A story in this morning's ER reports that Chico's downtown was recognized by the California Planning and Development Report as California's third best mid-sized city's downtown. Even with all the qualifications (California, mid-sized, etc.), third best is a pretty good ranking out of 94 communities that qualified by virtue of populations between 75,000 and 250,000.

Still, I'm not about to go running out in the streets, waving a giant, foam-rubber Boy Scout's salute shouting "We're number three! We're number three!"

Ahead of us in the poll were Pasadena and Santa Barbara, while Berkeley and Santa Rosa trailed. Pretty estimable company, certainly, and perhaps there's something we can learn from our companions on the medals stand.

It is probably worthwhile to briefly explain that the CP&DR describes itself as "the authoritative periodical on planning and development issues - required reading for planners, land-use lawyers, developers, environmentalists, citizen activists, and others interested and involved in the process of planning and development in California." I've never heard of it, which doesn't really mean anything, but apparently they think very highly of themselves. Which may well betray a highly perceptive acumen, inasmuch as they also think very highly of us.

This Sacramento Valley city may be California’s ultimate college town, and that is reflected in the downtown, which lies just across Second Street from the third-oldest campus in the CSU system. Like any good college town, Chico is replete with nightclubs, sports bars, coffee houses, eateries, bookstores and even shops that sell vinyl records. The place literally pulses with energy well into the night. But you’ll also find stores and services that clearly appeal to the college kids’ parents, upper-floor professional offices, artist studios and civic institutions. A carefully revamped downtown plaza is only going to get better as it matures, and new housing is on the way. The edge of Bidwell Park — a 4,000-acre jewel that extends for miles from the valley floor into the foothills — is only a couple blocks away.

And while there remain some artist studios in the city center, a great many of them have vanished in recent years, as rents have increased. It's probably a positive transformation in the sense that value is increasing, but their departure contributes to the vacancy rate, and diminishes the cultural dimension of the district.

But overall, these compliments paid to Chico's downtown are valid, and we should take a moment to appreciate that we really do have a great city center with a strong sense of place, plenty of commercial, cultural, and civic benefits, and a community that values it enough to support it.

It is worth taking a moment, while we do so, to examine the advantages of the other leading downtowns, and see if there isn't something we can learn from them. Old Pasadena, for example, which the CP&DR authors call the "gold standard", began their revitalization process with "strategically located parking garages", which evolved, ironically, into "a transit-oriented housing strategy". As I observed in an earlier entry, Pasadena also utilizes performance-based pricing for on-street parking to manage demand dynamics, something the city of Chico is now considering.

Santa Barbara's downtown is a pedestrian paradise, due to "grand civic structures, lush gardens and the well-maintained Alameda and Chase Palm parks". Chico is struggling with plans to enhance and maintain Children's Playground. As I've pointed out elsewhere, we have a lot of private asphalt that could be converted to pedestrian space. I hope the Santa Barbara example can demonstrate why we should invest in those improvements. Still, we do have the new city plaza, the rose garden at Ringel Park, and an urban forester who has greatly improved the health and vitality of our downtown street trees. As we wrestle with spending priorities, I hope we will continue to see the long-range return on aesthetic investments.

The CP&DR also point out the disadvantages of the bottom five in their survey, including our neighbor to the north, Redding. They say smart people learn from their mistakes, but wise people learn from others' mistakes. Here's hoping our community leaders pay attention to both ends of the spectrum.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Today's ER editorial takes the Friends of Bidwell Park to task for vexatious litigation, which is only sensible. I don't want to step all over Lon's streetcorner, but the thought occurred to me that maybe we need a bumper sticker for the rest of us.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's that time again, when thousands of dollars flow back into Downtown Chico, attached, howbeit temporarily, to new and returning students at Chico State.

The student population is an economic shot in the arm for downtown merchants, food and beverage (especially beverage) operators, and service providers. The retail mix downtown certainly reflects a synergy (or co-dependency, according to how you look at it) between the commercial corridor and the academy. Not that the relationship is always congenial, but students depend on the downtown as much as downtown depends on the student body. Having a thriving shopping district immediately adjacent to the campus certainly enhances the academic experience.

