Selma City Council
October 14, 2024

CITY MANAGER’S/STAFF’S REPORT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING:

ITEM NO: 1.

SUBJECT: Downtown Strategic Plan Draft Document Review Workshop BACKGROUND:

A downtown strategic plan is a focused roadmap that outlines specific goals, strategies, and priorities for revitalizing and developing a downtown area. It differs from other planning documents by concentrating on the unique needs and opportunities of the central business district, often shaped by community input. While some plans may provide detailed regulations and guidelines for land use and development, a strategic plan offers broader direction, setting a vision and priorities to guide future decision-making.

In November, staff held a kick-off meeting with Raimi and Associates to initiate the Downtown Strategic Plan project. Internal coordination began to gather key background information necessary for the infrastructure, market, and Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analyses for downtown Selma.

Stakeholder meetings and interviews led by Raimi and Associates (Raimi) began during the week of January 22nd. An in-person workshop with the Downtown BID featured an introductory presentation outlining the purpose of the plan, its alignment with existing city initiatives, and its connection to other city-wide efforts, such as the rebranding project and zoning ordinance update. The presentation also provided information on the plan's timeline and details about the charrette process.

Following this, Raimi and AMI Concepts organized a public open house at the Arts Center Lobby. During this four-hour event, group interviews were conducted with downtown property and business owners, while walk-ins were welcomed to ask questions and provide input. Additional interviews were conducted by Raimi via phone.

To ensure broad community participation, a two-day charrette studio was opened to the public at the Selma Library on May 18-19, 2024, which allowed community members and stakeholders to engage with the planning process at their convenience. The charrette included an opening presentation followed by an interactive design session where community members could provide input. Design boards were displayed featuring different elements of the October 14, 2024
downtown plan, and participants were invited to rank their favorites and leave comments.

The event concluded with a public presentation of the initial findings and community feedback.

Raimi has worked closely with City staff to incorporate community feedback into a priority plan, which is articulated in the Downtown Strategic Plan. This plan is a comprehensive roadmap that outlines key goals, strategies, and priorities for revitalizing and developing downtown Selma. It focuses on the unique needs and opportunities of the downtown area, setting a vision and priorities to guide future development and decision-making.

DISCUSSION:

The Strategic Plan includes the following components:
• Background and Context: Overview of the plan’s development process and the current state of Downtown Selma.
• Challenges, Constraints, and Opportunities: A detailed analysis of the physical and economic challenges affecting downtown revitalization, along with a description of its key assets and opportunities.
• Placemaking Strategies: Recommendations for gateway treatments, street reconfigurations, and the creation of public spaces.
• Branding and Marketing Strategies: Approaches to enhance the identity and visibility of Downtown Selma.
• Economic Strategies: Insights from the market and retail analysis that reflect current trends and the future vision of the downtown area, in alignment with the creation of the Downtown Selma Business Improvement District.
• Implementation Measures: Actionable steps to carry out the recommendations and strategies outlined in the plan.

The Raimi and Associates team will present the latest version of the Downtown Strategic Plan. This version incorporates extensive input from community members, stakeholders, and previous council discussions.

As we approach the final stages of this process, we are seeking the valuable input of the City Council, Planning Commission, and BID Advisory Board to ensure the plan fully aligns with the communities’ vision and priorities. Feedback will be incorporated into the final draft before the plan is brought forward for adoption.

FISCAL IMPACT: The cost of the full scope of work for this plan is $150,000.00, which is being funded by the TOD Grant awarded to the City of Selma. ______________________________________________________________________________ RECOMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council, Planning Commission, and the Downtown BID provide final input on the Downtown Strategic Plan following a presentation by the Raimi and Associates team.
___/s/_______________________________________ 10/07/24_____ Alicia Aguirre, Economic Development Manager Date
___/s/_______________________________________ 10/07/24 _ Jerome Keene, Deputy City Manager Date
____/s/______________________________________ 10/07/24_____ Fernando Santillan City Manager Date

SELMA DOWNTOWN

STRATEGIC PLAN

PUBLIC DRAFT
SEPTEMBER 2024

SELMA DOWNTOWN

STRATEGIC PLAN

PUBLIC DRAFT
OCTOBER 2024
Contents
Downtown's Changing Role 5
↘ The Evolution of Downtown 8
↘ Downtown Selma Today 11
↘ Strategic Plan Charrette 15
Priority Projects 17
↘ Downtown Core Streetscape Plan 19
↘ 2nd Street Gateway 25
↘ More Food and Beverage Options 27
↘ Safer Streets and Intersections 30
↘ Union Pacific Right-of-Way Activation 33
↘ Lincoln Park Playscape 36
↘ New Development 38
Strategies and Actions 33
↘ Strategy #1: Create a Strong Identity and Sense of Place 41 ↘ Strategy #2: Activate the Downtown 44
↘ Strategy #3: Safe Streets and Connected Pathways 47
↘ Strategy #4: Leadership and Administration 49
Implementation and Funding 55
↘ Summary of Funding Sources 54
↘ Alignment of Funding Sources with Priority Projects 59 ↘ Implementation 61
4 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
2 SELMA DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN
DOWNTOWN’S

CHANGING ROLE
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 5
3 Figure 1 Local Context
Selma Downtown Area Union Pacific Railroad Freeway
6 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

1. United States Census Bureau. “QuickFacts Selma city, California.” https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/selmacitycalifornia/INT100222.

The City of Selma, located in Fresno County, is
home to approximately 24,674 people.1 The City’s
economy is anchored by its agricultural sector, a
regional auto mall, and resident- and visitor-serving
retail and services. As shown in Figure 1, California
State Route 99 (SR-99) runs through the city to the
west of Downtown.

Downtown Selma is a few blocks east of SR-99 and
spans the Union Pacific railroad tracks. Downtown
Selma is an approximately 65-acre area located
in the center of the City of Selma. The Study Area
is roughly bounded by 3rd Street, McCall Avenue,
Arrants Street, and West Front Street.

Figure 2 Downtown Selma Study Area Map
Source: City of Selma (2024), ESRI (2024), Maxar, Earthstar Geographics Selma Downtown Area Union Pacific Railroad Freeway
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 7
2 SELMA DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN
The Evolution of Downtown

EARLY BEGINNINGS
Selma was originally inhabited by the Yokut Native
American tribe. The area later attracted European
settlers in the mid-19th century, primarily due to its
fertile soil. The creation of Mill Ditch in the late 1800s played a significant role in the history and development of Selma. The construction of this irrigation canal
allowed settlers to cultivate crops in the region and
facilitated the expansion of agriculture in Selma and
the surrounding area. The availability of water attracted farmers and entrepreneurs to the area, leading to
the establishment of businesses, schools, and other
community institutions.

The town of Selma was founded in 1880, concurrent with
the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Originally founded as a farming and railroad community, the town
was situated around the Central Pacific Railroad line
and the present-day Downtown area Figure 2.2,3 The
City’s agricultural economy is rooted in the production of wheat, peaches, plums, grapes, and cotton. As
the State highways were built, the city was further
connected with other towns throughout the Central
Valley, and its economic reach expanded. In the 1960s,
about 90% of the U.S. raisin production occurred within eight miles of Selma, contributing to the city’s adoption of the slogan “Raisin Capital of the World.”

2. “Downtown Selma.” San Joaquín Valley Regional Planning Agencies. https://sjvcogs.org/valleywide_activities/downtown-selma/.

3. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Selma, Fresno County, California. Sanborn Map Company, Apr, 1891. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn00849_002/. 8 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
3 A CENTER FOR COMMERCE AND SERVICES
Historically, Downtown Selma was the primary
location for shopping and services that served the
surrounding agricultural community. Many residents
in the area lived on farms and would “come into town”
for shopping, banking, sending or receiving packages,
and buying groceries. Downtown played this role in
the community from the founding of the City in 1893
through the early 1980s. During this time Downtown
featured several banks, pharmacies, women’s and
men’s clothing stores, a toy store, a fabric store, a
movie theater, multiple churches, a mortuary, a JC
Penny, multiple grocery stores, and a branch of the
Fresno County library system. Restaurants included
Fosters Freeze, Wilkins Drive-In, Cho’s Kitchen, Golden Dragon, and Herndon’s, a sit-down restaurant.

In the mid-1980s development expanded in the area
around Floral Avenue, Whitson Boulevard, and the
State 99 Freeway. Several auto-oriented shopping
centers were opened, including big box retailers
Walmart and Home Depot. The new development
in this area increased overall economic activity
in the City but drew a great deal of local retail and
food shopping away from the Downtown. Over time
the retail offerings on High Street and 2nd Street
decreased. The core service-based role of Downtown
continued, however, due to the presence of multiple
banks, pharmacies, newspaper offices, and the post
office. Nelson’s Hardware also continues to be a longterm business that both benefits from people visiting downtown for various errands and attracts people to
the area.

