1. Some say being a good business neighbor is ensuring
that businesses are maintained free from weeds,
freshly painted, with store frontages that are environ-
mentally clean. Although true, there is much more to
being a good neighbor. Businesses need to be in com-
pliance with city regulations, such as: signage, sidewalk
sales permits, and proper city permits. Successful businesses always ensure that
they are compliant with all city regulations and guidelines.
Here are some helpful tips for creating a successful business in the downtown:
Discuss any project with the Community Development Department (zoning, build-
ing occupancy, and existing conditions).
Obtain permits prior to any alterations at the site.
Discuss signage regulations with the Community Development Department, as
there may be restrictions for historical buildings, such as signage or painting of a
building. Always obtain a sign permit before installation.
Acquire a Certificate of Occupancy and a Business License prior to opening the
business.
Sidewalk sales require a permit, except on Fridays and Saturdays; however, subject
to conditions, as specified in Hanford’s Zoning Ordinance Section 17.28.090 12 (a-e).
Following these tips will keep businesses aligned and compliant with the city’s estab-
lished policy on all regulations and guidelines. If each business does its part to be
properly compliant, Hanford’s Downtown will be safer, cleaner, and a much more
wholesome community.
By: Melody N. Haigh –Community Development Manager
Volume 1, Issue II PLANNING TOMORROWS NEWSLETTER
Community Development
Department
City of Hanford
Building
CDBG/Housing
Code Enforcement
Economic
Planning
CDBG
“Fire Engines”
1
Fair Housing 2
Property Mgt. 2
Code
Enforcement
3
Planning 3,4
Building 3,4,5
Environmental
Justice
6
Inside this issue:
Being a Good Neighbor
April 2013
SPRING IS HERE
Community
Development
Divisions
Community Development Block Grant funds
(CDBG) assisted with $496,000 to purchase one
of the two fire engines. The new fire engine re-
places a 22-year-old 1190 Westates Class “A”
pumper at Station 2. Station 2 is located 10553
Houston Avenue. This fire engine will primarily
serve the needs of residents living within the CDBG-targeted areas of Hanford. The
new engine/pumper and trained personnel will be available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. The fact that all needed personnel, along with equipment and gear, will
fit comfortably on the truck will significantly improve response time and the ability to
suppress or extinguish fire, which should result in more lives and properties saved.
By: Sandra Lerma-Martinez—Housing Specialist
Two New
Fire Engines!

2. In a joint effort, Community Development, City Clerk, and Information Technology Departments are working to de-
velop a comprehensive Property Management Policy & Procedure program. The initial steps have been to collect
and identify a list of all real property currently owned and leased by the City. Concurrently, a data base and query
system is being developed to store and make available all information related to each parcel. When complete, the
system will allow anyone within the City (and eventually the general public) to access the data base, look up par-
cels, and view the related documents. Additionally, the data base will include information such as General Plan,
Zoning information, leases/lease terms, and availability, future City use, lease or sale. Comments, questions and
recommendations are encouraged and can be sent to Bob Nance, Senior Planner and/or Lori Saldaña, Housing
Specialist. They can be reached at bnance@ci.hanford.ca.us and/or lsaldana@ci.hanford.ca.us.
By: Bob Nance-Project Manager
The Right to Fair Housing!
PAGE 2 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT VOLUME 1, ISSUE II
Property Management
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and
in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial
status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant
women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and disability.
If you have been trying to buy or rent a home or apartment and you believe your rights have
been violated, you can file a fair housing complaint. There are several ways to file a complaint:
You can complete a form online on the HUD website, www.hud.gov
You can print a form on online, complete it and mail it to:
San Francisco Regional Office of FHEO
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
600 Harrison Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, California 94107-1387
You can write a letter and make sure to include the following:
Your name and address
The name and address of the person your complaints is about
The address of the house or apartment you were trying to rent or buy
The date when the incident occurred
Include a brief description of what happened
Mail your letter to the following address:
San Francisco Regional Office of FHEO
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
600 Harrison Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, California 94107-1387
The City’s Housing Division provides free booklets (“California Tenants”) and brochures (Fair
Housing) to Hanford residents and is exploring other ways of providing this information to the
public. For more information, contact the City’s housing staff at (559) 585-2587 or (559) 585-
4766 or stop by our offices at 317 North Douty Street, Hanford, CA 93230. For HUD’s regula-
tions and more detailed information on fair housing, go to HUD’s website at www.hud.gov.
