Here’s what you need to know:
- The Clovis Planning Commission approved an increase in building height and guest rooms for a four-story, 107-room dual-branded Avid Hotel/Candlewood Suites on Willow Avenue. The hotel will allow long-term stays over 30 days and the applicant plans to place travel nurses there. Fresno Unified School District sent a letter of rejection on the project, due to its request for an alcohol license, which the applicant says will be used strictly for complimentary drinks for hotel guests during happy hour.
The meeting (in full)
The Scene
The Clovis Planning Commission meeting took place on Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. The Planning Commission consists of five Clovis residents appointed by the mayor and approved by the City Council. They meet monthly to make decisions and recommendations on city planning issues and review proposals for compliance with the General Plan, in order to make recommendations to the City Council.
Commission Members:
Paul Hinkle, Chair (also real estate agent with Kellner Properties)
Mike Cunningham, Chair Pro Tem
Alma Antuna
Brandon Bedsted
Amy Hatcher
The meeting was made available via Webex and YouTube Live. The agenda states that Webex participation continues to be available.
The meeting opened quickly with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioner Antuna was absent, all other commissioners were in council chambers.
Commission Secretary David Merchen comments:
- Update on the Regional Housing Needs overlay map. Merchen said of the 30 sites they had, one site is coming off and 29 remain. He said no new sites are being added.
Hinkle opened the meeting for commissioner comments:
- Hinkle thanked the City for sending him to the Planning Commission Academy. He said it was very informative.
- Hinkle said there are 200 bills in committee that affect housing in California and he said they think 20 of them will make it through committee.
- He said there are 13 bills that Tri-City is “concerned about” and he gave Merchen a list of them.
Actions
- Approved minutes from the Jan. 27 meeting.
- Approved a request to amend a previously approved conditional use permit for a four-story, 107-room hotel near Willow and Shaw Avenues.
- Kelsey George presented the item.
- The hotel will be located on a 3.31-acre site at 2355 Willow Ave.
- Nick Patel of Holiday Management, Inc. is the applicant/owner, Jon Frame of RL Davidson, Inc. is the representative.
- Requesting to amend the CUP from three stories (55 feet) to four stories (60 feet) and 90 guest rooms to 107 guest rooms.
- Located along Willow Avenue, between Shaw and Santa Ana Avenues, adjacent to an apartment complex.
- The site has 128 parking stalls and two points of access from Willow Avenue.
- The hotel will be dual-branded.
- Part of the hotel will be used for long-term stays over 30 days and the applicant will work with a travel nursing company that places nurses there.
- The applicant’s representative Jon Frame was in council chambers.
- He said the 60-foot limit was for the brand image for Candlewood Suites.
- He said the red stair tower is a brand image for the Avid side of the building.
- Cunningham said they received a letter of objection from Fresno Unified due to the full bar.
- Frame said no alcoholic beverages would be for sale, but they would be offered to guests during happy hour.
- He said the closest school I T Ashlan and Millbrook Avenues.
- Cunningham said the letter was “adamantly non supportive.”
- Cunningham also asked about the access road to the apartment complex.
- Frame said the hotel owner has been trying to get in touch with the apartment owner, but hasn’t been able to.
- He said they are trying to maintain the access roads and easement for the apartments, but it needs to be reshaped because it forms a Y toward Willow Avenue.
- Frame said the hotel owner has been trying to get in touch with the apartment owner, but hasn’t been able to.
The meeting adjourned at 6:17 p.m. Future Planning Commission meetings are scheduled on April 28 2022.