Update 10/15/09

A vote Cam Maloy cast in September is being reviewed for conflict of interest after she resigned from the commission. The 4-0 Planning Commission vote approved locked-in fees and requirements of a tentative tract map on a Granville project located just North of Tokyo Garden on Van Ness. Read more from the Fresno Bee.

Original Post

Thursday October 8th, Planning Commissioner Cam Maloy sent a letter of resignation to the City of Fresno after only four months as commissioner. The Fresno Bee writer George Hostetter reports

According to city documents, Maloy received two large personal loans from entities owned by members of the Assemi family. Farid, Darius and Farshid Assemi are brothers who have residential and commercial development interests throughout the city.

The Planning Commission is perhaps the most powerful nonelected body at City Hall, and often is the final word on the regulation and approval of development projects. Maloy had been on the commission for only four months.

Swearengin said she spoke with Maloy by phone Thursday afternoon.

“She offered to resign and I told her I thought that was the right thing to do,” Swearengin said Friday.

In her letter of resignation effective Thursday, Maloy told Swearengin she was resigning “in order to assure there is no real or perceived conflict of interest which will detract from the great work that the city and the planning commission are doing.”

Maloy’s brief stint highlights what city officials acknowledge is a flaw in the vetting process for commission nominees.

Maloy was appointed by Swearengin, and the City Council unanimously approved the appointment in June.

There was no council discussion, and the background information on Maloy dealt mainly with her extensive development experience in the private sector and with nonprofit groups.

Planning Commissioners play a very important role in our development as a city. It is crucial that the mayor, is deliberate in selecting commissioners that will represent the public’s interests equally. It is also crucial that our councilmenbers be more rigorous in vetting these appointments.

The article continues:

Swearengin said Maloy went through a pre-nomination interview, but a thorough check of her financial interests was not conducted.

After their appointments, commission members are required by the state to periodically file a statement of economic interests with City Hall.

When The Bee began asking questions about Maloy’s statement, Swearengin said, “It was the first that any of us knew of her financial connections to people who had development companies as well.”…

In a Thursday interview with The Bee, before she resigned, Maloy said she used proceeds from the Assemi loans to help buy a stake in Kamm South, a farming operation on the Valley’s west side.

She also said the Assemi brothers are among the many stakeholders in Kamm South.

Maloy said the Assemi brothers are friends of hers.

Swearengin said Maloy told the City Attorney’s Office of the loans, and was told she merely had to recuse herself from issues involving the Assemis.

But, Swearengin said, she is not satisfied with a technical compliance with conflict-of-interest laws: “We cannot have the public thinking that anyone has any ties to the projects that are coming before the commission.”

Several City Council members said they want more information on the financial history of future commission nominees. Swearengin said that will be a priority.

Swearengin said she is interviewing candidates to replace Maloy.

My hat is off to the Bee for investigating this and reporting it so well. Cam Maloy has a strong history of serving the community. She serves on the board of the Central Valley Business Incubator. And until recently served on the Historic Preservation Commission. She should be comended for her service. Despite this service we need to be very cautious of potential conflicts of interest.

I recall a Historic Preservation Commission meeting on June 22nd, 2009, Maloy spoke in favor of a Granville Homes proposal given by Darius Assemi. At the time Maloy was no longer serving on the HPC and beginning service on the Planning Commission. Looking back, this does seem inappropriate for a past Historic Preservation Commissioner or current Planning Commissioner to speak in favor of an applicant which she has financial ties to. It demonstrates the potential conflict of interest that may occur if she continued to serve on the Planning Commission.

To apply for the planning commission or other Fresno boards see the City Clerk webpage

From the City of Fresno website:

The City of Fresno Planning Commission is responsible for ensuring that the 2025 Fresno General Plan, Community and Specific Plans and the Zoning Ordinance are properly implemented. In addition, the Planning Commission takes action on various entitlements, as delegated by the legislative body (i.e. City Council). The Commission meets every first and third Wednesday’s of the month (unless otherwise noted below) at 6:00 pm in the City Council Chambers located at 2600 Fresno Street, second floor.

During these public hearings, the Commission takes action on the following entitlements:

* Subdivision tract maps.
* Appeals of Variances, Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan Review Applications
* Makes a recommendation to the City Council on all Rezone and Plan Amendment Applications
* Various policy and code updates, etc.

