If we must revisit Bidwell Ranch …

Election cycle after election cycle, Bidwell Ranch is the defining issue in Chico city politics. As frustrating as this is for those who have worked for decades to preserve the ranch, the land does serve as a potent symbol of a difference among candidates.

To Chico preservationists, open space represents maintaining the balance between civilization and nature that makes Chico such a livable community. To our opposition, open space is nothing but wasted economic opportunity.

The history of Bidwell Ranch is long and complex. Suffice to say that after referendums, lawsuits (real and threatened), hours of public testimony and relentless grassroots campaigning, the city recognized that public will would prevent the property from being developed. In 1997 it brought the land, and in April 2005 the City Council voted to rezone the property as open space.

However, the “developers’ slate” seems to feel it is politically expeditious to keep the concept of houses on Bidwell Ranch alive. And so, once again, we must respond to its arguments that developing the gateway to Upper Park would actually benefit our community.

The city of Chico can make an easy $30 million by selling the land. Aside from the basic conflict of valuing profit over the environment, this argument has fiscal flaws. This estimate is of potential one-time top-line revenue, not net income that factors in costs the city would incur to pay for infrastructure and traffic impacts.

The General Plan demands that Bidwell Ranch be developed. The “lost” housing from rezoning Bidwell Ranch as open space has been compensated for by proposed development in other areas and slightly greater density in upcoming subdivisions. Buying the property created a strong urban development boundary between urban and rural areas. Strong urban/rural boundaries and wetland preservation are supported in the General Plan.

The city spent $7.5 million on the land, money we didn’t have. The majority, if not all, of the money was paid back by selling the sewer capacity.

By preserving Bidwell Ranch, Chico has:

• Done for the north side of the park what we couldn’t for the south side—preserve a sense of untamed wilderness.

• Protected a part of our watershed recharge area.

• Conserved land contiguous to already protected land. In order to thrive, wildlife needs large and diverse habitats.

• Maintained a much-needed flyway for CDF.

• Set the diversion channel as a natural boundary for city limits to the northeast.

• Continued in the tradition of Annie Bidwell, who so valued Chico’s natural beauty that she left us Bidwell Park.