COMMUNITY LISTENING MEETING #2 MARCH 21, 4:00 – 6:00 PM STRENGTHS 34 Small town feeling and culture 33 Trees, nature, and wildlife 29 Community spirit and willingness to help 27 Parks and recreation 25 Community events and festivals 25 Visual and performing arts, museums, and music 22 Rural character, with larger lots 19 Access to healthcare, medical services, and the hospital 18 Public parks 16 The People 15 14 14 14 11 11 9 9 7 6 6 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
Good schools, teachers, and counselors Local, small, community businesses Cool weather and climate Affordability and affordable housing Beauty Churches Senior services and senior centers Location, both in proximity to nature and neighboring communities History of Paradise Quiet Road network Resilience and self-sustaining abilities First responders, fire department, and police department Water system, with optional wells Good place to raise kids, with a family-oriented environment Safety Diversity of age groups Town Council, Chamber, and town governance Clubs and organizations Clean Transit Recycling programs Jobs Downtown Potential for improvement
WEAKNESSES 53 Lack of fire breaks, redundant notification system, feeling of safety, and adequate evacuation routes 51 Inadequate road network (disconnected, narrow, sub-standard, ill-maintained) 46 Lack of walkability (no sidewalks, no pedestrian lighting, no community signage, etc) 26 Lack of sewer 23 Lack of tree and brush maintenance, on public and private lands; lack of code enforcement for defensible space around buildings 18 Lack of planning and vision – the Town developed haphazardly, leaving a pattern of lots, streets, and uses that wasn’t planned out 14 Above ground utilities (rather than underground) 12 Red tape to rebuilding – insurance, building costs, permitting fees, funding 12 Lack of healthcare services after the fire 12 Lack of a feeling of security—drugs homelessness, and poverty 11 9 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1
Limited number and quality of stores, businesses, restaurants, and product suppliers Lack of good internet and cell service Job market – limited opportunities for employment, lack of industrial jobs, unemployment, loss of income Town Council’s lack of communication, staffing, and integrity; difficult to contact; political bureaucracy Lack of walkable downtown Contaminated/limited water supply as a result of the fire Inadequate and substandard housing Lack of recreation and activities, especially for youth and teenagers Parking and parking lots Lack of diversity Codes and restrictions associated with tree removal Danger of future wildfires RV parks and mobile home parks Quality of structures (blight, empty buildings, etc.) Insurance instability Poor access to Chico and Magalia, isolated Post-fire tree removal and debris/soil toxin clean-up Topography, landscape, and geography Weak tax base and limited customer base School congestion and access Code enforcement – trailers as permanent housing, visual noise abatement Under-utilized performing arts center, disjointed arts and entertainment Signs – no theme and too many No open space Traffic Run-off and drainage, associated with post-fire reconstruction
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Need to treat Paradise differently Inadequate services and access for seniors/those with ADA needs Uncollected garbage Lack of animal control PG&E Main boulevard does not match the Town’s country aesthetic People may not want to come back Lack of transportation for residents in need and without a vehicle Lack of contractors to do the work Overall health of the community No guaranteed access to Paradise Lake
VISIONS 44 36 31 25 24 23 22 20 17 17
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Create a safer street network – sidewalks, wider roads, street lights, and better connectivity Create more parks, green spaces, and outdoor event spaces Improve evacuation routes, warning systems, evacuation planning, and safety Provide more diverse, more affordable, and safer housing typologies Promote more businesses, amenities, events, and entertainment Install a sewer system Improve utilities – underground gas and electric lines and improve fiber optic internet, cell service, etc. Create a walkable downtown; a central business district with a mix of uses Adopt a thoughtful approach to town planning and zoning Improve fire prevention measures, through defensible space and fire-safe landscaping Improve the building permitting process, department, codes, and enforcement Invest in sustainable design and infrastructure strategies, such as solar and innovative buildings Improve access to medical services and facilities; rebuild Feather River Hospital Increase recreation opportunities Make Paradise a brand new, destination community Promote more art, murals, museums, and historic preservation Expand the bike path system Modernize and rebrand to attract new, younger residents and families Increase job availability and employment Focus on education, improve schools, and provide higher education options Provide more downtown and off-street parking Improve community relations, attitude, communication, and citizen participation Improve the water system and increase the water to Paradise Lake Rebuild in a more resilient way – become an example to the world and other rural communities Define a style or character that expresses Paradise’s uniqueness and creates a sense of place Stay small and self-sustaining Provide more youth activities Create a stormwater management and water treatment system Incorporate the Blue Zone concept Increase ambiance and visibility Provide rebuilding grants for homeowners, schools, and infrastructure Increase diversity Rebuild and widen Magalia Dam Unincorporate Focus on forest management
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Salvage and use burned timber; utilize local lumber mills Improve ADA accessibility Transfer development rights Increase policing and surveillance to eliminate illegal activity Improve economy Find a solution for tree/debris removal Provide public transportation options Develop more hotels Create more opportunities for agriculture Create a Camp Fire Memorial Rebuild the Golden Nugget Museum Restore what existed Provide better insurance Find what will motivate people to stay in or come to Paradise Make Paradise into a permaculture community Utilize wood chips as mulch Capitalize on shared experience Incorporate Magalia and Paradise together Create a connection to universities