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Planning commission backs Autumn Leaf Estates, urges Council to adopt mitigated negative declaration and rezone
Summary
The Chico Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the City Council adopt a mitigated negative declaration, approve a general‑plan amendment to pre‑zone the Belle Muir site to R‑1, and conditionally approve the 68‑lot Autumn Leaf Estates subdivision, citing CEQA mitigation measures and infrastructure study funding.
The Chico Planning Commission voted to forward a package to the City Council that would (1) adopt a mitigated negative declaration under CEQA, (2) amend the general plan to remove the Belle Muir Special Planning Area and pre‑zone the site R‑1, and (3) approve the tentative subdivision map for Autumn Leaf Estates subject to conditions.
Commissioner Paul moved the recommendation as resolution 24‑12, saying the developers had “stepped up the game,” and the motion passed on a roll‑call vote with all commissioners recorded in favor. City staff had described the two applications as linked and recommended the commission forward them together so the Council could consider the environmental document, the rezone of the broader 378‑acre SPA, and the 20‑acre, 68‑lot subdivision concurrently.
City planning staff told commissioners the initial study produced a proposed mitigated negative declaration with mitigation measures covering potential nesting birds, sensitive bat species, tribal cultural resources and hazardous materials; staff also noted the City had allocated $300,000 to Public Works to study infrastructure needs (sewer, storm drain and traffic) for the area. "We did an initial study and mitigated negative declaration to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA," staff said during the presentation.
The motion's text instructed staff to forward the record and the recommended conditions to the City Council; the clerk called the roll and recorded unanimous support from the commission. The commission also asked staff to ensure public notices for the Council hearing made clear that the package includes both the SPA removal and the subdivision so residents understand the significance of the change.
Next steps: the item is scheduled to go to the City Council for final action; staff indicated the intention is to present the combined package to Council and to run public notice for that meeting.
