Public Draft | April 2021

central
southeast area
SPECIFIC PLAN

City of Fresno
table of contents
1. introduction 1
1.1 Introduction and Purpose 3
1.2 The Plan Area  3
1.3 What is a Specific Plan? 6
1.4 Existing Plans and Programs 7
1.5 Community Engagement Process  14
1.6 Document Structure 17

2. vision & goals 21

2.1 Vision 23
2.2 Guiding Principles 24
2.3 The Big Ideas  28

3. land use and urban design 31

3.1 Introduction 33
3.2 Existing Conditions 33
3.3 Issues and Opportunities 38
3.4 Land Use Plan 40
3.5 Goals and Strategies 48

4. transportation, public realm, & infrastructure 85

4.1 Introduction 87
4.2 Existing Conditions 87
4.3 Issues and Opportunities 96
4.4 Proposed Circulation Networks 98
4.5 Goals and Strategies 104

5. parks & open space  127

5.1 Introduction 129
5.2 Existing Conditions 129
5.3 Issues and Opportunities 132
5.4 Proposed Open Space Network 134
5.5 Goals and Strategies 136
6. economic development 145
6.1 Introduction147
6.2 Existing Conditions 147
6.3 Issues and Opportunities 148
6.4 Targeted Industry Sectors 150
6.5 Goals and Strategies 151

7. quality of life  163

7.1 Introduction 165
7.2 Existing Conditions 166
7.3 Issues and Opportunities 169
7.4 Goals and Strategies 171

8. next steps & funding  187

8.1 Introduction 189
8.2 Community Priorities 189
8.3 Next Steps and Plan Tracking 192
8.4 Funding and Financing Strategy  192
acknowledgments
City Council CSESP Steering Committee
• Esmeralda Soria, District 1 • Mike Kludjian
• Mike Karbassi, District 2 • Gary Nachtigall
• Miguel Arias, District 3 • Joe White
• Tyler Maxwell, District 4 • Jenna Chilingerian
• Paul Caprioglio, District 4 (former) • John Alkire
• Luis Chavez, District 5 • Brandie Banks-Bey
• Garry Bredefeld, District 6 • Gabriel Lozano
• Nelson Esparza, District 7 • Jas S. Khalon
• Maria Perez
Planning Commission • Pao Yang
• Kathy Bray, Chair • Luis Santana
• Brad Hardie, Vice Chair • Josephine Kiran
• Raj K. Sodhi-Layne, Vice Chair (former) • Sushil Prakash
• David Criner • Lilia Becerril
• Debra McKenzie • Grecia Elenes
• Peter Vang
• Monica Diaz Consultant Team
• Matt Raimi, Raimi + Associates
City Management • Alessandra Lundin, Raimi + Associates
• Thomas Esqueda, City Manager • Dave Sargent, Sargent Town Planning
• Wilma Quan, City Manager (former) • Peter VanderWal, Sargent Town Planning
• Gregory Barfield, Assistant City Manager • Martin Cordova, Sargent Town Planning
• Jim Schaad, Assistant City Manager (former) • Andrew Krizman, Sargent Town Planning
• Ellen Martin, Economic Planning Systems
City Staff • Mary Bean, First Carbon Solutions
• Phil Ault, First Carbon Solutions
• Drew Wilson, Project Manager
• Derek Rapp, Stantec
• Sophia Pagoulatos, Planning Manager
• Dennis Lammers, Stantec
• Jennifer Clark, Director of Planning + Development
• Michelle Zumwalt, Architect
• Michael Andrade, GIS Specialist
• Lachea Deamicis, GIS Specialist
• Casey Lauderdale, Planner
• Kara Hammerschmidt, Service Aid
• Rodney Horton, Planner
• Marisela Martínez, Planner
 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

ch.
1
introduction

1
“
Our neighbors are resilient,
hard-working, and have
endured incredible pressures
over our city’s 135 year history.
We believe that this plan, which our
neighbors have deeply informed,
allows us to contribute to the well-
being of our great city and also heal
one of its great treasures — the central
southeast neighborhoods we call home.
– Joe White, CSESP Steering Committee Member
 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

introduction
1.1 Introduction and Purpose
Central Southeast Fresno (CSE Fresno) is home to one of the most diverse communities in Fresno in
terms of demographics, economics, and regionally significant cultural amenities. The area has a rich
history and culture, with active and engaged community groups and residents who are proud to call CSE
Fresno their home. With ample land available for development and a prime location next to Fresno’s
Downtown, Central Southeast has great potential. Yet for many years, the area has had difficulty
attracting investment, high-quality development, and desired services. The area includes several of
Fresno’s economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and is marked by areas of vacancy, disinvestment,
and blight.

Residents have long advocated for equitable consideration in citywide development and the
implementation of improvements that will preserve the community’s assets as well as improve the
community’s image and quality of life. The need for a Specific Plan for the Central Southeast Area (Plan
Area) emerged from community members who advocated for an actionable plan to address a broad
array of neighborhood concerns including public health, safety, access to recreational amenities and
open space, and economic opportunities, among others. The Central Southeast Area Specific Plan (CSESP,
or the Plan) is the result of three years of visioning, robust community engagement, and relationship
building between the City of Fresno and CSE Fresno residents to develop a community-driven Specific
Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to help address community needs and guide future public and private
development to create a more vibrant, attractive, equitable, and healthy community in a way that builds
upon the social and cultural strengths of CSE Fresno.

1.2 The Plan Area

The Plan Area, shown in Figure 1-1, covers over 2,200 acres (3.4 square miles) just east and southeast
of Downtown Fresno and is bounded by Belmont Avenue to the north, East Avenue to the west, Church
Avenue to the south, and Peach Avenue to the east. The Plan’s name relates to its location in the southern
and central area of Fresno as shown in the Context Map in Figure 1-2. The Plan Area sits just north of the
Industrial Triangle, is surrounded to the west by some of the oldest city neighborhoods, and to the east by
unincorporated Fresno County agricultural lands, while the northern tip is a quarter-mile from access to
State Route 180. The southern portion of the Plan Area boundary generally runs along Fresno City Limits,
adjacent to and circumventing several “county islands” – unincorporated land under the jurisdiction of
Fresno County. Maps and graphics throughout this document consider these county islands as a matter
of good planning and spatial context, but the scope of the project, including the environmental analysis,
focuses on the Plan Area only.

Like most areas in Fresno, Southeast was initially agricultural land. As the area was gradually annexed and
incorporated into the City of Fresno post-WWII, it transitioned to include a mix of commercial, industrial,
and residential uses. Today the Plan Area includes approximately 30,624 people and 9,150 homes, and
is characterized by a blend of older single-family and multi-family housing developments, industrial
facilities, public facilities, vacant land, and commercial areas such as Ventura/Kings Canyon Road.

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 Figure 1-1. Plan Area

4 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

Figure 1-2. Context Map

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 The Plan Area is also home to several important regional and local institutions including the Fresno
Fairgrounds, the Sal Mosqueda Community Center, and Fresno Pacific University. The San Joaquin Valley
Railroad operates a local freight distribution line that provides services to existing industrial facilities
adjacent to California Avenue, such as American Blues Trading, Kiwi Transport, Concept Coatings,
Wawona Frozen Foods, and PDM Steel Service Center.

Additional information on the Plan Area and existing conditions related to land use, circulation,
infrastructure, environment, and the economy can be found throughout this document and in Appendix
A: Central Southeast Specific Plan Existing Conditions Report (2018).

1.3 What is a Specific Plan?

A Specific Plan is a comprehensive long-range planning tool used to guide future growth in a defined area.
It establishes a link between the City’s General Plan and individual development or project proposals
for the Plan Area by specifying a range of programs, policies, and regulations that help implement
citywide goals and objectives pertaining to various topics, such as housing, land use, urban design, and
transportation. Project proposals consistent with the Plan’s policies, regulations, and environmental
assessment may be afforded streamlined California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review. In addition
to these core functions, a Specific Plan outlines a blueprint for the City to pursue partnerships, strategies,
and funding tools to complete the various proposed improvements.

Regulatory Requirements
The State of California describes a Specific Plan as a plan “for the systematic implementation of the
general plan for all or part of the area covered by the general plan” (California Government Code (GC)
Section 65450). Consistent with this guidance, the City of Fresno has prepared specific plans to provide
a more detailed vision, development regulations, and implementation plan for focused areas of the city.
The state allows flexibility for what local planning agencies include in specific plans (GC Section 65452).
However, GC Section 65451 requires a specific plan to include the following components at minimum:

1. The distribution, location, and extent of the uses of land, including outdoor space, within the area
covered by the plan.
2. The proposed distribution, location, and extent and intensity of major components of public and
private transportation, sewage, water, drainage, solid waste disposal, energy and other essential
facilities proposed to be located within the area covered by the plan and needed to support the
land uses described in the plan.
3. Standards and criteria by which development will proceed, and standards for the conservation,
development, and utilization of natural resources, where applicable.
4. A program of implementation measures including regulations, programs, public works projects,
and financing measures necessary to carry out paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).

In addition, GC Section 65451 requires that the “specific plan shall include a statement of the relationship
of the specific plan to the general plan,” and that specific plans must be consistent with the general plan
(GC Section 65454). According to GC Section 65453, “A specific plan shall be prepared, adopted, and
amended in the same manner as a general plan, except that a specific plan may be adopted by resolution
or ordinance and may be amended as often as deemed necessary by the legislative body.”

6 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

1.4 Existing Plans and Programs

Many previous planning efforts and programs have helped set the stage for the Specific Plan as described
below. This Plan serves as the first major planning effort to focus on major issues such as land use
planning, parks and open space, transportation, and utilities for the CSE Fresno area since 1992. Figure
1-3 shows the Plan Area’s relation to other Community Plans in Fresno.

Fresno General Plan (2014)

The Fresno General Plan, adopted on December 18, 2014, establishes a vision for the city and creates
a set of policies and implementation actions to achieve that vision. The General Plan envisions the
creation of “complete neighborhoods,” which replace the current patchwork of industrial, agricultural,
and residential land-use patterns with cohesive neighborhood-scale development that connects housing
with jobs, retail, recreation, and services. An example of a complete neighborhood envisioned by the
General Plan is located along the Ventura Kings Canyon Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor, anchored by
repurposed shopping centers between Chestnut and Peach Avenues along Kings Canyon Road.

In addition to the emphasis on complete neighborhoods, the City of Fresno has worked with the Building
Healthy Communities (BHC) campaign, which is led by the California Endowment and strives to provide
disadvantaged communities with equitable access to resources that improve health. To support healthy
community initiatives, the General Plan provides land use and urban design policies to increase access
to physical exercise and fresh food. The Plan adoption process includes rezoning of properties to ensure
consistency with the General Plan and to facilitate implementation.

The General Plan does not include specific guidance for the Plan Area, but does include broad objectives
and policies relevant to and supported by this Plan. The box on the following pages lists some of the key
objectives from the General Plan. A map and table of the existing acreages, percentages, and density/
intensity ranges for each General Plan land use designation within the Plan Area can be found in Appendix
A: Central Southeast Specific Plan Existing Conditions Report. The land use designations used in this Plan
are consistent with the General Plan, however this Plan proposes changing the land use designation for
some of the Plan Area’s parcels that will require the General Plan Land Use map to be amended.

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 General Plan Objectives

Economic Development
• Objective ED-1: Support economic development by maintaining a strong working relationship with
the business community and improving the business climate for current and future businesses.

• Objective ED-3: Attract and recruit businesses and offer incentives for economic development.

• Objective ED-2: Support local business start-ups and encourage innovation by improving access
to resources and capital and help overcome obstacles hampering economic development.

• Objective ED-4: Cultivate a skilled, educated, and well-trained workforce by increasing educational

attainment and the relevant job skill levels in order to appeal to local and non-local businesses.

Urban Form, Land Use, and Design

• Objective UF-1: Emphasize the opportunity for a diversity of districts, neighborhoods, and housing types.

• Objective UF-2: Enhance the unique sense of character and identity of the different subareas of the
Downtown neighborhoods.

• Objective UF-14: Create an urban form that facilitates multi-modal connectivity.

• Objective LU-7: Plan and support industrial development to promote job growth.

• Objective LU-8:  Provide for the development of civic and institutional land uses to meet the
educational, medical, social, economic, cultural, and religious needs of the community.

Mobility and Transportation

• Objective MT-1: Create and maintain a transportation system that is safe, efficient, provides access in
an equitable manner, and optimizes travel by all modes.

• Objective MT-2: Make efficient use of the City’s existing and proposed transportation system and
strive to ensure the planning and provision of adequate resources to operate and maintain it.

• Objective MT-4:  Establish and maintain a continuous, safe, and easily accessible bikeways system
throughout the metropolitan area to reduce vehicle use, improve air quality and the quality of life, and
provide public health benefits.

• Objective MT-5: Establish a well-integrated network of pedestrian facilities to accommodate safe,

convenient, practical, and inviting travel by walking, including for those with physical mobility and
vision impairments.

• Objective MT-6: Establish a network of multi-purpose pedestrian and bicycle paths, as well as limited
access trails, to link residential areas to local and regional open spaces and recreation areas and urban
Activity Centers in order to enhance Fresno’s recreational amenities and alternative transportation options.

• Objective MT-9: Provide public transit opportunities to the maximum number and diversity of people
practicable in balance with providing service that is high in quality, convenient, frequent, reliable, cost-
effective, and financially feasible.

8 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

Parks, Open Space, and Schools

• Objective POSS-1: Provide an expanded, high quality and diversified park system, allowing for varied
recreational opportunities for the entire Fresno community.

• Objective POSS-2: Ensure that adequate land, in appropriate locations, is designated and acquired
for park and recreation uses in infill and growth areas.

• Objective POSS-3: Ensure that park and recreational facilities make the most efficient use of land; that
they are designed and managed to provide for the entire Fresno community; and that they represent
positive examples of design and energy conservation.

• Objective POSS-9: Work with California State University, Fresno, and other institutions of higher
learning in Fresno, to enhance the City’s workforce, job creation, and economic development, as well
as its image and desirability as a place to live.

Healthy Communities
• Objective HC-1: Work with neighborhood associations of local residents, businesses, and institutions
on neighborhood and community health initiatives.

• Objective HC-2: Create complete, well-structured, and healthy neighborhoods and transportation
systems.

• Objective HC-3: Create healthy, safe, and affordable housing.

• Objective HC-4: Improve property maintenance.

• Objective HC-5: Promote access to healthy and affordable food.

• Objective HC-6: Improve access to schools and their facilities for the community.

• Objective HC-8: Support programs, leadership, and opportunities for Fresno’s youth.

Historic and Cultural Resources

• Objective HCR-3: Promote a “New City Beautiful” ethos by linking historic preservation, public art, and
planning principles for Complete Neighborhoods with green building and technology.

Housing Element
• Objective H-1: Provide adequate sites for housing development to accommodate a range of housing
by type, size, location, price, and tenure.

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 Citywide Development Code Update (2015)
On December 3, 2015 the City updated its zoning ordinance – known as the Citywide Development Code
– which governs development in all areas of the city and serves as a vehicle to implement the goals,
objectives, and policies of the General Plan and other operative plans. The Code functions as a regulatory
guide for the physical development of the city that is in concert with the arrangement of land uses
identified in the General Plan. The Citywide Development Code includes standards and regulations on
11 types of districts: Buffer Districts, Residential Single-Family Districts, Residential Multi-Family Districts,
Mixed-Use Districts, Commercial Districts, Employment Districts, Public and Semi-Public Districts,
Downtown Districts, and Overlay Districts. The Plan adoption process includes rezoning of properties to
ensure consistency with the General Plan and facilitate implementation.

This Plan does not establish or change any regulations from the Citywide Development Code; rather, it
references the Code for development regulations and design guidelines that apply to the Plan Area.

Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan (2016)

The Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan (DNCP) was adopted on October 20, 2016 and
establishes a vision for the revitalization of the DNCP area based on input from property owners and
residents. The DNCP is the community’s tool for guiding the successful regeneration of Downtown Fresno
and its surrounding neighborhoods. It is a visionary document that lays out the community’s long-term
goals for the DNCP Plan Area and provides detailed policies concerning a wide range of topics, including
land use and development, transportation, the public realm of streets and parks, infrastructure, historic
resources, and health and wellness. The Fresno General Plan’s direction to generate activity centers and
focus reinvestment in the center of the city as the primary activity center is made tangible through the
DNCP’s goals, policies, and actions. This Plan picks up where the DNCP left off along the northwestern
boundary (Orange, Cedar, and Chestnut Avenues) and is a continuation of that effort (see Figure 1-3).

Specific Plan for the Butler/Willow Area (1971)

The Specific Plan for the Butler/Willow (SPBW) Area was adopted June 15, 1971 and was intended
primarily to provide a detailed plan for zoning and circulation of the 564-acre area surrounding the
Internal Revenue Service Center (IRS). The SPBW was created at the direction of the City Council after the
property’s annexation to the City of Fresno in 1970. The SPBW project area mostly overlaps with the Plan
Area, including the areas surrounding the current IRS facility on Butler and Willow Avenues. This Plan
carries forward relevant policies from the SPBW, which will be repealed with the adoption of this Plan to
avoid overlap and confusion.

Roosevelt Community Plan (1992)

The Roosevelt Community Plan (RCP) was adopted on April 7, 1992 and its primary purpose was to
address issues and concerns affecting the community as it was experiencing growth. The RCP intended
to anticipate the community’s needs and to stimulate the development of well-balanced quality
neighborhoods for all of CSE Fresno. The RCP established policies and standards consistent with the 1984
Fresno General Plan. The RCP was intended to direct the physical growth and change of the community
through 2002. The RCP project area overlaps with the entire Plan Area, as its planning boundaries extend
further in every direction. This Plan carries forward relevant policies from the RCP, which will be repealed
with the adoption of this Plan to avoid overlap and confusion.

10 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

Ventura / Kings Canyon Corridor Complete Streets Plan (2015)

The Ventura/Kings Canyon Corridor Complete Streets Plan (also known as Revitalize Ventura/Kings
Canyon) was completed in January 2015 and was a community-led project to improve how people
live, work, and shop along Ventura Avenue and Kings Canyon Road in CSE Fresno. The project area for
Revitalize Ventura/Kings Canyon includes a three-mile stretch of the east-west corridor from First Street
and Ventura Avenue to Peach Street and Kings Canyon Road. The community planning effort resulted
in a demonstration project which implemented temporary streetscape improvements to revitalize the
corridor for a day and a Complete Streets Plan, which provides recommendations to revitalize the corridor
for all modes of travel with permanent improvements. The project was funded by the Fresno Council of
Governments (Fresno COG) via a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Environmental Justice
Transportation Planning Grant, which aimed to promote the involvement of underserved communities in
transportation planning and community development efforts in local neighborhoods. Recommendations
from the project are integrated into the Plan.

Parks Master Plan (2017)

The City of Fresno is dedicated to improving access to parks and open spaces to enhance the health and
quality of life of the community. In December 2017, the City of Fresno adopted the Parks Master Plan,
which articulates a vision for improving Fresno’s park and open space system. The identified citywide
challenges include deferred lifecycle replacement investments, a shortfall in maintenance funds, a high
percentage of parks in poor condition, lack of accessibility, and concern over crime and safety. Southeast
Fresno was identified as an area in great need of improved park amenities. Within the Plan Area, Pilibos
Soccer Park and Mosqueda Center are designated “Flagship” parks for improvement. Flagship parks
will be prioritized for ongoing upgrades and fully funded maintenance including lifecycle replacement.
Recommendations from the Parks Master Plan are integrated into this Specific Plan.

Industrial Land Use Compatibility Study (In Progress)

The Fresno Industrial Land Use Compatibility Study will identify land use interfaces that are typical in
Fresno, describe the primary environmental issues with each interface, and then describe a broad array
of tools to increase land use compatibility. The Industrial Land Use Compatibility Study is currently in
progress, with an anticipated completion date of late spring/early summer of 2020.

Fresno Active Transportation Plan (2017)

The Fresno Active Transportation Plan (ATP) (March 2017) outlines a vision for active transportation
in Fresno. The plan includes a roadmap for creating a complete, safe, and comfortable network of
trails, sidewalks, and bikeways that serves all residents of Fresno. It includes a comprehensive bicycle,
pedestrian, and trail network for the Southeast area. Some of the recommended improvements in CSE
Fresno include installing new Class II bikeways along Butler Avenue and along all north-south arterials
in the Plan Area, designating Butler, Maple, and Lane Avenues as priority bikeways, closing gaps in the
sidewalk network, and installing crossing improvements along Kings Canyon Road. This Plan builds on the
recommendations in the ATP and proposes additional improvements, goals, and strategies to enhance
the safety of streets and sidewalks and promote active transportation in CSE Fresno. As with other plans,
the recommendations from the ATP are included in this Specific Plan.

11
 Figure 1-3. Relationship to Community Plans

12 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

Complete Streets Policy (2019)

A high-quality network of “Complete Streets” can improve safety, enhance access, and support greater
choice in transportation options. A complete street is a transportation facility that is planned, designed,
operated, and maintained to provide safe mobility for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit
users, and vehicles. The City of Fresno has recently adopted a “Complete Streets” policy that applies
citywide (October 10, 2019). CSE Fresno presents an opportunity to implement complete streets principles
on a large scale, providing safe and convenient travel for all modes and all users.

ADA Transition Plan for the Right of Way (2016)

On February 25, 2016 the City Council adopted the 2016 Update to the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) Transition Plan for the Right of Way (ROW). The Transition Plan incorporates retrofitting Curb Ramps,
Sidewalks, and Accessible Pedestrian Signals and replaces the 2003 Amended Curb Ramp Transition Plan.
The goal of the Transition Plan is to ensure that the City maintains accessible paths of travel in the ROW
for people with disabilities. Through this and previous plans, the City of Fresno has made a significant
and long-term commitment to improving the accessibility of the ROW. The Department of Public Works
has been the primary leader in these efforts, with collaboration from the Disability Advisory Commission
(DAC) in prioritizing and providing input on the Transition Plan.

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 1.5 Community Engagement Process
The project team administered a multifaceted and extensive engagement strategy that leveraged a
broad range of community input throughout the planning process. From the outset, a core objective
of the Plan was to provide ample opportunities for participation among all sectors of the community,
including disenfranchised populations not typically reached in community planning efforts.

To that end, the project team prepared a Community Involvement Strategy prior to the start of the
planning process. This tool was designed with the intent to incorporate a diversity of perspectives into
the planning process and understand how various stakeholders – including residents, business owners,
visitors, and community organizations – view CSE Fresno as it stands today and how they envision it
evolving in the future. This effort included numerous stakeholder interviews, community workshops,
mobile workshops, surveys, and Steering Committee meetings. The various components of the outreach
process are described in greater detail below:

Steering Committee Meetings

The success of this Plan would not have been possible without the collaboration and dedication of the
CSE Fresno Steering Committee, who helped guide creation of the Plan reflecting the aspirations and
needs of CSE Fresno’s diverse community. At the beginning of the planning process, the District 5 Council
Member Luis Chavez appointed a 15-member Steering Committee made up of neighborhood residents,
business owners, and other stakeholders. Represented on the Steering Committee were community
organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, The Big
Fresno Fair, The Fresno Center, Reading and Beyond, Neighborhood Church, and the Southeast Fresno
Community Economic Development Association. The Committee had a mix of English- and Spanish-
speakers and all meetings were bilingual.

14 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

The Steering Committee’s purpose was to ensure that residents and community leaders stayed engaged
and driving the CSESP process and to translate community input into key elements of the Plan. They
provided guidance throughout the planning process, weighed in at key decision points, and developed
and reviewed Plan content. This included helping to develop the Plan’s Guiding Principles, refining the
land use and transportation concepts, and recommending strategies for specific content areas and topics
such as economic development, parks and open space, housing, public health, and safety. The Steering
Committee was also invaluable in helping to promote, design, and facilitate workshops and conduct
focused small group meetings with residents and stakeholders to gather additional input.

A total of nine Steering Committee meetings were held throughout the planning process, the majority of
which were structured to allow the Steering Committee to discuss key issues identified by the community
and provide recommendations for how these issues should be addressed in the Plan. The last two
meetings focused on reviewing and approving the proposed land use changes and ranking the Draft
Goals and Strategies for the Plan.

Website
The City created and maintained a project website, providing current project information, upcoming
events, key milestones, and project deliverables.

Stakeholder Interviews
The project team conducted sixteen stakeholder interviews at the beginning of the planning process
in October 2017. Stakeholders interviewed included: resident groups, Fresno Unified School District,
Central Southeast Fresno Community Economic Development Association, religious leaders, Fresno
Pacific University (FPU), local community organizations, and other representatives of CSE Fresno. These
interviews provided the project team with an introduction to the assets, strengths, and primary issues
in the Plan Area, as well as recommended outreach methods to reach a broad sector of the community.

Surveys
At key junctures in the process, the project team developed online and paper surveys to reach a broader
diversity of residents, business owners, and other interested parties. Three surveys occurred during
the Specific Plan preparation process. The first survey was aimed at getting an understanding of the
community’s view of the project area as well as identifying key community issues and desires. The
second survey asked residents to identify where they would like to see more park space and open spaces
in CSE Fresno. The third survey allowed residents to rank the Plan’s Goals and Strategies according to
priority. Input from over 600 different respondents was received over the course of the three surveys
that provided valuable insight, the results of which were shared with the community and the Steering
Committee.

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 Community Workshops
Three community workshops were conducted to provide input at key stages in the planning process. The
first workshop was held on June 20, 2018 with the goal of identifying issues and opportunities in the Plan
Area, as well as the community’s vision and guiding principles for the Plan. The second workshop, held on
July 17, 2018, invited participants to comment on “Big Ideas” (see Section 2.3 of Chapter 2) related to land
use and transportation for the Plan Area, and provide input on priority locations and amenities for new
parks. The third workshop, held on October 4, 2018 sought community input on and priority ranking of
the Plan’s Draft Goals and Strategies for various topics such as parks, public health, safety, environment,
and economic development. All of the workshop activities and results provided guidance to the Steering
Committee and project team throughout development of the Plan.

Engagement Toolkit and Mobile Workshop

The project team developed a mobile outreach strategy designed to overcome common barriers to
public participation such as planning fatigue, inability to attend evening meetings, and unfamiliarity with
navigating the planning process. This included an engagement toolkit to allow the Steering Committee and
other community partners to conduct their own meetings and events with members of the community,
as well as mobile workshops to reach residents at times and locations convenient for them. Outreach
efforts were integrated into established and ongoing community group meetings and events in the Plan
Area. City staff brought mobile workshops to over 20 community group meetings in and near the project
area, and received input from dozens of stakeholders. The activities conducted at the mobile workshops
mirrored those from the community workshops. This provided opportunities for a broader range of
stakeholders to offer input on key aspects of the planning process and provide guidance throughout
development of the Plan.

16 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

1.6 Document Structure

This Specific Plan is intended to be an actionable document used by the City, developers, stakeholders,
and community members to facilitate development in the CSE Fresno Plan Area. To that end, the
remainder of the Plan following Chapter 2 (Vision and Guiding Principles) is organized by topic area.
These chapters evaluate existing conditions in the Plan Area and establish transformative strategies that
implement the community vision.

The structure of this document and a summary of its chapters are as follows:

1. Introduction: This chapter provides a broad overview of the planning context, community
engagement process, and organization of the Specific Plan.
2. Vision and Guiding Principles: This chapter outlines the vision and guiding principles for CSE
Fresno that were articulated during the community engagement process.
3. Land Use and Urban Design: This chapter describes the proposed land uses in the Plan Area. It also
outlines a unique set of goals and strategies that pertain to future desired uses and development
in each “change area” or subarea in CSE Fresno.
4. Transportation, Public Realm, and Infrastructure: This chapter outlines priority circulation
improvements for all travel modes – including walking, bicycling, driving, and transit – and specific
design recommendations to make streets and pathways more walkable and comfortable for CSE
Fresno residents. It also includes utility and infrastructure needs in the Plan Area.
5. Parks, Open Spaces, and Public Facilities: This chapter describes the existing context for public
parks, open spaces, and recreational facilities within the Plan Area and identifies key opportunities
for improvement. Strategies include both new parks on opportunity sites and enhanced
programming at existing facilities.
6. Economic Development: This chapter outlines an inclusive and sustainable economic development
strategy that targets growth in key industry sectors, as well as improved economic opportunity for
CSE Fresno and businesses through job training and workforce development.
7. Quality of Life: This chapter outlines strategies to improve quality of life in CSE Fresno by
addressing the social and environmental determinants of health. This multifaceted approach
includes improving public safety, promoting healthy lifestyles, mitigating environmental hazards,
and building capacity within communities. Topics covered include: public health, public safety,
environment and environmental justice, and community empowerment.
8. Funding and Financing: This chapter summarizes the community priorities, next steps, and
potential funding and financing strategies to implement the Plan’s recommended improvements
and programs.

17
 What are Goals and Strategies?
Each chapter contains goals and strategies that serve as tools to achieve the community’s vision. These
are intended to provide clear direction for how the City and community partners will work collaboratively
to implement the overall vision of this Plan. The vast majority of these goals and strategies come directly
from the community through the engagement process described in this chapter. Staff and the consultant
team added a few related strategies to incorporate best practices and to complement the comprehensive
approach to achieving the community’s desired outcomes.

Goals
Goals either apply to the entire Plan Area or specific subareas, and are a visionary statement of the city
and community’s intent for a particular topic. Not every project or program must fulfill every goal; rather,
future projects will contribute in different and unique ways to the overall goals for the Plan Area.

Strategies
Strategies describe the recommended actions - including both programs and physical improvements -
that should be completed by the City, community, and/or developers in order to achieve the associated
goals and overall vision for the Plan Area.

18 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

how to use this plan

If you are a Community Member
For community members who are interested in learning about this Plan, Chapter
2 will help you understand the vision and guiding principles for CSE Fresno for
the next 20-25 years. Chapters 3 through 7 have more detailed information
about land uses and design, circulation and infrastructure improvements, new
and improved parks and open spaces, policies to improve community health
and safety, and economic development opportunities.

If you are a Property Owner or Developer

Property owners who are interested in developing in the Plan Area should
become familiar with the Plan’s overall framework and vision, as described in
Chapter 2. Development applications and project designs should be consistent
with the land use and design recommendations, and community desires for
specific subareas (Chapter 3), as well as relevant guidance for transportation
and infrastructure improvements (Chapter 4).

If you Work for the City

If you are an elected City official or City staff, you will be responsible for
guiding property owners and developers in their development decisions and
applications, and pursuing partners, strategies, and funding sources for the
improvements and programs identified in the Plan. The City will use this Plan to
evaluate these applications and when planning public improvements to ensure
new development and public investments are consistent with the overall
vision and policies. Future public infrastructure, mobility, and public realm
investments should be consistent with the CSESP. The City should regularly
monitor the progress being made to achieve the goals in this Plan.

19
20 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN
 CHAPTER 2: Vision & Goals

ch.
2
vision & goals

21
22 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN
 CHAPTER 2: Vision & Goals

vision & goals

This chapter includes an introduction to the Vision Statement and Guiding Principles that developed
during the planning process. They set the stage for the Specific Plan’s overall planning framework – the
“Big Ideas” for key areas of change – and are implemented through the proposed improvements, goals,
and strategies found throughout the Plan. Additionally, Section 2.3 describes community implementation
priorities for the Plan Area. Combined these elements represent the high-level desires and aspirations
for CSE Fresno, as defined by the community.

2.1 Vision

vision statement
Over the next 30 years, CSE Fresno will become a lively, beautiful,
walkable, and healthy community for its residents and all Fresnans.
Supported by enhanced mobility options and an activated public realm,
the community will feature safe and complete neighborhoods that
provide a range of amenities essential to a high quality of life, including
parks, community centers, recreational programming, healthy food
options, health services, and quality jobs. As development occurs and uses
diversify, a variety of housing choices will be provided that meet the diverse
needs and income levels of the community, all within a short walk from
shops, schools, parks, and transit. Residents will enjoy greater economic
opportunity and prosperity through a diversified economy, support for
small businesses and entrepreneurs, access to quality education, and
expanded workforce development. Revitalization, beautification, greening
and other neighborhood improvement efforts will foster community pride
and promote the image of CSE Fresno as an attractive, safe, and desirable
location for businesses to thrive and people to live, work, and visit. CSE
Fresno will have a strong sense of place, rooted in community-driven
transformation and celebration of its many assets, rich history, cultural
diversity, and passionate spirit.

