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Council adds Chico Area Recreation and Park District to city's tree-preservation exemptions (first reading)
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Summary
The council approved on first reading an amendment to Chico Municipal Code chapter 16.66 to list the Chico Area Recreation and Park District (CARD) as an exempt public entity; council members asked for assurances that CARD will replant removed trees for the aquatic center project.
The Chico City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance adding the Chico Area Recreation and Park District to the list of entities exempted from the city's tree preservation regulations in chapter 16.66.
Public Works Director Skyler Lipsky told the council that the code's existing exemptions apply to public entities governed by elected boards that serve the public benefit and that CARD, which is developing a new aquatic center at Esplanade and Garner, fits that category. Lipsky said staff considered applicability and recommended the code amendment as a cleanup item.
Councilmember Goldstein said she had discussed the item with the director and was reassured that CARD intends to plant replacement trees to offset removals for the project: "My concern was the potential impact on our urban forest. I was reassured that CARD intends to plant the trees that make up for the ones they're removing," she said.
Councilmember Winslow and others said the exemption aligns with the district's park mandate and that they saw no reason CARD should be treated differently than other public entities already exempted.
The ordinance was introduced and read for the first time; the council voted 7-0 to add CARD to the exemption list and schedule the matter for second reading and final adoption in a future meeting.