As a response to the decrease in activity and
economic activity in the area, a façade renovation
and streetscape project was completed in 1989. The
effort included improvement to the public right-ofway including tree planting throughout Downtown, installation of historic streetlights, adding brick
inlay to the sidewalks, and adding crosswalks. These
improvements breathed new life into the Downtown
area and continue to provide value nearly forty years
later. Over the years other improvements included
adding string lights to the street trees, creating
public parking lots, and sponsoring murals depicting
the history of Selma related to the introduction of
irrigation and the railway as economic drivers. Many
of these improvements remain in place today, while
others are in need of updates, repairs, or different
improvements in keeping with the current desired
character of the area.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 9
A Snapshot into Downtown's Bustling Past
2 1
4 3
5 ↘ 1. Bustling Selma
Depot and Exterior
of Eastside
Grammar School
↘ 2. Dry Day Parade
↘ 3. Blackman
Windmill Factory
↘ 4. Interior First
National Bank in
Downtown.
↘ 5. Business Street
and Lincoln Park
10 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Downtown Selma Today
Today, Downtown Selma continues to provide
valuable services to the Selma community. These
include banking, insurance, and real estate agents
and brokers, legal services, copying and duplication
services, medical services, and pharmacies. Other
businesses in the area include a grocery store, meat
shop, bakery, beauty and barber shops, computer repair, home decoration shop, bead store, several restaurants,
two dance schools, and a martial arts studio. While most buildings are occupied, the current level of economic
activity is low, with Downtown contributing just 2% of
the total annual sales tax revenue.

While not the major generator of sales tax revenue,
Downtown Selma is the historic heart of the City
and includes public agencies and assets including
City Hall, Police Station, and the County Library. It is important to Selma residents that the Downtown has
a strong identity and includes services, amenities,
and activities that draw people to the area.

Before the charrette, the consultant team prepared
a Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
(SWOT) analysis of the Downtown area. The SWOT
analysis was developed through discussions with
the Business Improvement District (BID) Board
and members at their January meeting, input from
community members at an open house held at the
Arts Center in January, and conversations with City
staff. A summary of the SWOT was included in the
opening presentation to establish the foundation for
the charrette activities and analysis.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 11
↘ Downtown does not have a cohesive identity.
↘ The removal of the street trees reduces shade and
deters people from spending time.
↘ Lighting was reduced when the trees were removed.
↘ Only a few businesses consistently draw people to
the area.
↘ Need more places that are social hubs for the
community.
↘ Lack of local entertainment and dining uses.
↘ Limited evening and nighttime dining options.
↘ Railroad tracks and Union Pacific-owned property
create a divide between the Downtown core and the
businesses to the south on Front Street.
↘ No Downtown sites and identified in the current
Housing Element.
↘ Concerns about safety.
↘ Code issues can make it difficult to encourage new
investment in existing buildings or change from
commercial to residential or mixed use.
↘ The Auto Center is Selma’s largest regional
attractor and a missed opportunity to attract that
customer base to Downtown based on physical and
psychological barriers, and inadequate pedestrian
infrastructure and wayfinding signage.
↘ Businesses in Downtown offer a wide range of
service businesses, including a grocery store.
↘ The Selma Arts Center generates activity all year
round and attracts people from the region.
↘ The 2nd Street exit from the Golden State Highway
leads directly into Downtown.
↘ Downtown has historic buildings, murals
showcasing City history, and a small-town
character.
↘ Most of the buildings are occupied, both ground
floor and upper floors.
↘ The majority of Downtown businesses and
properties are owned by residents of Selma.
↘ The street network is walkable and there are
bicyclist connections to nearby neighborhoods.
↘ There is an abundance of on-street parking stalls
and off-street parking lots.
↘ Lincoln Park hosts events that attract people to
Downtown Selma.

S STRENGTHS W WEAKNESSES
SWOT Analysis
12 SELMA DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN
↘ Continued shift of retail to online shopping can
result in vacant retail spaces.
↘ Increased high temperatures and duration of heat
waves.
↘ The regional shopping cluster around Floral
Avenue and SR-99 pulls business away from the
Downtown.
↘ Loss of the banks that support foot traffic and
add to the diversity of reasons why people go to
Downtown could have an ancillary effect on other
businesses.
↘ Deferred maintenance and need for upgrades to
the building façade.
↘ Security concerns related to the homeless
population.
↘ Retail activity is concentrated outside of
Downtown.
↘ Subregional competition for discretionary income
with Kingsburg, Reedley, Fowler, and other nearby
communities.
↘ Nearby communities pursuing new development
that reduces economic activity currently occurring
in Selma.
↘ Create a cohesive character and identity.
↘ Embrace and celebrate the community’s diversity.
↘ Create an attractive gateway into the city on
2nd Street.
↘ Replace the street trees and add shade structures.
↘ Consistent color scheme and branding.
↘ Increase activity in Lincoln Park.
↘ Create more short-term events with food vendors
on High Street between 1st or North Streets.
↘ Landscape or provide community uses on the
Union Pacific-owned property.
↘ Locations for mixed-use residential development.
↘ Tight supply of retail and office space indicates
demand for the area by local businesses.
↘ Low housing vacancy rate creates opportunities
for new housing and/or mixed-use development.
↘ Young residents and high labor force utilization
can support Downtown activity.
↘ Repurpose retail spaces with dining,
entertainment, and other uses that generate
foot traffic.
↘ Direct people visiting the Auto Mall to the
Downtown stores and restaurants

O OPPORTUNITIES T THREATS
SELMA DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN 13

ECONOMIC & MARKET CONDITIONS
The City of Selma has a population of around 24,400
residents. Over 5,200 live in the Census Tract (71.02)
that includes the Downtown area. About 84% of the
population in Selma identifies as Hispanic or Latino,
with a slightly higher percentage in the Downtown area
(90%). Selma has a comparatively young population,
and the Downtown areapopulation is even younger, with
a median age of 28.

The Downtown area has a comparatively low
unemployment rate (6.4% compared to 8.6% in Fresno
County), and its residents have a very high labor force participation rate, approximately 71% compared to
61% in Fresno County overall. This younger, employed
demographic can potentially support and be a catalyst
for new Downtown activity, particularly increased
food, beverage, and entertainment establishments and
events. Two recently opened establishments, Antonio’s
Mexican restaurant and the Maiden Voyage coffee house
are evidence of the potential for increased economic
activity around food and beverage.

Downtown Selma has a tight supply of existing office
and retail space. Over 75% of Downtown buildings and
floor areas are for retail uses, but most businesses are office an d se rvice-oriented an d oc cupy re tail sp aces.

According to data from CoStar, the average vacancy
rates for office and retail sp ace in Downtown are very low, approximately 0.3% in Downtown and 1.4% in the
city. With no growth in the Downtown office and retail
inventory in the past ten years and such a low vacancy
rate, there is a potential market and demand for
additional office and retail space in Downtown Selma.

The multifamily housing market is also tight citywide,
with a 1.7% vacancy rate. There are few multifamily
housingunitsinDowntownSelma, representing another
potential option for new development Downtown. New
residential development would boost Downtown by
increasing foot traffic, su pporting lo cal bu sinesses, and fostering economic growth through an increased
customer base.

Selma has very high taxable sales per capita
compared to surrounding communities, such as
Reedley, Kingsburg, and Fowler; and state and county
averages. The automobile dealerships in Selma drive
the comparatively high per capita taxable sales and
represent a considerable advantage for Selma’s fiscal
revenues. Over half of Selma’s taxable sales come from
auto retailers located outside of the Downtown. Over
60% of Selma’s taxable retail sales and 52% of its overall taxable sales come from automobile sales. Currently
there is not much spillover from the auto sales and
Downtown retail activity. However, even without auto
sales, Selma’s overall taxable retail sales per capita are higher than the surrounding communities.

Due to the service-oriented business base, Downtown
Selma generates less than 2% of the citywide taxable
sales. The buildings in Downtown Selma are consistently occupied, but not with uses that generate revenue or
attract high levels of pedestrian activity. Downtown also contains the City’s public administration jobs, except
those employed by the Selma Unified School District.

Overall, household income levels in Downtown Selma
are lower than in the rest of the city. Selma residents have comparatively low average housing costs, while
downtown area residents have lower costs. As seen
in the rest of Fresno County and the state, housing
vacancies have declined over the past decade.

The average asking lease rate for rental housing in
Selma is around $1,100 per month, which would be
considered affordable for a household making the
median income. The average single-family home in
Selma costs around $378,000 (as of April 2024), which
would require a qualifying income ($110,000) well above the median household income ($58,600) to purchase
in Selma. Low vacancies and declining household size
can create potential opportunities for constructing
additional housing and/or mixed-use development in
the Downtown.
14 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Plan Charrette
The recommendations in this plan were developed
through a two-day charrette process conducted
in May 2024. The purpose of the charrette was to
generate a series of strategies to shape the future of
downtown Selma, building on existing strengths and
opportunities, while recognizing current challenges
and weaknesses. The charrette addressed economic,
physical, funding, and collaboration opportunities
related to Downtown Selma, to identify 3-5 strategies
to focus on over the next five years.

Held on May 16-18 at the Selma Branch Library, the
charrette started with a welcome from Mayor Scott
Robertson. The consultant team, consisting of
Raimi + Associates, Economic Planning Systems, Ami
Concepts, and Fehr and Peers, provided a presentation
on the background conditions, economic factors, and a
summary of Strengths Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats (SWOT) analysis. City staff guided and members
of the Downtown Selma Business Improvement
District (BID) led a walking tour of Downtown. This
was followed by a team working session through the
afternoon. The second day started with a review of
work completed to date and the team sharing initial
ideas for improvements to the Downtown area. This
was followed by work time for the City and consultant
team and preparation for the public presentation on
Saturday afternoon.

Time was allocated on both Friday and Saturday for
the public to observe and participate in the process.

Community members were encouraged to view,
provide comments, and show their preference for
trees, lighting, activities, signage, and other potential improvements during two Open Studio times. The
charrette was scheduled to provide community
members with multiple opportunities to participate,
whether it was during the workday or the weekend.

