Public comments for park management plan open

CHICO » The city of Chico has prepared a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report to assess the potential environmental effects of a proposed Vegetative Fuels Management Plan.

The plan was proposed because certain areas have high wildfire risks, and because vegetation management and fuels reduction will significantly reduce those risks. The plan involves thinning, pruning, grazing, prescribed burns, removal, herbicide use, and other modification of trees and vegetation.

The areas included within the plan encompass 274 parcels up to 1,000 acres, totaling 6,4000 acres owned by the city.

The main parks, recreational and open spaces discussed in the plan are Bidwell Park, Lindo Channel, Verbena Fields, Teichert Ponds, airport open space, Bidwell Ranch, Foothill Preserve, various preserved properties, and the greenways along Little Chico Creek, Bidwell Avenue, Comanche Creek, Dead Horse Slough and Butte Creek Diversion Channel. The plan does not address properties owned by Chico Area Recreation and Park District or Chico urban forest.

The draft indicates that there might be significant impacts on the biology, hydrology and water quality resources, but that these impacts wouldn’t be significant with proposed mitigation measures.

The draft is available at the Parks Division, 965 Fir St. by appointment only. Call 896-7800 to schedule an appointment. It’s also available at the Chico Branch of the Butte County Library, 1108 Sherman Ave. The library is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. An electronic version of the draft is also available at chico. ca.us/ post/vegetative-fuels-management

The city will read the first batch of comments comments on the draft’s Environmental Impact Report and the proposed Vegetative Fuels Management Plan during the next Bidwell Park and Playground Commission meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 20.

The meeting will begin with a project overview. Verbal and emailed comments will also be accepted during the meeting. Participants are asked to include their name, address, email or telephone number with the comment.

To participate, visit chico. ca.us/post/2020- agendas and find the right meeting.

The public has until 5 p.m. Feb. 2 to review the draft and offer comments.

Comments may be submitted to the Linda Herman, the park and natural resources manager at PO Box 3420, Chico, CA 95927 or emailed to linda. herman@chicoca.gov. For additional information, call 896-7241.