June 5, 2025
Fresno City Council
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
Subject: Plan Amendment Application No. P23-03006
Dear Councilmembers,
As a long-time community member of District 3, specifically Southwest Fresno, and one who’s made significant investments and contributions, I am writing to express my concerns regarding the Plan Amendment Application No. P23-03006 – otherwise known as the Elm Rezone. It has come to my attention that this item will in fact come before Council requesting that there be a rezone of approximately
55.31 acres of land bounded by East Annadale Avenue to the north, State Route 41 to the east, South Elm Avenue to the west, and East Chester/East Samson Avenue. This matter affects not only myself, my colleagues, but also the community members living and serving in our community. This rezone would modify property currently zoned as Neighborhood Mixed-Use to Light Industrial, and will undermine hard fought policies within the general plan and Southwest Fresno Specific Plan.
As a community member, I represent myself and others I serve who were active participants in the development of the Southwest Specific Plan – a policy document adopted by Council in October 2017.
Since then, Council has considered, against the recommendations of our Planning Commission and others, policy decisions that seek to incrementally divide and redress the equitable outcomes we seek to implement for our community.
There are numerous reputable studies and research documents that speak to the perpetual harm and ongoing redlining of our community, with the unreasonable, unsound, and very much intentionally harmful policies being recommended to Council. These studies include research from national health policy institutions, including the Central Valley Health Policy Institute, and various state and local experts specializing in the social determinants of health. State, regional and local institutions have also given their expertise in this matter unfolding empirical data, analysis, expert testimony and sound policy recommendations in this matter. To disregard the breadth of available expertise, research, and testimony would be incredibly short-sighted.
We are overwhelmed with our decades long cries for equitable policy and infrastructure falling on deaf ears. The two years long process for our policy document – Southwest Fresno Specific Plan – continues to have to be justified and defended before Council in ways that no other area of our City has been charged with. These polices were not created in a vacuum. They were created through guided conversation, rich and deep community engagement, and with the expressed support of this Council. The people of Southwest Fresno, with vision and clarity, brought to you their vision for the kind of community we need and deserve. It is our intent that the vision established and created, continue to be supported by this Council, and not disrupted by this Council. This Council’s actions dictate the trajectory of more than 40,000 children, babies, elders, working families, and others residing in the City’s southwest Fresno communities, and the thousands more who work and serve throughout the community.
Furthermore, it is necessary to hear, listen and support community with your action on this matter for their overall well-being and health. I would implore you to simply drive by the area in question, and experience the ongoing impact these types of businesses have had on the lives of southwest Fresno families and children. This has been going on for more than 70+ years. It is a harmful use of land and space that no human being would want to have for their children and loved ones. The denial of the Rezone will not yield job loss (contrary to what many may imply or express) or economic loss to our community, but it will be a sentence of long-term adverse health and economic disparities in our community, as well as a significantly diminished life expectancy. A replacement of housing in other areas of the city will also work against the ongoing efforts to rebuild and reinvest in this area of our city – a loss of significant investment due to a lack of sound, inconsistent policy. A ‘yes’ vote will mean ongoing industrial and environmental injustice plaguing our communities and our families.
The consequences of this vote are multi-layered, and will be felt for generations, far outliving our time in this community. Furthermore, this flawed policy chips away at the $70 million Strategic Growth Council investment in the surrounding areas. When good policy is paired with thoughtful planning—not special interests—it unlocks vital investments, resources, and transformative benefits for our city, its economy, and the well-being of its residents. It's time to abandon short-sighted approaches.
Thus, I respectfully urge the council to prioritize our concerns, the data, the recommendations of the Planning Commission, State and other local/regional agencies, as you consider your deliberations on the Plan Amendment Application No. P23-03006, by voting NO on this Plan Amendment action. Our City’s wholeness and well-being depends on courageous leadership, sound policy and policy making doctrine, as well as our collective effort to sustain the people’s vision (already in place), and not the interests of those not affiliated with our community.
Sincerely,
Tiffany B. Mangum
Citizen
Community Leader