The Orion Online

Issue date: 12/12/07 Section: News

Dec. 12, 2007

Residents dreamed up their visions of Chico in the year 2030 on Saturday as they participated in a workshop to have a say in the city's updated general plan at Manzanita Place.

The vision included buses with more routes, bringing more businesses to the area and a greater connection to Chico State.

The point of the meeting was to hear from residents and see how they want to move forward as a community and a city, said Mayor Andy Holcombe. That included addressing issues such as housing diversity and maintaining a good quality of life in Chico.

"This is your chance for your values to become community values," Holcombe told the crowd of about 80 people who attended.

Attendees stressed the need to have affordable housing and keep the city's small-town feel. But Estela Salazar, a resident for six years, said increasing communication with Chico State is important for a good quality of life.

"The students come from outside of Chico, and the only connection they have is Chico State," Salazar said. "…It's seen as if they're separate from the community. They really don't understand us. They think this is a college town, but it's not, it's Chico."

She thinks students of all ages should attend future meetings because the updated plan will affect them the most, she said. No students attended the meeting.

Jon Luvaas, a Chico resident of 34 years, agrees.

"We're planning the update without their input, and I'm not sure we should do that," he said.

Still, he likes the ideas people talked about, which planned for Chico's population growth while maintaining its sense of community, he said.

Holly Keeler, principle planning manager, was happy with the turnout and hopes it will ensure the updated general plan will be relevant to citizens in the future and help keep Chico State students in the area after graduation, she said.

"I don't know how many times I've talked to a student who says they want to stay, but they can't," Keeler said. "They love it here, but you have to find a way to support your family."

By planning for growth, more jobs could come to Chico, which would retain more students, she said.

No decisions were made about the update at the workshop, but the public's suggestions will be included in the "Imagine Chico 2030 Book," which the General Plan Advisory Committee will use to update the plan, Keeler said.

The committee will start meeting in January, but updating the general plan could take two years, she said.

After the workshop, committee members will know what matters to residents, Holcombe said.

"I'm encouraged, and I hope the level of participation will continue," he said. "There were different points of views, but a lot of common values."

Olga Muñoz can be reached at
copyeditor@theorion.com

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