Exhibit K
Fresno Municipal Code Findings
1 FRESNO MUNICIPAL CODE FINDINGS
West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan
Plan Amendment and Rezone Application P22-01353
Plan Amendment and Rezone Findings
Section 15-5812 of the Fresno Municipal Code provides that the Planning Commission shall not recommend and the City Council shall not approve an application unless the proposed Rezone or Plan Amendment meets the following criteria:
Criteria A: The change is consistent with the General Plan goals and policies, any operative plan, or adopted policy; and,
Finding A: The proposed project is found to be consistent with all applicable goals, objectives, and policies of the Fresno General Plan (including the Housing Element). The Specific Plan contains proposed land uses that are different than those on Figure LU-1 and Figure LU -2 of the General Plan, thus a General Plan amendment is included to ensure consistency between both documents. The West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan is an anticipated refinement of the General Plan (page 3- 20; Policy D- 7-b). Consistency with multiple Elements of the General Plan is detailed below.
Economic Development. This Element focuses on a balanced economic strategy for the city. The Plan can be found to be consistent with, and help implement, the following Objectives:
- Objective ED -1: Support economic development by maintaining a strong working relationship with the business community and improving the business climate for current and future businesses. - Objective ED -2: Support local business start -ups and encourage innovation by improving access to resources and capital and help overcome obstacles hampering economic development.
- Objective ED-3: Attract and recruit businesses and offer incentives for economic development.
- Objective ED -4: Cultivate a skilled, educated, and well -trained workforce by increasing educational attainment and the relevant job skill levels in order to appeal to local and non-local businesses.
The Plan seeks to increase the development of local uses that will help residents meet their daily needs. This includes local -serving retail and healthcare options (see LUH Goal 3 and related Policies). The Plan also features land uses where higher education facilities can be located and it encourages the development of adaptable buildings that can support smaller, start-up businesses (See page 113 of the Plan).
2 Urban Form, Land Use, and Design. This Element envisions the West Development Area to develop with complete neighborhoods that are integrated with the urbanized area to the east via multimodal infrastructure and transit. Creating complete neighborhoods is a core value and goal of the Fresno General Plan, and this is carried into the Specific Plan as well. - Objective UF-1: Emphasize the opportunity for a diversity of districts, neighborhoods, and housing types.
- Objective UF -14: Create an urban form that facilitates multi -modal connectivity.
Through its land use arrangements and supportive policies, the Plan seeks to provide for a diversity of housing types, locating transit - supportive housing along transit routes, and is paired with infrastructure policies that facilitate enhanced multimodal connectivity (see LUH Goal 6 and Policy LUH 6.1; LUH Goal 4 and associated Policies; Policy LUH 1.4; Policy PF 1.4; and IPR Goal 1 and related Policies).
- Objective LU-1: Establish a comprehensive citywide land use planning strategy to meet economic development objectives, achieve efficient and equitable use of resources and infrastructure, and create an attractive living environment.
- Objective LU -2: Plan for infill development that includes a range of housing types, building forms, and land uses to meet the needs of both current and future residents.
- Objective LU -5: Plan for a diverse housing stock that will support balanced urban growth and make efficient use of resources and public facilities.
- Objective LU -6: Retain and enhance existing commercial areas to strengthen Fresno’s economic base and site new office, retail, and lodging use districts to serve neighborhoods and regional visitors. - Objective LU -8: Provide for the development of civic and institutional land uses to meet the educational, medical, social, economic, cultural, and religious needs of the community.
- Objective LU-9: Plan land uses, design, and development intensities to supplement and support, and not compete with, the Downtown.
The Plan process was intended to be a refinement of Fresno General Plan goals to the specific needs of the West Area and still serves as part of the comprehensive land use planning strategy for the city to meet its many goals. This includes planning for a range of housing types and building forms (see LUH Goal 6 and Land Use Map) that would develop over time in an orderly fashion (see LUH Goal 1 and related Policies). It also places emphasis on the creation of new and much- needed neighborhood-serving uses, such as retail and medical facilities (see Land Use Map and LUH Goal 3 and its related Policies). With a focus on neighborhood- serving amenities, the Plan does not compete with the primacy of Downtown.
