Parking plan advances

Seeking to add housing downtown, Chico’s Internal Affairs Committee recommended Monday (Feb. 4) that the full City Council reduce in-lieu parking fees—money collected in place of creating new spaces—and allow developers to spread the cost over 10 years.

The IAC—Vice Mayor Alex Brown (pictured) and Councilmen Karl Ory and Scott Huber—voted unanimously to set the fee at $4,000 per space for residential units. That’s down from the $18,148 on the books and the $8,000 to $10,000 proposed at the previous meeting, when the committee told staff to return with other options, to foster development (see “New spaces, more places?” Newslines, Jan. 10).

The alternatives brought forward this time by staff were $8,000 per space with 15-year amortization and $7,000 per space with 10-year amortization.

During the City Council’s regular meeting the next day (Feb. 6), the panel, with Councilwoman Ann Schwab recused, came to a stalemate on an appeal filed by the developers of a downtown residential project who sought to reject the fees entirely. The deadlock effectively rejected the appeal. The council will take up the IAC’s recommendation at a future meeting.