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Date Adopted:
Date Approved:
Effective Date:
City Attorney Approval: ______
Resolution No.
RESOLUTION NO. _
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, APPLICATION NO. P24-02869
INITIATING THE SPECIFIC PLAN UPDATE OF THE
TOWER DISTRICT AND ASSOCIATED DRAFT LAND
USE MAP INCLUDING APPROXIMATLEY 1,868 ACRES
AND THE CORRESPONDING FUTURE AMENDMENT
OF THE GENERAL PLAN
WHEREAS, the Tower District Specific Plan Area is generally bounded by State Route 180 to the south, Blackstone Avenue to the east, Shields Avenue to the north and Fruit Avenue and Union Pacific Railroad to the west; and WHEREAS, the plan area is within Council District 1, Council District 3 and Council District 7; and
WHEREAS, the Tower District Specific Plan was adopted on March 26, 1991 by Bill No. 91-26; and
WHEREAS, on December 18, 2014, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2014-226, adopting the Fresno General Plan which includes general goals, policies, and objectives that apply for the City of Fresno as a whole; and WHEREAS, members of the Tower District community expressed a desire to update the existing 1991 Specific Plan to update objectives and policies to encourage consistent and compatible development of future residential and commercial uses; and WHEREAS, on May 27
, 2021 the City Council approved Resolution No. 2021-
147, establishing the Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee and requiring membership to consist of seven members; and
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WHEREAS, the Implementation Committee organized at its first meeting in January 2022; and
WHEREAS, on April 28, 2022, the City of Fresno entered into a contract with Wallace, Roberts and Todd (WRT) to assist in the preparation and analysis of the Tower District Specific Plan update; and
WHEREAS, the Implementation Committee met 25 times from January 2022 to July 2024, adhering to Brown Act procedures to consider issues raised by themselves and community members; and
WHEREAS, City staff hosted two community workshops, attended seven community pop-up events, sent mailers in August 2023, February 2024 and July 2024 to property owners and tenants in the Tower District and regularly canvassed Tower District neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, on May 14, 2024, the Implementation Committee made the recommendation to forward the draft objectives and policies (Exhibit A), which correspond to the draft land use map to the City Council for initiation of the plan; and WHEREAS, on July 12, 2024, the Draft Specific Plan update was released for a 30-day public comment period through August 12, 2024 to receive community feedback; and
WHEREAS, the Fresno City Council took action to recommend that staff be directed to continue working with the Implementation Committee and community to refine the plan and commence environmental analysis, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Fresno as follows:
1. The Council, pursuant to Fresno Municipal Code Section 15-4902-B hereby initiates the Specific Plan update of the Tower District based on the Draft Land Use Map (Exhibit B) and Draft Specific Plan update (Exhibit C), in addition to the following motions:
• Initiate the designation of the Lower Fulton-Van Ness District and the area bounded by Olive, Poplar, Elizabeth and Van Ness as Historic Districts pursuant to Fresno Municipal Code Section 12-1610(a). • Rezone all properties facing Blackstone Avenue from McKinley Avenue to Bremer Avenue, omitting the portion of Susan B. Anthony Elementary School which fronts Blackstone Avenue to the Corridor/Center Mixed Use Zone.
• Add additional park opportunity areas for study at the following general locations: Olive/Calaveras, Echo/Thomas, Fruit/Home, Belmont/Van Ness, Poplar/Klondike
• Evaluate 604 N San Pablo to rezone the property to the Neighborhood Mixed Use Zone.
2. The Council directs staff to continue working with the Implementation Committee to refine the plan and commence the environmental analysis and to bring all proposed changes made in the Committee and Public Comment Matrixes of the Tower District Specific Plan for consideration and recommendation to the City Council.
3. This resolution shall be effective upon final approval. 4 of 4
* * * * * * * * * * * * • *
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 2024.
AYES :
NOES :
ABSENT :
ABSTAIN :
Mayor Approval: , 2024
Mayor Approval/No Return: , 2024
Mayor Veto: , 2024
Council Override Vote: , 2024
TODD STERMER, CMC
City Clerk
By:
Date
Deputy
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ANDREW JANZ
City Attorney
By: _
Kristi M. Costa Date
Supervising Deputy City Attorney
Attachments:
Exhibit A - May 14, 2024 ICM Recommendations
Exhibit B - Proposed Land Use Map
Exhibit C - TDSP Update Public Review Draft