23
 2.2 Guiding Principles
During the early stages of the planning process, the community provided input on issues and opportunities
in the Plan Area. Based on this input and further direction provided by the project Steering Committee,
the City and its partners drafted a set of Guiding Principles that reflect the community’s shared vision
for a prosperous, livable, safe, and attractive CSE Fresno for all residents. These Guiding Principles are
aspirational yet achievable and underpin all recommendations found throughout the Plan. The Guiding
Principles for the CSE Fresno Specific Plan are defined as follows:

1. Emphasize cultural diversity.

Protect and enhance the diverse cultures and ethnicities in Central Southeast Fresno through historic
preservation and recording of history, supporting multi-cultural events, protecting diverse retail
establishments and promoting racial tolerance. This will allow all people, regardless of race, class,
income or age, to thrive in Central Southeast Fresno.

2. Keep the engaged population active.

Continue the community’s history of having an active and engaged citizenry through the Specific
Plan process. This includes engaging residents in the decision-making process, building capacity to
implement the vision of the community, and engaging youth in civic activities.

3. Support the underserved.

Protect and celebrate Central Southeast residents’ willingness to help one another and support those
in need.

Photo credit: Fresno Bee Photo credit: PGA Design

24 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 2: Vision & Goals

4. Preserve strong and unique neighborhoods.

Central Southeast Fresno has some of the most unique and diverse neighborhoods in the city.
Preserve the character, identity and sense of place. As part of the process, strive to protect the
character of neighborhoods while allowing for growth and change over time.

5. Protect housing affordability and minimize displacement.

Protect existing housing affordability and reduce the potential for the displacement of current
residents as the area reaches its full potential. Strategies include supporting both market rate
and affordable housing and creating more housing choice in the neighborhood to serve a diverse
demographic of new and existing residents.

6. Enhance connections to Downtown.

Build upon Central Southeast Fresno’s strategic location in proximity to Downtown to enhance access
to jobs, services, cultural, and other community amenities.

7. Improve safety.
Improve safety in and around Central Southeast Fresno through a range of strategies including
increased pedestrian activity, more “eyes on the street”, community policing, better lighting, activation
of vacant spaces, and an increased sense of ownership and stewardship by residents, workers, and
visitors.

Photo credit: GVWire

25
 8. Enhance mobility and improve connectivity.
Improve pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and vehicle connections with a focus on improving transportation
safety (especially around schools and parks) and inexpensive mobility options. Expand transit service
to ensure that residents can quickly and easily access jobs and services throughout the city. Support
the recent Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) investment along Kings Canyon Road as an important strategy to
better connect residents to jobs and services in Downtown and other parts of the city.

9. Expand access to educational opportunities.

Seek to improve educational opportunities for residents of all ages. This includes improving youth
education to expand access to opportunity, providing vocational training, and supporting on-the-job
training at local businesses. As part of this strategy, partner with local educational institutions to
ensure access for Central Southeast Fresno residents.

10. Support economic vitality.

Encourage an environment where diverse businesses can flourish and thrive. Expand job
opportunities, workforce training programs, and support for local businesses.

11. Reduce pollution and protect environmental health.

Improve air quality by supporting innovative programs for environmental sustainability and increase
resilience of the community against hazards. Protect residents from the adverse health impacts of
nearby industrial land uses.

26 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 2: Vision & Goals

12. Support health and equity.

Promote equity, health, and well-being by providing a range of community services and access to
healthcare, recreational opportunities, and healthy food options. Encourage the development of
grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and community farming.

13. Build and improve parks and community facilities.

Seek new ways to fund park maintenance and plan for new neighborhood parks, community facilities,
and other public spaces that will provide a place for the community to gather, socialize, and play.

14. Invest in maintenance and beautification.

Invest in maintaining and cleaning streets and public spaces. Improve walkability, sense of place,
public spaces, and community aesthetics through landscaping, streetscape treatments, and facade
improvements. Create a welcoming community that is clean, safe, and inviting.

15. Encourage continued and expanded diversity of uses.

Support a diverse mix of uses including retail, jobs, services, housing, civic spaces, and community
facilities, particularly along Kings Canyon Road, in neighborhood retail areas and in non-residential
areas. Encourage retention of key retail and ethnic establishments while introducing more varied
essential goods and services.

16. Utilize the Fairgrounds.

Support existing events and encourage new events and flexible or temporary uses that will activate
the Fresno Fairgrounds year-round, attract both local and regional populations and provide a long-
term and tangible benefit for Central Southeast Fresno residents.

27
 2.3 The Big Ideas
The project team conducted a four-day charrette with the Steering Committee and community members
to brainstorm strategies that would stimulate positive change in CSE Fresno. That session helped identify
key opportunity or “change” areas and accompanying design concepts that would implement the Specific
Plan’s overarching vision and Guiding Principles. These land use concepts, which became known as the
“Big Ideas”, were presented at a Steering Committee meeting, a community workshop, and several
mobile workshops, and further refined based on community feedback (see Figure 2-1).

The eight Big Ideas are defined as follows and further detailed in Chapter 3. Land Use and Design and
Chapter 4. Transportation, Public Realm, and Infrastructure.

Figure 2-1. Map of the “Big Ideas”

28 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 2: Vision & Goals

1 Kings Canyon Corridor

Transform Kings Canyon from an old auto highway through town into a unique, walkable, and vibrant
mixed-use corridor focusing on cultural and food establishments. Potential transformation can be
completed through facade updates, street improvements, and attracting new mixed-use development.

2 Former UMC Hospital Site

Redevelop the former University Medical Center (UMC) hospital with senior housing and a continuum
of care facility providing medical, behavioral, and social services. Activate the parking lot along Kings
Canyon through the creation of temporary public space that could accommodate events such as
farmers markets and food truck festivals.

3 International Shopping/Mixed-use Center

Turn the Asian Village shopping center along Kings Canyon Road into a regional destination for ethnic food
and entertainment through streetscape and community open space improvements and programming.
Strengthen the King Canyon Bus Rapid Transit corridor through redevelopment of surface parking lots
along King Canyon with multi-family housing and pedestrian-oriented commercial development.

4 Maple/Butler Community and Cultural Center

Build upon existing successful amenities in the area such as the Mosqueda Center and the Fresno
Fairgrounds to turn this area into a hub for cultural activities and community recreation and events.
In the interim before redevelopment occurs, activate vacant properties with temporary uses such as
recreational, cultural, food, and entertainment events.

5 Orange Avenue Neighborhood “Main Street”

Streetscape and frontage improvements could transform Orange Ave into a charming neighborhood
“main street” with shops, restaurants, and outdoor seating. Repurpose existing buildings into local
serving amenities such as restaurants, small grocery stores, flexible office or makers spaces for non-
profits and entrepreneurs, and job training centers.

6 IRS Education/Tech Hub

Redevelop the former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) site as a tech-centered employment and/or
education campus that could provide new jobs, commercial space, amenities, and residences for
workers or students as well as the surrounding community.

7 Significant Neighborhood Infill

Large vacant and underutilized parcels in the southern part of the Plan Area are poised for new housing
development for a range of household types. New housing should integrate with the surrounding
neighborhoods through design and new street and pedestrian/bicycle connections.

8 Business Park/Employment District

Introduce smaller-scale employment generating uses such as light industrial, clean tech, business parks,
offices, and job training centers to provide a transition between heavy industrial uses and residential
neighborhoods around California Avenue.

Note: During development of the Proposed Land Use Map the Steering Committee voted to use the “Office” designation as
the transitional land use buffer between residential neighborhoods and industrial uses.

29
30 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN
 CHAPTER 3: Land Use & Urban Design

ch.
3
land use &
urban design

31
32 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN
 CHAPTER 3: Land Use & Urban Design

land use and urban design

3.1 Introduction
The CSESP aligns future land uses and the built environment to the needs of the community. The
proposed land use and design recommendations in this chapter aim to expand opportunities for a variety
of housing types, provide spaces for businesses to grow, ensure ample open space, and create vibrant
centers of commercial and community activity. New housing choices will accommodate residents of all
income groups, ages, and at different stages in their lives. New mixed-use development is envisioned
on most opportunity sites in the Plan Area, accented by new connections, improved public spaces, and
enhanced streetscapes.

This chapter summarizes the proposed land uses and urban form for CSE Fresno, which reflects both the
Steering Committee’s and community’s vision for future development. The locations of the various land
uses were selected and refined by the Steering Committee in order to support the type of community
described in the Plan’s vision (see Chapter 2). The Plan’s land use map should be considered the physical
“vision” for the area and the underlying foundation for the Plan.

3.2 Existing Conditions

Existing Land Uses
Existing uses in the Plan Area include a mix of suburban housing developments, public facilities, strip
shopping centers, industrial uses, and vacant land (see Figure 3-1). Predominant land uses on the ground
are medium-density residential (21.5%), public facilities (20.4%), medium-low density residential (9.7%),
and vacant land (8.6%). The vast majority of commercial uses are located along Ventura/Kings Canyon
(community commercial), with very limited neighborhood and general commercial uses along Orange
and Butler Avenues. Big Box retail and chain restaurants comprise most of the retail environment, with
the rest being located in low quality strip commercial and semi-rural retail with low intensity activity.
These car-oriented retail options lack character and limit pedestrian and bicycle access from main
thoroughfares and adjoining neighborhoods, limiting travel choices for residents. Office uses in the Plan
Area are limited to just a few small parcels on either side of Ventura/Kings Canyon Road. The southern
portion of the Plan Area around California Avenue is dominated by heavy and light industrial facilities
that often directly abut neighborhoods, creating noise, pollution, and heavy truck traffic that negatively
impact nearby residents.

The remainder of the Plan Area is largely comprised of single-family neighborhoods with some areas
of multi-family housing. A lack of “missing middle housing”—namely, multifamily units like duplexes,
fourplexes, mansion apartments, bungalow courts, and rowhouses—means there is limited variety in the
type and affordability of housing options in the Plan Area. There is a particular need for multigenerational
housing options that would allow households to upsize or downsize their living situation based on their
current stage in life.

33
 Missing Middle Housing Vacant and underutilized land also make up
a large portion (almost 10%) of the Plan Area.
Missing Middle Housing consists of multi- Underutilized land includes parcels that are
unit housing that is similar in form, scale, partially vacant, comprised primarily of surface
and character to detached single-family parking lots, have vacant buildings, or where
homes. These building types, such as existing buildings are aging and/or lower density
duplexes, fourplexes and bungalow courts, than what is allowed on the site. These vacant and
provide diverse housing options to support underutilized parcels detract from the pedestrian
walkable communities, locally-serving experience, lead to inactivity and blight, and
retail, and public transportation options. engender further disinvestment.
They are termed “Missing” because they
have typically been illegal to build since
the mid-1940s and “Middle” because they
sit in the middle of a spectrum between
detached single-family homes and mid-rise
to high-rise apartment buildings.
Source: missingmiddlehousing.com

34 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 3: Land Use & Urban Design

Urban Form and Character While most neighborhoods are within a half
mile of a park or open space, most parks are in
The primary urban form and character of the Plan poor condition, lacking regular maintenance and
Area is defined and described below by category. programming, and residents have expressed
Additional details and diagrams on existing land concerns about park safety and pedestrian
use and urban form characteristics of the Plan Area connectivity.
can be found in Appendix A: Central Southeast
Specific Plan Existing Conditions Report (2018). Corridors
Neighborhoods and Housing Corridors are the local and regional connectors of
neighborhoods and districts. Kings Canyon Road —
CSE Fresno is organized into quarter-mile sections formerly a State Highway — was once CSE Fresno’s
(½ mile by ½ mile squares) by its primary north- major corridor connecting it to Downtown and the
south and east-west streets. Within these greater region. Unfortunately, the construction
quadrants, land-use patterns are generally single- of the 180 Freeway replaced much of its original
use, including mostly traditional single-family function, and CSE Fresno suffered as a result. While
neighborhoods and small concentrations of still the primary commercial corridor through CSE
multi-family housing interspersed with civic and Fresno, Kings Canyon is lined predominantly by
community facilities. Block structure, streetscape, strip shopping centers with large surface parking
and building setbacks are quite consistent areas and suffers from an uncomfortable, and
throughout these neighborhoods, providing often unsafe, pedestrian environment. The
environments generally conducive to pedestrian former UMC Hospital along Kings Canyon sits
and bicycle movement by the completeness of the largely vacant, and is a significant opportunity site
network, lower vehicular speeds, and presence of envisioned as a future holistic health and wellness
sidewalks and street trees in most areas. Many center for CSE residents.
of CSE Fresno’s traditional neighborhood blocks
are split in two by alleys, but the majority of alleys Along Kings Canyon Road, Orange Avenue, and
are underused, with automobile access being other key corridors in CSE Fresno, many public
provided from the main fronting street. Thus, frontage elements are either in disrepair or
most of these alleys are abandoned, vacated, entirely missing. These elements include street
or fenced off, leading to concerns over safety, trees and landscaping, streetlights, comfortable
litter, and debris. By contrast to the traditional and continuous sidewalks, street furnishings,
gridded neighborhoods, the more suburban and and curbside parking, among others. These
multi-family housing tracts in the Plan Area are
characterized by larger blocks, limited points of
access, and dead-end streets that limit connectivity.

Most neighborhoods in CSE Fresno currently

lack clear neighborhood-serving “centers” – that
is, service or activity nodes within reasonable
walking-distance from home (1/4-mile or a
5-minute walk) that can meet the daily needs
of residents. However, numerous vacant and
underutilized sites provide opportunities for
mixed-use neighborhood centers to develop over
time, such as the former Hanoian Shopping Center
at Butler and Cedar Avenues.

35
 Public Frontages

“Public Frontages” refer to the spaces between the travel lanes of public streets and frontages of
private properties. The careful design of these spaces and the transition between the public frontage
and the private land use, is what generally separates “successful” urban places from unsuccessful
ones.

commercial corridors can be improved by infilling vacant and abandoned parcels, renovating facades,
and investing in high-quality, cohesive public realm improvements.

Similarly, many of the other corridors in the CSE area were historically farm roads that evolved over time
to meet the increased traffic demands, with little attention given to bike and pedestrian comfort, safety,
and circulation, and active street-frontages that create a sense of place. At the scale of the city and the
region, such streets are conceived of as “connectors” — but at the neighborhood scale they often act as
“dividers” that separate neighborhoods from neighborhoods, and make it difficult for families, children,
the elderly, and other pedestrians to walk to schools, parks, friends, shops and restaurants, and other
local destinations.

Districts
The southern portion of the Plan Area adjacent to California Avenue and the San Joaquin Valley freight
rail line contains an employment district characterized by heavy and light industrial uses. Most are
warehousing, food processing, and trucking businesses, and include American Blues Trading, Kiwi
Transport, Concept Coatings, Wawona Frozen Foods, and PDM Steel Service Center. Buildings are
generally standalone warehouses and service buildings with large footprints, deep setbacks, and are
surrounded by outdoor storage, surface parking, and fences. In addition, PG&E owns several large
parcels on either side of Orange Avenue at California Avenue. These areas are envisioned to evolve into
a higher intensity business park and light industrial/clean tech/R&D employment district that will expand
job opportunities while buffering residential neighborhoods from heavier, nuisance-producing industrial
facilities. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Processing Center at the corner of Butler and Willow Avenue
also serves as a key employment district within the Plan Area. However, the IRS is in the process of
moving out, which presents an opportunity for redevelopment. The community has expressed a strong
desire to repurpose the IRS facility into a tech-education campus or center that could offset some of the
lost jobs by providing new education and employment for residents. Lastly, the center of the Plan Area
between Cedar and Butler Avenues contains the Fresno Fairgrounds which creates an entertainment
district for two weeks each year.

36 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 3: Land Use & Urban Design

Figure 3-1. Existing Land Use Map

37
 3.3 Issues and Opportunities
While there are many challenges facing CSE Fresno from an urban design and placemaking perspective,
there are also numerous “yet-to-be-realized” opportunities. With a strong vision, clear strategies, and
well-organized, well-coordinated implementation efforts, CSE Fresno can evolve into the place envisioned
by its many residents. The following summarizes some of the key issues and opportunities related to
land use and design in the Plan Area.

Issues
• Lack of multimodal connectivity. Most major corridors in CSE Fresno have been designed to
prioritize continuous vehicular movement, creating barriers that separate neighborhoods from
neighborhoods, workers from jobs, students from schools, and pedestrians and cyclists from daily
needs. These factors contribute to unsafe urban environments with high-speed vehicle traffic that
discourages walking and cycling.
• Inadequate services and amenities. Due to a limited mix of land uses in the area, most residents
of CSE Fresno have poor access to neighborhood-serving amenities and services they need to
meet their daily needs. These include grocery stores, healthcare facilities, employment centers,
and public and community gathering spaces.
• Blight. The numerous vacant and inactive parcels and properties in the Plan Area highlight conditions
of physical and economic blight in the area. These conditions can cause further disinvestment and
abandonment of properties, dissuading residents from attending areas and potential investors
from conducting business in CSE Fresno.
• Unsafe and unattractive alleyways. Many of the traditional neighborhoods in CSE Fresno have
service alleyways that are unused or abandoned and have turned into places for illegal dumping,
graffiti, stray dogs, and crime.
• Limited housing choices. Housing options in CSE Fresno are very limited – with most residents
either living in more expensive single-family homes, or in more-affordable (albeit isolated) suburban
apartments, with very little in between. A lack of “missing middle housing” means there is limited
mix of housing types and affordability levels, leading to low homeownership and high housing
burden in the CSE Fresno, and in-turn, very limited reinvestment in private properties.

38 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 3: Land Use & Urban Design

• Unsafe and uninviting public realm. CSE Fresno currently lacks a coherent, interconnected public
realm network, deterring bicycle and pedestrian activity. Most public streets are clearly auto-
oriented at the expense of bicyclists and pedestrians, with inadequate bicycle facilities, minimal
landscaping, street tree canopy, and street furnishings, and narrow or incomplete sidewalks – often
immediately adjacent to high-speed travel lanes. Large blocks lacking in pedestrian connections
detract from walkability and disconnect residents from their daily needs.

Opportunities
• Connections at all scales. Improving connections at all scales, from expanding transit to completing
the bicycle and pedestrian networks and implementing streetscape improvements, is critical to the
success of CSE Fresno. Focusing new patterns of mixed-use development along new and improved
routes can facilitate the creation of amenity-rich neighborhood centers that provide residents
access to workplaces, daily retail needs, and public spaces within a short walk from their homes.
• Proximity to Downtown Fresno. Fresno’s new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has considerably improved
transit access and frequency in CSE Fresno. The Plan Area’s connection to Downtown via the BRT
presents an opportunity to attract people and businesses into the area, bringing investment that
can transform the Ventura/Kings Canyon corridor into a higher density mixed-use center and
regional tourist destination.
• Vacant and underutilized sites. Vacant and underutilized lots along major corridors present
opportunities to encourage development of missing activities, housing, and retail in the area.
Large land uses like the Fresno Fairgrounds (approximately 70 acres) and its surrounding overflow
parking lots are used only for a short time throughout the year and are otherwise underutilized.
Similarly, the soon-to-be vacated Internal Revenue Service (IRS) facility will become a 48-acre parcel
ready for its next use. These properties, along with many others throughout the area, present
significant opportunities for redevelopment that can provide new jobs, business and educational
facilities, and additional housing options.
• Traditional neighborhoods. The walkable nature of CSE Fresno’s neighborhoods conveys
significant potential for a vibrant and safe public realm. Frontage, streetscape, and intersection
improvements in a well-connected network of streets and blocks, can provide a pedestrian- and
bicycle-friendly environment that fosters connectivity between residential neighborhoods and
mixed-use corridors, parks, schools, and workplaces.
• Service Alleys. Repurposing and reactivating abandoned alleys could unlock significant value for
the properties in these neighborhoods, provide additional affordable dwelling units, and improve
overall quality of life.
• Existing public facilities. Though there are numerous notable public facilities in CSE Fresno —
the Fresno Fairgrounds, Mosqueda Community Center, Fresno Pacific University (FPU), and many
public elementary, middle, and high schools— yet most of these facilities are disconnected from
residents due to a lack of continuous and safe streets, pedestrian pathways, and bicycle facilities. A
safe and walkable public realm, improved frontage conditions, and better programming to activate
these public amenities, supported by strategic partnerships and programs, can improve access to
and use of these vital resources.

39
 3.4 Land Use Plan
The proposed land use changes in the CSE Fresno Plan Area were produced through a collaborative
planning process between the City, project team, Steering Committee, and community members,
reflecting the overall vision for CSE Fresno and specific opportunity subareas.

Figure 3-2 conveys the overall Land Use Plan for CSE Fresno, with just the specific parcels targeted for
land use changes identified in Figure 3-3. It includes several proposed changes in the industrial areas
just outside of the Plan Area that will be considered as part of the upcoming South Central Specific Plan
Update. Consistent with the Fresno General Plan, parks, open space, and public facilities sometimes
carry dual land use designations, as shown in Figure 3-4. These dual designations allow for alternative
uses consistent with zoning and development standards to be approved if such facilities are not needed.
Key elements of the proposed changes and Land Use Plan include:

• Reclassification of some parcels to match uses on the ground today that are likely to remain for the
foreseeable future
• Higher intensity mixed-use infill along priority corridors and at key opportunity sites
• Strengthened neighborhoods that provide a range of housing types
• Office, clean tech, and other non-nuisance employment generating uses that provide a buffer
between industrial facilities and nearby residential neighborhoods
As CSE Fresno continues to evolve over time, this Land Use Plan should be reevaluated to support an
expanding system of mixed-use corridors, consistent with the vision and land uses of the Downtown
Neighborhoods Community Plan.

Land Use Classifications

Table 3-1 defines all the land use designations in the Plan Area, and are categorized by residential,
mixed-use, employment, commercial, public facilities, and open space uses. These land use classification
descriptions include allowable development intensities by designation, which are measured by dwelling
units per acre (dua) for residential uses and floor area ratio (FAR) for non-residential uses.

40 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 3: Land Use & Urban Design

Table 3-1. General Plan Land Use Classifications

General Plan Density/
Description
Designation Intensity
Residential - Low 1 - 3.5 dua Large lot residential development
Density
Residential - 3.5 - 6 dua Single-family detached housing
Medium Low
Density
Residential - 5 - 12 dua Intended for areas with predominantly single-family residential
Medium Density development, but permitted uses also accommodate a mix of
housing types, including small-lot starter homes, zero-lotline
developments, duplexes, and townhouses.
Residential - 12 - 16 dua Mix of single-family residences and townhomes, garden
Medium High apartments, and multi-family units intended to support a fine-
Density grain, pedestrian scale.
Residential – Urban 12 - 30 dua Multi-family residences, condos, and other multi-family units
Neighborhood intended to support a pedestrian scale.
Commercial - FAR 1.0 Commercial development that primarily serves local needs
Community such as convenience shopping and small offices. Allowed uses
include medium-scale retail, office, civic and entertainment
uses, supermarkets, drug stores and supporting uses.
Commercial - FAR 2.0 Range of retail and service uses that are not appropriate in other
General areas because of higher volumes of vehicle traffic and potential
adverse impacts on other uses. Allowed uses include building
materials, storage facilities with active storefronts, equipment
rental, wholesale businesses, and specialized retail not normally
found in shopping centers. Strip malls fall into this designation.
Employment - Office FAR 2.0 Administrative, financial, business, professional, medical, and
public offices. Mainly intended to apply to existing office uses on
smaller lots, generally located on arterial roadways. Retail uses
limited to business services, food services, and convenience
goods for those who work in the area.

Mixed Use -Corridor 16 - 30 dua Horizontal and vertical mixed-use development in multiple
Center FAR 1.5 story buildings along key circulation corridors where height and
density can be easily accommodated. Primary uses are ground-
floor retail and upper-floor residential or offices, with personal
and business services and public and institutional space as
supportive uses.

41
 General Plan Density/
Description
Designation Intensity
Mixed-Use 12 - 16 dua Requires a minimum of 50 percent residential uses and provides
-Neighborhood FAR 1.5 for mixed-use districts of local-serving, pedestrian-oriented
commercial development, such as convenience shopping and
professional offices in two- to three-story buildings. Development
is expected to include ground-floor neighborhood retails uses
and upper-level housing or offices, with a mix of small lot single
family houses, townhomes, and multi-family dwelling units on
side streets, in a horizontal or vertical mixed-use orientation.
Built form is expected to be small-scale, pedestrian-oriented and
walkable. Automobile-oriented uses are discouraged.
Employment - Heavy FAR 1.5 Broad range of industrial uses including manufacturing,
Industrial assembly, wholesaling, distribution, and storage activities.
Small-scale commercial services and ancillary office uses are
also permitted.
Employment - Light FAR 1.5 Diverse range of light industrial uses, including limited
Industrial manufacturing and processing, research and development,
fabrication, utility equipment and service yards, wholesaling,
warehousing, and distribution activities. Small-scale retail and
ancillary office uses are also permitted.
Open Space NA Intended for undeveloped park lands and permanent open
spaces in the community, including environmentally-sensitive
lands, waterways, and wetlands. May include trails and other
low-impact public recreational uses, ponding basins, river-
bottoms/riverbeds, and airport approach/clear zones.
Park NA Intended to maintain areas for active and passive public
parks and multi-purpose trails, including outdoor and indoor
recreation such as playing fields, trails, playgrounds, community
centers, and other appropriate recreational uses. The PR district
may include ponding basins or airport approach/clear zones if
developed for, programmed, and actively used as recreation
fields.

Public Facility NA Public or quasi-public facilities, including City facilities, utilities,

schools, health services, corporation yards, utility stations, and
similar uses. Accessory retail uses and services, including food
facilities and childcare, are permitted.

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 CHAPTER 3: Land Use & Urban Design

Figure 3-2. Land Use Plan

Belmont Ave

Tulare St

Chestnut Ave
Maple Ave

Willow Ave
First St

Ventura St Kings Canyon Rd

Ha
ze
lw

FAIRGROUNDS Lane Ave

oo

Orange Ave
dB

Cedar Ave

Winery Ave
lvd

IRS FACILITY

Butler Ave
East Ave

California Ave

Peach Ave
Willow Ave

Church Ave
Go
l
de
n
St
at
e
Bl

Jense
vd

n Ave

Proposed Land Use Changes Legend

CSESP Boundary
Land Use Change Area
Proposed Land Use Changes outside
of Plan Area to be considered in the
South Central Specific Plan
Land Use Designations
Commercial - Community Open Space
Commercial - General Park
Mixed Use - Corridor Center Public Facility
Mixed-Use - Neighborhood Residential - Low Density
Central Southeast Fresno Specific Plan Employment - Office Residential - Medium Density
Employment - Light Industrial Residential - Medium High Density

¯ 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 Miles Employment - Heavy Industrial

Railroad
Residential - Medium Low Density
Residential - Urban Neighborhood

43
 Figure 3-3. Proposed Land Use Changes

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Figure 3-4. Land Use Plan – General Plan Dual Designations

45
 Land Use and Urban Design Framework
This section introduces opportunities for catalytic new development that will support the creation of a
vibrant, livable, and prosperous CSE Fresno. The Land Use and Urban Design Framework Map, shown
in Figure 3-5, organizes the Plan Area into distinct corridors, districts, and neighborhoods. The key
corridors and districts highlighted represent areas of change, or “subareas,” where there is considerable
vacant land and/or significant opportunities for redevelopment, rehabilitation, and public and private
improvements that can catalyze positive change in CSE Fresno. These subareas (corridors and districts)
and their associated strategies were derived from the “Big Ideas” described in Chapter 2 and articulate a
vision for the future uses, character, and experience of each district or corridor in the Plan Area.

Apart from these areas of change, the remainder of the Plan Area consists of existing residential
neighborhoods – or areas of stability – where City- and community-led programs and incremental changes
can improve neighborhood health, safety, and overall quality of life, as described in the Neighborhoods
and Housing section.

This framework is not intended to describe prioritization of change. Rather, this section serves as a
reference guide for both catalytic and incremental changes – such that each new improvement,
investment, or project (no matter how big or small), contributes to the intended healthy, active, vibrant,
safe, and sustainable future of CSE Fresno.

Subareas
The subareas in CSE Fresno identified for comprehensive redevelopment include a set of three corridors
and three districts. Though unified under a single vision for the entire Plan Area, each subarea possesses
its own distinct identity, set of characteristics, and unique opportunity sites that will advance its
transformation. Each subarea is defined and described in further detail below.

Corridors
1. Kings Canyon Road. Transform Kings Canyon into an active mixed-use corridor.
• 1A. Former UMC Hospital. Redevelop the former UMC Hospital Site into a holistic health and
wellness center.
• 1B. International Shopping and Entertainment Village. Evolve strip shopping centers such as
Asian Village into mixed-use/entertainment centers that focus on ethnic food establishments
and cultural shopping amenities.
2. Butler Avenue. Create a series of neighborhood centers along Butler Avenue.
• 2A. Mosqueda Regional Cultural and Community Center. Build on the success of Mosqueda
Center to expand this area into a hub for cultural activities, education, and recreation.
• 2B. Hanoian Shopping Center. Redevelop Hanoian Shopping Center into a small mixed-use
neighborhood center that will meet the daily needs of residents.
3. Orange Avenue. Evolve Orange Ave into a neighborhood “main street.”

Districts
4. Fairgrounds. Activate and strengthen connections to the Fresno Fairgrounds as an important hub
for community, cultural, and recreational activities.
5. IRS Processing Center. Redevelop the IRS site into an education campus and/or tech hub.
6. Employment District. Transform industrial areas into a business park/office/R&D district with
clean/non-nuisance employment uses.

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Figure 3-5. Land Use and Urban Design Framework

47
 3.5 Goals and Strategies
Subareas
This section provides place-specific goals and strategies for the subareas of CSE Fresno that are most
likely to change in the future.

1. Kings Canyon Road

LU-1. Transform Kings Canyon Road into a walkable and lively corridor with a
diverse mix of retail, service, residential, cultural, and institutional uses that will
attract both local residents and regional visitors.
Opportunity:
Historically the main highway coming through town, Kings Canyon Road remains CSE Fresno’s primary
thoroughfare, connecting to Downtown to the west, and to major shopping centers to the east. Kings
Canyon is a six-lane commercial corridor with high traffic volumes but is underperforming in its function
as the “main” corridor of the area. Numerous factors contribute to this reality, including challenging
market conditions for retail districts and an altogether deteriorated urban environment, characterized by
a prominence of vacant/underutilized sites, mostly suburban development patterns, and a low-quality,
incomplete pedestrian/public realm.

However, there is ample potential for positive change. Along all urban corridors, the street is the thread
running through and connecting a series of places, nodes, and centers. The City can leverage Kings
Canyon’s new bus rapid transit (BRT) line and advantageous physical characteristics – including a wide
right-of-way and proximity to institutions such as the Fresno Fairgrounds and former UMC Hospital – to
transform the corridor into a key multimodal connector that provides access to a higher density mixed-
use centers, serving as a regional tourist destination bringing people and activities from across the region
to CSE Fresno.

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Opportunity sites in the former UMC Hospital.

Strategies:
LU-1.1. Redevelop and improve the UMC Hospital site (1A) and surrounding area to create a
Health & Wellness Campus with supportive uses.
The former UMC Hospital is a significant opportunity site on the Kings Canyon corridor. It lies at
the intersection of Kings Canyon and Cedar Avenue and is primed for redevelopment. The City
should work with the County and private sector partners to redevelop the vacant UMC hospital
site through a master planning process. Future development plans should include a Wellness
Center or Continuum of Care facility offering a range of medical, behavioral health, and social
services to provide much needed healthcare services for residents. This could be spread out
through the site in a campus-like fashion or it could be consolidated in one specific area allowing
the remaining site to be developed with housing that will complement on-site healthcare
and social services, such as senior and/or transitional housing. This housing component can
incorporate a range of housing options that provide healthcare services at different levels and
intensities, providing the full range of transitional housing for elders depending on their needs.

In the near term, the large underutilized parking lots fronting Kings Canyon can be immediately
activated through temporary events and uses that will enliven the street and support
future redevelopment of the County Hospital (see Figure 3-6. UMC Hospital Parking Lot
Transformations). This parking lot could become community gathering space that could host
food trucks, farmer’s markets, pop-up shops, art festivals, performances, and other temporary
events. See Strategy ED-1.6 in Chapter 6 for more details on how the City can allow and
encourage temporary uses on vacant and underutilized sites.

49
 Figure 3-6. UMC Hospital Parking Lot Transformations

Example of crosswalk improvements to provide better connections for pedestrians along the site. An engaging shade structure on the other
side of the street provides weather protection.

Example of a possible food-truck park on the corner of the site creating an activity center along Kings Canyon Rd.

