Fresno City Council screenshot

 

Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias defended his position in an ongoing land-use fight during a Wednesday morning news conference, rejecting calls from development firms Buzz Oates and Span Development to recuse himself and blaming corporate interests for stalling long-delayed plans affecting southeast and southwest Fresno.

Arias was joined at the news conference at Fresno City Hall by community leaders who also oppose the Elm Avenue Business Park rezoning request. He said the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan is rooted in neighborhood health, housing and economic equity, not politics, and called the plan — which has been under review for nearly 10 years — long overdue.

“In none of these plans have we ever allowed an outside interest group to delay its approval, or a council member outside boundaries to delay consideration of this plan. The folks who have called this rushed ignore the decade of delay,” Arias said.

He called criticism that the process was rushed misleading, arguing the project had already faced years of setbacks rather than advancement.

“Further postponing this plan is not about protecting community or small business interests. It’s about harming southeast Fresno. The continuing delays would only benefit wealthy interest groups, corporate donors and political operatives who look to influence the decision making of our city,” he said.

Arias also pushed back on claims by property owners Buzz Oates and Span Development — based in Sacramento and Madera, respectively — that he improperly advocated against their application to restore industrial zoning allowing warehouse activity at the Elm Avenue site. He said community meetings and public outreach are part of his duties as an elected official and that the matter is legislative rather than quasi-judicial, meaning it is a policy decision for elected officials rather than an impartial hearing process.

The dispute escalated earlier this week after the business park owners filed a tort claim seeking over $100 million from the city. They argue that Arias showed bias by organizing a town hall, making public statements against the proposal and spreading misinformation about the project’s environmental and housing impacts.

The central question is whether restoring the site’s old zoning would preserve jobs and warehouse operations or undercut Fresno’s long-range housing plans. Arias said the rezone would eliminate capacity for around 3,500 housing units and could conflict with California housing law, while the owners argue it protects existing business uses and employment.

The issue is on the agenda for Thursday’s city council meeting.