By: Lori Saldaña—Housing Specialist
Community
Development
Department's
Three
Goals
Transparency
Solutions
Cutting the
Red Tape

3. What’s all the Fuss? It’s Just a Basketball Hoop!
PAGE 3COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTVOLUME 1, ISSUE II
Well, not exactly. Although basketball hoops provide hours of fun for basketball en-
thusiasts, they also can be safety hazards when not used or placed in an appropriate
location. When a basketball hoop is placed on the sidewalk, it not only limits the use
of the sidewalk for pedestrians, but limits the accessibility for wheelchair users, as
well. The placement of the structure on the street may also hinder City utility vehicles
from street maintenance and impede the flow of traffic.
Basketball hoops expose safety hazards for streets and sidewalks. Items such as
trash receptacles, power cords, skate ramps, and vehicles parked across the sidewalk
are some other hazards that are dealt with on a daily basis. City of Hanford Municipal
Code 17.68.050 prohibits the outdoor storage of personal property of any type on or in
the street or other public right-of-way that may endanger human life or are hazards to the public health, safety, and
general welfare of the citizens of the City.
Being conscientious and taking initiative will result in avoiding accidents. Remember, we can make a difference in
our community by working together!
By: Gavino Barrera—Code Compliance Officer
Did you know that Code Enforcement
Officers must be certified? A Code En-
forcement Officer is a sworn or non-
sworn inspector, officer, or investigator
employed by a city or county. These officers’ primary duty is the enforcement of violations of laws regulating public
nuisance, public health, safety, and welfare, public works, business activities and consumer protection, building stan-
dards, land-use, or municipal affairs. Their specialized training encompasses prevention, detection, investigation,
and enforcement. Code Enforcement Officers not only need to be certified, they are also required to get continuing
education, with a minimum of 48 hours every three years regarding laws and codes. In addition, there is another
requirement, PC 832 arrest-and-firearm training is a module through the police academy. Many Code Enforcement
Officers have been hired having law enforcement and/or construction backgrounds. The Code Compliance Program
enhances neighborhoods and works to ensure the health, safety, and general welfare of City residents through effi-
cient and effective code compliance. All actions are conducted in a responsive and fair manner-focusing on cus-
tomer service and public awareness, while respecting the property rights of our citizens.
By: Ruth Belmonte—Code Compliance Officer
Enforcement Certification
Coming soon to the City of Hanford Build-
ing Division will be the ability to pay your
permit fees with your credit card. The
process will also include the ability to ob-
tain basic building permits online instead
of having to come into the office. It is hoped that this
new and exciting customer friendly service will be
available in the near future.
By: Kris McRae—Permit Specialist
On-line Payments Downtown East
Precise Plan
A Focused EIR has been completed for the Downtown East
Precise Plan (DEPP) and is in the final stages of adoption.
This plan is scheduled for Planning Commission in April
2013 following City Council approval in May 2013. All
DEPP progress can be viewed on the website.
By: Melody N. Haigh
Community Development Manager

4. We all know that the Fire Depart-
ment puts out fires, and the Police
Department investigates crime; but
did you know that the Building Divi-
sion is proactive in stopping fires
and preventing crime before they
start? Yes, it is true! We are the
front line in fire and crime preven-
tion. The codes we enforce are writ-
ten to ensure health and life safety
as a first concern. Our codes help
to build buildings resistant to fire. If
one does start, our codes help to
prevent its spread and enable peo-
ple to get out of the building safely.
With our Code Enforcement pro-
gram, we use the ”Broken window “
policy which states that maintaining
and monitoring urban environments
in a well-ordered condition may
stop further vandal-
ism and escalation
into more serious
crime. Consider a
building with a few
broken windows. If the windows are
not repaired, the tendency is for van-
dals to break a few more windows.
Eventually, they may even break into
the building, and if it's unoccupied,
perhaps become squatters or light
fires inside. Or consider a sidewalk.
