City of Fresno, Airports Department
Properties Division
4995 E. Clinton Way
Fresno, CA 93727
NOTICE OF EXEMPTION
July 30, 2026
Project
Name: Approval of Lease Agreement with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT).
Project Number:
Project Location: 5055 E. Andersen, Fresno, CA 93727, Fresno Yosemite International Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN): 49407167T Description of Project: Since 1962 the FAA has provided Air Traffic Controllers on site at the ATCT constructed by the City for air safety and security at Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT). The current lease started in 1987 and ended in 2009. FAA has been in holdover for 17 years. During that time the FAA and the City have had negotiations on and off to come up with a new agreement. During this time the City was also trying to obtain funds to build a new ATCT. The FAA and City have worked to create a new agreement on the existing ATCT until the new ATCT is built and operational at FAT.
That should happen in the next ten years. Under the Lease Agreement, FAA will continue to solely occupy and operate the ATCT. The City will continue with required maintenance as agreed upon between the parties. The new agreement will be effective until September 30, 2036, or when the new ATCT is built and operational, whichever occurs first. This Lease with FAA is identified as the proposed project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This Lease would result in the use of an existing airport terminal facility and would not result in alteration of the existing building’s footprint or result in a significant increase in capacity of use. No additional direct or indirect physical environmental impacts are anticipated.
Name of Public Agency Approving Project: City of Fresno, Airports Department Name of Person or Agency Carrying Out Project: City of Fresno, Airports Department, Properties Division
Exempt Status: State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Class 1, Existing Facilities Exemption.
Reasons Why Project is Exempt: The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA specifically by the State CEQA Guidelines as identified below. The project will not result in
FOR COUNTY CLERK USE ONLY
any specific or general exceptions to the use of the categorical exemption as detailed under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The project will not cause an impact to an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern, nor would the project involve unusual circumstances that could potentially have a significant effect on the environment. The project would not result in impacts to scenic highways, hazardous waste sites, historic resources, or other sensitive natural environments, or have a cumulative effect to the environment. No significant environmental impacts are anticipated to occur with the Lease, permitting continued use of an existing building. x Section 15301 – Class 1 Existing Facilities Exemption: This categorical exemption includes the operation, repair, maintenance, leasing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures or facilities, provided the exemption only involves negligible or no expansion of the previous site’s use. The project, as proposed, is limited to a Lease Agreement with FAA for continued use of the ATCT at FAT, which is needed to airspace at FAT safe and secure. The use of the facility by FAA would be consistent with the current land use and would not require any expansion of public services and facilities; therefore, the project is exempt as the project meets the scope and intent of the Class 1 Exemption identified in Section 15301, Article 19, Categorical Exemptions of the CEQA Guidelines.
Therefore, the City of Fresno, Airports Department hereby concludes that no physical environmental impacts are anticipated to occur and the project as proposed is exempt under CEQA. No further environmental analysis is warranted.
07/30/2026
Francisco Partida, Assistant Director of Aviation
City of Fresno, Airports Department