And it must be said that the spirit of inquiry and quest for knowledge informs the cultural dimension of the downtown, as well. The gathering places, from the city plaza to the coffeehouses, from the taverns to the tabernacles, are infused with energy and participation from the migratory population of exuberant youth.

So while we anticipate the usual grumbling from the townies about the "invasion" of rampant undergrads, it's important to remember that the downtown bread is buttered with student cash. Fortunately, the city center is in pretty good shape for the return of the transients. The empty storefronts are bustling with rehabilitation activity. Fleet Feet is moving into the old Confetti location, a Mediterranean restaurant and grocery is occupying the old Moxies space, and I'm given to understand that a ladies' ready-to-wear retailer is taking over the old Herreid's Music site.

Kudos, incidentally, to Chico Velo bicycle club for hiring North Valley Renovations (whom I hailed in an earlier posting) to pressure wash the bulbed out areas at the busiest intersection in downtown. Ed McLaughlin and I don't agree about much, but we're both disappointed in the sorry state of the sidewalks. Credit due for putting money where his mouth is. Thanks.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last night the Old Crow Medicine Show took the roof off the Paradise Performing Arts Center. Steve Schuman of North Valley Productions is to be commended for bringing these guys to town and, notwithstanding some logistical latency in processing the many will call orders, putting on a great show.

These guys are some kind of string band demons. They bring a phenomenal energy to their show, and you can't help but get jacked up by them. They are clearly very well rehearsed and prepared, and still love what they do. That's a hard combination to sustain, but I think the depth of their preparation is one of the reasons they can love doing it, because it's the only way to get it done the way these guys do it.

And the audience obviously loved them doing it. From the second song the front of the theater was packed with dancers. It was not a sophisticated step; it was mostly jumping up and down and flailing while shouting "wahoo".

The lady in the next seat asked me if I was a "fan of bluegrass", which puzzled me. While these guys play traditional string instruments like banjos and fiddles and dobros, they don't play bluegrass as such. This is a far older and yet recently updated folk music form. It's kind of like "country" music before it got bolted onto "western" and became a radio format ruled by Nashville. It's the sort of music neighbors would play together on the porch in rural communities on a Saturday evening because the only way they were going to get to hear any was if they made their own. A lot of OCMS' music is original, but is faithfully derived from a traditional convention.

None of these guys are going to win any awards for instrumental virtuosity. Indeed, they were all playing, to one degree or another, a stringed version of a drum. All of them played primarily rhythm figures, and when you've got five guys playing the beat, it's impressive in itself that they are as synched up as they are.

Their signature sound is their singing. They sing in close, stressed harmonies, with a "high lonesome" sound typically associated with hill country. What these guys do that is so impressive is the way they animate their performances to such a frenetic degree.

I was reminded of two other groups from the past. In a lot of ways, they resemble the Kingston Trio back in their heyday. The Kingston Trio's instrumentation varied, but was based around an upright bass, guitar, and banjo combination. And while the OCMS guys changed instruments almost as often as Brittany Spears changes costumes, all their tunes included this same fundamental rhythm section. Old Crow also leaned heavily on fiddle, harmonica, and dobro, as well, but these were the coloratura voices; the main engine was bass/guitar/banjo. The vocal ensemble in OCMS is a trio, as well. Go back and listen to Kingston Trio recordings of "Ain't It Hard", "Greenback Dollar", "New York Girls", "Little Maggie", "Shady Grove/Lonesome Traveler", and you'll hear strong similarities to the Old Crow repertoire.

