From Promises to Progress

Written By Anika Burke

In 2022, I ran a campaign calling for 

more housing, 

less sprawl, 

and better neighborhoods (for all). 

My first council meeting, I introduced 6 motions for discussion including 

  • loosening regulations on housing

  • renters rights

  • public input on street designs

  • neighborhood planning

and

  • Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design on Chico’s bike paths

Only this last one received even a second from another council member and still failed 3-4. 

In spite of this environment, I set to work to advance the things I promised.

More Housing, Less Sprawl

This may sound like a contradiction, but for decades American cities like Chico have encouraged mass scale low-density single-use sprawl on the periphery while banning any scale of development of diverse lower cost housing in places. 

The result has been chronic under maintenance of older neighborhoods as cities struggle to keep up with the burden of expanding infrastructure spread between fewer people,

and destruction of natural resources and habitat while still failing to provide affordable living options for most working people. 

The answer is building walkable communities. For that we need a housing policy focused on the needs of the working majority of Chico, that embraces broad participation in incremental development projects to meet housing needs within our urban area, supporting our existing public services, and maintaining high expectations for sustainability and affordability in any new peripheral development.

It may seem ironic, but the Valley’s Edge Referendum brought forward progress on the pro-housing platform we launched in 2022. 

Valley’s Edge was a planned Home Owner’s Association. Primarily larger homes on larger lots than Chico’s existing large-scale HOA, California Park, which also has parks off limits to the general public. 

I asked for the Valley’s Edge plan to consider more our local housing needs. Accessibility to public transit. Long-term financial sustainability. There was no compromise and I was the lone no vote on the project. 

But most people in Chico were with me. We organized a referendum, contrasting Valley’s Edge with smart growth. The referendum was successful, with 62% of Chico voting against the project as proposed.

Because the public’s interest in housing development could not be denied, the City Council majority let me take a leadership role in pro-housing reform. 

Since I entered office, the City Council has supported

  • zoning to support redevelopment in walkable neighborhoods and along transit corridors.

  • allowing a wider diversity of “missing middle” housing types citywide

  • removing parking lot requirements for housing in walkable areas

  • reducing impact fees for infill development in lower impact areas

  • allowing separate sale of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to widen home ownership options

All of these received unanimous support from the Chico City Council, but most have not yet been adopted by ordinance. 

Better Neighborhoods

Better neighborhoods means caring for the streets and trees. Upon entering office I sought to work with my fellow councilmembers to improve city services and execute the Chico General Plan vision. Unfortunately setbacks occurred, like the Council gutting of the Urban Forest Master Plan. 

Most but not all progress has occurred since the elections of Bryce Goldstein and Katie Hawley to represent District 5 and 7. Progress like: 

  • West Aves Safe Streets Plan. A joint proposal of Councilmember Katie Hawley and I for a West Aves Safe Access Plan adding protected bicycle lanes and greenery to West Sacramento and Warner Streets serving high school and college students, faculty, and staff. Passed 7-0.

  • Airport and Railroad Bike Path Safety. At my second request in 2024, the City Council supported a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design program focused on Chico’s airport and railroad paths. Passed 6-1. 

  • Street Lighting. Supported investing in street lighting in certain underserved locations. Passed 7-0.

  • Street Sweeping. Proposed improvements to street sweeping to keep streets and waterways cleaner. Passed 7-0.

  • Leaf Pickup. Proposed improvements to leaf pickup to keep key bicycle routes clear in the Fall

Anika Burke