Why is the city of Chico reducing the required number of “affordable” housing units at Merriam Park?

I saw this item in the Oct. 5 Planning Commission agenda. I’m posting it because my husband was just reminding me that “planning” is just a concept – council gets to decide what gets built in Chico and they get to decide to let developers out of commitments. One council makes the requirements and a subsequent council changes them.

Meanwhile, at this Tuesday’s council meeting, Tom VanOverbeek will ask the city to drop the parking requirement for Downtown residential. See, they just get to decide that stuff, and change it at will. That’s what’s happened to your town, and you voted for it! Apparently there will be a hearing – we’ll see who shows up.

See below, Item 4.1 – and remember, the Planning Commission is not elected, these are spoils positions.

4.1 Development Agreement 17-01 and Development Agreement 05-02 (Meriam Park Development
Agreement No. 6); APNs Various: A proposal to amend the Development Agreement (DA) between
the City of Chico and Meriam Park, LLC. The DA amendment would do the following: (1) identify the
two remaining residential developers that have succeeded Meriam Park LLC’s interest in the remaining
undeveloped portions of the site, (2) update the Project Description to reflect the lower total number of
residential units anticipated in Meriam Park, (3) revise due dates for the completion of the two neighborhood
parks within the project, (4) assign remaining park improvement obligations to the two remaining residential
developers, (5) reduce the required number of affordable housing units to maintain the original proportion of
15% affordable units in the overall project; and (6) other minor changes to address offsetting fees, eliminate
redundant development criteria, and to eliminate incorrect, impractical or outdated references. Located
between East 20th Street and Humboldt Road, west of Bruce Road, the Meriam Park site is designated Special
Mixed-Use (7.0 to 35.0 units per gross acre) on the General Plan diagram and zoned TND Traditional
Neighborhood Development. Per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the proposed
amendments fall within the scope of the certified Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) prepared for
the Meriam Park project. The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing and make a
recommendation to the City Council. Questions regarding this project may be directed to Principal
Planner Mike Sawley at (530) 879-6812 or mike.sawley@chicoca.gov.