CITY OF FRESNO PLANNING COMMISSION

AUTHORIZATION: Fresno City Charter Section 906
TYPE: Charter
MEETS: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.
LOCATION: City Hall, Council Chambers
TERM: Four years
COMPENSATION: $100 per meeting, not to exceed 24 meetings
STAFF REP: Planning and Development Dept., Keith Bergthold 621-8003
Alt. Staff Contact: Joann Zuniga 621-8032
APPOINTMENTS: 7 members appointed by the Mayor with Council approval. Must be a City of Fresno resident.

Name: Term Expires:

Rama Dawar 6/30/2010
Jamie Holt 6/30/2010
Paul Caprioglio 6/30/2013
Serop Torossian 6/30/2011
Hal Kissler 6/30/2012
Rojelio (Roy) Vasquez 6/30/2011
Vacant

On July 17th, Fresno Mayor, Ashley Swearengin proposed changes to the city’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. The changes which City Council approved allowed the mayor to appoint non-city residence to the commission. Before that was not allowed. That applied to residents who lived in county island as well.

That included Joe Moore. If you spend anytime in downtown Fresno and/or listen to 90.7 KFSR, then you know Joe Moore. Currently, he is the president of the Downtown Association and station manager at KFSR.

Last Thursday, City Council approved the Mayor’s appointment of Joe Moore to the Historic Preservation Commission under the amended Historic Preservation Ordinance. He take the place of Kevin Enns-Rempel. Commissioner terms are for 4 years. Kevin had served for 13 years.

I asked both Joe and Kevin to share some thought for this post. Kevin about his experiences and what’s next for him. For Joe, why he had applied for the commission and what is his perspective on Historic Preservation.

Kevin Enns-Rempel

I first applied to be a member of the Historic Preservation Commission in 1995 at the encouragement of commissioner Russ Fey, and was appointed in early 1996 by Mayor Jim Patterson. I had precious little idea at first of what I was getting into. I had come to be interested in local historic resources not as an activist, but rather through my training as a historian. I naively imagined that my service on the commission would be mostly an extension of the research and writing that I had done before that time. I quickly learned, however, that the job had far more to do with negotiating the sometimes-competing demands of community good and individual property rights, and advocating whenever possible for the protection of the community’s historic resources. This would be no calm academic exercise!

Now completing thirteen years on the commission, I’m most pleased to see how the climate for historic preservation has improved in Fresno. When I joined the commission, we had very little meaningful voice in city government. Planning decisions were made and building permits issued for historic properties often without the commission being notified. Over the last thirteen years, such situations have largely become a thing of the past. Voices for preservation become part of the conversation much earlier in the planning process now, often resulting in a much more favorable end result. Things still don’t go our way every time, but the climate has greatly improved.

More specifically, I think I’m most pleased to have been part of creating Fresno’s first two (and presumably soon to be three) historic districts. Designating properties one at a time to the Local Register is a good thing too, but providing protection for entire areas is often a much more valuable process. If I had to name one particular building I’m most happy to have been a part of saving, I’d have to say the Santa Fe Railroad Depot. For many years all signs pointed toward the destruction of that wonderful building, but the efforts of many people led to a very different — and much happier — result.

Back in civilian life, I plan to continue maintaining the website “A Guide to Historic Resources in Fresno, California” (http://historicfresno.org), which I began in 1996 shortly after joining the commission. Perhaps with more time available I can think of new content that might be added to the website to make it an even more valuable resource.

Serving on the Historic Preservation Commission has been an honor and a privilege. It has offered me the chance to become acquainted with some of best people in Fresno, and to do my part in making this community a better place to live. I’m very grateful for that opportunity.

Joe Moore

As you know I’ve had a long running interest in historic preservation, specifically in the Downtown area. One of the things that makes a downtown special is the built environment, and in this case, the mix of old and new architecture. I’m going to talk about this in my pecha kucha presentation at the Cultural Arts Conference. The dirt downtown is not special by itself. So why do we care about “downtown” then if it’s not the dirt? It’s because it’s a unique environment, with urban form and an architectural legacy that is the embodied history of the city and its people. Those two things are critical to understand, because they answer two commonly asked questions – 1) why not tear everything down and start from scratch; 2) why not build more suburban type big box stores, with big setbacks, surface parking, etc downtown? If you do either of those things (to a degree) it literally ceases to become a downtown any longer. So historic preservation & good design go hand in hand with urban revitalization.