Some litter accumulates. Soon, more
litter accumulates. Eventually, people
even start leaving bags of trash from
take-out restaurants there or even
break into cars. We strive to keep the
neighborhoods clean and inviting to
families, not to criminals. We try to
stop the small violations so they don’t
escalate into crime scenes.
The Building Division and the Code
Enforcement Division are great com-
munity advocates and are a great
and friendly help to the citizens of
Hanford.
By: Tom Webb-Building Official
A Friendly Division
PAGE 4 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT VOLUME 1, ISSUE II
Bob Nance comes with over 21 years
of experience in Economic Develop-
ment. In addition, he brings experi-
ence in Community Development
Block Grant, HOME, CALHOME and
other similar grant and loan programs
focused on blight elimination, eco-
nomic development, and affordable
housing efforts. Bob is currently
working with staff on establishing poli-
cies and procedures for property man-
agement, marketing, and economic
strategies. His knowledge will help
assist in finding solutions for the City.
By: Melody N. Haigh—CDM
Another New Face
If you’re starting a new business or just refreshing the look of your lo-
cation, you may be considering signage. It’s an important marketing
tool! Before you commit to a sign order, however, be sure you or your
contractor submits a Sign Permit Application to the Community Development Department for approval. For locations
in the Historic District, submit a Historic Review Permit Application. Both applications are available on the City’s web-
site (www.ci.hanford.ca.us) or by contacting our office at (559) 585-2580. The cost of the permit is $242.00 (plus the
cost of a building permit, if required).
Hiring a sign contractor can be a good investment, as they are familiar with the per-
mitting process and are frequently able to make helpful suggestions for effective and
attractive signage.
For complete information, consult the City’s Sign Ordinance on the website (Hanford Municipal Code 17.36 and
17.44) or contact our office. We’re here to help!
By: Diana Black—Administrative Support Technician
What’sYour Sign?
City Council has given their blessings in moving for-
ward with the General Plan Update. April 1, 2013 is
the deadline for consultants to revise their previous
submittals. Staff anticipates a formal interview by the
end of April and final recommendation to Council in
May. The General Plan Update should be up and run-
ning by June 2013.
By: Ed Haworth—Project Manager
Planning Commission has held several workshops in the
past couple of months, covering: General Plan Elements,
Main Street Hanford, and Public Hearings. April’s meet-
ings will include the Downtown East Precise Plan, Plan-
ning Commission Handbook (which was last updated in
1992), and CEQA Guidelines. Future projects coming
through will keep Planning Commissioners busy.
By: Melody N. Haigh
Community Development Manager
General Plan Update Planning Commission
Sign, Sign
every-
where there’s
signs!

5. This article is a very brief explanatory with information
from the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990)
Title III (private entities) technical assistance manual and
several other reliable reference sources. There is a great
deal of confusion as to what ADA regulations are re-
quired for existing buildings that do not have permits for
alterations or additions. First, the Department of Justice
(DOJ) has authority over existing facilities that are subject
to the requirement for removal of barriers under Title III of
the ADA. The state has the authority to enforce the DOJ
standards through civil actions granted by the Unruh Civil
Rights Act, which makes “A violation of the right of any
individual under the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (Public Law 101-336) shall also constitute a viola-
tion of the California Civil code section 51 paragraph
f” (For more information see Senate Bill No.1608).
Public accommodations (which have different obligations
from commercial buildings) are not addressed in this arti-
cle. Architectural barriers and communication barriers
that are structural in nature in existing facilities must be
removed, when it is readily achievable to do so.
