Here’s what you need to know:

  • The Clovis Planning Commission approved a General Plan consistency finding for $43 million in 2022-2023 Community Investment Program projects. The budget is comprised of 63 projects ranging from ADA improvements to securing water for current climate conditions and future development 
  • The commissioners also approved a request from Wathen Castanos Homes to amend the Loma Vista Master Plan by removing a local street near Shaw and DeWolf Avenues. The amendment is intended to support the development of a higher density residential project with up to 25 units per acre, versus 15 per acre as originally planned. 
  • Lastly, the commissioners voted to extend a conditional use permit for Athletic Performance outdoor training facility to Aug. 25 with a suspension until the conditions are met. If all conditions are met sooner, they will have full use of the facility. If all conditions are not met, the CUP will be revoked. 

The meeting (in full)

The Scene

The Clovis Planning Commission meeting took place on Thursday, May 26, 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. 

Commissioners Bedsted and Hinkle were absent. All other commissioners were in council chambers. 

Commission Secretary David Merchen comments: 

  • The Deputy City Planner Ricky Caperton will be leaving next month for a management position with the City of Napa. 

Hinkle opened the meeting for commissioner comments:

  • No comments were made. 

No public comments were made. 

Actions

  • Approved minutes from the April 28 meeting.
  • Approved a General Plan consistency finding for the proposed 2022-2023 Community Investment Program of $43 million in improvements. 
    • Presented by Supervising Civil Engineer Thad Avery. 
      • The budget is comprised of 63 projects. 
      • Noteworthy projects from the last year are Landmark Square senior center, Fire Station 6, Fire Station 2 and Shaw Avenue widening and Loma Vista Village Green.  
      • Hinkle asked for an update on the library at Landmark Square. 
        • Staff said they have been in touch with the County and it is still about one year out from construction. They are still working with the Department of Toxic Control on the substances and getting test results. 
    • According to the agenda, the proposed Community Investment Program provides approximately $43 million dollars in improvements, including: 
      • ADA improvements throughout the city
      • Maintenance of the trail system
      • Design and construction of asphalt overlays and roadway rehabilitation
      • Secure water for current climate conditions and future development in accordance with General Plan
      • Repair and rehabilitation of affordable housing
  • Approved a request to amend the Loma Vista Community Centers North and South Master Plan to remove the planned local street identified as Marengo Avenue near Shaw and DeWolf Avenues. Also, allowed for higher density residential with up to 25 units per acre, versus 15 units per acre. 
    • City Planner Dave Merchen presented the item. 
      • Merchen said the project could be approved shortly after this change is approved. 
      • He said these types of local streets aren’t typically included in a Master Plan. But some of these streets were identified as being “critical” in achieving the goals of the Master Plan.
      • He said Sanders Ave. is designed as a vibrant, active street to take pedestrians from one side of Shaw Ave. to the other. 
      • The expansion of the R-3 zone would allow for higher density residential adjacent to commercial. He said it could be integrated vertically. 
    • Property owner is Wathen Castanos Homes. Applicant is Precision Civil Engineering. 
      • Eric Gibbons and Adrienne Burns of Wathen Castanos were in council chambers. 
      • He said it was a challenge to develop the area with the small streets and thanked the staff. 
    • According to the agenda, Wathen Castanos is requesting an amendment to eliminate a 700 foot long section of a planned local street and to extend the existing R-3 zone district to reflect the modified circulation layout. 
      • The proposed amendments are intended to support the development of a higher density residential project with up to 25 units per acre, versus 15 per acre as currently planned. 
  • Conducted a compliance review of a conditional use permit (CUP) allowing the expansion of an existing athletic training facility, Athletic Performance, to include outdoor training and activities at 340 Clovis Avenue. 
    • Merchen presented the item. 
    • Original CUP was approved in September 2020 and was first reviewed by the commission in October 2021. 
      • A follow up review was conducted in January 2021 and a number of conditions were found to be not in compliance. 
      • Merchen said the applicant has since purchased the property and would be transferred to him with his first payment in June. 
