Fresnan's speak out city's plan for future growth

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A crowd of more than 200 attended the Fresno City Council's public hearing on the city's proposed general plan. The plan would guide the city's growth and development pattern over the next 20 years.

The Thursday night session followed a lengthy hearing before the city planning commission last week. At a news conference outside city hall Sandra Celedon- Castro of the group "Healthy Communities" said the meetings aren't enough.

"The plan is being rushed through without public input, the plan was just released last Friday and so over the weekend, over Saturday and Sunday residents are expected to go over 2,000 pages of information about how we live and where we live and that's simply not a good public process," explained Celedon- Castro.

But city council member Lee Brand believes the public has had more than enough time.

"We started the general plan in 2010. It has been four years," said Brand. "I've had numerous meeting and workshops. At what point in time is enough not enough?"

One contentious goal of the general plan is to stop urban sprawl and rebuild the inner city, with infill projects. But critics like former state assembly member Sarah Reyes says the definition of what areas need infill is too broad.

Reyes explained, "When you talk about infill south of Herndon, that's three quarters of the city that's a lot of the city to do infill in we should probably look to Shields the south part of the city versus the entire city so there's a lot of things. How many of the city council members have really digested, read and understand the revised plan?"

But developers believe the plan's call for building up the inner city won't work. Mike Prandini of the building industry association says the market won't support that kind of development. He would also like the city council to take more time to weigh all the options. But Mayor Ashley Swearengin is pushing for approval and told Action News the plan is a good compromise.

Mayor Swearengin said, "Both sides are asking for a delay thinking they can move the plan one way or the other in their direction but from those of us at city hall we're thinking if we've got some people thinking it goes too far and some people thinking it doesn't go far enough we are probably right where we need to be."

After Thursday night's hearing the city council will take one week to consider all of the arguments. Unless they decide to delay action a final vote on the Fresno 2035 general plan is expected next Thursday.