FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — With a new plan, the City of Fresno is now taking an updated approach to its expansion west.<\/p>\n
The City Council voted Thursday to outline how the area west of Highway 99 and north of Clinton Avenue will develop moving forward.<\/p>\n
“This plan is going to promote not just careful planning but very intentional planning of complete neighborhoods,” Councilmember Annalisa Perea said. Much of the area is part of her district.<\/p>\n
West Fresno is home to 40,000 city residents, plus another 15,000 when considering county limits.<\/p>\n
In all, the population nearly totals the size of Hanford. But resident April Henry says they have been forgotten for years.<\/p>\n
“What we’ve had, which is disenfranchisement, definitely (a) mosaic type of building developer blocks where it leaves a block with sidewalks, a block without infrastructure,” Henry said.<\/p>\n
Henry feels the highway and High Speed Rail have served as physical barriers, saying her part of the city has a different feel than the rest of Fresno.<\/p>\n
“We are like one of those cases of what sprawl should not look like because then the commercial (spaces) and the amenities, the corridors – none of that’s been built,” Henry said.<\/p>\n
She and a coalition of West Area residents filled Council Chambers to support the new plan. It puts parameters on land use and designates space for a potential new park.<\/p>\n
“It’s only going to get better from here,” Councilmember Perea said. “There is so much community pride west of the 99.”<\/p>\n
There were some concerns from residents about the zoning for specific properties, but all councilmembers eventually voted in favor, something the council president called a “significant moment.”<\/p>\n
“We really do believe in that One Fresno concept (and) that we have equity and prosperity thought processes for all,” Henry said. “Our children – we want them all to grow up in a healthy neighborhood.”<\/p>\n
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