City Council – September 26th, 2024ID 24-1305
WORKSHOP ON THE
TOWER DISTRICT SPECIFIC
PLAN UPDATE
1991 Tower District Specific Plan
• Plan adopted on March 26, 1991 (Bill No. B-26)
• Plan Concepts:
• Historic Preservation
• Land Use
• Open Space
• Circulation
• Infrastructure
• Key purpose:
• Provide the City and the residents of the district
with a comprehensive structure for managing
historic resources and neighborhoods in the face of
future change and development
Tower District Specific Plan Boundary
Specific Plan Update
• Community feedback
• Update 1991 Plan objectives and policies to encourage consistent and compatible development
• Resolution No. 2021-147
• Approved by City Council on May 27, 2021
• Established Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee • Budget: $570,590
• Consultant team
• Wallace, Roberts & Todd (WRT)
• LSA Associates (LSA)
• Zack Urban Solutions
Plan Update Process
• Implementation Committee meetings: commenced January 2022 • Evaluation of policies in 1991 Plan and associated analysis of current conditions:
• Existingand planned land uses
• Street and block patterns
• Urban fabric in existing neighborhoods
• Locations of residential, commercial and industrial uses • Existing, planned and future park sites
• Historic resources and districts
• Circulation patterns
• Subcommittee formation: Land Use, Circulation, Historic Preservation, Parks and Open Space
• Keep, remove revise strategy
• Follow up review at subsequent Implementation Committee meetings Public Engagement and Outreach
• Implementation Committee meetings
• Subcommittee meetings
• Public outreach video
• First-in-kind standalone City website for Plan update • Public survey
• Two public workshops
• Canvassing
• Mailers/letters
• Pop-up events
• Tower Rocks
Guiding Principles
Health and Equity Framework
Economic equity directly affects an
individual's or a family's financial
stability and overall well-being
Employment provides the financial
resources needed for individuals and
families to maintain their health and
well-being
Obesity rates are lower in more
walkable locations as daily routines
provide physical activity
Land use controls can influence the
availability of grocery stores with
healthful foods, impacting dietary health
and equity
Excessive heat from direct sunshine on
asphalt and concrete surfaces can be
mitigated with tree canopy and
greenery
Street design plays a critical role in
providing protected pedestrian and
bicycle routes and discouraging motor
vehicles at unsafe speeds
Each policy in draft plan screened against these metrics Draft Specific Plan Structure
• Chapter 1 – Introduction
• Chapter 2 – Conservation and Historic Preservation
• Chapter 3 – Land Use
• Chapter 4 – Parks and Public Facilities
• Chapter 5 – Circulation
• Chapter 6 – Utilities
Chapter 2 – Conservation and Historic
Preservation
• Guiding pillar of 1991 Plan
• Focus on retaining community
character, sense of place
and ties to cultural roots
Historic Resources and Districts
Designated Historic Districts
• Wilson Island
• Porter Tract
Proposed Historic Districts
• Terrace Gardens
• Wilson’s North Fresno Tract
• Adoline-Palm
• Lower Fulton-Van Ness
Chapter 3 – Land Use
• Considers how land should be used in
the Tower District
• Establishes parameters for allowable
activities and the character of new
development
Planned and Proposed Land Use Maps
General Plan Land Use Map TDSP Proposed Land Use Map
Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (SB 330)
• Prohibits jurisdictions from changing land use or zoning designations nor altering the intensity of existing land use designations or zone districts in a manner that reduces housing capacity below capacity that was available on January 1, 2018 UNLESS:
• Concurrent increase of capacity elsewhere that ensures there is no net loss of housing capacity
• Total current housing capacity in the Tower District: 19,671 dwelling units • Housing capacity net increase in proposed areas of change: 2,318 dwelling units • Total new housing capacity: 21,989 dwelling units
*Total acreage of Plan Area
Total Acres Housing Capacity
TDSP Area 1,307* 19,671 dwelling units
Acres Proposed for
Change 99.5
General Plan: 718
dwelling units
TDSP Proposed: 3,036
dwelling units
Net Increase 2,318 dwelling units
Total Proposed Housing Capacity 21,989 dwelling units
Existing and Proposed Overlays
Existing
• Neighborhood Revitalization Overlay
• Preserves unique character of
neighborhoods near downtown, enhance
their walkability and promote a diverse
population
• Apartment House Overlay
• Preserves and enhances the pattern of
pedestrian-oriented small-footprint
apartment houses, grand homes and small
commercial buildings that exist in some pre-
World War II neighborhoods.
