Fresno City Council moves forward with plan to rename streets after Cesar Chavez

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno City Council voted again on Thursday to move forward with a controversial plan to rename some city streets.

"I have a motion to approve item 2K by council member Arias and a second by council member Esparza," council president Annalisa Perea said.

City documents show a Fresno contractor will now receive more than $140,000 to replace street signs across the southern part of the city.

Parts of California Avenue, Ventura Street, and Kings Canyon Road will soon have signs renaming them after Cesar Chavez.

The well-known labor leader and civil rights activist began his work in the 1950s. And last spring, the Fresno City Council approved renaming some streets in his honor.

It was a contentious move that is still getting strong pushback a year later.

"Nobody was asked how they felt about the name change," a resident told the council on Thursday. "And, to date, nobody has been noticed by the City of Fresno about the name change."

Those comments and the city's contract approval on Thursday come amid a lawsuit.

Some Fresno residents and business owners have formed a group to sue the city. They are asking a judge to step in and stop the name change.

Opponents say the current street names are part of the city's identity, and they cite the high costs of changing business names and addresses.

But as the lawsuit winds through the county court system, city councilors were ready to move ahead, except for one.

"I would ask the council to just consider the fact that (they're) obviously filing suit, and perhaps we ought to wait until that's determined," council member Garry Bredefeld said. "And so, I would make a motion that we delay this item."

Other councilors did not agree, and Bredefeld's effort to delay it failed. Moments later, he voted against granting the contract to replace the street signs, but it was not enough.

"Item passes 5-1 with council member Bredefeld voting no and council member Karbassi absent," Perea said.

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