The other act I was reminded of was The Band. Each of the members of Old Crow seemed to resemble in some way the members of The Band. The fiddle player reminded me very much of Levon Helm, while the other principal vocalist and guitarist was strikingly similar to Robbie Robertson. The third singer and dobro/banjo player had the sturdy build, gravitas, and hirsute demeanor of Garth Hudson, while the 6-string banjo player was as low-key and understated in expression as Richard Manuel. It's true that the only thing the remaining player had in common with Rick Danko was the bass, but hey, close enough for Americana, sezaxon.

One thing I found interesting was the 6-string banjo player. This is an unusual instrument; it uses guitar tuning over a banjo skin, and the chord voicings are different from typical 5-string frailing banjo progressions. And it's the one instrument that is played by the same musician on every single tune they do. The player doesn't sing, takes no solos, and is fairly unremarkable in terms of stage presence, but it can be argued that he's the core foundation of their instrumental identity. There's always a 5-string being played, and always a guitar, so his contribution might be considered redundant. In fact, I believe that he's their "secret sauce"; take him out of the mix, and it doesn't sound like Old Crow.

One last note; these guys are every bit as enjoyable on record as they are live. Their live presence is amazing in its dynamic energy, but you'll be up and dancing to the CDs as well.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 03:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Throughout the "Greater Downtown" series I've been publishing here for the past two months, I've tried to examine the city center as a whole system, with a specific vision for its future. I've explored best practices in other successful communities, the pedestrian environment and walkability, public transit, the sorry state of the sidewalks, access and circulation, the farmer's markets, vacancy issues, a whimsical suggestion of a downtown    "How long has THAT been there?"
ballpark, and some of the local heroes who help to make downtown the jewel that it is.

But today we're going to talk about the single most critical factor in sustaining the progress we've made in recent years, and realizing a vision of a city center that is vital, dynamic, and successful for all stakeholders. Yes, my friends, we're going to talk about parking.

I know some of you are already glazing over at the mere mention of temporary automobile storage, and I understand why. It is a subject that has been shrouded almost exclusively in emotionalism. The topic is so polarized that most discussions about it quickly devolve into a rapid exchange of slogans and ad hominems. And I think part of the problem is that the question is nearly always posed as a quantitative analysis. The two "ends" of the debate (if an argument that is at once circular and endless can be said to have ends) can be reduced to "we need more parking" and "we have plenty of parking". Both are true. Both are false. Let's turn this thing around and look at it another way.

As I said in an earlier post, I'm prepared to concede the argument that we have "plenty" of parking, subject to two stipulations; it's in the wrong places, and it's in the wrong hands. Accdording to the results of the now infamous March 2006 charrette, 46% of the over 4000 parking spaces in the total downtown are in private lots. In their analysis of parking supply and demand, the charrette facilitators did not break out the private lots from the municipal lots and on-street parking. This is a flawed analysis, in my judgment, inasmuch as private lots are criminally undersubscribed. Take a walk around the downtown on any busy weekday, and you'll see that most private parking lots are always nearly empty. Bank parking lots, in particular, while serving a fairly high churn rate, nevertheless, are usually only about half-filled at any particular time.

Thus, when the charrette folks analyzed parking demand in the two blocks bounded by 2nd, 3rd, Salem and Main Streets, they calculated 85% occupancy (and thus ideal), notwithstanding that over 25% of the parking in that area is on private lots, and is undersubscribed. The idea that "85% is typically considered the optimal balance between making efficient use of the supply and making it easy to find a space" is based on there being a space or two available on street in each block face. But if 25% of the parking analyzed is in private hands, then the 15% of "available" parking is in fact unavailable, and those open spaces on street are largely mythical.

The charrette analysis goes on to claim that occupancy in "Sub Area 1" (bounded by 1st, 3rd, Salem and Flume streets) is only 71%, but again, fails to take into account that 25% of the spaces in that district are in private hands, so the actual availability of on-street parking spaces is significantly lower than 29%, as anyone who's tried to find a convenient on-street parking during the day will attest.

It has been argued that if people were willing to walk "a few blocks" they could find plenty of open spaces, which may be true, but that's irrelevant. I am not arguing that patrons can't find parking, but that the current parking supply is not suited to the very large number of employees and business owners that must park for extended periods of time.

Again, the whole discussion bogs down on the false analysis of quantity. Quantity is not the problem. 4000 parking spaces probably is a sufficient number of spaces. The problem is in the market model, and in the pricing.

Some private spaces are not available at any price. Unless you have business with the bank, you cannot park in their lots. And in recent years, most banking services are delivered online, so the demand for parking at the bricks-and-mortar bank branches is significantly reduced. Their lots are more than half-empty all day, radiating heat, and offering bleak streetscapes to adjacent pedestrians.

Other privately operated lots offer leased spaces (as does the city on its municipal lots) to individuals' exclusive use. This is terribly inefficient, inasmuch as even those who use their spaces all day every weekday leave them empty on evenings and weekends. As we've seen, the demand for parking is acute at those times, as well.

At symposium on innovative parking strategies held July 25 in Sacrmaneto, three key reforms were identified by several presenters. They are:

With the sudden announcement of City Manager Greg Jones' resignation after a scant 19 months on the job, it is time for Chico to reconsider its form of government. Not solely because it is going to be devilishly difficult to recruit a new chief executive officer for the city, but also to address the problems that have led to this difficulty in the first place.

Not to discount any of Jones' cited reasons for leaving; his family situation does indeed sound as though he would be better off in the Bay Area. Still, it must have been frustrating trying to effect meaningful process improvements in a community that regards any change as a potentially fatal threat to All We Hold Dear. Any qualified candidate for the City Maager position who hopes to have a productive and rewarding career will almost certainly see Chico as a dead end opportunity.

A big part of the problem, in my view, has been the current form of government. The Council-Manager structure we have now is typically suitable for small towns. Citizens are elected to a council, where issues of budget and policy are determined, and a professional staff then executes these decisions in the day to day operations of the city. As Chico has grown, the problems facing it, particularly with respect to the budget and growth itself, have increased in complexity and consequence, whereas the particular expertise for synthesizing solutions has remained relatively static. Not that the members of the council aren't intelligent, well-intentioned, or diligent; only that they do not have specialized training and experience in urban planning, public administration, complex budgeting, or labor negotiations. They are increasingly dependent upon staff for advice and recommendations, yet remain obligated to their constituents, who also lack formal adminstrative discipline.

I believe it is time for the city of Chico to consider a transition to a Strong Mayor-Council form of government, and to district elections. In the Strong Mayor form, the mayor is an elected position, and is not a member of the council. He or she is the chief executive officer, responsible for submitting a budget to the council for consideration, and for appointing department directors. The Strong Mayor also has the power to veto legislation passed by the council, which may, with a supermajority, override the veto.

I believe that dilletante legislators, beholden to narrow special interests, have created this current situation. I believe that a popularly elected mayor, with the remit to shape and lead the civic authority, will be much more effective at both pursuing and implementing policy.

I also believe that councilmembers elected by district would eliminate a great deal of the polarization that currently afflicts the policy process today. I would like very much for downtown Chico to have explicit representation on the council, and I expect those in the Avenues and Barber neighborhoods would like their interests championed, as well. Certainly the other neighborhoods around the city have their own parochial interests that receive scant attention, and would benefit from district representation.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

While I've certainly been quite critical of the state of downtown's sidewalks, I should point out that some people are taking a proactive approach, and deserve recognition for their efforts.

John Kennedy
John recently relocated his commercial real estate practice in downtown, which is a refreshing contrast to the many commercial real estate firms who market and manage downtown properties, but are not located there. The other day I caught him hosing down the sidewalk in front of the Beach Hut Deli, and asked him if he was involved in the business. Turns out he was just doing something that needed to be done, with no financial interest at stake.

It's probably also worth mentioning that he was instrumental in addressing once of the "missing teeth"I pointed out recently; he was the agent responsible for signed the new lessee for the old Moxie's location. It's to be a "mediterranean restaurant and grocery" and is expected to open by this September. Great job, John!

