Chico council schedules discussion on Warren settlement alternative site, directs staff to study tiny homes on church lots

The Chico City Council on Tuesday agreed to place a discussion of the Warren settlement alternative site on a future agenda and directed staff to begin studying the legal and regulatory requirements for locating tiny-home communities on church parking lots.

The actions follow public comments from neighbors describing violent incidents and blocked emergency access near an encampment, and a request from an ad hoc committee member for the council to explore “safe spot” or tiny-home models in partnership with churches and nonprofit groups.

Resident Carrie Sorrenti told the council that the emergency vehicle easement at Stewart and Bidwell avenues “has become obstructed by transient individuals who appear to be actively using drugs and leaving hazardous waste and furniture in the area,” and said the obstruction “jeopardizes emergency response times and puts the entire neighborhood at risk.” Resident Lynn Overholtzer said she had been told to shelter in place after a gunshot incident near the alternative site and asked the council to consider moving the site, saying the current location is “too secluded” and has attracted criminal activity.

Council Member [name on record as requesting item] moved to agendize a discussion of the alternative site and the Warren settlement; the council approved that request unanimously, 7-0, and amended the motion to waive the 30-day rule so the item can return in about two weeks.

At the same meeting Council Member [name on record as requesting staff study] introduced a separate request to direct staff to begin looking at the legalities of placing tiny homes on church parking lots, citing the North State Shelter Team’s “safe spot” community model as one example. The council approved that direction 6-1.

Laurie Monroe, who attended the council’s ad hoc committee meetings on homelessness, urged the council to move beyond a one-size-fits-all shelter model and to explore smaller safe-spot communities hosted by churches and supported by the North State Shelter Team. Jesse Horgan, representing projects at Chico State, recommended that any wayfinding and site design include entrances and parking access for safe operation.

City staff said they can prepare an informational report and that staff resources and existing documents from the ad hoc committee and past internal affairs reviews are available to brief the full council before formal proposals are drafted. Council members asked staff for a presentation to bring new council members up to speed before major policy decisions.

The council did not adopt any relocation or shelter policy at the meeting; the actions were limited to agendizing the Warren settlement alternative site for council discussion and directing staff to research legal and zoning implications of tiny-home communities on church property.

Council members noted they want neighbors and stakeholders included in the follow-up reports and that any future changes would require specific council action. The timeline staff was asked to work toward is an informational return in roughly two weeks for the wayfinding/related item and a subsequent staff-led review for the tiny-home legal study.