CONSIDERATION OF
PLAN AMENDMENT & REZONE APPLICATION
NO. P23-03006;
AND
THE RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING
FOR ADDENDUM TO FINAL PROGRAM EIR
(SCH NO. 2017031012) FOR THE
SOUTHWEST FRESNO SPECIFIC PLAN
PRESENTATION BY:ROB HOLT,SUPERVISING PLANNER
CITY COUNCIL HEARING | JUNE 18, 2026ID 26-830
AERIAL MAP
Project Area Boundary CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
E ANNADALE AVE
S ELM AVE
E NORTH AVE
STATE ROUTE 41
EXISTING LAND USE MAP
Project Area Boundary
E ANNADALE AVE
E NORTH AVE
S ELM AVE
STATE ROUTE 41
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
PLAN AMENDMENT-REZONE (P20-01665)
• Originally zoned IL prior to
SWFSP , changed to NMX
(October 2017).
• October 13, 2022, City
Council approved area
bounded by Annadale /
SR 41 / Elm / Vine to IL w/
conditions of zoning.
(approx. 37.21 acres)
• Policy LU-8.1 of SWFSP
amended
E ANNADALE AVES ELM AVE
SR 41
E VINE AVE
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
PROJECT
Plan Amendment
• Change planned land use of subject area from Neighborhood Mixed-Use to Employment – Light Industrial.
• Amend SWFSP Policy LU-8.1 to Plan and zone employment areas in Southwest Fresno for non-industrial businesses. All previously designated Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Business Park, and Regional Business Park land uses should be planned and zoned Office, except for the area bounded by Vine Avenue on the north, State Route 41 on the east, Elm Avenue on the west, and Annadale Avenue the East Chester/Samson Avenue alignment on the south, in order to allow the continuation of legally established and non-polluting uses established and operating uses as of February 18, 2021.
Rezone
• Change zone district of subject area from NMX (Neighborhood Mixed-Use) to IL/cz (Light Industrial/conditions of zoning).
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
SB 330/SB 8
• Limitations on Plan Amendments/Rezones to less intensive use:
• NMX maximum residential density at 64 du/ac.
• ±55.31 acres at 16 du/ac (as of January 1, 2018) = Net Residential Capacity Loss of 850 dwelling units.
• Needs concurrent Plan Amendment/Rezone that offsets / increases Net Residential Capacity Loss at same City Council Hearing.
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Neighborhood Meeting on November 6, 2023.
• 2,000-foot buffer notice
• 40 participants
• Concerns included potential pollution production, noise, odor, waste, traffic, and counterplan for brownfield
• Ultimately residents were not in support of proposed plan amendment and rezone
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
COUNCIL DISTRICT PRC MEETING
Council District 3 Project Review Committee Meeting on October 22, 2024.
Concerns of Committee
• Health of nearby residents and community supersedes number of jobs created from businesses.
• Why are changes to planned land use needed if no changes to development of site are needed?
Concerns of Public
• Industrial uses have elevated infant mortality rate with increased pollution. • Resident developed asthma since moving from Denver, CO. • Primary concern is for health of Southwest Fresno Residents. • Want Southwest Fresno to be productive, bring in development like grocery stores.
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
Planning Commission meeting held on April 16, 2025.
• Four (4) members of the public in support, citing that it is currently difficult to obtain insurance for uses not currently in compliance with zoning and that the change would promote job retention and economic growth. • 17 members of the public in opposition, citing concerns of the project including previous redlining of the community, 20 year reduction of life expectancy, pollution, quality of life, the CEQA documentation not being routed, increase of health risk, such as asthma, and lack of noticing transparency.
The Planning Commission recommended denial of the project to City Council, 3 votes to 1.
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
City Council meetings held on April 24, 2025, June 12, 2025, and March 19, 2026. • April 24, 2025: Removed from Agenda at request of the applicant. • June 12, 2025: Removed from Agenda (tabled) by Councilmember Perea. • March 19, 2026: Tabled by Councilmember Arias.
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
FINDINGS
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:
A. The change is consistent with the General Plan goals and policies, any operative plan, or adopted policy;
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, 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.
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830
RECOMMENDATION
• DENY the Addendum to Final Program EIR (SCH No. 2017031012) for the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan, dated February 10, 2025, for the proposed project pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15164.
• DENY Plan Amendment Application No. P23-03006 proposing to amend the Fresno General Plan and the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan to change the planned land use designation for the subject properties from Neighborhood Mixed-Use to Employment – Light Industrial and amendment to Policy LU-8.1 of the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan.
• DENY Rezone Application No. P23-03006 proposing to rezone the subject properties from the NMX (Neighborhood Mixed-Use) zone district to the IL/cz (Light Industrial/conditions of zoning) zone district.
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
JUNE 18, 2026 | ID 26-830