Proposed
• Entertainment District Overlay
• Establishes regulations for late-night
entertainment uses
Chapter 4 – Parks and Public Facilities
• Provides a framework for making decisions
on how parks and public facilities can
better address community needs today and
in the future
• Focuses on location and extent of public
spaces, matching spaces to community
needs, improving pedestrian and bicycle
access, and leveraging co-benefits like
ecological health and economic
revitalization
Parks and Open Spaces Map
Chapter 5 – Circulation
• Identifies circulation across the overall street
network in the Tower District
• Provides a safe street pattern to move people
and goods and support community life as vital
public spaces
Chapter 6 – Utilities
• Existing utility infrastructure currently
established in the Tower District
• As individual projects are proposed,
capacity will be evaluated and
improvements will be required per the
Department of Public Utilities
Tower Entertainment District Overlay
• Establishes regulations for
late-night entertainment
uses adjacent to
residential zoning
• Applies to establishments
with restaurant, bar and
night-club related uses
that include rear or side
outdoor patios with a
Conditional Use Permit
Use 100 ft. or closer to
Residential
100 ft. to 250 ft.
from Residential
250 ft. or further
from Residential
Smoke/
Hookah/
Cigar Lounges
No outdoor patio
permitted
No limitations No limitations
Use 100 ft. or closer to
Residential
100 ft. to 250 ft.
from Residential
250 ft. or further
from Residential
Outdoor patios
without noise
attenuation measures
7:00am – 10:00pm 7:00am – 2:00am No limitations
Use 100 ft. or closer to
Residential*
100 ft. to 250 ft.
from Residential
250 ft. or further
from Residential
Outdoor patios with
noise attenuation
measures
7:00am – 2:00am 7:00am – 2:00am No limitations
*No amplified sound permitted after 10:00pm on outdoor patios that are 100 ft. or closer to Residential.
Tower Entertainment District Overlay
Boundary
Objective Design Standards
• Tower District Design Guidelines: established June 2005 • California Government Code Section 65913.4: establishes requirements for objective design standards
• Standards that involve no personal or subjective judgement • Requires update of existing Design Guidelines to comply with State law • Objective Design standards to accompany Tower District Specific Plan update
Public Comment Period
Public Comments
Comments received include the following themes:
• Provide additional opportunities for green spaces
• Increase amenities to enhance pedestrian safety
• Reduce impacts of surrounding noise from late-night uses • Address crime and homelessness impacts
• Provide for additional retail opportunities, including a grocery store • Broaden Health and Equity analysis
• Include history of racial inequity, racial covenants and redlining in the Tower District
Committee independent review:
• Individual review of 96 policies
Committee Recommendations:
• May 14th, 2024 Meeting
• August 20th, 2024 Meeting
• September 3rd, 2024 Meeting
• September 9th, 2024 Meeting
• September 17th, 2024 Meeting
Implementation Committee
Recommendations
Draft Plan Update – Anticipated Revisions
• Broaden Health and Equity analysis throughout entire plan • Add history of racial covenants and redlining that occurred in the Tower District
• Identify specific locations for future parks
• Mapping revisions
• Expand Utilities Chapter
• Include Implementation Chapter
• Policy and narrative revisions per Committee recommendations • Policy and narrative revisions per public comments received Timeline and Next Steps
• Environmental analysis: Summer 2024 – Early 2025 (assuming an Environmental Impact Report)
• Preparation of Objective Design Standards: Summer 2024 – Early 2025 • Preparation of Tower Entertainment District Overlay: Summer 2024 – Early 2025
• Planning Commission / City Council for final recommendation: Spring 2025