Quote of the Week
“To not appeal, in our opinion, would have been worse for the neighborhood based on the options available to the developer.”
— Mayor Jerry Dyer on his decision to appeal the recent rejection of a large market-rate apartment complex near Tatarian Elementary in northwest Fresno.
This Week in Fresnoland
No real choice?
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and Councilmember Mike Karbassi filed a formal appeal this week over the controversial rejection of a proposal to build a market-rate apartment complex in northwest Fresno.
The prospect of facing millions in fines and possible litigation that the City Attorney’s Office said Fresno would likely lose, forced Dyer and Karbassi’s hand, though neither leader was exactly thrilled about their decision, Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela reported.
Karbassi, in particular, vented some frustrations at feeling stuck between the angry neighbors he represents on the City Council and state law aimed at solving California’s relentless housing crisis.
“Based on the evidence at the recent public hearing, this developer has been unwilling to engage with residents of the Tatarian Elementary community and incorporate their requests. It is no surprise that the project’s proponents are grossly outnumbered by such overwhelming opposition.”
Life after Bitwise
When Bitwise Industries abruptly furloughed its entire staff on Memorial Day in 2023, 900 families “were hurt,” as one former worker told Fresnoland. While some have found employment and ways to stay in tech one year later, not everyone has been so lucky, Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano reported.
But as the disgraced CEOs work to cut a plea deal with federal prosecutors, many ex-employees are still struggling to come to terms with the day their dream jobs ruined their lives.
“There was no company that did diversity and inclusion like Bitwise did. They were, like, radically inclusive,” ex-Bitwise worker Leah Sadoian said, “which was amazing for so many of us because we had never been in workplaces like that before.
“A lot of us struggle with going back into ‘normal’ workplaces when we realize that’s not a thing that we get.”
And many worry about the possible linger consequences that Bitwise’s spectacular failure might have for the Central Valley’s tech industry.
“It felt like we were in (a) relationship with a toxic, narcissist, gaslighting partner in the end of it all,” former Bitwise worker Megan Steinert said, “because they did exactly the opposite of what they hoped to do.”
Who wins, who loses in Mayor Dyer’s proposed budget?
Police and public transportation would see the biggest increases, while public works and public utilities would shrink the most under the nearly $2 billion budget proposal from Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresnoland’s Omar Shaikh Rashad reported.
The city’s public utilities and public works departments would see their budgets shrink the most under the mayor’s plan as one-time federal funding dries up. The City Attorney’s Office would also see less money as pandemic-era funding from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program is all used up, which in part funded the city’s Eviction Protection Program.
Daylong hearings over Fresno’s city budget will begin next week at the Fresno Council Chambers and span from June 3 to 6. Councilmembers use budget hearings to determine gaps in the mayor’s budget proposal before putting forward funding motions.
After budget negotiations, the Fresno City Council is expected to emerge with a final budget proposal, scheduled to either be approved on June 20 or June 27.
Will Fresno ever be a ‘tree city?’
While city officials have acknowledged the need to plant new trees and address related equity issues in central and south Fresno communities over the last few years, the urban forest management plan puts in clear terms what changes are needed to equitably grow Fresno’s canopy and support the health and lifespan of existing trees, Fresnoland Omar Shaikh Rashad reported.
Several studies point to positive health outcomes in communities with access to green space, and other research has found a correlation with average household income.
“Targeting neighborhoods that have the least canopy cover and have limited access to urban green spaces will be a key metric to ensure that the canopy of Fresno is equally distributed to communities that already have a low canopy percentage,” according to the urban forest plan.
But city leaders have yet to come up with a funding source to meet the new plan’s ambitious goals of planting over 4,600 trees per year – needed to improve the citywide tree canopy to 20%.
Critics take on draft truck route study
According to a UC Merced health assessment, released last month, south Fresno residents find themselves living in much closer proximity to truck routes compared to the rest of the city, with an average distance of just 843 feet separating them from the constant rumble of heavy-duty vehicles, Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver reported.