3 - Objective D -1: Provide and maintain an urban image that creates a “sense of place” throughout Fresno.
- Objective D -2: Enhance the visual image of all "gateway" routes entering the Fresno Planning Area.
- Objective D -5: Maintain and improve community appearance through programs that prevent and abate blighting influences.
- Objective D -6: Encourage design that celebrates and supports the cultural and ethnic diversity of Fresno.
The Plan includes policies to create a desirable urban image that reflects the unique history and traits of the West Area, including through the promotion of scenic gateways to Fresno and proposal to develop landscape and art strategies for neighborhoods within the Plan Area (see IPR Goal 2 and associated policies and discussion on Catalytic Corridors on page 44 of the Plan). The Plan is also supportive of continuing programs that help homeowners with upkeep of their residences (see Policy LUH 6.4).
Mobility and Transportation . This Element envisions a multi -modal transportation system and complete streets that serve all city residents.
The Plan maintains this vision for the West Area, where a top priority is roadway improvement (including sidewalk, curb, gutter, and bike lanes). - Objective MT -1: Create and maintain a transportation system that is safe, efficient, provides access in an equitable manner, and optimizes travel by all modes.
- Objective MT -6: Establish a network of multi -purpose pedestrian and bicycle paths, as well as limited access trails, to link residential areas to local and regional open spaces and recreation areas and urban Activity Centers in order to enhance Fresno's recreational amenities and alternative transportation options.
- Objective MT-8: Provide public transit options that serve existing and future concentrations of residences, employment, recreation, and civic uses and are feasible, efficient, safe, and minimize environmental impacts.
As a primary concern for West Area residents, the Plan contains many policies to support the development of safe, reliable, multimodal, and well - connected transportation infrastructure. This includes supporting the development of priority areas to reduce infrastructure gaps, increasing connectivity to schools, and placing a higher emphasis on the pedestrian experience in a place where many sidewalks are missing (see Goals IPR 1 and IPR 2 and related Policies). The Plan also calls for more support to develop planned trails (see Policies PF 1.7, PF 1,10, and PF 1.13).
Finally, the Plan encourages the use of public transit by arranging land uses to support transit ridership (see Land Use Map) and through focused policies to enhance transit stops and working with schools and large 4 employers to provide transit passes to students or employees (see Policies IPR 1.8, IPR 1.10, and IPR 1.11).
Parks, Open Space and Schools . This Element contains standards for acres of parkland per population and contains policies that support urban greening and walkable access to parks.
- Objective POSS -1: Provide an expanded, high quality and diversified park system, allowing for varied recreational opportunities for the entire Fresno community.
- Objective POSS -2: Ensure that adequate land, in appropriate locations, is designated and acquired for park and recreation uses in infill and growth areas.
- Objective POSS -3: Ensure that park and recreational facilities make the most efficient use of land; that they are designed and managed to provide for the entire Fresno community; and that they represent positive examples of design and energy conservation.
- Objective POSS-7: Support the San Joaquin River Conservancy in its collaborative, multiagency efforts to develop the San Joaquin River Parkway.
- Objective POSS -8: Work cooperatively with school districts to find appropriate locations for schools to meet the needs of students and neighborhoods.
The Plan analyzes parks in the Plan Area with the same standards as the Fresno General Plan and includes policies upholding Development Code standards for the creation of green space in new developments and co- locating in an efficient manner with school sites (see PF Goal 1 and PF Goal 2 and related Policies). The Plan also supports improved access to the San Joaquin River (see Policies PF 1.7, PF 1.12, and PF 1.13).
Public Utilities and Services. This Element provides a policy framework for the City to manage infrastructure and services, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that public utilities and services meet the needs of the community as the city grows.
- Objective PU -1: Provide the level of law enforcement and crime prevention services necessary to maintain a safe, secure, and stable urban living environment through a Police Department that is dedicated to providing professional, ethical, efficient, and innovative service with integrity, consistency, and pride.