Over the course of the two days, participation included all of the City Council, members of the Downtown
Selma Business Improvement District, and multiple
community members.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 15
The Community's Voice fills the Charrette
16 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

PRIORITY

PROJECTS
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 17
Priority Projects

PRIORITYPROJECT
1 PRIORITYPROJECT
2 PRIORITYPROJECT
3 PRIORITY PROJECT
4 PRIORITY PROJECT
5 PRIORITY PROJECT
6 PRIORITY PROJECT
7 Downtown Core
Streetscape Plan
2nd Street
Gateway
More Food and
Beverage Options
Safer Streets and
Intersections
Union Pacific
(UP) Right-of-Way
Activation
Lincoln Park
Playscape
New Development
18 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Downtown Core
Streetscape Plan
The downtown streetscape incorporates several
of the features that were requested by residents,
including new street trees, upgrades to lighting, and
the creation of a unified aesthetic and character.

The steps needed to complete the streetscape are:
• Issue RFP to engage a consultant team to
develop a schematic level streetscape plan
(trees, lighting, furniture/material palette)
• Identify implementation costs (construction
drawings, construction, maintenance)
• Secure funding
• Develop streetscape plan with tree species,
planting schedule, and maintenance plan and
associated costs
• Secure funding through existing and potentially
new funding sources for capital and maintenance
costs; determine if there are any willing private
partners
• Engage the community to foster resident and
business involvement and ownership
Several key initial design ideas for the streetscape
plan are outlined below. The concepts should be
elaborated on and direction confirmed, following the
hiring of a consultant team.

STREET TREES
New street trees will be located away from the previous sidewalk tree wells and instead placed roughly eight
feet from the edge of the sidewalk. As seen in Figure 3, this placement provides more room for the trees
to grow, avoids conflict with adjacent buildings,
improves views to businesses, and increases the
shading area of parking spaces.

Creating a continuous tree canopy is the most
important element of the Downtown streetscape
project. Trees contribute to the sense of place and
create cool and shaded places to spend time. To ensure
P

RIORITY PROJEC
T
1 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 19
maximum tree canopy coverage, a tree spacing
pattern of 1 tree per 30-35 linear feet on each side of the street is suggested. Tree planting should include
silva cells and improved soil to ensure the health and
full growth of the trees, along with irrigation. Electrical connections should be included at each tree well for
café and seasonal lighting. Decorate paving such as
bricks, interlocking pavers, or stamped and colored
concrete can be installed adjacent to the trees.

Tree species should be selected to maximize canopy
cover, minimize maintenance, and maximize
longevity. Creating a sense of place through the trees
is an important factor. One idea generated at the
charrette is to plant purple-flowering jacaranda trees
along High Street to create an iconic effect when the
trees bloom each spring. Recommended trees include
London Plane, Chinese Elm, or California Sycamore as
the predominant tree species with jacaranda or other
trees with a dramatic bloom used as accents at key
locations like intersections or gateways.

Figure 3 Downtown Core Streetscape Diagram
20 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
30 ft Diameter 20 ft Diameter
High Street
btw 1st + North St
Total
Street
Area
Number
of Trees
Average
Tree
Spacing
Parking
Spaces
Canopy
Cover
Cover % Canopy
Cover
Cover %
Existing
Condition 38400 sf 0 0 ft 58 sp 0 sf 0% 0 sf 0%
Alt 1 38400 sf 20 47 ft 50 sp 14000 sf 36% 6300 sf 16%
Alt 2 38400 sf 25 33 ft 47 sp 17500 sf 46% 7875 sf 21%
Table 1Street Tree Analysis

PARKING RECONFIGURATION
To add large canopy street trees within the current
roadway area, the diagonal street parking will need
to be reconfigured. The recommended approach is
to provide a street tree between every 2 diagonal
parking spaces to achieve consistent canopy cover.

This approach does result in a loss of parking spaces.

For example, High Street between 1st Street and North
Street currently has 58 spaces.

The recommended configuration with 2 parking
spaces between each tree would result in a loss of
approximately 11 spaces. The design analysis also
looked at providing 3 parking spaces between trees.

This alternative will result in the loss of approximately 8 parking spaces and result in a 20-25% reduction in
tree canopy coverage. To compensate for the loss of
parking additional spaces could be established along
1st Street, East Front Street, or Grant Street.

LIGHTING
The current streetlights throughout Downtown are
a mix of historic pedestrian lighting and cobra-head
street lighting. The historic pedestrian lighting
provides a strong identity and reinforces the historic
character of the Downtown. Continued use of these
lights – with updated wiring and lighting technology is recommended. Cobra head lighting should be used only
when needed to light intersections or provide a safety
function and whenever possible should be replaced
with pedestrian scale lighting with underground wire
to allow for full growth of future tree canopy.

Note : Tree Canopy Area - 20 ft Diameter = 315 sf | 30ft Diameter = 700sf SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 21
Café Lighting Infrastructure:

Café lighting in the street trees was an important
defining feature of Downtown. The new streetscape
design should provide the infrastructure for café
lights. Poles to suspend the lights can be integrated
with the street tree wells to allow lighting to be strung between trees or over the street.

UNIFIED VISUAL IDENTITY
Developing a cohesive visual identity for Downtown
aids in creating a memorable experience and
enforcing a sense of place for the area. The
developed aesthetic should be unique to Selma
and celebrate what's important to the community.

This can be incorporated throughout wayfinding
structures such as directional signage and place
markers as well as light pole banners and gateway
signage. Below are several sample sketches of ideas
for wayfinding signage.

RAISIN CAPITAL HISTORIC HERITAGE MODERN AGRICULTURE
COLORS

TYPOGRAPHY
Heading
Downtown Selma
Body
City Hall
COLORS

TYPOGRAPHY
Heading
Downtown Selma
Body
City Hall
COLORS

TYPOGRAPHY
Heading
Downtown Selma
Body

CITY HALL
22 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

PRECEDENT PROJECT
4th Street, Ceres, CA
R+A reviewed multiple examples of downtown
streetscape improvements throughout the Central
Valley. Ceres, CA has a very similar situation to Selma and a well-designed streetscape and gateway feature.

The team spoke with the Ceres Public Works director
to learn about the project, understand the costs,
and hear any lessons learned. The key element of the
project mentioned was ensuring that businesses
could be open during construction, which required
close collaboration with businesses and project
phasing. The construction of the Ceres project was
completed in approximately 6 months.

The project area included 750 linear feet of street
plus an additional area on side streets for bulb-out
plantings and ADA spaces. The project included adding
street trees between diagonal parking stalls, silva
cell tree wells, installing permeable paving within the diagonal parking area, stormwater collection at bulbouts, and lighting infrastructure.

The project was funded through the redevelopment
agency and included one year of maintenance. The
overall construction costs (in 2017 dollars) were
$3,327,000, about $4,400 per linear foot. The City
hired Odel Engineering to design the project for
$137,000. The City approved a yearly maintenance
cost in 2024 of $21,000 (about $28 per linear foot).

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 23
Figure 4 Phased Street Tree Planting Areas

PRIORITY STREET TREE PLANTING AREAS
Areas of downtown along High Street and 1st Street
should be the highest priority as they represent the
core of downtown. East Front Street and 2nd Street
should follow since they will have a great visual
impact and help create a strong gateway and identity
to downtown. Figure 4 below outlines a three-phase
approach to implementation.
24 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
2nd Street
Gateway
Marking the entrance to Downtown is a part of
placemaking and identity. The Clean California
Local Grant Program (CCLGP) grant from Caltrans
provides the City with funds to make several
improvements to the transition from the CA99 Freeway to Downtown along 2nd Street. This includes modifying the width and number of lanes
in the area between Whitson and East Front Street
to slow traffic as cars enter the historic core.

P

RIORITY PROJEC
T
2 Creating a gateway feature is also a way to demarcate the moment of entering and exiting Downtown.

An existing gateway feature is located at Whitson,
made of bricks and metal letters stating, “Welcome
of Selma.” Due to the width of the street, the size of
the gateway, and other visual clutter in the immediate
area, this gateway is insufficient in announcing the
entrance to Downtown. Examples of more impactful
gateways include the 4th Street entry into downtown
Ceres, California, and the Van Ness Avenue gateway
from the Golden State Highway into Fresno. These
gateways are more literal in that they enclose the
street. A gateway for Downtown Selma could use a
similar approach of enclosing the street or creating
strong vertical elements that clearly announce entry
into Downtown. The gateway should use colors,
lettering, lighting, and materials like brick that are
consistent with the aesthetic treatment selected for
the Downtown streetscape.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 25
The next steps are to:
• Decide if the gateway should encompass 2nd
Street as an element that people drive through or
if an approach using strong vertical elements is
preferred.
• Identify the location for the gateway, with
the east side of Whitson recommended as the
preferred location.
• Coordinate with the City Engineer about the
restriping of 2nd Street in the transition from
CA-99 to East Front Street.
• Retain an architect or landscape architect to
develop a design for the gateway
• Engage the Public Works Department to
determine how to provide power and water to the
gateway location.
• Finalize the design and obtain needed permits.
• Complete construction of the gateway and lane
restriping.
26 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
More Food and
Beverage Options
One of the strongest themes from the charrette
was that people would like more food and beverage
options in Downtown. These could be restaurants,
coffee shops/cafes, bars, breweries, beer gardens.

These uses attract people to Downtown, give them
a place to spend time and create activity. People are
interested in being in places with other people and
food is a strong attractor of people and a generator
of activity
Historically, Downtown Selma was not a location
with a large number of restaurants. There are several
Downtown, but the issue is that the restaurants are
scattered and not clustered along High Street or 2nd
Street in a way that generates a strong perception of
street life.

