Willows council backs sidewalk grant pursuit, approves new analyst post and zoning change; continues surplus-land hearing

The Willows City Council on Oct. 14 voted to move forward on a competitive application to the State of California’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for a sidewalk rehabilitation project, approved the addition of a full-time administrative analyst shared by the fire and Community Development Services departments, amended conditions of approval for a conditional use permit for Cali Love LLC, adopted an ordinance to rezone 103 South Plumas Street, and approved a $15,000 midyear budget amendment to continue human resources consulting services. The council also opened and continued a public hearing on the proposed sale of exempt surplus land to the Oct. 28 meeting.

The most consequential direction came on the CDBG item. Community Development Services Director Joe Betancourt told the council that the state’s 2025 Notice of Funding Availability caps infrastructure awards at $3.3 million per jurisdiction and that jurisdictions may submit only one capital-improvement application. Betancourt said staff recommends pursuing a previously prepared sidewalk rehabilitation application — for which the city already paid about $8,000 to produce engineering and bid-ready documents — because that work remains largely usable and the competitive NOFA favors well-prepared submissions. “This is just an informal meeting at this point,” Betancourt said,…