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FRESNO MUNICIPAL CODE 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 Criteria A, B and C as shown below. .
Criteria A: The change is consistent with the General Plan goals and policies, any operative plan, or adopted policy;
Finding A: The Southeast Development Area Specific Plan is in alignment with the goals and objectives of the Fresno General Plan, which provide specific standards for development of the Southeast Development Area. Elements of the General Plan in which the Specific Plan is in compliance are detailed below.
Economic Development and Fiscal Sustainability. This Element focuses on improving the business climate, retaining local businesses, developing a high-skilled labor force, attracting new industries, supporting the tax base and sustaining the City’s ability to provide public services for current and future residents. - 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-5: Achieve fiscal sustainability.
The Economic Opportunity (EO) chapter of the SEDA Plan seeks to expand the economic base and fiscal sustainability of the City by supporting high sales, property values and employment intensity per acre for economic development in key locations throughout the Southeast Development Area. Policies within the Plan focus on attracting office-based employment while promoting the growth of manufacturing, distribution and research and development employment (see Objective EO-5 and Policies EO-5.1, EO-5.2 and EO-5.3). In addition, one of the key elements within the Specific Plan is to achieve fiscal responsibility by providing a self-financing mechanism for the development and maintenance of the Southeast Development Area.
Urban Form, Land Use, and Design. This Element focuses on establishing a structural framework for the city, enhancing the character of neighborhoods and districts, creating vibrant centers of activity and a public realm that is engaging and livable. - Objective UF-1: Emphasize the opportunity for a diversity of districts, neighborhoods, and housing types.
- Objective UF-13: Locate roughly one-half of future residential development in the Growth Areas—defined as unincorporated land as of December 31, 2012 SOI— which are to be developed with Complete Neighborhoods that include housing, services, and recreation; mixed-use centers; or along future BRT corridors. - Objective UF-14: Create an urban form that facilitates multi-modal connectivity. 503680v1
Through its introduction of new land uses, such as the Town Center concepts, the Specific Plan will provide for a diversity of housing types surrounded by more compact, walkable and bikeable communities where schools, goods and services are easily accessible (see Chapter 2 – Urban Form). As identified in the Fresno General Plan’s buildout numbers, approximately 1/3 of the SEDA’s residential capacity (approximately 15,000 dwelling units) are included to accommodate Fresno’s anticipated 2035 population.
- 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-7: Plan and support industrial development to promote job growth.
As mentioned above, the Plan focuses on compact development by introducing new residential land uses such as Neighborhood Town Centers, Mixed Residential, Neighborhood Residential, Rural Residential and Rural Cluster Residential. Each of these new land uses provide for a diversity in housing types from higher to medium density, while also preserving the existing single-family nature of existing rural residential communities within the Southeast Development Area. In addition, the Plan also concentrates Office Center and Flexible Research and Development, which incorporate light industrial and manufacturing uses, in the southern quadrants of the SEDA located at a distance from existing residential neighborhoods.
Mobility and Transportation. This Element provides an efficient, multi-modal transportation system that will meet the needs of all residents. - Objective MT-4: Establish and maintain a continuous, safe and easily accessible bikeways system throughout the metropolitan area to reduce vehicle use, improve air quality and the quality of life, and provide public health benefits. - Objective MT-5: Establish a well-integrated network of pedestrian facilities to accommodate safe, convenient, practical, and inviting travel by walking, including for those with physical mobility and vision impairments. - Objective MT-8: Provide public transit options that serve existing and future concentrations of residents, employment, recreation and civic uses and are feasible, efficient, safe, and minimize environmental impacts.
As Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) on our roads is increasing, the SEDA Plan seeks to reduce VMT by locating homes, schools and jobs in proximity to one another and by providing high quality amenities for walking, biking and transit. The SEDA Plan designs Town Centers with pedestrian-oriented streets, blocks, buildings and public spaces, while simultaneously including a transportation network based on a high-density grid system to provide easy-access to public transportation (see Policy UF-2.3). Streets will incorporate high-capacity public transit and safe bicycle and pedestrian routes to create a network of bicycle-priority “Bicycle Boulevards” (see Objective UF-5).
Parks, Open Space and Schools. This Element aims to provide special places that support a sense of community and are vital to creating a livable and sustainable Fresno. 503680v1
- 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-8: Work cooperatively with school districts to find appropriate locations for schools to meet the needs of students and neighborhoods.
As part of the Plan, specific locations for major school facilities would be identified to ensure the City and school districts work together closely in all high, middle and elementary school siting and facilities planning processes to ensure that school site, size and design decisions respond optimally to community needs (see Policy OS-7.1).
The Plan also includes policies pertaining to the location and accessibility of schools, by siting educational facilities in proximity to homes, transit and civic amenities to promote walk, transit and bike trips (see Policy OS-8.1).
Public Utilities and Services. This Element focuses on providing a 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-4: Ensure provision of adequate trunk sewer and collector main capacities to serve existing and planned urban development, consistent with the Wastewater Master Plan.