John Barroso and Justin Bowman
A new pressure washing service has opened up in Chico, offering sidewalk maintenance services to downtown businesses. The new company, North Valley Renovations, also repairs fences, decks, concrete, houses, and can be reached by calling 592-9773, or via email at nvrestore@sbcglobal.net. They already have one downtown merchant client, and are eager to find more. Good going, guys, for recognizing a market opportunity.

Nancy and Hal Carlson
The proprietor's of the enormously popular new candy store, Powell's Sweet Shoppe, have engaged North Valley Restorations to clean the sidewalk in front of their store on Third Street twice per month. It's great when a new business in downtown recognizes the competitive advantage of maintaining a clean and inviting facade. Well done, Carlson's.

David Halimi
A lot of people like to criticize downtown's "absentee property owners" who don't take an interest in their properties, but David, owner of Diamond W Western Wear, is a local property owner who takes pride in his storefront, and of the other properties he owns in downtown. He's an outstanding example of someone who has made a significant investment in the city center, has gone to great expense to maintain his properties, and to provide good jobs. Just another good citizen, doing the right thing.

I'm actively seeking additional examples of "Local Heroes" who step up and make a difference in the quality of the downtown experience. Please send you nominations to axon@axonometrix.com

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Nothing contributes to the decline of a downtown so much as vacancy. Every empty storefront is a chilling sign of deterioration. Turnover is natural, and businesses that aren't successful will inevitably close their doors, but if there isn't a new operator to move in behind them, the effect on the block, and the entire district, is distressing.

Moxie's café is now officially out of business. There had been a coy "remodelling, open soon" sign in the window for a month or so, but now there's a For Lease sign on the door, and a look inside confirms that the site is lifeless.

I have fond memories of Moxie's. I played there many times with my trio, booked and promoted other artists there, and made several live recordings there. It was not an especially suitable venue in terms of acoustics, but it was one of the few venues in town where you could hear pretty much any kind of music, from entry level open-mike types to touring recording artists. They held poetry slams there as well, and while they served beer and wine, it was family-friendly, and a place where teens could hang out. Back in 1999, I installed and supported the computer network for patrons to surf the internet. It was, by a month or so, the first "internet café" in Chico (Has Beans opened shortly after the Moxie's network was available).

Perhaps Moxie's failure is a sign that downtown Chico has become overcaffeinated. It's not as though downtowners are at any risk of not being able to find a cup of coffee within a few steps of their door, after all. Since Moxie's opened at the old Sienna Café location, downtown has been inundated with coffeehouses. In addition to the aforementioned Has Beans, the Naked Lounge (my personal favorite even though it's terminally trendy, especially among the pierced-and-tattooed set), Augie's, Peet's, and Starbuck's have opened. Upper Crust and Brooklyn Bridge Bagel Works have been serving coffee for awhile, as well. Plenty of options for a cup of joe and a crust of bread in the city center.

Of all the coffee joints in town, Moxie's was probably the most "bohemian". It served as the unofficial gathering place for lefty politics, and was the main venue for election night return watching for the self-described progressive community. I can idly speculate that the demise of Moxie's might indicate an eroding momentum for the Esplanade League and its ilk, but it's a vain hope, certainly.

I'm much more likely to believe that Moxie's is the victim of accelerated mediocrity. Competition is stiff, and as Yogi Berra says, if people don't want to go the ball game, you can't stop them.

Of a larger concern is the absence of a tooth in a very prominent smile. That's the first block of Broadway, nearest the University. When a coffeehouse that explicitly caters to students and provides a casual, comfortable place to study and visit with friends can't turn enough business to thrive, something is wrong. When the students return in the fall, if that store is still shuttered, it's going to make a very bad impression on a critical market segment for downtown.

Confetti Party Headquarters is closing its doors, as well. This is also an unhappy sign. I'm told that the business is continuing, with an online commerce model, but no longer a downtown institution. This is troubling, inasmuch as these storefronts, in prime downtown locations, are joining the other 30,000 square feet of retail space in the downtown core sitting empty, and 30,000 feet of second-floor office and commercial space untenanted.