- Objective PU -2: Ensure that the Fire Department’s staffing and equipment resources are sufficient to meet all fire and emergency service level objectives and are provided in an efficient and cost - effective manner.
- Objective PU -8: Manage and develop the City’s water facilities on a strategic timeline basis that recognizes the long- life cycle of the assets and the duration of the resources, to ensure a safe, economical, and 5 reliable water supply for existing customers and planned urban development and economic diversification.
The Plan encourages the location of first responder facilities to meet efficiency and community safety goals and discourages new development outside of available service coverage areas (see PF Goal 4 and related Policies). The Plan continues to uphold the need for proper management and preservation of water resources (see IPR Goal 3 and related policies).
Resource Conservation and Resilience. This Element establishes objectives and policies for the conservation of natural resources in Fresno and to develop resiliency to disruption in resources that may impact everyday life.
- Objective RC- 1: Make efficient use of existing and future public infrastructure.
- Objective RC-2: Promote land uses that conserve resources.
The Plan promotes efficient infrastructure by encouraging multimodal uses and co-location of community-serving uses (see Goals IPR 1, PF 2, PF 3, and PF 4 and related Policies). The Plan also promotes conservation of natural resources such as the San Joaquin River and agricultural resources (see page 86 of the Plan and LUH Goal 2 and related Policies).
Historic and Cultural Resources. The purpose of this Element is to provide policy guidance to protect, preserve, and enhance the city’s cultural and historic resources.
- Objective HCR-2: Identify and preserve Fresno’s historic and cultural resources that reflect important cultural, social, economic, and architectural features so that residents will have a foundation upon which to measure and direct physical change.
Although there is currently only one designated historic resource in the Plan Area (the José Garcia Adobe), The Plan recognizes that there is potential to discover or recognize additional historic resources in the Area and that efforts should be made to protect them (see Policy PF 1.14).
Healthy Communities. This Element focuses on the relationships between the built, natural, and social environments and community health and wellness outcomes, such as death, chronic disease, and the effects of drug abuse and crime.
- Objective HC- 2: Create complete, well -structured, and healthy neighborhoods and transportation systems.
- Objective HC-3: Create healthy, safe, and affordable housing. - Objective HC-4: Improve property maintenance.
- Objective HC-5: Promote access to healthy and affordable food. 6 - Objective HC-6: Improve access to schools and their facilities for the community.
A core value of the Plan is to create complete neighborhoods, with access to daily needs such as healthy groceries, parks, and efficient and active transportation systems- all within one’s own neighborhood (see PF Goal 5, LUH Goal 3, LUH Goal 6, and respective related Policies). The Plan also calls for the development of a wide array of housing types to serve people of all incomes and life- stages, and to provide residents access to resources to help maintain their homes (see LUH Goal 6 and related Policies).
Criteria B: The change is consistent with the purpose of the Development Code to promote the growth of the city in an orderly and sustainable manner and to promote and protect the public health, safety, peace, comfort, and general welfare; and,
Finding B: The proposed project is consistent with the purpose of the Development Code to promote growth of the city in an orderly and sustainable manner, and to promote and protect the public health safety, peace, comfort , and general welfare. The goals, policies and implementation strategies of the Plan are designed to promote and protect the public health, safety, peace, comfort and general welfare of the people living and working in and around the Plan area. T he Plan relies on the adopted Development Code to implement its goals and policies. The Plan asks for consideration of future changes to the Development Code that would help implement Goals and Policies of the Plan, however these changes would occur under a separate Text Amendment process.
Criteria C: The change is necessary to achieve the balance of land uses desired by the City and to provide sites for needed housing or employment - generating uses, consistent with the General Plan, any applicable operative plan, or adopted policy; and to increase the inventory of land within a given zoning district to meet market demand.
Finding C: The change in land use will achieve a balance of land uses desired by the City, reflecting the desires of community members within the Plan Area.
The Plan retains housing capacity while establishing a transect model to focus growth on transit -served corridors, which is consistent with the General Plan; it will also provide more opportunities for retail uses, which are desired by the community.