Underutilized parking lot on the south side of the UMS Hospital site has the opportunity to house temporary uses like a food truck park along
the street intersection, streetscape improvements that include crosswalks, trees for shading, landscaping and formal on-street parking.

Example of a shading structure and landscaping to spatially hold a small intersection corner and to screen the parking lot behind it.

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LU-1.2. Transform the large strip shopping centers along Kings Canyon Road between Chestnut
and Willow Avenues into active, mixed-use regional destinations for international
cuisine, cultural shopping establishments, and entertainment. (Site 1B on Framework
Map)
Between Chestnut and Willow Avenues, Kings Canyon Road is flanked on both sides by a nearly
a ½ mile stretch of suburban shopping centers (see Figure 3-7). This area encompasses large
surface parking lots with underperforming and aging retail buildings that form long superblocks
and create an unwalkable environment.

As retail economics continue to evolve in the coming years, opportunities may arise for
significant infill development along these blocks. Through economic incentives and investments
in frontage improvements, the City can facilitate the creation of mixed-use regional centers that
transform large strip shopping centers – like Asian Village – around the notion of an International
Food Boulevard experience, concentrating international and cultural shopping and restaurant
amenities that will both serve local residents and attract regional patrons.

The City should establish Ventura-Kings Canyon Design Guidelines that promote mixed-use
infill along Kings Canyon Road with active ground-floor uses and engaging pedestrian-oriented
frontages. Large underutilized blocks and/or surface parking lots in commercial centers can be
subdivided to create new street connections, pedestrian and bike pathways, and public spaces/
plazas, better accommodating infill development of new mixed-use buildings, retail, and
multifamily housing. Figure 3-8 illustrates an example of infill development around “big box”
commercial centers. The City could also coordinate and support public and private investment
efforts along this stretch of Kings Canyon, providing economic incentives to encourage local
businesses to rehabilitate and improve building frontages. See Strategy LU-1.4 and ED-1.8
in Chapter 6 for additional recommendations on developing a Facade Improvement and
Beautification Program in CSE Fresno.

51
 Figure 3-7. Mixed-use opportunity areas along Kings Canyon Road

Mixed use opportunity area along Kings Canyon Rd Infill opportunity at Pilibos Soccer Park

Figure 3-8. Example of Infill Development of a “Big Box” Retail Site

Typical “Big Box” commercial buildings in a corridor (DPZ CoDesign) Retrofit and infill development of a typical “Big Box” commercial
site (DPZ CoDesign)

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Commercial signage examples along a corridor New BRT Station on Kings Canyon Rd.

LU-1.3. Develop and implement a cohesive Streetscape Amenity and Wayfinding Palette for the
Kings Canyon corridor focused on placemaking, identity, and branding of the corridor.
Kings Canyon Road presents a significant opportunity to improve the street character in a way
that reflects and celebrates the unique character of CSE Fresno. Cohesive and coordinated
streetscape furnishings, lighting, signage, and wayfinding elements can help reinforce a sense
of identity, branding the corridor as a multicultural shopping and entertainment destination.
For example, public art and unique multicultural elements could be integrated into public
spaces, street furnishings, and paving. To achieve this, the City should develop and implement a
cohesive Streetscape Amenity and Wayfinding Palette for Kings Canyon focused on placemaking
and branding of the corridor.

This strategy is part of the larger recommendation to develop a distinctive brand for CSE Fresno,
as described in Strategy ED-1.7 in Chapter 6. Additional design and street reconfiguration
recommendations for Kings Canyon Road are described in more detail in Chapter 4.
Transportation, Public Realm, and Infrastructure.

LU-1.4. Incentivize frontage improvements to renovate aging and vacant commercial buildings,
attract new businesses, and strengthen existing ones.
Along most of the corridor, Kings Canyon Road supports a suburban land use pattern
characterized by abundant surface parking that separates the street from the surrounding
buildings that frame it. On small stretches of the corridor where existing buildings do front the
street, their frontages are generally dilapidated and uninviting.

The City should encourage property owners to improve building frontages and facades by
establishing a frontage and facade revolving loan fund for property owners. Revitalizing
storefronts through simple improvements such as repairs, new paint, and attractive signage
can create positive visual change in the neighborhood and improve economic vitality. The
City, property owners, and local businesses could also consider establishing a Kings Canyon
Corridor Improvements District (or similar organization) to help coordinate and implement such
improvements. This strategy is part of a larger recommendation to develop a Facade Improvement
and Beautification Program for CSE Fresno, as detailed in Strategy ED-1.8 of Chapter 6.

53
 Figure 3-9. Kings Canyon Existing and Proposed Street Section

Existing retail along Kings Canyon suffers from a car-oriented design. Sidewalks have no buffer or landscaping between the pedestrian
and the fast-moving car. Further lack of tree-shading, and engaging storefronts dissuades people from walking to businesses, causing
infrequent buyers even on main avenues.

Incremental transformation of Kings Canyon showing a new landscaped median, buffered bike lanes and facade improvements to existing
buildings.

Kings Canyon final state will provide wide shaded sidewalks with landscaping, cohesive street furnishings, a buffered biking lane and a
landscaped median. The bike lane could also potentially become fully protected, as shown. This multimodal corridor will also contain a
mix of uses.

See Chapter 4, Figure 4-7 for more information on how to incrementally improve the Kings Canyon corridor
streetscape.

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Figure 3-10. Transformations along Kings Canyon Road

Current conditions of Kings Canyon show narrow sidewalks without landscaping, multiple vacant lots, and building frontages that do not
engage and activate the street.

The first step in the transformation of Kings Canyon should involve streetscape improvements that provide an inviting public realm, such
as: restriping lanes to add on-street parking with bulb-out planters to shade the sidewalk and adding a buffered bike lane. Now, Kings
Canyon will provide a multimodal environment.

As resources become available, the City should implement a cohesive streetscape palette and facade improvements program to beautify
the public realm and building frontages Further temporary and tactical interventions, such as outdoor seating on parking lanes, can occur
to activate retail.

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 Key Sites along Butler Avenue

2. Butler Avenue
LU-2. Build on existing institutions and opportunity sites along Butler Avenue,
particularly near Maple Avenue, to create a series of central neighborhood-
supporting hubs for daily retail and service needs, cultural activities, education,
and recreation.

Opportunity:
Along Butler Avenue, particularly at its intersections with Cedar and Maple Avenues, a number of vacant
and underutilized sites present opportunities for community-oriented mixed-use development. These
sites are central to the Plan Area and are located within walking distance of the surrounding traditional
neighborhoods. In particular, the community envisions the Mosqueda Center – located at the intersection
of Butler and Maple Avenues – as a key hub for recreational and social activities. The Mosqueda Center
and Fresno Fairgrounds lend this area a strong civic use component. New mixed-use infill development
on nearby vacant parcels can build on these community anchors. Such development has the potential to
reduce automobile trips by providing shops, healthy food options, basic services, and new neighborhood
gathering spaces within a short walking distance of housing. This mix of public amenities, commercial
and service centers, jobs, and housing can create a significant neighborhood center at the heart of the
community.

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Strategies:
LU-2.1. Transform Mosqueda Center into a Regional Community Center by expanding facilities
and constructing a new youth, senior, and/or cultural center extension on surrounding
vacant parcels.
The Mosqueda Center is a highly valued community resource with potential to grow and satisfy
a larger area with further investment and improvements. The vacant lots to the west and south
of the Mosqueda Center can easily accommodate new expansion, featuring additional event
spaces, classrooms, outdoor recreational programming, youth services, social services, classes,
and cultural events. Some of these programming options can be coordinated in cooperation
with local non-profits. The City should develop an expansion plan for the Mosqueda Center that
identifies funding sources, phases of the development, and partner agencies and organizations.

LU-2.2. Promote retail and multifamily infill housing development on vacant parcels surrounding
Mosqueda Center to further activate the area.
Mixed-use infill in this area presents an opportunity to create a neighborhood center building
on and supported by key community recreation and social activity hubs – Fresno Fairgrounds
and Mosqueda Center. This area would serve as a convenient location for multigenerational
and senior housing, as the nearby Mosqueda Center provides senior services. Furthermore, the
previous theater site and its parking lot on Butler Avenue can be consolidated and adaptively
reused. These efforts should be supported by streetscape improvements that enhance
walkability.

The City should ensure that future development of these large parcels creates new street
connections through over-sized blocks. Pedestrian and bicycle connections are of high
importance due to the numerous nearby public facilities. New buildings should front major
avenues in order to provide an active street frontage and “eyes on the street.” While development
should be concentrated at the intersection of Butler and Maple Avenues, smaller neighborhood
parks and open spaces in the interior vacant parcels pose the potential for a multi-functional
community space. Figure 3-11 shows a conceptual plan for the vacant parcels north of the
Mosqueda Center. For more detailed information on parks and recommended improvements
to Mosqueda Center, see Chapter 5. Parks and Open Space.

Potential Mosqueda Center activities

57
 Figure 3-11. Conceptual Plan for Redevelopment of Vacant Site North of Mosqueda
Center

The inactive theater and parking lot could be activated with tactical uses such as movie screenings (below).

Community movie screening. Photo Credit: Film L.A.

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LU-2.3. Create a new mixed-use neighborhood node around the vacant Hanoian Shopping
Center to ensure that residents can meet their daily needs within a comfortable walking
distance.
The Hanoian supermarket structure at Butler and Cedar Avenues (the property owner is
currently awaiting a grant for remediation) can be feasibly repurposed as a new mixed-use
neighborhood center within walking distance of many residents. The existing building already
houses basic neighborhood services, such as a laundromat and a dry cleaner. Potential
future development on this site can include amenities and uses such as a small grocery store,
makerspaces, market, community garden, office space for local nonprofits, and/or housing. In
the short term, temporary tactical uses around the existing structure can provide near-term
activation of the site. The existing taco truck and shelter at the corner of Butler and Cedar
Avenues exemplify such a strategy and should be supported. For example, a temporary
tree farm could be established on the empty lot east of the building. The tree farm could be
founded on a joint agreement with Public Works and Tree Fresno to use the trees for future
landscaping on streets in the Plan Area. The area where the trees are growing could be utilized
as a community gathering space for events. The City should work with the property owner and
Every Neighborhood Partnership to promote temporary uses.

Existing Hanoian’s structure and parking lot could host a Makerspace. Photo credit: FabHub
makerspace for artists / entrepreneurs (right). Photo credit: Rick Ele

Transformation of a vacant lot in Buffalo, NY into a community Small neighborhood retail center
garden. Photo credit: Landscape Architecture Magazine

59
 Lots along S Orange Ave correlating to photo transformations on the following pages.

3. Orange Avenue

LU-3. Intensify, activate, and beautify Orange Avenue, building on its existing
character to strengthen its identity and appeal.
Opportunity:
While most commercial uses in CSE Fresno are located along Kings Canyon Road, Orange Avenue contains
a cluster of commercial activity around and to the south of Butler Avenue. Orange Avenue is located
near Downtown Fresno and connects to Ventura Avenue (the continuation of Kings Canyon Road) to the
north and to industrial, office, and other commercial uses to the south. Currently, most non-residential
buildings in the area are set back from the street behind parking lots, creating an unfriendly pedestrian
environment. The avenue has recently been equipped with incomplete Class II bike lanes that should be
completed to ensure safe multimodal travel.

Throughout the planning process, the community expressed concerns about noise and safety impacts
of existing recycling centers and other light industrial properties along the corridor. As these uses are
phased out and replaced by new mixed-use development, Orange Avenue can evolve into a charming
neighborhood main street. The relationship between buildings of varying uses and the streetscape must
be well calibrated along Orange Avenue in order to create a continuous, cohesive, and active street
environment. These efforts should be combined with traffic calming measures and improved connectivity
with surrounding areas to enhance the pedestrian experience. Both public and private investments are
required to support this transformation.

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Strategies:
LU-3.1. Implement coordinated streetscape and frontage enhancements along Orange Avenue
to revitalize and activate the public realm.
Orange Avenue is envisioned to become an active and pedestrian-friendly corridor that supports
walkability and incentivizes retail and other neighborhood-serving uses. To enliven the street
environment, business owners should improve building facades and use their frontages as
extensions of the sidewalk, dedicating them as spaces for outdoor dining or merchandising by
applying for an outdoor dining permit or an encroachment agreement. (See Figure 3-13. Fresno
Super Market. Fresno Supermarket as an example).

Improvements to multimodal infrastructure are also needed to enhance safety and activate
the public realm. The City should work to implement coordinated streetscape improvements
through the development of a routine maintenance policy to create a safer and more pedestrian-
friendly environment. The improvements to be considered in the policy would include wider
sidewalks, corner bulb-outs, and cohesive landscaping and street trees (See Figure 3-13, Figure
3-13. Fresno Super Market, and Figure 3-15 as examples). The addition of on-street parking with
broad street trees in planters can create a buffer between pedestrians and moving vehicles,
increasing pedestrian comfort and safety.

Additional design and street reconfiguration recommendations for Orange Avenue are described
in more detail in Chapter 4. Transportation, Public Realm, and Infrastructure (Strategies T-1.1
and T-4.2). Frontage improvements along Orange Avenue can be incentivized through a Facade
Improvement and Beautification Program, as outlined in Strategy ED-1.8 in Chapter 6.

Figure 3-12. Streetscape Improvements along Orange Avenue

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 Figure 3-13. Fresno Super Market

The Existing Fresno Super Market does not provide an active front towards the street, as it is mostly a large blank wall. In addition, narrow
sidewalks, an underutilized side parking lot, and a lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities create an uninviting experience for all people
not traveling by car.

Initial streetscape improvements on Orange Ave can be of a more temporary nature. These should include restriping and interim
landscaping. Meanwhile, the market can provide a more prominent entrance from the street to improve its street presence. The parking lot
next door can be used as an opportunity to create shaded outdoor seating arrangements for customers.

As resources become available, permanent streetscape improvements should include bulb-outs that extend the sidewalk in front of the
supermarket as well as pedestrian and bicycle facilities and mature trees for shading. The super market can then utilize the extended
sidewalk for permanent outdoor furniture installations creating a proper commercial front.

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Figure 3-14. Idea Works Central Southeast

This site currently does not activate the street, but minor private frontage improvements could transform it into an inviting commercial
building.

Potential improvements include facade upgrades, signage, and outdoor seating. The public frontage improvements include buffered bike
lanes, painted crosswalks, wider sidewalks with on street parking, bulb-outs, and trees for shading.

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 LU-3.2. Facilitate the adaptive reuse of vacant and underutilized sites along Orange Avenue to
provide new neighborhood assets.
Orange Avenue contains several parking lots, underutilized buildings, and vacant sites that can
be adaptively reused to provide amenities for nearby residents. The City should prioritize the
approval of permits for uses that directly support the community’s vision for a healthy and
thriving neighborhood, such as outdoor food sales and seating, makerspaces, and public plazas
(see Figure 3-16 and Figure 3-17). In the short-term, this could be achieved by converting on-
street parking spaces into parklets and underutilized parking lots or vacant lots into temporary
public spaces with programming that would allow people to gather and socialize (e.g. movie
nights or musical performances). Examples of these temporary “pavement-to-parks” type
improvements include parklets and temporary plazas with seating, planting, bicycle parking,
lights, and art, among other amenities, which are typically constructed from inexpensive or
salvaged materials and through volunteer labor with little public assistance. A first step could
be to identify potential sponsors and resources for the implementation of pavement-to-parks
improvements and then construct a pilot project along Orange Avenue, which could be used to
inform the location, design, programming of a more permanent public space along the corridor
(see Strategy LU-3.3).

See Strategy ED-1.6 in Chapter 7 for more details on how the City can allow and encourage
temporary uses on vacant and underutilized sites. For additional details on supporting adaptive
reuse of buildings, see Strategy ED-1.2.

Figure 3-15. Fresno Recycling - Site 2

This recycling facility transformation highlights streetscape improvements, including a buffered bike lane and on street parking, as well as
better landscaping. The parking lot could be activated with a corner café and seating, turning it into a small activity center.

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LU-3.3. Construct a public open space along Orange Avenue that can be used for community
gathering and events.
The City should facilitate the construction of a public park or plaza along the corridor. The plaza
could be a place for community events such as movie nights or musical performances. This
venue can become a community-building asset for the surrounding neighborhoods, and it can
be carved out of an underutilized surface parking lot at an intersection to provide it greater
exposure (See Figure 3-16 for an example).

LU-4.4. Work with property owners to minimize negative impacts from recycling and traffic-
generating uses near homes.
Throughout the planning process, the community expressed concerns about noise and safety
impacts of existing recycling centers and other light industrial properties along the corridor.
The City should work with property owners to minimize the negative impacts from recycling
and traffic-generating uses by incentivizing the installation of screens, landscaping, and other
buffers to reduce noise and visual impacts and by working with the City Councilmember’s office
to create a retrofit program. See Strategies PH-4.1 and PH-4.2 for additional recommendations
on how to ensure compatible uses and protections for residential neighborhoods.

Figure 3-16. Tactical Uses Along Orange Avenue

Underutilized parking lots at key intersections provide an opportunity for temporary uses and future development. The intersection of
Butler and Orange Ave would benefit from landscaping and sidewalk improvements. A restaurant on the corner could create a more formal
outdoor seating space to attract customers while the large surface parking lot could host temporary uses like food trucks to activate the corner.

65
 The Big Fresno Fair. Photo Credit: fresnofair.com

4. Fresno Fairgrounds
LU-4. Activate and integrate the Fairgrounds into the existing fabric of the
community.
Opportunity:
The Fresno Fairgrounds, located near the heart of the Plan Area, receives more than 1.7 million annual
visitors and generates over $68.8 million in revenue for the County (Fresnofair.com). Despite the
Fairgrounds’ own internal success, CSE Fresno’s limited retail and recreational offerings provide little
reason for patrons of the Fairgrounds to spend time or money in the rest of the community. For security
reasons, the perimeter of the Fairgrounds is largely walled off and inaccessible to the public. Due to the
large demand for conveniently located parking to support fairgoers, the Fresno Fair also buys and leases
many large sites in the area that are mostly underutilized for the remainder of the year. These factors
adversely impact the surrounding neighborhoods and perimeter streets — such as Butler Avenue,
Maple Avenue, and the Kings Canyon corridor — as they impede efforts to activate the public realm.
Coordinated development and infrastructure improvements should be prioritized to ensure that the
Fairgrounds becomes an anchor that supports the CSE community.

Strategies:
LU-4.1. Activate the Fairgrounds entrance by constructing a neighborhood-facing public plaza
and allowing temporary events and uses on the Chance Ave parking lot.
The Fairgrounds entrance is located within a residential neighborhood, and is generally
nondescript with a large surface parking lot sitting opposite it. To better connect the Fairgrounds
with the existing fabric of the neighborhood, a neighborhood-facing public plaza could be
constructed at the Fairgrounds entrance on Chance Avenue, creating a stronger presence and

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The existing facade wall is a playful way for the Fairgrounds to Big Fresno Fair. Photo credit: Sami Yousif
meet Kings Canyon Road, but it lack active uses.

community amenity for nearby residents. To further activate the area, the large parking lot at
the intersection of Lane and Chance Avenues could be used for temporary/special events such
as a weekly farmers market, artisans’ market, and other smaller festivals. The City should work
with the Fresno Fair and the County of Fresno to develop a strategy to create the plaza, and
work with local community organizations to program the plaza.

LU-4.2. Construct active liner spaces such as shops, kiosks, and cafes along the perimeter of
the Fairgrounds, particularly the Kings Canyon and Butler street frontages.
To create a more engaging frontages along the Kings Canyon and Butler Avenue perimeters,
the City should work with the Fresno Fair to construct active liner spaces such as kiosks, pop-up
shops, and cafes that support incubators/small retailers and mobile vendors. As these corridors
grow and develop into more active mixed-use corridors these temporary spaces could evolve
into permanent retail buildings that provide continuous active frontages.

LU-4.3. Activate underutilized overflow parking lots around the Fairgrounds for recreational
sports and other temporary events and uses.
The City should pursue and facilitate joint-use agreements with the Fresno Fair to allow for
and program temporary use of its underutilized overflow parking lots for recreational sports
fields, temporary venues for special events, and other activities that have been requested
by the community to expand its services for the Area. The City should work with community
organizations such as Every Neighborhood Partnership and Neighborhood Church to help
program the events. One example of such a use could be a temporary street-tree nursery
(for later use in CSE Fresno once matured to the point of being ready to plant), where potted
saplings could even be arranged to help organize parking bays on these sites. See Strategy
P-1.5 in Chapter 5 and Strategy ED-1.6 in Chapter 6 for related recommendations on how to
better utilize the Fairgrounds’ overflow parking lots.

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 LU-4.4. Work with the Fresno Fair to publicize and lease existing/new event spaces to CSE
Fresno residents and businesses at no or low cost.
There is strong community desire for additional large gathering spaces that can be rented
affordably for social gatherings. The Fairgrounds contains several such facilities that are empty
most of the year and could satisfy the community’s need. The City could work with the Fresno
Fair to evaluate the potential of utilizing the Fairgrounds for additional community activities. If
the Fairgrounds are found to be suitable the City could work with the Fresno Fair to promote
and facilitate use of these spaces, leasing them to local residents and businesses at low or no
cost.

LU-4.5. Develop a local marketing campaign to better publicize and promote year-round
events at the Fairgrounds.
The Fairgrounds hosts many year-round events in addition to the Big Fresno Fair, yet these
events are not widely known or attended by the local community. The City should work with
the Fresno Fair to develop a local marketing campaign to publicize and promote year-round
events, and to curate events specific to the needs of CSE Fresno. This could include working
with local community organizations and businesses to publicize events, taking out ads on local
radio stations, advertising via social media, posting flyers at schools and community centers,
and/or donating tickets.

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Temporary activation of a vacant lot. Photo credit: CarrieGartner.com

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 Figure 3-18. Conceptual Improvements to the IRS Facility Site

This aerial view illustrates one way to accomplish LU-5 (redevelopment of the former IRS site). In this example, the IRS facility and parking
lots are converted into a technology,employment, and education campus. The western remaining portion of the IRS structure could
accommodate parking for the new institutional buildings, using efficient parking technology. Elsewhere on the site, new streets connecting to
the existing neighborhood fabric can create traditional neighborhood blocks to accommodate new residential and supportive commercial
development around this new center of employment and activity. A bike lane lined with trees would align with Willow Avenue, while north-
south vehicular traffic would be deflected around gateway open spaces and into the campus. Further details are provide in LU-5.

5. IRS Facility
LU-5. Redevelop the former IRS facility site as a technology-centered employment
and education campus that can provide training, jobs, and residences for workers
and students.
Opportunity:
Located at the corner of Butler and Willow Avenues, the 48-acre Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Processing Center facility is primed for redevelopment due to its size, vacant status, and proximity to
several amenities including parks, schools, retail, and the new BRT line along Ventura/Kings Canyon
Road. Throughout the planning process, the community conveyed a strong desire to repurpose this
technologically-equipped series of buildings into a tech-education campus or center that could offset
some of the lost jobs by providing new education and employment for residents of CSE Fresno. When
redeveloped, this site should utilize more strategic and spatially efficient parking solutions in order to
better utilize this large area of land. New mixed-use buildings can provide affordable student and teacher
housing and commercial services supporting the new education campus. Though the site is the size of
10 traditional neighborhood blocks, it has no through streets. In the future, multiple streets should cross
through the site – new north-south connections must link Butler Avenue to Lane Avenue, especially to the
west in order to reconnect Willow Avenue. East-west streets should connect to adjacent neighborhoods,
fostering connectivity in the area.

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Office campus Tech Education Center. Photo credit: College of DuPage

Strategies:
LU-5.1. Facilitate the redevelopment of the former IRS facility as a technology and/or education
campus.
The City should work with property owners over time to redevelop the former IRS facility into
a high-tech employment and education campus with a mix of high-tech offices, education,
public uses, and supportive retail. To complement and support education, employment, and
commercial uses, new affordable workforce or student housing can be developed or contained
within new public buildings. Additionally, other residential unit types can be developed along
new neighborhood streets and along Butler and Lane Avenues, providing a natural transition to
adjacent neighborhoods. As a first step, the City should establish an exploratory working group
to identify potential users, funding opportunities, and partners to redevelop the site. This group
should include local educational entities, tech firms, trade representatives, government agency
representatives, and multi-family housing developers.

LU-5.2. Enhance connections to and from the IRS site and surrounding neighborhoods, transit,
and commercial centers.
Future development should subdivide the IRS site into smaller, more walkable blocks with
new street connections and pedestrian/bicycle pathways that will improve access to and from
surrounding neighborhoods. The City should require the developer of this site to submit a master
plan that meets the subdivision requirements of Article 41 in the Citywide Development Code.
This involves at least two north-south connections through the site, from Lane Avenue to Butler
Avenue, and the possibility of east-west connections to the adjacent residential neighborhoods.
Figure 3-18. Conceptual Improvements to the IRS Facility Site depicts a 3-dimensional massing
for one possible scenario for subdividing this land and adaptively reusing the IRS facility. See
Strategy T-2.1 in Chapter 4 for additional recommendations for creating new roadway and
bicycle/pedestrian connections in the Plan Area.

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 6. Employment District

LU-6. Promote office and clean/non-nuisance employment uses while ensuring

compatibility and protections for residential neighborhoods.
Opportunity:
Throughout the planning process, the community expressed concern about existing industrial uses and
vacant lots south of California Avenue directly abutting residential neighborhoods. These properties
should be consolidated and transformed into an office-oriented or mixed-use employment district
that accommodates research facilities, offices, and tech firms supported by a walkable, transit-rich
environment. This transition would provide more high-wage jobs and create a workplace for residents
living in adjacent neighborhoods. Existing dead-end neighborhood streets to the north could then
connect to California Avenue to enable multimodal access to jobs.

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Strategies:
LU-6.1. Actively market vacant and underutilized industrial land to potential office, R&D, and
tech firm tenants.
The City should work to expand R&D, business park, office, and other non-nuisance or non-
polluting employment uses around California Avenue to provide local job opportunities and
buffer residential neighborhoods from heavy industrial uses. This process should include
identification and active marketing of vacant or underutilized land recommended for Office (see
Figure 3-2. Land Use Plan) to potential tenants. The City could pursue grant funds to develop
marketing sheets for each opportunity site that provide useful information to developers and
businesses such as availability of suitable commercial and industrial buildings, ownership
status, parcel size, existing uses and regulations for the site, known environmental issues, and
infrastructure needs, and highlighting the area’s proximity to freight rail, transit, and major
highway corridors.

LU-6.2. Develop a target business attraction strategy for the employment district.
While marketing is an important part of the strategy to transform this district, the City will also
need to target and attract specific industries desired in the area. This could be achieved by
developing a business attraction strategy, to include researching and developing a list of office,
R&D, technology, and other clean/non-nuisance businesses that would be well suited to the
district and community. Research should be focused on companies that have the potential for
growth, expansion, and/or relocation. The City may also partner with the commercial brokerage
community to connect business owners with new real estate opportunities, ensuring that
commercial brokers are tied into the local economic development, community, and business
networking groups. The City Councilmember’s office should consider developing an incentive
program for businesses that locate in the California Avenue area similar to the City of Fresno’s
2018 Support Small Business Act.

Opportunity for a business park to transition between industrial properties and residential neighborhoods

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 LU-6.3. Analyze and modify existing regulations
to reduce the negative impacts of
commercial and industrial uses on
nearby neighborhoods.
Existing industrial uses in the southern
part of the Plan Area produce air pollution,
noise, and heavy truck traffic that can
negatively impact the health and safety
of nearby residents. The City should work
with the businesses to analyze the effects
of existing operations and identify potential
solutions to minimize these negative
Business park
externalities on adjacent residential areas.
For example, incentivizing physical buffers,
such as wide setbacks, extensive landscape
areas, fencing, and noise barriers can help
separate and protect existing homes from
the negative impacts of rail and industrial
uses. See Strategies PH-4.1 and PH-4.2 in
Chapter 7. Quality of Life for additional
information and strategies to address land
use compatibility and health and safety
protections for neighborhoods.

Office park with a walkable and pedestrian oriented approach

to the street

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Neighborhoods and Housing

Throughout the planning process, the community expressed a strong desire to strengthen residential
neighborhoods by improving connections to parks, community centers, schools, and jobs, addressing
public safety concerns, and improving housing affordability. These desires respond to very real issues
in the community. Most residential neighborhoods in CSE Fresno consist of suburban housing types
that lack diversity and cannot accommodate households at different stages of life. Further complicating
matters are deteriorating properties, unregulated building additions, neglected streetscapes, and
abandoned alleys that have created public safety issues. Neighborhood streets, meanwhile, lack human
scale and provide few, if any, spaces for gathering and enjoyment.

Consequently, this Plan establishes goals and strategies to preserve and strengthen existing
neighborhoods, while providing a diversity of housing that accommodates a broad range of household
sizes, stages of life, and income levels.

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 LU-7. Pursue policies and programs that support housing stability and mitigate
displacement.
LU-7.1. Develop pilot programs to minimize displacement.
The City should coordinate with the Fresno Anti-Displacement Task Force and launch a pilot
project to explore and test anti-displacement programs in the community. If successful, these
policies could be implemented city-wide. This will help minimize displacement of current
residents.

LU-7.2. Construct temporary housing options in CSE Fresno (e.g. Tiny Home communities) for
homeless residents or others in need of transitional housing.
The City should work with Fresno Housing as well as other partner agencies and community-
based organizations to create temporary housing options in CSE Fresno (e.g., Tiny Home
communities) for homeless residents or others in need of transitional housing. This might
include conducting studies to find suitable sites and pursuing funding to build temporary
housing in the area.

LU-7.3. Preserve existing low-cost housing.

The City should provide financial incentives to preserve existing low-cost housing. This process
could include creating an affordable housing fund that can be used to acquire affordable
housing developments at risk of conversion and supporting upgrades to existing affordable
housing.

LU-7.4. Expand homeownership programs and improve access to existing programs offered by
the City.
The City should develop programs to increase homeownership rates in order to provide greater
neighborhood stability. Some of these programs may include: working with local banks to
promote rent-to-buy policies or programs; developing “opportunity to purchase” legislation
requiring owners to notify tenants of intent to sell, and providing an opportunity to purchase;
and creating low-income housing funds to purchase, rehabilitate, and then sell homes to
qualifying families.

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CSE Fresno residential neighborhood

Senior Citizens Village in CSE Fresno Townhomes

Multi-family housing Tiny home

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 Housing in need of repair in CSE Fresno Neighborhood retail node with housing behind

LU-8. Improve the safety, quality, and condition of housing structures and the
neighborhoods they inhabit.
LU-8.1. Provide property owners with information, resources, and funding to address code
violations and health issues in buildings.
In existing residential neighborhoods, there are illegal units, additions, and modifications to
buildings that lack proper permitting. Similarly, some properties are in a state of disrepair that
violates building codes and poses a threat to health and safety. The City should conduct proactive
code enforcement audits and work with property owners to address code violations and health
issues in buildings, such as pests and mold, that compromise the health of residents. As part of
this strategy, the City should work with additional agencies and organizations, such as Fresno
Housing, Self-Help Federal Credit Union, and Habitat for Humanity, to create a fund to help
homeowners pay for renovations, repairs, and upgrades. City communication channels such
as websites, newsletters, and other venues can be used to educate landlords and residents on
existing programs and resources, such as the County’s Lead Hazard Control Program, which
educates residents on lead-based paint risks and precautions and provides financial assistance
to fix lead hazards in homes. See Strategy PS-2.1 in Chapter 7 for additional recommendations
related to maintenance and code enforcement efforts to improve health and safety.

LU-8.2. Continue to implement and support rental housing registration and inspection.
The City should continue to implement its rental housing registration and inspection program
and work to certify residential rental units, single-room occupancy hotels (SROs), and boarding
homes in CSE Fresno. This might include partnering with the Independent Living Association for
certification and educating landlords and tenants on rights and responsibilities.

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LU-8.3. Develop an Alley Improvement Program to help residents repurpose or transform

alleyways into active and safe spaces.
The City should develop an Alley Improvement Program to address safety and blight issues in
alleys and help residents repurpose or transform alleys into active and inviting spaces. This
program could include resources, tools, and guidelines to:
• Physically improve alleys by repaving, adding lighting, and installing security cameras, in
coordination with Public Works.
• Reopen and use alleys for rear-access, services, and deliveries and to facilitate use of alleys
for new affordable Accessory Dwelling Units (see Strategy LU-9.3).
• Privatize or vacate alleys where all adjacent residents would prefer to close off the alleyway
entirely (including moving fences and property lines).
• Create green alleys for stormwater retention and treatment, and transform alleys into
community gardens.
• Convert alleys into linear parks or greenways.

