Here’s what you need to know:

  • Reedley City Council Member Robert Beck submitted his resignation due to health concerns. The city has 60 days to fill the District 3 seat by appointment or special election. 
  • The council approved the annexation of 58 acres on the south side of East Manning Avenue into the western edge of the city. They also approved a conditional use permit for a 13-acre master plan development and ten commercial buildings at the annexed site.
  • The Downtown water tower painting project will begin on August 22. It will last approximately two months and impact adjacent parking. 

Follow-up Questions

  • How fast does the Reedley City Council plan to fill the vacant District 3 seat? 

The Scene

The meeting began on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. available via Livestream through Zoom Webinar.

After the meeting was called to order, Pastor Matt Harder from the Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church held the invocation. Council Member Ray Soleno started the pledge of allegiance and roll call was completed. All council members were present. 

The agenda for today’s meeting was approved. There were no additions or deletions.

Council Members 

Robert Beck, Mayor Pro Tern 

Ray Soleno, Council Member 

Mary L. Fast, Mayor 

Anita Betancourt, Council Member 

Matthew Tuttle, Council Member 

Presentation

  • Item 1. Recognition of Council Member Robert O. Beck for his service to the community
  • Multiple council members and staff spoke to appreciate and acknowledge Council Member Beck’s efforts in his duties. 
  • A plaque was awarded to Council Member Beck that recognized his work. He gave his own speech in gratitude as well.

Public Comment

  • None.

Consent Agenda-Approved with a unanimous vote:

  • Item 2. Approval of Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of July 26, 2022 – (City Clerk) Staff Recommendation: Approve 
  • Item 3. Approval for Travel and Conference Related Expenses for Council Member Tuttle to Attend the League of California Cities Annual Conference in September 2022 – (City Clerk) Staff Recommendation: Approve 
  • Item 4. Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Sign an Outside City Water Service Agreement with the Owners of Real Property Located at 9551 South Zumwalt Avenue – (Community Development, Engineering & Public Works) Staff Recommendation: Approve 
    • City Planner Ellen Moore came here to answer questions. A Councilmember had a question regarding extending water service to someone not in town. Moore answered that they will be providing them with existing domestic water service for the house and adjacent landscaping. 
  • Item 5. Approve the City of Reedley Partnership with Fresno Street Eats to Provide a Food Truck Event on August 19, 2022, at Pioneer Park – (Community Services & Community Development) Staff Recommendation: Approve 
  • Item 6. Adopt Resolution 2022-071 Approving and Accepting Revisions to the City Quality Assurance Program – (Engineering) Staff Recommendation: Approve 
  • Item 7. Adopt resolution 2022-073 authorizing the addition of one full-time office assistant position to support the additional purchasing responsibilities within the expanded learning opportunities ELOP Community Services 

Public Hearing

  • Item 8. Conduct Public Hearing and Consider Items Associated with Manning Avenue Annexation Application No. 2020-01 
  1. Adopt Resolution 2022-075, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Reedley Adopting Environmental Assessment No. 2020-15, A mitigated Negative Declaration, Dated June 2, 2022, And Approving Annexation Application No. NO. 2020-01, Pre-Zone Application No. 2020-01, Conditional Use Permit Application No. 2022-05, And Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map No. 6408.
  2. Introduction of Ordinance No. 2022-004, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Reedley Approving Pre-Zone Application No. 2020-01 And Authorizing the Amendment of the Official Zoning Map of the City of Reedley.
  3. Adopt Resolution 2022-076, A Resolution of Application by the City of Reedley Requesting the Local Agency Formation Commission to Take Proceedings for the Manning Avenue Reorganization. 
  • Staff Recommendation: Approve
  • City Planner Moore gave a presentation. 
    • The project location will be in the western sector of the city of Reedley. 
      • South side of East Manning Ave
      • 58 gross acres
      • Agricultural and fallow land, Kings River
    • Reedley General Plan
      • Outside of Reedley City limits
      • Inside Reedley’s adopted sphere of influence
    • Standards for annexation
      • Does not conflict with Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg local government reorganization act
      • Consistent with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the county of Fresno and the city of Reedley.
        • 25% imminent development. 
    • Pre-zone application no. 2020-01
      • Pre-zoning required for the proposed annexation area
      • Consistent with the Reedley general plan
    • Conditional use permit application no. 2020-05
      • 13-acre master plan development
      • 10 commercial buildings
      • 56,773 sq ft total
      • 542 parking spaces
      • General plan policy: 200 ft buffer between Kings River Corridor and development
    • Conditions of approval for CUP 2022-05 and VTSM 6408
      • New construction within the project shall be reviewed for substantial conformance
      • By-right uses would go through Site Plan Review Process
      • Conditional uses would go through the Conditional Use Permit Process
    • Environmental Assessment No. 2020-15
      • An appendix G Checklist from the CA Environmental Quality Act Guidelines was prepared.
    • Planning Commission Action
      • Public hearing notice for planning commission meeting published in MVT on July 7 2022 and mailed to surrounding property owners on July 8, 2022
      • No comments from the public.
  • Director Horton emphasized that this project is based on “strategic” development. 
  • Public comment: Mr. Doug Cords wanted to mention that he is grateful for all the support from the city and is looking forward to getting more restaurants and stores open to the market. 
  • This item was approved.

