City of Chico – Sustainability

The City of Chico has made an effort to incorporate sustainable concepts into City activities including: adopting the Mayor’s Climate Agreement; forming a Sustainability Task Force; including a Sustainability Element in the 2030 General Plan; producing an annual Sustainability Indicators Report; including sustainability in its economic development efforts; and other activities to address sustainability within the community.

The City’s Economic Development website states that:

Chico is a center of sustainability due to significant efforts occurring in business, education and government. Chico welcomes business investments that build on its commitment to stewardship through sustainability.

Numerous businesses in Chico produce sustainability-related products and/or have implemented major sustainability measures in their operations. Sierra Nevada Brewery and Smucker’s Natural Foods are industry leaders in sustainable business practices. Other Chico companies such as FAFCO, Klean Kanteen, Chico Bag, and Greenfeet focus on innovative products in sustainability. Chico companies such as Springboard Biodiesel and Transfer Flow, Inc. are leading the way to cleaner alternative fuels.
California State University, Chico and Butte College are leaders in sustainability in higher education, incorporating it into their strategic initiatives and curriculum, resulting in a skilled workforce trained in sustainability.
The City’s leadership in sustainability includes:
- Major solar installations (world’s largest solar tracking facility at a wastewater treatment plant)
- Partnership in the EPA Green Power Leadership Club
- Signing of the US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to work toward measures to reduce global warming
- Sustainability element included in Chico’s 30-year General Plan Update

U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

In October 2006, the City Council signed the “U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement” and signed on to the Kyoto Protocol for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction promising to reduce GHG emissions to 7 percent below the 1990 levels by 2012.

The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (As endorsed by the 73rd Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting, Chicago, 2005)

A. We urge the federal government and state governments to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the target of reducing global warming pollution levels to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012, including efforts to: reduce the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the development of clean, economical energy resources and fuel-efficient technologies such as conservation, methane recovery for energy generation, waste to energy, wind and solar energy, fuel cells, efficient motor vehicles, and biofuels;

B. We urge the U.S. Congress to pass bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation that 1) includes clear timetables and emissions limits and 2) a flexible, market-based system of tradable allowances among emitting industries; and

C. We will strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities such as:

Inventory global warming emissions in City operations and in the community, set reduction targets and create an action plan.
Adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and create compact, walkable urban communities;
Promote transportation options such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction programs, incentives for car pooling and public transit;
Increase the use of clean, alternative energy by, for example, investing in “green tags”, advocating for the development of renewable energy resources, recovering landfill methane for energy production, and supporting the use of waste to energy technology;
Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements, retrofitting city facilities with energy efficient lighting and urging employees to conserve energy and save money;
Purchase only Energy Star equipment and appliances for City use;
Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program or a similar system;
Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduce the number of vehicles; launch an employee education program including anti-idling messages; convert diesel vehicles to bio-diesel;
Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater systems; recover wastewater treatment methane for energy production;
Increase recycling rates in City operations and in the community;
Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to increase shading and to absorb CO2; and
Help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about reducing global warming pollution.

The City of Chico’s Sustainability Task Force

To assist with the City with their effort to implement the Mayor’s Agreement, the City Council formed a 16-member committee, the Sustainability Task Force.

The Sustainability Task Force shall promote a culture of stewardship within our community to enhance our natural resources, economic interests and quality of life for present and future generations in the City of Chico by collaboratively developing programs and initiatives which will distinguish Chico as a leader in sustainability efforts.

The Sustainability Task Force (STF) would meet once a month on a regular basis through 2012 when, in the midst of the City’s financial collapse, the City Manager told the Council that the City could not afford to provide staff time for the Task Force. The City Council, stating that the Sustainability Task Force had achieved it’s primary objective, to implement the City’s GHG reduction effort with the adoption of the City’s Climate Action Plan discussed that the Task Force wasn’t necessary. However, community members convinced the City Council that the Sustainability Task Force should continue. The Council decided that the Task Force would continue, albeit pared down to seven members without staff assistance.

The Sustainability Task Force’s agendas and minutes can be found at:

http://www.chico.ca.us/government/minutes_agendas/sustainability_task_force.asp

The adopted final draft of the City’s Climate Action Plan can be found at:

(http://www.ci.chico.ca.us/government/minutes_agendas/documents/ClimateActionPlan-FINALDRAFT-Web_001.pdf )

General Plan Sustainability Element

The City’s 2030 General Plan, adopted in 2011, included a “Sustainability Element” to demonstrate the City’s commitment towards sustainability. The following statement is the Introduction:

The Sustainability Element explains the City’s commitment to sustainability through goals, policies, and actions that support the General Plan’s Strategy of Sustainability.

Sustainability in Chico means maintaining a culture of stewardship to enhance our natural environment, economic interests, and quality of life for present and future generations. Chico is well poised to be a leader as a sustainable community. Members of the community actively support a healthy environment, participate in local government, and work to strengthen the local economy. Existing infrastructure fosters walking and bicycling, and there are organizations actively promoting social equity. Chico is performing well on its journey towards sustainability, but there is more to do in order to meet the City’s vision of being “The Green City of the North State.”

The General Plan’s guiding strategy is to create and sustain a community that is environmentally responsible, economically robust, and socially equitable. Policies and actions in every element of the General Plan support this overarching theme. The Sustainability Element addresses aspects of sustainability that are not covered in other elements and describes how the City defines and incorporates sustainability at the local level.

The entire document can be found here:

http://www.chico.ca.us/document_library/general_plan/documents/2.SustainabilityElement.pdf