Existing residential alley in CSE Fresno. Photo credit: ABC30 Fresno

Green residential alley rendering. Photo credit: SALT-la.com Residential alley transformation. Photo credit: SALT-la.com

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 Residential Neighborhood Improvements
The strategies in this section respond to the community’s desire to preserve and strengthen the
character of the single-family neighborhoods, using planning methods which enhance neighborhood
streets, improve connections to services, jobs, and daily needs, and provide a diverse range of
housing options for residents of CSE Fresno. The series of vignettes below illustrate how these
strategies could work in tandem to accomplish this vision.

Neighborhood Lanes and Infill Housing

Many alleys in the Plan Area have either been abandoned or were never actually utilized at the time
of development, where “front-loaded” suburban development types and patterns (with garages
projecting in front of the house, and the front “yards” visually dominated by driveways and parked
cars) were favored over the traditional types and patterns the platting was designed to receive. Not
only have these patterns created degraded, unsafe conditions in the alleys themselves, they have left
a tremendous amount of untapped value in neighborhoods.

First, by reactivating the alleys—and taking advantage of their intended purpose as means of access to
garages and accessory dwellings—the neighborhoods will be able to seamlessly intensify and provide
new housing units. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are allowed by State Law, without additional
parking requirements. In CSE Fresno, embracing these new units and facilitating their development
will provide a new housing type to the area that can be more affordable for residents of different
backgrounds and support residents as their housing needs change over time.

As the neighborhoods develop and as resources become available, other traditional housing types
that will require alley access should be developed. These developments should be incentivized on
blighted properties and vacant parcels that create unsafe areas in neighborhoods.

Alley reactivation and improvements will free up neighborhood streets, allowing them to provide
continuous sidewalks and parkways, uninterrupted by driveway-cuts. This also creates significantly
more on-street parking. Additionally, the houses themselves could convert their projecting (front)
garages into habitable space, improving the overall neighborhood aesthetic, adding “eyes on the
street,” and enlivening the public realm. Car-oriented neighborhood streets will then become
outdoor rooms that are viewed as places to be enjoyed, not just traveled. This improved public realm
will increase the overall property values within these neighborhoods and the area.

1. Existing neighborhood fabric

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2. Additional dwelling units accessed from the alleys

3. Existing fabric with ADU’s and footprints of infill housing

4. Alley-loaded lots & pedestrian friendly frontages & streets

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 LU-9. Expand housing supply to accommodate households of all sizes, stages of
life, and income levels.
LU-9.1. Encourage and support high-quality infill housing development in CSE Fresno.
The City should encourage the redevelopment of blighted and vacant parcels with new high-
quality multi-family or single-family housing that face and are accessed from the sidewalk. New
multi-family and single-family buildings should be house-like in form and have engaging and
attractive residential frontages. Incentives can include permit processing assistance, subsidized
or deferred development application fees, and partnerships with financial institutions to provide
financing for purchase and construction of projects of this kind. The City may want to explore
implementing a Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (from the Citywide Development Code)
throughout residential zones in the Plan Area, in order to promote “missing middle” housing infill
types. Missing middle housing types – such as duplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts – are
similar in form and character to single-family homes but provide greater variety of unit sizes and
configurations to accommodate a broad range of household sizes and income levels. Potential
locations for significant infill housing are outlined in the previous Subarea goals and strategies.

LU-9.2. Facilitate the development of new income-restricted affordable housing, including

senior, workforce, and student housing.
To encourage the development of new income-restricted affordable housing, the City should
provide a series of development incentives supporting projects of this kind. These incentives
can include permitting and processing assistance, subsidized or deferred development
application fees, and working with financial institutions on providing financing for purchase,
construction, and rehabilitation of projects of this kind. Additionally, the City should aggressively
pursue grants and new funding sources to support affordable housing development. The
City should partner with Fresno Housing, Habitat for Humanity, and Self Help Enterprises to
provide income-restricted housing as these organizations are currently the primary provider
of affordable housing in Fresno. Potential locations for senior, workforce, and student housing
include the former UMC hospital and IRS facility sites, as outlined previously in the Subarea
goals and strategies.

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LU-9.3. Encourage and facilitate the building

of backyard or alley ADUs in existing
residential neighborhoods.
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) provide
the opportunity to seamlessly and
gently intensify neighborhoods. The
addition of ADUs in the back of lots (or
in converted “front garages”) would
add to the overall housing stock and
maintain affordable housing choices,
while the overall property values within
these neighborhoods could increase.
The City should streamline the process ADU

of approving ADUs. One way to do this

is to develop an ADU toolkit of pre-
approved drawings and a kit of parts
and architectural styles and materials
for ADUs to maintain the character of
existing single-family neighborhoods. In
turn, these new units will bring activity
and “eyes on the street” to alleys,
converting them into inviting and safe
“neighborhood lanes.” (See Strategy LU-
8.3 for additional strategies to improve
alleyways.)
Cedar Heights affordable housing development in CSE Fresno.
Photo credit: TFS Investments

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ch.
4
transportation,
public realm, &
infrastructure

Photo credit: NACTO 85

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transportation, public realm, &

infrastructure
4.1 Introduction
Transportation infrastructure is a critical component of any neighborhood. It should not only afford
the public opportunities for convenient, comfortable, and safe travel within the neighborhood, but
also provide the same connections to other neighborhoods and the regional network. Throughout the
planning process, it became clear that safe, convenient access to transit, cycling and walking were a high
priority for the Central Southeast community. The Central Southeast neighborhood has five arterials and
a network of wide collector streets that present obstacles to walking and biking. Many of these streets
need a strategic rebalancing of priorities in order to improve the safety and livability of the neighborhood.

CSE Fresno will build on its strengths and assets: completing and improving its sidewalk network, adding
enhanced pedestrian crossings at key locations, building upon the existing transit network, and adding
bike facilities to ensure all residents have access to a safe and attractive transportation network that
supports multiple community goals, rather than simply moving traffic through the area. Additionally,
an integrated and sustainable approach to improving infrastructure systems, both above and below
ground, will help promote energy, waste management, and water efficiency, mitigate the impacts of
flooding, enhance water quality, and foster future private investment in the community.

4.2 Existing Conditions

Street Network
CSE Fresno’s existing circulation has been laid out over historically agricultural land and is primarily
delineated by major arterials and collectors that form half-mile square “neighborhoods.” Existing
roadways within the Plan Area range from local roads with a single lane in each direction to arterials
with up to two through lanes in each direction. Street types include arterials, collectors, neighborhood
streets, frontage roads, and alleys.

While the majority of the streets in CSE Fresno form a connective grid, there are a few breaks in the
network, notably California Avenue between Cedar and Chestnut, and Willow Avenue, on the east side of
the former IRS facility, between Butler and Kings Canyon Road. Such network breaks exhibiting large and/
or irregular block structures, constrained access, and limited pedestrian connectivity are prevalent in the
big box retail centers along Kings Canyon Road, the newer suburban and apartment developments, and
the undeveloped and industrial areas in the southern portion of the Plan Area.

The older, more historic residential neighborhoods tend to have a fine-grained street network that is
better connected, with a majority of blocks split by residential service/utility alleys. While some alleys
are still functional, many of them have been in disuse or neglected and, due to safety concerns,
neighborhood blocks have restricted access to the alleys. Block structure, streetscape and building

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 setbacks are quite consistent throughout these
neighborhoods, providing environments more
conducive to pedestrian and bicycle movement by
the completeness of the network, lower vehicular
speeds, and general presence of comfortable
sidewalks.

Streetscapes vary amongst the street types.

Most existing streets are primarily designed to
move a maximum number of vehicles and often
lack landscaping, lighting, appropriate crossings,
comfortable sidewalks, and bike facilities. Having
such gaps in the network creates challenges for
mobility throughout the Plan Area, particularly for
Example of a high-volume commercial corridor within the Plan those who are not able to drive including youth,
Area
the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Roadway Capacity and Planned

Projects
Most roadways in the Plan Area operate acceptably
under the City of Fresno traffic impact thresholds.
There are currently no plans for road widening
capacity improvements within the Plan Area,
except for Willow Avenue (north of Kings Canyon
Road) that is planned to be expanded from 2 to 4
lanes. In addition, there is one roadway segment
planned for lane reductions – Lane Avenue from
Chestnut Avenue to Willow Avenue.

Example of a neighborhood street

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Bicycle Network
CSE Fresno has a very limited bicycle and trail
network, which discourages bicycling as an
alternative to vehicle travel. The Plan Area has
one of the lowest bike ridership and some of
the highest concentration areas for bicycle and
vehicle collisions in the City, particularly along
Kings Canyon Road (Fresno Active Transportation
Plan (ATP), 2017). Most of the bike lanes in the
Plan Area run in short segments and are often
discontinuous (see Figure 4-3. Proposed Bicycle
Network). The Plan Area has two continuous bike Example of a Class I bike path adjacent to the Plan Area
lanes along Kings Canyon Road, which connects
to Downtown, and along Chestnut Avenue, but
they do not provide any buffer from fast-moving
vehicular traffic. Trails, or Class I bike paths, are
multi-use pathways separated from vehicle traffic
and shared between bicyclists and pedestrians.
Currently, there is only one short trail segment in
the northern part of the Plan Area along McKenzie
Avenue between Willow and Clovis Avenues.

Example of a Class II bikeway in the Plan Area

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 Bikeway Facility Types
Bicycle/Pedestrian or Multi-use Path (Class I)
Description: Bike paths, often referred to as shared-use paths or trails, are off-street facilities that
provide exclusive use for non-motorized travel, including bicyclists and pedestrians. Bike paths have
minimal cross flow with motorists and are typically located along landscaped corridors. Bike paths
can be utilized for both recreational and commute trips.
Purpose: To provide a safe and comfortable environment to bike and walk that is completely
separated from roadway traffic.

Bike Lane (Class II)

Description: Class II bike lanes are on-street facilities that use striping, stencils, and signage to denote
preferential or exclusive use by bicyclists. On-street bikes lanes are located adjacent to motor vehicle
traffic (see diagram). Bike lanes are intended to alert drivers about the predictable movements of
bicyclists, and provide adequate space for comfortable riding. Current City standards require bike
lanes on all new collectors and arterials; many existing collectors are already constructed with Class
II bike lanes.

Purpose: To provide an exclusive space for bicyclists on the road.

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Bike Route (Class III)

Description: Class III bike routes are on-street pavement markings or signage that connect the
bicycle roadway network. Shared-lane markings, or “sharrows,” are a common Class III pavement
marking that alerts drivers that bicyclists are sharing the road. Class III bike routes can be utilized to
connect bicycle lanes or paths along corridors that do not provide enough space for dedicated lanes
on low-speed and low-volume streets. Shoulders are useful but not required on streets with Class III
bike routes.
Purpose: To provide a shared use with motor vehicle traffic, typically on lower volume roadways.

Cycle Track/Separated Bikeway (Class IV)

Description: Class IV separated bikeways, commonly known as “cycle tracks,” are physically separated
bicycle facilities that are distinct from the sidewalk and designed for exclusive use by bicyclists. They
are located within the street right-of-way, but provide similar comfort when compared to Class I
multi-use paths. The key feature of a separated bikeway is a vertical element that provides further
separation from motor vehicle traffic. Common vertical elements used for separation include a
vertical curb, a painted buffer with flexible posts, parked cars, a landscaped area, or a fixed barrier.

Purpose: To provide a safe and comfortable environment to bike separated from roadway traffic.

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 Example of missing and incomplete sidewalk segment along East Dwight Way

Existing Pedestrian Network

Not unlike the existing bicycle network, the pedestrian network also lacks connectivity and accessibility in
the Plan Area. During the planning process, stakeholders considered an unsafe walking environment as
the most important issue facing CSE Fresno. Long block lengths, wide streets, unmarked or unsignalized
intersections, fast moving traffic, narrow sidewalks, and a lack of street trees and furnishings are just
some of the conditions that contribute to an unsafe and uninviting pedestrian environment. Kings
Canyon Road (from Cedar Avenue to Peach Avenue) is a high-activity commercial corridor that has been
identified for having one of the greatest concentrations of pedestrian and vehicle collision incidents in
the city (Fresno Active Transportation Plan (ATP), 2017). While most streets have sidewalks, there are gaps
in the sidewalk network in the areas near the northern and southern limits of the Plan Area (see Figure
4-4. Proposed Pedestrian Network).

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Existing Transit Routes

Fresno Area Express (FAX) provides transit service in the Plan Area, as well as adjacent communities in
the City of Fresno. FAX operates 17 bus routes throughout the City, with six routes serving the Plan Area
(Routes 1, 22, 26, 33, 38, and 41) (see Figure 4-1. Transit Network). Routes 1 and 38 operate at 10 and
15 minute frequencies respectively, with the rest operating at 30-minute frequencies on weekdays and
reduced frequencies on weekends.

FAX has made three significant service enhancements in the Plan Area over the last several years. In 2017,
FAX implemented “FAX-15” service along Cedar Avenue on Route 38. This route operates at 15-minute
frequencies from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m., 30-minute frequencies until approximately 8 p.m., and 60-minute
frequencies until approximately midnight. Route 38 includes multiple stops in the Plan Area and serves
a variety of land uses, including various schools and health centers.

In 2018, FAX initiated service on the “FAX Q,” the City’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which operates along
Blackstone and Ventura/Kings Canyon. In the Plan Area, the Q (also known as Route 1) includes four
stations in each direction along Ventura/Kings Canyon. The BRT runs at 10-minute frequencies during
peak periods and at 15-minute frequencies during off-peak periods on weekdays. The BRT stations
are spaced at half-mile intervals. Station amenities include modern shelters, ticket vending machines,
benches, trashcans, real-time display signs, and night lighting, with station platforms built into the street
to facilitate faster travel by preventing buses from having to transition in and out of traffic. The BRT route
has traffic signal priority, which, combined with the ½-mile station spacing and station platforms, moves
the buses through existing traffic more efficiently. These design features allow for faster travel times and
an enhanced customer experience. The Q carries approximately 25 percent of FAX’s passengers on an
annual basis.

In 2019, FAX added night service from Mondays through Saturdays, providing transit until approximately
midnight on five routes across the City. Two of these routes are in the Plan Area, including Route 1 (the
Q) with 30-minute frequencies from 7 p.m. until midnight and Route 38 at 60-minute frequencies in the
evening hours. On Sundays, all routes in the Plan Area operate until approximately 7 p.m.

While the community appears to use and like the BRT system and other local bus routes, residents
noted a need for additional bus stops at closer intervals, more bus shelters and amenities, greater bus
frequency to address overcrowding, and expanded routes and schedules, including night service on
additional lines beyond Routes 1 and 38 for residents working night shifts.

FAX offers 17 fixed-route bus lines throughout the city BRT Station, recently installed on Kings Canyon Rd.
Photo credit: GWire

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 Figure 4-1 Existing and Proposed Transit Network

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Existing Truck Routes

The Plan Area has a robust truck route system, with all major arterials in the Plan Area currently
designated truck routes (see Figure 4-5. Proposed Truck Routes). Kings Canyon Road, Chestnut Avenue,
and Cedar Avenue are the major truck routes. However, Butler Avenue – a smaller, lower volume
neighborhood collector – is also a designated truck route. While it is crucial to provide access and service
to existing industrial uses in the southern part of the Plan Area, heavy truck traffic through residential
neighborhoods can have detrimental impacts on quality of life, including noise, air quality, and safety
issues for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Existing Infrastructure
The Plan Area is currently served by multiple utility providers. Water and sewer services are provided
by the City of Fresno; storm water drainage systems are constructed and maintained by the Fresno
Metropolitan Flood Control District (FMFCD); irrigation water is supplied by the Fresno Irrigation District
(FID); electricity and gas utilities are provided by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E); and telephone, fiber, and
cable service is provided by AT&T/Comcast/Xfinity. Recycled water is not yet utilized in the Plan Area, but
is planned and will be provided by the City of Fresno.

Utility providers currently serving existing needs in the area have plans in place to serve future needs in
accordance with the Fresno General Plan, as described below. Additional information on existing utility
and infrastructure conditions and planned improvements can be found in Appendix A. Central Southeast
Area Specific Plan Existing Conditions Report.

Water and Sewer

The City of Fresno delivers drinking water to approximately 500,000 residential, commercial, and industrial
customers over a 114 square mile area of the city including many county Islands. The City’s water supply
is made up of approximately 47% groundwater and 53% surface sources. According to the 2013 City of
Fresno Metropolitan Water Resources Management Plan EIR, no water distribution system improvements
have been identified for the CSESP area. However, the 2019 Drinking Water Renewal and Replacement Plan
provides a detailed water system evaluation for the entire City of Fresno, including the CSESP area.

The City’s 2015 Wastewater Collection System Master Plan Update identified wastewater infrastructure
in poor condition and/or with current or projected future flow deficiencies. The primary impact identified
within the CSESP area was the Orange Avenue trunk sewer main. The needed capacity improvements consist
of replacing approximately 6,050 feet of 36-inch diameter pipeline with a new 42-inch diameter sewer on
segments of 8th Street, Woodward Avenue, and Orange Avenue in the CSESP area. The master plan also
confirmed that the Gallo Winery facility at Clovis and Olive Avenue has a direct storm drain connection
to the sewer system that was recommended for removal to eliminate capacity impacts currently present
in the downstream pipelines, including one within the CSESP area on McKenzie Avenue east of Chestnut
Avenue. No major sewer pipeline structural deficiencies were identified within the CSESP area.

Storm Drain
Storm drainage facilities within the Fresno‐Clovis Metropolitan Area are planned, implemented, operated,
and maintained by the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District (FMFCD) and documented in the Storm
Drainage Master Plan (SDMP). The storm drainage facilities within a drainage area consist of storm drain
inlets, pipeline, retention basins, urban detention (water quality) basins, and storm water pump stations.
The only location within the CSESP area identified for storm drain improvements is California Avenue
between Cedar and Maple Avenues and the detention basin to the south of the Plan Area.

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 Closed alley in CSE Fresno Typical streetscape environment in CSE Fresno

4.3 Issues and Opportunities

The following is a summary of the issues and opportunities around transportation in CSE Fresno.

Issues
• Uncomfortable and uninviting pedestrian environment. Sidewalks, while present throughout
most neighborhoods, are missing in key areas, such as Willow Avenue (north of Kings Canyon
Road), Chestnut Avenue (south of California Avenue), Maple Avenue (Butler Avenue to Kings Canyon
Road), and smaller neighborhood streets along the northern and southern limits of the Plan Area.
Coupled with wide crossing distances, truck traffic, and limited street trees and other pedestrian
amenities, streets are not conducive to walking. Residents have safety concerns around a lack of
walking paths and crossings to and around schools and parks in the community.
• Scattered and disconnected bicycle network. There are few dedicated bicycle lanes in CSE Fresno,
and many bicycle routes are disconnected and do not provide physical separation from vehicle
traffic. Completing missing links in the network and adding buffered and/or separated bike facilities
designed to provide safety and comfort for all skill levels could encourage more people to bike
within the community and beyond.
• Traffic collisions. Pedestrian and bicycle collisions occur in higher concentrations at intersections
along major corridors, including Kings Canyon Road, Chestnut Avenue north of Kings Canyon, Lane,
Butler, Hamilton, Florence, and Church Avenues. The highest concentrations of collisions occur on
Kings Canyon Road, west of Chestnut Avenue and near the intersection of Chestnut and Butler
Avenues.
• Truck traffic negatively impacts neighborhood livability. Virtually every major roadway in the
neighborhood is designated a truck route. While commercial traffic is necessary and vital to
the success of businesses in the neighborhood, the impacts of regional truck traffic should be
investigated and changes to the truck route network should be considered to preserve the quality
of life of adjacent residential neighborhoods.

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• Lack of multimodal connectivity and access. The existing street network is set up on a half-mile
grid system. This spacing creates long block lengths, particularly in new suburban subdivisions
with limited access points, and results in poor pedestrian and bicycle accessibility by reducing
opportunities for crossings and direct routes.
• Parking spillover during special events. During special events such as the Big Fresno Fair, visitor
parking spills over into adjacent residential neighborhoods, where there are no parking regulations
or fees.
• Aging Infrastructure. Given the age of the Plan Area infrastructure, it is likely that the existing
sanitary sewer connections are old and susceptible to inflow and infiltration. Maintenance and
upgrades to the City’s aging and deteriorating sewer system is being addressed by the City’s capital
improvement program (CIP). However, funding is limited, and the City addresses the highest
priority projects that have ongoing overflows, backups, and/or collapsed pipes. Redevelopment
may allow for the repair of existing lines and installation of new service connections to rehabilitate
the infrastructure network over time.

Opportunities
• New street connections. The “big box”, strip commercial developments along Kings Canyon Road,
the former IRS Processing Center at Willow and Butler Avenues, and undeveloped areas in the
southern portion of the Plan Area present redevelopment opportunities that would benefit from
subdivision of large blocks to create new connections and more walkable blocks. Developers
should be encouraged to provide new privately-maintained, publicly-accessible streets and bicycle/
pedestrian pathways that would improve multimodal connectivity and access.
• Excess street widths and capacity. Available street widths as compared to traffic volumes on
roadways like Butler, Lane, and Orange Avenues could allow reconfiguration of the right-of-way to
accommodate new and improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
• Residential “frontage” streets. Many residential subdivisions in the Plan Area were constructed
with a local residential roadway fronting the larger roadway network, such as along Maple, Butler,
and Chestnut Avenues. In many locations, these roadways are duplicative and the additional right-
of-way may be better used for multimodal amenities and/or public open space.
• Regional multimodal improvements. The railroad right-of-way along California Avenue east of
Cedar Avenue presents an opportunity for a regional Class I multi-use trail (as identified in Figure
MT-2 of the General Plan) that could provide a valuable connection to Downtown, while promoting
active transportation.
• Recent transit investments. Recent investments in BRT along Kings Canyon Road and FAX 15
along Cedar Avenue have considerably improved transit access and frequency in CSE Fresno. New
connections and bicycle, pedestrian, and streetscape improvements along Kings Canyon Road
and other key corridors in the Plan Area could encourage walking, biking, and increased transit
ridership.
• Alley Activations. While some alleys are still functional, the majority of alleys are underused or
have been closed-off due to safety concerns. Alley activation strategies, including developing an
Alley Improvement Program to help residents repurpose alleys, are described in more detail in
Chapter 3. Land Use and Urban Design.

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 4.4 Proposed Circulation Networks
This Plan proposes a series of transportation improvements to make travel in and around CSE Fresno
safe, efficient, convenient, and accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders of all ages and
abilities while balancing the need to provide for vehicular access and goods movement. The proposed
improvements include adding new street connections, creating a robust network of primary bicycle
corridors, and implementing a series of major and minor street and streetscape improvements as
described in the sections below.

Street Network
A high-quality network of Complete Streets can improve safety, enhance access, and support greater
choice in transportation options. Complete Streets also provide additional benefits to a community
by accommodating the needs of an aging population, promoting public health and fitness, minimizing
transportation costs, creating and maintaining vibrant neighborhoods, and reducing GHG emissions that
contribute to climate change. The City of Fresno recently adopted a “Complete Streets” policy that applies
citywide (October 2019). CSE Fresno presents an opportunity to implement Complete Streets principles
on a large scale, providing safe and convenient travel for all modes and all users. The City should seek out
appropriate sources of funding and grants for implementation of Complete Streets policies throughout
the Plan Area.

The proposed street network and improvements shown in Figure 4-2. Proposed Street Network. Proposed
Street Network support a multimodal Complete Streets network that improves mobility for current
residents and visitors and accommodates future growth in the Plan Area. Overall, the Plan maintains the
current street network and hierarchy while providing new connections and reconfiguring unneeded or
overly wide streets to accommodate pedestrians and bicycle amenities. Key modifications include:

• Creating new street and/or bicycle/pedestrian connections

• Removing or repurposing frontage roads along Maple, Butler, and Chestnut Avenues
• Constructing major and minor street improvements along key corridors to improve multimodal
mobility, as described in the Goals and Strategies section.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Networks

This Plan builds on the planned bicycle and pedestrian facility improvements in the Fresno Active
Transportation Plan (ATP), proposing additional recommendations that will allow more convenient, safe,
and comfortable travel by foot and bicycle. Key destinations within and adjacent to the Plan Area will be
more accessible with these improvements, including BRT and shopping destinations along Kings Canyon
Road, schools, parks, and community centers. Figure 4-3. Proposed Bicycle Networkshows the location
of existing and proposed new off-street and on-street bicycle facilities in the Plan Area. Figure 4-4 shows
the existing and proposed sidewalk network and intersections that should be prioritized for evaluation
and installation of crossing improvements.

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Figure 4-2. Proposed Street Network

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 Figure 4-3. Proposed Bicycle Network

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Figure 4-4. Proposed Pedestrian Network

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 Transit Network
CSE residents need better options to commute and make local trips without a car. This Plan includes
strategies to improve multimodal connections to local transit stops in and around the area, as well as
street design recommendations that will encourage increased transit ridership. The transit network map
shown in Figure 4-1 Existing and Proposed Transit Network includes existing transit routes in the area.
FAX, which is a part of the City of Fresno Transportation Department, serves as the transit operator for
the City. FAX is continually evaluating bus routes, frequencies, and stops throughout the City, and will
continue to build on the recent improvements in the CSE community to promote equitable, attractive,
and efficient transit that supports residents’ needs.

Truck Network
With the significant amount of industrial uses situated in the southern portion of the Plan Area,
multiple truck routes pass directly through the CSE community. Throughout the planning process, CSE
community members voiced a strong desire to limit truck traffic through neighborhoods, particularly
for safety reasons. The proposed truck network shown in Figure 4-5. Proposed Truck Routes. Proposed
Truck Routes includes existing truck routes and routes recommended for removal to protect community
health and safety.

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Figure 4-5. Proposed Truck Routes

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 Complete Street. Photo credit: Grist

4.5 Goals and Strategies

To address the community’s concerns, this Plan builds on and goes beyond the recommendations in the
General Plan, ATP, and Ventura/Kings Canyon Corridor Complete Streets Plan by proposing the following
goals and strategies to improve CSE Fresno’s street, bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and truck circulation
networks.

While CSE Fresno currently has sufficient infrastructure capacity to support development and growth,
existing water, sewer, and stormwater systems are aging and in need of repair. An integrated and
sustainable approach to developing the infrastructure network can reduce costs, mitigate the impacts
of floods and droughts, enhance water quality, and increase energy efficiency, waste management, and
transportation. Additionally, upgrading aging infrastructure systems below and above ground will foster
future private investment in the community. The following goals and strategies are aimed at providing a
high-functioning infrastructure system for CSE Fresno.

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Streets
T-1. Rebalance existing roadways to create a network of safe, connected, and
accessible Complete Streets for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit
vehicles, and motorists.
T-1.1. Implement major right-of-way retrofits and streetscape improvements along Kings
Canyon Road, Orange Avenue, Cedar Avenue, and Butler Avenue.
Kings Canyon Road, Orange Avenue, Cedar Avenue, and Butler Avenue are the four priority
corridors in the Plan Area that offer significant opportunity for meaningful change and should
be prioritized for construction of public realm and street improvements to support their
transformation. Kings Canyon Road and Orange Avenue are the two main commercial corridors
in the Plan Area – Kings Canyon is the major regional shopping and transit corridor, while Orange
Avenue serves as a smaller neighborhood “Main Street” with local serving uses. Cedar Avenue is
a main north/south connection corridor and was identified by the community as a key schools
route, as numerous educational institutions front Cedar Avenue from elementary schools in
CSE Fresno to Fresno State in north Fresno. Butler Avenue is a central neighborhood corridor
that connects important neighborhood-serving nodes and opportunity sites, such as Mosqueda
Center and the IRS Processing Center, with adjacent neighborhoods, and has the potential to
evolve into an active mixed-use corridor as future growth and development occur.

As areas with high pedestrian activity, these corridors present an opportunity for a more active
and coherent mixed-use environment. The City should implement major right-of-way retrofits
and streetscape improvements along these priority corridors to create a more comfortable,
vibrant, and cohesive pedestrian environment. Major street improvements would entail
significant reconfiguration of the right-of-way and improvements to public and private frontages,
as shown in Figures 4-6 through 4-9. Excess right-of-way along these corridors can be reallocated
for pedestrian and bicycle amenities such as wider sidewalks, curb extensions, street furnishings,
bus shelters, bicycle lanes, and new and improved crossings. Some of these improvements could
be made incrementally while others should be coordinated with other planned transportation
and infrastructure capital improvement projects, such as repaving, to ensure efficiency and
economy of funds. Specific recommendations for each street include the following:

High visibility crossing and decorate bulbout with rain gardens. Painted bike lane
Photo credit: VMWP

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 Figure 4-6. Street and Streetscape Improvements

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1. Kings Canyon Road:

As described in Chapter 3, the intent for
Kings Canyon Road is to transform it from a
highway arterial into a multimodal boulevard
that connects a series of activity centers.
Further study should explore the interaction
and conflicts between bike lanes, bus stops,
and curbside parking. One possible solution
is to install bus boarding islands, allowing the
bike lane to move between a bus stop island
and the sidewalk. The Southern Blackstone
Smart Mobility Strategy should be utilized as
a resource in the development of the study
Conflict between bus and bicycle travel on Ventura/Kings Canyon
on potential roadway reconfigurations, which Road, west of the Plan Area.
includes the flexibility to allow for a potential
future conversion of parking lanes to a dedicated
transit lane. Additional improvements to
support active ground-floor uses and a better
pedestrian and bicycle experience include the
following (see Figure 4-7):
• Narrowing the median/turning and traffic
lanes to accommodate buffered bike lanes
• Constructing in-street tree planters
between on-street parking
• Providing street trees, landscaping, street
furnishings, and signage
• Enhancing crosswalks with bulbouts, high- Possible resolution: bicyclists travel between a bus stop island and
visibility markings, lighting, and signage the sidewalk. Photo credit: Rhode Island Public Transit Authority

Protected bike lane behind bus boarding island. Photo credit: NACTO

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 Figure 4-7. Existing and Proposed Street Design for Kings Canyon Road

Kings Canyon Existing Condition

Kings Canyon is not currently an inviting environment for active transportation. It has narrow sidewalks without landscaping, wide travel
lanes inducing high speed vehicular traffic, and a lack of traffic calming measures and pedestrian crossings.

The new BRT stops create conflict between cyclists and buses, as buses are required to pull into the cycle track and block it in order to pick
up passengers on the narrow sidewalk. In places where bus stops bulb out, they block the bike lane entirely.

Kings Canyon Proposed Retrofit: Interim Option A

This is a minor yet significant improvement to the existing condition, as travel lanes are reduced to 10’ to calm traffic and provide space
for bike lane buffers and for bikes to pass a stopped bus without veering into other lanes.

There is still conflict as both the bus and parking cars must cross the bike lane.

This option requires the least amount of alterations to the existing ROW and BRT stations, allowing it to serve as a transition to the more
refined multimodal Kings Canyon retrofit options B and C.

*The bike lanes are highlighted in green for clarity in the proposed images. However, NACTO recommendations and City standards for
actual bike lane painting should be followed.

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Figure 4-7. Existing and Proposed Street Design for Kings Canyon Road

Kings Canyon Proposed Retrofit: Option B

A bus boarding island provides dedicated space for waiting passengers, rather than infringing on sidewalk space.

The bus no longer crosses the bike lane, although cars must still cross the bike lane in order to park.

An interim version of this option would involve only striping and no tree planters. This interim option could then transition easily to Option C.

Kings Canyon Proposed Retrofit: Option C

The bike lane is fully protected; neither cars nor buses cross it (other than at entry drives).

Street trees are closer to the center of the street, which further calms traffic and creates a sense of enclosure.

Street tree planters between parked cars are wider than in Option B, as they can use the width of both buffers, allowing the trees to mature
more fully.

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 Figure 4-8. Rendering of Potential Street Improvements Along Orange Avenue

2. Orange Avenue:

Recommendations for Orange Avenue include adding buffered bike lanes, corner bulbouts, on-
street parking, street trees and furnishings, and improved intersections/crosswalks, as shown in
Figure 4-8. Rendering of Potential Street Improvements Along Orange Avenue.

