Chico Taxpayers Association

No, I have not received any response to my complaints about campers in Upper Bidwell Park, and as of Friday, the campers were still in place. I’ll keep you posted.

I just watched a story on the news about Gavin Newsom’s promise for more “homeless” funding if jurisdictions have an aggressive plan to “clean up ‘our’ streets...” I don’t know if more money is a good thing, given the spending habits Downtown – proof that money can get you into Trouble. With a capital ‘T’ and that rhymes with ‘P’ and that stands for Poor House.

On a related note, Friday I saw a story on Ch 12 news saying that three Downtown businesses have shown interest in applying for a total of six permanent parklets. It was a very poorly researched and written story. The reporter didn’t include the cost of the parklets or who will be paying. He admitted to me that he got the story from City of Chico staffers. I attended the meeting – staff reported 7 parklets would cost about $978,000 – that’s over $140,000 per parklet. According to the reporter, these three businesses will only pay $1500/year for the use of two parking spaces each, or $750/parking space/year. The reporter mentioned to me that American Rescue Plan funding will be used for construction, but for some reason he didn’t include that fact in the story. There was no mention of building fees, which are being waved because the city is doing the work. Which raises the question of prevailing wage. None of that was included in the story, included below.

“They were just designed to be temporary ways for businesses to still serve people during the pandemic, but The Banshee owner Will Brady says it’s brought a big boom to business... ‘It’s probably 25% more revenue that we’re generating,’ said Brady.”

That is a problem for me. The parklets were intended to offset the affects of a government shut-down, and onerous spacing restrictions for customers. Since the local government had set “emergency” standards that threatened business’ bottom lines, it seemed appropriate at that time to allow these businesses to expand into the public right-of-way. But we’ve already suffered the “emergency” long enough, and it’s time to get back to business as usual. I think it’s going too far when a business owner admits the taxpayers have paid for him to increase his revenues 25% over what they were before the shut down.

I also resent that Brady threatens to lay off staffers if he doesn’t get the parklets. “He has hired even more staff because of that, so not having the parklet would be detrimental. ‘We probably would have to lay off 10 then,’ said Brady. ’10 out of 40 of us who work there would probably have to go and we really didn’t want to do that.‘” Well, since he brought that up, I’ll ask, what kind of jobs does Brady provide? What kind of salaries does he pay? Are his employees able to support themselves without public assistance? Where do they park, or do they sleep on the kitchen floor?

Council has decided to allow interested businesses to apply for permanent parklets with new rules – only two parking spaces per business, and “has to look more appealing than the current concrete or plastic blocks…” Here’s another problem I see – the taxpayers not only paid to rent and install those ugly cement and plastic blocks, they paid for the designs that will be recommended to replace them. And the taxpayers will be paying for the construction. The only payment asked of the business owner is the $750/parking space, per year.

Here’s their ploy – “’The idea is that, for it to be something that looks like it belongs to the city and is part of the beauty of downtown,’ said Downtown Chico Business Association (DCBA) Vice President David Halimi.‘” But not the taxpayers, who will not only be losing parking spaces but will only be allowed to use the parklets if they purchase food or beverages at the restaurants who pay the rent. That is a theft of public property, as far as I’m concerned. What next?

Not only does Halimi claim that lost parking revenues will be offset by the rent paid, he told the reporter “That’s on par with the annual cost businesses with permanent outdoor dining spots have to pay now.” But those businesses, like Crepeville and Tres Hombres, all paid for the fees, design and construction of their outdoor dining areas. And yes, they still pay rent.

Here’s what’s coming – “The city says it wants to see how these permanent parklets look and how much money is brought in, to make this a possible option for more businesses in the future.”

Our city council and staff seem to think American Rescue Plan money is just manna from Heaven, found money, like they just turned over the couch cushions and there it was. I don’t think using public money for the benefit of a handful of people is appropriate. If you agree, contact council and let them know about it.

https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/three-downtown-chico-businesses-apply-to-keep-parklets-past-deadline/article_8532d624-670b-11ed-ba92-3fb077832a35.html

CHICO, Calif. – Downtown Chico parklets might be here to stay for some businesses. Last month, Chico City Council voted to not extend them past Dec. 1 deadline, but some may become permanent.

The parklets were first introduced during the pandemic after the city announced the local emergency.

They were just designed to be temporary ways for businesses to still serve people during the pandemic, but The Banshee owner Will Brady says it’s brought a big boom to business.

“It’s probably 25% more revenue that we’re generating,” said Brady.

He has hired even more staff because of that, so not having the parklet would be detrimental.

“We probably would have to lay off 10 then,” said Brady. “10 out of 40 of us who work there would probably have to go and we really didn’t want to do that.”

City Council’s decision to not extend the parklets still stands though. The Banshee, Naked Lounge and Duffy’s Tavern are all applying to make their parklet permanent.

The city will work with all the other businesses that still have parklets on a time to help take them down around the Dec. 1 deadline.

There are several rules they’ll have to follow. The parklets have to shrink and can only take up two parking spaces.

“We feel like we can keep three tables that way and we can be full all the time then,” said Brady.

It has to be in front of the business and has to look more appealing than the current concrete or plastic blocks.

