Quote of the Week
“This plan is tantamount to a really big middle finger to Fresno residents.”
— Dan Brannick, a Fresno attorney, on the Southeast Development Area plan that narrowly passed a consequential vote by the Planning Commission this week, despite residents’ fierce opposition.
This Week in Fresnoland
Fresno City Council to weigh in on megadevelopment with a $3 billion shortfall
There’s a $3 billion funding shortfall, no financing plan and fear from neighborhood residents over steep price tags for looming infrastructure upgrades — and, now, at least some momentum to add a 45,000-home mega-development on the southeastern outskirts of Fresno.
In a narrow and dramatic vote this week, a divided Fresno Planning Commission formally recommended that City Hall approve the Southeast Development Area (SEDA) Specific Plan, which at full buildout would be roughly the size of Clovis, Gregory Weaver reported for Fresnoland.
The plan next goes before the Fresno City Council — possibly as soon as Dec. 4 — for a final showdown vote.
City leaders have been educating the two newest city councilmembers for months, waiting to bring the SEDA plan back once it appeared there’d be enough support, Gregory Weaver reported Tuesday.
The planning commission’s recommendation came after a dramatic last-minute vote change by Commissioner Linda Calandra, who first voted against the project, but then flipped her vote on a second motion — and has not explained what changed her mind in the sparse few minutes between her first and second votes.
Fresno’s critical road tax spending plan takes major step forward
Fresno County’s transportation politics are shifting — and not everyone is happy about it.
On Thursday, Fresno County’s transportation policy board narrowly approved a spending plan for a new version of Measure C, the current sales tax for roads and transit, for the November 2026 ballot — despite angry objections from Supervisor Buddy Mendes and several east-side mayors.
Fresnoland’s Danielle Bergstrom broke the story Friday, after the Fresno Council of Governments Policy Board refused to cut public transit spending in favor of more major road expansion projects.
The current plan draft dedicates about 65% of the sales tax revenues to fix and improve local roads, with 25% toward public transit, reflecting the top items on residents’ wish lists during community outreach and surveys this past year.
Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez said he expects the plan will be met with a second, competing plan on the same November 2026 ballot, which would make passing either tax renewal plan much more difficult.
Tower District’s new plan sets up neighborhood’s future
A three-year effort between Tower District neighborhood leaders and residents and the city ended Thursday in applause, Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela reports.
The Fresno City Council approved the newly drafted Tower District Specific Plan, setting new guidelines for design and land use policies in the city’s historic neighborhood.
Updating the neighborhood’s plan, a document created in 1991, including numerous community meetings and feedback sessions over the last three years, with residents pushing hard for more parks and better access to grocery stores and doctor’s offices.
Plan committee chair Chris Johnson: “I think our passion over the past three-and-a-half years to sustain this effort and to do what we needed to do to get this to you today is evident.”
Credit: Rob Parsons / Fresnoland
Fresno council recycles city’s trash contract — again
The Fresno City Council also granted a one-year extension to a controversial trash contract and allowed operator Orange Avenue Disposal the right to seek price increases whenever regulations change, an advantage no other city vendors have.
City Manager Georgeanne White said the extension was tied to a legal settlement over a multi-million dispute with the influential Caglia family, Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver reports.
Beginning in the spring of 2023, City Hall withheld numerous payments from the company after determining the city had overpaid by more than $3 million.
And while city leaders noted that Thursday’s vote does not approve a new rate hike or necessarily guarantee future hikes, one councilmember — who has supported previous contract extensions — said the most recent changes went too far.
Councilmember Miguel Arias: “This vendor is uniquely positioned to increase rates for residents across the city.”
La Hacienda Mobile Home Park residents celebrate victory
More than four years after a deadly tragedy — and years of contentious fallout and battles over control — residents celebrated this week.
La Hacienda Mobile Home Park residents, in partnership with Self-Help Enterprises, finally have control over their homes.
Last year, a federal bankruptcy judge slammed former park owners, Harmony Communities, for bad-faith tactics, which involved attempted evictions and rent hikes to pressure others to leave.