While we have lost a great deal of our history over the past 50 years, including most of the city’s Victorian era commercial building stock. However, we still have a great collection of historic buildings in the city, especially downtown, and our older neighborhoods are filled with great homes. Once a resource is gone, it’s lost forever, so I think now is really an important time. Today’s generation will leave a lasting impact and will largely make decisions that will determine what our city will look like in another 50 years. Will that include the outstanding and significant resources that have helped define our image as city and link us with past generations? I hope so.

As far as goals, I think anything we can do to raise awareness and appreciation for historic resources would be great. I’d like to see some progress on the minimum maintenance standards issue. I also think we need to see more in the way of historic surveys, and hopefully we will with the Fulton Corridor Specific Plan. Another interesting area is modernism. Fresno has some great mid-century homes and commercial buildings, and as they turn 50 years old, I think it would be great to see some properties by Robert Stevens, Allen Lew, Walter Wagner, or Gene Zellmer (or others) represented as historic resources. I think the general public is beginning to appreciate mid-century modern architecture and design more now, just look at the wild popularity of the TV series Mad Men. A good deal of that program’s appeal is based on the “jet set modern” look of the show, from the clothes to the cars, buildings and interiors. Everything comes full circle. Modernist resources are a part of our heritage too.

I applied because I was encouraged by the Mayor and her administration to serve, as they were looking for someone with a background in history and an interest in historic preservation to serve on the commission. I got my degree in History from Fresno State in 2000. One of my professors in the History Department was Dr. Ephraim Smith, who was instrumental in leading the fight to save the Old Administration Building at Fresno City College. I’ve had a great interest in Downtown and Fresno’s historic architecture for a very long time. I can remember reading Edwin Eaton’s “Vintage Fresno” and the “As Pop Saw It” books in the school library when I was a child, and was fascinated by the city’s history and those great old buildings. I think that was back in the 5th or 6th grade, and I’ve been interested in it ever since.

Both Kevin and Joe are outstanding citizens. There will be a reception in honor of Kevin Enns-Rempel at 5 pm today September 28th in the 2nd floor lobby of City Hall.

Today, September 25th, the City of Fresno announced the Downtown Citizens Committee appointments. This committee’s first meeting will be on September 29th. This meting will be open to the public and we’ll announce the time and location shortly. Below is the media release and list of appointees.

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Appointments to Downtown Citizens Committee Announced

FRESNO – The City of Fresno today announced the members of a new community advisory committee, established to help guide future downtown development. The 21-member committee will assist with the creation of the City’s Fulton Corridor Specific Plan, encompassing a variety of unique project areas including the Cultural Arts District, Central Business District, South Stadium zone and Chinatown.

The committee includes a variety of downtown residents, business and property owners and others with expertise in real estate, planning, and community development. Eighteen of the members were appointed by Councilmember Cynthia Sterling, whose district encompasses the entire Specific Plan area. Mayor Ashley Swearengin appointed three members of the committee.

“This citizens committee is the linchpin of our strategy for revitalizing the urban core of our city,” Mayor Swearengin said. “The work they do will provide the foundation we need to create a vibrant and successful downtown in the years ahead.”
Members were chosen following an extensive outreach process, led by the City’s Downtown and Community Revitalization Department. Mayor Swearengin will participate in the committee’s first meeting on Tuesday, September 29th

Elliott Balch, Fresno’s Downtown Revitalization Manager, said committee members will be making a significant contribution to Fresno’s future. “Through the Fulton Corridor Specific Plan, the community will be setting new standards for development downtown and putting its vision for the area into law,” he said.

The names of committee members are included below. For more information on the Fulton Corridor Specific Plan, please contact Wilma Quan, Urban Planning Specialist, at 559-621-8371 or Wilma.Quan@fresno.gov.

