Overview:
In its first year of operation, the city’s Cannabis Administrative Prosecutor Program was able to conduct 100 investigations. All 100 investigations resulted in code violations.
The Fresno City Council saw a presentation from CAPP, as well as approved matters through the consent agenda like allocating $100,000 toward local LGBTQIA+ groups, and allowing residents the option to close down their alleys.
The city’s first-of-its-kind partnership with the California Attorney General’s office has helped bring light to multiple violations in Fresno’s cannabis scene.
Fresno City Council saw a presentation from the City Attorney’s Office on the annual report from the Cannabis Administrative Prosecutor Program.
CAPP started in August 2023 after a first-of-its-kind partnership with the office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the City of Fresno.
The program aims to “reduce and eliminate illegal commercial cannabis activity within the city, while mitigating the environmental, social and economic impacts of these illegal activities”
“I want to emphasize that this program is civil in nature,” said Chief Assistant City Attorney Erica Camarena, who was among the presenters. “Our prosecutory purpose is to go after people or operators, owners civilly, not criminally. But as you’re going to see throughout the slideshow, inherently there were a lot of criminal elements with what we do… ”
Smoke shops inspected by the CAPP team were shown to the council — including Royal T Smoke Shop. The CAPP team discovered that the owner of the shop had a warrant for a homicide, leading to their arrest. Another business, Full Moon, is no longer in business after being levied penalties by the CAPP team.
The city attorney’s office levies a $250 fine per violation. However, the biggest loss for businesses, according to Camarena, comes from the CAPP team seizing their illegal products — which effectively shuts off their revenue steam.
One hundred inspections have been conducted by CAPP in the last year, including 67 smoke shops. Among those smoke shops 53 or about 80%, had cannabis. Illegal tobacco was also seen at 63, or about 94%, of the smoke shops.
All 100 inspections resulted in code violations.
More engagement expected with LGBTQIA+ groups in the city
The City of Fresno awarded $100,000 to assist six community-based LGBTQIA+ organizations. The money comes from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The awarded groups and the total funding is: $25,160 to Oasis Legal, $20,000 to BlaQueer Fresno, $18,500 to Casita Feliz, $13,600 to Dulce Upfront Labs, $12,740 to LGBTQ Fresno and $10,000 for Trans-e-motion.
The resolution passed through the consent agenda on a vote of 4-1. Councilmembers Tyler Maxwell and Miguel Arias were absent from the vote. Councilmember Garry Bredefled voted against the resolution, saying that he would not support the resolution because “one of the organizations is involved in assisting folks who are here illegally, and there are also programs involved in gender-affirming care, which I disagree with.”
Residents can now apply for alley closures
Fresno City Council approved an amendment to the municipal code, allowing residents to have the option to apply for alley closures. The item was passed through the consent agenda.
The amendment, sponsored by Arias, says the city is “experiencing illegal dumping” as well as illegal conduct like “prostitution (and) drug transactions.”
“…illegal dumping, prostitution and drug transactions are becoming routine activities within alleys,” the amendment reads.
The new policy will be managed by the city’s director of public works, who will review requests for an alley closure once at least 75% of adjacent property owners have consented to the closure.
The amendment promises any potential alley closures would not impede commercial or emergency vehicles, or restrict access for “certain members of the public.”
City helps Marjaree Mason Center toward competition of new project
The City of Fresno approved a $75,000 funding allocation to the Marjaree Mason Center for its community resource building project. The item was approved unanimously through the consent agenda, and was sponsored by the office of the city manager and mayor, and Maxwell.
The funds come from the city’s general fund.
The funding is expected to help the MMC recoup costs from permits and fees needed to complete the project. It is also expected to help them cover costs for new equipment, including computer towers and monitors.
The project broke ground in January. It is expected to be completed by December, and be operational with staff moved in by January 2025.
ATAC report says pedestrian deaths are an issue
The semi-annual Active Transportation Advisory Committee report was passed through the Fresno City Council’s consent agenda.
The report says that committee members “continue to be concerned about the high level of fatalities and collisions in the city of Fresno.”
From January to August of this year, there have been 25 fatalities as a result of pedestrian or bicycle collisions within Fresno city limits. The number has already surpassed 2023’s total of 22.
Community Kitchen gets final approval
Fresno City Council approved $700,000 to Cultiva La Salud toward the creation of a community kitchen to assist mobile food vendors.
Construction is expected to begin in January 2026, with plans for occupancy beginning in late 2026.
The funding makes good on a nearly-three-year-old promise from the city.
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