DATE: November 17, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Amendment to Text of the Zoning Ordinance No. 393 (Applicant: County of Fresno)
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve Amendment to Text Application No. 393 and adopt Ordinance modifying the text of the Fresno County Zoning Ordinance to include standards and procedures for electronic billboards; and
2. Determine that the First Recommended Action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per section 15061(b)(3) and direct staff to file a Notice of Exemption with the Fresno County Clerk’s Office; and
3. Designate County Counsel to prepare a fair and adequate summary of the proposed Ordinance and direct the Clerk of the Board to post and publish the required summary in accordance with California Government Code, Section 25124(b)(1).
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost (NCC) associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions will approve text amendments to the Fresno County Zoning Ordinance related to signage to include standards and procedures for electronic billboards through the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process, determine that the approval of the first recommended action is exempt from CEQA. This item comes before your Board with a unanimous recommendation for approval from the Planning Commission (6 to 0 with three Commissioners absent). The proposed amendments require final approval by your Board per the Fresno County Zoning Ordinance and State planning law. A summary of the Planning Commission’s action is included as Attachment A. The September 17, 2026 Planning Commission Staff Report is included as Attachment B. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may choose to deny the proposed text amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance as recommended by the Planning Commission by continuing this item to another date and providing direction on any additional revisions. Alternatively, your Board may also outright reject Amendment to Text Application No. 393.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in NCC associated with the recommended actions. Cost for the preparation of the amendments and this agenda item is an NCC accounted for within the Department of Public Works and Planning Org 4360 FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
Amendment to the Ordinance is a legislative action requiring final approval by your Board. If approved, the amendments would become effective 30 days after the adoption date.
On July 14, 2026, your Board approved Resolution of Intention No. 26-268 directing the Department to make the necessary investigations and studies as may be required to amend the Fresno County Zoning Ordinance to permit electronic billboards on County-owned property through CUP framework which ensures that any proposed digital billboard installation receives full public review, including assessments of lan-use compatibility, safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance. This Amendment to Text Application No. 393 is a result of that action and is being brought before your Board with a unanimous recommendation for approval by the Planning Commission.
Attachment A-C to this Board Agenda Item provides background to Amendment to Text Application No. 393, and the proposed changes to the relevant sections of the Zoning Ordinance in strikethrough deletions and red-lined additions as recommended by the Planning Commission. In summary, the proposed Planning Commission’s approved recommendations would add Advertising Structures to Table 2-6, Table 3-10-3 and Table 3-10-4; add development standards and provisions under Article 3 Chapter 830.3.040 for Advertising Structures/Billboards that are digital and non-digital; add a provision under Article 5 Chapter 842.5.020 to allow digital advertisements on County owned property through a Conditional Use Permit; and add a definition for “Billboard” in the Zoning Ordinance.
Department staff recommends that your Board approve Amendment to Text No. 393 as recommended by the Planning Commission.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
As described by Department staff in Attachment B, the recommended actions are exempt from the CEQA per section15061(b)(3), as there is no possibility that the actions may have a significant effect on the environment.
The proposed amendments would add development and procedural standards for the installation of electronic billboards on County-owned properties, but all proposed structures would require subsequent approval of an Unclassified Conditional Use Permit which would be subject to its own CEQA analysis.
The Department will file a notice of exemption as provided by 14 CCR 15062.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #27, July 14, 2026
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Attachments A - C
Ordinance
On file with Clerk - Ordinance Summary
CAO ANALYST:
George Uc