8.16.2008

Aquarius Aquarium Institute UPDATE

On Tuesday, August 19th, the Fresno City Council will vote on a request by Aquarius Aquarium Institute to initiate a General Plan amendment to expand the City's Sphere of Influence (SOI) to include the donated 10-acre Aquarium property plus 79 acres surrounding it north of West Herndon Avenue. The action is required so that the project may connect to city water and sewer lines one mile to the southeast. Although the Institute has already been granted a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) by the County of Fresno after approval of its environmental studies and mitigation measures, state law requires that all projects must be brought into a city's SOI before they may receive city services.Once the City Council initiates the process, the proposal will be circulated to appropriate agencies for comment, voted upon by the Fresno City Planning Commission and then returned to the Council for a final approval. If so approved, the City will then apply to the Fresno County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) on the Aquarium's behalf and LAFCo commissioners will make the final determination to expand the SOI. After approval of the SOI expansion, the Institute plans to build the Aquarium in the County under its approved CUP with grants, philanthropy and private funding sources.