Overview
The City of Chico was founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell and incorporated in 1872. The City of Chico has grown to over 33 square miles with a population of 88,389 (January 2014) in the incorporated area and a greater urbanized area population of approximately 100,000. Chico is located in the Northern Sacramento Valley of California, ninety miles north of Sacramento on Highway 99, in Butte County, east of Interstate 5.
Chico is known as a well-managed city that values quality infrastructure and services, and maintains a special sense of community and small-town living as it has developed into a vibrant regional center for business, recreation and cultural activities. There are also many recreational opportunities in and around Chico. Bidwell Park one of the largest municipally owned parks in the nation (3,670 acres), is the focal point of the City's park system and offers numerous trails for biking, hiking and equestrian use.
About City of Chico Government
The City of Chico’s mission is to protect and enhance our community’s quality of life for present and future generations.
We are a customer-based, performance-driven, results-oriented organization, focused on finding the answer, solving the problem, and achieving positive outcomes. We partner with the Chico community, the California regional community, and the global community, to improve our world. We are trustworthy stewards of the public's resources. We constantly look for better, faster, and smarter ways to improve efficiency. We strive for exceptional customer service; through innovation, sound planning, and in some cases by learning from mistakes. We welcome diversity in our community and our work place. We conduct our work with dignity, respect, and open communication; to our community, to our customers, and to one another. We are accountable for our performance, the success of our organization, and we are recognized for our achievements. Chico, a safe place to raise a family, an ideal location for business, and a premier place to live.
About Chico Sustainability Task Force
The signing of the Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement precipitated the creation of the Sustainability Task Force (STF) in 2007. Members of the STF represent various sectors of the community to provide input to the City Council on sustainability issues. One of the primary tasks of the STF was to assist the City in meeting the objectives of the Mayor’s Agreement and to conduct preliminary steps to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). In preparation for drafting the CAP, the STF formed the following Ad-Hoc Committees: Outreach & Education, Sustainable Business Outreach, Innovators’ Pilot Outreach, Transportation Planning, and Climate Change Adaptation & Resiliency. The STF designated these Committees to focus resources on the development and implementation of specific components of the CAP, and to represent and promote these components throughout the community. These committees were comprised of STF members, city staff, representatives of institutions and utilities, and members of the general public.
About the Climate Action Commission
The Sustainability Task Force was reformed as the Climate Action Commission in Sept. 2019, and serves as an advisory body to the City Council on all matters related to climate action, adaption, and resiliency, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with State goals through preparation and maintenance of a Climate Action Plan.
The Commission accepts public input on the subject areas noted above and advises Council on ways to drive community awareness and participation in City programs modeled upon the field’s best practices.
The Commission meets the second Thursday of each month 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 421 Main Street. Agendas and minutes are posted here.
