A new local study shows that more than 7 out of 10 respondents see the recent inflow of warehouse jobs in Fresno as a net positive.

Ethan Smith, chairman of INVEST Fresno, said the study shows a disconnect between what people value and what policies and regulations get passed.

“Clearly, people care about the quality of the air that we breathe, but they really care about ensuring that they have the ability to provide for themselves economically, provide for their family, have jobs,” Smith said.

The survey of 368 Fresno residents indicated that 71% think the local growth of retail distribution and warehouse businesses has been positive.

The study also shows that interviewees think cost of living, homelessness, and jobs are the most important issues.

The analysis comes as city officials could decide land-use policies in industrial-heavy south central Fresno before the end of the year. Smith said many of the policies in the South Central Specific Plan will hurt long-term development.

“If the city goes forward with a plan that imposes the kinds of regulations, requirements, and mitigations that will ultimately lead to far less new development, far less expansion of those businesses that are already here, push them to other communities, I would argue that is inconsistent with what people in Fresno are telling us,” Smith said.

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Warehouses Bring Entry Level, Skilled Jobs: Respondents

Ben Granholm, executive director of INVEST Fresno, said the 368 interviews represents a “good basis” for a city the size of Fresno. The Public Policy Institute of California surveyed about 1,600 people for its December 2023 statewide survey.

Using voter rolls, they divided up calls amongst the seven city council districts and across different air quality hubs, using the state’s CalEnviroScreen as a benchmark.

Regardless of where they lived, people said industrial development has been a positive. In north Fresno, 73% of those from council districts 2 and 6 said warehouse growth has been positive.

In south Fresno districts 3 and 5, where a majority of industrial businesses go, 64% said the same thing, compared to 18% opposed.

That ratio stayed similar when looking at areas with poorer air quality. While the 23% opposed to warehouse development more than doubles the opposition rate in parts of town with healthier air, it does not come close to the 66% who said it was a positive thing.

When asked why, pollsters highlighted responses saying the jobs from those businesses are good for people.

“It creates warehouse jobs for people with misdemeanors and felons who have served their time, also creates jobs for people with higher education in management or higher education,” one respondent from District 3 said.

Cost of Living, Jobs, Homelessness Fresno’s Biggest Issues: Survey

When asked about what issues people think are most important for them and their families, cost of living received the highest score, with 75% of people ranking it first, second, or third.

Homelessness and jobs/the economy trailed behind that with 59% and 43% of people, respectively, giving those issues a top three ranking. Climate change and local air quality received 14% and 19%, respectively.

At the end of the interview, surveyors read respondents a series of statements often heard from pro-business and pro-environment groups.

Even after hearing statements such as “Fresno has some of the worst pollution in the nation,” the sentiment that warehouses are a net positive remained largely the same. After hearing from both sides, 60% of people kept the idea those businesses are better than not having them.

Another 11% changed their mind after initially viewing them as negative. Ten percent changed their mind from thinking of them as positive.

“We’re seeing across council district, across CalEnviroScreen score, across party registration, across race, all of which are identifying jobs and wages as the number one reason why they believe it is a net positive for the city,” Granholm said.

South Central Plan Could Affect Long-Term Job Growth: Smith

Smith said too often environment and business development are posed as a binary choice, where business development and environmental protection can’t happen at the same time.

“Nobody is asking for a plan that has no guardrails in it,” Smith said. But he said the current plan creates hurdles and restrictions on both new development and businesses that may need to expand.

On Oct. 7, the city sent 300 letters to property owners within the plan area informing them that their properties would be rezoned. While the letter stated a business’ operations may continue even if a zoning change occurs, a change in business use could make it noncompliant.

That could mean a property owner who changes tenants may no longer be able to find a similar business, Smith said.

Beyond the zoning change, the specific plan also implements a 1000-foot buffer zone, requiring potentially expensive mitigation measures if located within 1,000 feet of a “sensitive receptor” — which could mean a home, daycare, or community center.

Local Buffer Proposal More Stringent Than State Law

Smith said as much as 50% of the land there is within 1,000 feet of such a building. Even the recently passed AB 98, which establishes statewide minimum standards for industrial development, only requires buffer zones of between 300 and 500 feet for most business types.

Smith said that adding costs pushes businesses and jobs away from the area, especially as agriculture — Fresno’s biggest economic driver — faces drastic declines. Industrial jobs often provide on-the-job training, so workers transitioning from packing houses to warehouses might find an easy change there, he said.

But he said adding unnecessary burdens stifles growth to diversify the economy.

“If you think that costs and regulatory hurdles affect decision making, which I believe they do, business, employers, private employers, the private sector will look at where they can go to be successful,” Smith said. “And so this survey is telling us the people in Fresno want jobs prioritized.”