Here’s what you need to know:
- The Fresno County Planning Commission met on October 13, 2022 and approved the first one-year time extension for a conditional use permit application. The application allows the landowners to split their parcel and have a truck and trailer storage and maintenance facility when such vehicles are devoted exclusively to the transportation of agricultural products, supplies, and equipment; and a feed and farm supply store.
- The commissioners denied an application to allow a 70-foot ham radio tower within a single-family residential zone near North Arthur and West Swift Avenues. Nearby residents were concerned about the effect of the tower on their health and appearance of the neighborhood.
- The commissioners approved an application to allow the development of additional on-site parking for the Riverdale Memorial District.
- The commissioners approved the expansion of an existing automobile service station at Belmont and Temperance Avenues by adding a fuel island canopy and two gasoline pumps.
Follow-up questions:
- Will Jesus Rivas appeal for the construction of a ham radio tower?
- What are the impacts of the additional on-site parking for Riverdale Memorial District?
The Scene
The Fresno County Planning Commission has jurisdiction, powers, and duties to do all things related to local and area planning as may be conferred to it by the Government Code or delegated to it by the board of supervisors.
The commission’s duties include considering and approving applications for land subdivisions, variances, and conditional use permits and making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on issues concerning zoning and the county’s general plan.
On Thursday, October 13, 2022, the planning commission held its regular meeting at 8:45 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Fresno County Hall of Records, 3rd Floor, 2281 Tulare Street, Fresno, CA.
Fresno County Planning Commissioners present:
- Chair Ken Abrahamian
- Vice-Chair Glenda Hill
- Commissioner Austin Ewell
- Commissioner Esther Carver
- Commissioner Kuldip Chatha
Others Present:
- Elias Saliba from Aesthetic Design
Discussions/Actions
The commission approved the following in the consent agenda:
- The commissioners approved the first one-year time extension for Unclassified Conditional Use Permit No. 3654 et. al.
Christopher and Theresa Smith propose reducing the minimum parcel size requirements in the AE-20 (Exclusive Agricultural, 20-acre minimum parcel size) Zone District.
The proposal will allow the creation of two approximately 7.16-acre parcels and approximately 3.61-acre parcels from an existing 17.93-acre parcel.
The application allows the truck and trailer storage and maintenance facility when such vehicles are devoted exclusively to the transportation of agricultural products, supplies, and equipment; and a feed and farm supply store.
The subject parcel is located within the sphere of influence of the City of Sanger and is approximately 2,680 feet north of the city limits.
The regular agenda involves the following:
- The commissioners (5-0) approved the Conditional Use Permit Application No. 3716 and Initial Study No. 8101 filed by Elias Saliba, proposing to amend Conditional Use Permit No. 3348 to expand the existing automobile service station located within the C-1 (Neighborhood Shopping Center) Zone District.
The project site is located on the northeast corner of Belmont and Temperance Avenues, approximately forty-eight feet northeast of the city limits of the City of Fresno (APN: 310-143-46) (7064 E. Belmont Ave.) (Sup. Dist. 5).
Sunnyside Market was built as a by-right development in 1966. In 2005, the Market expanded to include a Subway restaurant. The proposed barber shop is also a by-right improvement. Two gas pumps were added during that time.
At its hearing on August 13, 2015, the commission considered and approved the applicant’s request for:
- An additional two gas pumps (four fueling positions in total)
- 760-square-foot canopy,
- Two 10,000-gallon aboveground storage tanks
- Convert 800 square feet of the existing convenience store to a barber shop (CUP 3348 and IS 6481).
The current CUP application proposes to add a 760 square-foot fuel island canopy over two existing multiple pump dispensers (MPD) with an additional two MDP gas pumps (totaling six gas pumps in total).
The improvements proposed would increase the capacity to fulfill the need of the surrounding community to purchase gas and utilize the facilities as needed.
- The commissioners (5-0) approved the Classified Conditional Use Permit Application No. 3744 and Initial Study No. 8238 filed by Dirk Poeschel.
The proposal allows the rental of agricultural equipment at an existing 2.28-acre personal/ recreational storage facility within the R-R (Rural Residential, 2- acre minimum parcel size) Zone District.
The project site is located on the west side of State Route (SR) 168 (Auberry Road), approximately 470 feet west of the intersection of SR 168/Lodge Road in the unincorporated community of Prather.
Approved in 2018, UCUP 3546 proposed a personal/recreational vehicle storage facility with an office and a caretaker residence; the second is to allow a zero-foot rear-yard setback to accommodate the proposed storage building.
The project site is designated Foothill Rural Residential in the Sierra-North Regional Plan.
The subject property meets the location requirements of AT No. 372. The following analysis addresses each of the required Findings for Conditional Use Permit (CUP) No. 3744.
- The commissioners (5-0) denied Application No. 4701, filed by Jesus Rivas, proposing allowing a 70-foot ham radio tower within the R-1-B (Single-Family Residential, 12,500 square-foot minimum parcel size) Zone District.
The subject parcel is located on the east side of N. Arthur Ave., approximately 270 feet north of W. Swift Ave, approximately 0.17 miles north of the City of Fresno (APN: 426-202-09) (4352 N. Arthur Ave.) (Sup. Dist. 2).
The proposed ham radio tower will be located on a 0.81-acre parcel designated as a low-density residence in the Fig Garden Community Plan.
The tower is retractable via an electric motor with a max height of 70 feet and can be retracted to 25.6 feet.
The ham radio tower will be for the owner’s personal use, not commercial.
The proposed tower will be located adjacent to the rear of the house, approximately 125 feet from the front property line and approximately 40 feet from the south side property line.
Nearby residents were concerned about the effect of the tower on the health and appearance of the neighborhood.
- Unclassified Conditional Use Permit Application No. 3747, filed by Kenny Reyes, proposed to amend previously approved Unclassified Conditional Use Permit 2991 to allow the development of additional on-site parking for the Riverdale Memorial District.
The project is located on two adjacent parcels, a 1.50-acre, and 1.27-acre parcel in the R-1 (SingleFamily Residential) Zone District.
The parcels are located on the southeast corner of W. Mt. Whitney Ave. and S. Feland Ave., located in the unincorporated community of Riverdale (APN: 053-260-08T & 053-260-09ST) (3085 W. Mt. Whitney Ave.) (Sup. Dist. 4).
The Riverdale Memorial District is a public facility rented out for various purposes, including business meetings, private parties, weddings, sporting events, and community gatherings.
The construction of the existing facility in 1953 predates a requirement of the Zoning Ordinance. The use was memorialized in 2001 through the approval of an Unclassified Conditional Use Permit No. 2991.
The application proposes to allow additional onsite parking. The project does not expand the capacity of the Memorial Hall.
The first proposed parking lot will consist of seven standard stalls, two American with Disabilities (ADA) -compliant stalls, and five motorbike stalls.
The second parking lot includes ten standard stalls. The existing onsite parking will also be re-striped with seven standard and 2 ADA stalls.
The meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 27, 2022, at 8:45 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Fresno County Hall of Records, 3rd Floor, 2281 Tulare Street, Fresno, CA.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at Documenters-admin@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.