Fresno Building Standards Appeals Board Meeting - February 10, 2026
Fresno Building Standards Appeals Board Meeting - February 10, 2026
The Building Standards Appeals Board met on February 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers to hear two code enforcement appeals and to approve an amendment to the board's rules and regulations. Chair Imelda Golik presided. Key decisions included affirming an administrative citation for an unpermitted shed while granting additional compliance time, approving a new attendance policy limiting unexcused absences, and dismissing a notice and order for a property on North Van Ness Boulevard by a 3-2 vote.
Consent Calendar
- No items were placed on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during the general public comment period.
Discussion Items
- Appeal of Administrative Citation E25-06722 (7462 E. Fedora Avenue): The board heard an appeal by Carmen Sanchez regarding a $250 citation for an unpermitted prefabricated shed. Staff (Assistant City Attorney Christina Roberson and Inspector Gilbert Ruelas) presented evidence that the structure required a permit, proper notice was given, and the permit process had not been completed. Appellant Sanchez explained she was unaware a permit was needed and requested additional time due to financial hardship. After discussion, the board affirmed the citation (finding the violation supported by code) but granted an extension until June 3, 2026, for Sanchez to submit complete building plans; staff agreed not to issue further citations before that date provided progress was made. Motion carried 5-0.
- Amendment to Board Rules and Regulations (ID 26-141): Assistant Director Ashley Atkinson presented a new attendance requirement (Article 4, Section 3) modeled after the Historic Preservation Commission: board members may not have more than five unexcused absences in a fiscal year, with written notification to the member and Mayor’s Office potentially leading to removal; excused absences require prior notice. The board approved the amendment unanimously (5-0).
- Appeal of Notice and Order E25-16428 (7443 N. Van Ness Boulevard): The board considered an appeal by property owners Bryce and Jennifer Hovanishan (represented by Attorney Michael Titus) of a December 4, 2025, Notice and Order citing five violations: unpermitted remodeling, rubbish/junk, outdoor storage, vehicle on unpaved surface, and unpermitted stucco work. Staff presented photographic evidence of toilets, sinks, a large plumbing fixture, building materials, and an unfinished stucco appearance. The appellants argued the work was cosmetic (tiling, painting, removing and reinstalling a drop-in tub, scraping and re-dashing stucco) and that material was being moved in and out. The building official (Eric Frampton) provided guidance: replacing a toilet in the same location does not require a permit, but relocation does; a simple color coat on existing stucco typically does not require a permit, but removal/replacement with lath and water-resistive barrier would; 220-volt wiring modifications require electrical permits. The property owner declined an interior inspection. Board members debated the evidence, noting the preponderance of evidence standard and the lack of verification of interior work. The board voted 3-2 to grant the appeal and dismiss the Notice and Order (Chair Golik, Board Members Field and Mears in favor; Vice Chair Vincent and Board Member Ransom opposed).
Key Outcomes
- Appeal E25-06722: Denied the appeal (confirmed the administrative citation) but allowed the appellant until June 3, 2026, to submit complete building plans and avoid further citations if good-faith progress is shown. Vote: 5-0.
- Rules Amendment (ID 26-141): Approved the attendance policy amendment. Vote: 5-0.
- Appeal E25-16428: Granted the appeal and dismissed the December 4, 2025, Notice and Order. Vote: 3-2.
- Next Steps: The meeting adjourned at 2:19 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
I think is this working? Yeah. All right. Good afternoon, everyone. I'll call this meeting of the building standards appeals board to order now. Would you please call the role secretary? Board member fields. Here. Board member Mears. Here. Board member Ransom. Here. Vice Chair Vincent. Here. Chair Golick. Here. Okay. We will first have a staff presentation and then followed by the presentation. The project applicant. Will present testimonies from supporters of the project will be taken, followed by testimony for the opposition. The applicant will have the right for a final rebuttal. And prior to closing the public hearing. So is that all clear to everyone? Okay, in accordance to the standards. The public testimony for those in support and opposite will be minute limited to three minutes. Just remember that. There is a light that will turn on next to the microphone, and it'll indicate the amount of time that's remaining. So you kind of will give in a warning. So let's see, what am I? Um no no no no. Speak begins. A yellow light will come on and a soft bell will ring. That means that you have one minute remaining. And then uh it'll be followed by a red light where it says that's it, you're done. Any test of the public uh testimony must be presented to the board in the podium. So there is a podium there that you would have come in. Any testimony um that references uh race, religious, ethnicity, uh, economic status, uh, national origin or any other classifications protected under the state and federal law in uh in a derogatory manner and shall be deemed irrelevant and will not be considered by the board. If you challenge these land use matters in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues that you or someone else has raised in an oral presentation or testimony before this hearing. Now we'll proceed with the approval of the agenda. See, are there any uh uh changes to the agenda? Good afternoon, uh chair and board, Ashley Atkinson, assistant director for planning and development. There are no changes to the agenda, but if I could just ask everyone to be sure to move the microphone close enough to you that you can be heard by the audience, that would be appreciated. You can't hear me. Now we can. Yes, we cannot hear you before. I can hear me too. Oh, there any proposed changes? What is going on? Okay, but why am I buzzing? So it won't record clear.
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