Fresno Council Indefinitely Tables 9,000-Acre SEDA Plan

The Fresno City Council voted 6-1 to table the Southeast Development Area plan indefinitely, effectively ending the current proposal to expand the city across roughly 9,000 acres and potentially build as many as 45,000 homes. Councilmember Mike Karbassi moved to table it, citing the lack of political support; Nick Richardson opposed the motion. Supporters said the project could add housing, investment and jobs, while opponents raised concerns about infrastructure costs, farmland loss and diverting resources from existing neighborhoods. Mayor Jerry Dyer said he is discussing an alternative with some opponents and argued that shelving the plan sacrifices the prospect of 23,700 permanent jobs.