      • He said the sidewalk and trash enclosure design has been completed. 
      • Merchen said the nine conditions out of compliance are still out of compliance. 
      • The commissioners have the option to revoke, suspend or extend the CUP.
    • Applicant David Standifer, owner of Athletic Performance, is in council chambers. 
      • He said they had some issues coming to terms with the property owner to purchase the property. 
      • He said at the end of April they reached an agreement and June 1 their first payment is due. 
      • He said they want to redo the whole front of the building, but to spend the money and not own the property yet, it did not make sense for them to make the improvements. 
      • But now that they own the property, they already have a contract with a construction company. 
      • He said they have all the funding and want to get everything done. 
      • His mom owns an antique store in Old Town Clovis. 
      • He said they make only $300,000 in annual revenue. 
      • Hatcher asked why he didn’t do the backflow. Standifer said they did it last year. 
      • Hatcher said they have never revoked anyone in her 11 years on the commission. 
      • Standifer said to lose the outdoor area would hurt them in a large way financially. 
      • Hatcher said she needs firm dates in place for the improvements to be done. 
        • Standifer said hopefully by the end of July, but they want to make sure that the plans are correct. 
      • Antuna asked if escrow has closed. Standifer said it will be June 1 when their first payment is due. 
      • Antuna said that she thinks they have given him adequate time and he agreed to the terms of the CUP as a lessee. 
        • Standifer said he thought it would be $35,000 to $40,000 of work and he could take a loan out for it, but once it ballooned to $100,000 it was more difficult. 
      • Cunningham said that he’s been on the commission since 2008 and they’ve never revoked a CUP. 
        • “I view us as trying to partner with businesses and I don’t feel we had a good partnership and now you’re asking us to believe in you for a little bit longer and you know how tough that is,” he said. 
        • Standifer said he thought they were going to lose the property to the other buyer and they were trying to figure out what to do with their business. 
        • He said they lost a lot of business during Covid and were finally starting to get momentum back. 
      • The applicant’s attorney, Justin Harris, is in council chambers. 
        • He said that he’s done eight and nine figure transactions that were significantly easier than the transaction to buy the property for Athletic Performance. 
        • He said he trains at Athletic Performance and completed the work Pro Bono. 
        • “It has been a constant battle to try and keep things on track,” he said. 
        • He said the only thing they are looking for now is a notary because the owner is in the District of Columbia, but he said he believes it’s going to close by May 31. 
    • Hatcher said she’s not prepared to revoke, but she needs some assurance that conditions will be met by a firm date. 
    • Antuna said that revocation does seem a “little harsh,” but she would be open to a suspension for all the activities related to the CUP since the applicant was able to benefit from the CUP for two years.
    • Cunningham said that putting a suspension would be counterproductive in his view since it would hurt his business. “I would not be opposed to an extension with the understanding that if it isn’t then we just revoke,” he said. 
    • Hatcher asked if they suspend the CUP if it will “put his business under.” 
      • Standifer said it would hurt financially, but they would have to make it work. 
      • “I do not want to lose that outdoor area,” he said. 
      • He continued that if they have to suspend the outdoor area to continue his business, then that’s what they’ll do. 
    • Antuna said she would not be agreeable to an extension without a suspension. 
    • They made a motion to extend the CUP to Aug. 25 with a suspension until the conditions are met. If they are met sooner, the Standifer will have full use of his facility. If the conditions are not met, full revocation of the CUP will happen. 
      • Merchen said that they will modify the conditions of approval. 
    • The commissioners approved extending the Athletic Performance CUP to Aug. 25 with a suspension until the conditions are met. If all conditions are met sooner, they will have full use of the facility. If all conditions are not met, the CUP will be revoked. 

The meeting adjourned at 7:20  p.m. Future Clovis Planning Commission meetings are scheduled on June 23, July 28 and Aug. 25, 2022.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at Documenters-admin@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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