Fresno City Council Regular Meeting – May 21, 2026

The Fresno City Council met on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers for a regular meeting. The meeting included ceremonial presentations, scheduled hearings, a consent calendar, contested consent items, a workshop on a transparency portal, and closed session discussions. Six councilmembers were present (Esparza, Maxwell, Perea, Karbassi, Arias, Vang); Councilmember Richardson was absent. Key actions included approval of a major Costco Commercial Center project, adoption of the 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan, and approval of Community Facilities District annexations.

Ceremonial Presentations

• Older Americans Month (May 2026): Presented by Council President Esparza and Vice President Maxwell; recognized Dr. Bill Daly and West Fresno Family Resource Center.
• Vietnam Veterans of America William G. Camp Chapter 933 Memorial Day (May 25, 2026): Presented by Councilmember Karbassi on behalf of Councilmember Richardson.
• National Bike Month (May 2026): Presented by Councilmember Vang and Mayor Dyer; celebrated by the Active Transportation Advisory Committee.
• National Public Works Week (May 17–23, 2026): Presented by Mayor Dyer; recognized Public Works, Utilities, and General Services departments.
• Honoring Kehinde Solwazi on His Retirement: Proclaimed May 21, 2026 as Dr. Solwazi Day for his contributions to Fresno City College and the African American community.
• Celebrating 70 Years at KFSN-TV: Proclaimed May 21, 2026 as KFSN-TV ABC 30 Day.
• Central High School Wrestling Team: Recognized the undefeated 21-0 season and academic achievements.
• Fresno City College Beach Volleyball Team: Recognized the historic undefeated 29-0 season and state championships.
• A proclamation for Mid Valley’s Recycler of the Year was tabled with no return date.

Public Comments & Testimony

• CFD No. 9 Annexation No. 73 (9:15 AM): Brunette from Southwest Fresno opposed the annexation and consultant fees, stating the community has no say in District 3 decisions.
• 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan (9:25 AM): Speakers included Brandi Nevarez (support for housing and health services), Lady Diana Oliva (support for South Tower Land Trust and Hopwa funding), Kiel Lopez Schmidt (support for community-led HOPWA services), Ashley (support for South Tower Land Trust community work), and Dallas Blanchard (program manager of Needle Exchange, clarified referral role).
• Consent Calendar/Contested Consent/Closed Session: Anthony Molina (supported Vision Zero and active transportation); Khalila Lee (code enforcement complaint at 4070 East Butler); Joseph R. (opposed Entertainment Zone); Brunette (again); Joe Martinez (supported Vision Zero, shared personal story of traffic violence); Alfred Aldrete (opposed Entertainment Zone).
• BOLD Program (9:40 AM): Darren Rose (Building Industry Association) expressed strong support.
• Costco Project (9:20 AM): Daniel Bran (opponent) argued zoning and CEQA flaws; Doug Jensen (landowner) urged approval; David Burkhart (resident) supported the project for tax base and convenience.