Committee member Affiliation with Downtown and the community

Joyce Aiken – Former director, Fresno Arts Council; an original Fulton Mall artist

Alan L. Allen Retired contractor who has restored Fulton Mall buildings he owns

Rosemarie Amaral – Fresno Co. Dept. of Public Health, focuses on planning & fitness

Donavan Byrn – Cultural Arts District resident and Creative Fresno mural coordinator

James J. Connell – Executive Director, Poverello House

Raul De Alba – Family owns several Fulton Mall businesses and property since 1989

Morgan Doizaki – Mgr., Fresno Discount Mall; President, Chinatown Revitalization Inc.

Garrett Fahrmann – Senior Vice President for Operations, Fresno Grizzlies

Victoria Gonzales – Commercial real estate broker; former DTA director

James Haron – Owner of Haron Jaguar/Land Rover on Ventura Avenue

Eric A. Kalkowski – Co-owner of Kalkowski Construction, 10-year downtown business

Saundra King – Owner and manager of the Security Bank building at 1060 Fulton Mall

Gary Lanfranco – Third-generation owner of Cosmopolitan Tavern & Grill in Chinatown

Nancy Marquez – Board member and founding member of Cultural Arts District Assn.

Kelvin Morgan – Sr. Pastor, Harvest of Harmony Int’l Church; active in Chinatown cmty.

Roger Palomino – 15-year CEO of Fresno Co. Economic Opportunities Commission

Timothy Schulz – Construction supt. for several recent downtown mixed-use projects

Nanette Stockle – Office manager and co-owner of Mecca Billiard Supply for 20 years

Maribel Vera-Anaya – Owner, Joe’s Steakhouse & Grill on Van Ness Avenue

Brent Weiner – Third-generation owner of Procter’s Jewelers on Fulton Mall

Allysunn Williams – Director of Planning & Community Devt., Fresno Housing Authority
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This is a very interesting list with many well qualified citizens and some that we need to learn more about. One disappointing omission was anyone with extensive knowledge in architecture or historic preservation.

Look to www.archop.org for continued coverage on this topic and the development of the Fulton Corridor Specific Plan

Following a nation-wide search, Thursday July 30th 2009 City Manager Andy Souza named John Dugan to the post of Planning and Development Director for the City of Fresno. Mr. Dugan will begin work with the City of Fresno on September 1st.

While Mr. Dugan is amid what I can only imagine is a very busy transition from Deputy Director of Planning for the City of Los Angeles to Director of Planning and Development for the City of Fresno he made time to answer a few questions for archop.

KS: What had drawn you to apply for the national search for the new Director of the Planning and Development Dept. for the City of Fresno?

JD: I applied for the job in Fresno because I knew Fresno had many similarities to Oklahoma City of 10 or so years ago..a city with a good vision, plan and community spirit, but needing some expertise in implementing that vison and steering the spirit. I did that successfully in OKC. and it was very satisfying to see that community support projects and bond issues based on the proven competence of the mayor, city manager, and city staff. I can see that happening in Fresno and want to be a part of it. Also, the Planning Department in Fresno is very much like the one I managed in Oklahoma City and in Topeka before that, so I am familiar with its organizational and structural issues and various roles and responsibilities. It is key to good community development that planning and building, housing, and community development and codes enforcement be coordinated under one management authority and philosophy.

KS: Are there any moment(s) in you career in planning that you are most proud?

JD: I am very proud of the planning of Oklahoma City over the last 7 years where we implemented over 200 policies of the 2001 Comprehensive Plan, including new sector and area plans, park plans, strategic plans, and a whole series of new development codes. Likewise, in Topeka, where a new economic development plan provided the rationale for a $20 million bond issue for construction of industrial parks and, subsequently, 5000 new jobs in a city which previously had a net job growth of .4% per decade. Helping Nordstroms develop a new store to revitalize downtown Norfolk, Va, and publishing the Monumental Core Plan for central Washington, DC also stand out.

KS: Are there any moment(s) that were less than successful that are good learning experiences that can be applied to Fresno?

JD: In Aurora, CO we developed two general plans for that city of 300,000 outside Denver. These plans changed the future of the city, but were completed with very little public input. They provided the rationale to annexe 100 square miles of vacant property and to expand the city by 200,000 person…In retrospect I would have done more to insure that more people were involved in that planning process.

KS: There are many ongoing and challenging projects being coordinated by the department (metro rural loop, SEGA, Downtown and Neighborhood Specific Plan, etc.) What is you strategy for digging into these existing efforts?

