▁and ▁Clo vis ▁polit icians ▁being ▁charged ▁in ▁connection ▁with ▁taking ▁b rib es ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁re zon ing ▁far ml and ▁for ▁housing ▁develop ments . ▁Before ▁the ▁st ing ▁brought ▁a ▁halt ▁to ▁it , ▁housing ▁developers ▁could ▁buy ▁far ml and ▁cheap ly , ▁pay ▁off ▁council ▁members ▁to ▁have ▁it ▁re zon ed , ▁and ▁make ▁a ▁large ▁profit ▁building ▁and ▁s elling ▁in exp ensive ▁housing . ▁Six teen ▁people ▁were ▁eventually ▁conv icted ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁st ing . ▁ ▁Geography ▁F res no ▁is ▁at ▁. ▁having ▁a ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁ ▁with ▁ 9 9 . 6 9 % ▁land ▁covering ▁, ▁and ▁ 0 . 3 1 % ▁water , ▁. ▁ ▁F res no ' s ▁location , ▁very ▁near ▁the ▁ge ographical ▁center ▁of ▁California , ▁places ▁the ▁city ▁a ▁comfortable ▁distance ▁from ▁several ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁recre ation ▁areas ▁and ▁urban ▁cent ers ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁Just ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁Y os em ite ▁National ▁Park , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁nearest ▁major ▁city ▁to ▁the ▁park . ▁Like wise , ▁Sierra ▁National ▁Forest ▁is ▁, ▁Kings ▁C any on ▁National ▁Park ▁is ▁ ▁and ▁Se qu o ia ▁National ▁Park ▁is ▁. ▁The ▁city ▁is ▁located ▁near ▁several ▁Sierra ▁Nev ada ▁la kes ▁including ▁Bass ▁Lake , ▁Sh aver ▁Lake , ▁and ▁Hun ting ton ▁Lake . ▁F res no ▁is ▁also ▁only ▁two ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁hours ▁from ▁Mon ter ey , ▁Car mel , ▁Big