I have observed, on many occasions, that the thing that makes Chico such a desirable place to live is its "kindhearted generosity of spirit"; in short, its neighborliness. We look out for one another. Even though we may disagree, we still have to carpool our kids to soccer practice, and that shared consideration extends to the day-to-day interaction of the population here. It's a significant competitive advantage, and unrivaled in other cities and towns, large and small, that I have visited. But sometimes generosity of spirit isn't enough; it also takes money.

Former city manager Tom Lando, in a letter to the editor in this morning's ER, thanks Tony Symmes and Greg Webb for their "extremely generous" donations to the Chico Community Shelter Partnership, which operates the Torres Community Shelter, furnishing lodging and other services to the homeless.

Lando also makes the important point that the shelter is always in need of support, and encourages others to follow the excellent example of Symmes and Webb by sending donations to 101 Silver Dollar Way, Chico CA 95928

I mention this because real estate developers are so frequently criticized as greedy plutocrats, and so infrequently recognized for their substantial contributions to the benefit of the community. In truth, our local developers have been extraordinarily generous in supporting a variety of worthy causes, and typically without acknowledgement. I just wanted to take this opportunity to join Lando in recognizing these local heroes for their continued support of our community.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 07:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pretty much any day of the week during peak demand hours, traffic backs up on 2nd Street downtown, in both directions. And the reason is fairly obvious to the reasonably observant; left turns.

It only takes one person wanting to make a left from eastbound 2nd onto Main, or from westbound 2nd onto Broadway, to stack up waiting cars like cordwood, engines idling, exhaust belching, tempers simmering. Once the light turns yellow, the waiting motorist can execute the maneuver, meanwhile stranding a half a dozen or more at the light.

I've proposed for some time that eliminating left turns at either of those intersections would be a benefit. Now there's some science to back it up.

UPS has developed a routing methodology for planning delivery trucks' itineraries. The core idea? No left turns. A division of UPS, Roadnet, has embedded this concept into a commercial logistics software package it furnishes to other large delivery-oriented customers, such as Pepsi and Anheuser-Busch. Roadnet estimates that customers using the software save over 54 million gallons of fuel per year. That's over 150 million dollars, with a concommitant reduction in emissions.

These savings can also accrue to individuals, as well. An Oregon family recently conducted an experiment using the traffic flow software, and saved $3.69 per day in fuel consumption. That's nearly $1000 per year. Could you use an extra thousand bucks?

And those benefits don't even take into consideration the wear and tear on the patience and good will that waiting for a left turn (or for someone ahead to make a left) can exact. If Chico is serious about being a "green" city, and make a real contribution to reducing greenhouse gases and all the rest, perhaps it should seriously consider prohibiting left turns at high-demand intersections. It's certainly worth a try.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

In this morning's Letters to the Editor are two outraged missives bemoaning the closing of the Redwood Forest restaurant, complete with threats to boycott the new business to be located there.

The owners, Les and Tracy Hord, have gone to great lengths to calm the waters. They say that the new business owners are nice folks, practically locals, and look forward to their high-end candy store. The Hords have always been first class.

I remember when I first came to Chico in 1997, there were two "fine dining" establishments in downtown Chico; the Black Crow and the Redwood Forest. In all of Chico, there were only two other restaurants with any cellar to boast of; the Red Tavern and the Albatross.

SInce then, of course, opportunities to enjoy both haute cuisine and excellent vintages have proliferated. Soon after my arrival, Christian Michaels and Creekside Cellars opened. And in the past decade, we've seen the arrival of 5th Street Steakhouse, Johnnies, 33 Steaks Booze and Jazz, Monk's Wine Lounge, and Vino100. All of these establishments are within easy walking distance of downtown.

Used to be that Redwood Forest was an oasis for the local oenophile. Its cellar was nationally recognized by Wine Spectator magazine for its exceptional collection of fine wines. The good news is that this outpost of good taste and discriminating palates made it possible for other wine-oriented businesses to establish a foothold.

The Redwood Forest was also a haven for jazz fans. One of the best projects I ever engineered was the Charlie Haynes Quintet+1, recorded live at the Redwood Forest restaurant. The Hords deserve a great deal of admiration for introducing so many people to great music, excellent cuisine, and fine wines.

And while it is certainly disappointing to see them close their doors, I must disagree with those who see this development as a sinister harbinger of doom. The fact that downtown has become a magnet for excellent restaurants in recent years is encouraging. The fact that rents are increasing for downtown locations is a sign of increased vitality in a district that has struggled to attract and retain successful operators. Finally, the fact that the new tenant is targeting the high-discretionary-income market segment is encouraging. The Redwood Forest enjoyed an upscale clientele, and were it to be replaced with yet another down-market lifestyle retailer, I'd be worried. This seems to be a positive indicator to me, and I look forward to seeing the new store open.

Best of luck to the Hords in whatever endeavor they pursue. Their passion, commitment to excellence, and attention to customer satsifaction will serve them well no matter what they choose to do. And thanks again for all the good times.

Posted by Alan Chamberlain at 06:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)