Court Says Fresno’s environmental docs aren’t up to snuff. ‘Dozens’ of projects halted.
An appellate court decision earlier this month sided with environmental groups who have long said Fresno’s review process doesn’t adequately address construction impacts on neighborhoods. Now, the city has issued at least one memo to builders using the city’s Program Environmental Impact Report to stop and do their own review. The decision could delay “dozens” of industrial, commercial, and residential projects, according to a City Hall source who requested anonymity. … California’s Fifth Appellate District delivered its opinion on Aug. 6, saying the city’s report did not account for realistic, up-to-date levels of air pollution, groundwater, and pedestrian traffic. The court also said that the city didn’t provide needed alternatives to mitigate those impacts.