Selma planning commission votes to recommend 150-acre ‘Selma North’ annexation and prezoning to council

The Selma Planning Commission on Tuesday voted to recommend that the City Council approve the Selma North annexation and prezoning, a proposal to bring roughly 20 parcels totalling about 150 acres north of Dinuba Avenue into the city and to assign zoning consistent with the city's general plan.

The action, approved by a 5-0 vote, forwards the commission's resolution and recommended conditions of approval to the City Council and — if the council approves — to the Fresno County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) for final order. The proposal does not include any development entitlements; staff and the applicant said future projects would require separate approvals and environmental review where appropriate.

The commission’s recommendation matters because it determines which jurisdiction will provide services and which development standards will apply if property owners later submit proposals. City staff said the annexation is eligible for an exemption under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guideline 15183 because the prezoning is consistent with densities in the certified general plan EIR, and no new or unidentified impacts are anticipated at this step.

City planning staff described the proposal as a straight prezone-and-annexation request that assigns five proposed zone districts to match existing general plan land-use designations for the area north of Dinuba Avenue, west of South Delray Avenue and east of South Thompson Avenue. Associate Planner Lupe…