To adequately and efficiently serve development in the SEDA, the Plan identifies the need for water, wastewater and recycled water infrastructure planning and construction to occur prior to new development in the SEDA and for water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure to be provided to serve development in the SEDA (see Objective OS-14). The Plan also calls on the need to evaluate potential wastewater treatment and infrastructure needs necessary to meet Southeast Development Area demand and require treatment facilities to separate wastewater solids for energy generation and water for irrigation in the SEDA (see Policy RC-6.2). Analyses of infrastructure requirements for water, wastewater and stormwater systems are also included in technical studies that are appended to the SEDA Program EIR and are also incorporated into this plan by reference.
Resource Conservation and Resilience. This Element addresses air resources, including air quality and greenhouse gas emissions; water resources, including groundwater and waterways; energy resources; and land resources, including farmland and mineral resources.
- Objective RC-2: Promote land uses that conserve resources - Objective RC-4: In cooperation with other jurisdictions and agencies in the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin, take necessary actions to achieve and maintain compliance with State and federal air quality standards for criteria pollutants. - Objective RC-5: In cooperation with other jurisdictions and agencies in the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin, take timeline, necessary, and the most cost-effective actions to achieve and maintain reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and all strategies that reduce the causes of climate change in order to limit and prevent 503680v1
the related potential detrimental effects upon public health and welfare of present and future residents of the Fresno community.
- Objective RC-7: Promote water conservation through standards, incentives and capital investments.
- Objective RC-8: Reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy resources by requiring and encouraging conservation measures and the use of alternative energy sources.
The SEDA Plan is consistent with the California Air Resource Board’s 2022 Scoping Plan for the reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and statewide reduction targets in that it promotes energy conservation strategies by considering the development of an incentive program for the SEDA for new buildings that exceed the California Energy Code by 15%. The Plan also encourages compliance with voluntary energy conservation certification programs such as LEED, EnergyStar or Greenpoint Rating systems (see Policy RC-1.4). In further compliance with statewide targets set for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, the Plan incorporates compact development to provide more housing, conserve resources and reduce travel distances. The Plan also focuses Town Centers in the SEDA as mixed-use districts located along High-Quality Transit Corridors, while also providing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure such as sidewalks, paths and direct connections to neighboring uses to increase the potential for people to make trips on foot, bicycle or transit instead of by car (see Policy RC-1.1). In addition, the Plan requires reinforcement of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s Rule 9410 by requiring a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan prior to issuance of certificates of occupancy at employer sites with 100 or more employees (see Policy RC-1.3).
Historic and Cultural Resources. This Element provides 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.
The Plan aims to identify and protect significant structures, sites and landscapes within the Southeast Development Area. Further supporting objectives of the Fresno General Plan stipulate that for all activities in the SEDA meeting the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) definition of a project, the City shall ensure a qualified professional archaeologist and historian or architectural historian has conducted focused surveys of the project site before issuing grading permits (see Policy CR-3.1). The Plan also calls for the incorporation of historic sites, infrastructure and landscape features into new developments in order to conserve resources and preserve the area’s vernacular landscape and sense of place (see Policy CR-3.6).
Housing. This Element provides residents, public officials, and the general public with an understanding of the city’s housing needs and the goals, policies and programs that have been developed to help meet those needs.
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- Objective H-1: Provide adequate sites for housing development to accommodate a range of housing by type, size, location, price, and tenure. - Objective H-2: Assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of extremely low-, very low-, and moderate-income households.
The Southeast Development Area Plan calls for higher densities across all residential and mixed-use areas except Rural Residential and Rural Cluster Residential.
Residential development in the SEDA will exceed conventional suburban development densities and will provide for a greater spectrum of housing types and affordability levels. To provide adequate sites for housing, the Plan emphasizes compatibility between uses by providing for urban edge transitions that protect existing rural residential and agricultural uses from new development (see Policy HC-1.6). The Plan further encourages the inclusion of housing opportunities which provide for a range and diversity of housing types with a focus on affordable housing where the City can seek to provide funding assistance and partnership support to encourage the construction of new affordable housing within the SEDA to meet housing needs (see Policy HC-2.1). In order to secure affordability, the Plan also focuses on maintaining long-term affordability by using covenants and deeds, equity sharing and other mechanisms (see Policy HC-
2.5).
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 account for anticipated growth in a compact, efficient 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. The Plan relies on the adopted Development Code to implement its goals and policies, however, the Plan calls for future changes to the zone districts in the Development Code that would help implement the land uses (including density and intensity), goals and policies of the Plan under a 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 is consistent with the Fresno General Plan in that it will contribute to achieving a balance between infill and greenfield growth. The General Plan includes Development area DA-3 Southeast and DA-4 East as new growth areas anticipated to begin to accommodate new development during the planning horizon of the general plan. Specifically, the General Plan anticipates approximately 15,000 dwelling units of capacity would be available by 2035, with the remaining 30,000 units of capacity becoming available after that time. In addition, it will accommodate up to 503680v1
30,000 to 37,000 jobs at buildout. It will provide more opportunities for retail uses, office employment and light industrial and manufacturing uses in order to attract high-quality and revenue generating businesses that will stimulate the local economy, and provide jobs, housing and shopping in close proximity to create walkable, complete communities with lower vehicle miles traveled.
Furthermore, to support infill development, a number of Community and Specific Plans within City limits have either been completed or are currently underway, including the Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan, Southwest Fresno Specific Plan and Fulton Corridor Specific Plan, Tower District Specific Plan, West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan, Central Southeast Specific Plan and South Central Specific Plan.