Chico, Sustainable

Sensible

Last year this was a dirt bike path that I used last year to cross a field to get over to the North Valley Plaza. It has been reincarnated as a red-stained band of asphalt bisecting the 3-month-old Chico Courtyard Apartments complex on Pillsbury Road.

When I first saw the prefab complex being built I had my doubts, but I don't think it looks half bad. For bike-owners living in the apartments, the location is pretty awesome. It would have been better if the parking could have been situated on the backside of the buildings to avoid the car-bike conflict, but with the clearly marked bike route and two generous bike racks the developers do give more respect to the bikes than 99% of apartment complexes that I have seen.

Senseless

Yep, this is what a vandal did last week to eight 1-year-old almond trees planted in the orchard north of 8th Avenue. I highlight it here because I believe these remnant orchards add character and ambiance to our neighborhoods. Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Chico police department. Where is Treebeard when you need him, or perhaps one of his apple-throwing buddies from the Wizard of Oz?

Posted by jmiller at 06:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The City of Chico will be holding its forth in a series of public workshops to garner public input for the new General Plan. This workshop will focus on "Land Use/Growth Alternatives," and will take place at the California Lakeside Pavilion on Tuesday, June 10 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

One piece of land that has potential for better use is the Redwood Towers building on 8th Avenue. Right now the edifice is home to a chiropractor, a consignment shop, and a number of vacant offices, but I keep thinking how it would be a neat location for a small cafe or coffee shop, perhaps associated with a yoga studio and an alternative book store. A bakery, flower shop, or kite store would be nice too. My friend Lee sees it as an ideal location for a neighborhood pub. I think the building looks attractive in a quirky sort of way, and could be an amicable gathering place for the residents of that part of the avenues.

Such pedestrian- and bike-friendly commercial areas are sorely lacking in Chico. With almost no exceptions, all we seem to have is the downtown, and everything else is some sort of strip mall or mini-mall surrounded by a sea of parking lots.

Also, having a cafe at Redwood Towers would most certainly improve my Walkscore, which presently stands at a measly 35 out of 100.

Posted by jmiller at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tuesday, May 13 will be the third in a series of "Key Issues" workshops hosted by the the City of Chico to gain public input for the new Chico General Plan. The focus of this workshop will be "Circulation/Mobility and Public Services." The workshops are taking place at the California Park Lakeside Pavilion from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The city describes the General Plan "as the blueprint for the future. It represents the community's vision, a constitution made up of goals and policies to direct decision making." It covers everything from land use to historic building preservation to city recreation facilities.

I am very wary of this plan. I have doubts about both its strength as a document, and I have concerns about the ability of our city officials to see it implemented.

Continue reading "Wary of the General Plan" »

Posted by jmiller at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So, I did attend the Chico 2030 General Plan Workshop on Tuesday night, along with about 70 other folks, according to the ER. Some buddies of mine were pleased that I was going: “Represent!” they said.

With a population of about 85,000 in Chico, I guess each attendee represented over 1000 citizens.

The topic of the evening was “Local Economy and Land Use.” The presenters kept the workshop moving pretty well, with a 45 minute presentation following by about an hour of wandering around and participating in various stations that tried to garner opinions about job growth, were to build (and where not to build) new housing, and related topics.

But I had a couple of questions that were not answered.

The Powers That Be are projecting, based on current trends, that Chico will have 51,000 more people by 2030.

What I want to know is, who will these people be? What kind of community will they be looking for? What kind of homes will they be looking for?

Again, based on current national trends, a large number of these folks will be retirees. Based on California trends, a large number of them will also be from the Bay Area.

But who says we have to casually accept the figure that 51,000 people will move to Chico in the next 22 years? Do we have any control over this number? Are we obligated to accommodate the housing desires of each person?

What would happen if, instead, we build the type of homes and create the type of neighborhoods that we, the present residents of Chico, want to see? What I want to see are neighborhoods that are built to be pedestrian and bike friendly, with lots of trees and pocket parks, and that de-emphasize the car by being easily accessible to shopping and amenities via sidewalk, bike path, or public transportation. I want to see attractive, energy-efficient, sustainably built housing options that are affordable by Chico standards, and not by Berkeley standards.

If people like what they see, they should move here. But if they are looking for something different, well, then maybe not all of those 51,000 people won’t be moving here.

I am sure there are folks better versed in community economics and the home construction industry than I that can point out numerous flaws in my reasoning. But I believe our environment is having enough trouble handling the development and growth of the last 20 years (Chico has among the worst air quality in the state); we simply cannot afford more of the same. And on that note, the next General Plan workshop is on April 8, and the topic will be “Environment and Sustainability.” I hope more people show up—I don’t know if I can handle representing the opinions of 1000 people again.

By the way--Dan, if you’re reading this, the snacks were delicious.

Posted by jmiller at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If you want to have a say in the future of Chico, I cannot emphasize how important it is to attend the General Plan Workshops and make yourself heard. "Land Use and Local Economy" is the topic for tonight; I am going to at least try and make it to the "Environment and Sustainability" workshop on April 8, though all are important.

As Dan Ngyuen-Tan so deftly points out in his blog (in addition to more poignant insights), there will be snacks at each of the sessions, so don't forget to bring your own water bottle, bandana/napkin, , plate/bowl, and fork to keep from having to use disposal paper plates etc. and save our budget-strapped city a couple of cents. Kudos to those who carpool , Super-Kudos to those who bike.

In fact, I think we should have a "Bring Your Fork to Work Day, Everyday," and abolish disposable flatware altogether.

Posted by jmiller at 01:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are many folks who are very visible in the sustainability community in Chico: They go to meetings. They sell locally-made, environmentally-friendly products. They participate in workshops, conferences and task forces. They write letters to the editor. They identify themselves with Slow Food Shasta Cascade, the Chico Sustainability Group, the Friends of Bidwell Park, one of a myriad of CSU, Chico organizations, and countless other groups.

And then there are the Potluckers. Dozens of them, likely hundreds.

And I am not sure that they themselves are aware of their true potential.

The signature trait of a potlucker is that they spend quality time with friends and neighbors multiple times a week, and usually only travel a couple of blocks to do so. Engaging with other members of the neighborhood community is the key element here, not just through food, but also art projects, canning, knitting parties, gardening, celebrations, home construction projects, making music, or practicing yoga or dance.

I try to imagine what Chico would be like if spending time with one's local community was a priority for everyone, and where this might lead.

Tighter-knit neighborhoods would be more invested in each other's health and wellbeing, and this could translate into actions such as advocating adding traffic bumps to residential streets to slow down traffic, or establishing a community child-care program, or households banding together to create buyer's clubs or even enticing a solar panel company to give a discount on installing solar panels on 10-15 houses in a single neighborhood.

I don't see this image as being too far-fetched. Potluckers are everywhere, sharing good, wholesome, home-cooked food, and every week someone new seems to be invited to join in. It is an informal web that continues to grow.

This may be perceived as a more passive, spiritual side to creating sustainable communities, but it is an important element nonetheless. There is power and energy here that should not be overlooked or underestimated.

Posted by jmiller at 07:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In some parts of the country, and in some parts of Chico, there are no fences between the houses, and folks get along just fine.

It becomes so much easier for a kid to retrieve and errant football.

Yes, we know the cliche that adversity brings the community together, but I would argue that downed fences do this too. And in the wake of the storm, plenty of wooden fences succumbed to wind, tree branches, or both.

For a few days I have had a casual view into the backyards around my neighborhood, where I have gazed in admiration of fruit trees, errant orchards, and even a cute family of pigs in the midst of an urban farm.

I have not felt threatened by the lack of barriers between me and my neighbors.

We only had a 7 foot section of back fence topple, and yes, I did rebuild it--Even though I might be able to retrain myself to live without a fence, I can't say the same for our 9-year-old dog--But I did get a chance to meet a new neighbor in the process.

I hope that when other folks go to fix their fences, they have the opportunity to team up to create a community-building experience as a well as a fence-building endeavor.

Perhaps some people will even choose to leave the fence down.

Posted by jmiller at 07:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The last two entries have focused on the reasons why folks should be aware of infill development trends in our city, and my take on what might be gained and what might be lost as a result of such development.

For those that want to do more than simply think and ponder this issue, here are some ways to get involved:

1. Vote. Research the issues and then cast your vote for ballot measures and candidates that you think will make a positive difference to our city. You might even consider running for office yourself, or applying to join a city committee or task force.

2. Attend or even speak up at city council meetings or various city planning meetings.

3. Write letters, send emails, or make phone calls to elected officials and voice to them your concerns. These people are in office to represent and make city-wide decisions on behalf of the community, and the community is us.

4. Write letters to the Enterprise Record, News and Review, and the Beat to make your opinion known to the community.

5. Become active in a neighborhood association to be a part of a larger voice. Here are the local Chico neighborhood associations and groups that I can find, with links to their websites:

Chico Avenues Neighborhood Association (CANA)

Barber Neighborhood Association

California Park Association

North Park Neighborhood Association

The Esplanade League (Political Action Committee)

South Bidwell Park Neighborhood Association

South Campus Neighborhood Association

South Chico Neighborhood Association
PO Box 3582
Chico, CA 95927

Vallombrosa Avenue Neighborhood Association
2096 Vallombrosa Ave
Chico, CA 95926

6. Talk to people who are developers or builders. Open a dialog. If you think that they are doing their job in a sustainable manner, tell them so.

