Here’s what you need to know:
- At the Fresno Planning Commission meeting on September 21, 2022, the commissioners recommended approval of a D.R. Horton, Inc. subdivision of 199 single-family homes on the southeast corner of the East California Avenue alignment and South Willow Avenue.
- The project requires the installation of public right-of-way improvements before the issuance of building permits, including a traffic signal with protected left-turn phasing at the Church and Willow Avenues and a HAWK pedestrian beacon at the intersection of Church and Helm Avenues.
- Sarah Pilibos expressed concerns about their adjacent parcels having to move from well to city water. If they have to move to city water, she said the homes and parcels will need to be re-plumbed to connect, causing “untenable expenses.” She asked that the parcels be removed from annexation. Planner Gray said mandatory connection to city water is excluded from the annexation.
Follow-up questions:
- How will the annexation of parcels and changes in land use designation affect residents?
- When will the right-of-way improvements benefit pedestrians in the area?
The Scene
The planning commission takes action on various planning issues. The commission meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month (unless otherwise noted) at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 2600 Fresno Street, 2nd floor.
Meetings are open to the public and can also be streamed online or viewed on television. For air times, visit http://cmac.tv. For additional information, call (559) 621-8277.
Fresno City Planning Commissioners present:
- Chairperson Peter Vang
- Vice-Chair Brad Hardie
- Commissioner Haley W. Wagner
- Commissioner Kathy Bray
- Commissioner Robert Fuentes
- Commissioner Monica Diaz
Fresno City Planning Commissioners not present:
- Commissioner David Criner
Others Present:
- Planner Rob Holt
- Ernie Escobedo
- Sarah Pilibos
- Planner Kenneth Gray from the Department of Utilities
Discussions/Actions
The commissioners recommended approval of plans to subdivide approximately 36.75 acres into a 199 single-family home development by D.R. Horton, Inc. The item had previously been continued from the September 7 meeting.
II-A ID 22-1440 Consideration of Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6345; and related Environmental Assessment No. T-6345/P22-00411/P22-00442.
The map covers approximately 36.75 acres of property on the southeast corner of East California Avenue and South Willow Avenue (Council District 5).
1. Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for Environmental Assessment No. T-6345/P22-00411/P22-0442 dated August 12, 2022, for the proposed project under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Annexation Application No. P22-00411 (for the California-Willow No. 4 Reorganization) proposes detachment from the Kings River Conservation District and Fresno County Fire Protection District and annexation to the City of Fresno.
3. Pre-zone Application No. P22-00442 proposing to pre-zone:
- approximately 38.37 acres of the subject property from the Fresno County AL20 (Limited Agriculture) zone district to the City of Fresno RS-5 (Single-Family Residential, Medium Density) zone district;
- approximately 37.90 acres of the subject property from the Fresno County AL20 (Limited Agriculture) zone district to the RS-5/ANX (Single-Family Residential, Medium Density/Annexed Rural Residential Transitional Overlay) zone district
- approximately 41.70 acres of the subject property from the Fresno County AL20 (Limited Agriculture) zone district to the City of Fresno RM-2/ANX (Multi-Family Residential, Urban Neighborhood/Annexed Rural Residential Transitional Overlay) zone district.
4. Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6345.
The map proposes to subdivide approximately 36.75 acres of the subject property into a 199-lot conventional single-family residential development subject to compliance with the Conditions of Approval dated September 21, 2022, and contingent upon approval of Annexation No. P22-00411 and Pre-zone Application No. P22-00442 and the related environmental assessment.
According to Planner Rob Holt, the proposed map property, a vacant site, is surrounded by single-family residential neighborhoods with a mix of multifamily and rural residential uses.
In its northeast is Fresno Pacific University, and a public middle school to the south. In the adjacent east of the property is a recently approved single-family residential subdivision of 200 lots.
The annexation will include four properties. The prezone application will designate the subject properties to the north, consistent with respective land uses.
The two properties in the north will be classified as Annexed Rural Residential Transitional Overlay (ANX) District.
The ANX designation allows rural residential uses of properties upon the annexation to the City so long as the user has been lawfully allowed by the county immediately preceding the annexation.
The proposed tract map comprises approximately 36.75 acres of the subject property into a 199-lot conventional single-family residential development with a density of 4.4 dwellings per acre, which is consistent with the planned land use designation of the medium-density residential land use between 5 and 12 units.
The average lot is 5,370 square feet, with a landscape setback requirement of 15 feet along Willow Avenue. There will be a trail alignment to the north of the property, connecting to a park.
The District 5 Project Review Committee (4-0) recommended the approval of the tract map.
The project will be required to install the following public right-of-way improvements, including:
- A traffic signal with protected left-turn phasing before the issuance of building permits in the intersection of E Church and S Willow Avenues.
- HAWK pedestrian beacon before the occupancy of any building permits in the intersection of E Church and S Helm Avenues
Planning Department staff corrected details regarding agricultural wells.
The developer will solely pay the Fresno County Fire Transition Fees for the properties.
The well must be metered when the developer digs deeper since there is no recharge.
On solid waste, the Public Resources Code allows property owners continued service with their existing contractor or private hauler for five years following annexation.
Following the five-year transition period, property owners with residential uses must sign up with the City of Fresno Solid Waste Service.
Existing contractors or public haulers in a property annexed can continue indefinitely for commercial uses.
The property owners can apply to San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the Fire Department for the burn permit.
On the sewer requirements, Planner Kenneth Gray from the Department of Utilities mentioned that the two parcels towards the north, 20 acres each, have four facilities, which are domestic homes.
Each house has its septic. According to the Municipal Code Section 6303, each domicile has to be connected to the city sewer that has sewage.
However, the four homes do not need to connect to city water due to the exceptions for 2 acres parcel with one structure and not connected to the city water.
Ernie Escobedo, representing the applicants, said the decision for the parcels to be included in the annexation is not with the developer but with LAFCo, the city, and the county.
Sarah Pilibos stated that the parcels are dependent on the well.
The well, if separate and go on city water, the homes and parcels will need to be plumbed in a certain way to connect to the city, causing “untenable” expenses. Hence, she urges the parcels to be removed from annexation.
Planner Gray said that mandatory connection to city water by the parcels is excluded in the annexation.
The item referred back to staff at the applicant’s request consists of:
VII-B ID 22-1441 This item was referred back to staff at the applicant’s request: An appeal regarding Development Permit Application No. P21-00420 and related Environmental Assessment for property located at 63 West Shaw Avenue on the southeast corner of West Shaw and North Glenn Avenues (Council District 4).
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 11, 2022, at 6 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 2600 Fresno Street.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at Documenters-admin@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.