A second issue is the lack of new spaces that are
restaurant ready. Converting existing spaces into
restaurant space is expensive and time-consuming
because of the need to bring the existing spaces up
to current City codes. New spaces are much more
affordable but there are few spaces downtown for new
construction.

The strategic plan identifies several City-owned
parking lots as potential spaces for new food and
beverage businesses. Losing parking spaces is rarely
a popular endeavor and should be weighed carefully.

Our limited analysis of Downtown has identified
ample parking spaces within a few blocks’ radius of
High Street and opportunities to add a few spaces
along 1st Street, Grant Street, and East Front Street
by adding diagonal spaces and limiting access points
into certain properties. There is also the possibility of turning the police lot on East Front Street into public parking, adding another 26 spaces to the pool.
• High and 1st Street Lot: 31 spaces
• High Street Lot: 17 spaces
• East Front and 1st Street Lot: 38 spaces
The types of services in Downtown Selma are diverse
and their use patterns span throughout the day. New
food and beverage restaurants will typically have
their peak usage time after most of the other business
types close for the day, allowing for shared use of the parking supply.

The strategic plan suggests further study of
converting the two parking lots on High Street between
1st and 2nd Streets into potential food and beverage
options. This will also complete the block with active
building frontage creating a more cohesive center to
Downtown.

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3 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 27

NEW FOOD AND BEVERAGE

STRATEGIES
Street Closures
Temporary closing of High Street or one of the Cityowned lots for food trucks and other pop-up events.

Food/Beer Garden
One of the City parking lots could be converted into
a food/beer garden. This could be done with City
investment and then leased to a service provider
or through a long-term lease where the lessee
would provide the improvements. With minimal
landscaping and infrastructure investments, one of
the City parking lots could be converted into a food/
beer garden. The structures may be temporary like
converted freight containers. A beverage station and
restroom could be provided and a space for a food
truck to pull in and provide food service. Additional
improvements could include trees, shade structures,
misters, and a stage for live music.
28 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
New Restaurant Ready Space
Another strategy is to increase food and beverage
places to encourage new development downtown, as
there are limited potential developable sites. The Cityowned parking lots provide an opportunity for new development. These lots could be sold to a developer
with the requirement to build ground-floor restaurant
spaces.

The team analyzed the potential for redevelopment
of the High and 1st Street lots as a mixed-use
development. The ground floor could be one or two new
restaurant spaces with the potential for outdoor dining along a pedestrian alley adjacent to the building. More information on the development analysis is available
in the New Development Priority Project.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 29
Safer Streets and
Intersections
Downtown Selma has several odd intersections
where the historic street grid that parallels the
railroad meets the north/south-oriented grid. 2nd
Street and McCall Avenue connect Downtown to
Highway 99 and the northern parts of Selma, making
it a key transportation corridor that some drivers
tend to speed through. This road also intersects
with Rose Avenue, Grant Street, and 1st Street to
create confusing and uncomfortable intersections
for bikers and pedestrians. The lack of crosswalks
and bike infrastructure can disincentivize people
from walking or biking into Downtown from the
neighborhoods on the northern side of Downtown.

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4 MCCALL AVENUE, ROSE AND GRANT STREETS ROUNDABOUT
A roundabout located at the intersection of McCall
Avenue, Rose Avenue, and Grant Street would reduce
driver confusion, slow the speed of traffic to a speed
consistent with a downtown area, and create a unique
visual feature that marks when someone is entering
Downtown Selma from the northern side of the city. A
traffic circle would reduce costs to the City related to maintaining a traffic signal and the cost of electricity to operate the signal.

As seen in Figure 5 the proposed roundabout
configuration reduces the number of lanes in most
directions from two lanes to one lane, but it keeps
a right turn slip lane from McCall Avenue onto 1st
Street and Grant Street. This configuration would
add additional pedestrian crosswalks where there
previously had been none: the northern crossing of
McCall Avenue onto 1st Street, and from the triangleshaped green space to the west side of McCall Avenue. The proposed median and center circle of the
roundabout are opportunities to include public art
or another gateway feature to mark this particular
entrance to Downtown Selma.
30 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
The steps needed to complete this roundabout are:
• Hire an engineering firm to analyze traffic conditions • Identify potential impacts on private property
• Prepare a schematic design of an appropriately sized
roundabout
• Determine costs and available funding
Figure 5 Potential Roundabout Configuration
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 31
2ND STREET RECONFIGURATION
2nd Street is the primary entrance to Selma and
the Downtown. The road provides direct access to
Downtown for residents living west of the freeway
and for visitors coming to Selma from the highway.
2nd Street is also where the Gateway is proposed for
a location between Whitson and West Front Street.

Currently 2nd Street has two lanes in each direction
as it enters into the Downtown, with a middle turning
lane.

Selma’s 2018 Active Transportation Plan provides
a scale of Pedestrian Level of Traffic Stress (PLTS)
ranging from Level 1 - low to Level 4 - high. The entire 2nd Street corridor is currently rated as Level 3 PLTS.

The Active Transportation Plan also recommends
improvements at the SR 99 ramps at 2nd Street to
increase pedestrian safety and lower the Pedestrian
Level of Traffic Stress from Level 3 to Level 2, and
perhaps down to Level 1 at certain locations.

In 2023, the City received a Green California grant
to modify 2nd Street so the transition from the
freeway to the Downtown creates a safer experience
for pedestrians and cyclists while emphasizing
the transition into the slower speed charter of the
Downtown. A reconfiguration of 2nd Street starting
at Whitson heading eastbound will address existing
deficiencies in the active transportation system,
improve safety, and increase ADA accessibility. New
trees and vegetation on 2nd Street will create shade
and a more pleasant and comfortable atmosphere for
pedestrians and bicyclists. Increasing the visibility
of pedestrian and bicyclist crosswalks will increase
safety.

Currently, the transition from the four-lane
configuration west of East Front Street to the twolane configuration on the east side of the street is abrupt and is not effective at lowering the speed of
traffic. There are also no bike lanes on 2nd Street due to the space allocated to vehicle lanes. Moving the
transition westward to the intersection of 2nd Street
and Whitson allows for a more gradual transition and
the inclusion of a bike lane starting a Whitson beading eastbound. New trees, lighting, and crosswalks will
work in concert with the proposed gateway to create
an attractive and safe entry into the Downtown.

The next steps are to:
• Refine the design included in the grant application
• Develop final plans for the street reconfiguration
• Coordinate with Union Pacific if changes
are proposed to the rail crossing to increase
pedestrian access and safety
• Determine if the revised configuration can
be accomplished with striping or if physical
changes are needed
• Compete the reconfiguration in collaboration
with the gateway development
32 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Union Pacific (UP)
Right-of-Way Activation
The Union Pacific (UP) right-of-way creates a large
dead space, roughly 215 feet in width, directly
adjacent to Downtown. This space has great
potential to create positive spaces in Selma and not
be a detriment to Union Pacific’s core business of
providing necessary freight access to businesses
in the Central Valley. At a minimum, the City should
engage UP to find mutually beneficial solutions to
the empty spaces downtown. The strategic plan
identifies two potential priority actions that can
improve the city and provide more protection
and safety to the railroad line. One is to locate an
urban soccer park for short-sided futsal games.

Another idea is to plant a Miyawaki microforest.

Implementation of both of these ideas will involve
meeting with Union Pacific to discuss partnering
opportunities on their properties. Both of these
strategies may want to be included in the Open
Space Master plan as either near-term or long-term
goals.

URBAN SOCCER PARK
The strategic plan has identified the empty parcel
at the northwest corner of East Front Street and 1st
Street as a potential location for an urban soccer park.

The goal of introducing an urban soccer park into
Downtown Selma is to bring more people downtown,
provide more activity around the clock, and provide a
new recreational opportunity for the community. By
building two short-sided fields for 5-on-5 games, the
urban soccer park could bring up to 20-30 individuals
per hour to downtown. The urban soccer park will
also beautify the land and create a buffer between
businesses and the railroad tracks.

Figure 6 shows an area 300 feet in length with areas
for tree and vegetation plantings on each end and a
65-foot open space between the courts. A gathering
area for restroom facilities, waiting to play, gathering, and watching games should be included between
the courts. Figure 6 specifies the recommended
dimensions for this concept.

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5 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 33
Table 2
Urban Soccer Park Recommended Dimensions
Length Width
Minimum Sizing Each futsal court requires 90 feet of
length, 180 feet for two courts. 65 feet from curb edge to wall Preferred Sizing 75 feet from curb edge to wall (allows for planting along railroad side)
Optional Amenities
In addition to the basic requirements for establishing
an urban soccer field, the following optional amenities would help increase the comfort and safety of the
soccer park.
• Lighting. Lighting is an important factor in
extending playing time into the evening hours when
working people have time to meet, and this supports
the goal of bringing more people downtown to
support food and beverage businesses.
• Shade Structure. A shade structure over the
futsal courts will extend playing time in the
summer during daytime hours and provide a
cool place for recreation. A shade structure
complicates the project and will greatly increase
the cost of the project but should be evaluated.

Implementation
Figure 6 Urban Soccer Park Concept
34 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Implementation
The urban soccer park could be implemented through
purchasing or leasing the land from Union Pacific.

The design and construction of this park can be done
by full-service companies such as Urban Soccer
Park (Urbansoccerpark.com), which has completed
projects in California and has experience in cities like Temecula. Their services include design, construction,
and lighting, though not restrooms and landscaping.