7. And finally (and perhaps most importantly), take a moment to appreciate the open spaces that remain in Chico, and to help others to do the same.

Posted by jmiller at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think it should be every child's right to have access to a safe place to play outside and interact with other youth. I was fortunate to grow up on street that dead-ended into a small apricot orchard a short three-minute walk from my house. I have fond memories of climbing trees, collecting ladybugs and butterflies, and throwing dirt clods.

Not only do Chico's vacant lots and remnant orchards provide a sense of wonder for those who walk through or past them, but they also provide habitat for the urban wildlife that set Chico apart from surburbia-ville: Yes, there are the squirrels, but there are also many species of amphibians, birds, reptiles, and insects that all continue to make their homes in and among the hundred-year-old valley oaks and black walnut trees that keep watch over our neighborhoods, reminding us of Chico's natural roots.

Many argue that that's what Bidwell Park is for. And Lindo Channel. And our large community parks (both existing and planned).

But not everyone lives a five-minute stroll from One Mile.

In my neighborhood, there is a pleasant trail along Lindo Channel that is a 10-minute stroll (much of it braving traffic, as the sidewalk is intermittent), but the most accessible open space is the orchard across the street, which crossed by a pleasant dirt bike path.

Infill happens in this town--even at the smallest rate of growth. The vacant lots and fields and orchards will become human dwellings. But I make two requests of developers, and to Chico community:

First of all, when you build, make it nice. Build us places to live that enhance our neighborhoods. Build in a way that respects our environment, both human and natural. Don't build us dwellings that stick out like an SUV surrounded by bicycles. Rather, build us homes where the walkway to the front door comes off the sidewalk rather than the driveway. Build us homes where the most prominent feature is a front porch, rather than a the garage. Build us homes that can be sold on its merits of energy efficiency and use of sustainable building materials, rather than solely on square footage.

There are plenty of examples of thoughtless construction in this town, houses built solely for the purpose of a builder who wants to turn around and make a quick profit, with little or no regard as to how the building relates to the overall character of the neighborhood. We have the ability to do better. Much better.

Second, leave some of the land alone. It doesn't have to be very big, but leave us something, some part of each lot, so that everyone can have access to a safe place to gaze up at a woodpecker in a tree. I am not asking for every orchard to be turned into a community park, but some small pocket parks would be nice, one to three tenths of an acre in size, open spaces among the new developments, where the some of the wild trees are left standing.

A safe, five-minute walk from our homes.

Posted by jmiller at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There is a company out there that will take a USGS topography map of your region and turn it into a 400-piece jigsaw puzzle, with your address in the center.

My wife and I received one this year has a holiday gift.

Despite using the most recent USGS map available, the entire vicinity of 8th Avenue, 11th Avenue, 12th Avenue and Henshaw is depicted as orchard. East Avenue from Esplanade to Nord isn't even shown. After some research, I found out that the information on the map is from 1978.

A lot has changed in 30 years.

In 1978 I was six years old, and I played in remnant apricot orchards in the South Bay that look a lot like parts of Chico today, with its small stands of walnut or almonds trees that stand defiant in the face of a Chico's growing population.

Until someone decides to build another block of houses.

The "growth' issue is tumultuous territory for a sustainability blog, but one that must be addressed nonetheless.

Let me begin by saying that I truly believe growth is inevitable. I also believe that infill is the way to go, and that Chico's "Greenline" and the farmland it protects should be respected. I think that tasteful, well-planned, well-thought-out, high density, green developments can and should be part of the future of Chico (and many other cities, for that matter). Denser communities are more energy efficient--New York City is considered by some to be one of the most sustainable cities in the country for that reason.

But new construction within the city limits must be balanced with the recognition of what may potentially be lost as a result. I am talking about open spaces, remnant orchards, lingering valley oaks and black walnut trees, and unobstructed views to the hills. Before we let the developers build, we as a community must take the time to understand the true value of these spaces even as we consider building on them, and we must ask, is there a way for both to co-exist?

The development on 8th Street and Forest, though not perfect, is perhaps one such example of this, as the builders have fenced off oak trees as well as (so I am told) a unique variety of walnut to protect and even incorporate them into the building plan. There have been criticisms that the heavy equipment is still operating too close to the trees that they are trying to protect, and is potentially impacting the soil around the roots. Nonetheless, I am impressed that any effort is being made to protect the 1-2 foot diameter oaks in the first place, which are a small enough size such that another developer might have chosen to eliminate them altogether.

Again, perhaps not perfect, but its a start. I have high hopes that New Urban Builders' Merriam Park Development will improve further on this example in the upcoming years, protecting and respecting the Little Chico Creek riparian area while at the same to adding additional vibrancy, both human and natural, to what is presently a vacant field between Humboldt Road and East 20th:

View Larger Map

Posted by jmiller at 08:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)