement
process, which shall minimally include a)
notifying community members in the Plan Area
of proposed changes via direct mail, b) at least
two community meetings, and c) solicitation of
formal recommendations of the Specific Plan
Implementation Committee and all District Review
Committees representing the Plan Area.

Planning n/a
161 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
7 GLOSSARY
Glossary 162

7.1 | Glossary
_____________________________________________________________ Active Transportation Plan (ATP). Adopted March 2, 2017. The comprehensive guide outlining the vision for active transportation in the city of Fresno and a roadmap for achieving a complete, safe, and comfortable network of trails, sidewalks, and bikeways that serves all residents of Fresno.

Agricultural Buffer. A designated space designed to protect agricultural landscapes from nonagricultural uses such as commercial, office, residential, and other uses that increase pressure on the conversion of agricultural land.

Agrihood. A residential development that contains a working farm as a featured amenity.

Agritourism. Tourism activities that are centered on agriculturally based activities. Such activities can include wagon rides, farm tours, bed and breakfast lodging, wineries/breweries, farmers markets, wedding and special events venues, festivals, and more.

Catalytic Corridors. Streets in the West Area that are envisioned to be vibrant, highly walkable areas with broad sidewalks, trees and other landscaping, and local-serving uses with new buildings that step down in relationship to the scale and character of adjacent neighborhoods. The Corridors are West Shaw Avenue, West Ashlan Avenue, Veterans Boulevard, West Shields Avenue, West Clinton Avenue, and North Brawley Avenue.

Central Unified School District (CUSD). A school district located in Fresno County that serves the West Area.

City (Capitalized) and city (non-capitalized). Capitalized “City” refers to the municipal entity and its functions as a local government entity which is also referred to as “the City of Fresno.” Non-capitalized “city” refers to the geographical area or the people of Fresno which is also referred to as “city of Fresno.” City Council. The City Council is the legislative branch of government of the City of Fresno and, except where expressly limited by the City Charter, is vested with all legislative powers in municipal affairs.

City Limits. The incorporated boundaries of the city of Fresno.

Community Facilities Districts (CFDs). Also known as Mello-Roos Districts after the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982 (Government Code §53311-53368.3), these districts are used by public agencies to finance public infrastructure, community facilities, and public services.

Community Meeting. A meeting held in the Plan Area that is widely noticed at least two weeks prior to the meeting date.
163 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Complete Neighborhoods. Refers to a neighborhood where one has safe and convenient access to the goods and services needed in daily life. Complete Neighborhoods encompass a variety of housing options, grocery stores and other commercial services, quality public schools, public open spaces and recreational facilities, active transportation options and civic amenities. An important element of a Complete Neighborhood is that it is built at a walkable and bikeable human scale and meets the needs of people of all ages and abilities.

Complete Streets. Streets which are designed and operated to enable safe, attractive, and comfortable access and travel for all users, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and users of public transportation.

Connectivity. The quality of street patterns and pedestrian paths that allow for through movement between and within neighborhoods.

Farmland Typologies.

Farmland of Local Importance. Land of importance to the local agricultural economy as determined by each county’s board of supervisors and a local advisory committee.

Farmland of Statewide Importance. Farmland similar to Prime Farmland but with minor shortcomings, such as greater slopes or less ability to store soil moisture. Land must have been used for irrigated agricultural production at some time during the four years prior to the mapping date.

Prime Farmland. Farmland with the best combination of physical and chemical features able to sustain long term agricultural production. This land has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to produce sustained high yields. Land must have been used for irrigated agricultural production at some time during the four years prior to the mapping date.

Unique Farmland. Farmland of lesser quality soils used for the production of the state’s leading agricultural crops. This land is usually irrigated, but may include non-irrigated orchards or vineyards as found in some climatic zones in California. Land must have been cropped at some time during the four years prior to the mapping date.

Fresno County. Fresno County refers to either the geographical area of the county or the government entity and its official functions, determined through the context of its usage.

General Plan. An integrated and comprehensive long-range set of goals, objectives, policies, and implementation measures and diagrams for the general physical development of the city and any land outside the city’s boundaries which bears relation to the City’s planning.

Glossary 164
Greenfield. Land that has not previously been used for urban development and which is typically located on the outskirts of a city or town.

