As originally published in the Fontana Herald News on Monday, April 8, 2024.
The City of Fontana has issued a press release defending its controversial moratorium on the issuance of building permits in the downtown area, claiming that it “does not hinder Planned Parenthood or any healthcare provider from lawfully offering their services.”
But Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC), which had been seeking to establish a facility in Fontana, responded with a statement saying that the city contradicted itself.
“Many of the assertions made in this press release are the exact opposite of what the City has told PPOSBC leadership since it first imposed the building moratorium in July 2023,” PPOSBC said.
PPOSBC had been in the process of gaining final approval for its proposed facility, which was to be built on the corner of Sierra and San Bernardino avenues.
Last December, PPOSBC filed a legal action against the city, saying the moratorium is “illegally blocking the construction of a Planned Parenthood health center.”
However, the city’s news release said: “The ordinance is neither illegal nor targeted toward blocking the construction of a Planned Parenthood health center. Rather, it is part of a broader, thoughtful community planning effort to promote economic development throughout the city and contribute towards the revitalization of downtown Fontana.”
The city said that without the enactment of this ordinance, “multiple applicants could quickly receive entitlements that would allow for uses contrary to the City’s General Plan, resulting in, among other things, uncoordinated and conflicting developments.”
The city’s news release said that in 2021, Fontana initiated a comprehensive study aiming to foster new residential development and establish a commercial entertainment district in the city’s core. The city temporarily halted new projects on key sections of Sierra Avenue and Foothill Boulevard, allowing for a detailed land use analysis by an external consultant, the news release said.
The pause on new developments is projected to expire in late July unless an extension is required to complete the study and consider its recommendations. “The City estimates more than 70 applicants were affected at the time of adoption,” the news release said.
----- THE CITY issued the following statement specifically in reference to the Planned Parenthood lawsuit:
“Fontana is firmly committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of all its residents. The temporary moratorium on development advances the City’s commitment to these principles and does not hinder Planned Parenthood or any healthcare provider from lawfully offering their services. Healthcare providers and other businesses can operate and provide their services in locations within the City that are not affected by the current moratorium provided that they do so lawfully. The City’s aim is to ensure that healthcare services remain accessible to the community while it undertakes comprehensive planning efforts for the City’s development.
“The moratorium will conclude after the study is completed. While it is premature to speculate on the study’s recommendations, if the study finds healthcare operations in the impacted corridors furthers the City’s objectives, healthcare providers, including Planned Parenthood, may continue to pursue permitted approval to operate at a location within the area.
“The City remains committed to working with all stakeholders, including Planned Parenthood while pursuing responsible development strategies. As the land use study progresses, the City will continue to engage with the community and prioritize the well-being of all residents.”
----- IN RESPONSE, PPOSBC said in its statement:
“This moratorium was hastily enacted after the City Council faced pressure from outside groups to block Planned Parenthood from operating within city borders. At this point, Planned Parenthood had spent a year and over one million dollars preparing the health center site, making meticulous improvements to comply with all stated requirements from the City of Fontana. To tell the organization after all of this time and money that we are welcome to operate anywhere else in the city is patently ridiculous and unrealistic.
“Additionally, the moratorium lines were selectively drawn. Businesses and property owners potentially impacted by the moratorium were given special exemptions both by the City Council before the moratorium’s formal adoption and by City Staff after adoption of the moratorium ordinance. According to documents provided by the City in response to a Public Records Act request, Planned Parenthood appears to be the only medical services provider actively impacted by this moratorium. This is a major setback for the large number of low-income Fontanans, many of whom are uninsured and cannot afford to seek care at the medical providers named in the City's press release as alternate healthcare providers. The Planned Parenthood health center in Fontana would have been one of the most easily accessible sources of vital reproductive health care services, including cancer screenings, birth control, and abortion care. Planned Parenthood, which accepts all patients who walk through our doors, regardless of insurance, immigration status, or ability to pay, would have been able to serve more than 2,000 Fontana patients per month by this point if our health center had not been blocked arbitrarily by the City Council.
“We encourage all Fontanans to speak out against this blatantly ideological attack on their right to affordable healthcare by visiting www.bansoffabortion.org, and showing up in support of Planned Parenthood at the next City Council meeting."
Tags: