What is SEDA?<\/p>\n
The City of Fresno<\/a> defines SEDA as a long-range mega development of about 9,000 acres on the southeast edge of Fresno. Mayor Jerry Dyer has been vocal about his support<\/a> for the project.\u00a0<\/p>\n The zone is made up of mostly unincorporated land and has been designated as one of Fresno\u2019s future growth boundaries since 1958<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)<\/a> approved SEDA boundaries for inclusion into Fresno\u2019s Sphere of Influence<\/a> in 2006. The sphere of influence indicates Fresno\u2019s annexation for future development.<\/p>\n SEDA, known as the Southeast Growth Area (SEGA) from 2006-2010 stalled during the Great Recession but the concept was added to Fresno\u2019s 2014 General Plan<\/a>. The plan didn\u2019t return until 2019 when the city received state funding to support planning and environmental work.\u00a0<\/p>\n In December 2025, Fresno City Council voted 5-2 to send SEDA back to city staff for further financial analysis and revision. Concerns were raised about how the development would impact existing plans, specifically downtown and west Fresno.<\/p>\n Now, SEDA is once again moving through the city\u2019s approval process.\u00a0<\/p>\n The planning commission viewed SEDA as an inevitable growth that would happen regardless. The Terry P. Bradley Educational Center in Clovis which opened in 2025, was cited.<\/p>\n What SEDA could mean for Fresno School Districts\u00a0<\/p>\n Financial reports by Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) show that within ten years, SEDA could cause the district to lose about $200 million in annual funding. An estimated 11 schools could also face shut down<\/a>.<\/p>\n Both FUSD and Central Unified School District (CUSD) have proposed resolutions opposing SEDA.<\/p>\n Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias explained that State Center Community College District (SCCCD) intentionally located its campuses near population dense areas to make them accessible to students.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTheir philosophy was, put a community college where the need is greatest, the need for training, the need for higher education opportunities,\u201d Arias said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sontaya Rose, the City of Fresno\u2019s director of communications, declined to comment on how the project could impact Fresno City College students.\u00a0<\/p>\n Andrea Villa, a business administration major at FCC said, \u201dI know people that are struggling with finding jobs\u2026 and they\u2019re just going to build new houses and stuff. I feel like that just defeats the purpose of building new houses if people aren\u2019t able to access them.\u201d<\/p>\n City Council Comments to Concerns During The Meeting\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have an affordable housing problem. We have a good jobs problem,\u201d Planning Commissioner Kathy Bray said. \u201cI see this as another good chance to get some decent jobs in Fresno.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image1-3-600x463.jpg\")
Modified consolidation business park alternative map. The red outline signifies the first phase in the SEDA agenda. Photo courtesy of the City of Fresno<\/p>\n