Fresno City Council Meeting - June 25, 2026

On June 25, 2026, the Fresno City Council met at City Hall with all seven members present and a quorum. The council approved the agenda, presented five proclamations, heard public comment, approved two major water and land-use items, and worked through a lengthy contested-consent calendar. The council resumed after lunch and adjourned from closed session at 3:33 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved by a motion from Councilmember Arias, seconded by Councilmember Richardson. The clerk announced that the final budget vote had already been executed at the June 23, 2026 budget hearing, and that item 2J, an office lease at 1360 L Street, was moved to the July 30, 2026 meeting.
• Several items were moved to contested consent by Councilmembers Arias, Richardson, and Vang. The balance of the consent calendar was approved, with Councilmember Richardson registering a no vote on item 2L.

Ceremonial Presentations

• Pet of the Month: Pika Pika, a 4-month-old black terrier mix, was presented for adoption from the Fresno Animal Center. About 250 animals are currently in foster care, and her adoption fee is waived.
• McCaffrey Homes 50th Anniversary: The company was recognized for 10,000 homes built, 115 new neighborhoods, 25 miles of trails, and more than $500,000 in community contributions. Robert and Karen McCaffrey also celebrated 50 years of marriage, and the council proclaimed the anniversary.
• Kings Canyon Middle School Boys Volleyball Day: The team won the school's first Division One boys volleyball championship after entering the playoffs as the number four seed. June 25, 2026 was proclaimed Kings Canyon Middle School Boys Volleyball Day.
• Youth Climate and Economic Bill of Rights Day: Youth Leadership Institute surveyed more than 2,300 young people in Fresno and will unveil the youth climate and economic bill of rights at Fresno City College on June 30, 2026. June 25, 2026 was proclaimed for the occasion.
• Dirksen Niakumua Day: Mr. Niakumua, born June 15, 1959, served as a strategic aide from 1983 to 1988 guiding hundreds of Hmong families during the silent suffering and survival era of 1975 to 1988. He resettled in Fresno in 1989, and June 25, 2026 was proclaimed Dirksen Niakumua Day.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Brunette, identifying herself with the Heat Group, objected to any city funding going out, including funding related to the airport and abatement, high-speed rail, homeless programs, and District 3 projects. She said combining HUD and neighborhood stabilization program funds with other funds was illegal, asserted that residents were not notified, and said the group would take concerns to Washington, D.C. if necessary.
• No public speakers testified on the 9:15 a.m. urban water management plan item or the 9:20 a.m. text amendment item.
• One audience member attempted to address the council outside the designated public comment period and was ruled out of order and warned. Under unscheduled communication, a card for Rory Ecker about feral cats was on file, but that individual was not present when called.

Council and Administrative Reports

• Councilmember Perea requested a schedule for downtown parking enforcement on non-event days and clarified that an event at Les Kimber Park had occurred on an adjacent privately owned parcel, not inside the portion of the park under construction.
• Councilmember Carbasi praised the adopted city budget of more than $2.5 billion and the rapid response to an overnight water main break.
• Councilmember Richardson announced a District 6 town hall, America Fest on June 30, a free veteran vision and dental clinic on June 27 and 28, Police Academy Class 180, and fire-safety reminders.
• Councilmember Vang welcomed a new family-owned pizzeria to Southeast Fresno and urged residents to celebrate the Fourth of July safely.
• Vice President Maxwell announced that Community Health Systems and Blue Shield reached an agreement restoring network coverage retroactive to February 1, and highlighted Juneteenth and youth leadership events.
• The city manager noted that hundreds of pounds of illegal fireworks had been seized, reminded residents of the social host ordinance, and said Health and Welfare Trust guidance would be issued about retroactive claims.

