BIDWELL PARK LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH THE PAST IN MIND.
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Transcript of BIDWELL PARK LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH THE PAST IN MIND.
BIDWELL BIDWELL PARKPARK
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH THE PAST IN MINDWITH THE PAST IN MIND
Friends of Bidwell Park Goals
• Protect the natural qualities of Bidwell Park• Encourage responsible park use• Facilitate the development, funding and
implementation of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan
• Help educate the public about their natural environment and important issues regarding park management
Topics of Discussion
• Brief human history of Bidwell Park
• Details of funding and management
• Development of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan/EIR
• Threats to Bidwell Park
• Future of Bidwell Park
Brief Human History of Bidwell Park
• Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Konkow and Mechoopda Maidu Indians ranged throughout
large portions of the region. The Mechoopda tribe, with its own distinct dialect of the Maidu language, had a village along Butte Creek, ~3.5 miles from the current site of Chico at the time when John Bidwell arrived.
• John Bidwell purchased a Spanish Land Grant, Rancho Arroyo Chico, from the Dickey brothers
in 1849. Impressed with the magnificent scenery of the Big Chico Creek canyon, he and his wife Annie would later deed over 2000 acres to the City of Chico in order to preserve the natural beauty for future generations to enjoy.
• In 1905, the City of Chico accepted this gift from the Bidwells and promises to “preserve this one
spot to nature, inviolate and through all time”. The Bidwell Park and Playground Commission was formed in 1918 with “..the power and the duty to operate and maintain all of the parks and playgrounds owned by the City…”
• With the purchase of several additions over the years, Bidwell Park has grown to 3670 acres. • Today, several hundred thousand people visit Bidwell Park every year to transverse the trails
through nature, enjoy Big Chico Creek, and to use the various existing recreational facilities.
City of Chico General Services Department
—Park Division
The Park Division’s responsibilities include:
• Bidwell Park -- 3670 acres • Creekside Greenways and Open Space:
– Annie’s Glen– Bidwell Ranch (long-term management proposals currently
being solicited)– East 20th St at Notre Dame Open Space– First and Verbena Open Space– Little Chico Creek Creekside Greenway– Lost Park– Mud Creek Creekside Greenway– Sycamore Creek Creekside Greenway– Comanche Creek Linear Park– Sandy Gulch (Lindo Channel)
The Park Division’s responsibilities include: (cont.)
• Developed Parks: – Bidwell Bowl Amphitheater– Camellia Way Park– Children's Playground– Depot Park– Humboldt Park– Plaza Park– Ringel Park– Skateboard Park– Wildwood Park
The Park Division’s responsibilities include: (cont.)
• Undeveloped Neighborhood Parks – Baroni Park (master plan recently approved)– Ceres Park (master plan under development)– Henshaw Park
• Maintenance of 30,000 street trees• Management of more than 130 maintenance districts
Park Lessees
• Bidwell Park Golf Club
• Chico Area Recreation and Park District (Sycamore Field, Hooker Oak Recreation Area)
• Chico Creek Nature Center
• Chico Equestrian Association
• Chico Rod and Gun Club
• Kiwanis Chico Community Observatory
Personnel SummaryFunded Allocated Positions:
Park Administration
1 Administrative Secretary
1 Park Director
2 Total
Parks and Open Spaces
1 Field Supervisor
6 Maintenance Worker
1 Park Ranger/Volunteer Coordinator
0.81 Seasonal Park Ranger
2 Senior Maintenance Worker
1 Senior Park Ranger
11.81 Total
Street Trees/Public Plantings
1 Field Supervisor
3 Maintenance Worker
0.6 Seasonal Maintenance Worker
3 Tree Maintenance Worker
1 Urban Forester
8.6 Total
22.41 Total Funded Permanent Positions
0.08 Administrative Secretary
1.15 Maintenance Worker
1.15 Maintenance Aide
0.64 Landscape Inspector
0.42 Head Lifeguard
0.36 Assistant Head Lifeguard
1.44 Lifeguard
0.72 Special Project Worker
5.32 Total Hourly Positions
27.73 Department Total
Hourly Positions:
City of Chico2005-06 Annual Budget (proposed)
Park Division Expenditure Category General Fund Other
Salaries and Employee Benefits $1,805,174 0Materials and Supplies $225,561 0
Purchased Services $537,550 0Other Expenses $148,122 0
