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January 25, 2007
The City doesn't need another CONSULTANT for a DOWNTOWN PLAN
After two or more years of reports and public hearings, the City Council, its staff, and CONSULTANTS,recently spent several hours at a City Council meeting discussing the future of Chico's DOWNTOWN with all interested parties.
A number of business owners and others interested in DOWNTOWN outlined their RECOMMENDATIONS of what is necessary to retain and expand an economically viable and attractive DOWNTOWN.
Usually, after public hearings are held, the staff amd City Council decide they need a CONSULTANT to prepare a long-term plan to incorporate the VISIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS expressed in the many reports and discussions at the public hearings and other work sessions.
Another CONSULTANT (that normally costs more than $100,000) is unnessary. There is ample expertise in our own DOWNTOWN property and business owners including other stakeholders (a word that CONSULTANTS like to use). It's time to bring them together to develop a LONG-TERM PLAN (including the ideas expressed at the meetings) to maintain an economically viable and attractive DOWNTOWN. The community will then support the PLAN and be extremely proud of it as a centerpiece for the regional area.
I'm certain those participating in the development of the LONG-TERM PLAN will provide their services without any cost to the City. The City should provide a staff member to assist the group in securing information needed during the development of the PLAN.
Posted by Fred at 11:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 18, 2007
It's "NO BUNK"--I agree with E/R Blogger Dan Nguyen-Tan
In his "BLOG", printed in the E/R on January 8, 2007, Dan Nguyen-Tan proposed that the City "create a new ad-hoc commission called the Blog Commission consisting of (Bloggers) Lon Glazner, Alan Chamberlain, Fred Davis and myself".
This newly formed commission would handle "Tell it to the E-R complaints, multicolored symbols, and anything dealing with local garbage collection". I would add this newly formed commission could be assigned the responsibility of resolving all unresolved issues before the City Council, its Boards, Commissions and Ad Hoc Committees.
INTERESTINGLY, I FULLY AGREE WITH DAN, AND HEREBY SUBMIT MY APPLICATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. I BELIEVE THE OTHER MEMBERS SUGGESTED FOR THE COMMISSION, by Dan, WILL ALSO AGREE TO SERVE.
Posted by Fred at 08:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 11, 2007
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS--Its about time that the City has taken a renewed interest
One of the major objectives of the Redevelopment Process and other Federal Grant Programs was for the City to assist the older areas of Chico to undertake NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS. This included housing and public facilities improvements within these areas.
Chico started several programs for NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS in the older areas during the period between the 1960’s and 1990’s, but in the past decade or so these programs disappeared.
Now that the City has again realized the importance of NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS, its starting with the West Esplanade and Southwest Chico areas is a good start; but I wonder why they have not considered the older areas between Big and Little Chico Creeks adjacent to the Downtown Area? I suppose the “squeaking wheels� areas got first consideration.
Hopefully, in the future, the City Council will exercise a greater vision and think about undertaking its NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT Programs in the areas of greatest need rather than responding to the “squeaking wheels�.
But moving ahead with the NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT Program is at least a start in the right direction.
Posted by Fred at 09:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 04, 2007
Let's keep Lower Bidwell Park (Camella Way to Manzanita Avenue) as an Urban Park with a variety of large trees
On a recent bicycle ride through Lower Bidwell Park, I became concerned about the number of very large tree branches and trees that are lying on the ground throughout the Park area. I fear that our Urban Forester(s) and other tree experts might come to the same conclusion that they did at the Downtown Plaza; that all of the trees should be removed since they may be a hazard to people using the Park.
Interestingly, some years ago a person was killed when a tree smashed a parked vehicle, fortunately we didn’t have an Urban Forester or tree expert to recommend that the City remove all the trees that are dropping branches; otherwise we would have large areas of the Park denuded of some of our most beautiful trees as was done to the Downtown Plaza Park.
I hope the Park Commission and City Council will establish some reasonable criterion for the maintenance of our trees in the Lower Bidwell Park as they move along in the development of the next version of the Bidwell Park Master Plan.
Stay tuned, I have other recommendation to be included in the Bidwell Park Master Plan including the new sport of Disc Golf.
Posted by Fred at 08:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack