Private and Business Transportation

The City of Mendota is located at a strategic intersection of two California State Highways, Highways 33 and 180. The local section of Highway 33 runs from Interstate 5 to California Highway 152, just east of Los Banos, while Highway 180 begins in Mendota and runs through Fresno to the east side of the San Joaquin Valley. Due to the location, trucking is a major industry in the City of Mendota. From Mendota, a vehicle can reach main arteries of transportation throughout the State of California, as demonstrated below:

Mendota is also centralized between California’s major cities, such as:

Airport Services – 

The William Robert Johnston Municipal Airport was closed in October 2022.

Rail Services
The City of Mendota does have a branch of Union Pacific Railway line running through the City. Interested businesses and entrepreneurs should contact Union Pacific to obtain the details of shipping details through Union Pacific.

Business and Industry
The City of Mendota has been historically an agricultural-based community. Most businesses in the City serve these industries. Local business clusters include: farming; auto mechanic shops; restaurants; hotels; shopping and retail; nightclubs and entertainment; healthcare; and hair and beauty. Our larger employers include Covanta Mendota biomass energy plant; Local farms; and the new Federal Prison opening soon.

Advantages for Businesses Coming to Mendota
The City of Mendota has some key advantages for entrepreneurs and businesses seeking to develop in Mendota. The City currently is within the Fresno County Enterprise Zone, an area designated to offer tax breaks and other incentives useful for businesses. Additionally, the City of Mendota is a rural community, and land is plentiful for development into whatever facilities your business may need.

For more information on these resources, and doing business in Mendota, please contact the Mendota City Manager at City Hall at 655-3291. Additionally, information may be obtained by contacting the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County.

Schools
The City of Mendota is currently served by two school districts. For primary and secondary education, the Mendota Unified School District operates 5 schools (2 elementary schools; 2 junior high schools; 1 high school). The Mendota Unified School District has a history of success and most recently, the Washington Elementary School has received in 2010 the California Distinguished School Award. Please contact Mendota Unified School District at (559) 655-4942.

For those seeking higher education, West Hills Community College District serves residents of Mendota through several facilities, located both within and just outside the City of Mendota. West Hills operates a joint education facility in the City of Mendota called the Westside Institute of Technology. Additionally, West Hills has the Firebaugh Campus located in the neighboring City of Firebaugh.

Mendota also has the benefit of a major university nearby in the City of Fresno. California State University, Fresno has over 100 years of educational excellence in various fields of study. Students may receive university degrees from bachelor’s to even doctorates in certain fields. For more information, contact Fresno State at (559) 278-4240.

Recreation
The City of Mendota has many Parks that families may use for recreational purposes, as well as several recreational areas nearby.

Rojas-Pierce Park
Located on the west side of Mendota, at the corner of Sorensen Ave. and Smoot Ave., the Rojas-Pierce Park offers over 13 acres of park land, including three full  basketball courts, a large pavilion, a dedicated soccer field, a skate park, large grassy areas, barbeque pits, two play structures for children, and a splash park that runs from April to September each year.

Veteran’s Park
Veteran’s Park, on the east side of Mendota, features picnic tables and barbeque pits, a basketball court, and a play structure, as well as a field area, lined with trees.

Lozano Park
Lozano Park is on the north end of the City, and features a large field with plenty of shade trees, perfect for a picnic or play on the grass.

Mendota Pool Park
The Mendota Pool Park originally was operated by the County of Fresno, but is currently owned by the City of Mendota. It features a large number of picnic tables under a shade canopy, large fields, a large play structure, and a stage. The park is also next to the Mendota Pool, a place where waters gather from the San Joaquin River and the Fresno Slough. The Pool does support fish species, and fishing is allowed.

Mendota Wildlife Area
Just outside the City limits to the south, approximately 3 miles south along Highway 180, is the Mendota Wildlife Area, a State of California run area consisting of 11,802 acres of flatlands and floodplain. Camping is allowed during the waterfowl hunting season. Main waterfowl include Snow Geese and Pintails.

