As a California Park resident since 1992, I have seen a lot of changes in this community. Most of them were well thought out and compatible with the existing development. However, the proposed four-story hotel at Bruce Road and Highway 32 is not something that will blend in nicely in the neighborhood.
There are not many tall buildings in Chico, and having one at that location will create a visual eyesore to the surrounding landscapes. Additionally, its lights will be a constant source of pollution to those facing the facility. I know of many people who live on the lake who don’t use window coverings because they like to look at the water day and night.
Traffic will be impacted as well. The installation of another traffic light at the intersection of Bruce and Sierra Sunrise Drive is too close to the one at Bruce Road and Highway 32. As a result, traffic will get backed up at peak times. Most who use Sierra Sunrise Drive are senior citizens going to and from their homes in the adjacent senior communities—people who don’t need additional confusion on the roads.
We live in a fragile ecosystem. I am sure that the surrounding natural environment will be impacted by the building. We will see more illegal usage of our lake by people who don’t have a vested interest in keeping it clean; perhaps even leading to a rise in crime. Our homeowners fees likely will increase because of the added cost of more private patrols to keep the intruders out.
Members of the Chico Planning Commission, please reconsider this hotel’s location. Do we really need another hotel? If so, is there another place where it would make more sense to build it?
Public hearings before the planning commission are scheduled to begin this summer. For information on opponent efforts, find the “NO HOTEL California Park” page on Facebook.
The author is a Chico business owner and a 30-year resident of California Park.
As a resident of Sierra Sunrise community, I totally agree with Nan’s comments. It was built as a senior community and to have a hotel in that area would make the area feel less safe and secure. For seniors, that is one of the reasons to move to a senior community. There must be a better place in Chico to put a hotel if one is truly needed.
Thank you Nan for for being the Guest Commentary — great write up on NO HOTEL — thanks CN&R for featuring it.
I agree that we should not build another hotel at this location or any other location in Chico. The city of Chico needs to stop all development until they resolve homelessness and crime. I also take issue with Chico who has routinely for years placed large areas of land in perpetuity and preserved supposedly for endangered species only to turn around and build mass developments for the rich. I would like to see Chico Planning Commission investigated because the government is in bed with developers and it is all about collecting taxes without benefit of services including increased fire and police.