Fresno Planning Commission Regular Meeting - July 2, 2026
Fresno Planning Commission Regular Meeting - July 2, 2026
Note: The minutes and transcript indicate the meeting occurred on July 1, 2026, but the instructions for this summary specify using July 2, 2026. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Vice Chair Kathy Bray, with Commissioners Jacqueline Lyday, Linda Calandra, and Gurdeep Singh Shergill present. Chair Peter Vang and Commissioner Monica Diaz were absent. The agenda was amended to move Item VIII-A (Resolution of Appreciation) before Item VII-C.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the January 7, January 21, May 6, May 20, and June 3, 2026 regular meetings. No public comment was received.
Reports by Commissioners
- Commissioner Shergill extended Fourth of July greetings, thanked Mayor Dyer for a recent ribbon cutting of two affordable housing developments in West Fresno, noted future affordable housing efforts, and encouraged continued collaboration among City leadership and the community.
Discussion Items
- Election of Chair and Vice Chair (Item VII-C): Commissioner Calandra nominated Vice Chair Bray for Chair; seconded by Commissioner Lyday. The motion passed unanimously. Chair Bray then nominated Commissioner Lyday for Vice Chair; seconded by Commissioner Calandra. The motion passed unanimously.
- Rezone Application P26-00729 (Item VII-D): Staff planner Valeria Ramirez presented a proposal to remove conditions of zoning on a 3.3-acre vacant parcel at the south side of East Barstow Avenue between North Blackstone Avenue and North Fresno Street. The conditions were originally applied to the adjacent Parcel B (the Avery Apartments development) and were never intended for Parcel A. Removing them would allow future development of Parcel A. The City of Fresno is the applicant. No public comment was heard. The Commission approved the staff recommendation to adopt the statutory exemption and approve the rezone.
- Continued Matters (Items VII-A and VII-B): Both items were continued to the July 15, 2026 meeting without further discussion.
Resolution of Appreciation for Peter Vang and David Criner (Item VIII-A)
- Planning Director Jennifer Clark presented a resolution honoring former Commissioner David Criner, who served from March 19, 2020 to July 1, 2026, appointed by Mayor Lee Brand and continued under Mayor Jerry Dyer. Criner offered remarks of gratitude. Commissioners expressed appreciation for his service, leadership, and friendship. Chair Peter Vang was also honored but was absent.
Key Outcomes
- Agenda approved as amended.
- Consent calendar approved.
- Kathy Bray elected Chair, Jacqueline Lyday elected Vice Chair.
- Rezone Application P26-00729 approved (recommendation to City Council).
- Resolution of Appreciation adopted for David Criner and Peter Vang.
- Items VII-A and VII-B continued to July 15, 2026.
- Meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening at six o'clock on July 1st. This is the planning commission meeting. So Secretary, please take roll. Commissioner Lyday, present. Commissioner Diaz. Commissioner Calandra. Commissioner Shergill. Present. Vice Chair Bray. Here. Chair Vang. We will begin the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. Yeah, I'll read the procedures. 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 projects will then be taken, followed by testament 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. Speakers should be completing the testimony by the time the red light comes on with a final bill indicating that time is expired. All in-person public testimony must be present, presented to the commission at the podium. Any testimony that references race, religion, ethnicity, economic status, national origin, or any 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 use determinations. If you challenge these land use matters in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues 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 the approval of the agenda. Are there any changes to the agenda? Good evening, uh Chair Bray, members of the Planning Commission. I'm Israel Trail with the planning and development department. Uh we do have one change to the agenda. Would like to move new matter 8A, which is a resolution of appreciation of Chair Vang and Commissioner Kriner. Uh, we'd like to move that to uh just before uh continued matter 7C. So again, we'd like to move new matter 8a to move it to before uh 7C. That way we get those items done before we hear the matter tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Do the commissioners have any changes to the agenda? Okay, can I have a motion to appre approve the agenda as amended? Okay, so uh Commissioner Callander moved to approve the agenda was seconded by Commissioner Sherkel. Will the Secretary please take the vote who are in favor signify by saying aye? If opposed, say nay. Aye. Aye. We'll move on to the consent calendar. Um do the commissioners have any changes on the all of those uh agendas, the minutes? Okay, we'll go out to the public. Would any members of the public like to provide comment on the consent calendar? Or um, oh dear, I think I messed up.
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