Fresno City Council rejects South Central Specific Plan

The Fresno City Council has denied a controversial South Central Specific Plan after both the business community and environmental justice advocates opposed it. 

With the rejection, the city will head back to the drawing board to create a plan to govern development in the area that is generally located south of California Ave., north of American Ave. and between Fig Ave. and Peace Ave. 

Driving the news: The proposed plan that was rejected by the council was also opposed by the Fresno Planning Commission a couple weeks ago. 

• The plan would have reduced heavy industrial acreage by 17%. 
• It also would have created a Business Park, Regional Business Park and Light Industrial land use buffer between Heavy Industrial and sensitive uses. 
• Further, the plan would have assigned residential land use designations to all existing parcels with residences, among other changes. 
• The plan has been in the works since 2019. 

The big picture: The council voted 6-0 to reject the plan on Thursday. Councilman Nelson Esparza recused himself because of Senate Bill 1439. 

• Mayor Jerry Dyer noted during the meeting that he is not aware of one person who actually supported the proposed plan. 

What we’re watching: City staff will work together with an ad hoc council committee in the coming months to start developing a new plan. The ad hoc committee will have to be formed by a resolution by the City Council. 

• The city will also have to deal with Assembly Bill 98 when forming the new plan, which set restrictions on the development of new warehouses throughout the state. 

What they’re saying: “It’s really clear, and November made it very clear, that we need to start focusing on the majority of our working families in our community – the working class, the middle class,” Councilman Mike Karbassi said. “They’re the ones that pay all the taxes that keep things flowing. And creating more jobs for them so they can provide for their families, so they can move forward with their lives, building more homes where they can actually build that generational wealth.”