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              FRESNO   COUNTY
MILLERTON LAKE STATE PARK ATTENDANCE
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reau of Reclamation, which constructed the Friant Dam, the State
Park Service administers the recreational aspects of the area. Lifeguards
and rangers are on duty to assist the
over 1,000,000 yearly who visit the
park. Fishing in the lake is year-
round as is boating. The months of
February through September are preferred although the climate is mild
enough to allow water sports nearly
any time.
Sanger, in Fresno County, is the
sponsor of the famous "Nation's
Christmas Tree." This gigantic sequoia has a circumference of 107 feet
at its base and rises to 267 feet in
height. Rated as the "world's oldest
living thing" the tree dates back over
4,000 years. In 1923 the tree was
dedicated as the General Grant Tree
and in 1926 the Department of the
Interior officially named it the Nation's Christmas Tree. It is the central
symbol of Sanger's annual Nation's
Christmas Tree Festival which draws
thousands of visitors every year.
Outdoor camping is one of the most
popular sports in the area. The mountains of eastern Fresno County offer
unlimited facilities.
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One of the most outstanding skiing
resorts in California is the newly
completed China Peak run in the
Huntington Lake area of Fresno
County. The skiing area rises from
the lake shore and is equipped
with a lodge and towing chairs up
the mountain side. The popularity
of this area is attested by the chart
which shows the State Department
of Natural Resources' estimate of
more than 1.2 million visitors by
1962.
In addition to Millerton Lake in the
county there are Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, and the Kingsburg recreation area on the Kings River, all popular resort areas.
Before leaving the subject of recreation, we will consider the general living
conditions in the Fresno County area.
A large part of what is often referred
to as "Business Climate" has to do
with the evaluation of a community as
a place to live. Certainly intangible factors assume great importance to families moving into a new area.
Every community has a "feeling"
which is evident fairly early to the
visitor. The impression one gains in
Fresno County communities is compounded to two factors:
Youth and Enthusiasm
Your ID reporter talked to a number of businessmen in different parts
of the county. Some were executives
of large firms with regional and national distribution—some were small
local firms. One quality stands out.
People in Fresno County are enthusiastic about sharing the benefits that
they have found with new business.
In Selma, Bob Burkheimer met us
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
and talked about a 40 acre industrial
site which, though privately owned,
is a project of the Selma District
Chamber of Commerce, Burkheimer,
Chamber president, told us how the
citizens of this attractive little community are looking for an industry to
settle. There is no doubt about the
friendly reception here.
In Clovis, John McDonald, a local
businessman, told us about a project
currently under way. An industry was
interested in the community and saw
several people about obtaining a building. The precise type of structure was
not available so the people got together
to make an offer. They needed to raise
$200,000 to build a structure for lease.
In a very short time, five businessmen
in the community agreed to put up
the entire amount.
In Sanger we talked to John Olson
about the Sanger Industrial Foundation. A while back, an industry expressed interest in the community but
needed a building. The Industrial Committee of the Chamber of Commerce
undertook to obtain a building as a
project. Several local business leaders
got together and selected a suitable site
and obtained an option. In order to
complete the project they needed $125,-
000. The local newspaper joined in the
effort and a general town meeting was
held. At the first meeting $40,000 in
shares were sold. Another meeting was
held and the total rose to $78,000. A
telephone campaign was organized—
another $20,000 was raised. The
company moved in and the value of the
property rose.
These are not isolated examples of
community spirit. A number of similar case histories could be assembled.
The fact is that the attitude of the area
is very pro-industry.
Sites Available
There are a number of excellent sites
located throughout the county for industrial use.
The Fresno Industrial Site Foundation is a 325 acre parcel of choice industrial land located in the center of
the county with easy access to the
metropolitan center of Fresno. The
Foundation was formed in 1950 when a
group of Fresno businessmen, seeing
the need for properly zoned and developed industrial land in the county,
raised $330,000 to purchase the land.
The non-profit Industrial Site Foundation was founded to administer the
project.
The tract is served either jointly or
September, 1959
FRESNO   COUNTY
singly by the Southern Pacific Railroad or the Santa Fe Railroad as
needs dictate. It is equipped with industrial sewers and water mains. Main
roads laid out in the site offer immediate access to U.S. Highway 99. Every
lot in the area is zoned M-2 and protected by uniform set-back lines and
off-street parking regulations. Specific
data, prices and current availability
can be obtained from the Fresno Industrial Site Foundation, P.O. Box
1469, Fresno, California.
Both the Southern Pacific and the
Santa Fe Railroads own parcels of industrial property near the city, with
all utilities conveniently available.
In Sanger, there are about 52 acres
within the city limits zoned M-l. About
25 per cent is vacant and available
in units of 14 to 3 acres. During 1958
typical sale prices for the property
ranged from $2,000 to $3,000 per
acre. Subsoil is sandy loam, some clay
and pilings are not required.
In Coalinga, of 325 acres within
the city limits zoned for industry,
about 90 percent is available in parcels
of 2 to 165 acres. Typical sales during 1957 indicated a price of $1,000
to $3,000 per acre.
In Clovis, of 50 acres in the city
limits zoned for light and heavy industry, about half is available in sizes
ranging from 1 to 5 acres. In addition
about 20 acres north of the city on
rail lines is zoned for industry.
In Kerman, about 160 acres within
the city limits are zoned for heavy industrial use. About 90 percent of this
is available in lots of 1 to 40 acres.
Sales prices recently range from $300
to $1500 per acre.
Outside the city limits of Kingsburg
there are available 120 acres in lots of
1 to 20 acres each accessible to all utilities. Prices range from $600 to $2,500
per acre. Within the city limits there
are parcels of 5, 7 and 8 acres available.
Reedley offers 11 parcels of vacant
land zoned M-l for light industry,
ranging in size from % acre to 2.5
acres on a lease basis from the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe. Several
other excellent sites are available for
lease or purchase, one of which is a 80
acre tract adjoining the Great Western
Airport 4 miles north of the city.
Selma has 110 acres within the city
limits zoned M-l. Thirty acres in parcels of 1 to 30 acres are available.
Sale prices have ranged recently from
$1000 to $3000 per acre.
In  addition  to  the  properties  out-
INDUSTRY IN THE COUNTY
More than $150 million annually in grape production
make Fresno County the
nation's grape capital.
Workers in the Sun Maid
plant pack raisins as the
last step in the production
of  this  important product.
A highly favorable market
picture and access to raw
materials attract new industries like International
Paper Company which will
complete this new plant in
the  spring  of   1960.
Many firms in the county
manufacture products to
supply the vast agricultural
needs of the area like
the Buckner Manufacturing
Company, which makes
lawn and agricultural
sprinklers.
lined above, the other communities of
the county can offer industrial sites.
Specific data on these and other sites
can be obtained from contacts in each
community listed at the end of this
report.
Community Cooperation
Fresno County is an area of community living. The city of Fresno is
the metropolitan trade center of the
county and serves practically all of the
area. However the county is unusual
in that each of the smaller towns and
cities in the county retain much of
their  individuality.
If a single term had to be chosen to
describe the spirit of Fresno County's
citizens it would probably be Local
Cooperation.
When you visit Fresno County you
will want to have a base of operations. This will be the Fresno County
and City Chamber of Commerce. Lloyd
(Sandy) Weber, manager of the
chamber, underlined for your reporter
the strong local cooperation which is a
part of Fresno County's way of life.
September, 1959
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
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