Central Southeast Specific Plan
City Council
June 15, 2023
6:00pm
In-Person & Virtual Meeting
Introduction
Presentation Outline
• Background & Community Engagment
• Plan Overview
• Environmental Assessment
• Public Comment
• Findings & Recommendations
Background
What is a Specific Plan?
A Specific Plan is:
• A long-range planning document (20 to 30 year vision) • Used to implement the General Plan
• A set of detailed strategies and actions to guide future growth and development in a specific geographic area (in this case, Central Southeast Fresno)
• Focuses on physical improvements: land use, transportation, parks, economic development, and improvements to the quality of life.
Planning Context
• AREA: 2,000 acres
• The CSESP is a continuation of the recent
Downtown Neighborhoods Community
Plan (2016). This Plan picks up where the
DNCP left off along the northwestern
boundary.
• The planning area is entirely in Fresno
City Limits
• This plan will replace
• Butler/Willow Specific Plan (1971)
• Roosevelt Community Plan (1992)
Community Engagement
• Stakeholder Meetings with 16 groups
• Engagement toolkit
• 20+ Mobile Workshops
• 4 Public Workshops
• 4 Surveys
• Steering Committee (10 meetings)
• 3 Community Conversations
• 2 Mass Mailings to every Property Owner
and Resident in Plan Area
• Networking through Community
Organizations such as Religious
Institutions, Library, Community Centers
• Website Postings and Emails
Guiding Principles
• Emphasize cultural diversity and preserve neighborhoods • Actively engage the community and support the underserved • Protect housing affordability and minimize displacement • Enhance mobility and build or improve parks
• Support economic vitality, health and equity
• Reduce pollution and protect environmental health
• Invest in public safety and beautification
Big Ideas
*This map shows the Plan Area prior to initiation
Goal Priorities
Initiation
Plan Overview
Specific Plan Chapters
1. Introduction
2. Vision & Goals
3. Land Use and Urban Design
4. Transportation, Public Realm, & Infrastructure
5. Parks & Open Space
6. Economic Development
7. Quality of Life
8. Next Steps & Funding
Goals and Strategies
Goals and strategies serve as tools to achieve the community’s vision
• Intended to provide clear direction for how the City and community partners will work collaboratively to implement the overall vision of this Plan
• Vast majority of the Goals and Strategies come directly from the Community
• Few added by City Staff and the consultant team to complement the comprehensive approach to achieving the community’s desired outcomes Goals are visionary statements
Strategies describe the recommended actions
Plan A rea & L and Use Changes before I ni ti ati on
Plan A rea & L and Use Changes after I ni ti ati on
Environmental Assessment
Environmental A ssessment
• Public Comment Period
• February 3 – March 6, 2023 (Extended to April 21, 2023) • 4 comment submissions
• The comments focused on:
• The need for future projects to identify potential contamination on sites in the Plan Area
• Water runoff capacity for new development in the Plan Area • Clarification on the Public Comment Period timing
Public Draft & Comments
Pu b lic Re vie w Draft
• Plan Area Changed during Initiation
• Released April 8, 2021
• Comment Period: April 8 – July 8, 2021
• 4 comment letters
• 54 discrete comments or requests
• Incorporates 10 changes made to Goals and Strategies
• Included in Redline Draft
Findings &
Recommendations
Findings
Fresno Municipal Code
Housing Element
SB 330
F resno M uni ci pal Code
Consistency with the General Plan goals and policies
• A concurrent Plan Amendment to the General Plan Figure LU-1 ensures land use consistency between the General Plan and Specific Plan • The Plan helps implement Objectives in the following Elements: Economic Development; Urban Form, Land Use, and Design; Mobility and Transportation; Parks, Open Space, and Schools; and Healthy Communities Consistency with the Development Code
• The Plan relies on the Development Code for implementation. • The Plan does not modify the Development Code.
Housi ng E lement – Gov. Code 65863
Adoption of the Plan would impact dwelling unit capacities on Housing Element sites as follows:
0-12 du/ac: net loss of 89 units of capacity
12-16 du/ac: net gain of 214 units of capacity
16-30 du/ac: net loss of 22 units of capacity
Surplus capacity exists to accommodate the reduction in affected categories.
Housi ng E lement – Gov. Code 65863
Therefore:
1. The reduction is consistent with the adopted General Plan; and
2. The remaining sites identified in the Housing Element are adequate to accommodate the jurisdiction’s share of the Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA).
Ho u sin g Crisis Act o f 20 19 (SB 330 )
Adoption of the Plan would result in the net gain of capacity of housing units.
Recommendations
Central Southeast Area Specific Plan 28
Recommendations
The Planning Commission recommend approval of all staff recommendations to City Council at a Special Meeting held on May 31, 2023. The Fresno County Airport Land Use Commission approved a Finding of Consistency for City of Fresno's Central Southeast Specific Plan at a meeting held on June 5, 2023.
Staff Recommendations
1. RECOMMEND APPROVAL of a finding set forth in Environmental Assessment No. P22-00400 dated February 1, 2023, of a Mitigated Negative Declaration pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168(d) (see Exhibit I).
Staff Recommendations
1. RECOMMEND APPROVAL of Plan Amendment Application P22-00400 which proposes to:
a. Repeal the Roosevelt Community Plan, pertaining to approximately 15,721 acres.
b.Repeal the Butler/Willow Specific Plan, pertaining to approximately 563 acres.
c. Adopt the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan and accompanying Planned Land Use Map (see Exhibits A, C and G).
d.Amend the Planned Land Use Map (Figure LU-1) of the Fresno General Plan to incorporate the land use changes proposed in the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan (see Exhibit D).
e. Rezone approximately 136 acres of property within the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan area to be consistent with the planned land uses proposed in the Plan (see Exhibit E).
End of Presentation