JD: An in-depth briefing from the Planning Department management staff is being prepared as I type this and will be ready for me when I arrive in September. I also plan to visit with the Mayor, City Manager,other department heads, city council members and planning commissioners to gain a good perspective on city issues. I also plan to meet with a cross section of community and development leaders to talk about their needs and issues.

KS: In the City of Fresno press release it said you “oversaw a complete overhaul of the [Oklahoma City’s] development codes.” Is that something that is planned for Fresno? And what is the starting point for that?

JD: I will be looking at all of Fresno’s development codes with an eye to their utility towards implementing the City’s adopted plans and policies and their efficiency towards furthering good development processes and products. In OKC that meant rewriting the land subdivision codes, sign codes, landscape requirements, zoning ordinance, and adding substantial architectural design reviews to key redevelopment areas. These and other initiatives were adopted with little controversy since I included all
stakeholders in a very collaborative process of ordinance review and revision. This takes time but is proven to be successful.

KS: I see you are a member of the APA. Will you be attending the APA California Conference this September at Tahoe? Will you be speaking in any of the sessions?

JD: I intend to attend the APA conference this fall if I can find the time!

KS: Have you investigated where in Fresno you’ll be living? If so, what are the qualities of that neighborhood that attracted you? If not, what are the qualities you are looking for in a neighborhood?

JD: I am looking for neighborhood qualities similar to what I think most newcomers to a city want. A quiet, clean, safe, green, pedestrian-friendly community close to neighborhood services, and full of kind, caring neighbors.

Please join me in welcoming John to our community. I’ll keep you updated on opportunities to meet him as he prepares to “meet with a cross section of community and development leaders to talk about their needs and issues.”

City press release: City Names Development Director after Nationwide Search

Fresno Bee article: Fresno hires new development boss

Planetizen 2006 Interview: Oklahoma City Planning Director John M. Dugan

Today on the Fresno City Council agenda is a proposal by Mayor Ashley Swearengin to amending the Fresno Municipal Code relating to the Historic Preservation Commission.

That is not as drastic as it may sound and maybe a good modification. In fact, her bid for election as mayor was supported by several prominent local architects. With that and their continued advisement, Mayor Swearengin is well suited for improving Fresno’s built environment and making changes to City policy to support that.

The proposal by the Mayor is to amend the Historic Preservation Ordinance that governs the Commission to clarify residency requirements.

“The proposed amendment to Fresno Municipal Code Section 12-1605 would require five (5) of the seven (7) members of the Historic Preservation Commission to be a resident of the City of Fresno, but would allow two (2) of the seven (7) commission members, as long as they had the historical background described in Section 12-1605, to reside outside of Fresno but within the State of California.”

The story broke Monday through The Business Journal. This proposal was not a surprise given what I’d heard in the City Hall Lobby after the June meeting of the Commission. I had been there to report about 1, 2 items in front of the commission during that meeting. The commission has all 7 seats currently filled. However, 2 commisioners terms (4 years) are expired. It was a frustration of the preservation community during the Autry administration that there was never a full commission. There has been a change from that with the Swearengin administration, as 3 new members have been appointed since she took office.

Architect and commission co-chair, Chris Johnson AIA stated that:

“My understanding is that filling this commission with the energy and expertise needed to sustain it over a long haul is the issue. Protecting Fresno’s history goes beyond the city ‘boundaries’ and ‘limits’ and currently the Mayor is precluded by the city attorney at having individuals that do not live in the City limits serve on the HPC.” A co-author of the current Ordinance, Johnson continues, “There is no language clarifying this issue in the ordinance so the language proposed will provide clarity and give the Mayor more flexibility to fill the commission with the best possible candidates in and around Fresno.”

If you’re in to this kinda stuff, here is a PDF of the current Historic Preservation Ordinance. And here is a PDF of the Mayor’s proposed amendment to the Ordinance.

The County of Fresno also has a historic preservation counterpart. But I must admit I know little about it. Historical Landmarks & Records Commission

Share your thoughts here:

What are the benefits or pitfalls of allowing county residents on this City Commission?

Could this create more City / County cross pollination?

Could this set precedent for other City of Fresno commissions such as the Planning Commission?

What is needed to spur more civic engagement so that there is actually competition for these commission appointments?