3. Cedar Avenue:

Cedar Avenue is the subject of a recently-submitted grant application for signalization improvements/
Transit Signal Priority. As a FAX-15 corridor and key schools route, recommendations for Cedar
Avenue include the following:

• Removing lanes or reducing lane-widths to accommodate a Class IV cycle track;

• Repairing/widening sidewalks
• Adding street trees, landscaping, street furnishings, and signage
• Adding and enhancing crossings with signal improvements, bulbouts, high-visibility markings,
lighting, and/or signage

4. Butler Avenue:

Key recommendations for Butler Avenue include reducing lane-widths to accommodate a Class
IV cycle track, adding a center landscaped median, and repurposing frontage roads along some
segments of the corridor (see Strategy T-1.3). Adding street trees, parkway landscaping, and
repairing/widening sidewalks will further support a more comfortable pedestrian environment.

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T-1.2. Implement minor right-of way retrofits and streetscape improvements along Maple,
Chestnut, and Lane Avenues.
Many smaller neighborhood collector streets within CSE Fresno were designed to support
excess vehicle capacity, with wide intersections, travel lanes, and curb radii that make walking
and biking difficult and unsafe. Opportunities exist to improve these corridors through minor
street improvements such as restriping and enhanced landscaping, which can be done relatively
easily and inexpensively. The City should implement minor right-of-way retrofits and streetscape
improvements along Maple, Chestnut, and Lane Avenues to create more comfortable and safe
connections between residential neighborhoods and schools, parks, and shopping areas.
Lane Avenue provides one such example as an important neighborhood street that connects
residential neighborhoods with the Greenberg Elementary School and the IRS Processing Center,
which is envisioned to evolve into a technology/education campus. Lane Avenue is currently
scheduled for lane reductions, and the proposed retrofit maintains the existing curb-to-curb
dimension while converting both of the exterior turning lanes into on-street parking and creating a
middle turning lane (see Figure 4-9. Proposed Lane Avenue Street Improvements). Lane reductions
will allow for the addition of buffered bike lanes or a Class IV cycle track to improve bicyclist safety.
If space and resources permit, it is recommended to construct a landscaped median in between
turning locations (as shown in Figure 4-9. Proposed Lane Avenue Street Improvements).

Figure 4-9. Proposed Lane Avenue Street Improvements

Lane Ave Existing Condition

Lane Ave Proposed Retrofit

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 T-1.3. Repurpose unneeded frontage roads along Maple, Butler, and Chestnut Avenues into
greenways with active transportation connections.

Several roadways in CSE Fresno, such as Maple, Butler and Chestnut Avenues, feature frontage
roads that serve as low-volume neighborhood access roads. While they provide a buffer from higher
volume and higher speed traffic, they expand the right-of-way significantly with imperceptible
change in character and limited points of access to the neighborhoods. These unneeded frontage
roads are opportunities for the City to creatively repurpose roadway rights-of-way into linear
parks, or greenways, that provide active transportation connections and additional public open
space for the community. These greenways should function as off-street multi-use paths (Class I
Bike Path) that connect to other bicycle and pedestrian routes in the Plan Area and city and could
include wide pathways, seating, lighting, shade, trees and landscaping, bus stops, bicycle racks,
and wayfinding signage. The City should also ensure that these greenways have clear signage,
striping, curb extensions, signalized controls, and/or flashing beacons where they intersect with
streets or driveways in order to minimize the likelihood of collisions. As the building character
along these streets evolve and opportunity sites are redeveloped, it is envisioned that these
street modifications will support more varied and vibrant ground floor uses and private frontage
conditions.

Figure 4-10. Chestnut Avenue Frontage Road Retrofit below depicts an example of a frontage lane
retrofit along Chestnut Avenue to create a linear greenway. In this case, curb-to-curb dimensions
of the avenue remain the same. Improvements include narrowing the automobile travel lanes
in order to allow space for on-street parking and buffered or separated bike lanes. The center
median is widened and landscaped, only stopping where necessary to accommodate a left turn
lane.

Buffered bike lane Multi-use path

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Figure 4-10. Chestnut Avenue Frontage Road Retrofit

Chestnut Ave Existing Condition

Chestnut Ave Proposed Retrofit

Note: Bus Stops along Chestnut Avenue should follow the standards created by the City of Fresno Public Works Department for the Maple
Avenue complete streets project.

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 T-1.4. Prioritize Complete Streets over current measures for transportation performance.
To help rebalance the roadway and facilitate economic development, the City should develop
multi-modal Level of Service (LOS) standards, as identified in the General Plan. LOS measures
traffic performance using letter grades, where an “A” means cars and trucks move in a free
flow at or even above the speed limit while and “F” is gridlock. But this measure leaves out a
whole segment of people walking, biking, and using transit – in fact, improving LOS can actively
make streets more dangerous for non-automotive travel modes. A multi-modal LOS concept will
consider mobility for all community members when evaluating traffic congestion and needed
mitigation.

T-2. Improve connectivity between residential areas and local and regional
destinations such as schools, parks, community centers, transit, retail, and
employment centers.
T-2.1. Create new roadways to break up superblocks and improve vehicle, bicycling, and
pedestrian connections in the Plan Area.
Many existing blocks along Kings Canyon Road, as well as in the less developed areas in the
southern portion of the Plan Area are very large, and not generally walkable. As new development
or redevelopment occurs, the City should work collaboratively with existing property owners,
developers, and residents to subdivide large blocks and provide new direct pedestrian, bicycle,
and in some cases vehicular connections from neighborhoods to schools, parks, transit, retail
centers, and other community amenities. Conceptual locations to reconnect and create a more
fine-grained street grid are shown in Figure 4-2. Proposed Street Network and include extending
Willow Avenue along the western side of the former IRS Processing Facility, breaking up large
strip shopping centers along Kings Canyon Road, and adding new connections in undeveloped/
rural areas south of California Avenue.

Paseo Complete street with median. Photo credit: CityLab

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Bicycle and Pedestrian

T-3. Improve safety and reduce conflicts between pedestrians, bicyclists, and
drivers, particularly around centers of activity.
T-3.1. Implement traffic calming measures around parks and schools.
When asked what most would benefit their neighborhood, most residents cited improved
pedestrian conditions so that kids can walk safely to neighborhood schools and parks. Installing
traffic calming measures will encourage drivers to travel at slower speeds, call attention to
pedestrians on sidewalks and crossings, and make streets feel more comfortable and inviting for
pedestrians of all ages. The City of Fresno should work with community organizations, such as Every
Neighborhood Partnership and Cultiva La Salud to conduct a study of streets and intersections
near parks, schools, and other high-volume pedestrian areas to determine priority locations to
install traffic calming measures. The study could include surveys and walk audits and should be
coordinated with the Safe Routes to Schools program. Potential traffic calming mechanisms could
include bulbouts, narrower travel lanes, traffic circles, stop signs, and traffic signals.

T-3.2. Install crossing enhancements at priority intersections.

The City can also improve pedestrian safety by providing more frequent and shorter crossing
distances, and installing crossing enhancements such as bulb-outs, raised crosswalks, flashing
beacons, signs, and other measures to increase the visibility and safety of unsignalized crossings.
Initial funding and improvements should be prioritized for the intersections identified in Figure
4-4. Proposed Pedestrian Network (Note: Intersections identified in this Plan represent the
community’s priorities for the Plan Area, and were not established based on the Fresno ATP
prioritization tool). This may include identifying locations where midblock crossings would provide
important links to the pedestrian network and reduce unsafe crossings between intersections. The
City should also consider updating signal timing and including countdown signals at intersections
to better accommodate pedestrians.

The intersection of Chestnut Avenue and Hamilton Avenue shown in Figure 4-11 is an example of
a priority intersection. Potential crossing enhancements to slow traffic at this intersection could
include bulbout corners and high visibility and/or decorative crosswalks. A landscaped median
and green bike lanes with bike boxes at the approaches will beautify the street and improve
pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

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 Figure 4-11. Proposed Intersection Improvements at Chestnut and Hamilton Avenues

Existing Intersection Conditions

Proposed Intersection Improvements

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T-3.3. Designate a traffic enforcement officer on rotation at CSE Fresno schools.

Throughout the planning process, the CSE community cited a need for better traffic enforcement
in the area, particularly to address speeding in and around residential areas. The City could
dedicate a traffic enforcement officer for CSE Fresno to enforce traffic and parking laws around
parks, schools, and along routes to schools, parks, and other community facilities. Additional
enforcement methods could include automated tickets, messaging, and speed feedback signs.
Consistent enforcement coupled with traffic calming measures and education will help encourage
drivers to travel at slower speeds and create a safer walking environment.

T-3.4. Pursue Safe Routes to School funding to improve pedestrian crossings and create safe,
clearly marked routes near schools.
Creating safe routes to schools was consistently rated a top priority by the community. The City
should pursue funding for the Safe Routes to School program in the Plan Area. The Safe Routes
to School program for CSE Fresno could include the following components:

• Community Task Force. The City should form an ongoing committee of key stakeholders such
as principals, parents, students, crossing guards, police, Department of Public Works, and
others. This community task force should identify and address issues related to improving
safety for students that walk or bicycle to school. The committee should be established for
five years after adoption of the Plan, with the option of being continued or incorporated into
the area’s Neighborhood Committees (refer to strategy CE-1.3.) at the end of this term. The
primary mission of the committee should be to identify the main safety concerns of parents
and students in CSE Fresno and work as a group to identify improvements and potential
funding mechanisms for improvements.
• Pedestrian and bicycle improvements on school routes. The City should identify and
construct street, sidewalk and intersection improvements that will enhance safety for
students that walk or bicycle to school. (See also Strategy T-3.1)
• Safety education and promotion program. Once funded, the City should encourage
students to walk and bicycle to school with “walking school buses,” contests, events, and
other campaigns. The City should partner with school districts in the Plan Area to establish
a program to teach pedestrian and bicycle safety to students that walk or bicycle to school,
and develop materials to educate parents, neighbors, and others about safety issues near
schools. (See also Strategy T-3.4)
• Enforcement. The City should allocate additional resources to enforce traffic and parking
laws around schools and along routes to schools. (See Strategy T-3.3)
• Evaluation. Following implementation, the City should conduct regular surveys to determine
the number of students walking and bicycling, compare before-and-after crash statistics,
and conduct before-and-after speed surveys in front of schools.

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 Vision Zero T-3.5. Educate residents on bicycle,
pedestrian, and traffic safety and
Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate network improvements.
all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, Better awareness about safe driving,
by  taking a proactive, preventative bicycling, yielding, and crossing are essential
approach that prioritizes traffic safety as to maintain safe neighborhood streets. The
a public health issue and increases safe, City should develop a campaign to educate
healthy, equitable mobility for all. If our CSE residents on bicycle, pedestrian, and
transportation system were designed traffic safety. For example, the City could
to accommodate human error, which is hold bicycle rodeos at local schools and
inevitable, and to naturally encourage safe introduce driving for bicycle safety into
driving, we could decrease traffic violence, the driver education curriculum at local
regardless of human behavior. Vision Zero high schools. As part of this strategy, the
acknowledges that many factors contribute City should create and distribute public
to safe mobility – including roadway design, informational materials, such as maps or
speeds, behaviors, technology, and policies brochures, about safety (e.g., the safe use of
– and sets clear goals to achieve the shared shared bike lanes, wearing bicycle helmets),
goal of zero fatalities and severe injuries. transportation network improvements,
and information about new routes and
For more information, visit:
schedules. City websites and social media
visionzeronetwork.org/about/what-is-vision-zero/ accounts should be kept up to date to
inform the public about transportation
changes, improvement projects, safety,
and amended routes or schedules.

118 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN Photo credit: SFCTA

 CHAPTER 4: Transportation, Public Realm, Infrastructure

T-3.6. Create a “Vision Zero” plan with goals and targets to reduce car crash deaths and collisions
in CSE Fresno.
Pedestrian- and bicycle-involved collisions occur throughout CSE Fresno, but with particular
frequency along Kings Canyon Road, which has the greatest concentration of pedestrian and
bicycle collision incidents in the city (ATP, 2017). A Vision Zero Action Plan should be prepared
that sets forth measurable goals and targets to reduce car crash deaths and collisions, including
active transportation and street design strategies, safe routes to school, education, and
multimodal transit initiatives (such as those listed previously in Strategies T-3.1 – T-3.4). The Plan
should be an effort completed in partnership between the City’s Planning Department, Public
Work Department, the County of Fresno, local school districts, and community organizations.
The Plan should include ongoing data collection to determine dangerous behaviors, evaluation
to determine what is working and what is not, and frequent engagement with the CSE community
to share findings and solicit input.

T-4. Provide a well-connected, comfortable, and inviting pedestrian environment

that encourages residents to walk to and between key destinations.

T-4.1. Identify gaps and build sidewalks to complete the pedestrian network.
The CSE Plan Area should provide residents with ample and convenient opportunities to walk.
Unfortunately, some parts of the Central Southeast Area are missing sidewalks, impeding
the ability of pedestrians to get to their destinations. The City should prioritize completing
the sidewalk network in the Willow Avenue area (north of Kings Canyon Road), the Chestnut
Avenue area (south of California Avenue), and the Maple Avenue area (from Butler Avenue to
Kings Canyon Road), as shown in Figure 4-4. Proposed Pedestrian Network. The City should seek
funding outside of standard conditions of development, which are commonly paid for by the
developer. Refer to Chapter 8 for potential funding sources.

Tree Fresno is a non-profit organization

whose mission is to transform the San
Joaquin Valley with trees, greenways, and
beautiful landscapes. Since their founding in
1985, they have planted over 42,000 trees.
For more information, visit: treefresno.org.

High-visibility crossing Crossing guard in CSE Fresno helps students cross an unmarked
intersection

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 T-4.2. Prioritize street furnishings and other amenities along key corridors with high pedestrian
activity to create a beautiful, vibrant, and comfortable pedestrian experience.
The public realm and streetscape can have a considerable impact on the appearance, usability,
and function of the street and sidewalk. Most streets in the Plan Area are missing pedestrian
amenities such as shade and street trees, benches, and refuse receptacles, among others.
The City should implement sidewalk and streetscape enhancements throughout CSE Fresno,
prioritizing high pedestrian activity corridors where the need is greatest, including Kings Canyon
Road, Orange, Butler, Maple, Chestnut, and Hamilton Avenues. Providing wider sidewalks, street
furniture (benches, refuse receptacles, planters, bike racks), trees, pedestrian-scale lighting,
and outdoor dining areas will help create a safe and enjoyable pedestrian environment and
support local economic activity (see Strategy E-1.5 as an example of an implementation action).
Pedestrians should be buffered from traffic by well-landscaped planters, and on-street parking,
where possible. As part of this strategy, the City should develop a coordinated Streetscape and
Tree Planting Palette with Tree Fresno to help establish a cohesive character and more distinct
identity for CSE Fresno. Additional streetscape recommendations for key corridors in the Plan
Area are described in Chapter 3. Land Use and Urban Design.

T-5. Improve bicyclist safety and encourage biking between destinations.

T-5.1. Create a comprehensive and continuous bicycle network that provides safe and
comfortable bicycle routes for users of all ages and abilities.
A continuous network of bicycle facilities allows each bike lane or path segment to function as
part of a connected whole, linking destinations to key routes, and making trips by bicycle a more
appealing and practical option for people of all ages and skill levels. In general, the Plan Area lacks
safe bicycle routes, and particularly east-west bike connections. The City should identify funding
to complete the bicycle network, filling gaps, identifying Bicycle Boulevards, and improving
existing routes with high comfort, low stress bike facilities as shown in Figure 4-3. Proposed
Bicycle Network. For instance, most of Cedar Avenue currently has bike lanes, but there are

Wide sidewalk with street furnishings

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 CHAPTER 4: Transportation, Public Realm, Infrastructure

Cycletrack

gaps and areas where bike lanes are narrow and lack a buffer between bikers and fast moving
traffic. The community noted that this should be a priority corridor for improvements given that
the Boys and Girls Club and several neighborhood schools are located along it. Protected and/
or separated bikeways that minimize exposure to vehicle traffic should be constructed on high-
speed, high-volume vehicle corridors, and especially those also designated as truck routes like
Cedar Avenue. Priority corridors for new and improved bicycle facilities include Kings Canyon
Road, Butler Avenue, Orange Avenue, Cedar Avenue, Lane Avenue, Maple Avenue, and Hamilton
Avenue.

T-5.2. Construct a multi-use trail along California Avenue and the railroad tracks.
The Plan Area currently lacks off-street paths, trails and other safe areas for walking and bicycling.
Multi-use trails are the most comfortable type of bicycle facility for people of all skill levels because
they provide the greatest degree of separation from vehicle traffic. They can improve public
health, safety, and access by providing alternative transportation options and opportunities for
physical activity. The California Avenue railroad right-of-way presents an opportunity to add a
multi-use trail that would create a safe east-west connection through the community, particularly
to parks and schools, and connect to the planned trail along East Ave to Downtown Fresno. The
City should pursue funding for and construct a Class I multi-use trail along California Ave and the
railroad line, as recommended in the City of Fresno Active Transportation Plan (ATP).

T-5.3. Provide bike and micro-mobility parking at destinations.

To further support biking as an alternative mode of transportation, the City should install bike
parking at community activity hubs such as community centers and transit stops and work with
property owners to provide bike parking in front of businesses, such as along Kings Canyon Road.
Flexible docking/parking areas should be created that can be used for bicycles as well as other
personal transportation devices such as scooters.

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 Transit
T-6. Provide comfortable, frequent, and reliable transit service that meets
community needs.
T-6.1. Improve connections to existing transit stops within Central Southeast Fresno, and
evaluate potential service adjustments that would result in greater transit access to areas
within the Plan Area and to regional destinations.
Residents need access to public transit services that connect to major destinations in the Plan
Area, including Kings Canyon Road, educational institutions, community facilities, and parks, as
well as to Downtown and other regional destinations outside the Plan Area. Throughout the
planning process, community members noted a mismatch between existing bus routes and
desired destinations, as well as a lack of safe access to existing transit stops. The City should
arrange transit-specific workshops with FAX and the Department of Public Works to gather
and analyze data (via community engagement and/or origin and destination data) to evaluate
potential street improvements and/or service adjustments that could address user needs. FAX
should continue to review and monitor bus schedules and routes for ways to improve or expand
routes between places of work, residences, shops, and services. Finally, the City should explore
funding opportunities to expand evening bus service beyond the existing night service on Routes
1 and 38 to address the needs of night shift employees in the area.

T-6.2. Provide protected, well-lit, and attractive bus stops and amenities along bus routes.
Without shelter and places to rest, bus stops can be uncomfortable and unwelcoming for
connecting passengers – especially the elderly. To encourage transit use, bus stops should
be well-lit and include benches, shelters and/or shade, refuse receptacles, system maps and
information, and bicycle parking (where feasible). In particular, FAX should consider enhancing
bus stop amenities near schools, parks, community centers, and shopping areas.

FAX Q rapid bus station. Photo credit: GWire

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 CHAPTER 4: Transportation, Public Realm, Infrastructure

Truck Network
T-7. Ensure the efficient movement of goods while protecting community health
and safety.
T-7.1. Reroute truck traffic away from sensitive areas such as residential neighborhoods, parks,
and schools.
While companies in and near the Plan Area rely on trucks to transport goods, truck traffic can
have a negative effect on residents. Specifically, trucks can impact traffic speeds on neighborhood
streets, wear down street pavement faster than passenger vehicles alone, and produce pollution
and noise. To reduce the impacts of truck traffic on residents, the City should review current
truck routes and eliminate or reroute as necessary to minimize truck traffic on predominantly
residential streets. Routes recommended for removal are shown in Figure 4-5. Proposed Truck
Route Network. The City should also review planned or potential streets for appropriateness for
truck traffic, particularly between industrial uses and along main thoroughfares. For instance,
truck traffic along parts of Cedar Avenue poses a safety threat to families and children given the
presence of several schools and community facilities along the corridor.

T-7.2. Work with existing commercial and industrial businesses to limit the negative impacts of
truck traffic on sensitive areas.
The City should work with existing industrial and heavy commercial businesses to identify
appropriate or alternative truck routes and/or schedules that limit negative impacts on residential
neighborhoods while maintaining efficient goods movement. Limiting truck traffic hours to very
early in the morning or late in the evening could go a long way towards making CSE streets feel
safer.

Parking

T-8. Improve parking availability for residents and visitors, particularly during
special events.
T-8.1. T-8.1. Reduce parking spillover into adjacent residential neighborhoods during the Big
Fresno Fair.
While the Big Fresno Fair attracts visitors and investment to CSE Fresno, it also contributes to
nuisance issues for those residents living around the Fairgrounds. Many residents expressed
frustration over Fair visitors parking in adjacent residential neighborhoods, where there are
generally no restrictions on on-street parking. To reduce parking spillover into residential
neighborhoods, the City should work with and encourage the Fresno Fairgrounds to create a
long-term parking plan. This could include constructing a parking structure on the Fairgrounds
property or in partnership with the owners of underutilized sites near the Fairgrounds, working
with the City to allow joint use of public parking facilities during the Fair, providing shuttles from
Downtown and other key areas of the City, and developing programs encouraging people to take
FAX to the Fairgrounds.

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 Infrastructure
Infrastructure upgrades and modifications may be required throughout implementation to achieve
the Plan’s vision. Specific funding for infrastructure upgrades has not been identified in this Plan, but
potential sources have been listed in Chapter 8 Next Steps and Funding. Funding for infrastructure
modifications should be considered and identified early in the process to ensure all implementation
measures are successful. Infrastructure modifications and upgrades may result from a variety of
activities or recommendations in this Plan, from the proposed addition of bike lanes to changes in land
use designation, among others.

T-9. Provide a network of high-functioning and sustainable infrastructure systems

in CSE Fresno.

T-9.1. T-9.1. Proactively upgrade aging infrastructure around key opportunity sites to facilitate
redevelopment.
As resources become available, the City should provide comprehensive mechanisms for
funding and timely maintenance of crucial public facilities including, but not limited to, streets,
sidewalks, drainage facilities (including curbs and gutters), sewer, and water facilities to facilitate
redevelopment. Areas near key opportunity sites, such as the former UMC Hospital and IR
Processing Facility, should be prioritized to help create “shovel-ready” development sites, as
further detailed in Strategy ED-1.3 in Chapter 6 Economic Development.

What is Green Infrastructure?

Green infrastructure is a cost-effective, resilient approach to managing wet weather impacts. Conventional
piped drainage and water treatment systems (gray infrastructure) is designed to move urban stormwater
away from the built environment, green infrastructure reduces and treats stormwater at its source while
delivering environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Stormwater runoff is a major cause of water pollution in developed areas. Runoff carries trash, bacteria,
heavy metals, and pollutants from the urban landscape into our water supplies.

With green infrastructure, the water is absorbed and filtered by soil and plants. Stormwater runoff is
cleaner and less polluted. Green infrastructure elements include rain gardens, permeable pavements,
green roofs, infiltration planters, trees, and rainwater harvesting systems that create more visually
appealing streets, add green space to neighborhoods, and protect the environment.

SOURCE: US EPA. “What is Green Infrastructure?”

https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/what-green-infrastructure

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Rain garden in planter strip Permeable parking lot paving

T-9.2. Incorporate water conservation measures into new development and public
improvements to limit water use and stormwater runoff within the Plan Area.
Water conservation should be a key design consideration for new development and public
improvements in the Plan Area to safeguard potable water sources, decrease energy costs, and
reduce impacts on the environment. Green infrastructure and other Low-Impact Design (LID)
treatments that manage, reduce, and reuse storm water runoff can decrease infrastructure
upgrade costs, eliminate potential capacity deficiencies, and mitigate stormwater runoff pollution.
The City should continue to work with developers to promote, approve, and implement building
and site designs that incorporate:

• Bioretention/bioswale areas, flow-through planter boxes, vegetated buffer strips, infiltration

trenches, and other sustainable stormwater treatments;
• Water-efficient fixtures such as low-flow toilets and shower heads, and moisture-sensing
irrigation);
• Native and drought-tolerant plant species;
• Graywater and rainwater harvesting and reuse;
• Green roofs; and
• Permeable surfaces that allow on-site infiltration.
For example, the City could provide incentives for incorporating water conservation measures,
establish menus or checklists for developers and contractors to ensure water-efficient
infrastructure and technology are used in new construction, and/or require development project
approvals to include a finding that all feasible and cost-effective options for conservation and
water reuse are incorporated into project design, including graywater systems.

The City should also incorporate green infrastructure into new parks and complete streets
improvements, as outlined in Strategy E-1.2 in Chapter 7.

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 T-9.3. Complete construction of the City recycled water distribution system network and
expand its use in the Plan Area.
Recycled water is not yet available or planned to be extended to the Plan Area. However, the
City is working on the Fresno Metropolitan Water Resources Management Plan to identify future
opportunities for the expansion and use of the recycled water system. Once the backbone
infrastructure is in place, the City should require new development to connect to the system and
work to convert as many potable water uses to recycled water, consistent with new state law
requirements described in the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO). The City
should also encourage developers to incorporate dual plumbing within buildings and on-site
irrigation constructed to recycled water standards that can be temporarily served by a potable
source and connected to the recycled water system once it is extended to the Plan Area.

T-9.4. Promote the use of sustainable design features and renewable energy sources in new
public facilities, capital improvement projects, and private development.
Incorporating green technology and renewable energy into new and existing public facilities and
private development is a key part of creating a more sustainable CSE Fresno. Sustainable design
features such as photovoltaic generation, passive solar water heating, green and cool roofs can
conserve natural resources, minimize impacts on existing infrastructure, and help residents and
businesses save on utility costs while helping the environment.

The City should collaborate with partner agencies, utilities, and businesses to support a range of
energy efficiency, conservation, and waste reduction measures in new private development and
public improvement projects. This might include:

• Revising the Development Code to require or incentivize solar panels on all new multifamily,
mixed-use, and/or public buildings;
• Requiring that all new buildings be designed to be solar ready, including provision of a solar
zone and infrastructure such as solar panel standoffs and conduit;
• Requiring that residential projects over a certain size participate in the California Energy
Commission’s New Solar Homes Partnership, which provides rebates to developers who offer
solar power in at least 50% of new units, or a program with similar provisions;
• Providing, where possible, grants, rebates, and other development incentives for renewable
energy projects, such as increased height limits and/or flexibility in other standards for projects
that incorporate energy efficient green building features;
• Streamlining the City permitting process (or providing building permit fee waivers) for new
residential and commercial developments that submit plans to use renewable energy and/or
exceed City/State green building standards;
• Creating a tax exemption or tax neutral policy for developments that incorporate renewable
energy systems;
• Collaborating with energy and water providers, like PG&E and FMFCD, to increase participation
in their energy and water efficiency programs.
This strategy works in tandem with Strategy E-1.4. in Chapter 7 for providing financial assistance
for low-income residents for solar installation.

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 CHAPTER 5: Parks & Open Space

ch.
5
parks & open
space

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128 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN
 CHAPTER 5: Parks & Open Space

parks & open space

5.1 Introduction
Parks and open spaces play a critical role in the sustainability and health of the community by providing a
focal point for community activities, recreation, and social interaction. Throughout the planning process,
it became clear that access to quality parks, open spaces, and recreational amenities are a top priority
for the CSE community. Residents consistently cited Mosqueda Community Center and park as one of its
most valuable assets – a central hub for recreational activities, services, and social events. While existing
parks in the Plan Area are well-used and cherished, they need additional upkeep and maintenance. In
addition, new parks and open spaces should be created with a goal of ensuring that every resident is
within easy walking distance of a park.

Looking forward, CSE Fresno will build on its strengths and assets, improving existing parks and adding
new parks to ensure that all residents have access to high-quality, attractive, and well-maintained parks
and open spaces. The Central Southeast of the future will feature a diverse range of parks, open spaces,
and recreational facilities tailored to satisfy community needs, including public spaces that accommodate
fixed and flexible programming for social gatherings, activities for people of all ages, as well as active
and passive recreation. Active, community-led surveillance and maintenance activities will improve park
safety and upkeep, and foster a sense of pride and ownership over shared public spaces.

5.2 Existing Conditions

The Fresno General Plan states that the City’s parkland standard is three acres per 1,000 residents for
Pocket, Neighborhood, and Community parks, with an aspirational goal of five acres per 1,000 residents
for all parks throughout the city, if additional funding for regional parks and trails is identified. There are
currently 50.8 acres of parkland within the CSE Plan Area, with a ratio of 1.68 acres of park per 1,000
residents, above the current City average of 1.06 (pocket, neighborhood, and community parks) but below
the General Plan goal of three acres per 1,000 residents. A majority of the Plan Area is within walking
distance (a half mile) of a park or open space (see Figure 5-1), with the exception of the neighborhoods
around the western and southeastern boundary of the Plan.

Parks are distributed throughout the Plan Area in the form of two community parks (CALWA and
Mosqueda), and several smaller neighborhood parks nestled amongst low-density residential areas.
Table 5-1 lists all of the parks within the Plan Area.

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 Table 5-1. Parks in the Plan Area
Park
Park Name Acreage Agency Condition Amenities
Classification
Mosqueda 10.02 Community City of Fair Baseball/softball field,
Fresno basketball courts, tennis
PARCS courts, playground, BMX park,
Department swimming pool, recreation
center
Pilibos 13.22 Community City of Fair Picnic area, play structures,
Fresno soccer fields (lighted)
PARCS
Department
Trolley Creek 3.07 Neighborhood City of Good Picnic area, play structures,
Fresno amphitheater/stage.
PARCS
Department
Willow/Balch 1.14 Pocket City of Fair Picnic area, play structures
Fresno
PARCS
Department
Ponding 4.98 Neighborhood FMFCD Fair Accessible path
Basin Park Y Ponding
Basin Parks
Calwa Park 18.35 Community Calwa Unknown Soccer fields, baseball fields,
Recreation basketball courts, community
Park District center, pool, play structures,
picnic areas
Total: 50.79

Note: Sunnyside Park, a 4.27-acre neighborhood park is located just outside the CSESP area at Butler and Peach Ave.

Open spaces are limited to several ponding basins and the Fairgrounds (see Figure 5-1. Park Facilities
within a Half Mile Radius), which is predominately hardscaped and inaccessible to the public for most of
the year. Additional recreational facilities can be found at many of the twelve schools located within the
Plan Area. Currently two schools, Elizabeth Terronez Middle School and Vang Pao Elementary, have joint
use agreements with the City to enable public use of their facilities.

Most of the parks in the Plan Area are in “fair condition,” indicating some mechanical/equipment defects
that require major repair or replacement. Additional park issues cited by the community include crime
and safety, accessibility problems, poor maintenance, few shade structures, and lack of programming.
While there are no immediate plans to upgrade the parks in the Plan Area, the Fresno Parks Master Plan
has designated Pilibos Soccer Park and Mosqueda Center as “Flagship” parks, which will be prioritized for
ongoing upgrades in the future.

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 CHAPTER 5: Parks & Open Space

Figure 5-1. Park Facilities within a Half Mile Radius

131
 5.3 Issues and Opportunities
The following is a brief summary of the issues and opportunities around parks and open spaces in Central
Southeast Fresno.

Issues
1. Lack of parks and open spaces. The Plan Area needs approximately 40 additional acres of parks and
open space to meet the General Plan goal of 3 acres per 1000 residents. Throughout the planning
process, the community cited the need for additional parks, open spaces, and indoor recreational
facilities. In addition, CSE Fresno’s demographics – with more children and larger household size
than the City average – also highlight the high need and demand for additional parks.

2. Underserved areas. Residents around the western and southeastern boundaries of the Plan Area
do not currently have a park or open space within a 5-minute walk of their homes. New parks and
open spaces should be prioritized in these underserved areas.

3. Inadequate park and recreational amenities. Resident feedback suggests that current park
amenities are not accommodating the broad range of user groups and activities sought by the
community. In particular, there is a desire for indoor recreational facilities (e.g. gymnasiums or
indoor sports courts), exercise equipment in parks, and multi-use trails which are not currently
provided in the Plan Area. (Additional information on multi-use trails can be found in Chapter 4.
Transportation, Public Realm, and Infrastructure)

4. Poor park conditions and maintenance. As identified in the Parks Master Plan (2017) most of the
existing parks in the area have aging facilities and equipment that are in dire need of replacement
and/or better maintenance. Litter, debris, and general upkeep issues were consistently mentioned
by residents.

5. Lack of park programming and opportunities to be physically active. CSE Fresno currently has
a number of barriers to physical activity, such as lack of parks and recreational facilities, limited
programming, and streets that are not safe for bicyclists and pedestrians. Throughout the planning
process residents expressed a desire for new, improved, and low-cost recreational programming
that supports wellness and exercise and provides opportunities for social interaction, such as
after-school programs and fitness classes. (Additional information related to public health and youth
programming can be found in Chapter 7. Quality of Life).

