Fresno Planning Commission Meeting - May 6, 2026: Costco Project Approved
Fresno Planning Commission Meeting - May 6, 2026
The Fresno Planning Commission met on May 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The commission considered several planning items, including a major Costco commercial center project. The meeting adjourned at 6:41 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes from the January 28, 2026, regular meeting.
Continued Matters
- Item VII-A (ID 26-541): Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6540 and related permits for a 138-lot single-unit residential development on 26.25 acres west of North Willow Avenue – continued to May 20, 2026.
- Item VIII-A (ID 26-568): Plan Amendment, Rezone, Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 6419, and Planned Development Permit for a 53-lot single-unit residential development on 8.47 acres at East Copper Avenue and North Portofino Drive – continued to May 20, 2026.
- Item VIII-B (ID 26-569): Plan Amendment, Rezone, and Conditional Use Permit for a ±3,500 sq. ft. automated car wash on ±0.84 acres at East Copper Avenue – continued to May 20, 2026.
Discussion Items: Costco Commercial Center Project (Item VIII-C)
- Background: The project (originally filed in 2021) was previously approved by the Planning Commission in February 2024 and by the City Council later that year, but the Council rescinded approvals in November 2025. A partially recirculated Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared from November 21, 2025, to January 5, 2026, focusing only on greenhouse gas emissions. The final EIR was completed in early 2026. The revised proposal includes a ±219,216 sq. ft. Costco warehouse with market delivery operations, a 32-dispenser (16-pump) fuel station, a ±4,800 sq. ft. car wash, and numerous off-site improvements. The project requires a rezone to Commercial General, two plan amendments, a conditional use permit for a Type 21 alcohol license, and a planned development permit for taller parking lot light fixtures.
- Environmental Analysis: The EIR identified four significant and unavoidable impacts: construction noise, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) inconsistency with CEQA Section 15064, geometric design hazards, and cumulative transportation impacts. The recirculated section on greenhouse gas emissions concluded a less-than-significant impact. A revised Statement of Overriding Considerations and updated Municipal Code findings were presented for adoption.
- Commissioner Questions: Commissioner Calandra asked about a traffic signal at Arthur Avenue; staff confirmed none is planned. Commissioner Shergill asked about traffic impacts; the project team stated that Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) is reduced compared to the existing Shaw Avenue store and that a separate transportation study with city engineers led to comprehensive traffic conditions and improvements, including a full connection of Spruce Avenue with traffic calming, and truck routes that keep deliveries off North Riverside Drive.
- Public Testimony:
- Support: Doug Jensen, representing property owner Jenko Farms, urged approval, citing the need for adequate parking.
- Opposition: Daniel Brannick, from the Hearn and Riverside Coalition for Responsible Planning and Development, opposed the project, arguing that the environmental review is flawed and that the market delivery distribution use is inconsistent with the Commercial General zoning without a text amendment. He contended that the VMT mitigation fee program should be applied as feasible mitigation, noting the project's 120,000 VMT compared to the program's 67,429 units.
- Applicant Rebuttal: Eric Phillips, attorney for Costco, stated that the integrated uses constitute a large-format retail use permitted in the zone, and that the city's land use consistency findings are thorough. He argued the GHG analysis is conservative and consistent with state law, and that the VMT mitigation fee was expressly made inapplicable to projects already in process with completed transportation analysis.
- Commission Discussion: Commissioner Shergill noted the existing Shaw Avenue Costco is very congested and that the west of State Route 99 area is a retail desert, supporting the project's benefits for consumers and competition.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Approve the Costco Project Recommendation to City Council: Made by Commissioner Shergill, seconded by Commissioner Lyday. The motion carried 5-0 (Commissioners Bray, Diaz, Lyday, Calandra, Shergill voted aye; Chairman Vang and Commissioner Criner were absent).
The recommendation includes:
- Certification of the 2026 Final Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2021100443).
- Adoption of the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations.
- Adoption of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.
- Approval of Plan Amendment Application No. P21-01960 (change to General Commercial and reclassify Herndon Avenue to Super Arterial).
- Introduction of a bill for Rezone Application No. P21-01960.
- Approval of Conditional Use Permit No. P21-01959 (warehouse, car wash, fuel station), No. P21-03251 (Type 21 alcohol license), and Planned Development Permit No. P21-03252 (taller light fixtures).
- Adoption of Fresno Municipal Code Findings.
- Three other items (VII-A, VIII-A, VIII-B) were continued to May 20, 2026.
Other Reports
- Director Jennifer Clark announced that May is Historic Preservation Month. Commissioners were encouraged to attend events, including a kickoff at the Fresno City County Historical Society and the annual pub quiz on May 21st.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, it's six o'clock, and it's the Plan Commission meeting for May 6th, 2026. Um, Commissioner Lide. Commissioner Colandra. Commissioner Diaz. Here. Commissioner Craigner. Commissioner Shergill. Here Chairman. We'll do the pledge of allegiance now. Standard. I'll read the procedures now. This meeting is being conducted in person and electronically. For each matter considered by the commission, there will first be a staff presentation, followed by a presentation from the project applicant. Testimony from supporters of the project will then be taken, followed by testimony from those in opposition. The applicant will have the right to a final rebuttal presentation prior to closing the public hearing. In accordance with section 13 of Article 2 of the Planning Commission rules and regulations governing the length of public debate, all public testimony from those in support and in opposition of the project will be limited to three minutes per person. The three lights on the podium next to the microphone will indicate the amount of time remaining for the speaker. The green light will be turned on when the speaker begins. The yellow light will come on with a soft bell ring when one minute is remaining. All in-person public testimony must be presented to the commission at the podium. Any testimony that ref references race, religion, ethnicity, economic status, national origin, or other classification protected under state or federal law in a derogatory manner shall be deemed irrelevant and will not be considered by the commission in making its land lose land use decisions. If you challenge these land use matters in court, you may limit it to only those issues that you or someone else raised in oral or written testimony or before the close of the hearing. So we'll start today's meeting with approval of the agenda. Are there any changes to the agenda? Good evening, Vice Chair Brave. Commissioners, Philip Seeger's Planning and Development Department. There are no changes to tonight's agenda. Do any of the commissioners have a change for the agenda? Is there a motion to approve the agenda? Second. The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Kalandra. Seconded by Commissioner Diaz. Okay, would the secretary please take? Oh, let's just do if you're in favor, signal aye. Aye. Okay. Opposed. We'll go to the consent calendar. Um, we have the um regular meeting minutes from January 28th. Um, do you have any additions to that? Can I have a second? Second. So if you're in favor of the approval, say aye. Aye. Any nays. Are there any reports by commissioners? Okay. Uh, our continued matters uh 8AID 26541 is continued to May 2026. And uh new matter 8A ID 26-568 is also continued to May 20th, 2026. As is 8B, ID 26569.
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