“The idea is that, for it to be something that looks like it belongs to the city and is part of the beauty of downtown,” said Downtown Chico Business Association (DCBA) Vice President David Halimi.

The city will meet with each business next week and as long as all the paperwork and design plans are in, they’ll meet in front of city council for the final decision that can come as early as Dec. 20.

If it’s accepted, they’ll get a grant of license letting them keep the modified parklet for $1,500 a year for the two parking spots they’ll be blocking.

“So that just basically offsets the revenue that space would’ve brought to the city,” said Halimi.

That’s on par with the annual cost businesses with permanent outdoor dining spots have to pay now.

The city says parking will still increase throughout Downtown Chico though. The parklets are currently blocking 26 spots and in December, at least 20 of those spots will open back up.

The city says it wants to see how these permanent parklets look and how much money is brought in, to make this a possible option for more businesses in the future.

Tags: Downtown Chico parklets

Well, as of the early returns, it looks might Measure H has squeaked by. If that’s the truth, then we have our work cut out for us – making sure they spend the revenues wisely. Like Mr. Jones says, you got to learn to take an ass-whooping, so you can live to fight another day. And like Big Worm says, when you mess with my money, you toyin’ with my emotions.

That’s why I attend the day meetings Downtown, that’s where all the action is. Monday the Internal Affairs Committee revisited “parklets”, or “streetlets” – which is apparently a legal distinction. More on that later. I take a lot of notes at these meetings, and when I read back over them, I’m often re-shocked at what these people say, how laissez-faire and let them eat cake they are in regards to the problems of everyday taxpayers.

Council and staff had set aside $300,000 in American Rescue Plan Funding, having received over $20 million for instituting the COVID shut-down. I’ll remind you – Chico is still under a state of emergency, until December 1, having finally cancelled the emergency order at a recent meeting.

Let’s harken back to those early dark days of the COVID shutdown. Let’s remember what this forced shut-down did to Chico. In the early days, city manager Mark Orme and his side-kick Chris Constantin reported that they and other members of staff had tasked themselves with driving around town following our cell phones, and investigating any congregations of parked cars outside of businesses. They were forcibly shutting down businesses, some of which did not recover.

But the economy started tanking so quickly they started declaring certain businesses “essential”. Of course Ann Schwab’s bike store was “essential”. And every restaurant and bar in town suddenly became “essential” as well. Take out dining was encouraged. Almost immediately the city approved “off-site” sales of liquor – drinks, brought to your car in keg cups, along with your dinner. Parklets soon followed – tables were flopped out in parking places, across sidewalks, and the city public works crews installed “K-rails” – those cement buttresses – to keep drivers from trying to park their car in the former parking spaces.

Above you see wooden picnic tables behind K-rails, on both sides of the corner. They’re turned on their side to discourage use by non-patrons when the bar is closed. I can’t tell how many spaces are in use here, but so far Staff reports 42 parking spaces have been eliminated in favor of “outdoor dining”. Which, let’s face it, really meant, outdoor consumption of alcohol, and smoking tobacco and pot in areas once prohibited by the Downtown smoking ordinance.

And who wouldn’t have seen this coming – within the first months of the shutdown, alcohol use went through the roof. Chico city staffers reported a corresponding increase in alcohol and sales tax revenues, while the Behavioral Health Department saw a spike in drinking related mental health issues.

While many retail businesses remained closed or under heavy restrictions, the bar and restaurant industry enjoyed a spike in sales, including, “off-site” sales – usually illegal, but allowed in “temporary parklets” under ABC rules. Under COVID, parklets allowed bars and restaurants to enlarge their seating space and “off site sales” because they were under orders to leave tables open, to create space between customers. They made it sound as though the economy was going to collapse without relaxing the rules.

But, as spacing restrictions have been eased and eventually dropped, the parklets have remained and off-site sales have continued, allowing these businesses to actually enlarge their seating capacity instead of just mediating the loss of seats due to spacing requirements.

Council has finally lifted the COVID state of emergency, but Staff and four Downtown businesses have asked that the parklets be allowed to remain. One business owner complained that his building was small and poorly ventilated, and his customers needed fresh air. Another business owner complained that his clientele was older and more susceptible to COVID. Other businesses have chimed in to say they don’t mind the concept but the current parklets are “unattractive” and need to be made “attractive”.

Staff and some members of council thought that could be done with American Rescue Money, so last year they allocated $300,000 toward design and construction of permanent parklets. So far, they’ve spent $25,000 on the design phase, but staff indicated “$300,000 does not begin to cover this…” At a subsequent council meeting, the assistant city manager requested another $1.1 – 1.5 million. At Monday’s Internal Affairs Committee meeting she reported that seven parklets – parking spaces – would cost over $978,000.

She also reported that only four businesses had come forward with “serious” proposals for parklets. We don’t know how many each business requested, but it looks like there are three or four parklets pictured above just for one bar – that’s what, $450-500,000?

Council, staff, and the business owners are aware that not everybody feels this is a good use of American Rescue Plan funding. One business owner declared, “we need to do this ourselves, no more gifts from government…” Others were frankly anxious about using taxpayer money because it might incur prevailing wage. But Kasey Reynolds and staff had a solution – Option 2.

Let’s pick this up tomorrow, on This Old Lady Flew Over the Parklet

Tags: Downtown Chico parklets