Lyles Diversified plans to donate this building to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo for its administrative office. Google Street View image via City of Fresno

The Fresno City Council on Thursday paved the way for an administrative office donation to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo from a longtime construction and development firm.

Lyles Diversified applied for a tentative parcel map for 2.76 acres at the corner of West and Olive avenues just north of Roeding Park. It sought to institute a lot line —splitting one parcel into two — that had previously existed on their property before 1968.

Lyles wants to donate one of its corporate buildings there to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, which is currently using it for its administrative office as a tenant.

The city’s planning director approved the parcel map with conditions, including the applicant Lyles Diversfied paying for streetlights on Olive Avenue and sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lyles Diversified appealed the decision, stating that this isn’t a development project that should trigger such conditions. The appeal was denied by the Fresno Planning Commission.

Todd Sheller, vice president with Lyles Diversified, estimated the cost of the improvements at $500,000 to $700,000 — prohibitive for the plans to donate the building, he added.

Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White said city staff were simply following the development code in instituting the conditions. She said staff finds flexibility where it can, and are also sympathetic to the donation plans.

“That sounds wonderful, but they can’t consider that as part of their decision making,” White said.

Fresno Councilmember Miguel Arias, who appealed the decision of the planning commission, made a successful motion to approve the parcel map without conditions. It passed 7-0.