Administrative Business

  • Item 9. Approve Items Related to City Council District 3
  1. Accept Resignation of Council Member Robert Beck
    1. Due to health concerns, Council Member Beck has submitted his formal resignation.
  2. Discuss and Direct Staff to Proceed with Actions to Fill Vacant District 3 Council Member Seat by Appointment or Special Election.
    1. There are 60 days to fill this position through a special election or appointment.
      1. Election will cost $30,000 – $60,000, if held.
    2. The selected person must be a registered voter in that district and live there.
    3. There are no other special qualifications. 
    4. There is a person in mind who has kept interest in the role for the past 11 years.
    5. The city manager recommended not to form the City Selection Committee to select the seat.
  3.  Staff Recommendation: Approve 
  • Item 10. Consideration of Items Pertaining to the Reedley Retiree Healthcare Plan 
  1. Receive and review the Actuarial Valuation Reports of the Reedley Retiree Healthcare Plan (No Action) 
    1. There will be no action but to see and review the report.
  2. Adopt Resolution No. 2022-074 Amending and Restating the Tiered Medical Benefit Structure for City of Reedley Retirees Increasing the City’s Contribution Towards Eligible Dependent Coverage. 
    1. A proposed small revision for Tier 2 retirees.
      1. Less than $10,000 per year.
        1. 3% of total retiree medical cost per year.
  3. Staff Recommendation: Approve 

Both items were approved.

Receive Information & Reports

  • Item 11. Reedley’s River City Theatre Company, Profit, & Loss Statement for the Period of April 1 – June 30, 2022 – Community Services 
  • Item 12. Reedley Community Services Commission Minutes of Regular Meeting of January 27, 2022 – Community Services 
  • Item 13. Reedley Planning Commission Minutes of Regular Meeting of July 7, 2022 – Community Development.

Council Reports

  • Item 14. Brief Report by council members on city-related activities as authorized by the Brown Act and Requests for Future Agenda Items: 
    • A council member attended a Council of Government meeting on July 28. They discussed the Regional Transportation Plan and the Sustainable Community Strategy. This project will be moving up to 7.7 units per acre for new development. 
  • A regional housing allocation study is currently being worked on. This project must come up with 1,428 units per year and will vary from low-income to high income housing. 
  • There was also a World Transit Authority meeting that a council member attended. She heard that this project received a grant for electric charging stations in Downtown Fresno. They will be working to put that together. It is a $6.8 million project.
  • She also attended the Air Board Zoom meeting on August 2. There were a lot of air quality measures, but they can’t seem to get them to be active because there is so much litigation. “Will be kind of frustrating to work with that place.” 

Staff Reports

  • Item 15. Updates and/or Reports by City Manager and/or Staff Members
  • There will be a vote to put Measure C on the ballot. Fresno has not given their answer regarding that but will vote on that on Thursday. 
  • There was recent media coverage to not put Measure C on the ballot.
  • On the November ballot, there will be a Fresno State tax that will fund a 0.2% sales tax. It will impact Reedley less. 
    • It will be for Nursing and Criminology programs and a new stadium
    • Asking the entire county to pay for new programs. 
    • Sales tax is the most regressive tax possible.
  • Boys and Girls Club fundraiser soon.
  • Kings River Conservancy dinner soon.
  • Joint meeting with the Planning Commission soon. 
  • August 22 is the date that the Downtown Water Tower Painting Project will begin. It will last 2 months. There will be some inconveniences to the public. They will be closing down half of the adjacent parking lot.
  • There has been a city agreement with the Catholic Church to use the parking lot for a public parking lot. 
  • Rehabilitation of the white gazebo will begin last three to four weeks. 

Closed Session

  • The closed session began at 8:59 p.m. The online meeting ended after, so I was not able to take notes and see the adjournment.

Adjournment

  • The open session lasted one hour and 59 minutes. The closed session was unable to be documented. An adjournment was also unable to be documented.

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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