6. Public safety concerns. The community is particularly concerned with safety in and around existing
parks in Central Southeast Fresno. Many community members said that they do not feel safe in
parks because of loitering or illicit activities. Residents also felt unsafe walking to parks due to
speeding vehicles and lack of safe walking paths and crossings.

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 CHAPTER 5: Parks & Open Space

Opportunities
7. Vacant and underutilized land. Numerous vacant parcels in the southern portion of the Plan Area
present opportunities to add new parks or open space, particularly in underserved areas. This may
require creative use of vacant parcels in neighborhoods, as well as new parks as part of large-scale
mixed-use development or along neighborhood corridors such as Orange Avenue.

8. Abundance of public facilities and publicly owned land. A large portion (almost 25%) of the
Plan Area is publicly owned, which also present opportunities to add new parks, open space, and
recreational facilities in the community.

9. Existing joint-use agreements with schools. Joint-use agreements have successfully been
implemented at two schools in the Plan Area (Elizabeth Terronez Middle School and Vang Pao
Elementary) setting a precedent to pursue agreements at additional schools.

10. Mosqueda Center. Located in the heart of the Plan Area, the Mosqueda Center was identified
as a “flagship” park in the Parks Master Plan and already serves as a central hub for community
gathering and activities. Expansion and improvements to Mosqueda Center could thus benefit the
large cross-section of the community that is already making use of this public amenity.

11. Engaged community groups. CSE Fresno boasts a number of engaged community groups and
organizations already serving the area. The City could tap into this existing network of dedicated
individuals to help sponsor park improvements, build community amenities, and take on
maintenance activities.

Table Mountain Rancheria Park at the Big Fresno Fair. Photo

credit: Big Fresno Fair

Trolley Creek Park in CSE Fresno Mosqueda Center skate park

133
 5.4 Proposed Open Space Network
The vision for parks and open spaces is shown in Figure 5-2 Proposed Open Space Network, and includes
improvements to existing parks as well as conceptual locations for new parks, open spaces, and/or
recreational facilities. Key elements of the proposed open space network include:

• A multi-use trail along California Avenue

• An indoor recreational facility/gymnasium in the neighborhoods north of Kings Canyon Road
(see site at intersection of Garden and Huntington Avenues on Figure 5-2 Proposed Open Space
Network).
• New park spaces or recreational facilities in underserved areas and locations identified by the
community include: the UMC Hospital site, the vacant lot along Huntington Avenue just north of
Willow-Balch Park, on or in the vicinity of Hanoian Shopping Center and the Boys and Girls Club, the
vacant parcel on the west side of Orange Avenue just north of Hamilton Avenue, and vacant parcels
at the northeast corner of Cedar and California Avenues.

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 CHAPTER 5: Parks & Open Space

Figure 5-2 Proposed Open Space Network

135
 5.5 Goals and Strategies
To address the community’s concerns, this plan builds on and goes beyond the Parks Master Plan
recommendations to propose the following goals and strategies to improve access to parks and open
spaces in Central Southeast Fresno.

P-1. Increase the amount of parkland in CSE Fresno to ensure that all residents
are within a 5-minute walk of a park or open space.
P-1.1. Build new parks, open spaces, and recreational facilities, prioritizing underserved areas.
New parks and open spaces in CSE Fresno are both a communitywide and City-directed goal.
The Plan Area needs approximately 40 additional acres of parks and open space to meet the
General Plan goal of 3 acres per 1000 residents. In addition, many residents expressed a desire
for additional recreational facilities in CSE Fresno such as indoor gymnasiums, pools, and sports
courts. Approximately 10 percent of land in the Plan Area is currently vacant and over 100 acres are
underutilized, providing an opportunity to add new parks and open spaces (see Figure 5-3. Vacant
and Underutilized Land). The City should seek funding for and acquire vacant or underutilized
sites for open space, new parks, and recreation centers. This could include applying for grant
funding, such as State of California Prop 68 funding, Community Health grants from healthcare
providers, and foundation grants aimed at improving the community’s access to parks and open
space. Additionally, the City should identify partnering and funding opportunities for the use or
development of private or semi-private parks and open spaces, such as parks and open spaces
built by economic development corporations, access to open spaces and recreational amenities
at Fresno Pacific University, and open spaces built at religious institutions. Priority locations for
new parks and/or open spaces include areas where residents are not within a 5-minute walk of
a park, and areas identified by the community, as shown in Figure 5-2 Proposed Open Space
Network.

Vacant theater site across from the Fairgrounds Vacant lots surrounding Mosqueda Center

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 CHAPTER 5: Parks & Open Space

Figure 5-3. Vacant and Underutilized Land

137
 Publicly-accessible park as part of a housing development Pocket park

P-1.2. Encourage publicly accessible private open spaces.

The City should develop incentives and design guidelines for new parks and public spaces
constructed as part of new, multifamily residential subdivisions. These guidelines should include
specific criteria for park placement and design and criteria for when parks should be encouraged
and/or required as part of new development. In creating these criteria, the City should consider
the following:
• Locating pocket parks at the front of properties where they are visible to the wider community
• Providing depth and size standards for the park so that visual permeability and access is
maintained
• Including landscaping guidance and maintenance criteria
• Creating closure, opening, and access stipulations so that parks are accessible to the general
public
P-1.3. Convert flood control land to parks and open spaces.
The City should partner with the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District (FMFCD) to maximize
recreational opportunities at ponding basins, such as Ponding Basin Park A (along Braley Canal
between Maple and Chestnut Avenues), through expanded seasonal access, redesign, grading,
and amenity development in keeping with the Fresno Parks Master Plan.

P-1.4. Pursue additional joint-use agreements with Fresno Unified School District.
The City currently has joint-use agreements with Fresno Unified School District that enable public
use of the recreational facilities at Elizabeth Terronez Middle School and Vang Pao Elementary.
The City should continue to pursue joint-use agreements with the school district to allow public
access to additional schools in CSE Fresno, expand the hours school recreational facilities are
open to the public (i.e. evenings, weekends) and include access to indoor facilities at schools
(e.g. gyms). Priority schools for new joint-use agreements, as identified by the community, are
Sequoia Middle School and Lane Elementary School. This strategy works in tandem with Strategy
P-3.1 to provide both the use and programing of joint-use facilities to provide CSE residents
access to a range of opportunities to enhance their health and wellbeing.

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Vacant lot transformed into temporary park / event space. Photo credit: 880Cities

P-1.5. Pursue joint-use agreements with the Fresno Fairgrounds.

At one time the City had a joint-use agreement with the Fresno Fairgrounds to use the vacant
overflow parking lots next to Mosqueda Center for sports fields. The Fairgrounds covers
approximately 70 acres of the Plan Area, most of which is only used for a short duration during
the year, and is otherwise vacant or underutilized. The City should strive to reestablish a joint-
use agreement with the Fairgrounds and the County of Fresno to use vacant and surface parking
lots (such as those next to Mosqueda Center) for sports activities, community events, and other
temporary uses when the Fair is not in session.

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 P-2. Improve the quality and safety of parks in CSE Fresno.
P-2.1. Renovate and upgrade existing park facilities to support the recreational, physical, and
social needs of residents.
Most of the parks in the Plan Area are in need of equipment repairs and upgrades. Resident
feedback also suggests a mismatch between current park amenities and the types of activities
the community would like to engage in. Providing better and more usable parks and open spaces
will attract activity, improve safety, and foster a sense of stewardship. The City should work to
renovate and upgrade existing park facilities and add new amenities over time. For example, the
City could install new park fitness equipment and other amenities, including bilingual signage
and running paths, that promote increased physical activity and overall use of park facilities.
The City should pursue funding outside of the General Fund, such as State of California Prop 68
funding, Community Health grants from healthcare providers, and foundation grants aimed at
improving the community’s access to parks and open space. Given their recent partnership and
success in securing grant funding, the City should consult with the Calwa Recreation and Park
District and Fresno Building Healthy Communities on future Prop 68 grant applications. Priority
parks for new and improved amenities are Mosqueda Community Center and Park, and Pilibos
Soccer Park. The City should prioritize park amenities that the community favors and that have
the most potential to activate these spaces by drawing people in. The types of park amenities
identified by the community as a priority include:

• Aquatic facilities (pool, splash pad)

• Fitness equipment
• Classrooms
• Commercial kitchens
• Restrooms and water fountains
• Shade structures

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Open space with shade structures Multi-use trail

P-2.2. Upgrade existing parks in a way that promotes natural surveillance or “eyes on the street”
to deter illicit activities.
Well designed and maintained parks and public spaces feel inviting and foster increased activity,
which in turn deters illicit activities. In designing new parks and improving existing streetscapes,
parks, and open spaces in the Plan Area, the City should incorporate crime prevention through
environmental design (CPTED) principles based on a natural surveillance approach, including:

• Fixing and installing additional LED lighting in and around parks and community spaces to
enhance visibility and safety
• Creating well-defined and visible points of ingress and egress
• Establishing natural surveillance through “eyes” on the public space from adjacent buildings,
streets, and from within the public space
• Encouraging programmed activities that increase use
• Implementing regular maintenance and timely repairs
• Designing landscape areas that consist of trees, low shrubs, groundcovers, and grasses to
maintain visibility into and out of public spaces.
P-2.3. Increase patrolling and enforcement around parks and open spaces.
The police and community watch presence in public spaces should be expanded to ensure that
CSE Fresno’s parks and open spaces remain as safe and free of crime as possible. The PARCS
department should coordinate with the Fresno Police Department to focus and increase police
patrolling and enforcement around parks and community spaces. In addition, the City could
pursue funding to provide a dedicated “park ranger” or “park manager” to monitor parks in the
Plan Area and serve as a steward of the parks. A dedicated park ranger could deter illicit activities
and help organize community park maintenance. The park ranger could be a dedicated Fresno
Police Officer or a civilian Community Service Officer.

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 P-2.4. Pursue creative solutions to fund and support improved and ongoing park maintenance.
Attractive and high quality parks, public spaces, and recreation facilities generate a sense of
pride, encourage active use of facilities, and improve safety. Funding for the creation and on-
going maintenance of public open space is a challenge for all California communities, and Fresno
is no exception. A creative and multi-faceted approach is needed. Future maintenance needs,
including sufficient staffing, should be anticipated early in the design process and should consider
the available maintenance budget. When renovating or building new parks and recreational
facilities, the City should use durable materials and equipment and install low-maintenance,
drought-resistant landscaping whenever possible to reduce maintenance time and costs. The
PARCS Department should define park maintenance zones and ensure that every park over 10
acres in size includes a small maintenance yard to facilitate regular upkeep consistent with the
Parks Master Plan recommendation.

In addition, the City should pursue outside funding and support for park maintenance. For
instance, the City could partner with local community organizations and volunteers to help
establish a “Friends of the Park” neighborhood group for each park that would pursue grants for
park upkeep and organize community cleanup days.

P-3. Expand recreational programming and facilities to meet the needs of users
of all ages and abilities.
P-3.1. Expand programming at parks and community facilities to provide diverse opportunities
for physical activity, creativity, learning, and social interaction.
Throughout the planning process, the CSE community expressed the desire for new and improved
recreational programming, particularly for children and seniors. Community events, afterschool
programs, educational, arts and fitness classes, to name a few, can provide much-needed
opportunities for social interaction, no or low-cost physical activity, and childcare alternatives
for parents. Additionally, parks and open spaces that flexibly accommodate and support a broad
range of activities and programming are more likely to be frequented by larger numbers of
people who live in the neighborhood and as a result feel more engaging and safer due to the
increased level of local ownership and natural surveillance. The City should work to improve and
expand programming at parks to meet the physical and social needs of users of all ages and
abilities. This could include partnering with schools and community-based organizations such as
the Boys and Girls Club, Reading and Beyond, and others to provide a range of programming and
activities. The first step would be to evaluate existing community programs, assess needs, and
develop more programming to fill gaps or shortcomings in content and scheduling. The types of
park programs and activities identified by the community as a priority include:

• Aquatic activities (swim lessons)

• Gardening
• After-school programming
• Cooking
• Activities for seniors (e.g. art classes, fitness classes)
• Fitness classes (e.g. Zumba)

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Splashpad. Photo credit: Greenville Parks & Recreation Outdoor fitness class. Photo credit: gothammag.com

P-3.2. Increase awareness of existing community facilities and programs.

CSE Fresno is home to a number of community groups and organizations that provide valuable
community services and recreational programming in addition to those offered by the City.
Through the planning and outreach process, it became clear that many residents may not be
aware of these programs. To ensure that the community is taking full advantage of existing
resources, the City should create a marketing and outreach campaign to better inform residents
about existing community facilities, services, and programs. This could include:

• A directory of CSE community organizations and programs

• Informational brochures, mailers, and web resources to highlight existing community facilities,
services, and programs
• Community ambassadors
• Community kiosks to provide residents with easy access to neighborhood information and
promote community activities and events

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ch.
6
economic
development

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economic development

6.1 Introduction
Economic development will be instrumental in driving economic activity and investment to transform
CSE Fresno into a thriving and successful area. Throughout the planning process, CSE Fresno residents
emphasized the need for accessible and affordable education, training, and career pathway programs
that will expand and diversify employment opportunities for residents. In particular, youth programs that
offer vocational training and access to apprenticeship and internship opportunities to foster early career
development are needed. Proactive economic development initiatives have the potential to address these
key community priorities by fostering job creation, supporting local business development and retention,
developing a dynamic area with a strong sense of place, and boosting access to community benefits.

Though CSE Fresno has various physical and socioeconomic obstacles to overcome, this Plan presents
an opportunity to implement a place-based economic development strategy centered on inclusive
community benefits and improving prosperity and economic mobility for local residents and workers. To
do so, this Chapter includes goals and strategies that focus on improving the appearance of CSE Fresno’s
commercial areas, diversifying the economy, capitalizing on the area’s existing strong community of small
independent businesses/entrepreneurs and rich cultural identity, and expanding access to education,
technical assistance, and capital resources.

6.2 Existing Conditions

CSE Fresno, though adjacent to several high performing neighborhoods, struggles economically and is
characterized by high rates of poverty and unemployment. With educational attainment levels and labor
force participation rates well below City averages, the Plan Area’s median household income is just under
$26,000, half that of Fresno overall (US Census 2010; US Census American Community Survey (ACS) 2011-2015
5-year estimates). Although the CSE Fresno populace is notably younger than the remainder of the City, its
residents are more likely to report health concerns and limited access to healthcare. Overall, economic
opportunities and achievements in the Plan Area appear more limited than in the City as a whole.

CSE Fresno’s employment base is also mismatched with the skills and capabilities of its population.
Commuters residing outside the Plan Area fill approximately 94 percent of all jobs in CSE Fresno, whose
economy is focused in sectors such as health care and social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation
and food services. Meanwhile, only 3 percent of employed CSE Fresno residents work within the
neighborhood, opting instead for employment in manufacturing positions both in nearby industrial
areas and other parts of the City (US Census LEHD OnTheMap, 2015).

Overall, CSE Fresno’s economy is constrained with limited potential for growth. The Plan Area’s single
largest employer – the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax processing center at Willow and Butler Avenues
– is scheduled to shut down in 2021, resulting in the loss of around 3,000 jobs. Most other economic
activity is focused primarily around a few major retail nodes along the Kings Canyon corridor – an area
that has also absorbed much of the newer construction. However, nationwide trends relative to the
decline of brick and mortar retail, coupled with indications of a weakening real estate sector, highlight
the need to diversify commercial offerings and economic opportunities in CSE Fresno.

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 6.3 Issues and Opportunities
In order to transform the CSE Fresno area, the City and the community must work with existing
impediments and issues to help actualize the potential opportunities. Below is a brief summary of the
existing economic issues and opportunities in CSE Fresno.

Issues
1. Socioeconomic obstacles. Incomes in CSE Fresno are well below that of the City, with over
60 percent of households earning less than $35,000 per year. Over half of CSE Fresno households
fall below the poverty line and average unemployment rates for CSE Fresno are higher than the
City overall. Combined with lower levels of educational attainment, CSE Fresno residents face
significant barriers to attaining higher-wage jobs, upward mobility, and improved quality of life.

2. Limited economic development opportunities. Economic growth potential is currently constrained

due to both socioeconomic and market-related factors. Apart from the IRS Tax Processing Center,
most economic activity in the area is focused around a few major retail nodes along the Kings Canyon
corridor, which may experience steady declines based on changing market dynamics. Moreover,
though CSE Fresno is home to many small businesses, low levels of educational attainment and
professional training may limit the potential for entrepreneurial behavior.

3. Labor force / jobs mismatch. Most employed residents in CSE Fresno are not equipped with the
skills and experiences that employers in the area demand. This dynamic causes an over-reliance
on out-of-area workers, which reinforces unsustainable commuting patterns.

4. Sluggish real estate market. Home and rental values in the Plan Area are well below City averages.
Residential real estate transaction sales activity is also light due in large part to low population and
household growth, low homeownership rates, and significant housing cost burdens in the area.
Retail and office inventories have remained flat and vacancy continues to increase, while lease
rates are declining. More than half of the area’s office inventory will soon become vacant after the
closure of the IRS building.

Opportunities
1. Vacant and underutilized land. Vacant and underutilized parcels in the Plan Area offer the
opportunity for reuse and revitalization and the development of new employment-generating uses.

2. Robust home-based and small business community. CSE Fresno is an entrepreneurial community
with many small and home-based businesses. Many local merchants are looking for opportunities
to scale up operations or establish a brick and mortar storefront.

3. Specialized retail markets. Kings Canyon Road is a major retail corridor and the focus of much
of the newer construction and economic activity in the Plan Area. With stronger branding and
promotion, there is potential to build and expand on the area’s strong retail presence, particularly
for specialized ethnic offerings, to turn CSE Fresno into a unique cultural, arts, and shopping
destination.

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Downtown Fresno. Photo credit: Fresno Bee IRS Processing Center - a key opportunity site

4. Existing economic development programs and resources. Existing economic development

service providers such as Fresno Economic Development Corporation, Fresno Regional Workforce
Development Board, Fresno Pacific University’s Center for Community Transformation, and Fresno
State Small Business Development Center provide an array of resources to support small businesses,
including assistance with developing a business plan, securing financing, and maneuvering permits
and licensing. In addition, CSE Fresno residents have access to post-high school education and
job training/support through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Year-Round Youth
Services, Fresno Unified School District-Fresno Adult School, and Central Unified School District –
Central Learning Adult School, among others. However, these services have not been publicized to
every sector of the community, offering opportunities to offer better coordinated service provision
and awareness in the neighborhood.

5. Engaged community groups. CSE Fresno boasts a number of engaged community groups and
organizations already serving the area. Many organizations and nonprofits are working to
improve social and economic outcomes in CSE Fresno. Improving the capacity and networks of
these existing organizations will improve their ability to serve the community.

6. Target Industries. Bolstering and creating opportunities in target growth industries such as
health care and personal services; educational services; data processing and call centers; and
manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution uses offer opportunities for diversification,
revitalization, and improved economic opportunities for CSE Fresno residents.

7. Nearby employment centers. Nearby expanding industrial nodes such a South Industrial Priority
Area, coupled with other major employment centers throughout the Fresno region, can offer
dynamic new job opportunities for CSE Fresno residents. Expanding and improving access to
workforce training will be critical to ensure that the resident workforce is better prepared with the
skills to acquire these higher-paying jobs.

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 6.4 Targeted Industry Sectors
Economic diversification in CSE Fresno can offer much needed opportunities for revitalization and
improved economic outcomes for residents. Sectors that can spur positive growth in the Plan Area
include health care and personal services; educational services; data processing and call centers; and
manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution. These targeted industry sectors are described further
below.

• Health care and personal services. Health care and personal services are in significant demand
throughout the nation from the aging Baby Boomer generation to the growing Generation “Z.”
While the future of the Affordable Care Act is uncertain, it and the associated Medicaid expansion
have had the effect of further increasing demand for health services. Employment in health care
and personal services has demonstrated growth in the Plan Area and is expected to continue.
The location of medical clinics, skilled nursing facilities, adult daycare, and other healthcare and
personal services proximate to all of the medically needy populations should be a focus of CSE
Fresno planning efforts.
• Educational services. Educational services provide important institutional uses that can
contribute to improvements in the built environment and offer critical opportunities for workforce
development. Attracting educational service providers to CSE Fresno should be a cornerstone
of future economic development efforts. Trade schools and smaller-scale certificate programs
focused on the medical, construction, energy, information technology, and other industries offer
critical workforce development opportunities that will improve CSE Fresno and the City’s ability to
attract businesses reliant on these skills. For example, Fresno State’s planned First Responders
Center (just south of the Plan Area) will include academies for police, fire and emergency services
that could provide valuable job training opportunities for CSE residents. With the availability of
bus rapid transit along the Kings Canyon corridor, this area is well-positioned to accommodate in-
commuting students.
• Data processing and call centers. Data processing and call center activities are a primary focus
of ongoing economic development efforts in the City. Reliant upon adequate fiber optic and
broadband service as well as a seismically stable environment, these industries are a natural fit for
the City of Fresno and its workforce. CSE Fresno may be able to attract some of these uses, and the
IRS tax return processing site may be appropriately repositioned for these uses.
• Manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution. Manufacturing, processing, warehouse
distribution, and fulfillment centers are primary sources of employment for CSE Fresno residents.
Sites appropriate for expansion of these uses are limited as they generally need to be in excess
of 100 acres with easy access to major freeways and other modes of transportation. However,
to the extent that sites suitable for a subset of low-impact industrial uses are identified (with
consideration to appropriate site adjacencies and impacts on surrounding neighborhoods), the City
should continue efforts to attract these users to CSE Fresno, as they provide critical employment
opportunities aligned with current workforce characteristics.

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Light industrial / makerspaces Bitwise Industries in Downtown Fresno. Photo credit: Fresno Bee

6.5 Goals and Strategies

This section details the goals and strategies that will help jumpstart an inclusive economic development
program for CSE Fresno. These recommendations focus specifically on rehabilitating the public realm
to attract renewed private investment, providing targeted support to small- and medium-sized local
businesses, and strengthening job training and education initiatives to allow residents to better compete
in the marketplace.

ED-1. Improve the appearance and cleanliness of CSE Fresno to attract new
businesses, customers, and investment.

ED-1.1. Identify targeted opportunity sites and areas with economic development potential.
Planning and revitalization efforts should focus on identifying and positioning vacant and
underutilized sites for new desired uses, paying particular attention to access, land use
adjacencies, infrastructure needs, and site configuration. The City should evaluate underutilized
and vacant opportunity sites that may satisfy the space demands of key industry targets
mentioned above. Along with these efforts, City staff will need to work assertively to identify
potential reuse opportunities for the IRS facility, overcoming challenges associated with the
site’s location well away from major transportation corridors and within a predominantly
residential neighborhood. The City should pursue additional Environmental Protection Agency
Brownfields Grant Funding to identify sites that have contamination that may inhibit potential
development. These funds can also be used to conduct market studies and develop strategic
development road maps. These grants can be pursued in coalition with groups such as Fresno
County Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC), the County of Fresno, and community
development corporations.

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 ED-1.2. Encourage and facilitate the reuse and revitalization of existing development.
Entrepreneurs and small businesses need flexible, affordable commercial space to expand and
scale up their operations. Residents and businesses specifically expressed interest in flexible
makerspaces and a community commercial kitchen to support caterers and mobile vendors. The
Plan Area is characterized by underperforming and dated strip retail that could be strategically
repurposed for better, more valuable uses. To accommodate local entrepreneurs, City staff
should work to identify existing reuse opportunities for small/flexible retail spaces, commercial
kitchens, makerspaces, and other types of uses desired by the community. The City should
develop design and resource guides regarding adaptive reuse and rehabilitation and convey
them clearly to property owners. Efforts to reuse and revitalize existing commercial spaces
can be further advanced by developing incentives for landlords to update older structures,
creating streamlined and clear permitting and inspection processes, and partnering with the
commercial brokerage community to connect local merchants and entrepreneurs to local real
estate opportunities.

This strategy works in tandem with Strategy ED-1.6 to provide both indoor and outdoor/
temporary spaces in the community where mobile vendors and small local businesses can
showcase culturally-themed merchandise, including arts and crafts and ethnic food reflective
of CSE Fresno’s entrepreneurial spirit and diversity.

Adaptive reuse opportunities will continue to expand in the future as existing structures outgrow
their original programming purposes and become increasingly underutilized. At present, the
City has identified Orange Avenue as one such as area with properties ripe for adaptive reuse
(See Strategy LU-3.2).

ED-1.3. Invest in needed public infrastructure (e.g., water, sewer, stormwater) at key opportunity
sites to provide “shovel-ready” development opportunities.
A complete analysis of opportunity sites should consider deficiencies in terms of access and
infrastructure and identify critical improvements to address them. Based on a comprehensive
inventory of infrastructure needs, the City should prioritize improvements that present the
greatest opportunity to spur redevelopment and investment, seeking to reduce private sector
uncertainty, development risk, and costs. The prioritized list of infrastructure improvements
should be coordinated with improvements to the public realm (see Chapters 3 and 4). As part of
this strategy, the City, in coordination with the appropriate City Councilmember’s office, should
develop an infrastructure funding and financing strategy to effect critical improvements that
will create “shovel-ready” development sites.

ED-1.4. Establish a consistent corridor maintenance program.

For potential investors and shoppers, first impressions are crucial. Poor maintenance of
public and private property suggests that the City and community does not care about the
neighborhood. Establishing more frequent trash pick-up, street sweeping, and other appropriate
maintenance schedules will noticeably improve the appearance and image of CSE Fresno and
help attract new businesses and customers. To the extent possible, maintenance efforts should
be coordinated with other public streetscape improvements along the area’s priority corridors
- Kings Canyon Road, Orange Avenue, and Butler Avenue (see Chapters 3 and 4 for additional
information on recommended street and streetscape improvements).

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Public infrastructure project. Photo credit: City of San Rafael Community cleanup and beautification

Effective corridor maintenance is dependent upon a stable source of revenue and community-
based organized leadership. A Business Improvement Area (BIA) or a Property-Based
Improvement District (PBID) may be one avenue the City could explore to generate revenue
for enhanced maintenance of streets, sidewalks, plazas, and other publicly spaces. With limited
public resources, it will also be important for the City to help organize and coordinate local
community and faith-based organizations, businesses, and resident volunteers to conduct
clean ups and other beautification efforts. These types of efforts can instill a sense of pride and
community ownership, while providing consistent corridor maintenance that businesses can
embrace and strengthen over time.

ED-1.5. Expand code enforcement efforts targeting blighted and underutilized sites.
Resolving existing issues related to blight and disinvestment will be critical to creating a clean
and attractive environment that invites new investment and business activity. Efforts to remove
existing blight should rely upon a “carrot and stick” approach that includes incentives for landlords
to improve their properties coupled with enforcement of existing codes and policies. The City
should inventory chronic code enforcement issues and develop a proactive code enforcement
strategy, targeting blighted and vacant sites along key commercial corridors and near high-
activity areas such as parks and schools. The City should also work to educate merchants and
residents regarding code enforcement policies and how to report code enforcement issues in
their community.

This Strategy works in tandem with Strategy PS-2.1, as it provides the added benefits of reducing
public health hazards within buildings and increasing a sense of safety for community members
navigating the public realm.

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 ED-1.6. Allow and encourage temporary uses (e.g., food trucks, pop-up retail, farmer’s markets)
to activate vacant spaces and attract new businesses and development.
Activation of vacant spaces in the Plan Area through temporary commercial uses will not only
mitigate blighted conditions and create a more vibrant public realm, but also contribute to
community and business development efforts. Temporary uses such as food trucks, pop-up
retail, farmer’s markets, and street bazaars offer an opportunity for local business owners
to market and sell their goods and services with the added benefit of offering a community
gathering space where residents and employees can congregate. These also provide an
opportunity to contribute to networking and capacity-building efforts.

In order to ensure that opportunities associated with activation of public spaces through
temporary uses are maximized, the City should review existing regulations and permitting
processes to ensure the process for the desired uses (e.g. street vendors, live music) is not too
burdensome, costly, or time consuming. There should be a particular emphasis on ensuring
that the hours of allowed operations are calibrated to the community’s needs and consumer
demand.

While there is vacant and underutilized land suitable for such uses throughout the Plan Area,
the overflow parking lots at the Fresno Fairgrounds represent ideal sites given their strategic
location and sizable area (See Strategy LU-4.3).

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Distinctive and artistic streetscape elements Gateway feature. Photo credit: thebolditalic.com

ED-1.7. Develop a distinctive brand for the area as a unique cultural, art, entertainment, and
retail destination.

CSE Fresno’s cultural offerings should be highlighted and emphasized to distinguish and promote
it as unique destination for art, entertainment, and ethnic retail establishments. Unfortunately,
CSE Fresno’s rich cultural identity and assets are not always reflected in the area’s overall built
environment or reputation. Developing a distinctive, authentic, and unique brand for CSE
Fresno will cultivate a stronger sense of identity and allow the community to market its social
and commercial assets to attract new residents, employers, visitors, and investors.

As a first step, the City should work with neighborhood groups, the arts community, and
merchant networks to develop a distinctive and grassroots vision for the Central Southeast
community that identifies signature elements of the community, with consideration to the Plan
Area’s history, architecture, people, merchants, and institutions. Based on that vision, the City
should develop and execute a comprehensive community branding and promotional strategy
that implements the community’s vision and that plays to the area’s history, cultural heritage, and
other strengths. For instance, incorporating culturally-themed gateway elements, wayfinding
signage, public art, and streetscape amenities could create a cohesive and recognizable identity
for CSE Fresno. This strategy should also include creating eye-catching promotional materials,
establishing a better social media presence, and creating a website with an online business
directory and calendar of events.

Branding efforts should be undertaken for both CSE Fresno as a whole and individual subareas,
as appropriate (see Strategy CE-1.3). Strategy LU-1.3 provides an example of how the Kings
Canyon Corridor could benefit from a well-coordinated and targeted branding effort.

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 Facade improvement through artistic murals Well-maintained streetscape amenities and storefronts

ED-1.8. Establish a Facade Improvement and Beautification Program.

Revitalizing storefronts through simple improvements such as repairs, new paint, and attractive
signage can create positive visual change in the neighborhood and improve economic vitality as
consumer traffic increases and neighboring businesses and property owners are encouraged
to implement similar improvements. Studies have demonstrated that improvements to the
visual character of buildings can have real effects on business economics, generating sustained
increases in sales activity.

The City should develop a Facade Improvement and Beautification Program to encourage
property owners and businesses to improve building facades and rehabilitate the interior and
exterior of aged and neglected buildings. This could include incentives such as matching grants
or loan programs, tax incentives, or design and other technical assistance. For example, Kings
Canyon Road is once such area that could benefit greatly from such a program’s implementation
(see Strategy LU-1.4).

Funding for such a program will likely require aggressive pursuit of federal and state grants as
well as the potential dedication of public funds. The City, the applicable district Councilmember’s
office, and community-based business associations should work with businesses and property
owners, financial institutions, and foundations to pursue a variety of potential funding sources,
such as loans and grants. The City could also opt to dedicate a portion of increased sales or
property tax receipts to sustain the program.

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ED-2. Foster the creation, retention, expansion, and attraction of local and small
businesses.
ED-2.1. Convene an Economic Development Working Group to develop a neighborhood-based
economic development strategy.
A neighborhood-based economic development strategy would position Central Southeast to
compete and connect to surrounding institutions and employers while also addressing place-
specific quality of life factors, local labor resources, and employment and business opportunities.
The City should convene an Economic Development Working Group of community groups,
merchants, property owners, educational institutions, and local economic development
service providers to create a neighborhood-based economic development strategy for CSE
Fresno focused on placemaking, cultivation of the entrepreneur community, expansion and
retention of local small businesses, and capacity building. The Working Group will provide a
forum to evaluate and address community-specific issues and build organizational capacity at
a grassroots, neighborhood level. The City should participate in a supporting and coordinating
role, ensuring that the Economic Development Working Group has access to key City staff and
policy makers. These Working Group efforts should be coordinated and integrated with the
neighborhood branding efforts, business liaison role, and other economic development efforts
described in this chapter.

Implementation of local economic development initiatives can be resource-intensive, and the

City and Working Group will likely need to evaluate and pursue a variety of funding resources
such as federal and state grants, emerging tax increment financing mechanisms, business
improvement districts, and other revenue sources. The City could also support the Working
Group and community partners by helping mobilize support for initiatives through both financial
means (such as applying for grant funding) as well as other grassroots campaign techniques
(e.g., social media based crowd-sourcing or funding).

