September 22, 2025
Fresno City Council
City Hall Council Chamber, 2nd Floor,
2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721
Dear Fresno City Council,
My name is Rosa DePew. I am a resident of Fresno County. I am an officer on the school board of Orange Center Elementary. I am writing to you to urge you to deny Annexation Application No.P21-05778, Pre-zone Application No. P21-05870, and Development Permit Application No.
P23-00149 to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of the students, teachers and staff who attend and work at Orange Center Elementary, and of the residents who live on Cherry Ave, Daleville, and surrounding disadvantaged unincorporated communities. I oppose this project because I am concerned about the impacts to our air quality from the emissions of heavy-duty truck traffic, traffic safety concerns, especially for the families commuting to Orange Center Elementary, and the longer-term implications of industrial development less than a mile away from an elementary school.
The proposed annexation, prezoning to heavy industrial, and development permit for Central Transport in South Central Fresno will exacerbate already poor environmental and health conditions in the community. Conditions in South Central Fresno are so critical that the community of South Central Fresno was selected as one of the first communities for the AB 617 Community Air Protection Program to develop a Community Emissions Reduction Program and the Community Air Monitoring Program. The community of South Central Fresno worked for at least a year to develop strategies to reduce emissions including rerouting truck traffic from Cherry Ave. The community has also heavily engaged in and pushed for the development and adoption of a South Central Specific Plan to provide safeguards to protect residents from further industrial development. At this point, the City should be working to address existing issues instead of considering more projects that will create a larger impact to residents.
In 2024, the City of Fresno conducted a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) which found that South Fresno residents were more likely to live closer to a major street, truck route, or freeway, and as a result residents were more exposed to PM 2.5, ozone, and diesel particulate matter. The HIA found that South Central Fresno residents had a significantly higher risk of experiencing a pre-term birth and infant mortality. Emergency room visits or hospitalization due to asthma or cardiovascular issues were found to be more prevalent in South Central Fresno than in other areas of the City, specifically for residents living within 1000 feet of a highway or truck route. In fact, residents in South and Southwest Fresno have a 20 year less life expectancy than residents in other areas of Fresno.
My experience living near industrial operations has contributed or impacted me by health issues that plagued my family members. My brothers, sister and father all died at a younger age after dealing with health issues that were worsened by air quality and contamination. My mother is dealing with health issues currently.
Our area of town may be seen to many as an undesirable area to live in. Modest homes with bad roads and bad air pollution to breathe. But we are proud humble people. We strive to live our lives humbly and respectfully and to contribute to the community. Our area has contributed many successful people to the community. Many are now doctors, lawyers, teachers, and respectful citizens of the community. South Central Fresno deserves to be treated with respect.
South Central Fresno needs to be allowed to continue to raise bright, healthy, contributing members of society. Please, for the sake of disadvantaged communities, stop industrial growth in South Central Fresno. Keep our communities safe and healthy!
Again, I urge you to please deny Annexation Application No.P21-05778, Pre-zone Application No. P21-05870, and Development Permit Application No. P23-00149 to protect the community of South Central Fresno from continued industrial growth in our backyards.
Rosa DePew