Tag: referendum

Developers file lawsuit against City of Chico

Effort underway to void referendum and move forward Valley's Edge
by Leslie Layton | Posted April 2, 2025

photo by Leslie Layton
The land east of city limits transitions into the foothills.

The Valley’s Edge development group has filed a lawsuit in Butte County Superior Court against the City of Chico, arguing that the 2024 referendum that has blocked its project from going forward must be voided.

The Believe in Chico LLC says that the state’s Housing Crisis Act of 2019 is grounds for voiding the referendum and allowing the development of 2,700 housing units and 57 acres of commercial development on vacant land east of city limits.

In a March 5 election last year, more than 60 percent of Chico voters opposed two measures related to the planned development known as Valley’s Edge.

The lawsuit filed March 20 in Butte County Superior Court and received by the City of Chico today argues that “housing shortfalls have reached crisis levels,” and adds that this city is “no stranger to this emergency.” It states that the Housing Crisis Act legislation prohibits passage of any kind of policy that stops housing development in the jurisdiction of an “affected city.” read more

Chico voters rejecting planned community Valley’s Edge

Environmental costs and traffic influenced voters
by Natalie Hanson | Posted March 7, 2024

photo by Leslie Layton
The Valley’s Edge houses would be built on lava cap.

Editor’s note: The Butte County Clerk-Recorder’s office released official election results on March 28 that show that almost 63% voted NO on Measure O and 62% opposed Measure P.

Preliminary results in the primary election show Chico voters rejecting the controversial Valley’s Edge project that would produce a planned community east of City limits.

As of March 8, the preliminary count showed the number of “NO” votes on measures O and P at 62% of some 19,000 ballots that had been counted. Those measures would amend the General Plan and the Valley’s Edge Specific Plan to allow the development.

The project on 1,448 acres between Stilson Canyon Road and Honey Run Road has generated considerable pushback for years. Opponents have questioned whether it will create enough homes for people who earn Chico wages and whether it will cause irreparable ecological damage. read more

Referendum petition fails to meet deadline

by ChicoSol staff | Posted January 14, 2022

photo by Karen Laslo
David Welch

At a press conference today, David Welch, spokesperson for “No On Butte County Gerrymandering,” announced that the group fell short by just a few hundred signatures in its effort to petition for a referendum on the newly-adopted Butte County district map.

Group members, arguing that the redistricting map adopted by the conservative majority on the Board of Supervisors was heavily gerrymandered, said their work was hampered by the holidays, the Omicron variant and rainy weather. “The gerrymander of our county, against the backdrop of Republican gerrymandering across America, has aroused a level of passion I’ve rarely seen for a local issue,” said Welch, vowing that other options would be explored. — Karen Laslo read more