A community group seeking to prevent Fresno from renaming California, Ventura and Kings Canyon Avenues to Cesar Chavez Boulevard filed a motion for preliminary injunction in court on Wednesday.
The group, 1 Community Compact, is seeking to preserve the three street names, which it considers to have historical significance in Fresno.
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The backstory: Last March the Fresno City Council voted 6-1 to rename the stretches of California, Kings Canyon and Ventura Avenues that are within city limits to Cesar Chavez Boulevard to honor the late UFW co-founder. Councilman Garry Bredefeld cast the lone vote in opposition.
- Following the move, 1 Community Compact formed, which includes members of Fresno’s Black community, Fresno’s Armenian community, business owners along the three streets in question, and others.
- 1 Community Compact filed a lawsuit against the city last July, accusing the city of renaming the streets for ideological and political reasons.
- The city has allocated $1 million to make the changes.
The big picture: The group filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in Fresno County Superior Court on Wednesday.
- If a judge grants the preliminary injunction, the city would be blocked from moving forward with the renaming until the issue is resolved in court.
What we’re watching: 1 Community Compact filed the notice for a preliminary injunction one day before the Fresno City Council is scheduled to award a bid to a contractor to replace the street signs.
- Kroeker Inc., the, contractor has 30 days to do the work.
- The hearing date in court for the preliminary injunction is scheduled for March 12.
What they’re saying: “With a successful injunction, 1 Community Compact will be able to provide a pause to the City Council majority’s waste of public funds and defiant choice to rapidly erase Fresno’s history in their pursuit of political popularity,” 1 Community Compact said in a statement.