An initial estimate to deliver a project like this is
$250,000 to $500,000.

The next steps are to:
• Contact Union Pacific about the ability to lease
the land.
• Address issues of access, safety, or other
concerns with UP.
• Contact an urban soccer field development
company to get an initial cost and schedule
estimate.
• Identify funding options including potential
sponsorships

MIYAWAKI MICRO FORESTS
Miyawaki forests are small urban forests that are
planted with a dense and multi-layered collection
of native bushes, shrubs, and trees. Pioneered by
the botanist Akira Miyawaki, the Miyawaki planting
method involves planting native plant species in
close proximity to each other to spur rapid and dense
growth to more quickly provide greenery and canopy
cover and increase biodiversity and wildlife habitat.4
Miyawaki forests become self-sustaining ecosystems
that can restore biodiversity and provide multiple
environmental and human health co-benefits, such as
sequestering carbon, mitigating urban heat islands,
and removing air pollution.

Multiple elementary and middle schools in Berkeley,
CA have already implemented Miyawaki forests on
their campuses to increase the urban tree canopy
and to serve as an educational tool for students on
the effects and solutions to climate change. Berkeley
Unified School District staff and community members
partnered to raise the funds for the saplings and
organized community planting days, making these
reforestation efforts a community event.

With climate change impacts becoming more severe
and the State setting ambitious climate action
and adaptation goals, State and federal funding
to support urban forestry projects has become
much more readily available in the past few years.

The State of California allocated millions of dollars
to support urban forestry in 2022 and 2023 and the
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 allocated $1 billion for grants to increase equitable access to trees and urban
forests through the Urban and Community Forestry
Program. Whether funded as a City pilot project, or in
conjunction with regional, State, or private partners,
the investment pays for itself in its environmental
co-benefits and beautification of a site that was
previously empty.

To implement Miyawaki forests along the UP Right-ofWay, coordination between the City and Union Pacific will be necessary to determine:
• Leasing of the land
• Funding sources
• Fencing along railroad tracks
• Initial watering and maintenance in the first 18
months to 3 years of forest planting

4. “The Miyawaki Method for Creating Forests.” SUGi Project. July 15, 2024. https://www.sugiproject.com/blog/the-miyawaki-method-for-creating-forests SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 35
Lincoln Park
Playscape
Lincoln Park is an asset to Downtown Selma, as
it provides an open green space and hosts many
festivals throughout the year that attract people
from all over Selma and nearby communities. Yet,
it currently does not provide recreational activities
that can attract more families and residents to
the park, and then, attract them to Downtown
businesses.

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6 Figure 7 Lincoln Park Playscape Concept
36 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Figure 7 shows a reconfiguration concept for Lincoln
Park that proposes adding a playground to the
park, possibly relocating the existing gazebo, and
maintaining the grassy area of the park for recreation
and special events. Lincoln Park already has a Senior
Center, and the Selma Library Branch is across
the street from the park, so adding a recreational
use aimed at children can further emphasize the
multigenerational use of this park. A new and inventive playground at Lincoln Park can attract more families
and people with children to the Downtown area from
within Selma and other nearby towns to specifically
visit the new playground. In addition to an interesting design, a new and attractive playground could include
shading, a splash pad, and other features that create
an inviting and pleasant experience for children and
their parents and guardians.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 37
New Development
Adding new buildings downtown should be a key
long-term goal for the City. That may include new
residential or mixed-use development on private
parcels. The new development will bring more people
downtown and provide vibrancy. The strategic plan
team analyzed two City-owned parking lots for
potential development to inform discussion on the
potential for infill development. Similar projects
could be considered on privately-owned properties
in the Downtown.

Potential Development Capacity:
1st and High Street:
• 3-story mixed-use building, tuck-under surface
parking
• 10-12 units
• 13 parking spaces
• 2,000 to 2,500 square feet of ground floor
commercial along High Street
• Loss of 31 parking lot spaces, gain of 5 street
spaces from the elimination of curb cuts
1st and East Front Street:
• 3-story mixed-use building, surface parking
• 12-15 units
• 15 parking spaces
• 3,000 to 4,000 square feet of ground floor
commercial along 1st and E. Front Streets
• Loss of 38 parking lot spaces, gain of 5 street
spaces from the elimination of curb cuts
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7 38 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

SELMA DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN

STRATEGIES

AND ACTIONS
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 39
The charrette determined that Downtown Selma has
multiple assets to work with in creating a stronger
economic base and a more cohesive sense of place.

Community members expressed the greatest
interest in:
• Recreating a cohesive identity
• Replacing the street trees
• Adding lighting
• Creating more places to eat, drink, and spend
time
• Increasing the range of activities in the park
• Developing the railroad right-of-way into an
amenity
• Making the streets safer for cyclists and
pedestrians
• Developing new housing on currently vacant
parcels
40 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
STRATEGY #1: Create a Strong
Identity and Sense of Place
Downtown Selma has a good collection of historic
buildings, a walkable street grid, long-term
businesses, and a diverse range of services. Identity
or a sense of place is created through a combination
of factors that include buildings, street trees,
urban design features, continuity of the pedestrian
experience, level of building maintenance,
storefronts, signage, and color scheme. Many of
these components already exist but are outdated,
incohesive, or in need of maintenance.

Assets include historic buildings and streetlights,
murals, and cohesive downtown core, and existing
sidewalk planters, decorative brick paving, and
plazas at the Art Center and near the intersection of
2nd and McCall. Several buildings have maintained
the upgrades from an earlier façade improvement
program.

Cleanliness and maintenance are critical as this
conveys that the community cares about the
Downtown. Replacing the trees, upgrading or
adding lighting, creating a cohesive color palette
and signage, and improving the quality of building
facades are all critical aspects of the physical
environment that create a sense of pride in the
community and encourage visitors.

Plant New Street Trees
Street trees are a critical part of creating an appealing character in a downtown. Trees provide aesthetic variety, seasonal change, and shade that is of great value during hot summer months. The need to replace the street trees creates an opportunity to explore more contemporary ideas about street tree placement to maximize shade for both pedestrians and vehicles, increase the view of the businesses, provide more growing space for the trees, and avoid uplift of the sidewalk.

ACTION

ACTIONS
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 41
Preserve and Increase Lighting
The existing historic streetlights are a valuable aesthetic asset and should be preserved and, if needed, rewired to accommodate LED bulbs. Additional decorative lighting should be installed along High Street from 2nd to North, along East Front Street from Grant to North, and along 2nd Street/McCall from East Front to Arrants. Charrette participants expressed a strong interest in café lights to both provide additional light on the sidewalks and to serve a decorative purpose. Infrastructure for café lights should be included in the streetscape design. Café lights can be placed in the trees or strung parallel to the sidewalk. Lights could be strung over High Street from Second to North to create a visual “ceiling” that reinforces High Street as the center of activity in the Downtown core. Other options for pedestrian-oriented or decorative lighting are lighted bollards at the intersections of:
• High Street and McCall Avenue
• High Street and First Street
• Hight Street and North Street
• 2nd Street and East Front Street
ACTION
Create a Sense of Arrival
The existing gateway sign at Whitson and 2nd Street
should be replaced with an entry design that is
more visually prominent for drivers coming into the
Downtown on 2nd Street. Options include a vertical
element on both sides of 2nd Street, an archway, or a
sign that spans the street. Ideally the gateway would
be large enough to be seen by drivers exiting the
freeway. The gateway design and installation should
be combined with mobility and safety improvements
that are planned for 2nd Street.

ACTION
42 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Keep Downtown Cool
Summer temperatures in the Central Valley can surpass 100 degrees for multiple days. Providing shade is essential for people to be comfortable spending time outside from May through September. Street tree planting should maximize tree canopy over streets to reach 50% canopy cover. Other options include shade sails at public plazas or over parts of streets that have pedestrian traffic - High Street, 2nd Street, and Front Street. Canopies, awnings, and trellises are other options for reducing direct sun exposure. Canopies or awnings should be made of durable material, ideally metal, be mounted to project horizontally from building facades, and be large enough to provide shade for pedestrians through the afternoon and evening.

ACTION
Provide Cohesive Visual Theme and Signage
Signage is a way to reinforce the special character of
Downtown. New signage throughout the Downtown
is needed to create greater aesthetic cohesion. The
style or theme can be historic, contemporary or
celebrate the agricultural heritage of the community.

A consistent design, logo or icon, and designated font
and color palette should be selected. Signed should be
placed to direct people to High Street, the Art Center, Public Library, Lincoln Park, and West Front Street.

ACTION
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 43
STRATEGY #2:

Activate the Downtown
Downtown activity is currently dominated by
personal business and errands such as banking, post
office, picking up prescriptions, and some shopping.

There is steady activity during business hours
during weekdays and Saturdays. Very little activity
takes place in the evenings with restaurants closing
at 8 PM, or on Sundays.

Increasing activity supports local businesses and
restaurants, puts people downtown, and increases
public safety. Some activities can be permanent and
ongoing, while others can be temporary or seasonal.

The current downtown events should be continued and
expanded to include additional food and recreation
options. The Selma Marching Band Festival draws
people from throughout the region in the fall. The
Raisin Festival in Lincoln Park includes carnival rides and competitions in baking, photography, and flower
arranging. The Performing Arts Center organized a
multi-cultural event in May that closed a portion of
High Street in front of the Center
Street Eats is an event that has previously been
hosted at Lincoln Park and, more recently, in the
public parking lot at the corner of First and High
Streets. Additional opportunities include a harvestrelated festival, leveraging interest in the Blossom Trail, and encouraging more multi-cultural events to
share the diversity of the community.