I hear people saying that the downtown is the heart of the community, but the truth is that Chico has heart trouble. Downtown is at a critical crossroads, and it could go either way. It could benefit from increased private investment, new businesses locating there, and more patrons visiting. Or it could continue to disintegrate as businesses fail or relocate and are not replaced.

There are no easy answers, but it is clear to this observer that the current strategies for sustaining the downtown as the community's cultural, civic, and commercial center are inadequate. And that makes me worry.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Two of the best things about downtown Chico are the Thursday Night and Saturday Farmer's Markets. Different in style, they are nevertheless complementary and share some of the same vendors and attendees. I know some folks who prefer the Thursday market, while others prefer Saturday, but I see a lot of the same faces at both events, whether inside the booth or browsing the goods.

Both are California Certified Farmer's Markets, of course, which sets the standards for the fresh produce segment of the program. Both also feature other goods as well, including apparel, jewelry, and crafts. The Thursday Night Market, produced for the last decade by the Downtown Chico Business Association, has more of a street fair sort of vibe, with as many as five musical performers at established locations, other exhibitions, as well as booths for a variety of other businesses, from retailers to real estate, from foot massages to financial services, from chiropractors to candlemakers.

The market is open every Thursday evening, from 6-9 PM, from April through September, weather permitting. The market is primarily down broadway, from Second to Fifth Streets, with additional exhibits on Third and Fourth streets, and in the new city plaza. It's usually quite crowded, as lots of folks get an early start on the weekend by kicking it off with a stroll through the market, grabbing a snack, then continuing the evening with dinner and drinks at one of the many dining establishments. I know one restaurateur in downtown Chico who says that his Thursday night business during the summer is as strong as on Saturdays. The DCBA estimates that 8-10,000 people visit the market each week.

One of my favorite vendors is Antonio Flores, who has the Rosarito Tamales stand at both markets. He and his family sell the best tamales I've every had, with their own homemade hot sauce, spicy or mild. These are the bargain comfort food of the market, just $1.50 per tamale, or $15 per dozen, and are available in chicken, pork, beef, veggie, and pineapple. You can get tamales from him at his retail location on West Ninth at Orange, or order them by phone (891-6097) with a day's notice. But a Rosarito tamale just makes the market that much more fun, which is why there's usually a line of people waiting. I almost always pick up some tamales at the Saturday market to have for lunch.

The Saturday Market is more like a village fair, with fewer non-agricultural vendors, and a decidedly tie-dyed and birkenstocked vibe. It also features some live music, typically buskers and jam scenes. The non-agricultural goods are fairly limited to homemade craft products, such as gardening items, pottery, and jewelry. It has a slower pace, with smaller crowds of people, but with longer hours, so there's still a respectable turnout. It operates every year-round on Saturday mornings, rain or shine, in the parking lot at Second and Wall Streets, from 7:30 AM to 1 PM.

Another favorite vendor at both events is Lodestar Olive Oil. Grown and processed in Oroville, Lodestar has been making award-winning olive oil for years, both under its own brand as well as private label. Many people are unaware that the orchards around Oroville produce 75% of the mission olives in California, so it's an important agricultural legacy. If you like artisanal olive oil, you've got to stop by their booth at either market at sample both the extra virgin and the lemon-infused versions. They've also recently introduced a Balsamic Herb Dipping Oil, so you'll want to give that a try, as well. Lodestar has a tasting room on their farm, but it's great having them at the downtown markets.

By the way, this is the best time to get fresh chiles. The vendor pictured above in the Saturday market photo has a terrific selection of fresh chiles. There are also a couple of vendors of grass-fed beef who sell on alternate Saturdays. Since this is the perfect time of year, I'm going to share my justly famous, award-winning recipe for chili. Pick up some beef shank from one of the grass-fed beef folks. Three pounds is about right for a good pot with leftovers. Get a pound or so of soup bones from them as well.

