Selma City Council members voted March 18 to add an emergency item to the agenda and approve a fee waiver for a conditional use permit that a downtown business needed to proceed with a children’s thrift store lease.

The waiver was added as an emergency item by a 5-0 roll call and the council then voted to approve waiving the CUP application fee (approximately $4,000) so the applicant could move forward with leasing the storefront. Council discussion repeatedly noted the waiver would not itself approve the CUP; the planning commission must still consider the permit with public noticing and staff review.

The meeting also included votes and formal actions on several municipal measures. The council: approved the second reading and adoption of an ordinance to add the Tejano Festival and Día de los Muertos to the city’s list of legacy events and waive one‑day business-license requirements for vendors; changed its regular meeting days from the first and third Monday to the first and third Tuesday; approved acceptance of two Selma Healthcare District grant agreements for CPR training and automated cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices (see separate item); and advanced the housing-element zoning amendment by approving the ordinance’s first reading.

On the graffiti-removal ordinance (introduction/first reading), the council approved revised language allowing the city to remove graffiti from private property after notice and, if the property owner signs a short consent form, to arrange city crews to remove graffiti. Council amended the proposed timeline so property owners would have up to 10 days to remedy graffiti after receiving notice, rather than 72 hours. The ordinance’s language also creates a graduated enforcement path that could include fines and, if fines accumulate to a threshold, court action to allow entry.

Why it matters: The unanimous emergency waiver cleared a short-term hurdle for a small downtown business and prompted the council to schedule the CUP before the planning commission. The housing-related ordinance amendment is the last step required to obtain final state certification of Selma’s housing element; certification unlocks access to state housing grants and aligns local zoning with required densities.

Votes at a glance:
- Emergency addition of children’s thrift store CUP fee waiver to the agenda — motion to add passed 5-0 (roll call: Avalos, Guerra, Oseguera, Trujillo, Robertson: Yes). The waiver was placed on the next council agenda as item 4-0 and later considered under 4-0/4-1.
- Conditional Use Permit fee waiver for proposed children’s thrift store (added emergency item) — approved 5-0; city clerk recorded roll call (Avalos: Aye; Guerra: Yes; Oseguera: Yes; Trujillo: Yes; Mayor Robertson: Yes).
- Ordinance 2025-01 (second reading/adoption): add Tejano Festival and Día de los Muertos to legacy events and waive one‑day vendor license for legacy events — adopted by roll call (Yes: all voting members present).
- Ordinance 2025-02 (second reading/adoption): change regular City Council meeting days from the first & third Monday to the first & third Tuesday — adopted by roll call (Yes: all voting members present).
- Ordinance 2025-03 (first reading approved): amendment to municipal code to implement housing-element Program 7 (allowing housing by right on priority sites at minimum densities) — council approved first reading; vote recorded by roll call (Yes: all voting members present).
- Ordinance 2025-04 (introduction/first reading): amendments to Selma Municipal Code 6-21-6 relating to graffiti removal — council approved the introduction/first reading and amended the compliance period to 10 days; vote recorded by roll call with all Yes votes.
- Selma Healthcare District grant agreements (Resolutions accepting grants for three LUCAS devices and CPR training): Council approved the agreements and authorized the Selma Community Enhancement Corporation to act as conduit for funds (motion/roll call: all Yes on combined items 2.3 and 2.4).

What council did not decide tonight: Planning commission review and any final CUP adoption for the thrift-store application remain required. The graffiti ordinance received the first-reading approval; a future hearing will consider adoption after the consent form and final language are circulated.