Tower District residents and patrons file into the Tower Theater near Olive and Wishon avenues for a community meeting hosted by the City of Fresno on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.
Nick Fenley
The Fresno city council approved a new resolution Thursday to establish a special geographic zone for street vendors in the Tower District — though residents and patrons of the city’s entertainment district aren’t fully sold on the idea.
The city council voted unanimously at a special meeting to launch a pilot program that will move all street food vendors off the sidewalks and into a designated area for them to operate.
For the next 90 days, vendors in the Tower District will be restricted to a vacant lot near Olive and Van Ness avenues from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Thursday through Sunday. The area will be equipped with lighting, a security camera and security officers.
On Thursday, city councilmembers approved a resolution to set up a vendor area at Olive and Van Ness avenues in Fresno’s Tower District. The intersection is about 450 feet away from the intersection of Olive Avenue and Broadway Street.
Councilmember Nelson Esparza has been skeptical that street vendors are the root cause of safety issues in the Tower District.
“Given the predicament we find ourselves in the Tower District, on the Olive strip, I was willing to entertain this temporary change,” Esparza said.
Tower District residents and patrons file into the Tower Theater near Olive and Wishon avenues for a community meeting hosted by the City of Fresno on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Nick Fenley
A day before the council’s vote, a community meeting was held at the Tower Theater, during which city leaders heard residents’ concerns regarding Tower District safety and other issues. The meeting was originally organized by club MIA, though the city later seized the reins of handling the meeting.
Community members were screened for weapons as they filed into the theater, and Mayor Jerry Dyer later said about 800 people were in attendance — including nearly 50 people who lined up to speak.
“We want a lot of people to come into the Tower District. We do — that’s what generates business, the excitement, the vibrancy. We don’t want to lose that,” said Dyer, standing alongside councilmembers Annalisa Perea and Miguel Arias.
To mitigate some challenges that arise in Tower — such as crowded sidewalks increasing the likelihood of conflicts, Dyer said — the city has already begun implementing changes.
Olive Avenue spanning from Van Ness to Palm avenues has been designated as a no-parking zone from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Thursday to Sunday. Areas where people used to be able to park are now painted white, designating them as passenger loading zones, and lighting is slated to be improved by Thursday night.
Thursday to Sunday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., people will not be able to park on Olive Avenue in Fresno’s Tower District, as sections of the road between Van Ness and Palm avenues have been designated as passenger loading zones during the entertainment district’s busy hours. Nick Fenley
In addition to the new vendor zone, Dyer said officers would also be posted outside MIA, Vibes and Bobby Salazar’s. The city said it’s also working with business owners to ensure that some establishments’ patio areas are closed by 10 p.m. — a move Dyer says will help prevent conflict between bar-goers and passing pedestrians.
“This weekend, we will not be perfect on this. So, we will learn from this weekend, and we’ll learn from the next — but we’ll get it as good as we can,” Dyer said of the “Vendor Market Zone” on Wednesday night, prior to the council’s vote.
Before public comment began, Arias asked speakers to disclose whether they actually lived in Tower, which was met with pushback.
The discourse portion of the meeting yielded multiple concerns, recommendations and even conspiracies from those in attendance. Some Tower residents were upset over the designated passenger loading zones and said it would force more people to park outside their homes on streets that feed into Olive Avenue. Others had concerns about the proposed increase in police presence, as they said violence is still occurring with numerous patrol vehicles driving around the area on weekend nights.
People attending the community meeting held at the Tower Theater line up to address city officials regarding concerns about the Tower District, as well as councilmembers’ proposed changes. Nick Fenley
There was plenty of outrage over the shooting involving a 16-year-old from Fowler early Sunday, as well as the off-duty ICE agent who was charged with assaulting a Tower homeowner. Businesses were accused of not doing their part to keep the area orderly, police were questioned on how they would enforce the city’s 10 p.m. curfew for minors, and city leaders were accused of scapegoating food vendors.
Vendors expressed concerns over who would be given priority to set up in the new, designated area near Van Ness and Olive. A woman in a walker questioned the accessibility of the parking lot in question. A Tower-goer said the proposed location of the vendor area is too far away from nightlife establishments and suggested moving it closer to Wishon Avenue, about 200 feet closer.
Dyer said closing off Olive Avenue isn’t a feasible solution because it’s a major route for FAX buses. He also clarified that any new security cameras added to the area will not be through Flock.
Following the community meeting — which ran past 8 p.m. — the city shifted some of its plans in response to the feedback, such as moving street sweeping an hour later to 3 a.m. after a community member pointed out that bar and club staff are trying to get home during the initial proposed time of 2 a.m.
This story was originally published October 22, 2026 at 7:36 PM.
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The Fresno Bee
Nick Fenley is a reporter covering education, lawsuits, breaking news and more for The Fresno Bee. He’s originally from the Imperial Valley and joined The Bee in 2025.