Neighborhood-Based Economic Development

Neighborhood-based economic development strategies focus on neighborhood-level

interventions and actions to foster improved economic outcomes, opportunities, and
community vitality. While traditional economic development efforts focus primarily on attracting
major employers, neighborhood-based economic development focuses on smaller-scale local
interventions and a “bottom-up” approach that involves community members in the process
and emphasizes strategies to increase local economic opportunities, promote citizen control and
self-determination over economic outcomes, and improve equity.

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 ED-2.2. Provide incentives and financial assistance to support small businesses in CSE Fresno.
Small business development is a major driving force behind job creation and cultivating small
business opportunities is a cornerstone of neighborhood-based economic development
strategies. The City should evaluate and expand existing support programs and incentives
to help small businesses start, grow, and expand. This could include financing assistance,
permitting assistance, and a partnership with Fresno Pacific University’s Center for Community
Transformation to provide technical assistance programs that offer services such as business
development strategies, business planning services, management training, and a wide variety
of related services.

Often, access to capital is the primary determinant of whether a business will grow and survive
over the long-term. By collaborating with community organizations and non-profit credit unions
to provide financial literacy education (e.g., how to navigate the lending process and apply for
the appropriate loan product), offering workshops on improving credit scores, and establishing
a microloan program, the City could improve access to capital for CSE small businesses.

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ED-2.3. Hire a business liaison focused on assisting small and local businesses.
A number of existing economic development service providers and programs exist to facilitate
the development and growth of small business enterprises. For example, the Governor’s Office
of Business and Economic Development offers a number of small business incentive programs
through the Office of Small Business Advocate (OSBA). Local Community Development Financial
Institutions (CDFIs) and other providers offer financing and business assistance for small
and developing businesses. Local service providers such as Fresno Economic Development
Corporation, Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board, Fresno Pacific University Center
for Community Transformation, and Fresno State Small Business Development Center provide
an array of resources to support small business, including assistance with developing a business
plan, securing financing, and maneuvering permits and licensing.

Unfortunately, many residents and businesses may not be aware of or able to access these
services. The City can play a key role in facilitating and coordinating access to existing and
new programs by hiring a local small business liaison to help connect small businesses and
entrepreneurs with various nonprofit providers, financial institutions, and local, state and
federal government programs, offering both education regarding available resources as well as
technical application assistance. The business liaison could also help small and local businesses
navigate permitting and other regulatory compliance processes. The person hired for this
position should be bilingual and understand the business community in CSE Fresno.

ED-3. Expand availability of and access to worker and student education, job
training, and placement programs.

ED-3.1. Conduct a study to identify and document workforce skills and labor resources of CSE
residents.
Many residents in CSE Fresno are not equipped with the skills and experiences that employers
in the area demand. In coordination with the neighborhood-based economic development
strategy described previously, the City should undertake a concerted effort to better understand
current labor market dynamics and trends in CSE Fresno. As a first step towards understanding
and addressing this skills mismatch, the City should commission a study to document the
existing workforce skills and labor resources present in CSE Fresno, taking into consideration
the commute patterns and socioeconomic characteristics of the population. This study will
provide important information regarding the types of opportunities for which CSE residents are
qualified and will help to identify key skills gaps and workforce training needs. The study should
also evaluate the role that new and emerging businesses play in the local economy, seeking to
understand home-based business and sole proprietor business dynamics.

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 ED-3.2. Work with educational institutions and workforce development providers to expand
and create new education and training programs based on employer/industry needs.
Trends in employment opportunities throughout the Fresno region should be evaluated to
understand the likely characteristics, education, and training requirements of job opportunities
for CSE residents. The City should work with its various job training partners, such as the Fresno
Regional Workforce Development Board, as well as educational institutions such as the Fresno
Adult School and Fresno City College to expand job training opportunities for CSE residents,
customizing training to meet employer/industry needs and address the skills gaps identified by
the workforce study (see Strategy ED-3.1). Adult education initiatives should focus not only on
current employment needs and trends, but also look forward ensuring that skill development
and labor resources evolve with changing technological and employment requirements. Job
training programs and workshops should use a holistic approach to accessing employment
opportunities by incorporating foundational and soft skills such as English-language speaking,
resume writing, and interviewing. Increasing the education level, English language skills, and
vocational credentials of the adult workforce is central to growing the CSE Fresno economy and
reducing economic disparities.

CSE Fresno residents may also face barriers to accessing available workforce development and
career pathway resources, such as cost, hours, and proximity to home. To improve access,
economic development service providers should have an on the ground presence in the
community, offering local classes, workshops, and activities at convenient times and locations
and attending local events such as swap meets, festivals, farmers’ markets, and other local
community gatherings.

ED-3.3. Partner with private industry to bring recruitment, job training, and apprenticeship
programs to the neighborhood.
Many applied manufacturing and industrial technology applications require extremely
specialized training and many companies are turning to apprenticeship and onsite job training
programs to cultivate needed labor resources. These efforts can be costly, requiring intensive
up-front investment in employee development. The City should coordinate with trade unions,
the San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance, and local employers, particularly those located
proximate to the Plan Area to identify employment and labor resource needs and develop
strategies and incentives to bring job training and apprenticeship opportunities to the
neighborhood. Such an approach can benefit both the community and employers by training
residents for and connecting them to local employment opportunities and ensuring that local
industry has access to a more robust pipeline of qualified workers. Incentives for employers
to participate may also include grant or matching funds, tax benefits, or other economic
development incentives offered by the City.

ED-3.4. Integrate economic development, workforce training, and placement programs with
social service and youth development programs.
Barriers to economic mobility in CSE Fresno are not limited to difficulties accessing employment
opportunities. Social issues such as substance abuse, behavioral health, and mental health are
also key factors in socioeconomic struggles throughout the community. Furthermore, access
to employment and job training resources can be difficult for those families without access
to reliable childcare. These dynamics can lead to inter-generational struggles with poverty
that need to be addressed through holistic economic development, social service, and youth
development strategies.

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Job training. Photo credit: Fresno Adult School Fresno Adult School. Photo credit: fas.edu

The City should work with social service providers to ensure the provision of integrated social
and economic development services, combining addiction and mental health services with job
training and placement programs. Economic development and job training workshops should
include resources for parents – onsite childcare, information regarding school transportation
options, after school programs and activities, and other resources. These programs should
similarly be coordinated with youth development programs that seek to develop the next
generation of workers and business owners and offer resources such as tutoring, internship
and apprenticeship opportunities, college admissions and preparatory courses, scholarship
information, financial literacy, and other skills that will prepare youth to enter the workforce.

ED-3.5. Work with local schools and employers to advertise and expand career development
opportunities for youth.
To help youth achieve professional success, robust educational, career, and job skills offerings
must be provided. Local schools can help educate students regarding college preparatory
programs, local post-secondary training, and post-college career paths, and connect students
to employment opportunities. For example, community colleges often offer valuable applied
manufacturing and technology training programs, which should be promoted to high school
students as part of a comprehensive list of post-secondary education options. Continuing
support for existing organizations that offer youth programs (particularly those focused on
career exploration and job readiness) and increasing the number of counselors in schools
will ensure that youth have the information and resources necessary to pursue college and
vocational training, such as how to navigate the application process and financial aid options.
The City should also work with local high schools, universities (i.e. Fresno Pacific University and
California State University, Fresno), and employers to expand training and career development
opportunities for youth. This might include creating vocational, internship, and mentorship
programs for youth to develop skill sets and increase experience levels. Supporting youth with
valuable skills and resources will set them up to acquire well-paying employment in the future.

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 ED-3.6. Consider first-source hiring programs that encourage businesses locating around CSE
Fresno and Southwest Fresno to hire and train local residents.
Incentives for hiring and training local residents can complement local economic development
efforts. The City should consider creating a first-source hiring program for CSE Fresno, taking
care to devise incentives for local hiring policies without dampening private sector interest in
the CSE Fresno community. These efforts must also be coordinated with job training and other
workforce development programs to ensure that the available labor resources meet the needs
of targeted employers.

ED-3.7. Develop a coordinated marketing campaign to increase awareness of education, job

training, and placement programs.
While many education and workforce development resources exist, residents may not be aware
of available workforce development and career pathway resources. In coordination with other
economic development initiatives, the City and other economic development service providers
should develop a coordinated marketing campaign to better inform residents of available
education, training, and job placement resources and programs. Promotion of workforce
resources through partnerships with local community organizations, schools, churches,
libraries, and other educational institutions will inform more residents about services including
information on how to apply and pay for certification and degree programs. For example, the
City and its partners could staff information booths at local events that provide merchants,
employees, and residents information regarding economic development, social services, youth
development, workforce training and employment programs, as well as other community-
based activities and opportunities.

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 CHAPTER 7: Quality of Life

ch.
7
quality of life

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164 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN
 CHAPTER 7: Quality of Life

quality of life
7.1 Introduction
Neighborhoods represent the largest single land use in CSE Fresno and are the backbone of the
community. Throughout the planning process, residents consistently stressed the need to improve the
quality of life in CSE neighborhoods by providing safe and attractive places for residents to live and
recreate, inclusive engagement, and meeting basic needs, including shelter and access to healthy food
and medical services (see Figure 7-1. Examples of Healthy Communities Components). Residents envision
a safe and healthy CSE Fresno that has well-lit and well-used streets and parks, welcoming public spaces
to socialize, recreate, and celebrate community, farmers markets and community gardens to access and
grow healthy produce, and culturally-competent mental and medical services. Promoting community-
based health and safety programs can bring many benefits to CSE Fresno, including better health and
well-being, equity, economic opportunity, and community resilience.

This chapter focuses on improving quality of life in CSE Fresno by addressing the following topics:

• Public health – promoting healthy lifestyles and improving access to active spaces, healthy foods,
and medical services.
• Public safety – providing safe, clean, and well-lit public spaces and improving police-community
relations.
• Environment and environmental justice – improving the quality of the physical environment,
promoting sustainability, and addressing pollution and other hazards that affect this community.
• Community empowerment – building resident capacity to take ownership of their neighborhood.

Figure 7-1: Example of Healthy Communities Components

Figure 7-1 shows examples of key elements that contribute to a healthy community.

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 7.2 Existing Conditions
Health
A community’s overall health depends on many factors. Eating well, staying active, and seeing a doctor all
influence health. In addition, there are various socioeconomic and environmental factors that determine
an individual’s well-being. These include access to social and economic opportunities, the quality of
education, neighborhood conditions, a sense of public safety, and the cleanliness of water and air, among
others. These conditions can explain why some people are healthier than others and why the locations
where people live and work matter for community health.

Overall Health and Healthcare Access

Generally, adults and children within Central Southeast Fresno experience poorer health conditions than
residents both in the City of Fresno and State of California. Adults have significantly higher rates of
asthma, fair to poor health conditions, and obesity. Approximately 28 percent of CSE residents are in
fair or poor health as compared to 23 percent for the City overall and 19 percent across California. Data
also suggests the rate asthma emergency room visits and percentage of babies with low birth weight
are higher in CSE Fresno than the State (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance System, 2017).

Access to medical facilities and services is essential for obtaining preventive health care and improving
overall health outcomes. CSE Fresno is considered a Health Resources and Services Shortage Area, a
Federal designation given to areas that demonstrate a shortage of healthcare professionals, including
primary care, dentist, and mental health providers, within certain geographic areas, population groups,
or facilities (US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 2016). Since the closure of the County
hospital at Kings Canyon Blvd and Cedar Ave, there are no public or private hospitals in the Plan Area,
and few health clinics. In addition, one in four residents lack basic health insurance. Many of the residents
and households in CSE Fresno are linguistically isolated, which poses another barrier to obtaining quality
health care. A lack of health insurance is often related to delayed medical care and emergency room
visits.

Food Access
Poor health outcomes are often linked to the inability to afford or access healthy food. Residents who
have access to a full-service grocery store tend to eat more fruits and vegetables, have lower body weights,
and lower rates of chronic diseases. Supporting local food production can also reduce the distance food
is shipped, lowering the environmental footprint of food production and distribution.

“Food access” is based on physical access to a food store (e.g., supermarket, large grocery store, etc.).
While CSE Fresno is not considered a “food desert,” there are a limited number of healthy food retailers.
There are no nearby farmers markets that service the area, and few community gardens. In addition,
residents have cited a preponderance of beer, wine, liquor, and convenience stores and smoke shops
in the area that are less likely to sell healthy food. Approximately 25 to 50 percent of households in the
area receive food assistance (SNAP benefits), suggesting that food insecurity is also an issue (US Census
American Community Survey (ACS), 2013-17).

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Education and Income

Environmental Justice and
Higher levels of education and income have been
Disadvantaged Communities
associated with better nutrition and physical
fitness, quality medical care, and better overall California recently adopted Senate Bill 1000
health. In CSE Fresno, 47 percent of residents (SB 1000), which requires cities to develop
aged 25 and older have not completed high school environmental justice goals and policies to
as compared to 15 percent for the City of Fresno. reduce the unique or compounded health
Lower educational levels contribute to lower risks in “disadvantaged communities.”
incomes in CSE Fresno, where household median Policies may address the reduction of
income is $23,562 per year – almost half that of pollution exposure, the improvement of
the City of Fresno – and more than one in two air quality, and the promotion of public
residents live in poverty (US Census 2010; US Census facilities, food access, safe and sanitary
American Community Survey (ACS) 2012-2017 5-year homes, park and open space access,
estimates). Taking measures to improve education and physical activity in disadvantaged
and economic prosperity in CSE Fresno could lead communities.
to improved health outcomes for residents.
A disadvantaged population or community
Environment and Disadvantaged may mean many different things. The
Communities California Environmental Protection
Agency (CalEPA) defines an “environmental
Environmental conditions are clearly linked to a justice” or “disadvantaged community”
community’s health and well-being. This includes as an area that is a low-income area
the levels of air pollution, water pollutants, and disproportionately affected by
hazardous wastes, pesticides released, waste environmental pollution. The Office of
disposal sites, and other sources of pollution. Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Living near high volume roadways and freeways (OEHHA), on behalf of the California
increases exposure to a mixture of air pollutants, Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA),
including diesel exhaust. Fine particulate matter created the CalEnviroScreen tool – an
can cause asthma attacks in children, in addition index aggregating multiple data sources
to impaired lung function, premature death on pollution exposure, sensitive receptors,
and death from cardiovascular diseases, and and vulnerable populations. This tool is
cardiovascular morbidity. designed to help identify communities
disproportionately burdened by
While children, youth, and the elderly are among environmental pollution.
the most vulnerable, all community members
are at risk. All census tracts in the Plan Area While SB1000 requirements do not apply
experience a high percentage of days over to Specific Plans, but only to General Plans
national air quality standards for fine particulate when amending two are more elements,
matter. This area is designated a “disadvantaged it is important to address these issues
community” by CalEPA and ranks as one of the in CSE Fresno given its designation as a
most polluted areas in California, scoring in the 90- disadvantaged community. Therefore, this
95th percentile statewide for communities that are chapter provides goals and strategies related
disproportionately burdened by multiple sources to health, safety, equity, environment, and
of pollution and with population characteristics community empowerment.
that make them more sensitive to pollution, such
as lower income levels, higher rates of poverty and

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 unemployment, lower educational attainment, and linguistic isolation (CalEnviroScreen, 2018). Nearby
industrial uses combined with heavy traffic on SR 99, SR 180, SR 41, as well as truck routes through
the neighborhood contribute to poor air quality days, which can result in respiratory illness, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer. In addition, there are several contaminated sites within and
just outside of the Plan Area that have the potential to harm human health and/or the environment.

Public Safety
A variety of factors can impact community safety, including underemployment, the presence of gangs,
racism, and lack of youth and family activities. In conversations with CSE Fresno residents, crime and
drug-related activities were cited as key concerns, despite a decline in both violent and property crime
rates in the City of Fresno and the Southeast policing district over the last few years (City of Fresno Police
Department 2018 Annual Report). However, the perception of crime in the area may be just as much
of an issue as crime itself, impacting individual health, businesses, and social cohesion, and deterring
growth and investment. Vacant and deteriorating properties, litter, stray animals, and vandalism further
contribute to negative perceptions and detract from quality of life.

CSE residents also expressed concerns regarding the safety of streets and public spaces. Community
members noted the presence of gangs and drug-related activities in parks, as well as poor maintenance
and inadequate lighting. In addition, many residents feel unsafe walking and bicycling in and around the
neighborhood, and particularly to/from schools and parks, due to high vehicle speeds, unsafe crossings,
poor walking conditions, and a lack of safe and continuous bicycle facilities (additional information
on walking and bicycling conditions can be found in Chapter 4. Transportation, Public Realm, and
Infrastructure).

Tactical urbanism can allow communities to test low-cost, short-term pedestrian and bicycle improvements. Photo credit: AARP

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Abandoned alley in CSE Fresno littered with debris and graffiti. Recycling center on Orange Avenue adjacent to residential
Photo credit: ABC30 Fresno neighborhoods

7.3 Issues and Opportunities

This section provides a brief summary of the issues and opportunities around health, safety, and the
environment in Central Southeast Fresno.

Issues
1. Safety concerns in public spaces. Safety in and around parks and other public spaces was
consistently ranked as a top concern for the CSE Fresno community. Many residents said that they
do not feel safe in parks because of loitering or illicit activities. A major contributor to negative
perceptions of safety in CSE Fresno is the lack of well-lit and active public spaces, especially at night.

2. Blight, litter, and vandalism. Many of street and public spaces in CSE Fresno are dirty and littered
with trash and graffiti. Blight, illegal dumping, and litter can invite unwanted and illicit activities
and detract from investment. Stray dogs are also prevalent throughout the community, further
contributing to negative perceptions of the area.

3. Lack of access to healthy foods. Residents identified a lack of access to healthy foods as a major
concern in the community. There are many liquor and convenience stores in CSE Fresno that
provide few, if any, healthy food options. Promoting culturally relevant and locally sourced food
can improve health outcomes while also reducing the environmental footprint of food distribution.

4. Inadequate health care. CSE Fresno has been identified as an area with a shortage of health care
providers and facilities. This is compounded by a lack of health care coverage. The lack of health
care professionals can have a particularly negative impact on the elderly, and non-English speaking,
low-income communities of color.

5. Incompatible land uses. In the southwestern portion of the Plan Area, industrial uses often sit
directly adjacent to residential neighborhoods. These uses are often associated with increased
air pollution, noise, and heavy truck traffic that can negatively impact the health and safety of
nearby residents. An Industrial Land Use Compatibility Study is currently in progress to identify
incompatible land use types and make recommendations for ways to reduce their negative impacts.

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 Opportunities
1. Vacant, underutilized, and publicly-owned land. Numerous vacant, underutilized, and publicly-
owned parcels, particularly in the southern portion of the Plan Area, present opportunities to
add new parks, open spaces, gardens, recreational amenities, and community health facilities,
particularly in under-served areas.

2. Strong and close-knit community. Central Southeast Fresno has some of the most unique,
diverse, and close-knit neighborhoods in the City. There is an opportunity to harness and build on
the existing strength of CSE’s neighborhoods, empowering residents to make decisions for their
community and work to together to improve health, safety, and overall quality of life.

3. Diverse food resources. There are wonderful diverse restaurants and culturally relevant grocery
stores in CSE Fresno. The San Joaquin Valley and Fresno are one of the richest agricultural regions
in the world, often referred to as the “breadbasket” of California. With a strong local agricultural
industry, diverse restaurant scene, and community interest in food entrepreneurship, CSE Fresno
has the potential to become a multicultural shopping and food destination in the City, which could
serve both to bolster the local economy and increase healthy local food options.

4. Engaged community groups and community-based organizations. Central Southeast boasts a

number of active and engaged community groups and organizations already serving the area. The
City should tap into this existing network of dedicated individuals to provide much-needed social
and health-related services and empower residents to implement innovative and community-led
health and safety initiatives.

Hmong New Year celebration. Photo credit: NYTimes

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Fresh fruits and vegetables Farmer’s market

7.4 Goals and Strategies

To address the community’s concerns, the goals and strategies in this chapter focus on collaborating
with and empowering residents to take ownership of their neighborhoods, strengthening public safety
and community relations, improving environmental conditions, and increasing access to healthy food
and affordable culturally appropriate healthcare to improve health and safety for all. 

Public Health
PH-1. Improve access to healthy, affordable, and culturally-relevant food and
beverages.
PH-1.1. Establish farmer’s markets in CSE Fresno.
Throughout the planning process, community members said that they would like greater
variety and better access to healthy foods, including a farmer’s market in CSE Fresno. Farmers’
markets improve access to locally grown fresh produce by bringing local farmers and their
produce directly to communities. Shopping at a farmers’ market provides a way for consumers
to purchase regional and cultural specialties directly from the source, minimize the energy
consumption involved with food transportation and storage, and support local farms and
community gardens. The City should partner with the other agencies, community organizations,
and the California Farmer’s Markets Association (CFMA) to establish weekly or monthly farmer’s
markets in CSE Fresno. Potential locations include the Fairgrounds overflow parking lots, former
UMC hospital parking lot along Kings Canyon Road, Fresno Pacific University campus, the Butler
Church campus, the Fresno Barrios Unidos office parking lot, and the median park strip along
Huntington Boulevard. This could include analyzing existing regulations and definitions to
ensure that the process for securing farmers’ market permits is not too burdensome, costly, or
time consuming. The City could also provide technical assistance and support to help market
operators accept EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards and vouchers to allow residents to pay
using food stamps.

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 Community garden at Butler Church in CSE Fresno Edible schoolyard. Photo credit: ediblebrooklyn.com

PH-1.2. Create educational programs for residents about healthy eating and living.
Raising awareness around the importance of healthy food, including creating educational
materials, healthy food incentives and campaigns can expand residents’ access and
consumption. The City should work with members of the Fresno Community Health
Improvement Partnership (FCHIP) on focused efforts in CSE Fresno. The City could assist with
the creation and implementation of educational programs for residents about healthy eating,
such as edible school yards, healthy cooking classes, nutrition pamphlets, and step-by-step
guides on planting, growing, and harvesting home-grown fruits and vegetables. For example,
the City could seek out opportunities to partner with non-profits, culinary schools, and local
restaurants to host free classes and cooking class demonstrations that would educate residents
about cooking healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant food.

PH-1.3. Transform vacant and underutilized properties into community gardens and street tree
nurseries.
Numerous vacant, underutilized, and publicly-owned parcels, particularly in the southern
portion of the Plan Area, present opportunities for urban agricultural use either long term or
as an interim use before redevelopment. While several community gardens exist in southeast
Fresno, there are still areas of the community that are under-served. The City should first identify
specific vacant or underutilized properties in the community that could be transformed into
tree nurseries or community gardens. Community gardens can provide ornamental vegetation,
produce locally grown food, and create community gathering spaces, while plant and tree
nurseries could supply some of the landscaping and streetscape improvements recommended
in this Plan. Local residents can be employed to water and maintain the trees. The next
step would be to seek funding and partner with community organizations and volunteers
to construct and maintain gardens and nurseries on vacant lots. For instance, Fresno Metro
Ministries is a local non-profit that already partners with the Fresno PARCS department to
manage two community gardens in southeast Fresno. Metro Ministries also provides gardeners
with gardening education (e.g. a free Community Garden Toolkit), resource acquisition, and
general coordination.

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PH-1.4. Encourage and attract healthy food outlets and mobile vendors to CSE Fresno.
Encouraging healthy mobile food vendors is another way to provide healthy food options in
under-served areas while bolstering local entrepreneurs. Mobile food retailers are comprised
of a variety of vendors who sell food out of a movable vehicle, such as a truck, cart, trailer,
kiosk, or stand. The City should analyze current regulations and procedures and find ways to
facilitate and incentivize healthy mobile food retailers through streamlined vehicle licensing and
registration processes, and subsidies or reduced fees to help defray start-up and/or ongoing
costs for mobile vendors. For example, the City could review and amend local laws to allow
certain privileges to healthy mobile food retailers, such as roaming privileges or approval to
operate near schools and parks. Additionally, the City should work with organizations such as
Cultiva La Salud to further implement their Vendors 4 Health: Shamelessly Pedaling

Produce program. This could include providing small business training, start-up loans or grants,
or access to government-sponsored community events for free or at reduced cost are additional
ways to both encourage healthy food retailers and support local entrepreneurs.

PH-1.5. Provide healthy, fresh, local food to schools in the area.

Providing healthy locally-sourced food to schools empowers children and their families to
make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant
communities. The City should continue to partner with the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD)
and the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC) to advance efforts to procure, serve,
and promote healthy local foods in school cafeterias. The City and FUSD could also consider
joining the National Farm to School Network, a nonprofit advocacy group that provides support
to state, regional, and national levels of government for developing school gardens and
implementing agricultural education (e.g. school gardens, cooking lessons and farm field trips)
and locally sourced foods.

Healthy mobile vendor in CSE Fresno

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 Urban livestock. Photo credit: Charlotte Sun

PH-1.6. Encourage edible landscaping and permit residents to raise livestock (chickens, goats,
bees) on their properties.
Urban agriculture can provide multiple benefits including healthy eating, sustainability, increased
food security, reduced stormwater runoff, providing green space, and promoting community
engagement. Urban agriculture can take the form of backyard gardens and community gardens
– places on public or private property where neighbors gather to cultivate vegetables and fruits,
and even keep bees or raise poultry and small livestock. The City should partner with Fresno
Metro Ministries to encourage edible landscaping in home gardens, building on and expanding
distribution of their Gardening Toolkit to educate homeowners on methods for planting fruit
trees, growing vegetables, fertilization, harvesting, species and seasonal recommendations,
and other instructions. As part of this strategy, the City should also analyze and revise the
Development Code to allow residents to raise small livestock (chickens, goats, bees) in backyards.

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PH-2. Expand access to culturally-competent medical and mental health services.

PH-2.1. Conduct a community health and social services needs assessment for CSE Fresno.
A community’s ability to access comprehensive, quality health care and social services is vital
to promoting health, preventing disease, and improving overall quality of life. Current barriers
in the Plan Area include limited health care providers, lack of health insurance, chronic and
mental health issues, lack of bilingual services, inadequate transportation to health and social
services, unfamiliarity with providers and programs, and cost of services. The City should work
with the County and The Fresno Center to conduct a community health and social services
needs assessment for CSE Fresno and collect and track health data to better understand health
issues in the area.

PH-2.2. Encourage healthcare providers and doctor’s offices to locate and/or provide affordable
services in CSE Fresno.
Access to a wide variety of health care professionals is especially critical for low-income
individuals and families, who comprise a large percentage of CSE Fresno’s population. The Plan
Area currently lacks health care providers and facilities, particularly since the closure of the
UMC hospital on Kings Canyon Road. There are a number of ways this could be addressed
including:
• Creating regulatory and financial incentives to encourage low-cost medical providers and
doctor’s offices to locate in CSE Fresno.
• Providing clear guidance and instruction to facilitate the permitting process for new health
care businesses.
• Working with mixed-use and affordable housing developers to include clinic space in projects.
• Encouraging local health providers to establish a program that allows medical and mental
health professionals to fulfill practicum or training requirements by practicing in the area.
• Facilitating mobile health service providers through identification and free use of public
facilities or parking spaces in the area, online promotion, and streamlined approval processes.
• Working with FUSD to expand health clinics at CSE Fresno campuses.
• Partnering with FPU and other local educational institutions to encourage and recruit
medical students to practice in the area. For example, some institutions help finance
student education or provide loan forgiveness for medical professionals that practice in
under-served areas.

Community health center. Photo credit. FCI Constructors Mobile health clinic. Photo credit: Fresno State

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 PH-2.3. Educate residents on free and low-cost health care providers, services, and programs.
One of the barriers to accessing health and social services may just be unfamiliarity in the
community about services and programs that are already being offered. For instance, the
Fresno EOC provides education, counseling, and medical treatment services to low-income,
uninsured, and underinsured adults and adolescents such as family planning, STI testing, and
prenatal care. The Fresno Center provides mental health services such as a holistic gardening
and support groups, conducts educational programs, and assists community members in
gaining health care coverage. In partnership with the County Health Department and local
community-based organizations such as Fresno EOC and The Fresno Center, the City should
assist in the development of an education and awareness campaign to inform residents of free
and low-cost health care providers in the area as well as existing programs for dental health
(e.g. youth Denti-Cal program), prenatal care, physical fitness, healthy eating, mental health,
substance abuse treatment, and other social services (especially those in multiple languages).
This should include creating a directory of local providers and programs.

PH-2.4. Pursue funding to build a holistic health and wellness campus on the former UMC
County hospital site that would provide medical, mental health, and social services.
The community has voiced a desire for increased access to culturally-competent whole person
care. As outlined in Chapter 3. Land Use and Urban Design (see Strategy LU-1.1), the former UMC
Hospital site provides an opportunity to create a centralized “one-stop shop” that integrates
health, behavioral, and social services for CSE residents. The City should work with the County
and pursue funding to build a holistic health and wellness campus on the former UMC hospital
site at Kings Canyon Road and Cedar Avenue. Developing part of the site for senior and/or
transitional housing could complement onsite healthcare and social service uses.

PH-2.5. Provide community-based health services at neighborhood hubs such as schools and
community centers.
Allowing and promoting the flexible use of community centers, libraries, and schools is
another way to provide accessible and low-cost health services to CSE Fresno residents. The
City should partner with private providers, community organizations, FUSD, and the County
Health Department to increase free and low-cost health services at publicly-owned facilities
such as Mosqueda Center and local schools. Community and school-based health services
could include mobile clinics and pop-up screenings (e.g., flu vaccinations, prenatal care), mental
health consultations, and health fairs.

PH-2.6. Conduct trainings on how to provide culturally-sensitive health care services (e.g.,
multilingual services).
Cultural awareness, responsiveness, and understanding are essential to increasing access
and improving the standard of health care for the CSE Fresno community. There are already a
number of capable and experienced organizations in the community dedicated to this effort.
One such organization is The Fresno Center, which provides culturally linguistic mental health
services to members of the Southeast Asian community and conducts bicultural and bilingual
training for Southeast Asian mental health clinicians. The City and County should continue to
partner with and provide funding for community organizations to expand culturally-sensitive
health care services and training.

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PH-3. Provide a variety of affordable community childcare and youth services.

PH-3.1. Facilitate, support, and incentivize the development of a wide range of childcare facilities
and services including family day cares and public and private childcare centers.
Expanding availability and access to quality childcare is critical to allow parents in the community
to earn an income outside the home and can heavily influence health, economic, and social
outcomes for families. Some of the ways the City could facilitate, support, and incentivize a
wide range of childcare facilities and services in the community include:

• Creating financial incentives and development standards to encourage the construction of

childcare facilities and services in public facilities, new development, and residential areas.
• Reviewing and revising zoning regulations for new childcare providers to make them less
burdensome and/or expensive.
• Identifying opportunities to support applicants in obtaining state licensing, such as training
and materials to assist potential childcare providers with understanding and complying with
state regulatory processes.
• Connecting childcare operators with business and financial support and education.
• Encouraging childcare operators to provide extended hours.
• Developing and distributing a map of licensed childcare providers and centers in CSE Fresno
that is updated annually. Posting online and distributing paper copies at parks, community
centers, churches, and schools.
• Coordinating and integrating childcare programs with housing and social programs,
wherever feasible.
• Incorporating childcare into City-sponsored recreation, workshops and community
engagement activities, wherever feasible.

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 PH-3.2. Provide low-cost, safe, and accessible youth programming.
While CSE Fresno is home to a number of wonderful organizations and spaces that support
youth and families, residents suggested a need for additional programming, particularly after-
school activities for youth. The community could benefit from additional support of this work, in
addition to new and improved parks and recreational facilities. The City should expand existing
partnerships with the PARCS Department as well as faith and community-based to organizations
(e.g. Every Neighborhood Partnership, Fresno Pacific University, Boys and Girls Club) to provide
a range of affordable year-round sports, after-school programs (mentorship, tutoring, dance
and art classes), and recreational activities at parks, community centers, libraries, and schools
to keep youth active and busy. As part of this strategy, the City should apply for funding and
ensure consistent provision of programs and services.

This strategy complements Strategies P-2.1 and LU-2.2 to expand Mosqueda Center with a
youth facility that would provide a resource hub for youth mentoring, employment training,
and career opportunity exploration.

PH-4. Promote compatible uses and protections for residential neighborhoods.

