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.