Allocations $226,684 0Department Total $2,943,091 $0
Department Summary by Fund-Activity
Title General FundPark Administration $350,148Parks and Open Spaces $1,528,306
Street Trees/Public Plantings $1,064,637Department Total $2,943,091
All Park Division operating expenditures are paid from the Chico General Fund whose income sources are:
Sales tax 43%
Utility user’s tax 15%
Motor vehicle in-lieu fees 12%
Interfund transfers 10%
Property taxes 8%
Other 8%
Transient occupancy tax 4%
Additional funding sources for operating expenses in other municipal parks include:
Fixed percentage of sales tax (requires voter approval)
Parcel tax (requires voter approval)
Fixed percentage of the transient occupancy tax (requires voter approval)
Donations from individuals and businesses
Foundations
Volunteer Organizations Working in Bidwell Park on a Regular Basis
(about 15,000 hours in 2004)
Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance—water quality testing & grant-writing for fish ladder repairs
Butte Environmental Council—annual Bidwell Park and Creeks of Chico cleanup
California Native Plant Society, Mt. Lassen Chapter—removal of invasive Spanish broom in Upper Park and Lindo Channel
Chico Cat Coalition—rescue, care for, spay & neuter and find homes for cats and kittens that are dumped in the park (more than 600 so far)
Friends of Bidwell Park—invasive plant removal, mapping, trash pickup, oak tree restoration, Annie’s Glen Centennial restoration project
Kids and Creeks—invasive plant removal and riparian restoration by K-12 students
Park Watch—the “eyes and ears” of the park, report problems to ranger, provide information to park visitors
Streaminders—riparian restoration at One Mile and in Upper Park
VIPs—Chico Police Dept. volunteers patrol Upper Park
Recent Major Capital Projects in Bidwell Park
Description Funding Sources Amount
Clean-up of former rifle/skeet/pistol ranges
Park Operating Fund (Fund 2) $130,258
Transportation Equity Act (Fund 311) $614,474
Remediation Fund (Fund 312) $1,310,145
Total Cost $2,054,877
One Mile Recreation Area Irrigation & Lighting
Park Operating Fund (Fund 2) $66,908
Proposition 12 $101,622
Total Cost $168,530
Bidwell Park Master Management Plan Park Operating Fund (Fund 2) $103,627
Community Park (Fund 330) $320,238
Total Cost $423,865
Caper Acres Waterline Extension Park Operating Fund (Fund 2) $41,006
Big Chico Creek Flood Plain Restoration In-lieu payment for non-compliance fine by RWQCB
$27,041
Major Upcoming Funded Capital Projects
Description Funding Sources Amount
Chico Creek Nature Center--New Building (plus an additional $100,000 needed to outfit building, of which $50,000 has been raised so far)
Proposition 40 per-capita funds $200,000
Private (individuals and organizations) donations
$57,000
Insurance payment from 1998 fire $30,000
Loan from City of Chico $185,000
Total $472,000
One Mile Dam Replacement Proposition 40 (additional funding of about $200,000 needed)
$382,353
Wildwood Ave. Bike Path (to Golf Course)
Chico’s bikeway improvement fund $269,360
Day Camp Bridge Proposition 12 $222,000
Bidwell Park Centennial Prints Merged Art (Fund 382) $11,673
Major Proposed Unfunded Capital Projects
Description Proposed budget year Amount Allocated
Annie’s Glen Bike Underpass (possible partial funding from Caltrans Safe Routes to School grant)
2008-09 $585,800
One-Mile Recreation Area Bike Bridge (most funding to come from Chico’s bikeway improvement fund)
2009-10 $319,000
Bridge near Brown’s Hole Unknown
Cedar Grove Improvements (to be funded from future grants)
2007-08 $188,832
Horseshoe Lake Area Improvements Unknown
Permanent bathrooms on north side of One Mile (to be funded from future grants)
2008-09 $203,840
Potential Bidwell Park Redevelopment Projects in
2005-06 BudgetDescription RDA Funds Other Funds Total
Big Chico Creek Greenway Downtown (Lost Park)
Unknown Unknown Unknown
Sycamore Pool Reconstruction $400,000 $1,200,000 $1,600,000
Parks and Open Space Acquisition Funds
Description Fund Balance 06/30/05
Expected Revenue 2005-06 *
Exp. Fund Balance06/30/06
Bidwell Park Land Acquisition Fund ($2,000,181) $148,000 ($1,852,181)
Linear Parks/Greenways Fund $298,450 $89,937 $387,387
*Income to these funds is from development impact fees
Bidwell Park and Playground Park Commission
Commissioners apply for these volunteer positions, are appointed by the City Council and serve four year terms.
