City, FUSD create inconvenient reality for McLane convenience store owner

POSTMAN RINGS TWICE

Long before Poeschel got involved, Ghuman’s CUP application took two big hits.

Jeff Friesen, at the time Fresno Unified’s interim executive officer for Facilities Management and Planning, wrote a letter dated Dec. 26, 2014 to the city.

“The District does not support this project and continues to have concerns regarding potentially dangerous interaction between our students and the proposed operation,” Friesen said.

Just in case City Hall didn’t get the message, Friesen underlined “does not support” and highlighted the three words with a yellow background.

In February 2015, three cops from the city’s Northeast District, including Lt. Donald Gross (district commander), sent a similar letter to City Hall.

The police noted that the state is “authorized” to deny retail liquor licenses to businesses operating within 600 feet of a school. The police said no other business within 600 feet of McLane has a Type 20 license. The police said Fresno Unified opposes the CUP.

“The Fresno Police Department is in opposition of this Conditional Use Permit,” the police said. “The Fresno Police Department shall oppose the approval of this Conditional Use Permit, and shall appeal such approval to the Planning Commission.”

Just in case City Hall didn’t get the message, the police underlined “is in opposition” and put the words in bold type.

And around this time, Ghuman learned that Quick Mart’s parent company, the one that had told him getting the liquor license would be a snap, hit the financial skids. The company is now in bankruptcy court, Ghuman told the Planning Commission on Jan. 6.

Poeschel got to work. The CUP concept is all about conditions. Well, Poeschel came up with a dozen conditions for the operation of Ghuman’s Quick Mart.

Add these to the CUP, Poeschel said in a Jan. 5, 2016 letter to planning department Director Jennifer Clark, and everyone’s got a reason to say yes.