First, what falls under the category of public accommoda-
tion? A public accommodation is a facility whose opera-
tions affect commerce; and fall within at least one of the
following 12 categories:
1. Places of lodging (e.g., inns, hotels, motels) (except
for owner-occupied establishments renting fewer than six
rooms);
2. Establishments serving food or drink (e.g., restau-
rants and bars);
3. Places of exhibition or entertainment (e.g., motion
picture houses, theaters, concert halls, stadiums);
4. Places of public gathering (e.g., auditoriums, conven-
tion centers, lecture halls);
5. Sales or rental establishments (e.g., bakeries, gro-
cery stores, hardware stores, shopping centers);
6. Service establishments (e.g., Laundromats, dry-
cleaners, banks, barber shops, beauty shops, travel ser-
vices, shoe repair services, funeral parlors, gas stations,
offices of accountants or lawyers, pharmacies, insurance
offices, professional offices of health care providers, hos-
pitals);
Title III Requirements
for Existing
Public Accommodations
PAGE 5COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTVOLUME 1, ISSUE II
7. Public transportations terminals, depots, or stations
(not including facilities relating to air transportation);
8. Places of public display or collection (e.g., muse-
ums, libraries, galleries);
9. Places of recreation (e.g., parks, zoos, amusement
parks);
10. Places of education (e.g., nursery schools, elemen-
tary, secondary, undergraduate, or postgraduate pri-
vate schools);
11. Social service center establishments (e.g., day care
centers, senior citizen centers, homeless shelters, food
banks, adoption agencies); and
12. Places of exercise or recreation (e.g., gymnasiums,
health spas, bowling alleys, golf courses).
What is meant by readily achievable? Physical barriers
to entering and using existing facilities must be re-
moved when “readily achievable.” Readily achievable
means “easily accomplishable and able to be carried
out without much difficulty or expense.”
What is readily achievable will be determined on a case
-by-case basis in light of the resources available. The
regulation does not require the rearrangement of tem-
porary or movable structures, such as furniture, equip-
ment, and display racks to the extent that it would result
in a significant loss of selling or serving space. Nor
does it require the removal of structural members that
would make a structure unsafe. How does a public
accommodation determine when barrier removal is
readily achievable? Factors to consider include:
1. The nature and cost of the action;
2. The overall financial resources of the site or sites
involved: the number of persons employed at the site;
the effect on expenses and resources; legitimate safety
requirements necessary for safe operation, including
crime-prevention measures; or any other impact of the
action on the operation of the site;
3. The geographic separateness and the administra-
tive or fiscal relationship of the site or sites in question
to any parent corporation or entity;
4. If applicable, the overall financial resources of any
parent corporation or entity; the overall size of the par-
ent corporation or entity with respect to the number of
its employees; the number, type, and location of its fa-
cilities; and
5. If applicable, the type of operation or operations of
any parent corporation or entity, including the composi-
tion structure, and functions of the workforce of the par-
ent corporation or entity.

6. Depending on whose statistics you
believe, carbon monoxide poisoning
causes between 200 and 700 deaths
per year in the U.S. For every per-
son killed, there are another 5 or 50
that will require some form of hos-
pital visit. No matter which num-
bers you use, this makes carbon
monoxide the leading cause of poi-
soning death in the U.S.
The new California Carbon Monox-
What barriers will it be “readily achiev-
able” to remove? There is no defini-
tive answer to this question because
determinations as to which barriers
can be removed without much diffi-
culty or expense must be made on a
case-by-case basis. Legitimate safety
requirements may be considered in
determining what is readily achiev-
able, so long as they are based on
actual risks and are necessary for
safe operation.
Examples of barrier removal meas-
ures include:
1. Installing ramps
2. Making curb cuts at sidewalks
and entrances.
3. Repositioning shelves;
4. Rearranging tables, chairs, vend-
ing machines, display racks, and
other furniture.
5. Repositioning telephones;
6. Adding raised markings on eleva-
tors control buttons;
7. Installing flashing alarm lights;
8. Widening doorways.
9. Installing offset hinges to widen
doorways;
10. Eliminating a turnstile or providing
an alternative accessible path;
11. Installing accessible door hard-
ware;
12. Installing grab bars in toilet stalls.
13. Rearranging toilet partitions to in-
crease maneuvering space;
14. Insulating lavatory pipes under
sinks to prevent burns;
15. Installing a raised toilet seat;
16. Installing a full-length bathroom
mirror;
17. Repositioning the paper towel dis-
penser in a bathroom;
18. Creating designated accessible
parking spaces;
19. Installing an accessible paper cup
dispenser at an existing inaccessi-
ble water fountain;
20. Removing high pile, low density
carpeting;
First priority should be given to meas-
ures that will enable individuals with
disabilities to “get in the front door,”
followed by measures to provide ac-
cess to areas providing goods and ser-
vices. Barrier removal measures must
comply, when readily achievable, with
the alterations requirements of the ADA
Accessibility Guidelines. If compliance
with the Guidelines is not readily
achievable, other safe, readily achiev-
able measures must be taken.
