Save Tower Theater and historic district: Letters to the editor, March 28, 2021

Protect historic Tower Theater

I am writing to comment on the sale of the Tower Theater and the proposal to change its use to religious assembly. I am writing to defend the Tower District Specific Plan that was adopted by city ordinance 30 years ago to preserve and protect the Historic Tower District.

I’m writing to defend the Tower as a “regional arts and entertainment district” to accomplish the goals of historic conservation and revitalization.

The existence of nonconforming uses is a threat to any planned neighborhood. Further, allowing nonconforming uses in a specific plan area is antithetical to California Codes of Regulation, unless either a rezone or a conditional use permit is first acquired.

In my opinion, the city needs to uphold and enforce current zone designations. Religious assembly does not comply with current zoning ordinances and should be disallowed. If Adventure Church acquires this property, it is required by state law related to specific plans to apply for a either a rezone or a conditional use permit. In my opinion, no such rezone or permit should be allowed. The Tower District’s economic vitality is dependent on the Tower Theater and corresponding Tower District businesses remaining fully functional regional entertainment venues.

Fresno High mascot could be a fig

 Regarding the Fresno High School mascot brouhaha, I, as a graduate of FHS as well as my two brothers and one sister, have an interest in this chivaree. I suggest the “Fig” be selected as the mascot and the school motto be the “Fighting Figs.”

Since most all the fig orchards have been pulled in favor of housing tracts and mini-malls on every major intersection, there would be no objection by any former fig husbandrymen, excuse me, spousery-persons, since they’ve all sold out and have taken their lucre for parts unknown.

Such a need for so many pot shops?

This week i received a letter marked “Tenant” sent out by the city of Fresno. It explained that a conditional use permit has been applied for a “Cannabis Retail Store” within 1,000 feet of my business location. It had an email address to reply to. I replied, stating my business is within 1,000 feet of Pinedale Elementary School and that fact alone should prohibit the city from granting the conditional use permit.

My business has helped several Pinedale service groups over the years who clear the neighborhood of trash, weeds and cover graffiti, so that the schoolchildren may feel a sense of dignity in attending their school. A cannabis retail store would bring an undesirable element to that neighborhood.

The city’s response was that 14 permits are slated for Fresno and that it is “unlikely” that our area will be one of the 14 issued. My question is: Does the entire city of Fresno really “need” 14 cannabis retail outlets? That seems like excessive. Is our city in such dire financial need of the tax revenue that we need to “sprinkle” the outlets so liberally?

This story was originally published March 28, 2021 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Save Tower Theater and historic district: Letters to the editor, March 28, 2021."