Living 33% closer to pollution-laden truck routes than the rest of Fresno, south Fresno residents inhale twice the amount of toxic diesel fumes, according to findings by UC Merced professor Sandie Ha.
The findings come as the city’s draft truck rerouting study – part of a broader effort to improve air quality in south central Fresno neighborhoods – is under review.
Public comments can be submitted on the draft by June 10 by sending an email to AB617TruckRerouteStudy@fresno.gov.
An interactive map of the city’s existing and proposed truck routes can be found here.
The study’s results apply to many of Fresno’s core neighborhoods, including the Tower District, southwest Fresno, Malaga, downtown, and the Roosevelt High area.
Block Beat
DOWNTOWN: Do you want to own a piece of Fresno history? Do you have $13 million? The Historic Crest Theatre is up for sale.
TOWER DISTRICT: Kick off Pride Month at the Rainbow Pride Parade along Olive Avenue at 10:00 a.m. The festivities will continue at Fresno City College from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
NORTHEAST: Habit Burger Grill will open a fifth Fresno location at Willow and Shepherd, in The Row at Heritage Grove Shopping Center. ABC30
The Black Music Month & Community Love Block Party & Awards event runs from 2 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8 at 4974 E. Clinton Way in Fresno. KOPF Radio
QUIGLEY PARK: The city would like residents’ feedback on the redesign and renovation of Quigley Park at a workshop on June 26 at 6:00 p.m.
TRANQUILITY AND CANTUA CREEK: U.S. Rep. John Duarte, R-Modesto, joined Fresno County Supervisor Brian Pacheco this week to present $5 million for infrastructure improvements in Cantua Creek and Tranquility “to improve motorist and pedestrian safety, increase accessibility for disabled residents, and reduce chronic flooding.”
Department of New Construction
PINEDALE: Mike De Alba and Associates have filed a zone clearance to build four single-family homes on a 12,500 square-foot lot in Pinedale on Spruce Avenue just north of Pinedale Elementary School.
HIGHWAY CITY: A development permit filed by Dale G. Mell & Associates is under review for a proposed new 2,500 square-foot metal structure for a mechanic shop, office and storage space on Cornelia Avenue, as well as a truck parking facility with 350 parking stalls.
SUNNYSIDE: A development permit from Jeffrey DeMure + Associates is under review to add a roughly 908 square-foot, single-story attachment to the California Armenian Home memory care facility off of Kings Canyon Road. The proposed attachment will serve as a laundry room.
ROEDING: AM Consulting Engineers have filed a development permit to construct two two-story buildings with seven apartment units each. Each apartment will be roughly 1,500 square-feet with three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and washer and dryer hookups. The filer noted that the proposed buildings will “maintain the general architectural characteristics of the neighborhood.”
Around Town
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has joined the Museums for All initiative, which means families receiving food assistance benefits can get discounted tickets and discounts starting in June, zoo officials announced on Tuesday. KSEE
The Southeast Collective is hosting their second Southeast Asian Night Market next Saturday, June 8, at 6:00 pm. at Full Circle Brewing downtown.
The Black Music Month & Community Love Block Party & Awards event runs from 2 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8 at 4974 E. Clinton Way in Fresno. KOPF Radio
CMAC invites you to participate in Crowdsourced Cinema, a creative challenge that brings community members together to remake a feature-length film. This year, local filmmakers will collaborate to remake scenes from the the 90s classic family film “Home Alone.” You do not need to be a CMAC member to participate. You can work alone or as part of a team. Everyone who signs up will be randomly assigned a 1-3 minute scene from the movie. We will provide you with a video clip of your scene and the written script. Completed scenes are due in September. LEARN MORE
Rainbow Family Day at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 8.
June 22 is Diversity & Inclusion Night at Chukchansi Park in downtown Fresno. Watch the Grizzlies take on the Stockton Ports at 6:50 p.m.