Groundwater Recharge. The natural process of infiltration and percolation of rainwater from land areas or streams through permeable soils into water-holding rocks that provide underground storage (i.e. aquifers).

Growth Area. All land within the City’s Sphere of Influence, but located outside of the city limits that requires annexation to be incorporated into the city of Fresno.

Missing Middle Housing. Multi-unit buildings that are comparable in scale to single-family homes.

These include duplexes, townhomes, and bungalow courts among other similar kinds of housing types.

Multimodal. Supporting more than one mode of transportation.

Park Typologies.

Community Park. A park of more than 10 and up to 40 acres in size (typically at least 20 acres), which helps define a community or district and is intended to serve the more active recreational needs of persons who live or work within a two- to four-mile radius. These parks typically include facilities such as lighted sport fields and a community center building with a gym, meeting rooms, and restrooms. Other features may include swimming pools, tennis courts, concession stands, plazas, and public art.

Greenbelts/Trails. Greenbelts/Trails can include paved and unpaved trails in parks and natural areas for people, domesticated animals, and wildlife that are open to the public and accessible from the city of Fresno. Multi-use trails accommodate pedestrian, bicycle and other nonmotorized activity. Other types of trails include linear or loop trails within parks. This park-type can also include linear parks. These spaces may connect people to city attractions, commercial areas, cultural landmarks, recreation elements, open space, and natural areas. They are intended to be used for leisure, exercise and commuting purposes.

Neighborhood Park. A park of more than two and up to 10 acres in size, which provides basic recreational activities for neighborhoods located generally within a one-mile radius. These parks contribute to neighborhood identity and accommodate a range of facilities, such as play fields and courts, children’s play structures, picnic tables, restrooms, and may include a small center with a multi-purpose room, but also passive recreational features such as walking trails, community gardens, or nature areas.
165 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Open Space. Areas that serve the entire city of Fresno and surrounding communities, which are undeveloped areas (such as lands under power lines, around bodies of water, etc.), and contain natural resources that can be managed for recreation or natural resource conservation purposes such as protecting wildlife habitat, water quality, endangered species, etc. These areas provide opportunities for nature-based, unstructured, low-impact recreational opportunities like walking or nature viewing.

Pocket Parks. A park of one-half to two acres in size, which intended to serve the needs of a smaller, specific neighborhood located within a half-mile radius of the pocket park. Pocket parks should include amenities to draw neighbors to the park such as a tot lot, picnic bench, or shade structure.

Regional Park. A large park of more than 40 acres in size, which is meant to serve a large number of residents across a broad area of the city, or around 100,000 residents. Regional parks typically include community park features that allow for a variety of sports and active recreation. A park less than 40 acres in size may also be defined as a regional park if it provides unique recreational opportunities, such as a zoo or access to the San Joaquin River.

Special Use Park. Parks that include spaces that do not fall within a typical park type and usually serve a single purpose. These sites can be either stand-alone or may be located within another park.

Parks Master Plan. Adopted December 14, 2017. Articulates the community-based vision for planning a complete and functional park and open space system in Fresno.

Pedestrian-Oriented Development. Development designed with an emphasis on the sidewalk and on pedestrian access to buildings, rather than auto access and parking areas.

Plan Area. Refers to the land area addressed by the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan. This term is used interchangeably with West Area.

Specific Plan. A planning document that provides detailed policies and implementation tools for a specific area covered under the General Plan. A Specific Plan includes all regulations, conditions, programs, and proposed legislation that are necessary or convenient for the systematic implementation general plan elements. See also California Government Code Section 65450.

Sphere of Influence (SOI). A planning boundary that designates the probable future city limits and service area.

State of California (Capitalized) and state of California (non-capitalized). Capitalized State refers to the state government which is also referred to as the as the State of California. Non-capitalized state refers to the geographical area or the people of the state of California.

Glossary 166
Street Typologies.

Arterial. Four- to six-lane divided (median island separation) roadways, with somewhat limited motor vehicle access to abutting properties, and with the primary purpose of moving traffic within and between neighborhoods and to and from freeways and expressways. Appropriately designed and spaced local street intersections may also allow left-turn movements to and from the arterial streets.

