Thread by @AndyHS

At the Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting a half hour early. Already packed with no seats left. My Live Tweets must’ve made it “the place to be” now 😜Actually the Animal Shelter item is contentious. Saw a group outside ready for YES on it

Some other items are : 1)Proclaim November 2018 as National Adoption Month in the County of Fresno
2)Adopt resolution congratulating the 2018 Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Attachments: Resolution
3)Supervisor Pacheco
Adopt resolution recognizing Dr. David Davenport for

his leadership and commitment to honoring deceased local veterans and their families. On consent is Quintero proclaiming this Friday Career Educational Charter High School Grand Opening. Surplus property: 472 Rio Frio St. in Mendota taking bids.

Sal Quintero limits public comment for dog shelter item. Supervisors say they met constituents and received many letters as well. Applicant had a second public meeting at request of supervisors back in September. Chief complaints were increased traffic, dumped animals afterhours

Increased landscaping has been agreed to by applicant. @LincolnSeward Magsig asks about County traffic study. Volunteer Jeff Roberts says 1) staff still supports 2) Planning Commission suppers 3) Community supports 4) Intersection improvement (depends on Engineer for scope) We

Eliminated 127 possible uses for this site. What has changed since last meeting?? Public meeting 10/10 as well as last night. Well attended. 1) covenant agreed to by applicant 2) block wall will be built 3)will replace FID pipeline 4) Central Unified pet abandonment agreement to

protect school children Signaized intersection will be constructed in a year or two. Will not be a animal hospital. Eliminate Horses at this facility. Indemnification of County. Will commit to site plan already filed by County. @BuddySupervisor asks if horses include all farm

animals like cows ,pigs. @AndreasBorgeas what type of animals then? Dogs/cats. Will this evolve into County to taking this over eventually? Roberts: Fresno Humane Services will run this and not County. Hours: 10-6. Opens after school has already begun so should not be an issue.

Roberts: those against were mostly zoning Eliminated large animals like horses. Covenant will stay in place if this property was to change hands. Only Supervisors could change it. Existing shelter has had only one dog abandoned after hours. Security camera will detect when if

animal was dropped off @AndreasBorgeas why wasn’t an EIR done? Roberts: mitigated negative declaration was done and some EIR -ish portions were done. Magsig: public hours are 10-6 what are staff times? More to take care of animals by staff. Residents representative now speaking

Says Mitigated Negative Declaration is not sufficient. Right hand turn into Grantland will effect other intersections. Those coming from Herndon will need to make a u-turn. It be level of service of F (LOS). Early release days from school will be an issue. An already traffic

stressed area will be impacted even more. Infrastructure has not kept up with current growth as it is. Fire/police is not adequately served in the area. Magsig: watched the 6 videos of traffic from morning traffic. We’re all 7-8 am? Any other times shown? No. This is peak time.

Applicant is willing to limit public times to 10-6. Magsig:does this preclude the early hour issue? Rep: says nothing will prevent the applicant from expanding without EIR Magsig: not adequate parking? Rep: no. Just needs to be modified. Roberts had said this agree with staff

Site plan on file. Rep: this will Be piecemealed. @AndreasBorgeas asks rep if this will lead to litigation? Rep: not definite at this point. Public comment portion: two minutes each. Quintero asks for no applauding. Donor Ridenour speaking. Has toured many shelters to help

design this one. Lots of effort put into it. This is for community. Now resident from “Forgotten Fresno” His biggest concern is elementary students.

Public giving testimony and runs into her two minute limit. “But what I have left is so good!” 😝Next up says they have worked hard to make this work for all. Bully Rescue rep says they have been an asset to their neighbors. Humane Services are a “class act” and will do the same

Opposition saying “right facility but wrong location”. @TaubGVWire hard at work interviewing residents (in lower right)

Opposition resident says she has been called uneducated and a liar from Humane Staff. She graduated from UC Davis in Animal Science. Worried about noise from animals. Also worried noise from freeway will harm animals too She brought her son to help this morning.

Chair Quintero is putting a limit to just a few more speakers stating it is has been over an hour already for public comment.

Last of the public portion of the speakers. @BuddySupervisor says no matter the vote today the County needs to have its own facility and not the crap place at Coroner’s where it is now . Also City should’ve annexed this site. @AndreasBorgeas says public outreach has been good

probably hasn’t changed the opinion at all. Asks if an after Hour attendant could be triggered if a certain number was indeed dropped off. Ridenour agrees if it is necessary. Is a Conditional Use Permit Be needed to put this in place? Counsel Cedarbourg says could be challenged

Jeff Roberts: says 24 hour coverage of this site currently via security cameras. Could move those who monitored be put on site if needed. Borgeas doesn’t think this has been Environmentally studied sufficiently. Opposition could sue if this passes today & court may decide more

Environmental study is needed. @BuddySupervisor wants to quote Slim Picken line from Blazing Saddles. Can’t say what it is in public (!) @LincolnSeward Magsig says Miss Winkles Shelter is also near an elementary school and no issues. Applicant here made modifications that took

lot of the teeth out of some of the concerns of this new shelter. Makes Motion to pass. Pacheco says this is a no win situation. “If you want to slow a process bring a lawyer into a room. To stop it completely bring two. “ He was one who continued this to gather more info.

Pacheco walked neighborhood around Miss Winkles and asked residents. New state of the art shelter is much better than coroner location. No win-win here. Says City of Fresno doesn’t want to annex this because new roads would need to be built. County pulled out of deal with City

shelter and forced County to come up with their own site. NIMBY has made it hard to find perfect site. Quintero quotes Ted Wills when asked how do you vote when both sides are correct ? “Listen to both sides. Thank them. Close Door. Say a Prayer. And decide what is best for

whole City. Supervisors VOTE to APPROVE new Animal Shelter ( no animal hospital, dogs/cats only) 5-0 ! Crowd in lobby goes nuts with applause! Now will this end up in front of Superior Court likes Borgeas warns duento lack of EIR ??

20-30 of opposition speaking to their lawyer about the next steps.

@threadreaderapp unroll