Discussion Items

• Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan (9:15 a.m.): Staff presented the state-required five-year plan. In a normal year, the city has access to about 302,000 to 308,000 acre-feet of water per year, while potable demand is roughly half of that total. Projected demand grows to between 150,000 and 200,000 acre-feet per year by 2050. Water sources include groundwater wells, Friant-Kern surface water, Fresno Irrigation District Kings River water, and recycled water. Councilmembers asked about population assumptions, the 1970s-era recycled-water exchange agreement with Fresno Irrigation District, purple-pipe expansion, conservation enforcement, and the Southeast Growth Area. Staff said a reuse master plan and a conservation ordinance would come back to council. Public comment was opened and closed with no speakers, and the two plans were approved.
• Housing Element Text Amendment P2601326 (9:20 a.m.): The amendment implements state law requiring ministerial approval for developments that provide at least 20 percent of units affordable to lower-income households on qualifying housing-element sites. Councilmember Perea supported it as a way to act on affordability. Councilmember Carbasi objected in principle to state limits on local discretion and public input. Staff warned that noncompliance could affect housing-element certification, state grant eligibility, and the city's pro-housing designation. It passed 6 to 1.
• City Hall Cafe Lease (Item 2I): The council approved a lease with Culinary Studios for the City Hall Cafe. The proposal includes no rent for the first three years, city payment of PG&E because the building is on a single meter, and about $600,000 in city-funded tenant improvements, including roughly $400,000 in construction and $100,000 in equipment. Staff said the cafe is an investment in more than 550 City Hall employees. Councilmember Arias questioned why the same generous terms were not offered to established downtown restaurants but voted yes, saying he would use the lease as a standard for public-facility leases. It passed 7 to 0.
• HOME-ARP Homeless Prevention Services (Item 2N): Federal HUD HOME-ARP funding would support homelessness prevention services through agreements with Westcare and Pavarello House, including rental assistance, security deposit assistance, first and last month rent support, and supportive services. The item passed 5 to 0.

Remaining Contested Consent Items

• Item 2C - Pun Group LLP auditing services: Approved 6 to 0. Staff said the separately funded $50,000 audit of the Grizzly Stadium operator would be brought back later, with an RFP intended within 45 days after July 1.
• Item 2E - Sculpture Conservation Studio: Approved 7 to 0. Councilmember Arias asked for a memo on whether any public sculptures are designed for interactive climbing, sitting, or similar use.
• Item 2G - Airports Department landscape maintenance contract: Approved 6 to 0. Staff said Brightview was the lowest bid and has local offices.
• Item 2M - Sports field reservation fees and master fee schedule: Approved 6 to 1, with Councilmember Arias voting no. Fees were set to mirror the Regional Sports Complex, and the city will honor existing paid agreements. Councilmember Arias objected to charging gate fees for parents watching children play at a city park. The City Attorney will provide a memo on whether admission fees can be charged for parks funded by Measure P.
• Item 2V - Measure C New Technology Reserve grant applications: Approved 7 to 0. The projects at Friant/41 and Shaw/168 would test new technology to allow Caltrans traffic signals and city traffic signals to communicate.
• Item 2W - SB1 road maintenance project list: Approved 7 to 0. The city must adopt the list by the end of June to receive $18.5 million in SB1 gas tax revenue. District 5 received a $1.7 million allocation, which Councilmember Vang said was the lowest of the seven districts, and he asked for more future input on project selection.

Closed Session

• The council entered closed session on four items: conference with labor negotiators for all units listed on the agenda; existing litigation in Terrence Frazier v. City of Fresno; existing litigation in City of Fresno v. Central Valley Community Sports Foundation; and one anticipated litigation matter. The council adjourned from closed session at 3:33 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda approved and consent calendar approved, with Councilmember Richardson voting no on item 2L.
• Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan approved.
• Housing Element Text Amendment P2601326 approved 6 to 1.
• City Hall Cafe lease approved 7 to 0.
• HOME-ARP homeless prevention services approved 5 to 0.
• Pun Group audit amendment, Sculpture Conservation Studio amendment, airports landscape contract, Measure C grant applications, and SB1 road list all approved.
• Sports-field fee and master fee schedule item approved 6 to 1, with Councilmember Arias dissenting over gate-fee concerns.
• Directives included returning with a Grizzly Stadium audit RFP, a public sculpture memo, a Measure P admission-fee memo, a water reuse master plan, a briefing on the Fresno Irrigation District exchange agreement, a conservation ordinance, and future engagement on SB1 project selection.