Public hearing to consider the adoption of the Tower District Specific Plan, the Tower District Design Standards and Guidelines, and related Environmental Impact Report (EIR), State Clearinghouse (SHC) No. 2025050309. The following applications have been filed by the Planning and Development Director and pertain to approximately 1,869 acres in the Tower District Specific Plan Area: 1. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of the findings set forth in Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR SCH No. 2025050309), apply the Council’s independent judgment and analyses to the review, and then certify the Final EIR as having been completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), based on the Commission’s recommendations on the proposed Final EIR and comments thereon (see Exhibits M, N and O). a. RECOMMEND ADOPTION (to the City Council) of findings, based upon testimony presented by staff, that there are significant, unavoidable environmental impacts which have not been mitigated to a level below significant. Therefore, the City Council should adopt the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations. b. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of an appropriate Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) as required by Public Resources Code Section 21081.6 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15097; and, 2. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Plan Amendment Application P25-03196 which proposes to repeal the 1991 Tower District Specific Plan (Plan Boundary as shown in Exhibit A). 3. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Plan Amendment Application P25-03197 which proposes to repeal the Tower District Design Guidelines (2005) (Guidelines Boundary as shown in Exhibit A). 4. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Plan Amendment Application P25-03198 which proposes to adopt the updated Tower District Specific Plan, pertaining to approximately 1,869 acres (see Exhibits B and F), including the revisions set forth in Exhibit D. 5. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Plan Amendment Application P25-03201 which proposes to adopt the updated Tower District Design Standards and Guidelines (see Exhibit C), including the revisions set forth in Exhibit D. 6. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Plan Amendment Application P25-03200 which proposes to update the Land Use Map (Figure LU-1) of the Fresno General Plan, pertaining to 118 acres, to incorporate the planned land use changes proposed in the Tower District Specific Plan (see Exhibit G), including the land-use-related revisions set forth in Exhibit D. 7. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to that the City Council) of Rezone Application P25-03202 which proposes to rezone approximately 138 acres of property within the Tower District Specific Plan area to be consistent with the planned land uses proposed in the Tower District Specific Plan and expand the Apartment Housing Overlay District (see Exhibit H), including the zoning-related revisions set-forth in Exhibit D. 8. RECOMMEND APPROVAL (to the City Council) of Resolution authorizing Director of the Planning and Development Department or her designee to correct any typographical errors and update the text, policies, maps, tables and exhibits contained in the Tower District Specific Plan, the Tower District Design Standards and Guidelines, and the Fresno General Plan to reflect the final action taken by the Council, to the extent that such updates are necessary to maintain consistency.

Committee

Planning Commission

Requested by

Planning and Development Department

Introduced

October 27, 2025

On agenda

November 5, 2025

Where it was heard

Planning Commission Nov 5, 2025