Fresno Municipal Code Art. 14 Public and Semi-Public Districts (psp)

The specific purposes of the Public and Semi-Public Districts are to:

A. Provide areas for a wide range of public facilities, including parks and open space, educational facilities, cultural and institutional uses, health services, municipal offices, general government operations, utility and public service needs, and other public or quasi-public facilities.

B. Ensure that the development and operation of public and semi-public uses protects and enhances the character and quality of life of surrounding residential areas.

C. Ensure the provision of services and facilities needed to serve residents, businesses, and visitors and maintain a high quality of life standard.

D. Implement and provide appropriate regulations for General Plan classifications of "Open Space," and "Public and Institutional."

Additional purposes of each Public and Semi-Public District are as follows:

OS Open Space. The OS district is intended for undeveloped park lands and permanent open spaces in the community, including environmentally-sensitive lands, waterways, and wetlands. It is also intended to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the people by limiting development in areas where police and fire services, protection against flooding by storm water, and mitigation of excessive erosion are not possible without excessive costs to the community. This district may include trails and other low-impact public recreational uses, ponding basins, riverbottoms/riverbeds, and airport approach/clear zones. Access may be restricted to areas of sensitive habitat or which pose a danger to the public.

PR Parks and Recreation. The PR district is intended to maintain areas for active and passive public parks and multi-purpose trails, including outdoor and indoor recreation such as playing fields, trails, playgrounds, community centers, and other appropriate recreational uses. The PR district may include ponding basins or airport approach/clear zones if developed for, programmed, and actively used as recreation fields.

PI Public and Institutional. The PI district is for public or quasi-public facilities, including City facilities, utilities, schools, health services, corporation yards, utility stations, and similar uses. Accessory retail uses and services, including food facilities and childcare, are permitted.

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16).

A. Table 15-1402 prescribes the proposed land use regulations for Public and Semi-Public Districts. The regulations for the districts are established by letter designations listed below. These designations apply strictly to the permissibility of land uses; applications for buildings or structures may require discretionary review.

"P" designates permitted uses.

"C" designates uses that are permitted after review and approval of a Conditional Use Permit.

"(#)" numbers in parentheses refer to specific limitations listed at the end of the table.

"-" designates uses that are not permitted.

B. Land uses are defined in Article 67, Use Classifications.

C. In cases where a specific land use or activity is not defined, the Director shall assign the land use or activity to a classification that is substantially similar in character per Section 15-5020, Director's Determination.

D. All permitted uses are allowed either alone or in combination with other permitted uses unless otherwise stated in this Code.

E. Use classifications and subclassifications not listed in the table or not found to be substantially similar to the uses below are not permitted.

F. The table also notes additional regulations that apply to various uses. Section numbers in the right hand column refer to other sections of this Code.

TABLE 15-1402: LAND USE REGULATIONS—PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC DISTRICTS

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2016-32, § 15, eff. 10-21-16); Am. Ord. 2025-024, § 27, eff. 7-27-25).

Table 15-1403 prescribes the intensity and massing development standards for the Public and Semi-Public Districts. Additional regulations are denoted in a right hand column. Section numbers in this column refer to other sections of the Code, while individual letters refer to subsections that directly follow the table. The numbers in each illustration below correspond to the "#" column in the associated table.

TABLE 15-1403: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS—PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC DISTRICTS

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16).

A. Additional Height for Recreational Facilities. Additional height for structures related to recreational facilities such as light standards, nets, and fences, may be approved with a Planned Development Permit.

B. Residential Transition Standards. See Table 15-2305-C.1, Required Landscape Buffers.

C. Service Areas and Loading. Service and loading areas shall be located so that they are oriented away from residences, primary pedestrian entrances and areas, and not adjacent to or parallel to any public right-of-way (except alleys).

D. Setbacks. The prescribed setbacks apply to all structures, including, but not limited to, bleachers, dugouts, backstops, lights, etc. Should the parcel be less than one-half acre, the Director may reduce the front and street side yard to 15 feet.

E. On-Campus Housing Standards. The provisions set in 15-1004-A, RS Transition Standards and 15-1004-D, On-Site Open Space shall apply.

F. San Joaquin River Corridor Preservation. Any development within the San Joaquin River Corridor shall be limited or required to provide an extended buffer in order to protect the natural environs. The limitations and buffers shall be consistent with the General Plan and may be expanded further subject to environmental review.

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2018-25, § 11, eff. 6-11-18).