Last month, the state awarded $5 million for Fresno and Self-Help Enterprises, a Visalia-based nonprofit, to acquire and rehabilitate the park in the city’s Pinedale neighborhood. They also plan to add 17 new mobile homes for veterans.
Attorney Mariah Thompson of California Rural Legal Assistance: “The resilience of this community over the last four years of fighting against incredible odds and incredibly powerful wealthy people is so inspiring. I knew we would win.”
Outside the Lines
The Trump Administration hasn’t given up their fight with Fresno over federal funding tied to compliance with executive orders, just yet. Fresnoland
Fresno city and county leaders announce ‘new era’ of partnership to tackle regional challenges around homelessness together. Fresnoland
Calling it “gas station heroin,” Fresno leaders began cracking down this week on the synthetic form of kratom, a plant that some claim has medicinal properties but health officials are increasingly frowning upon. Fresnoland
Faculty in the State Center Community College District formally requested that the California Community College Board of Governors remove Chancellor Carole Goldsmith from office immediately — saying her retirement next year is too long to wait for leadership changes. KVPR
Beefed up training evaluation standards for the Fresno Unified superintendent and the district’s teachers and staff took center stage at this week’s school board meeting. Fresnoland
Fresno Unified’s chronic absenteeism rate — which represents the percentage of students who miss at least 10% of school days each year — dipped slightly in 2025, but it’s still much higher than pre-pandemic levels. Fresnoland
Fresnoland put together a guide on how a new state law works, aimed at combatting family separation when a parent gets detained or deported. Fresnoland
Fresno County named a new public health director. Fresnoland
Naturalization applications are surging ahead of the new civics test. The Fresno Bee
On this week’s Fresnolandia podcast, Jordan and Danielle spoke with Mike McKeever, a regional planning expert based in Sacramento. Fresnolandia
The Fresno Arts Council invites you to share your ideas for the next cycle of “Expanded Access to Arts and Culture” grants, funded by Measure P. The first meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2 with a second session at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Both meetings will be held at the Fresno Arts Council, 1245 Van Ness Ave. Fresno Arts Council
The Central Valley Blue Star Moms are in the middle of their holiday drive, putting together care packages stuffed with essentials and snacks — and they’d like your help. ABC30
Fresno Unified schools still have yet to recover more than $2 million in stolen money after a fraudster managed to cash at least two large checks meant for a local construction company. The Fresno Bee
Block Beat
FRESNO STATE: The real “Weird Al” Yankovic is coming to Fresno’s Save Mart Center in a stop during his “Bigger and Weird” tour. The Fresno Bee
DOWNTOWN: Snag your tickets, because the Mariposa Winter Village and its outdoor ice skating rink is coming to Mariposa Plaza starting Dec. 5. Confia
FRESNO YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Hayward-based Coast Aluminum, Inc, broke ground in Fresno this week on a $42 million, 163,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility at 5255 E. Home Ave. The Business Journal
WEST OF 99: Share Fresno is hosting another “Share Fest,” plus a free food distribution event, at Jaswant Singh Khalra Park (3861 W. Clinton Ave.) in West Fresno this Saturday, Nov. 22, from 1 to 3 p.m. “No buying or selling” at the “Black Friday Alternative,” the mutual aid organization says — only items for “free or trade.” Share Fest
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER: The San Joaquin River Parkway teamed up with California State Parks Watershed Program for a free series of readings and workshops this Sunday, Nov. 23, at the River Center (11605 Old Friant Road) from 12 to 3 p.m. The free event includes a poetry workshop, nature walk, readings from current and former Fresno poets laureate and more. San Joaquin River Parkway
DOWNTOWN: Live Again Fresno is hosting a screening of the documentary “Motel Drive” — chronicling the experiences of a family dealing with constant uprooting on Fresno’s infamous strip of rundown hotels and inns — in Fresno on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at Warnors Theater downtown. Showtime is at 6 p.m., followed by a panel discussion. Tickets are available for purchase online. Live Again Fresno
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