Create Places to Hang Out
Downtown does not currently have many cafés, diners, or other shared or “third places” where people can have coffee, meet friends, or take a break when running errands. These spaces create a welcoming environment and can enable interactions between community members and contribute to the identity.

ACTION

ACTIONS
44 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Increase Activity in the Park
Opportunities for increasing activity at Lincoln Park, the closest green space to Downtown Selma, include adding children’s play equipment to Lincoln Park, creating a seasonal splash pad during the summer, and iceskating rink in the winter at Lincoln Park. If not feasible at the park, an ice-skating rink could be located in a nearby City parking lot.

Increase Food and Beverage Options
Downtown has a small number of restaurants.

Community stakeholders expressed a strong interest
in having more food and beverage options. Temporary
food vending or food-related events are ways to
increase dining options, ideally in a way that also
supports the existing restaurants. Some food vending
activity occurs in conjunction with the marching band
competition, and the raisin festival, and events such
as Street Eats could be expanded to further showcase
the community’s diversity. There are currently no
vacant restaurant spaces in the Downtown and
building out a new space requires a large initial capital investment, so using food trucks or other vendors is
a lower-cost method of increasing the number and
diversity of food options.

ACTION ACTION
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 45
Build a Residential Population
Residential neighborhoods are directly adjacent to the Downtown, but there are limited options for housing in the actual Downtown. Several upper stories of historic buildings on High Street and 2nd Street have been converted to loft-style apartments and there are additional locations where this could occur. Downtown also features multiple vacant lots or City-owned parking lots that could be candidates for housing development.

Options for housing include townhouses and potentially three-story mixed-use buildings.

Integrate and Activate the Union Pacific Railroad Right-of-Way The railroad tracks and the land owned by Union Pacific separate the main core of Downtown from the stores and services to the west. There are several buildings and uses located on the railroad right-of-way: Wilkins DriveIn, a former passenger terminal and police station, and public parking, but the majority of the area is vacant.

Possibilities for the area include additional public parking, tree planting, recreational uses like basketball courts or small soccer fields, or planting of a micro-forest.

ACTION ACTION
Citizens Forests by Wango licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
46 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
STRATEGY #3: Safe Streets and
Connected Pathways
The street network of Downtown Selma is consistent
but does not currently provide a comfortable
walking or biking experience. With future safety
enhancements that slow down the pace of traffic and
protect people who walk and bike in and to Downtown,
it can lay the foundation for creating more activities
and events in Downtown Selma. McCall Avenue and
2nd Street is a key route for vehicles travelling from
the north part of Selma to connect with State Route
99 and Golden State Boulevard. McCall is currently
designated as a truck route, which generates
pass-through traffic that provides little benefit
to Downtown. Redirecting trucks to other routes
creates opportunities to implement measures to
reduce traffic speeds in the Downtown and support
development of a pedestrian-oriented character
Other opportunities include restriping Rose Avenue
to include a bike lane and to provide a safer transition to Lincoln Park.

Safer Intersections
Downtown Selma has several odd intersections where the historic street grid that parallels the railroad meets the north/south-oriented grid. A roundabout located at the intersection of McCall Ave, Rose Ave, and Grant Street would slow the speed of traffic and create a unique visual feature or landmark that marks the entry to the Downtown. Roundabouts have cumulative positive operations when used in series, so future roundabouts could be considered at other locations including:
• High Street / Mill Street / 2nd Street
• McCall Ave / Arrants Street
• Arrants Street / Lee Street
• Arrants Street / High Street / Logan Street
• Arrants Street / Wright Street / Chandler Street / E Front Street.

ACTION

ACTIONS
Make Space for Bikes
To increase the safety of people riding bikes Downtown from other parts of the city, the citywide bike network outlined in the Active Transportation Plan should be implemented whenever street resurfacing, restriping, or other upgrades are completed. The process of improving access to Downtown started with the City receiving a Clean California Grant to improve 2nd Street between Highway 99 and Downtown.

ACTION
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 47
Safer Streets
The three major roadways entering the downtown area are currently over-designed for the current level of traffic and create a barrier for residents of the surrounding neighborhoods to comfortably walk to Downtown.

Quick build options for lane reductions, short-term or permanent, should be considered on 2nd Street, McCall Avenue, and Rose Avenue. Restriping 2nd Street to one lane in each direction in the area between Whitson Street and East Front Street would allow for the inclusion of bicycle lanes and pedestrian improvements at the railroad crossing.

Rose Avenue between McCall and Dockery Avenue could be restriped to one lane in each direction with a bike lane connecting to the ditch bike trail along Orange Avenue and Wilson Elementary. Rose Avenue would be less of a barrier between the shopping center, Lincoln Park, and the neighborhoods to the east. McCall Avenue is constrained to two lanes north of Arrants Street and south of Mill Street, where it becomes 2nd Street. Reducing a lane in each direction along McCall Avenue within this gap would increase safety for all, reduce unnecessary speeding, and provide the opportunity to shorten pedestrian crossings.

ACTION
Support Temporary Use of High Street
Currently, High Street is only temporarily closed for the marching band festival and other occasional temporary events that bring people to Downtown. This street is the ideal location for street closures as it runs through the heart of Downtown and there are parallel streets that can be used for parking and circulation. Continuing to support the temporary closures of High Street between McCall Avenue and North Street for special events is important to attracting more Selma locals and regional visitors to Downtown. Infrastructure such as access to power or retractable bollards would facilitate additional use of High Street as a public open space and location for frequent community events.

Link Downtown to the Broader Community and Region
Considering Downtown Selma’s proximity to regional connection routes, organized outdoor events such as 5K and 10K walks and runs, half marathons, and regional bike rides that start, finish, or go through Downtown can elevate Selma as a tourist destination and attract more visitors to Downtown businesses. For example, a bike ride event can be designed to include stops in Downtown, continue on the Golden State Corridor to make a 10 to 50-mile ride through Kingsburg, Dinuba, Reedley, and Fowler, and host event-related activities in the Downtown.

To host certain events, signage, and safety improvements may need to be implemented to better communicate established bike and pedestrian routes. A 6.5-mile (10k) running and biking loop that includes the Golden State Corridor’s active transportation improvements near Downtown and portions of the historic Mill Ditch could be established with signage and some modest improvements for safety. With those improvements, all or portions of the loop can be used for exercise and recreation when not in use for an official event. Ideally, this type of loop would link to several parks including W.H. Shafer Park, Lincoln Park, and Ringo Park, and could feature exercise equipment.

ACTION ACTION
48 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
STRATEGY #4:

Leadership and Administration
Three entities share in the effort to create a vibrant
Downtown Selma – City Council, City staff, and the
Downtown Selma Business Improvement District
(DSBID). A collaborative working relationship and
open communication are vital to uniting these three
perspectives. The DSBID, City staff, and City Council
must work together effectively to realize a shared
vision for Downtown Selma that is a thriving, vibrant,
economic, and cultural hub for the community
The Downtown Selma Strategic Plan outlines a series
of strategies for creating economic vitality that is
visible, tangible, engaging, and has a lasting impact.

This shared vision can only be accomplished through
cooperation with the City Council, staff, and BID
leadership, with each entity recognizing its roles,
responsibilities, and contributions. A lack of cohesion between the three partners can detract from the
ability to achieve the vision of a strong, vibrant, and attractive Downtown.

The City Council is elected to represent the interests
of Selma citizens. The City Council approves an annual
budget, ratifies ordinances and resolutions, conducts
strategic planning, and appoints citizens to City
committees and commissions, including the BID. The
City Council approved the DSBID formation, and each
year approves the BID budget, work plan, and advisory
board members. The City of Selma staff implements
the policies and decisions approved by the Council and
manages the day-to-day operations of City functions
like public safety and community services. Staff also
provide the services approved through the BID and
supports the Advisory Board.

The Business Improvement District is made up of
business owners who voted to assess themselves to
fund services beyond what is provided by the City.

They are authorized under the California Streets
and Highway code via the Parking and Business
Improvement Area Law of 1989 and subsequent minor
updates. The DSBID establishes an Advisory Board to
represent the interests of the BID and provide a unified voice for the Downtown Selma business community.

A district-wide annual meeting is held to accept
nominations for the BID Advisory Board and receive
feedback from district businesses on the annual work
plan. It is important to have both a broad range of
business types and good geographic representation,
although it is recommended that the Advisory Board
maintain a reasonable size, preferably not more than
seven members. Active business participation in
BID operations is essential to properly represent all
businesses. Business owners should be encouraged to
attend monthly DSBID meetings, as well as the annual
membership meeting where their votes will count.

The DSBID should establish basic operating
principles and ground rules to be an effective
partner in the revitalization of Downtown Selma.

The DSBID Advisory Board should meet monthly to
review services, address funding opportunities,
and ensure that benefits are provided equally for all
Downtown businesses.

City staff provide a monthly report on marketing
and improvement services and assessments to the
BID Advisory Board. On a semi-annual basis, market
reports tracking similar downtowns with comparisons
to Downtown Selma should be included with a report
that shows business changes within the district
and specific efforts made to draw new business to
Downtown. The BID contributes to the partnership by
maintaining the vision and bringing business owners
to the table through regular communication with all
business members, and an annual meeting to share
City reports and nominate a new Advisory Board to be
recommended to City Council.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 49
The BID Work Plan, initially approved as part of
the Management District Plan, describes the
activities of the BID. Objectives in developing these
projects include:
• Deploy a program that will make a visible, tangible
and lasting impact.
• Ensure that BID-funded services are supplemental
to, and do not replace, existing City services.
• Provide flexibility in the modeling of the program
so that the BID can make adjustments as market
conditions change.