Commissioner Occupation Term Expiration
Tom Barrett Energy & toxics consultant 1/09
Michael Candela Deputy District Attorney 1/09
Stephen Lucas Butte County Planner 1/07
Russell Mills CSUC Engineering Professor 1/07
Richard Ober Software company employee 1/07
Jim Walker (Chair) Physician Assistant (PA-C) 1/07
David Wood Owner of security alarm business 1/09
Development of the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan/EIR
Why the Update?
Contract with EDAW – scope and content
Where is the update process now?
Key issues and proposed changes
Why the Update?
1990 MMP recommends an update about every 5 years
15 years had lapsed
In 1995, the City purchased two parcels as an addition to Bidwell Park, totaling approximately1420 acres, that had never been subject to inclusion in the MMP
Contract with the Consulting Firm EDAW
• Total estimated cost: $423,865.
• Highlights from the ‘Project Scope’ language:
° Create a user-friendly GIS database using existing information about Bidwell Park° “ A field guide or manual for invasive weed removal is the desired outcome of the planning process.”° Create a Cultural Resource Plan° “ A trail plan for Upper Bidwell Park is one of the desired outcomes of the Updated Plan.”° Develop Goals and Guidelines
° Develop other specific project plans:a) Cedar Grove
b) Horseshoe Lake c) One Mile Recreation Area
d) CEQA compliant project plan and EIR for Proposed Disc Golf Courses in Upper Park
Contract with the Consulting Firm EDAW (cont.)
• EIR:
“…existing conditions section ( section 2 of the Draft ) of the updated plan shall serve as the setting section of the EIR.”
“ Up to two alternatives will be analyzed in addition to the ‘no project alternative.’”
• Draft EIR
• Project Specific EIRs (EDAW): Annie Bidwell Trail, Disc Golf
Where is the Update Process Now?
• Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) activity is formally complete
• A Draft of the Updated Plan has been submitted to the BPPC for review, comment and input
• The BPPC has scheduled a series of public meetings to discuss various components of the Updated Plan (draft):
September 29th (regular BPPC meeting)
October 3rd, 12th, 17th, Nov 2nd, 3rd 10th, 14th (specially scheduled)
November 7th & 28th (regular BPPC meetings)
• BPPC approves a version of the Draft Plan
• ‘Administrative Draft EIR’ goes to City staff
• A Draft EIR will then be presented to the public for a comment period of 45 days.
