Brand on sprawl prevention
From a simple economic point of view, simply reducing the production of new homes will greatly diminish future sprawl. A no growth policy would solve one problem but exacerbate other problems. We currently have an affordable housing problem in Fresno. The price of existing homes will rise substantially if we discontinue building new homes. I It would also dramatically increase rental housing prices because no new multifamily units would be built. We also have a growing population, primarily by new births, that will need future housing. The other negative outcome would be a loss of thousands of construction related jobs tied directly to the housing industry.
The best way to prevent sprawl is to follow the 2025 General Plan. This blueprint for the future redirected growth from a continued outward expansion to “in and up”. It also moved growth to the Southeast and Southwest. The 2025 General Plan and LAFCO have set the future growth area for Fresno. It has been too easy in the past to simply expand outward into agricultural areas and neglect infill. I would like to see an agricultural green belt established around the perimeter of Fresno. The San Joaquin River sets a natural barrier to the North and the industrial area to the South serves as a buffer. The Western and Eastern boundaries (below Clovis) would be best suited to an agricultural green belt. There will have to come a time where we simply draw a line in the sand, via an agricultural green belt, and provide a firm outward expansion boundary.
Market forces drive the real estate market. Simply put, most people want to live in the suburbs because of perceived amenities and lifestyle. Why do people want to buy in the suburbs? They want a quality school system that both Clovis Unified and Central Unified offer. They want drug stores, super markets, fast food outlets and other conveniences close to where they live. They also want to be close to entertainment venues like Edwards Cinema and Save Mart Center. Finally, they want to feel that their neighborhood is safe and that the city is properly maintaining their neighborhood. There are two ways to encourage people to buy in infill projects. First, the overall project must be appealing to a prospective buyer. The city can enhance the housing tract by improving the surrounding area and developing supporting retail and commercial development in the area. Improving the image of Fresno Unified will be essential to attract families with school age children. An underperforming school district alone will dissuade many buyers from purchasing a home. The second method of encouraging people moving into infill areas is to offer incentives to both developers and buyers. Offering developers financial incentives such as expedited processing of tract maps, high density bonus, and reduced fees will enable the developer to produce a less expensive home. Buyers can be offered incentives too including special financing or tax credits for solar power.