Why it matters?
Land use decisions and zoning ordinances should be enforced equitably and requests for appeals must be given equal consideration that factors in public concerns.
Documented by Rachel Youdelman
What happened: The Fresno County Board of Supervisors met on Dec. 13 and voted to deny an appeal for one building project and approve an appeal for another, both in Fig Garden, and both opposed by neighbors and the planning commission.
The denial was made to a Spanish-speaking resident and the approval to Jeff Roberts, a local real-estate developer who served time in federal prison in the late 1990s for his role in real-estate corruption in the city governments of Fresno and Clovis, and who works for the Assemi Group.
First, the board voted to reject an appeal to build a 70-foot ham-radio tower, brought by Jesus Rivas, a resident of the Fig Garden neighborhood.
The board then voted to unanimously approve a building project for Roberts, despite several objections from neighbors. The planning commission had previously denied the application, which was for the building of a series of accessory structures on residential property.
And also: The board approved adding 49 positions in the Department of Social Services to address the workload for Welfare-to-Work/Homeless Services, eligibility, and administrative work.
What’s next: The Fresno County Board of Supervisors will reconvene in the new year at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 3, 2023.