PH-4.1. Install landscaping and other barriers to separate existing homes from rail, industrial
uses, and other sources of noise and air pollution.
Throughout the planning process, the community expressed strong concerns regarding
incompatible industrial and heavy commercial land uses in the southwestern portion of the Plan
Area and their negative health and environmental impacts on nearby residential neighborhoods.
The City should work with property owners on the installation of landscaping and other barriers
to separate existing homes from rail, industrial uses, heavy arterials, and other sources of noise
and air pollution to protect resident health and safety. The City Council District Office will seek
to identify grants and loans and assist businesses or residents in applying for funding to add
landscaping and improve fencing, walls, and other barriers between industrial properties and
residential areas.

PH-4.2. Enforce existing codes and regulations to minimize the negative impacts of industrial
uses on adjacent residential areas.
The community voiced concern over the impacts of the existing industrial uses south of
California Avenue and suggested that they eventually be phased out. In the long term, the
community envisions that these properties be consolidated and transformed into a mixed-use
employment district that provides new job opportunities for residents while also improving
public health and safety outcomes (see Strategy LU-6.3).

For all other industrial uses located near residential areas, the City should identify the appropriate
local, State, and/or federal agencies to enforce industrial performance standards and evaluate
related air quality, odor, and noise impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. The community and
industrial businesses should work together to identify and limit particularly harmful or noxious
industrial operations and limit truck traffic hours or activities that produce significant levels of
air pollution to very early in the morning or late in the evening.

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Artistic public space lighting Fresno PD and Bringing Broken Neighborhoods Back to Life
community outreach event in Fresno

Public Safety
PS-1. Reduce crime and improve police-community relations.
PS-1.1. Increase regular police patrolling in CSE neighborhoods, particularly in and around
parks and schools.
A top priority for the community is improving public safety, particularly in and around parks
and schools, ensuring that families, youth, and seniors feel safe on streets and in public spaces.
The City should work with the Fresno Police Department to increase regular police patrolling
throughout CSE Fresno neighborhoods. Regular foot patrol has been shown to improve crime
prevention and facilitate relationship-building and trust between officers and the community.
This might involve opening a neighborhood service center in the area and extended evening
hours with a mix of police and civilian personnel. This strategy works in conjunction with
Strategy P-2.3 in Chapter 5. Parks and Open Space which recommends hiring a full-time parks
ranger to patrol CSE Fresno parks. The parks ranger could be a Fresno Police Officer or a Civilian
Community Service Officer.

PS-1.2. Promote and support neighborhood watch groups.

CSE Fresno can advance community-based safety efforts by leveraging existing community
resources, neighborhood groups, and volunteers. The City and Police Department should
work with residents to support and expand neighborhood watch groups by conducting
additional outreach, working with active community members to mobilize additional residents,
and providing tools and resources. For instance, the Police Department could develop a
neighborhood watch toolkit that provides resources and training on volunteer management,
conducting effective group meetings, observation skills, and reporting suspicious activities.

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 PS-1.3. Fix broken lighting and add new LED lighting, particularly around schools and parks.
A major contributor to negative perceptions of safety in CSE Fresno is the lack of well-lit and
safe public spaces, especially at night. Streets, alleys, public spaces, and parks are often dark
and inactive at night, which invites unwanted activities and prevents community members
from feeling safe in these areas. The City should conduct a mapping survey to identify broken
or missing lights and locations with a severe lack of lighting and poor visibility. Based on the
results of the survey, the City should fix broken lighting and add new LED lighting, prioritizing
public gathering spaces and other high-need areas to enhance visibility and safety. Part of this
strategy should include actively promoting use of the FresGO site and app to report missing
and broken lighting.

PS-1.4. Work to strengthen relationships between residents and the Fresno Police Department.
Successful police-community relationships involve on-going efforts to work together in
meaningful ways to address public safety problems facing a neighborhood. Continued dialogue,
collaboration, transparency, and accountability around public safety policies and procedures
are key to fostering positive, peaceful, and mutually supporting relationships between CSE
Fresno residents and public safety officers. The Fresno Police Department regularly meets with
community members, has a Community Advisory Board in CSE Fresno, and partners with a
number of faith-based and other community groups to engage with the public through outreach
events. The Fresno Police Department should look to further promote the positive engagement
officers are currently conducting in the community. These efforts should focus on relationship
building. The first step might be to develop and implement a Community Safety and Outreach
Plan. The plan should include continuing to meet with community members on a regular
basis and expanding community connections to identify concerns, develop effective crime
prevention activities, and coordinate a collaborative response. Additional recommendations
include partnering with local organizations (e.g. Youth Leadership Institute, Cultiva La Salud,
Every Neighborhood Partnership, Bringing Broken Neighborhoods Back to Life) to provide
racial equity training and increase direct interaction between police and community members,
particularly youth, through coffee conversations, Saturday Sports, safety workshops, and
National Night Out block parties.

PS-1.5. Improve emergency service delivery and response times for CSE residents.
The Police Department, in coordination with other City Departments, should work to track,
analyze, and improve emergency service delivery and response times for CSE residents. An
effective multipronged approach could include:
• Improving response times for non-emergency calls by hiring additional Community Service
Officers.
• Assigning additional Crisis Teams to the CSE area.
• Increasing training for officers in behavioral and mental health, to help when responding to
conflicts/incidents involving residents dealing with these issues.
• Encouraging the Department to train officers in cultural sensitivity and support efforts to
recruit more bilingual officers.

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PS-2. Ensure that neighborhoods are clean and attractive.

PS-2.1. Increase maintenance and code enforcement activities in CSE Fresno to ensure that
homes, yards, and public spaces are safe and free from trash and debris.
Community members consistently cited the presence of trash, litter, graffiti, stray dogs, and
illegal dumping as issues contributing towards CSE Fresno’s negative image. The remediation of
blight and unsafe conditions is critical to not only create a more pleasant and livable environment,
but also to revamp CSE Fresno’s public image and attract renewed private investment that can
stimulate economic development (see Strategy ED-1.5). The City should work with the Police,
Fire and Code Enforcement, to increase code enforcement activities in CSE Fresno, ensuring
that homes, yards, businesses, and public spaces are safe and free from trash and debris.
Efforts should focus on the most dangerous properties and ongoing offenders. In addition, the
City should continue to expand and promote use of the FresGO site and app for reporting code
violations, potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping, and a variety of other issues. Incentivize use of the
app. For instance, the City could consider providing the app in English, Spanish, and Hmong.

PS-2.2. Organize community clean-up days.

The community also has a role to play in neighborhood clean-up and beautification. The City
should partner with local youth organizations, volunteer groups, schools, and churches to
organize community clean-up days on a regular and on-going schedule. The City and County
can support these efforts by providing staffing, organizational support, paint and tools, and free
trash collection.

PS-2.3. PS-2.3. Improve the process for responding to animal welfare issues such as stray or
loose dogs.
The City should work to improve the method and process for responding to animal welfare
complaints and issues such as stray or loose dogs in the community. This strategy includes
working collaboratively with other agencies, community partners and departments to respond
in a timely, safe, and humane manner and educating the public about secure confinement of
pets.

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2019 Fresno Serve Day. Photo credit:
Every Neighborhood Partnership
 Solar roof Green street with bioswale

Environment
E-1. Create a more livable, resilient, and sustainable community.
E-1.1. Develop an educational campaign to increase awareness of environmental sustainability
practices and resources.
Promoting environmental sustainability practices can produce multiple benefits, including
reducing energy and water use, helping the City meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets,
creating a healthier environment, and increasing community resilience. There are a variety
of sustainability incentives, programs, and resources that are currently available, but many
businesses and homeowners may not be aware of them. For example, the Property Assessed
Clean Energy (PACE) programs are currently available to property owners to help finance
energy and water efficiency upgrades. The City should develop a comprehensive education
and engagement program to make residents and property owners aware of environmental
sustainability best practices and resources. This could include:

• Developing easy-to-read materials on how to save energy, conserve water, reduce waste,
and protect natural resources.
• Reaching out to and providing technical assistance to business and property owners on
PACE, PG&E, EnergyWatch and other programs, rebates, and incentives to improve energy
efficiency and make upgrades to existing buildings.
• Work with FUSD to promote environmental literacy classes or urban ecology programs for
youth.
• Partnering with the County Health Department to distribute information on climate change,
including actions they can take to prepare for and increase resilience around hazardous
events.
• Promoting sustainable transportation choices such as walking, biking, and taking transit.

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E-1.2. Install green infrastructure (e.g. permeable paving, bio-retention areas) to improve
stormwater quality and reduce run-off.
The street and public space improvements envisioned for the Plan Area provide a unique
opportunity for the application of sustainable stormwater management and landscaping
practices. The City should work with Public Works and the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control
District to install green infrastructure treatments when renovating or building new parks,
roadways, and sidewalks. Landscape-based stormwater management design elements – often
referred to as “green infrastructure” – include stormwater planters, bioswales, rain gardens,
stormwater curb extensions, tree wells, and permeable pavement. Green infrastructure reduces
localized flooding, expands green space, improves streetscape aesthetics and landscape
health, provides cleaner and cooler air, enhances the pedestrian experience, and can increase
economic vitality.

E-1.3. Plant drought tolerant and low maintenance landscaping in parks and public spaces.
Whenever possible, the City should plant drought-tolerant, native, durable landscaping in parks
and public spaces to reduce water use, maintenance needs, and costs.

E-1.4. Provide financial assistance for low-income residents for solar installation.
Energy efficiency and solar programs are effective sustainability and economic development
programs that reduce energy use, help the City meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets,
and reduce household utility costs. The City should create a program to educate and assist
low-income residents with attaining State provided solar funding and discounts through the
Single-Family Solar Homes (DAC-SASH), Green Tariff (DAC-Green Tariff), and Community Solar
Green Tariff programs. As part of this strategy, the City could establish additional funding
and incentives for solar installation through a partnership with organizations such as GRID
Alternatives.

E-1.5. Plant additional street trees along key corridors.

Tree coverage offers shade, green infrastructure, a sense of enclosure on pedestrian streets,
provide a separation between people and moving vehicles, and support placemaking. The
greening of residential and commercial streets will contribute to a more walkable, safe, and
comfortable environment while helping to capture and filter rainwater and cleanse the air.
Because expanding the urban tree canopy serves the dual-purpose of improving environmental
sustainability and contributing to a strong pedestrian experience, this effort represents a
detailed action that helps to implement Strategy T-4.2.

To expand the tree canopy in CSE Fresno, the City should create and implement a tree planting
and landscape program for the Plan Area. The goal of the program would be to identify
streets and public spaces most in need of improvement and install additional street trees and
landscaping in those areas. Funding for new street trees should focus on the priority corridors
identified in Chapters 3 and 4 (Kings Canyon Road, Orange Avenue, Butler Avenue and Maple
Avenue). The program could be for public and private land and could be funded by non-profit
organizations such as Tree Fresno, and/or public agencies. Trees planted along public streets
should be subject to a street tree master plan to ensure consistent streetscape appearance and
character in CSE Fresno. 

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 CenCalVia event in Fresno. Photo credit: Central Daily Times

Community Empowerment
CE-1. Empower the community take action and improve quality of life for CSE Fresno.
CE-1.1. Actively engage all residents in the decision-making process for plans and projects
throughout the community.
Communities are safer and healthier when residents are empowered to take action to address
quality of life issues, be it formally working with the City or informally through neighborhood
groups, community organizations and educational institutions. This means providing community
members with the access, tools, education, and resources that increase their ability to make
decisions about and work collaboratively as neighborhoods to change the health of their social
and physical environment. The City should continue to identify and remove barriers to civic
participation for CSE residents, including cost, location of events and meetings, childcare,
language barriers, and lack of access. The City should also work to adopt youth-specific and
culturally effective engagement methods, including local print and electronic media, community
discussions and dialogue, and school-based strategies, incorporating lessons learned from
different engagement activities that worked or did not work for this community. Existing
communication strategies can be improved to promote greater dialogue between the City and
the community, supporting a better sense of transparency in governance.

CE-1.2. Identify and fund a neighborhood planning liaison to work closely with the community
on projects.
The City should consider hiring or identifying staff to work on community organizing by serving
as a neighborhood planning liaison. The liaison should work with the community on projects,
train residents in community organizing, strengthen ties between existing organizations and
assist them in applying for grants, and develop youth programs that foster advocacy, leadership,
and engagement. Giving residents, particularly youth, an opportunity to be directly involved in
projects and take charge of their own neighborhoods will build resident capacity and a more
inclusive CSE Fresno. This could be coordinated through Fresno Unified Parent University
and Fresno City College Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs which empower and
support parents and youth with learning courses, resources, and career development.

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CE-1.3. Work with local groups to host community events that bring the community together.
Community-oriented events can celebrate local cultural attractions, enhance social connectivity,
recognize local arts and artists, and increase local business revenues, all of which serve to improve
the quality of life in the neighborhood. While CSE Fresno hosts several annual events, such as
CenCalVia and the Big Fresno Fair, there is interest in hosting additional events in the area, both
smaller community-centric events and larger events that would draw regional patrons. The City
should work with local community groups and businesses to organize and host multicultural
events that increase opportunities for intercultural interaction, and celebrate and promote CSE
Fresno. One way to support and facilitate local events is by reducing fees and streamlining the
event permitting process. This might also include collaborating with CSE Fresno businesses
and residents for identification, participation, and sponsoring events. Lastly, creating a more
intentional promotion and social media marketing strategy can increase awareness of arts and
cultural programming and events in CSE Fresno.

CE-1.4. Foster neighborhood identity within the CSE area and establish Neighborhood
Committees.
With few exceptions, Fresno does not have a tradition of defined neighborhoods. Instead,
the name of a major intersection or a nearby school or shopping center is used by residents
to identify where they live and work. The Plan Area includes few identified neighborhoods. A
defined neighborhood can be a strong feature of individual and group identity. With its spatial
delineation, it can also develop a sense of history, place, and pride. Establishing neighborhood
boundaries can provide a foundation for community and civic efforts, including the ability to
measure key indicators over time, which can enable a more enriched understanding of how
community resources can be leveraged. The City should partner with Fresno State, Fresno Pacific
University, and the CSESP Steering Committee members to identify distinct neighborhoods in
the Plan Area. This could be completed through research of the Plan Area’s history, identifying
natural features, amenities and landmarks, and collection of empirical data.
Throughout the planning process, community members expressed a desire to continue to stay
actively engaged with other interested stakeholders and ongoing efforts that are undertaken
from the Plan. The City should provide a mechanism for community members to stay actively
engaged by establishing Neighborhood Committees. The Neighborhood Committees could be
appointed and maintained by the appropriate City Councilmember’s office, with consideration
for equitable representation. The Neighborhood Committees could be leveraged to fulfill the
goals of the Plan and to provide ongoing information and guidance on evolving issues and
opportunities in the community.

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ch.
8
next steps &
funding

Photo credit: SUTP

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 CHAPTER 8: Next Steps & Funding

next steps & funding

8.1 Introduction
This Plan articulates the community’s vision and creates an action-driven framework to transform CSE
Fresno into a safe, livable, and prosperous community over the next 20 to 30 years. To realize this vision,
the City, community, and partners must be creative and proactive in leveraging existing resources and
collaborators and establishing new funding sources, mechanisms, and innovative partnerships. This
chapter outlines the community’s priorities, next steps, and potential funding and financing strategies to
implement the Plan’s recommended improvements and programs.

8.2 Community Priorities

This Plan articulates a broad range of goals and strategies that serve as tools for implementing the
community’s vision. All of the goals and strategies within the Plan are important in order to create a
thriving CSE Fresno, yet many fall beyond the authority, discretion, or fiscal abilities of the City alone.
To ensure that implementation efforts are focused on those issues most important to the community,
the Steering Committee ranked all of the Plan goals in order of priority. Table 8-1 outlines the top
goals defined by the Steering Committee, organized by level of priority – high, medium, and low. The
community, Steering Committee, City Staff, and City Council should revisit these priority goals annually
and make adjustments as needed.

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 Table 8-1. Community Priorities

Topic Area Goal

Tier 1
Parks + Open Space P-1. Increase the amount of parkland in CSE Fresno to ensure that all
residents are within a 5-minute walk of a park or open space.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-1. Transform Kings Canyon Road into a walkable and lively corridor with
a diverse mix of retail, service, residential, cultural, and institutional uses
that will attract both local residents and regional visitors.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-9. Expand housing supply to accommodate households of all sizes,
stages of life, and income levels.
Transportation, Public T-1. Rebalance existing roadways to create a network of safe, connected, and
Realm, and Infrastructure accessible Complete Streets for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians,
transit vehicles, and motorists.
Transportation, Public T-3. Improve safety and reduce conflicts between pedestrians, bicyclists,
Realm, and Infrastructure and drivers, particularly around centers of activity.
Economic Development ED-1. Improve the appearance and cleanliness of CSE Fresno to attract new
businesses, customers, and investment.
Quality of Life PS-1. Reduce crime and improve police-community relations.
Quality of Life PH-2. Expand access to culturally-competent medical and mental health
services.
Quality of Life CE-1. Empower the community take action and improve quality of life for
CSE Fresno.
Tier 2
Parks + Open Space P-3. Expand recreational programming and facilities to meet the needs of
users of all ages and abilities.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-2. Build on existing institutions and opportunity sites along Butler
Avenue, particularly near Maple Avenue, to create a series of central
neighborhood-supporting hubs for daily retail and service needs, cultural
activities, education, and recreation.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-3. Intensify, activate, and beautify Orange Avenue, building on its existing
character to strengthen its identity and appeal.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-5. Redevelop the former IRS facility site as a technology-centered
employment and education campus that can provide training, jobs, and
residences for workers and students.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-8. Improve the safety, quality, and condition of housing structures and
the neighborhoods they inhabit.
Transportation, Public T-4. Provide a well-connected, comfortable, and inviting pedestrian
Realm, and Infrastructure environment that encourages residents to walk to and between key
destinations.
Transportation, Public T-5. Improve bicyclist safety and encourage biking between destinations.
Realm, and Infrastructure

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Topic Area Goal

Economic Development ED-3. Expand availability of and access to worker and student education, job
training, and placement programs.
Quality of Life PS-2. Ensure that neighborhoods are clean and attractive.
Quality of Life PH-1. Improve access to healthy, affordable, and culturally-relevant food and
beverages.
Quality of Life E-1. Create a more livable, resilient, and sustainable community.
Tier 3
Parks + Open Space P-2. Improve the quality and safety of parks in CSE Fresno.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-4. Activate and integrate the Fairgrounds into the existing fabric of the
community.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-6. Promote office and clean/non-nuisance employment uses while
ensuring compatibility and protections for residential neighborhoods.
Land Use + Urban Design LU-7. Pursue policies and programs that support housing stability and
mitigate displacement.
Transportation, Public T-2. Improve connectivity between residential areas and local and regional
Realm, and Infrastructure destinations such as schools, parks, community centers, transit, retail, and
employment centers.
Transportation, Public T-6. Provide comfortable, frequent, and reliable transit service that meets
Realm, and Infrastructure community needs.
Transportation, Public T-7. Ensure the efficient movement of goods while protecting community
Realm, and Infrastructure health and safety.
Transportation, Public T-8. Improve parking availability for residents and visitors, particularly
Realm, and Infrastructure during special events.
Transportation, Public T-9. Provide a network of high-functioning and sustainable infrastructure
Realm, and Infrastructure systems in CSE Fresno.
Economic Development ED-2. Foster the creation, retention, expansion, and attraction of local and
small businesses.
Quality of Life PH-3. Provide a variety of affordable community childcare and youth
services.
Quality of Life PH-4. Promote compatible uses and protections for residential
neighborhoods.

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 8.3 Next Steps and Plan Tracking
The City’s next step should be to align the community priorities with existing opportunities and
resources to effectively implement, or make significant progress on, related projects. This should
include incorporating recommendations into the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), establishing
priority programs, applying for grant funding, and partnering with residents and local organizations to
initiate community-led programs or activities. The City recognizes its lead role, but it will take strong
partnerships to fully implement the Plan. City, County, other local government agency staff, residents,
and other stakeholders should use this Plan daily to guide their projects, funding applications, and other
improvements in alignment with the community’s vision.

Given the importance, urgency, and complexity of some of the recommended projects and programs,
and unknown changes that will occur over the next 20+ years in funding, laws and technological
innovation, the Plan must be considered a “living document.” It should be monitored and updated on a
regular basis to reflect progress, new lessons learned, changing circumstances, new opportunities, and
community priorities over time. A successful monitoring and evaluation process requires regular data
collection, data analysis, community outreach, and input and the willingness to revise the City’s priorities
as needed. The City should establish a community meeting schedule to review progress, successes, and
challenges with CSE Fresno residents and partners. This process would allow the community to request
modifications to strategies and actions or changes in priorities. Following this meeting, City staff should
provide a progress report to City Council, which if necessary, will include recommended updates to Plan
strategies or priorities.

8.4 Funding and Financing Strategy

Successful implementation of the CSESP requires funding of parks and infrastructure projects, affordable
housing, street upgrades, as well as new and existing programming. The City may choose to proactively
fund and construct public realm (e.g. streetscape, bike lanes, lighting, etc.) and infrastructure (e.g. water
supply, stormwater, wastewater systems, etc.) improvements as a means of shifting perceptions of the
area and encouraging private investment. However, no local government can fund all of these initiatives
on its own and Fresno needs contributions from its partners to realize the Plan’s vision. With these
limitations in mind this section identifies some of the primary government funding opportunities and
mechanisms that could be used for Plan activities and recommendations. In many cases, multiple funding
and financing sources will need to be combined in order to pay for specific projects or programs.

Although the terms “funding” and “financing” are often used interchangeably, there is an important
distinction between the two terms. “Funding” typically refers to a revenue source such as a tax,
fee, or grant that is used to pay for an improvement. Some funding sources, such as impact fees,
are one-time payments, while others, such as assessments, are ongoing payments. “Financing”
involves borrowing against future revenues by issuing bonds or other debt instruments that are
paid back over time through taxes or fee payments, enabling agencies to pay for infrastructure
before the revenue to cover the full cost of the infrastructure is available.

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Photo credit: ashwoodco.com

Funding and Financing Sources and Mechanisms

The funding sources and financing tools described below have been evaluated relative to their purpose,
process of adoption, and implementation. Funding and financing mechanisms are organized under four
broad categories:
1. Federal, State, and regional funding sources
2. Tax increment financing
3. Developer, property owner, and user funding, financing and incentives
4. Existing City resources

As Table 8-2 below illustrates, the categories differ in terms of the scope and scale of their targeted
improvements.

Table 8-2. Funding Source Categories, Examples, and Timing of Availability

Estimated Project
Source Description
Timing
Federal, State, and Regional Funding Programs
Federal and state loans and incentive programs offer
sources of gap financing and funding for local infrastructure
and economic development projects. The following loan
programs are some of the most widely used sources: One-time, as sources are
Loan Programs
• State Infrastructure Bank: Industrial Development typically competitive and
Bonds timing of availability is
• State Infrastructure Bank Revolving Loan Program uncertain until secured.
• Statewide Community Infrastructure Program
• Clean Water State Revolving Fund
• Section 108 Loans

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 Estimated Project
Source Description
Timing
Federal, State, and Regional Funding Programs
The following provides a sample of applicable grant
programs that could be used to support improvements in
the Plan Area.

• Regional Sustainable Infrastructure Planning Grant.

Administered by the Fresno Council of Governments
(COG) to encourage coordinated multimodal
transportation and land use planning to support
reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• Cap and Trade Funds – AHSC Program (Affordable
Housing & Sustainable Communities). Administered
by the Strategic Growth Council and implemented
through HCD to incentivize the development of
compact, transit-oriented affordable housing,
transportation improvements, and related programs
that reduce GHGs.
• Infill Infrastructure Grant Program (IIG). Administered
by HCD with a primary goal to promote infill One-time, as sources are
affordable and mixed-income housing development typically competitive and
by funding infrastructure improvements. timing of availability is
Grants (Sample)
uncertain until secured.
• Active Transportation Program (ATP). Administered
by Caltrans to encourage increased use of active
modes of transportation, biking & walking.
• Senate Bill 2 (SB 2): California’s Building Homes and
Jobs Fund. California’s Building Homes and Jobs
Fund (created by SB 2) provides funding to support
housing development.
• Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Grant.
Provides technical assistance to communities, states,
tribes and others to assess, safely clean up and
sustainably reuse contaminated properties.
• Measure C TOD Fund. A sales tax fund aimed at
improving the overall quality of Fresno County’s
transportation system.
• The San Joaquin Valley Air District Bike Paths Grant.
Provides funding to assist with the development or
expansion of a comprehensive bicycle-transportation
network.

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 CHAPTER 8: Next Steps & Funding

Estimated Project
Source Description
Timing
District-Based Tools
Benefit Assessment Districts allow cities to finance the
costs of needed services by assessing area property owners
based on benefits received by funded improvements or
facilities. Improvements must confer “special benefits”
Assessment upon affected property owners and assessments must Ongoing, and grows over
District be assigned in direct proportion to the benefits received. time. Some sources allow
Facilities or services funded by a special assessment district for up-front revenue via
could include streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, water, bond financing.
sewer, gas electric, lighting, drainage or flood control
facilities and improvements. Benefit assessments require
a greater than 50 percent ballot approval that is weighted
based on the financial obligation of each property owner.
Community Facilities Districts (or Mello-Roos Districts)
allow local agencies to create assessment districts and
raise funds through special property taxes. They provide
financing for public capital investment and operating
improvements within the district through tax-exempt
Community bonds sponsored by a public agency. Examples of eligible
Facilities District Ongoing, and grows over
improvements include streets and public right of way
(CFD) or Mello- improvements, park, recreation, and open-space facilities, time. Some sources allow
Roos school, library, and childcare facilities, water, wastewater, for up-front revenue via
flooding, and other infrastructure. Community Facilities bond financing.
Districts require a two-thirds majority approval by residents
(or land owners, if fewer than 12 registered voters reside in
the district).
Unlike Benefit Assessment Districts, no findings of special
benefit are required for CFDs.
Following the dissolution of Redevelopment Agencies in
2012, the State has bolstered alternative means of tax
increment finance, through the approval of legislation that
permits the creation of “Enhanced Infrastructure Finance
Districts” (EIFDs), Infrastructure and Revitalization Districts
(IRFDs) and Community Revitalization and Investment
Authorities (CRIAs). CRIAs, in particular, are intended to
provide a source of funding for infrastructure and housing
Infrastructure Ongoing, and grows over
in disadvantaged communities. Once established, these
Finance Districts time. Some sources allow
districts are authorized to receive tax increment revenues
(IFDs, EIFDs, for up-front revenue via
from a defined area with the consent of affected taxing
IRFDs, and CRIAs) entities, excluding school districts. Tax increment revenues bond financing.
may be used to fund a variety of capital facilities and
housing. The financing capacity of the districts is driven by
the portion of the base 1% tax levy that is dedicated to the
district. It can be an effective tool when either a sponsoring
city receives a large share of the 1% property tax levy or
if counties agree to contribute a portion of the county
increment to the district.

195
 Estimated Project
Source Description
Timing
Developer, Property Owners, and Users
A fee rate could be established for all new residential
development in the Plan Area that would be specifically
Linkage Fees targeted to support affordable housing development. Such One-time, as development
fees link the production of market rate real estate to that activity occurs
of affordable housing. The fee would require a nexus study
and adoption by the City Council.

Pursuant to the Mitigation Fee Act, local agencies may

assess impact fees to mitigate for new development’s
impact on the need for infrastructure and other capital
facilities. Impact fees may fund capital facilities required
to serve new development only – they may not be used to
Development
fund ongoing operations and maintenance, other services, One-time, as development
Impact Fees
or existing infrastructure and facility deficiencies. Fees activity occurs
are typically paid at the time of building permit issuance
or recording the final subdivision map and are placed into
a separate impact fee fund for specific improvements.
Parking or traffic mitigation fees are examples of
development impact fees.

A Property and Business Based Improvement District

(PBID) places a special assessment on properties within
the district boundaries to fund specific services and
improvements within the district. Funds collected by the
local government are then directed to the PBID, which is
Property and operated by a nonprofit entity formed by district property
Business Based owners. Revenues are commonly used to augment district Potentially ongoing
Improvement services (e.g. sanitation, security, marketing and economic
District (PBID) development initiatives) but can also be used to fund small-
and large-scale capital improvements. Improvements may
also be financed via issuance of bond debt supported by
benefit assessments.

Multifamily Improvement Districts are similar to PBIDs

but focus on providing services to benefit apartments,
condominiums, mobile home parks, and other high-density
residential uses. These types of districts are most commonly
Multifamily used in disadvantaged communities to augment existing
Improvement services and promote activities beneficial to the district. Potentially ongoing
Districts (MID) MID assessments may pay for a variety of activities and
improvements, including supplemental security services
and improvements, parking, sidewalks, street lighting, and
landscaping. Improvements may also be financed via
issuance of bond debt supported by benefit assessments.

196 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN

 CHAPTER 8: Next Steps & Funding

Estimated Project
Source Description
Timing
It is common for local agencies to enter into a development
agreement when conferring long-term entitlements
for a major project. As part of the negotiation process,
developers may agree to provide extraordinary benefits,
including infrastructure and other public facilities. These
commitments are agreed upon at the discretion of
negotiating parties and as such are not subject to the
Development
Mitigation Fee Act. The nature and magnitude of benefits
Agreements One-time, as development
provided will depend on local market conditions, the
with Enhanced activity occurs
entitlements, and the development economics of the
Entitlements
project. Providing favorable entitlements can be an
effective means for funding infrastructure and public
facilities. Examples include: reducing parking requirements,
increasing permitted floor to area ratios, etc. By increasing
the value of the private development, additional “value”
is created, a portion of which can be directed towards
infrastructure improvements.
Economic incentive agreements can provide the private
sector with public funding in situations where a commercial
project may not be financially feasible but has the potential
to deliver measurable community benefits. Strict legal
limits apply to the type and scope of such public funding
agreements, especially in the wake of the loss of local
redevelopment authority in California. Moreover, any such
public funding provided to the private sector will trigger
Davis Bacon prevailing wage requirements which may
Economic offset any benefits to project economics. Under current
One-time, as development
Incentive legal authority and defined circumstances one example
activity occurs
Agreements is where a city or county enters into an agreement
pledging to rebate a portion of sales taxes generated by
new businesses locating to an area that designate the
jurisdiction as the “point of sale”. Offering to rebate a
portion of transient occupancy tax revenue generated
by lodging development provides another example of an
economic incentive agreement. Developers can use such
public funding commitments to directly fund project costs
or as a pledge to equity partners or commercial lenders,
thus improving project feasibility.
Many local agencies permit developers to construct area-
serving infrastructure such as streets, utilities, parks and
Fee Credits/ open space in lieu of paying certain impact fees. Local
One-time, as development
Reimbursement agencies may also enter into agreements to reimburse
activity occurs
Agreements developers for investments in area-serving infrastructure
in cases where the value of the investment exceeds fees
otherwise owed by the project.

197
 Estimated Project
Source Description
Timing
Developer, Property Owners, and Users (continued)
As a requirement of approval, developers may be required
to undertake a number of mitigation measures as defined
by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The One-time, as development
CEQA Mitigations
Environmental Assessment for the Plan will identify the activity occurs
CEQA mitigations that will be required of new development
within the Specific Plan Area.
Investments in a federally designated Opportunity Zone
are subject to certain tax advantages that can improve
the attractiveness of certain investment opportunities.
Opportunity
Opportunity Zones are intended to spur economic Potentially ongoing
Zone
development by providing tax incentives for investors to
invest new capital in businesses operating in a Qualified
Opportunity Zone.
The NMTC program incentivizes community development
and economic growth through the use of federal income
tax credits that attract private investment to distressed
communities. Tax credits are sold to private investors
and used to make debt or equity investments in entities
located in qualified low income communities through
New Market Tax One-time, as development
a local financial intermediary known as a Community
Credits (NMTC) activity occurs
Development Entity (CDE). Access to funding from the
NMTC program is highly competitive. Successful projects
are those that can demonstrate significant positive
community impacts, usually in the form of permanent job
creation, new goods and services, access to healthy food
options, and environmental sustainability.
City Resources
General Fund While not a primary funding source, the City’s General Fund Ongoing, and potentially
may be a useful source for short-term funding prior to the available if prioritized by
identification of longer-term sources of capital. the community
Infrastructure projects identified in the Specific Plan –
Capital including the major capital improvement projects – are Ongoing, and potentially
Improvement candidates for inclusion in the City’s Capital Improvement available if prioritized by
Program Program, which is updated annually and includes a the community
projection of five years of future infrastructure projects.

198 FRESNO CENTRAL SOUTHEAST SPECIFIC PLAN