The City of Chico has submitted an Initial Study / Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Esplanade Corridor Safety & Accessibility Improvement Project (Capital Project No. 50355)
The proposed project involves various non-motorized “complete streets” improvements along the Esplanade corridor from 11th Avenue to Memorial Way and on Oleander Avenue between 10th Avenue and Memorial Way. A separated and paved Class I multi-use bicycle/pedestrian path will be created along the Esplanade, connecting downtown; California State University, Chico; Chico Junior and Senior High Schools; a regional hospital; and neighborhoods adjacent to the existing Airport Class I multi-use path at 11th Avenue. The parallel street to the east of the Esplanade, Oleander Avenue, would also receive signage, sidewalk, signal, and stop control improvements between 10th Avenue and Memorial Way. A roundabout would be installed at the intersection of Oleander Avenue and Memorial Way adjacent to Chico Junior High School.
The City of Chico announcement and enclosed map is linked to this article including more specifics and City contacts. A 30-day public review period is being conducted on the Draft Initial Study / Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) commencing on Monday, June 22, 2020 and ending at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. The document as well as all applicable technical appendices may also be reviewed at the City’s website at: http://www.chico.ca.us/capital_project_services/EsplanadeCorridorImprovementStudy.asp.
The Chico Avenues Neighborhood Association and Enloe Hospital along with the City of Chico spent many hours and a lot of energy over a period of years to finally agree on a design for a green space buffer between the new hospital tower and the neighborhood. Enloe Park is that buffer and it fulfils one of the last remaining requirements of the Development Agreement between the City of Chico and Enloe Hospital to facilitate Enloe Hospital’s tower expansion. At the same time the hospital was able to construct the new parking lot on West 5th Avenue which is currently being used by the hospital for valet parking. Enloe is now proposing to install 40 fuel cells on the Magnolia side of the valet parking lot. They will be installed in what is now the sloping landscaped area between the parking lot and the sidewalk on the west side of Magnolia. The fuel cells and required site work will eliminate approximately 28 feet by 160 feet of existing landscaped area.
Each fuel cell will produce 70dB of sound at a distance of 6 feet 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 70dB is about the amount of noise a pedestrian hears when a car passes you or if you stand next to a car that’s idling. CANA’s concern is that the sound of the fuel cells will carry into Enloe Park negating the quiet place of refuge it was intended to be used for by Enloe patients, their families, staff, and neighbors. The sound will also carry towards the homes on Arcadian between West 5th and 6th Avenues negating the buffer the Enloe Park green space was designed to mitigate.
As Avenue residents, the CANA Board members are interested in receiving input and comments from other neighborhood residents and would be ready to organize an informational meeting to help answer any questions or concerns.
Contact email is: president@chicoavenues.org
Included as a link is the Bloom Energy Revised Plan and an Artist Renderings link.
On February 10, 2020, the Chico City Council voted 4-1 to adopt an ordinance that would amend the city code and establish a by-district election process. The majority of the CANA area is in District 4 but there is some spillover into District 5. A more specific description of district boundaries can be found in the following City districts document provided by the City to the Chico Enterprise Record. For map downloads, demographics, and other City documents related to district breakdowns, go the the City of Chico web site.
Chico City staff officials and the Planning Commission are continuing to discuss Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) and hope a program that allows for pre-approved or “free plans” for accessory dwelling units will be finished by summer, 2020. Trying to find new ways to come up with housing, including free, pre-approved plans are one way that Chico hopes to encourage more accessory dwelling units, called ADUs. This program encourages smaller but more quickly built homes that are affordable, helping disaster survivors, downsizers or anyone looking for less expensive housing.
A summary of the changes heard at the Planning Commission meeting on February 20, 2020 are included in the following link to the City’s web site.
The CSUC Master Plan 45 day comment period is scheduled to begin in January after the EIR is completed and the plan released to the public. Of concern to CANA is the proposed 4500 seat Yolo Fields arena and 900 space parking garage on Warner Street to be located in the Bryce Neighborhood west of Warner Street where the University bought and demolished about 25 homes. With the only access being from Warner Street via either West Sacramento or West 2nd Street this would seriously and negatively impact traffic throughout all of the area surrounding the CSUC Campus. The amount of traffic generated by events at an arena of this size would seem to run counter to the idea of reducing vehicular traffic impacts in Chico’s urban core.
If you are interested and have not already had the chance to look into the CSUC General Plan Update, please see the link below to view the plan and scheduled scoping sessions at CSUC Planning’s website at https://www.csuchico.edu/fms/announcements/mp-eir.shtml.
Regarding the Enloe Parking Project, the City has hired Dixon Resources Unlimited to do the work but the plan is still in its rough draft stages.
Avenue Neighbors,
Through the years Avenue residents have become involved in CANA for a variety of reasons. Initially, and probably most importantly, it was because of the Enloe Hospital Expansion, which, by the way, is still not finished. The CANA website hasan article and rough timeline on the park. Click here.
That said, there many other reasons to stay engaged with CANA…issues that include 2nd dwelling unit problems, parking and traffic, and infill development in the E. Avenues between the Esplanade & Mangrove. The greater the participation of the Avenue’s residents, the greater the impact that you will have on your neighborhood and its quality of life. As a recognized neighborhood organization, the City of Chico has given CANA a voice so we should use it.
With the goal of improving the Avenues neighborhood, the CANA Board of Directors is seeking additional board members who are interested in shaping our future. If you are interested, you can submit your contact information our website or email John Whitehead, CANA Board President, at president@chicoavenues.org.