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Council introduces Title 19 "Residential Readiness" code amendments to ease housing production
Summary
Senior Planner Kelly Murphy presented Phase 2 of Title 19 amendments to align Chico code with state housing laws (ADU changes, low‑barrier navigation centers) and remove an outdated rooming/boarding houses category; council introduced the ordinance and approved staff recommendations.
Kelly Murphy, senior planner, presented a package of code amendments described as Phase 2 of the "Residential Readiness" program to amend Title 19 of the Chico Municipal Code. The changes are intended to ensure state law consistency, implement pro‑housing policies from the 2022 housing element, and remove outdated or unenforceable code definitions.
Murphy said the amendments create a land‑use category and application procedures for low‑barrier navigation centers as required by Assembly Bill 101 and adjust the city’s ADU rules to reflect recent state laws (including SB 1211 changes to ADU counts, AB 1033 preapproved ADU programs and AB 976 owner‑occupancy changes). The staff recommendation also proposes deleting the antiquated "rooming and boarding houses" land‑use category because it is inconsistently applied and effectively unenforceable.
Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval with two minor edits: clarifying the CMD reference in section 19.28 (Chico Maintenance District) and retaining the rooming/boarding category in two tables; staff concurs with the CMD clarification and recommends deletion of the rooming/boarding category. Staff noted a clerical update will be made to references reorganized by HCD.
Council members asked for clarification about the rooming/boarding definition (three unrelated persons in a home), parking exemptions for ADUs (within 1/2 mile of transit) and square‑footage limits for attached ADUs. Murphy said the ordinance has been certified for state compliance and will be resubmitted after the clerical updates.
The council introduced the ordinance by title only and voted to approve the staff recommendation (attachment B) as presented; the motion passed 7–0. The item will return for formal adoption and final certification steps as required by state law.