Collector. Collectors are primarily a two- to four-lane undivided (opposing travel lanes generally not separated by a median island) roadways, with the principal function of connecting local streets to arterials and neighborhood traffic generators. Collectors also provide access to abutting properties. Local street intersections and motor vehicle access points from abutting properties are allowed consistent with the City’s engineering standards and accepted traffic engineering practices. Collectors typically have a center two-way left-turn lane.

Connector. Two- to three-lane undivided roadways planned to provide access between larger neighborhoods and one or more supporting uses, such as recreational open space, public facilities, and commercial areas.

Freeway/Highway. A roadway that is publicly maintained and for purposes of swift vehicular travel to regional destinations.

Super Arterial. Four- to six-lane divided (median island separation) roadways with a primary purpose of moving multiple modes of travel traffic to and from major traffic generators and between community areas.

Substantial Changes. In reference to policies: changes that alter or amend the intent of the policy as written, as determined by the City Attorney’s Office. This definition is not inclusive of minor revisions (i.e. fixing typos or improving clarity of the language).

West Area. Refers to the land area addressed by the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan. This term is used interchangeably with Plan Area.

Within Walking Distance. When a destination is able to be reached in 10 to 15 minutes or less by walking; a distance of roughly a quarter-mile to a half-mile.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

STEERING COMMITTEE
David Peña, Chair Deep Singh, Vice Chair
Bill Nijjer Cathy Caples Joseph Martinez
Eric Payne Gurdeep Shergill Dennis Gaab
John Kashian Jeff Roberts Tiffany Mangum
Tina McCallister-Booth, Alternate

CITY COUNCIL
Esmeralda Soria District 1 Tyler Maxwell District 4
Mike Karbassi District 2 Luis Chavez District 5
Miguel Arias District 3 Garry Bredefeld District 6
Nelson Esparza District 7
Steve Brandau District 2 Paul Caprioglio District 4
(former) (former)

PLANNING COMMISSION
Brad Hardie Peter Vang Monica Diaz
Haley Wagner David Criner
Robert Fuentes Kathy Bray Serop Torossian
(former)
Debra McKenzie Raj K. Sodhi-Layne
(former) (former)
CITY MANAGEMENT (incl. current and former staff)
Jennifer Clark, Director of Planning and Development
Mike Sanchez, Assistant Director of Planning & Development Dan Zack, Assistant Director of Downtown Development
Terry Cox, District 1 Chief of Staff
Alyssa Stevens, District 2 Chief of Staff
Dolores Barajas-Weller, District 3 Chief of Staff
PROJECT TEAM (incl. current and former staff)
Alicia Gonzales, Historic Preservation Specialist
Andrew Benelli, Public Works Assistant Director
Amber Piona, Planner
Brock Buche, Director of Public Utilities
Captain Burke Farrah, Fresno Police Department
Carolina Ilic, FAX Planning Manager
Casey Lauderdale, Planner
Dejan Pavic, Public Utilities Projects Administrator
Drew Wilson, Supervising Planner
Jill Gormley, Public Works Manager
Kara Hammerschmidt, Services Aide
Karlo Guillermo, GIS Specialist
Kevin Gray, Public Utilities Supervising Engineering Tech Mary Raterman-Doidge, Senior Deputy City Attorney
Matthew Woodward, Services Aide
Michael Andrade, GIS Specialist
Michelle Zumwalt, Architect
Marisela Martinez, Planner
Lachea Deamicis, GIS Specialist
Laura Van Onna, Historic Preservation Specialist
Rodney Horton, Planner
Shawn Monk, Planner
Shannon Mulhall, Public Works ADA Coordinator
Sophia Pagoulatos, Planning Manager

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

REPORT CONSULTANT TEAM
Elise Carroll, De Novo Planning Group
Steve McMurty, De Novo Planning Group
Amanda Tropiano, De Novo Planning Group
Ben Ritichie, De Novo Planning Group
Josh Smith, De Novo Planning Group
Ellen Martin, EPS
Jason Moody, EPS
Mart Polhemus, EPS
Jaime Gomes, EPS
Jon Wells, West Yost Associates
Jim Connell, West Yost Associates
Elizabeth Dryer, West Yost Associates
Tim Erney, Kittelson
Michael Aronson, Kittelson
Aaron Elias, Kittelson
Desiree Martinez, Cogstone
Mike Dickerson, Jr., MD Architects

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Kara Hammerschmidt
167 West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan

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