Recreation Programs for the City of Mendota come from various sources. Two of our local non-profits, Westside Youth and Mendota Youth Recreation, operate recreational programs for children. These programs include basketball, football, baseball, cheerleading, and boxing. There are adult leagues for soccer, and are run by private residents.

Culture
The City of Mendota has seen an increase recently in cultural and artistic events, and residents can interact at many of the local events that are hosted in the City of Mendota.

Business District
The Mendota Business District is commonly a collection point for the residents of the City of Mendota, and plays host to several of our local cultural events, including being the home of the Christmas Parade, and original home of the Open Market.

Westside Youth Open Market
Westside Youth operates an Open Market, akin to the usual Farmer’s Market, on Wednesdays from April through October of each year. The Open Market features local growers produce and crafts. Purveyors can also find some excellent food vendors and local businesses hosting business booths.

Harvest Fiesta
The Harvest Fiesta is an annual fair-like event that is hosted by Mendota Youth Recreation, and features fair rides, entertainment, music, booths, and other entertainment events. The Fiesta is usually held in July of each year.

Christmas Parade
The Christmas Parade is held each year in December, and is lead by Mendota Youth Recreation and hosted by the City of Mendota. The parade runs through the Downtown Business District along 7th Street.

Red Ribbon Week Ceremonies
The Mendota community is supportive of the Red Ribbon Week and its goal of keeping the awareness of drugs and the damage they do to individuals, families, and communities. The week features various events throughout the week at our local schools, and culminates with the Red Ribbon Week Ceremony, usually held at the Rojas-Pierce Park. This event features music, live entertainment, educational booths, food, and other presentations and events. Red Ribbon Week is usually one of the last weeks in October.

Driver’s Awareness
Each October, the City of Mendota hosts the Driver’s Awareness, an event that aims to educate drivers on the safe operation of their vehicles and bicycles. In addition to the educational activities, there are also entertainers, food vendors, live music and disc jockeys, and many informational booths from participating agencies.

Aztec High School Football
Mendota
Mendota boasts a stabilized weather pattern, with highs in the 90’s and lower 100’s during the summer and mid  60’s in winter, and lows in the summer of lower 60’s and winter lows of lower 40’s and upper 30’s. Average precipitation occurs between the months of November and March, trailing off in April. Average precipitation rates are at approximately 1 ½ inches each month.

is serious about our football. GO AZTECS! We encourage all residents and visitors to come to one of our amazing home games. The home and away game schedule can be obtained at the Mendota High School or the Mendota Unified School District offices.

Weather

Real Estate
The average home sales for the last year have average from $100,000 to $125,000, and have averaged 20 homes being for sale each quarter. Several real estate companies serve the Mendota area, including West Adams Realty in Mendota, Golden Valley realty in Firebaugh, and Guarantee, London Properties, and ReMax, to name a few.

Worship

Iglesia Cristiana Highlands                                                      (559) 645-4591

Non-Profits
There are multiple non-profit organizations that serve the residents of Mendota. These include:

Youth Non-Profit Organizations
Westside Youth
Mendota Youth Recreation
Proteus Neighborhood Youth Program
Faces of Prevention Youth Council
Mendota Community Corporation

Employment and Assistance
Proteus

Civic Engagement
Mendota Lions Club

Government
The City of Mendota is a general law city in a council-manager system. The 5 member City Council is elected at large from the City, and meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at the Mendota City Council Chambers, located at City Hall at 643 Quince Street, in the Ed Petry Civic Center

There are also other government offices in the Ed Petry Civic Center, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, which operates each Thursday, and the Employment Development Department, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For a list of City-owned properties, click here.

The Mendota Library is part of the Fresno County Library system and has a state of the art building that was built in 2005. For more information on the services offered there, click here.