Marketing efforts, directed toward both locals and
visitors, use a Downtown-focused website, email,
and social media and printed materials. Physical
enhancements improve aesthetics, walkability,
safety, and comfort. In these efforts, focus on
pedestrians, consider adding decorative interest and
ensure that walkability underlies decision-making.

Active marketing and physical improvements
together make up 75% of the assessment budget.

Business attraction and periodic market reports for
expansion of the retail/restaurant mix represent 20%
of the budget, and 5% is reserved for contingency.

Business recruitment efforts will seek to increase
the mix of retail/restaurant businesses. In addition,
compilation of periodic market reports will guide the
direction of business development.

With each of the three parties having clarity about
their role and responsibility - and being willing to
contribute to a positive and collaborative effort -
Selma has the potential to achieve the vision for
Downtown as being a place of social gathering,
economic opportunity, and community pride.

City Staff
• Operate City
• Implement
BID services
• Advise BID
Board
Vibrant
Downtown
Selma
City Council
• Represent Selma citizens
BID Advisory Board
• Assess BID members
for services
• Approve ordinances,
budgets and strategic plans
• Determine annual budget
and work plan
• Hold annual membership
meeting
• Approve BID budget,
work plan and Advisory
Board
50 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Focus BID Initiatives
The BID should focus on a discrete set of initiatives that the BID can administer directly. These can be cleanliness, maintenance and improvement of public spaces, and marketing, Ideas to consider are:
• Showcase parking lots through signage
• Paint curbs with “customer parking here” and encourage business owners to leave store-front parking for customers
• Pressure wash sidewalks
• Add an extra trash pickup beyond what the City provides • Post walking signs that mark steps from one place to another • Hang banners highlighting seasonal events
• Paint crosswalks with bright stripes of color.

Engage with the Community
Implementation of the plan should include checking back with stakeholders, including the Chamber, the Arts Center and service organizations, to identify opportunities for collaboration with Downtown businesses in existing community activities like the Raisin Festival, Arts Center events and the Marching Band Festival.

Consider sponsorships of programs from large local entities like the Auto Mall and local big-box organizations.

These could include promotional connections, or they could direct customers and audiences to shop and eat in Downtown Selma.

ACTION ACTION
Implement consistent operating principles
The DSBID should conduct the following:
• Keep the Advisory Board at capacity, but a manageable capacity (not more than seven) • Use a consistent agenda format that aligns with the authority of the BID and is agreed upon by the BID board and City staff, assuring that each meeting includes monthly social media data, updates about ongoing projects, research or recommendations on considered projects, and public comment. • Establish annual training to ensure that Advisory Board members understand the Management District Plan, the annual budget, and reporting responsibilities • Hold a special annual meeting to nominate advisory board members, share progress with all businesses, establish the budget, and prepare for City Council approval. • Develop an annual report format that includes marketing data analysis, completed projects, projects in the works and a summary budget from the previous year.

ACTION

ACTIONS
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 51
Supplemental Funding
Manage supplemental funding separately from BID funding. The City Council allocations require accountability directly to the City Council, while BID funding decisions are accountable to all Downtown businesses and are intended to specifically benefit the BID district. They are different in both source and commitment.

Create a budget and work plan for supplementary funding provided by the City, separate from the BID budget and work plan. This budget does not have a stipulation to benefit all DSBID members equally, so it has the latitude of offering a broader range of opportunities. Projects can include those that are not included in the BID Management District Plan like the Storefront Improvement Grant or other activities that might provide direct benefit for individual businesses.

ACTION
Reporting, and Celebrating Accomplishments
Prepare an annual report that summarizes the BID activities and accomplishments. The report should be submitted to the City Council. To maintain momentum and positive associations about Downtown, individual successes should be recognized and celebrated in the report.

The supplementary fund should also have an annual report that identifies achievements and showcases accomplishments created by this additional funding provided by the City of Selma. These resources managed by the BID Advisory Board, together with the support and collaboration of the City Council and City staff, can build a vibrant Downtown Selma.

ACTION
52 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

IMPLEMENTATION

AND FUNDING
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 53
Table 3
Funding Sources
Funding Option Notes Potential Uses
Existing Sources
City General Fund City Council policy decision
Business incentives
and support, real estate
development, façade
improvements, economic
development projects, public
services
City Capital Improvement Plan City Council policy decision Capital facilities projects
(streetscape, parks,
open space, and other
infrastructure)
Downtown Business
Improvement District
Requires annual City Council
authorization
Ongoing maintenance,
marketing and promotion,
event support
New Sources
Federal, State, and Local Grants Plentiful grant options; competitive and often require matching City funds Depends on the specific parameters of the source;
eligible costs include:
capital facilities projects
(streetscape, parks,
open space, and other
infrastructure); affordable
housing; neighborhood
revitalization and other
economic development
projects; historic
preservation; environmental
remediation; public art;
ongoing maintenance
Public-Private Partnerships
Provides private capital, efficiencies,
and shared risks, but can be complex
and requires willing private partners
and effective governance
Area-Specific Fee Not viable based on limited revenue
generation
Tax or Assessment
Requires political and community
support/approval and adherence to
stringent State laws
Tax Increment
Not a new tax but redirects revenue
from the City General Fund; funding
capacity may be limited

SUMMARY OF FUNDING SOURCES
Implementation of the strategic vision and priority
projects will require a combination of existing and
potential new sources of funding from both public
and private entities, as well as time and support
from City staff, the BID, and the broader community.

Some funding sources are primarily used for ongoing
operations and maintenance, while others fund new
capital projects or upgrade existing infrastructure.

The following table summarizes the sources of
funding described in this plan.

Notably, implementation will likely primarily rely
on existing sources of funding and the pursuit of
new Federal, State, and local grant funding sources.

Public-private partnerships may be advantageous
to pursue as opportunities arise. The plan does not
envision the introduction of a new area-specific fee,
special tax, benefit assessment, or formation of a tax
increment district. However, to the extent funding
gaps remain, these additional funding and financing
tools may be further studied and pursued, pending
City and community support.
54 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

EXISTING FUNDING SOURCES
This section provides an overview of existing
funding sources that currently, and could continue
to, support citywide economic development efforts
downtown including the additional investments
envisioned in this Strategic Plan. Existing sources
of funding include the City’s General Fund, the City’s
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and the Downtown
BID. These funding sources can be used to fund a
range of activities, including ongoing operations
and maintenance, enhanced public services,
economic development projects, and infrastructure
improvements, including streetscape, parks and open
space, and other capital improvements. However,
these funding sources rely on annual authorization
by the City Council and include a variety of funding
streams that can vary on an annual basis.

City General Fund
In recent years, the City has funded downtown
economic development activities primarily through
the Economic Development Department. The
department assisted in forming the Downtown BID
and has provided annual financial contributions in
support of the BID’s activities. Future activities
identified in the City’s most recent budget include
strengthening the Downtown BID by organizing
events, enhancing vitality, and fostering community;
increasing marketing and usage of the Arts Center;
coordinating downtown zoning to facilitate housing
and mixed-use projects; facilitating development
projects and funding; securing infrastructure
resources for key projects; and coordinating with
the Chamber of Commerce to enhance services
for local businesses. These activities will require
continued funding through General Fund revenues
(i.e., property tax and sales tax revenue) and
supplemental funding (i.e., grant revenue). However,
there are always competing demands for General
Fund revenues. Available revenues for economic
development activities can fluctuate significantly
with changing City Council priorities, economic
cycles, and the extent to which the City has been able
to obtain supplemental grant funding.

City Capital Improvement Plan
In March 2024, the Selma City Council approved
a 10-year, $150 million Capital Improvement
Program (CIP) focused on capital projects related
to public safety, parks and recreation, streets and
infrastructure, public works, and maintenance
and administration. The CIP will be funded by a
diversity of sources, including Fresno County’s
Measure C (transportation improvements), Selma’s
Measure S (public safety improvements), City General
Fund revenues, development impact fees, and State
and Federal grants.5,6 The CIP allows projects to be
removed or added annually based on evolving city
priorities and could include one or more of the capital facility projects prioritized in this plan pending City Council approval.

Downtown Business
Improvement District
Formed in 2022, the Downtown BID is an assessment
district intended to create a vibrant and inviting
downtown through marketing and visibility
of businesses, community engagement, and
beautification. To date, the BID has been funded
through two sources: an annual assessment of
businesses in the district, and an annual contribution
from the City’s General Fund. BID revenues could
be used to assist in enhanced cleanliness and
maintenance and other activities to activate
downtown. Annual Council actions, including
accepting the annual report, appointing the BID
Advisory Board, approving the annual budget, and
approving assessments, are required to maintain
BID operations each year.

5. In 1986, Fresno County voters passed Measure C, a half-cent sales tax to improve the overall quality of Fresno County’s transportation system, including the County and all 15 cities within the County. In November 2006, Fresno County voters extended the measure for an additional 20 years (2007-2027). However, a renewal initiative on the ballot in 2022 was defeated.

6. Measure "S" is the half-cent sales tax approved by voters to help fund safety (Police and Fire) services in the City.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 55

NEW FUNDING SOURCES
The City may also consider pursuing additional
funding options beyond the sources previously
discussed. This section describes new funding
sources that could be considered to fund priority
projects identified in this plan. New funding
sources include grants, taxes and assessments,
public-private partnerships, and other commonly
used public funding and financing tools. These
sources can be used to fund streetscape, parks and
open space, other infrastructure improvements,
affordable housing and housing rehabilitation,
historic preservation, environmental cleanup, public
art, and other economic development projects.