Discussion Items

• Community Facilities District No. 9 Annexation No. 74 (9:10 AM): Approved without presentation or public comment; vote 4-0 (Esparza, Perea, Richardson absent).
• Community Facilities District No. 9 Annexation No. 73 (9:15 AM): Presented by Utility Manager Mata. Approved 6-0 after explanation that it sets a special tax on a Starbucks property for maintenance.
• Costco Commercial Center Project (9:20 AM): Extensive discussion. Planning Manager Siegrist presented the revised EIR (partially recirculated to address greenhouse gas emissions). The council heard from Costco’s legal counsel and technical experts. Key issues: zoning consistency of the Market Delivery Operation (MDO) as an accessory use; GHG analysis using state/regional policies; applicability of VMT mitigation fees (deemed not legally feasible because VMT program adopted after EIR circulation). Councilmember Karbassi moved to approve, citing job retention, income capture, and cost-of-living benefits. Councilmember Arias questioned effectiveness of trip reduction measures. The project includes conditions: new road (Arthur Ave) to route truck traffic away from homes, traffic signal upgrades, turn pockets, and EV charging stations. Approved 5-0 (Arias absent, Richardson absent).
• 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan (9:25 AM): Hearing for public input. Councilmember Arias moved to reallocate $150,000 (from Westcare and Community Medical Centers) to South Tower Community Land Trust for HOPWA-funded housing support. Motion failed for lack of a second. Staff clarified that the proposed needle exchange referral component is not an eligible HOPWA activity. The item was held until afternoon for further information. Later in the afternoon, council approved the plan as recommended by staff 5-0 (Karbassi absent) with intent to seek alternative funding for South Tower during budget process. A question about a 10-foot security fence for Fire Station 3 was resolved: staff confirmed it will be built to 6-foot standard per development code.
• Senior Activity Center TOD Housing Street Improvements (9:30 AM): Approved 6-0. Includes dedication of city property for street easements and authorization of eminent domain for a permanent easement.
• Rescinding Heritage Property Designation of Haruji Ego Family Building (9:35 AM): Approved 6-0. The building was destroyed by fire; designation no longer applicable.
• BOLD Program (9:40 AM): Approved 5-1 (Arias voted no). Authorizes the California Municipal Finance Authority to accept applications for Mello-Roos financing for new development. Heard public support from the Building Industry Association.
• Transparency Portal Workshop (3-A): Presented by Interim City Clerk Aller and Senior Programmer Analyst Braz. The portal will provide a single search bar for all city documents, use AI for summaries, and be updated live. Councilmembers suggested adding date range filters and contract amounts. Expected to go live next month.

Consent Calendar

• Approved as amended (motion by Arias, seconded by Karbassi; 6-0). Items included approval of minutes, contract amendments for airport services, parking structure design-build, wastewater facility contracts, public works contracts, interagency agreements, and adoption of the Vision Zero Action Plan. Items removed: Lease of Fresno Water Tower (tabled to June 4), Caltrans agreements (tabled), Salary Resolution amendment (removed), and Eviction Protection Program funding (removed).

Contested Consent Calendar

• Naming of “Arakelian Family Kennels” (2-U): Moved to contested consent by Councilmember Arias for discussion. Approved 6-0 after explanation that the kennel was built with ~$290,000 in donations and in-kind contributions; city responsible for maintenance.
• First Amendment to Bodewell Group LLC Contract (2-V): Moved to contested consent by Councilmember Arias. Approved 6-0. The amendment increases compensation by $1,156,632 for stakeholder engagement and public education on utility rates, including support for the upcoming Proposition 218 process. Councilmember Arias questioned the timing and scope, but accepted staff’s explanation that it is the pre-planned second year of a multi-year contract.

Key Outcomes

• Costco Commercial Center Project: Approved (5-0). The project includes a 219,216 sq. ft. warehouse, carwash, 32 fuel pumps, and a market delivery operation. Conditions include traffic improvements, EV charging, and routing truck traffic away from residential streets.
• 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan Adopted: Resolution 2026-97 approved (5-0). Allocates $6,907,129 CDBG, $2,766,057 HOME, $623,922 ESG, and $1,268,358 HOPWA. A motion to reallocate funds to South Tower Community Land Trust failed.
• CFD No. 9 Annexations Approved: Resolutions and ordinances adopted for Annexation 74 (4-0) and Annexation 73 (6-0), levying special taxes for property maintenance.
• BOLD Program Authorized: Resolution 2026-110 adopted (5-1, Arias no), enabling property owners to apply for Mello-Roos financing.
• Senior Center Street Easements Approved: Resolution 2026-107 and 2026-108 adopted (6-0).
• Heritage Property Designation Rescinded: Resolution 2026-109 adopted (6-0).
• Consent Calendar Approved: 23 items, including Vision Zero Action Plan, Active Transportation grant applications, and various contracts.
• Arakelian Family Kennels Named: Resolution 2026-114 adopted (6-0).
• Bodewell Group Contract Amendment Approved: 6-0.
• Closed Session: Discussed labor negotiations, anticipated litigation (two cases), and performance evaluation of the City Clerk. No reportable actions announced.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 4:26 PM in memory of Rod Russell (former firefighter) and Anna Lea Dyer.