By: Frank Rocha
Building Inspector
In the 1990’s a movement known as
the “environmental justice move-
ment” addressed the issues of ineq-
uity of individuals and their communi-
ties (DOT, 2009). However, environ-
mental laws, regulations, and poli-
cies have since been put into place
for the participation and compliance
of cities, counties, states, and federal
ADA (Cont. from pg. 5)
PAGE 6 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT VOLUME 1, ISSUE II
Carbon Monoxide Alarms.
Friend or Foe? ide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010 is
a step in the right direction. This law
requires C O alarms in all single-
family homes, and since the first of the
year, in all apartments. Whenever a
building permit with a valuation ex-
ceeding $1,000.00 is required, the
building division checks for their in-
stallation. Although the extra expense
for alarms may seem an inconvenience
at the time of a building project, they
are cheap insurance. Let us help you
keep yourself and family heathy and
alive in the new year and the years
to come. Install your carbon monox-
ide alarms as per manufacture is
installation instructions, and check
them regularly.
By: Robert Sutton
Building Inspector
agencies.
Environ-
mental justice
is known for
its equal treat-
ment of “race,
color, national
origin”, and/or
financial means and for protecting
the public against the exposure of
possible harmful development
around neighborhoods (DOT,
2009). Existing and proposed de-
Environmental
Justice
velopments have caused many
detrimental effects to the people
and their environment. Indentifying
and addressing different socioeco-
nomic groups demographically on
topics that coincide with environ-
mental justice principles such as
population of race, educa-
tional attainment, house-
hold income, age by gen-
der, means of transporta-
tion to work, disabilities,
and senior citizens will
provide a more diverse
interaction of public partici-
pation in future develop-
ments within the city.
By: Melody N. Haigh– CDM
No person in the United States
shall, on the ground of race,
color, or national origin be
excluded from participation in,
be denied the benefits of, or be
subjected to discrimination under
any program or activity receiving
Federal financial assistance."

7. Community Development Manager
Melody N. Haigh
559-585-2583
mhaigh@ci.hanford.ca.us
Project Manager– Planner
Edward Haworth
559-585-2582
ehaworth@ci.hanford.ca.us
Project Manager– Economic/Property Management
Bob Nance
559-585-2587
bnance@ci.hanford.ca.us
Building Official
Tom Webb
559-585-2584
twebb@ci.hanford.ca.us
Building Inspectors
Robert Sutton Frank Rocha
559-585-4795 559-585-2585
rsutton@ci.hanford.ca.us frocha@ci.hanford.ca.us
Code Compliance Officers
Ruth Belmonte Gavino Barrera
559-585-7167 559-585-2032
rbelmonte@ci.hanford.ca.us gbarrera@ci.hanford.ca.us
Housing Specialists
Lori Saldaña Sandra Lerma
559-585-2587 559-585-4766
lsaldana@ci.hanford.ca.us slerma@ci.hanford.ca.us
Permit Specialist
Kris McRae
559-585-2581
kmcrae@ci.hanford.ca.us
Administrative Support Technician
Diana Black
559-585-2580
dgblack@ci.hanford.ca.us
CITY OF HANFORD
317 N. Douty Street
Hanford , CA 93230
Phone: 559-585-2580
Fax: 559-582-1633
Website: www.ci.hanford.ca.us
SPRING RIDDLE
If April showers
bring May flowers
Then what do May
flowers bring?
Hint:
The Community Development Department is committed to providing excellent service to the public,
businesses, departments, and agencies within the community in a friendly and helpful manner.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT
EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER
Congratulations to Sandra Lerma!
Sandra has been with the City of Han-
ford for seven years as a Housing Spe-
cialist. She has proven to be an asset to
this department as her primary focus
includes monitoring funds for CDBG.
Additionally, her duties include Commu-
nity Development Block Grant (CDBG),
Home Loan Program, and Loan Monitor-
ing. Ms. Lerma has definitely demon-
strated teamwork and dedication.
Thank you, Sandra, for all your hard
work.