Post updated 7/16/09 with facts from Kevin Enns-Rempel’s comment.

Several times over the last few weeks I’ve been asked “how’s the park going?” This question has helped me realize two things. First, that there is a community buzz about this park, people want to see it come to fruition. And second, that since we announced the community drawing workshop at the park on April 17th, I’ve been silent about the park.

Here is a run down of what has happened from that workshop until now:

The workshop went well. There were several families, community leaders, and a dozen children of varying ages that participated. We made drawings of “our ideal park”. This exercise both engaged community members giving them a voice and helped us get an idea of what would draw different user groups into the park. It also helped me exercise my underused Spanish skills. To coordinate the workshop I was joined by Hank Delcore and Elfego Franco with the Institute of Public Anthropology at CSUF. And a big thanks to Terri Uyeki for bringing supplies and Shaunt Yemenjian for photographing the process.

We have assembled a very talented Pro-bono design team:

designlab 252 landscape architect

Borrelli & Associates electrical engineer

Parrish Hansen Inc structural engineer

Anti Laboratories graphic designer

The design team has met twice and developed a conceptual design. The concept is to create a park with out the standardized or prefabricated park accessories. We will use repurposed materials that is sculptural in form. The park will provide the amenities the community desires and offers a cohesive visual treat to the passerby.

A few weeks back I received the CAD drawings of how the park of San Pablo & Belmont as built. The project had originally been done by civil engineer, Keith Campbell of AECOM

These drawings, called as-builts, saved us allot of time because we don’t have to start the drawings from scratch and verify the existing conditions. We can use these as-builts as or base drawings for the redeveloped design.

I was able to bring this CAD drawing into SketchUp in order to study the sun angles and shade patterns that the 180 freeway overpasses create on the ground.

As the design develops it will be posted here. Of course budget issues make this more relevant. archop park as planned will be entirely funded by private donation. If you wish to make a financial or material donation of any amount please contact us.

Prominent Canadian architect Arthur Erickson died Wednesday May 20th at the age of 84. He was living in a Vancouver B.C. suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This was brought to my attention through an article in Washington Post (requires login), same article without pictures on HeraldNet (no login required).

Erickson was a very accomplished architect and designed several controversial buildings including the Canadian Embassy in Washington and Fresno City Hall.

In Fresno, conversations about architecture often stray to the question “So, what do you think about City Hall?” and they are often delivered in a loaded tone. My response is that I admire the building’s bravery, in breaking from the tradition of NeoClassical and Beaux-Arts styles overused for civic building in the United States. Further I appreciate that it took on an Organic feel the building embraces.

The angular metal roof line references the Sierra Nevada mountain range to the east. A gap at the peak reinforce that reference and reads through to the interior as a skylight in council chambers. The roof juts out over pedestrian walk ways, and becomes landscape. There is strong formality with symmetrical and grand sweeping entries up to the second floor and council chambers.

The council chambers, I find particularly beautiful. Polished metal, soft wood and natural light pouring in the the sky light above make the space uplifting no mater what the topic is on the dais.

The building of course is not with out it’s flaws. And I imagine some might share those thoughts here. But there was a review written about the the Canadian Embassy in Washington that I feel also pertains to Fresno City Hall: “Erickson has given us a powerful building in a place that calls for one, and there is as well a certain entrancing, poetic quality in its forceful contradictions,” Forgey wrote in The Post in 1988. “His building is an edgy, flawed masterpiece … but a masterpiece.”

William Patnaude FAIA was the local project architect and construction administrator of Fresno City Hall. The creation is as much his as Mr. Erickson’s. I will update with Mr. Patnaude’s thoughts on Erickson next week.

I’d like to close with an excerpt from Mr. Erickson’s 1986 AIA Gold Medal Citation

“Global architect, Arthur Charles Erickson is a passionate advocate of cultural awareness, and a fervent explorer of human and natural environments. His buildings, though remarkably diverse, share deep respect for the context, incomparable freshness and grace, and the dramatic use of space and light. He has brought to his work an understanding of the community of man that, when filtered through his insightful mind and fertile imagination, gives birth to a singular architecture that is in dialogue with the world.”

Photos courtesy of www.arthurerickson.com and Mark Darley / Esto www.esto.com