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Council narrowly approves plan to close South Park Drive to vehicles, fund permeable parking
Summary
After extensive public comment, the council voted 4–3 to pursue Option 2 — closing South Park Drive to through vehicle traffic and adding permeable surfacing in key parking areas — directing staff to proceed toward design and construction funded by Measure H.
The City of Chico moved forward with a plan to change traffic access in Lower Bidwell Park after lengthy public comment on June 17, approving 4–3 a staff recommendation to close South Park Drive to through vehicle traffic and to invest in permeable paving in some park parking areas.
Public works staff presented four alternatives: (1) rebuild the road with a separated multi‑use trail and reconfigured parking; (2) close South Park Drive to vehicles and reuse reclaimed pavement to improve parking areas (staff’s analysis included permeable surfacing for certain lots); (3) a hybrid of option 1 with different parking layouts; and (4) do minimal resurfacing and leave the current vehicle configuration in place. The staff report noted the project’s primary objective is rehabilitation of the road for safe, long‑term use and that an eventual construction advertisement was planned for the coming winter with construction next season.
The council heard roughly 18 public speakers during a 30‑minute public comment block. Many neighborhood residents and longtime park users urged retaining the current configuration or expressed concern about increased traffic on nearby residential streets if through traffic were blocked. Opponents said widening or moving parking to the south side would diminish park aesthetics and remove green space. Supporters — including daily park users, cyclists and several speakers who noted they commute or exercise through the park — urged restricting cars to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety. Photographer and park user Eric Booth said, “Bidwell Park should be a destination, the end point of your trip. It should be a breath of fresh air from the city, not an extension of its often chaotic noisy roads.”
Staff estimated costs for the alternatives with the option to close the drive and add permeable surfacing coming in higher overall due to paving the lots but noted that maintaining gravel lots is staff‑intensive and permeable paving could reduce maintenance costs with an expected payback on maintenance in roughly five years, staff estimated. Staff also said option 2 would require creating a new access point to the Sycamore Field parking lot and would repurpose materials from the removed roadway for parking area improvements.
After council discussion that ranged from potential traffic impacts on Linden and Woodland avenues to tree protection and long‑term maintenance costs, Councilmember Winslow moved to advance Option 2 (closure of the road to vehicles with permeable surfacing for parking lots). The motion passed 4–3. Staff said the project will be funded from Measure H dollars included in the current capital program and will move forward to design and bid phases; staff estimated that some choices (permeable paving vs. gravel) will raise up‑front costs but reduce ongoing maintenance burden.
The council’s action authorizes staff to proceed with the version of Option 2 as presented, including planning-level design and estimated permeable parking surfacing. Staff will return with schedule and finalized cost estimates and follow standard public‑involvement procedures for any neighborhood access changes and parking removals that require additional internal review.