There are differing levels of funding capacity and
benefits and drawbacks for each source, which
should be considered before pursuing a particular
funding source.

Federal, State, and Local Grants
The City has had previous success with receiving
grants for economic development activities. These
grants encompass Federal and State grants, including
the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG); the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business Development grant;
the State Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD) Local Early Action Planning (LEAP)
and Senate Bill 2 (SB2) planning grants; California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Active
Transportation Program grant; and the California
Office of Emergency Services (OES) Community Power
Resiliency Allocation Program grant.

The City could pursue additional funding from
these or many other programs currently available.

However, grant funding is highly competitive and
requires significant staff time to conduct research
and meticulously respond to grant applications.

Winning competitive grants involves understanding
the grant requirements and aligning projects with the
funding agency's priorities. In addition, successfully
pursuing grants requires crafting a clear and concise
proposal that articulates the problem or need with
compelling supporting data, outlines a feasible plan
with specific goals, and includes a detailed budget.

Securing competitive grants often necessitates a
local match – either in the form of a financial or in-kind contribution - which can signify a shared investment
in the project's success and convey viability and
impact to grantors. When ready to apply for funding,
the City will need to identify grant programs that
align with the funding needs of their priority projects, have current funding availability, and offer a strong
likelihood of success.

Public-Private Partnerships
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are collaborative
agreements between government entities and
private sector companies aimed at financing,
designing, implementing, and operating projects
that serve the public.

These partnerships leverage the strengths of both
sectors to provide public services or infrastructure
more efficiently and effectively. Benefits of PPPs
include the mobilization of private sector investment,
expertise, and innovation, which can lead to
improved project management and delivery, reduced
public sector risk, and enhanced service quality.

Additionally, PPPs can help overcome budgetary
constraints by tapping into private funding sources,
enabling the completion of large-scale projects that
might otherwise be unaffordable. The larger-scale
projects envisioned in the plan may be suitable for
pursuing a PPP as opportunities arise and leveraging
private financing to fund the project. However,
negotiating and structuring these partnerships can
be complex and time-consuming, requiring careful
attention to legal, financial, and operational details
to ensure balanced risk-sharing and mutual benefits.

Effective governance, a clear regulatory framework,
and robust oversight mechanisms are crucial to
address these challenges and ensure that PPPs
deliver on their promises.
56 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN
Potential Grant Funding Sources
Federal Funding Programs
↘ HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
↘ Economic Development Administration (EDA) Public Works Grant Program
↘ Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Grant Program
↘ Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program
↘ Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program
↘ US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business
Development Grant Program
↘ USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry
Program
State Funding Programs
↘ State Transportation Improvement Program and California Transportation Commission Local Programs
↘ California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Active Transportation Grant Program
↘ California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) Certified Local Government (CLG) Grant Program
↘ California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE) Grant Program
↘ State Infrastructure Bank
↘ California Climate Investments (CCI) Urban and Community Forestry and Urban Forestry Grant Programs
↘ Caltrans Clean California Grant Program
↘ California Urban Greening Grant Program
↘ Senate Bill 2 (SB2) Grant Program
↘ California Department of Parks and Recreation –
Prop 68 Statewide Park Development and Community
Revitalization Program
Non-Profit and Local Funding Programs
↘ California ReLeaf Treecovery Grant Program
↘ U.S. Soccer Foundation Grant
↘ Fresno Council of Governments
↘ Fresno Economic Development Corporation
Note: This list illustrates the numerous grant funding opportunities currently available and is not exhaustive of all options. Based on funding availability, grant sources listed may not be available in future years and new sources may become available.

SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 57
Other Public Funding
and Financing Tools
Currently, the implementation of priority projects
does not contemplate the introduction of a new areaspecific fee, special tax, benefit assessment, or the formation of a tax increment district that devotes tax
revenue to downtown infrastructure or operations. If
other funding sources are unable to fully fund desired
projects downtown, additional public funding and
financing tools may be further studied and pursued,
pending City and community support. Common public
funding financing tools in California include:

Area Development Impact Fees
Impact fees are ordinance-based, one-time
charges on new development. Impact fees cover
new development’s “proportional share” of the
total capital cost necessary for supporting public
infrastructure and facilities (as codified in California Government Code Section 66000 - the Mitigation
Fee Act). Development impact fees can be imposed
through adopting a local enabling ordinance and
may be charged for a particular improvement
(e.g., transportation improvements) or include
multiple infrastructure improvement categories.

Because of anticipated limited new development
in Downtown, adopting an area-specific fee is not a
viable funding source because it will not generate
sufficient revenue. Instead, the City should seek
potential private investment through partnerships
as described previously.

Taxes and Assessments
Taxes and assessments are distinct revenue
mechanisms for government entities in California.

This category includes general taxes (e.g., sales tax,
utility users’ tax, business license tax); special taxes (e.g., parcel tax, Mello-Roos Community Facilities
District special tax); and special benefit assessments
(e.g., street lighting and landscape maintenance
district, property and business improvement district).

Taxes, including general and special taxes, fund
broad governmental purposes or specific projects,
respectively, and require voter approval (majority
approval for general taxes, two-thirds approval for
special taxes). Assessments are charges on properties
directly benefiting from specific improvements or
services. Assessments must correlate with the benefit
received and require property owner approval through
a ballot process under Proposition 218. Both general
and special taxes are governed by the requirements of
state law.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Tax increment financing (TIF) captures the increase
in property tax revenue (the "increment") that results
from the rise in property values within a designated
district. The captured funds are then available to fund capital improvements with a useful life of at least 15
years (either directly or through debt repayment of
bonds issued against the future TIF revenue stream),
affordable housing, and ongoing operations and
maintenance costs. TIF provides a mechanism for
funding improvements, operations, and maintenance
costs without increasing taxes or reallocating existing public funds. However, TIF would divert tax revenues
from the City’s General Fund (and any other affected
taxing entity’s revenue fund). This funding source
offers bond issuance authority, funding flexibility,
and local control, and represents a sustainable annual
funding source. However, the City must evaluate
and support this funding mechanism, which would
decrease revenues available to fund municipal
services citywide. In addition, the funding capacity
would ramp up slowly as value increases are realized
and may not generate sufficient revenue relative to
the cost to form the district.
58 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

ALIGNMENT OF FUNDING SOURCES WITH PRIORITY PROJECTS
The following table presents a potential set of existing and new public and private funding sources aligned
with each priority project. This set of funding sources does not include sources such as a new fee, tax or
assessment, or special financing district. To identify
a funding strategy for each priority project, the City
must first define the parameters and associated
costs of each project. Aligning potential funding
sources with these projects will involve making policy
decisions on how much, if any, to allocate from available citywide revenues. Additionally, the City will need to
evaluate its competitive position and ability to pursue available grant funding or strategic partnerships
with private entities. By prioritizing projects, and
identifying a realistic funding strategy for each
project, the City can optimize funding opportunities
and ensure successful project implementation.

Table 4Aligning Funding Sources with Priority Projects
Priority Project Potential Financing Sources
Downtown Core Streetscape Plan
• City General Fund
• BRIC Program
• USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program • HPF Grant Program
• OHP CLG Grant Program
• CCI Urban and Community Forestry and Urban Forestry Grant Programs
• Caltrans Clean California Grant
• California Urban Greening Grant
• California ReLeaf Treecovery Grant Program
• Public-Private Partnership
2nd Street Gateway
• City General Fund
• CDBG Program
• Caltrans Clean California Grant
More Food and Beverage Options
• City General Fund
• USDA Rural Business Development Grant Program
• Fresno Economic Development Corporation
Safer Streets and Intersections
• City Capital Improvement Plan
• EDA Public Works Grant Program
• SS4A Grant Program
• Caltrans Active Transportation Grant Program
• Fresno Council of Governments
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 59
Priority Project Potential Financing Sources
UP Right-of-Way Activation
• Public-Private Partnership
• Caltrans Clean California Grant
• Prop 68 Statewide Park Development and Community
Revitalization Program
• U.S. Soccer Foundation Grant
Lincoln Park Playscape
• City Capital Improvement Plan
• Prop 68 Statewide Park Development and Community
Revitalization Program
New Development
• Public-Private Partnership
• CDBG Program
• SB2 Grant Program
• Fresno Economic Development Corporation
60 SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

IMPLEMENTATION
The implementation of the strategic plan’s vision will
require a comprehensive approach with contributions
from City staff and resources and outside funding
sources, and it may be implemented in different
phases, with the highest priority actions being
completed in the short-term and lower priority actions
to be completed in the medium- to long-term. The
table below includes information on the approximate
time frame and City leadership for implementing the
Priority Projects.

Table 5Implementation Matrix
Priority Project Primary Responsibility Support Timeline Downtown Streetscape Public Works BID 1-3 years
2nd Street Gateway City Manager Public Works, BID 1-3 years More Food and Beverage
Options BID Planning, Public Works 3-5 years
Safer Streets and
Intersections Public Works City Manager 3-5 years
UPRR Activation Sports
Facilities, Micro Forest City Manager Public Works, Parks and Recreation 3-5 years Lincoln Park Activation Parks and Recreation City Manager 3-5 years New Development Planning City Manager 5+ years
SELMA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN 61

SELMA DOWNTOWN

STRATEGIC PLAN

PUBLIC DRAFT
SEPTEMBER 2024