For each pound of beef, get one medium yellow onion, one Anaheim, one Serrano, and one Ancho chili. If you really, really like it hot, add one Habanero for the entire pot. It's best to cut up the vegetables the night before. Might as well get a head of garlic while you're at it; plan on using one clove per pound of meat. Be sure to wear latex gloves when chopping up the chiles, and wash your hands well afterwards, just in case. The first time you scratch your face or rub your eye could be very uncomfortable otherwise. Put the diced veggies in a plastic container overnight. Put the soup bones in a crockpot overnight with a cut up onion, a carrot, a couple stalks of celery, a clove of garlic, and a bay leaf. Cover with water, and simmer overnight on low.

The next morning, strain the stock and set aside. Put the thawed pieces of shank on the bottom of the crockpot, add the veggies, and start on the high setting. A few hours later, turn it down to low, and add a cup or so of beef stock, plus one tablespoon of chili powder per pound of meat. I like the chili powder at S&S, but any good commercial chili powder is fine. I wish Chico Spice Co., a Saturday Market vendor, would offer a chili powder so the entire meal could be provisioned at the market.

By suppertime, you can remove the shank bones, give it a could vigorous stirring, and serve one of the finest bowls of chili since the mind of man runneth not to the contrary.

Now that the city plaza is finished, there's been some discussion about locating both markets in and around the plaza. Traditionally, villages and towns grow up around a "market square". Anyone who's traveled to Europe or Latin America has seen the open air markets that have existed for centuries. One of my favorite things to do wehn south of the border is go to the Mercado. Rather than prowl through tourist shops offering tacky junk (often made offshore), a Mercado offers anything and everything that the typical local might need, and it's a great view into the merchant culture of another country. I think it would be terrific if the new plaza became the focal point for both the Thursday and Saturday markets. It's such a great location, and with the new fountain and bandshell, it's bound to attract more visitors to both events.

So get out to the markets, pick up some fresh produce and flowers, greet old friends or make new ones, catch an upcoming musician (tip: Karen Joy Brown at the Thursday Market is a special treat), and top it off with dinner at one of the many restaurants in the district. And tell your friends.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 01:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Any discussion of pedestrianizing the downtown must consider traffic calming tactics, and implement best practices in this area. The process is incremental, and not without some controversy, inasmuch as its explicit purpose is to reduce traffic velocity and volume. Motorists, understandably but mistakenly, want to cover ground with dispatch, what with time being money and all.

It's sort of puzzling to me, because we aren't born in automobiles. Every car ride begins and ends with a walk. So the reflexive hostility that motorists and pedestrians routinely exhibit for each other is strange. When driving into downtown, the driver sees each pedestrian crossing the street as an obstacle, but as soon as he's out of his car and crossing the street, he sees other motorists as the enemy, and purposely slows his gait to further inconvenience the oncoming soccer mom in the Escalade bearing down on him.

No wonder people go to the mall. Once safely inside the climate-controlled uberstore, the gravest hazard they face is indigestion from the food court.

Traffic calming is not a new subject in Chico. In the recent redesign of East Eighth street, for example, three roundabouts were planned, specifically to calm traffic while facilitating smoother traffic flow. Were the residents along the corridor happy about this? No. Instead, they mau-maued the designers, insisting, essentially, that they don't like their traffic calm and smooth, they like it frenetic and rough. Go figure.

But other neighborhoods around Chico, confronted with thoughtless drivers speeding along residential streets, have petitioned the city for increased traffic calming measures, and where they've been implemented, they've been effective.

Usually, this means "speed bumps" (or, as they're called in Europe, "sleeping policemen"). But this is only one of many weapons in the traffic calmiing toolkit.

The Project for Public Spaces has a comprehensive catalog of traffic calming measures, summarized on the next page.

Continue reading "

Greater Downtown - Traffic Tranquilizers

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)