• Final Draft BPMMP and the Final Draft EIR are presented to City Council for approval/adoption
Key Issues and Proposed Changes
Format of the Plan:
1990 BPMMP Draft MMP
Park-Wide Goals and Objectives Existing conditions
Issue Specific Recommendations Vision
Zone Specific Recommendations Goals & Objectives and
Management Units Implementation Strategies & Guidelines
Design Standards Lower, Middle, Upper Park ‘ Zones’
Appendices Appendices:
CRMP
NRMP
Regulatory Framework
Gen. Plan Policies
Key Issues: Potentials for Significant Change
• Loss of Language
• Alteration of wording
• Loss of clarity / rearrangement into new contexts
• Loss of the specific Zone concept
• User friendliness?
• Defensibility?
Key Issues: Potential Improvements
• Section 2; Existing Conditions – the BPMMP as a learning tool
• Clarification of the roles of the BPPC, Park Director, and the BPMMP
• Creation of the Bidwell Park Sphere of Influence Overlay Zone
• Clarification of Bidwell Park’s role as a recreational facility
Two Very Key Issues:
• Degree to which the terms of Annie Bidwell’s Deed of Conveyance plays a role
• Development of recreation inside and outside of Bidwell Park
Annie Bidwell’s Deed of Conveyance
1990 MMP
5.1.1 Decision Making and Management
Issue 4: The intent of Annie Bidwell’s gift to the City of Chico is held in high regard among park managers and park users.
Recommendations: A) Annie Bidwell’s requirements as noted in
the Deed of Conveyance must always remain a primary consideration in all decision making related to Bidwell Park.
B) The Deed of Conveyance should be used to maintain the City’s dedication to stewardship of Bidwell Park.
C) The Goals, Objectives and Recommendations in the MMP should be considered as a supplemental policy statement for management of Bidwell Park.
Recent draft references to 1990 MMP:
3.1.1.1 Park wide Goals and Objectives; Decision Making and Management.
3rd Objective: Annie Bidwell’s requirements as noted in the Deed of
Conveyance for the original Park area should be a consideration in decision-making related to Bidwell Park, especially as it relates to Parkstewardship.
4th Objective: The Goals and Objectivesof the BPMMP should be consideredthe primary policy statement formanagement of Bidwell Park andfuture revisions or amendments tothose will be subject to review andapproval by the City Council.
Recreational Uses Plan
1990 Plan: Current Draft:
Two general mechanisms Still forming language aroundthat address impacts to BP this issueas a result of recreation
1) Use-Intensity
2) Location of ‘Developed Recreation to areas outside of Bidwell Park’
Threats to Bidwell Park
Threats From Adjacent Development
Building next to natural areas without providing adequate buffers leads to…
• Habitat fragmentation and increased edge effect • Increased invasions of invasive plant and animal species • Reduction of native biodiversity through displacement and predation • Increased extinction rates of local populations • Hydrological alterations • Destruction of functioning corridors between habitats • Diminution of the majestic views for park users
Threats from lack of adequate information
• Detailed information about Bidwell Park’s natural communities and their associated functions is limited
• Specific information regarding sensitive plant and animal species and their habitat requirements is limited
• Incomplete documentation of cultural resources
• Identification of active soil erosion sites has never been conducted by qualified soil scientist
Threats From Lack of Management
• Bidwell Park’s new Draft Master Management Plan fails to clearly define the priority of management tasks and identification of funding sources
• City lacks ability to provide enforcement to stop illegal uses of the park (bootleg trails, alcohol consumption, seasonal smoking ban, camping)
• City proposes more development of Bidwell Park, without attempting to outline a maintenance plan for existing park trails and existing facilities
• During the update process the City is questioning the General Plan Resource Conservation Area designation for all of Bidwell Park
Suggestions for the Advocacy of the Conservation of Bidwell Park
Help Commissioners, Councilors and fellow citizens understand :
• The significance of Bidwell Park as a historically and currently intended natural park
• The significance of Bidwell Park’s size, quality and location in reference to statewide/regional preservation of species/natural habitats
• The sustainable ecosystem needs of Bidwell Park
• Bidwell Park as the worst choice for locating developed recreation
• Bidwell Park as a quality of life issue
• Bidwell Park as an economic influence • Bidwell Park as an educational resource
Questions and Comments