With jobs hanging in the balance, Fresno Planning Commission rejects controversial environmental plan

The Fresno Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Fresno City Council reject the proposed South Center specific plan.

Many south Fresno business representatives spoke out against the plan at Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting, fearing the plan would harm new developments and existing businesses.

Why is this important: The specific South Central Plan governs development of the area generally located south of California Avenue, north of American Avenue, and between Fig Avenue and Peace Avenue.

• The current plan as proposed would reduce heavy industrial space by 17%. This would create a business park, a regional business park, and a light industrial land use buffer between heavy industry and sensitive uses. Additionally, all existing residential sites will be assigned a residential land use designation.

Go deeper: The proposed plan would create a South Central Special Plan Overlay Area District that would implement a range of development standards.

• Such standards include prohibiting certain uses within 1,000 feet of a sensitive area, applying building rehabilitation standards, and applying additional rules to the classification of warehouse, storage and distribution uses.

What we’re watching: The plan will go before the Fresno City Council on Dec. 5.

• The City Council will decide to approve or reject the plan or direct city officials to amend it.