7
PUBLIC SERVICES
This chapter describes existing public services and facilities serving Butte
County as well as an overview of the functions of the departments within the
County. This also includes an overview of other ‘non Butte County’ public
services in an effort to show the broad picture of how the services of different
organizations interconnect with Butte County government services. The
following public services are discussed:
♦ County Government and Services, including the County Board of
Supervisors and the functions of its many departments.
♦ City Governments, including Biggs, Chico, Gridley, Oroville and the
Town of Paradise.
♦ Coordinated Fire Protection System, including the Butte County Fire
Department, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,
volunteer fire companies and the El Medio Fire District, as well as
collaboration with city and Town fire service agencies.
♦ Coordinated Criminal Justice System, which includes the County, City,
Town, State and federal Agencies.
♦ Public Education, including the Butte County Office of Education, Butte
Community College, California State University, Chico, and the various
Butte County school districts.
♦ Special Districts, including water, sewer, recreation and other special
districts.
♦ Other governmental and quasi-governmental agencies.
I.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND SERVICES
The basic provisions for the government of California counties are contained
in the California Constitution and the California Government Code. A
county is the largest political subdivision of the state having corporate
powers. It is vested by the Legislature with the powers necessary to provide
for the health and welfare of the people within its borders. The specific
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organizational structure of a county in California will vary from county to
county.
A. County as Distinguished from a City
There is a fundamental distinction between a county and a city. Counties
lack broad powers of self-government that California cities have (e.g. cities
have broad revenue generating authority and counties do not). In addition,
legislative control over counties is more complete than it is over cities.
Unless restricted by a specific provision of the State Constitution, the
Legislature may delegate to the counties any of the functions which belong to
the state itself. Conversely, the state may take back to itself and resume the
functions which it has delegated to counties (e.g. State funding of trial courts).
There is also a common misunderstanding that counties only provide services
in the unincorporated areas of the county (outside of cities). This is simply
NOT TRUE. In fact, Butte County provides numerous state-mandated
services to city residents as well as all unincorporated county residents as
depicted below:
Agricultural Department:
Agricultural Law and Regulatory Enforcement
Weights & Measures Enforcement
Predatory Animal Control
Pesticide Use Regulation
Agricultural Pest Trapping/Eradication
Assessor/Auditor/Treasurer:
Property Tax Calculation/Collection/Distribution
RDA Tax Increment Calculation/Collection/Distribution
Behavioral Health:
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program
Mental Health Services for Medi-Cal recipients
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Youth Development Programs
School Based Services
Prevention Programs
Homeless Assistance
Senior Citizens Services
Child Supportive Services:
Enforcement/Collection of Child Support Payments
County Administrative Office:
Emergency & Disaster Management
Economic Development
County Clerk/Recorder:
General and Special Elections
Marriage Licenses
Death Records
Passport Applications
Voter Registration
Recording of Official Records
(land records, deeds, liens, etc.)
District Attorney:
Attorneys & Prosecutors
Prosecution of criminal violations of State and local law
Criminal Child Support Investigations
Child Abduction
Welfare Fraud
Farm, Home & 4h Advisor:
Coordinate 4H Program
Provide Advice to Farmers and Gardeners
Home Economic Program
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Fire:
Fire Suppression & Control
First Response to Medical Emergencies
Libraries:
Six Library Branches
Library Literacy Program
Bookmobile
Probation:
Probation-Parole
Juvenile Hall
Juvenile Hall Day School
Victim Witness Assistance
Youth Authority Placement Payments
Public Defender:
Legal Assistance to Indigent Citizens
Public Health:
WIC food voucher and nutrition education
Environmental Health & Management
Hazardous Materials Monitoring
Clinics (well baby, pregnancy, etc.)
Health Education Programs
Birth Records
Public Works Department:
Butte County Transit
Neal Road Landfill
Recycling Information
Household Hazardous Waste Facility
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Sheriff:
Coroner
County Jail
Search & Rescue Services
Treasurer – Tax Collector:
Safekeeping & Investment of Public Funds
Veterans Services:
Benefit Assistance
Veteran Memorial Halls
Water & Resource Conservation:
Manages and Conserves Water and Other Resources for All Butte
County Citizens
Welfare:
Employment & Financial Assistance
Child Protective Services
Adult Protective Services
Food Stamps
Medi-Cal
In-Home Supportive Services
Adoption Assistance
Public Guardian/Public Administrator
B. County Powers
The California Constitution authorizes a county to make and enforce local
ordinances that do not conflict with general laws. A county also has the
power to sue and be sued, purchase and hold land, manage or dispose of its
properties, and levy and collect taxes authorized by law. Many additional
powers have been granted to counties by the Legislature. The powers of a
county can only be exercised by the Board of Supervisors or through officers
acting under the authority of the Board or authority conferred by law. In
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addition, the Board must follow the procedural requirements in the statutes
or its actions will not be valid. For example, if the Legislature has provided a
method by which a county may abandon a road, that method must be
followed. Also, where state law requires land use zoning by an ordinance,
this statutorily prescribed method is binding on the county. On the other
hand, where the law does not specifically prescribe a method for
accomplishing a task, the county may adopt any reasonably suitable means.1
C. Butte County General Government Services
Butte County is a charter county under the 1911 Home Rule Amendment of
the California Constitution. This section provides a general overview of
government services in Butte County, focusing primarily on County
government. The section first describes the County Board of Supervisors,
City Councils and overall County government organization, followed by a
description of each County office, department and division. Figure 7-1
displays the organization of the Butte County Government.
There are three types of County Government offices: elected, appointed and
other (other appointees are noted under the Board of Supervisors). Here’s a
brief description of each department within Butte County (more information
is available about each department at http://www.buttecounty.net):
1. Elected Officers/Departments
a. County Board of Supervisors
Butte County is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors elected by
districts to staggered four-year terms. The Board exercises the legislative,
administrative, and appellate powers prescribed to it by the California
Constitution and Statutes as well as the Butte County Charter. The Board
appoints the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and all department heads
with the exception of the Director of Farm, Home and 4H who is appointed
by the UC System, the General Services Director who is appointed by the
California
State
Association
of
Counties,
counties.org/default.asp?id=110, accessed July 23, 2007.
1
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Probation Officer
John Wardell
7/1/07
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
COUNTY OF BUTTE
Court Exec. Officer
Court Commissioners
Court Judges
Superior Court of
California
County of Butte
Info. Systems Dept.
Bob Barnes
Child Support Services
Sharon A. Stone
Farm, Home & 4H Advisor
Susan Donahue
General Services
Richards L. Hall
Fire Warden/CDF
Contract
Henri Brachais
Library
Derek Wolfgram
Water & Resources
Conservation
Vacant
Development Services
Tim Snellings
Agricultural Dept.
Richard Price
Human Resources Dept.
Jeanne Gravette
Employment & Social
Serv. Dept.
Cathi Grams
Behavioral Health Dept.
Bradford Luz
Public Works Dept.
Mike Crump
Kim Yamaguchi
District 5
County Counsel
Bruce Alpert
Board of Supervisors
Maureen Kirk Curt Josiassen
District 3
District 4
Interim
Chief Administrative Officer
Starlyn Brown
Jane Dolan
District 2
Public Heath Dept.
Phyllis Murdock
Bill Connelly
District 1
ELECTORATE
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C O U N T Y G O V E R N M E N T O R G A N I Z AT I O N
Admin., Personnel & Budget Coordination
Elected Officials
Appointed by the State
District Attorney
Mike Ramsey
County Clerk/Registrar of
Voters
Candace Grubbs
Direct Lines of Accountability
Sheriff/Coroner
Perry Reniff
Treasurer/Tax Collector
Dick Puelicher
Auditor/Controller
Dave Houser
Assessor
Ken Reimers
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CAO, the County Fire Chief who is appointed by CAL FIRE, the Chief
Probation Officer who is appointed by the Superior Court, and those who
are elected by the citizens of the county. The Board adopts the County
budget and sets service levels for County appropriations under its control.
The Board adopts and amends the County’s General Plan, which is it
Constitution for development. The Board also serves as the governing body
of a number of special districts. Individual Board members serve on various
intergovernmental committees, commissions, and policy-making bodies.
Unlike the separation of powers that characterizes the federal and State
governments, the Board of Supervisors is both the legislative and the
executive authority of the county. It also has quasi-judicial authorities.
b. Assessor
The elected Assessor oversees the task of determining the value of residential,
industrial, commercial, and personal property for tax purposes. The
valuation of public utility property is the responsibility of the State Board of
Equalization.
c. Auditor-Controller
The elected Auditor-Controller is the chief accounting officer of the County.
The responsibilities of this office include the accounting of County revenues,
expenditures, assets, liabilities, and fund balances. In addition, this office
provides accurate and timely financial information to the Board of
Supervisors, other County offices, and county residents.
d. County Clerk-Recorder
The elected County Clerk-Recorder serves as the Chief Election Official for
the County. The Clerk-Recorder administers and conducts all federal, State,
county, city, school and special district elections. The clerk registers voters,
conducts elections, records vital statistics and real estate documents, issues
certain licenses, and maintains files on corporate and fictitious business
names, and acts as the commissioner of civil marriages.
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e. District Attorney
The elected District Attorney is mandated by the California Constitution and
Government Code to investigate, charge and prosecute all criminal violations
of the laws of the State of California as well as county ordinances and attend
all courts in Butte County; mandated by the Welfare and Institutions Code to
file all petitions and attend court proceedings involving criminal activities of
juveniles; and mandated by the California Constitution and Penal Code to
provide the Grand Jury with legal advice, conduct investigations and present
evidence for all indictments. The District Attorney reviews all reports from
more than 20 law enforcement and regulatory agencies throughout the
county and determines whether or not to file criminal complaints.
f. Sheriff-Coroner
In the State of California, the Sheriff is a Constitutional Officer and the Chief
Law Enforcement Officer for the county in which he or she is elected. As
such, regardless of which agency has a primary function in a given area, it is
ultimately the County Sheriff’s Office that has responsibility to ensure the
safety of the people residing in or visiting the County. The elected SheriffCoroner is the department head for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office
(BCSO). The Sheriff-Coroner leads the BCSO in law enforcement, criminal
investigation, marijuana eradication and crime prevention in the
unincorporated areas of the county. Additionally, BCSO operates the
County jail, serves civil process and acts as bailiffs for the court system. The
BCSO also functions as the County Coroner, and investigates all violent
deaths and deaths where there is no certified cause.
g. Treasurer-Tax Collector
The elected Treasurer-Tax Collector is responsible for taxing, collecting, and
controlling County funds. This office is composed of three divisions:
treasury, which invests and safeguards County and school district funds; tax
collection, which bills, collects, and processes property taxes; and central
collections, which collects funds for most departments. In addition, this
office acts as the tax collector for all cities, school districts, and special
districts in the county.
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2. Appointed County Officers/Departments
a. Chief Administrative Officer
The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is appointed by the Board of
Supervisors and serves as the chief executive of County operations and as a
major policy advisor. The CAO prepares the recommended County budget
and is responsible to the Board for the proper and efficient administration of
all County offices, departments, institutions, and special districts that are
under the Board’s jurisdiction.
In Butte County, the Chief Administrative Officer also serves as the Clerk of
the Board and the Purchasing Agent. The Clerk of the Board serves as the
liaison between the public, County departments, outside agencies and the
Board of Supervisors. Through the preparation and distribution of the
agenda and minutes, the Clerk of the Board informs County citizens of issues
facing their governing body. The Purchasing Agent function is delegated to
the Director of General Services.
b. Agricultural Commissioner
The appointed Agricultural Commissioner enforces the agricultural laws and
regulations established by the California Food and Agricultural Code. The
Commissioner inspects seeds and plants, detects and manages pests, prepares
crop statistics, inspects nurseries, and controls predatory animals. The
Commissioner works with and under the guidance of the California
Department of Food and Agriculture. In addition, the Agricultural
Commissioner also serves as the Sealer of Weights and Measures and is
responsible for the inspection of scales, and the quantity control of items sold
by weight, measures, or count.
c. Behavioral Health
The Behavioral Health Department provides a comprehensive range of
mental health treatment and prevention services to the county. These
services include a psychiatric health facility, skilled nursing facilities,
residential treatment facilities, outpatient services, individual and group
therapy and counseling, administration services for the chronically mentally
ill, and community outreach services, including consultation and education.
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The Department is also responsible for administering an alcohol and drug
services program that includes prevention, education, intervention, treatment,
and recovery services.
d. Child Support Services
The Department of Child Support Services establish paternity and child
support orders and collects and distributes child support to families
throughout Butte County in an effort to enhance the quality of life and selfesteem of children in an efficient, compassionate, and professional manner.
The free services offered by the Department of Child Support Services are
governed by California Code of Regulations Title 22, Division 13 and
include:
♦ Establishment of paternity;
♦ Location of absent parents;
♦ Establishment, modification, and enforcement of court orders to pay
child support; and
♦ Collection and distribution of child support and spousal support monies.
e. County Counsel
The County Counsel serves as the civil attorney to the Board of Supervisors
and other County officers, boards, commissions, committees, and County
departments. The Counsel is responsible for advice on legal matters, written
legal opinions, review of County contracts, personnel hearings and
arbitrations, overseeing litigation, and represents the County in
administrative hearings and litigation. The Counsel is appointed for a fouryear term.
f. Department of Development Services
a. Planning Division
The Planning Division is responsible for developing land use plans (such as
Butte County General Plan 2030) that concern the physical development of
the county.
This Division is responsible for administration and
implementation of the policies and programs identified in approved plans,
which includes processing land use permits, General and Specific Plan
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amendments, and making land use related recommendations to various
committees and commissions. The Planning Division reviews plans with the
Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Land Conservation Act
Committee, Airport Land Use Commission, Interdepartmental Development
Review (IDR) Committee, Mining Committee, and others as needed.
b. Building Division
The Building Division enforces the provisions of the California Building
Standards Code, including the Health and Safety Code and Title 25. The
Division investigates complaints and issues citations for code violations and
implements the Abandoned Vehicle Abatement (AVA) and Nuisance
Abatement Programs. In addition, the Division provides support to the
Building Code Board of Appeals, the Disabled Access Board of Appeals and
the Code Enforcement Advisory Board.
g. Employment and Social Services/Public Guardian/Public Administrator
The Department of Employment and Social Services (DESS) administers
federal, State, and County-funded public assistance and social services
programs. These programs include temporary assistance to needy families
and employment related services through the CalWORKs program; Food
Stamps; Medi-Cal; County Medical Services; Foster Care; County General
Assistance; In-Home Supportive Services and Adult Protective Services for
the frail elderly and Child Protective Services for the children.
The Public Guardian serves as conservator of a person and/or estate of
individuals who are physically or mentally disabled and are in need of
protective intervention. The Public Guardian only becomes involved if no
family or friends are able or willing to become the conservator and all
alternatives to conservatorship have been ruled out.
The Public
Administrator is responsible for administering the estate of county residents
who die without a will or family in California. The Public Administrator
also administers the county’s indigent burial program.
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h. Farm and Home Advisor
This department provides educational and advisory services in agriculture,
floriculture, and home economics to county residents, and sponsors local 4-H
clubs. The department operates through an agreement with the University of
California Cooperative Extension.
i.
Fire
The Butte County Fire Department (BCFD) contracts for staff with the
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). Under
this contract the County pays CAL FIRE salaries and benefits, as well as
other related costs, to staff County-owned fire stations and apparatus.
CAL FIRE and BCFD provide service to the entire county, with the
exception of the cities of Chico and Oroville, the town of Paradise and the El
Medio Fire Protection District near Oroville. The County also funds the
Butte County Volunteer Firefighter Program, which is a key component of
the overall County fire protection system, adding additional staff, equipment
and stations to the County system. The County Fire Department is
responsible for providing all fire and rescue services within the area
designated the Local Responsibility Area (LRA), as well as all non-wildland
fire and rescue services within the area designated the State Responsibility
Area (SRA). Emergency services are provided at 31 County stations and 10
CAL FIRE stations throughout Butte County. Between the two agencies,
CAL FIRE and BCFD maintain a fleet of fire fighting equipment, including
engines, aircraft, squads, rescues, bulldozers, water tenders, hazardous
material units, heavy rescue vehicles, and an air attack base, all available to the
residents of Butte County as needed.
j. General Services Department
General Services is responsible for the management of certain support service
offices and internal service divisions. The service delivery system operated by
General Services includes:
♦ Administration. Provides administrative and fiscal oversight for the
General Services divisions.
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♦ Purchasing Services. Establishes criteria for standardization of equipment
and materials that are utilized by many different departments. Handles
the purchase/rental and sale/disposal of all personal property on behalf
of the County.
♦ Property Management. Handles the purchase, acquisition, lease or sale of
real property on behalf of the County. Maintains an inventory of all real
property owned by, leased by, or leased to the County. Makes
recommendations for the acquisition, sale, or disposal of real property in
the County’s best interest.
♦ Contracts Management. Handles the review and execution of contracts
for all County departments, maintains the contracts section of the
Contracts/Purchasing Manual and the County Purchasing Ordinance,
provides contract templates and contracts training for all County
departments.
♦ Capital Improvements. Handles the planning, design, and construction of
buildings and facilities needed by the County to provide for the efficient
and cost effective service to the citizenry.
♦ Veterans Services and Veterans Memorial Halls. Provides assistance to
veterans and their dependents in filing claims against the federal
government for compensation and pensions. Approves and schedules use
of the County-owned veterans memorial halls, and collects
rents/deposits.
♦ Facilities Services. Provides maintenance and security of assigned Countyowned or leased properties and facilities. Designs and constructs special
equipment as required to meet specific needs. Participates in planning
and acceptance of new construction and remodeling of County-owned
facilities. Provides grounds maintenance and custodial support of
assigned owned properties and facilities.
♦ Duplicating (Print Shop). Handles duplication, printing, and contract
services of County forms and publications. Coordinates the lease and
maintenance of all County convenience copy machines.
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♦ Storeroom and Mail Systems. Operates a central warehouse of common
use supply items. Provides an interdepartmental courier and message
service between all County facilities. Provides a centralized collection
and mailing operation for outgoing U.S. Mail. Acts as the surplus
equipment clearinghouse for the redistribution of County assets between
departments.
k. Human Resources Department
The Human Resources Department recruits, examines, and certifies qualified
employees for County departments. In this capacity, the Human Resources
Department provides human resource services, including compensation and
employee benefits and administration of employee relations. The Human
Resources Department also provides a program of personnel services to all
County departments.
l. Grand Jury
The Grand Jury is a body of 19 citizens selected annually from a panel of
prospective jurors by the Superior Court. It is funded by Butte County. The
Grand Jury may bring criminal charges by way of indictment against a
person; bring charges of misfeasance or malfeasance against an official of
government or of a public agency that may result in removal from office; and
investigate the operation of city and county governments, as well as tax
supported agencies and districts created by state law within the county.
m. Information Systems Department
The Information Systems Department provides technical and communication
services to Butte County departments, as well as some outside agencies.
Information Systems provides the wide-area networking (WAN) services for
the County of Butte. These services include housing/maintaining the widearea networks, network hardware and operating systems that provide County
departments, and related agencies, with wide-area networking connectivity, email services, secure Internet/Intranet access, data warehousing, and
centralized housing of departmental electronic assets.
In addition,
Information Systems provides network engineering services, network
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security, countywide desktop support and housing of County departmental
servers and related operational equipment.
Communications provides and maintains the equipment and technology that
serves the voice communications infrastructure for Butte County
departments and related agencies. This includes providing and managing
telephone equipment and lines (Centrex), special service circuits (electronic
data networking), cellular, Nextel, and pager services.
In addition,
Communications is responsible for all radio and related voice
communications for the Butte County public safety and general government
radio networks, the Octel voicemail system, as well as being the E-9-1-1
coordinator for the County’s Public Service Answering Points (PSAPs),
which includes all law enforcement jurisdictions in both the incorporated and
unincorporated areas of the County.
n. Library
Chartered in 1913, the Butte County Library has served as an important
cultural and educational resource for the people of Butte County for nearly a
century. During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of individual city libraries
were consolidated into the County library system. Today, Butte County
Library is the sole provider of public library services in the county. As such,
the Butte County Library provides library services to all county residents
through a consolidated operation from its headquarters in Oroville and
branches in Biggs, Chico, Durham, Gridley and Paradise.
Originally established in the Butte County Charter, the Butte County
Library system currently consists of six branch libraries, a bookmobile and a
literacy program. In its branches, the Library houses a collection of over
330,000 items, including books, videos, DVDs, music CDs, and books on tape
and CD, most of which are available for checkout by library cardholders. In
addition, Butte County Library participates in the Ask Now service, which
provides 24/7 live online reference through a Statewide network of librarians.
The Library is a member of the 13-county North State Cooperative Library
System, a network of public and academic libraries that pools resources for
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interlibrary loan service, access to specialized reference services and
cooperative planning for regional service.
Butte County Library branches also provide children’s story time programs,
book discussion groups for adults, film screenings and other entertaining and
educational programs. Free public meeting rooms are available in most
branches, and the Library provides free public access to the Internet and word
processing programs at each location through its network of public
computers. In fiscal year 2005-2006, the Library provided library services to
over 660,000 visitors and checked out over 720,000 items.
o. Probation
The Probation Department provides mandated and discretionary probation
services to the adult and juvenile courts in the county. These services include
investigations, sentence recommendations, supervision of persons placed on
probation, and the administration of several programs, including victim
witness program, the school dropout prevention program, and juvenile hall.
The Department operates under the direction of the Chief Probation Officer
who is appointed by the Superior Court.
p. Public Defender
The Public Defender offers legal counsel to those citizens who have been
charged with a criminal offense and who are unable to provide for their own
legal defense, as required by State and federal requirements. The court
appoints the Public Defender at the request of the defendant or of the court.
The County contracts with a consortium of private attorneys in the area to
provide these legal services.
q. Public Health
The Public Health Department administers public health programs to
promote individual, community, and environmental health within the
county. These public health programs include County medical services;
chronic disease control; maternal and child health; dental health;
communicable disease control; health services for the elderly; emergency and
disaster services; nursing field services; animal control and health education.
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The environmental health programs provide services that monitor food,
housing and institutions, solid waste, water supply, and hazardous materials
within the county.
r. Public Works Department
The Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining County roads
and bridges, and administration of the Neal Road Landfill. The services
provided by this department include general administration, operation,
engineering, construction, and mapping. In addition, the Department
supervises several public works areas, including land development, County
Service Areas, refuse disposal, and County lighting districts.
s. Water and Resource Conservation Department
Butte County’s Department of Water and Resource Conservation is involved
in a wide range of activities, including: providing support to the Butte
County Water Commission, management of Butte County’s State Water
Project allocation, including contracts with the California Department of
Water Resources, the Del Oro Water Company and the California Water
Service Company; and the inventory and analysis of Butte County’s water
resources.
II.
CITY GOVERNMENTS
City and town councils govern the five chartered or general law cities in
Butte County: Biggs, Chico, Gridley, Oroville, and the Town at Paradise.
There are also a number of joint City-County boards, commissions, and
committees that are responsible for issues that affect both the cities and the
unincorporated areas of the county, including airports, public transit, and
waste management.
According to the California Department of Finance, as of January 2006,
approximately 82 percent of California’s citizens live within the city limits of
one of the 479 cities. In Butte County, by percentage, the actual number is
much less at 58 percent of residents living within the city limits.
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A. City of Biggs
Biggs, incorporated in 1903, is a full-service, general law city located in the
southerly area of Butte County. In addition to providing police, fire and
public works services, the city also operates electric, sewer and water utilities.
The city contracts with the City of Gridley for police and electric utility
services and with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
for fire services. The current Annual Budget is $8.5 million, with a full-time
workforce of nine positions.
Biggs is approximately 25 miles south of the City of Chico and 5 miles north
of Gridley, at an elevation of 93 feet. The town can be accessed from the
north and south via Highway 99 and is approximately 2 miles north of the
City of Gridley. The 2006 population for Biggs was 1,768 people.2
B. City of Chico
The City of Chico was founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell, and
incorporated in 1872 with a population of approximately 1,000 persons in an
area of 6.6 square miles. The City of Chico, with recent annexations, has
grown to a 31-square-mile Charter city of 84,396 with an urbanized,
unincorporated area immediately adjacent to it making the total population
of the Chico urban area 105,080. Chico is located in the Northern
Sacramento Valley of California approximately 90 miles north of Sacramento,
in Butte County, east of Interstate 5.
Chico maintains an historic downtown, a wide variety of services, and family
oriented neighborhoods. 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
2
City of Biggs, California, http://www.biggs-ca.gov, accessed July 23, 2007.
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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.3
C. City of Gridley
The City of Gridley was founded in 1905 and is located in the southwest
corner of Butte County, approximately 5 miles south of the City of Biggs.
State Route 99 runs in a north-south direction through the eastern portion of
the city, and the Union Pacific Railroad extends through the center of the
city. The City has a small commercial area that serves most daily needs of its
residents, but most shopping for major items occurs in the other population
centers (e.g. Chico or the Marysville-Yuba City area). Most of Gridley’s
working residents are employed in activities related to farming or in local
retail and services. Some residents are farm workers who live in Gridley on a
seasonal basis. A large percentage of the population is retired and not in the
labor force. The 2006 population for Gridley was 5,914 people.4
D. City of Oroville
The county seat, Oroville was incorporated in 1906. Located at the
intersection of the Feather River and the Sacramento Valley, Oroville was a
prime service location for the valley and foothill regions. During the gold
rush, early settlers provided supplies to the foothill mining industries,
including Bidwell’s Bar, now submerged under Lake Oroville. Following the
gold rush, Oroville became a supply center for local agriculture, including
cattle ranches and orchards. Oroville also began to and continues to supply
recreational users, including anglers, campers, hikers and other visitors to the
Sierra Nevada. In 1968, the Oroville Dam was completed. Although the
boundaries of the Oroville Dam and facilities are outside of the City of
3
4
2007.
7-20
City of Chico, California, http://www.chico.ca.us, accessed July 23, 2007.
City of Gridley, California, http://www.gridley.ca.us, accessed July 23,
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Oroville’s Sphere of Influence (SOI), the project created a demand for
housing for workers and their families. Studies have indicated that the
Oroville area, which includes unincorporated portions of Butte County, has a
higher rate of unemployment, lower rate of per capita income and a higher
reliance upon subsistence programs than the rest of Butte County and the
State of California, primarily due to the economic vacuum left when the Lake
Oroville Project was completed. The 2006 population for Oroville was
13,477 people.5
E. Town of Paradise
Incorporated in 1979, the Town of Paradise was first established on a foothill
ridge to supply the gold rush. The Town’s relatively flat topography and
accessible water supply promoted its development. Although gold mining in
the Paradise area continued to be viable after the gold rush waned, the
region’s population decreased in the latter part of the 19th century and the
economy shifted to an agricultural one, focused around small fruit
plantations. In the early 1900s, the Diamond Match Company opened a
sawmill in the nearby community of Stirling City, followed by a railroad
connecting it to Chico. This railroad included a station in Paradise, leading to
more substantial growth in its agricultural production industries. The 2006
population for Paradise was 26,366 people.6
III.
COORDINATED FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
This section describes fire protection services in the unincorporated county.
The Butte County Fire Department (BCFD), with support from CAL FIRE,
provides fire protection to all of the unincorporated county, except for a
5
City of Oroville, California, http://www.cityoforoville.org, accessed July 23,
2007.
Town of Paradise, California, http://www.townofparadise.com, accessed
July 23, 2007.
6
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small area south of Oroville served by the El Medio Fire Protection District.
The incorporated jurisdictions of Biggs, Chico, Gridley, Oroville, Paradise
and the El Medio Fire District, play an important role in providing fire
protection services in the areas within their jurisdictions, as well as
coordination with BCFD in the unincorporated areas surrounding their
jurisdictions. The CAL FIRE also operates its own seasonal stations and an
air attack base within the county. Additionally, the U.S. Forest Service
provides seasonal wildland fire protection in the Plumas and Lassen National
Forests, which have small portions within Butte County.
A. Butte County Fire Department
Since 1931, the County has contracted with CAL FIRE to provide staffing to
the Butte County Fire Department (BCFD) through an annual cooperative
agreement. Under the terms of this agreement, the County funds CAL FIRE
professional command, fire-fighting, and administrative staff to operate the
BCFD. Through this arrangement, CAL FIRE and the BCFD function
together as a fully consolidated fire protection agency and provide costeffective fire protection service for Butte County.
1. Service
BCFD provides emergency services to all of Butte County, protecting over
1,600 square miles, several municipalities, and the entire unincorporated
county population (with the exception of the El Medio Fire District coverage
area).
BCFD services include fire control for structural, vegetation, vehicular and
other unwanted fires; emergency medical service, technical rescue response;
hazardous materials response; flood control assistance; fire prevention and
public safety education; fire law enforcement/arson investigation; and
vegetation management. In addition, the BCFD operates county-wide
dispatch services, coordinates major emergency response within the county as
the Office of Emergency Service’s mutual aid coordinator, and provides
training for career and volunteer fire fighters.
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In 2006, the CAL FIRE and BCFD Emergency Command Center (ECC)
processed 15,006 calls for service, more than two thirds of which were for
emergencies such as traffic collisions, rescues, and medical emergencies.
BCFD also responded to 747 fires, of which 289 were vegetation fires. In
2005, the BCFD responded 59 times to incidents involving chemicals or
suspected chemicals. Other responses, such as general assists to the public,
fireworks complaints, false fire alarms, assists to other agencies, downed
powerlines, and law enforcement operations totaled 2,810 responses.
In addition to fire engine responses, the department’s ECC provides
Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) services. In 2005, the ECC gave
potentially life-saving information over the phone to 70 people. These EMD
procedures provide life saving instructions such as Cardio Pulmonary
Resuscitation, control of bleeding, child birth, choking and other emergency
medical information before fire engines and paramedics arrive.
2. Automatic Aid and Mutual Aid Agreements
The BCFD has established automatic aid agreements and mutual aid
agreements with other fire protection agencies to provide optimal fire
protection service to the entire county. Automatic Aid agreements allow the
resources nearest to an emergency situation to be dispatched on the first
alarm regardless of jurisdiction, while mutual aid agreements require a specific
request for help on an incident-by-incident basis, The BCFD has automatic
aid agreements with every fire-fighting agency in the county, with the U.S.
Forest Service, Lassen and Plumas National Forests, Hamilton City in Glenn
County, Sutter County, Tehama County, and with several fire districts in
Yuba County. Additionally, under contract the BCFD/CAL FIRE ECC
provides dispatching services for the Oroville Fire Department and the El
Medio Fire Protection District.
3. Volunteer Fire Companies
BCFD is supported by 150 volunteer fire fighters. These volunteers are
organized into 18 local companies and are an integral component of the fire
protection system in Butte County. The volunteer companies are dispatched
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by the CAL FIRE/BCFD ECC as needed. The volunteer companies make
up an essential part of the County fire protection system, often providing the
first response to an emergency in the rural portions of the county that are
some distance from a BCFD or CAL FIRE station.
Although the volunteer companies are organized within and supported by the
local communities, they operate as part of the county-wide fire protection
system and receive regular training by the BCFD and CAL FIRE career fire
fighters. Recruitment and retention continues to be a problem within the
BCFD volunteer fire company program. This is not a problem unique to the
fire service in Butte County; it is a nationwide issue. Over the past 10 years,
BCFD volunteer numbers have decreased from as many as 400 to the current
150 volunteers.
The volunteer facilities include shared stations with the BCFD, stand-alone
stations, and in a few cases, stations in name only, where the equipment is
kept outside. The volunteer companies are listed in Table 7-1, as are
CAL FIRE and BCFD stations. Figure 7-2 displays the locations of fire
stations operated by CAL FIRE, BCFD and other agencies.
4. Organization
The BCFD is organized into three divisions. The North Division and the
South Divisions comprise the field organizations that provide emergency
response within the county. Additionally, the North and South Divisions are
responsible for the Training and Safety Bureau and the Chico Air Attack
Base. The Administrative Services Division provides dispatch, maintenance,
fire prevention, personnel, finance, and other support services to the BCFD.
The Field Divisions are divided into seven battalions, each of which in turn is
comprised of a mixture of BCFD and CAL FIRE stations and volunteer fire
companies. Within the county fire department, there are 12 BCFD stations
staffed with career fire fighters and 18 volunteer fire companies. During the
seven months outside of the peak fire season, the County provides funding
for six CAL FIRE stations per the Amador Plan.
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TABLE 7-1
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FIRE STATIONS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BUTTE
COUNTY
No.
Location
Type
10
Butte Meadows
BC Volunteer
11
Butte Meadows (open during fire season only)
CAL FIRE/LNF
12
Stirling City
BC Volunteer
13
Stirling City
CAL-FIRE/BCFD (Amador)
17
Magalia (open during fire season only)
CAL FIRE
21
Cohasset
BC Volunteer (No station)
22
Cohasset (open during fire season only)
CAL FIRE
23
Forest Ranch
CAL FIRE/BCFD (Amador)
24
Forest Ranch
BC Volunteer
25
Butte Valley
BC Volunteer
26
Centerville Canyon
BC Volunteer
27
Centerville Canyon
BC Volunteer
31
Magalia
BC Volunteer
33
Magalia
BCFD/BC Volunteer
35
Paradise
CAL FIRE/BCFD (Amador)
36
Jarbo Gap
CAL FIRE/BCFD (Amador)
37
Concow
BC Volunteer
38
Concow
BC Volunteer
41
Nord
BCFD
42
North Chico
BCFD/BC Volunteer
44
South Chico
BCFD
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TABLE 7-1
P L A N
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FIRE STATIONS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BUTTE
COUNTY (CONTINUED)
No.
Location
Type
45
Durham
BCFD/BC Volunteer
51
Feather Falls (open during fire season only)
CAL FIRE
52
Feather Falls
BC Volunteer
53
Clipper Mills
BC Volunteer
54
Robinson Mills
CAL FIRE/BCFD (Amador)
55
Bangor
BCFD/BC Volunteer
60
Brush Creek
BC Volunteer
61
Berry Creek
BC Volunteer
62
Harts Mill
CAL FIRE/BCFD (Amador)
63
Oroville
CAL FIRE/BCFD
64
Kelly Ridge
BCFD/BC Volunteer
66
Wyandotte
BC Volunteer
67
Cherokee
BC Volunteer
71
Richvale
BCFD/BC Volunteer
72
Palermo
BCFD/BC Volunteer
73
Biggs
BCFD/BC Volunteer
74
Gridley
BCFD/BC Volunteer
76
Gridley
BC Volunteer
77
Gridley (Graylodge)
BC Volunteer
Notes:
BCFD=Butte County Fire Department
BC Volunteer=Butte County Volunteer
CAL FIRE/BCFD (Amador)=CAL FIRE station that is paid in part by the County during nonfire season
BCFD/BC Volunteer=Butte County Fire Department combined with Butte County Volunteer
Source: Butte County Fire Department.
7-26
BUTTE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN 2030
SETTING AND TRENDS
PUBLIC SERVICES
! !
!
!
!
!
!
!
ÿ
|
32
!
!
!
!
! Chico
!
!
!
Paradise
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
! !
ÿ
|
!
191
99
ÿ
|
!
!
70
ÿ
|
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Oroville
ÿ
|
162
Biggs !
99
ÿ
|
70
ÿ
|
!
ÿ
|
162
!
!
!
!
!
!!
Gridley
!
0
2.5
Miles
5
!
CAL FIRE
!
BCFD \ CAL FIRE
!
El Medio Fire District
!
City of Chico
!
City of Gridley \ CAL FIRE \ BCFD
!
City of Oroville
!
Town of Paradise
boundary
Source: Butte County Geographic Information Systems
FIGURE 7-2
FIRE STATIONS
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5. BCFD/CAL FIRE
The year-round BCFD stations, situated in a number of communities, were
built to serve the needs of expanding local populations. Each of the 12 BCFD
stations is staffed with at least two fire fighters 24 hours per day. A Capital
Outlay Budget Change Proposal was submitted by CAL FIRE to staff Butte
Fire Center, located in Magalia, as a conservation camp. If funded and built,
CAL FIRE and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
will jointly run the Butte Conservation Camp at that location.
The CAL FIRE stations are located primarily in the foothills of the eastern
portion of the county. These stations operate primarily during the summer
wild fire season, although six of the stations, Forest Ranch, Jarbo Gap,
Paradise, Robinson Mill, Harts Mill, and Stirling City are staffed during the
winter months by the BCFD to provide year-round protection to county
residents (Amador Program). The remaining stations are located in Butte
Meadows, Cohasset, Feather Falls, and Oroville. In addition, CAL FIRE
operates the Chico Air Attack Base during the summer season.
The BCFD and CAL FIRE headquarters, Administrative Division,
Emergency Command Center (ECC), Fire Prevention Bureau and Fleet
Maintenance activities are located in Oroville.
The need for additional fire stations and replacement of existing stations is
being considered by Butte County. A Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2007 and will help guide the
BCFD in infrastructure improvement decisions in the future. A Standards of
Cover Study, begun in 2007, will also assist the BCFD in station location
decisions.
Butte County is working to replace the Bangor Fire Station in 2008. Butte
County is partnering with Butte College to acquire land to construct a
station, classroom and Emergency Operations Center near the main campus
in Butte Valley. Estimated construction of this facility is 2009/10.
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Many of the vehicles in the BCFD fleet have been in service for over 15 years.
A schedule allowing for the replacement of frontline fire engines every 10-12
years and reserve and volunteer engines every 20 years was adopted as part of
the CIP.
CAL FIRE operates more than 70 fire-fighting and support vehicles as well as
one air tactical aircraft and one air tanker from the Chico Air Attack Base
during fire season. The BCFD operates more than 110 fire-fighting and
support vehicles. This number includes vehicles assigned to BCFD stations
and those assigned to volunteer companies. Vehicles within the BCFD and
CAL FIRE fleets are maintained by State and county-funded employees as
part of the contract between CAL FIRE and Butte County.
6. City of Chico Fire Department
The City of Chico Fire Department operates six fire stations and one Fire
Training Center. The stations are staffed by 72 full-time fire fighters and
three uniformed personnel. Additionally, a volunteer squad of 36 fire fighters
is on-call in case of a large scale emergency. The Department provides
response to structural, vegetation, vehicle and other unwanted fires, medical
aid and other rescues services to Chico city residents. The area covered by
the City of Chico Fire Department is 31 square miles. In accordance to the
Chico Urban Area Fire and Rescue Agreement (an automatic-aid agreement),
the Department provides first response to emergencies in the unincorporated
County area surrounding the City, when the City engine is the closest
resource. In exchange, County resources respond to City emergencies when a
County engine is the closest resource.
7. City of Oroville Fire Department
The City of Oroville Fire Department operates one fire station that is staffed
by 21 full-time personnel. For larger incidents, the Department employs 12
fire fighters that work on an on-call basis. The area covered by the
Department is 13 square miles. The Department provides service to Oroville
City residents and, through an automatic aid agreement with BCFD, provides
first response in the unincorporated County surrounding the City, when the
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City engine is the closest resource. In exchange, County resources respond to
City emergencies when a County engine is the closest resource.
8. Town of Paradise Fire Department
The Town of Paradise Fire Department operates three fire stations. The
stations are staffed by 22 full-time, paid fire fighters and 28 volunteer fire
fighters. The Department covers an 18-square-mile area. The Department
responds to structural, vehicular and wildland fires, provides hazardous
material clean -up, rescue and medical aid services for people in the Town
limits, as well as providing services in the unincorporated area surrounding
the Town through an automatic aid agreement with BCFD. In exchange,
County resources respond to Town emergencies when a County engines is
the closest resource.
9. El Medio Fire District
The El Medio Fire District operates a single station located in South Oroville.
Six full-time fire fighters and 20 volunteers staff the station. The El Medio
Fire District covers approximately 2 square miles. The District provides
response to structural, vegetation, vehicle and other unwanted fires, medical
aid and other rescue services to over 4,000 people in their district. The El
Medio Fire Protection District contracts with CAL FIRE/BCFD for dispatch
services. The District also has an automatic aid agreement with BCFD and
the City of Oroville.
10. Fire Rating
The Insurance Service Office (ISO) collects information on municipal fireprotection efforts and rates individual communities as they compare to a
nation-wide standard. The fire ratings range on a scale from Class 1 to Class
10, where Class 1 represents exemplary public protection, and Class 10
indicates that the area’s fire-suppression program doesn’t meet the ISO’s
minimum criteria. Those areas of Butte County that are within 5 miles of a
fire station and within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant or “recognized water
system” have an insurance service office (ISO) rating of 4. Areas within
5 miles of a fire station but not within 1,000 feet of a recognized water system
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have an ISO rating of 8B. Areas that are not near a fire station or water
system have an ISO rating of 10.
IV.
COORDINATED CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
City, Town, County, State & Federal agencies provide criminal justice
services in Butte County. These include, but are not limited to the police
agencies in the cities of Chico, Oroville, Gridley, Biggs and the Town of
Paradise, the Butte County Sheriff, the California Highway Patrol, the State
Department of Fish & Game, the State Department of Parks and Recreation
and the U.S. Forest Service. However, in any case, this is simply the first part
of the criminal justice system.
When arrests are made by any law enforcement agency or State agencies with
Butte County, the arrestees are incarcerated in the County Jail, prosecuted by
the County District Attorney's office, a court report is prepared by the
County Probation Department, and in many cases, the County's Public
Defender provides a legal defense to the defendant. Following trial, the
County Probation Department also provides court-directed supervision to
adults and juveniles. Also, the Incarceration Division of the Sheriff's Office is
mandated by law to provide for the care, safety, security, and welfare of
persons incarcerated in Butte County correctional facilities. The Division
provides transportation of inmates to court, medical and dental
appointments, and state prisons.
In short, County Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice Services include general
police response, investigation and patrol services; special police operation unit
services (e.g. emergency ordinance disposal team, special weapons and tactics
team, canine unit, aviation unit, dive and rescue team, and narcotics task
force); jail services; prosecution services; probation department services; and
public defender services.
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A. Butte County Sheriff
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) is responsible for law
enforcement, criminal investigation, marijuana eradication, and crime
prevention in the unincorporated areas of the county. The BCSO operates
the County jail and serves as Bailiff for the court system. In addition to crime
prevention and law enforcement services, the BCSO also functions as the
County Coroner, and investigates all violent deaths or deaths which have no
certified cause.
The BCSO is the county-wide coordinator for mutual aid situations
and maintains mutual aid agreements with the California Highway Patrol and
the Oroville, Chico, Gridley and Paradise municipal police departments. The
BCSO has its main office in Oroville, with sub-stations in Chico and
Magalia. The County jail is approved by the California Corrections
Standards Authority to house 614 inmates, in accordance with a consent
decree.
BCSO sworn personnel include the Sheriff, Undersheriff, Captains,
Lieutenants, Sergeants and Deputies; non-sworn personnel include
Correctional Officers and Technicians, Public Safety Dispatchers and clerical
staff. Of the sworn personnel, 34 Deputy Sheriffs are assigned to one of
eight patrol teams and each team is supervised by a Sergeant. Another 17
Deputy Sheriffs and two Sergeants are assigned to a contract with the courts,
with the remainder assigned to Designated Area Deputy positions,
administration, narcotics, marijuana eradication, boat patrol, criminal
investigations, internal affairs, background investigation, specialized units and
the jail.
The BCSO has divided the county into north and south service areas.
Twenty-four hour patrol service is provided. Typically, one deputy is
assigned per car. The patrol teams normally operate in response to specific
incidents and have very limited time for non-directed patrol activities within
the county.
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B. Butte County District Attorney – Bureau of Investigations
The Butte County District Attorney’s Office maintains a Bureau of
Investigations which consists of 28 full-time peace officers as District
Attorney Investigators. Besides providing follow-up investigations on crimes
referred to the District Attorney by outside agencies, these investigators also
do original county-wide investigations on child abuse and child abduction
cases, investigate and arrest those who willfully do not pay their child support
obligations; investigate and arrest those who commit fraud to obtain public
assistance benefits; collect from those who pass insufficient fund checks;
investigate and arrest those who commit fraud such as counterfeiting,
embezzlement, insurance scams, worker compensation frauds and computer
crimes; and investigate and arrest those who endanger their children by their
narcotics activities.
C. Butte County District Attorney – Prosecution Bureau
The Butte County District Attorney’s Office maintains a Prosecution Bureau,
which is responsible for prosecuting felonies, misdemeanors and juvenile
cases. The Bureau consists of 23 attorneys, and includes specialized
prosecutions and assignments to provide effective and prompt response to the
needs of Butte County citizens.
D. Public Defender
The County’s Public Defender Consortium is comprised of 16 private
attorneys under contract with the County that provide legal assistance to
indigent clients in criminal cases. Federal and State constitutions require the
provision of competent counsel to those who are unable to retain a private
attorney to defend him/herself.
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E. Butte County Probation
The County Probation Department supervises convicted felons, both adults
and juveniles, who are placed on probation by the court. The Department
also prepares reports recommending sentencing after a conviction, operates
the Juvenile Hall, manages the victim witness/assistance program, and
participates in a variety of collaborative programs with schools, outside law
enforcement agencies, County departments, and private agencies to prevent
crime.
F. State Superior Court
The Butte County Superior Court is a separate governmental entity and its
operational costs are funded entirely by the State of California and it is an
integral part of the local criminal justice system.
G. California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) provides law enforcement services,
primarily traffic control, for the State roads and roads in the unincorporated
portions of the county. These services include traffic control, accident
investigation, and licensing of vehicles. The CHP has a mutual aid agreement
with the Sheriff’s Department and will respond when requested by the
Sheriff.
The CHP has two offices to serve Butte County. The county is divided into
north and south regions at the intersection of State Routes 99 and 149. The
north district office, located in Chico, has 24 uniformed staff, including 20
officers, three sergeants and one captain. The office has 14 vehicles in
operation. Typical staffing has 3 to 4 units during the day and evening shifts,
and one two-person unit during the graveyard shift. The north district office
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is also the dispatch center for the region.7 The CHP’s south office, located in
Oroville, has 23 officers, three sergeants and one lieutenant. The office has 10
vehicles in operation, with similar staffing as the north district office.8
The normal deployment/distribution of CHP personnel is based upon traffic
volume and accident rates within the county. Areas with a high incidence of
accidents or traffic control problems are patrolled on a regular basis. There
are many areas of the county, particularly in the foothills, which are outside
regular CHP patrols and visited only when called.
H. California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) is responsible for
protecting wildlife resources within the county. The Department has
jurisdiction over all State, county, and municipal lands to enforce wildlife
statutes. CDFG regional headquarters is located in Rancho Cordova. The
officers operate out of their own home offices and establish their own hours,
patrols, and focus for their activity. The CDFG officers in Butte County
generally respond only to situations involving wildlife, but can and do
respond to public safety issues if they witness such violations or situations.
They will also assist in emergency situations. Most of the officers have
federal wildlife enforcement capability as well, since they are deputy marshals
in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sergeant Bruce Carpenter, California Highway
communication with Ricardo Bressanutti, Design, Community
March 9, 2007.
8
Sergeant Steve Muders, California Highway
communication with Ricardo Bressanutti, Design, Community
March 9, 2007.
7
Patrol, personal
& Environment,
Patrol, personal
& Environment,
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California Department of Parks and Recreation
The California Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible a number
of parks within Butte County, including the Bidwell Mansion State Historic
Park, the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, the Bidwell-Sacramento River
State Park and the Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area. A number of
rangers are employed at these various facilities. Park rangers are trained to
enforce the laws and regulation of the State Park system, which may involve
protecting plant and animal resources, trespassing of prohibited areas, loaded
fire arms and hunting, fire, noise, vehicle use and travel, camping permits and
refuse disposal.
J.
Gridley-Biggs Police Department
The Biggs-Gridley Police Department is responsible for protecting the
citizens and property in the City of Gridley and the City of Biggs. The
Department operates one police station. The station is staffed by a police
Chief, one Police Lieutenant, two Sergeants and eight sworn officers. The
Department provides a variety of support services to the City of Gridley and
the City of Biggs, as well as the surrounding unincorporated area. These
services include Animal Control, a Reserve Force, Gang Task Force,
Volunteer Senior Corps and a Volunteer Radio Team. The City of Gridley
provides 24 hour emergency service.
K. City of Chico Police Department
The City of Chico Police Department covers a district that is approximately
30 square miles and serves the residents in the City of Chico The
Department is staffed by 102 sworn police officers. The Department provides
a Patrol Section, Crisis Negotiation, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), a
Traffic Unit, Downtown Bicycle Patrol, and Neighborhood Watch.
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L. City of Oroville Police Department
The City of Oroville Police Department has 38 sworn police officers that
protect the City of Oroville. The Department provides community patrol,
SWAT, neighborhood watch, School Resource Officers, and participates in
the Butte Inter-Agency Narcotics Task Force.
M. Town of Paradise Police Department
The Town of Paradise Police Department serves the Town of Paradise. The
Department provides the following special units, Special Response Team, K9
Unit, Narcotics Task force, School Resource Officers, Animal Control and
participates in the Butte Inter-Agency Narcotics Task Force.
V.
PUBLIC EDUCATION
The County Office of Education (BCOE), Butte Community College,
California State University, Chico, and local school districts provide public
education in the unincorporated area of Butte County. The local districts
provide elementary and secondary education to the communities and
unincorporated areas of the county, while the County Office of Education
offers special education programs and other related services to the individual
districts within the county. The Butte Community College is a two-year
junior college that serves the residents of Butte and Glenn Counties with
post-secondary and adult education.
A. Butte County Office of Education
The Butte County Office of Education provides local and regional
educational programs, services, and support to the individual school districts
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within the county. The BCOE provides help to establish and maintain a
consistent level of educational quality among the various school districts and
serves as a link between the local districts and the requirements of State and
federal education programs.
The BCOE provides three areas of service to the school districts:
administrative and organizational support, including fiscal services, personnel
services, and data services; curriculum and staff support, including staff
development, instructional support and curriculum development; and student
services, including student activities and events, student welfare and related
programs, migrant education, and the mini corps program. In addition, the
office operates the juvenile court schools, community schools, and a series of
special service programs including vocational education, regional occupation,
teenage parent education, and special education.
The office also provides a series of services to the State of California,
including management information systems, policy assistance, and legal
compliance programs.
B. Butte College
Butte College is a two-year community college that serves the residents of
Butte and Glenn Counties. The college offers a range of liberal arts and
career/technical classes through full-time, part-time, and evening programs.
Founded in 1967, the college offered classes in Durham until it moved onto
the current campus in 1974. Students may earn an Associate degree in 25
academic disciplines and 55 vocational areas, complete a Certificate of
Achievement in 60 vocational programs, or earn a Certificate of Completion
in short-term programs.
The main campus, located approximately 15 miles northwest of Oroville, is
accessible to the communities of Oroville, Chico, Durham, Gridley, Paradise,
and Magalia. The college also operates two satellite centers, one in Chico and
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the second in Orland in Glenn County. Approximately 925 acres in size, the
main campus has over 20 academic and support buildings and also functions
as a wildlife refuge. The District completed a Facilities Master Plan at the end
of 2001 and has been using State and local bond measure monies to improve
its facilities.
Butte College enrollment in the 2006-2007 academic year is approximately
14,200 students.9 Approximately 50 percent of the students attend classes on
the main campus, which offers both day and evening classes. The Chico
Center serves another 25 percent of the students.
C. California State University, Chico
California State University, Chico, was established in 1887. Located in
Chico, the campus serves Butte County and the region. Chico State has seven
colleges (Agriculture; Behavioral and Social Sciences; Business;
Communication and Education; Engineering, Computer Science, and
Technology; Humanities and Fine Arts; and Natural Sciences), six schools
and 14 centers. The campus itself is 119 acres in size. In 2005, there were
approximately 16,250 students, 965 instructional faculty and 1,010 staff.10
Chico State is one of the California State University system’s most popular
campuses, and has more qualified applicants than it can accommodate. The
second-oldest campus in the system, Chico State is a distance education
trailblazer. Chico State was the first university in the world to offer a
graduate degree via satellite. Students have won recent national awards in
business, engineering, journalism, political science and speech. Chico State is
Public Relations for Butte County Community College,
http://www.butte.edu/information/public/pr/bcfacts.html, accessed December 26,
2006.
10
California State University at Chico, http://www.csuchico.edu/pub/
facts/, accessed March 6, 2007.
9
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also known for its college-town atmosphere, top ratings from corporate
recruiters, and high graduation rates.
D. School Districts within Butte County
The following school districts serve Butte County and are shown on Figure
7-3.
♦ Bangor Union Elementary School District
♦ Biggs Unified School District
♦ Chico Unified School District
♦ Durham Unified School District
♦ Feather Falls Union School District
♦ Golden Feather Union School District
♦ Gridley Unified School District
♦ Manzanita Elementary School District
♦ Oroville City Elementary School District
♦ Oroville Union High School District
♦ Palermo Union School District
♦ Paradise Unified School District
♦ Pioneer Union Elementary School District
♦ Thermalito Union School District
In addition to these listed school districts, a portion of the Marysville Joint
Unified School District extends into Butte County, although it primarily
serves Yuba County. As shown in Figure 7-3, five of the districts (Biggs,
Chico, Durham, Gridley and Paradise) are unified school districts, serving
students from kindergarten through high school. Eight districts (Bangor,
Feather Falls, Golden Feather, Manzanita, Oroville City, Palermo, Pioneer
and Thermalito) provide elementary education throughout the rest of the
county, feeding students into Oroville Union High School District and
Gridley Unified School District for secondary education.
7-40
BUTTE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN 2030
SETTING AND TRENDS
PUBLIC SERVICES
!
(
(
!
Elementary Schools
High Schools
Biggs Unified
Chico Unified
Durham Unified
Gridley Union High
Marysville Joint Unified
Oroville Union High
Paradise Unified
Feather Falls Union
Palermo Union
(
!
Thermalito Union
Bangor Union Elementary
(
!
Pioneer Union Elementary
Golden Feather Union
(
!
ÿ
|
32
Oroville Elementary
Gridley Union Elementary
!
(
(
!
(
Paradise !
Chico
(
!
(
!
!
(
(
!
(
!
(
(
!
!!
(
(
(!
!
(
!
(!
!
(
!
(
(
!
( (!
(
(!
!
(!
!
(
(!
(!
!
Manzanita Elementary
!
(
(
(!
!
(
!
ÿ
|
191
99
ÿ
|
(
!
(
!
(
!
70
ÿ
|
(
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(
!
(
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( !
(!
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(!
( (
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((!
(!
! !
((
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162
(
!
Oroville
ÿ
|
162
70
ÿ
|
99
ÿ
|
(
!
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Biggs !
(
(
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(
(!
!
!
(
(!
Gridley
0
2.5
Miles
(
!
(
!
5
Source: Butte County Geographic Information Systems
FIGURE 7-3
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
B U T T E C O U N T Y G E N E R A L
S E T T I N G A N D T R E N D S
P U B L I C S E R V I C E S
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According to the California Department of Education California Basic
Educational Data System (CBEDS) report for the fiscal year 2005-06, there
were 33,192 students enrolled in schools in Butte County. Enrollment has
decreased since its peak of 35,304 students during the 1997-1998 school year.11
The local school districts range in size from the single school Feather Falls
Union Elementary School District, which has an average daily attendance
(ADA) of 47 students,12 to the Chico Unified School District, which has 26
schools and an ADA of over 14,077 students.13
One school district (Oroville) provides year round schools at the elementary
grade level. (Oroville provides year round elementary schools at Ophir,
Wyandotte and Bird Street schools. (Chico eliminated year-round programs
in 2006-07.)
Special educational services are provided for those students with special
needs/handicaps:
orthopedically
impaired,
hearing
impaired,
communicatively impaired, and severely handicapped. There are three special
education schools in the county: Loma Vista (Chico) and Mesa Vista
(Thermalito) serving K-12 students, and Sierra Del Oro (Oroville) that serves
preschool students.
The following sections provide more detail on the various school districts
serving Butte County.
California Department of Education, http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/
ASPGraph1.asp?Level=County&cName=BUTTE&cCode=04&cTopic=Enrollment
&cLevel=County&cYear=2005-06&myTimeFrame=S&TheCounty=04,BUTTE&
cChoice= TSEnr2, accessed December 26, 2006.
12
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/feather.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
13
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/chico.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
11
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1. Bangor Union Elementary School District
The Bangor Union Elementary School District provides elementary
education to the community of Bangor and the surrounding unincorporated
county area south and east of Oroville. The District is approximately 40
square miles in area and operates a single school, Bangor Elementary, with a
2005-2006 ADA of 150 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.14
Following eighth grade, Bangor students attend school in the Oroville Union
High School District. The elementary school, which was built for an
enrollment of 75 to 100 students, is operating at capacity.
The District has experienced moderate growth over the past several years and
is projecting growth to continue at a rate of approximately five students per
year. The District also participates in the State class size reduction program,
which requires limiting the number of student in primary grades. In order to
accommodate enrollment growth and class size reductions, the District has
added six portable classrooms.
2. Biggs Unified School District
The Biggs Unified School District provides elementary and secondary
education to the City of Biggs and surrounding unincorporated county areas.
The District is approximately 135 square miles in area and operates six
schools, with a combined total enrollment of 822 students.15 The six schools
that make up the District are:16
♦ Biggs Middle and High School campus contains both Biggs High School
and Biggs Middle School. The middle school serves 137 students in
grades seventh and eighth, and is separate from the high school, which
serves 251 students in grades ninth to twelfth. Each school has its own
core teaching staff, yet both schools share some facilities, such as the
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/bangor.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
15
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/biggs.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
16
Biggs Unified School District: http://www.biggs.org/, accessed July 28,
2006.
14
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music room, cafeteria, gymnasium, and a few classrooms. In addition,
the administrator for the middle school is also the high school's athletic
director and Principal.
♦ Biggs Elementary School serves 400 students from kindergarten through
sixth grade, with class-size reduction in kindergarten through third grade.
Originally built in 1951, Biggs Elementary School has grown from three
to 19 rooms, with many added improvements, such as a multipurpose
room and playgrounds. The District’s maintenance department takes
care of all campus buildings, with matching funds from the State, using a
series of five-year plans.
♦ Richvale Elementary School has a total enrollment of 54 students from
first through sixth grade. The school has three classrooms and other
facilities, including a full-sized gymnasium with a stage and a cafeteria.
Like a majority of the District facilities, Richvale Elementary School is
eligible for modernization funding through the Office of Public School
Construction. The District will be working to modernize each school
site to ensure that the facilities remain in good repair.
♦ Biggs Intermediate and Secondary Community Day Schools aim to
address the needs of students that have either been expelled or
demonstrate chronic behavioral or attendance problems. This structure
allows for a very low student-to-teacher ratio. The first Community Day
School began in Biggs in March 1999 and opened for classes in May 2000.
It served grades 9 to 12 with one teacher and one aide, and was designed
for no more than 15 students. The second opened in 2002 for grades 5 to
8 with the same staffing ratio.
To meet future increases in enrollment, the District added six portable
classrooms for the elementary school and four for the high school in the late
1990s. The District owns a vacant, 44-acre site next to the Biggs schools, but
it has not made plans to build a new school facility at this time.
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3. Chico Unified School District
The Chico Unified School District provides elementary and secondary
education to residents of the City of Chico and surrounding unincorporated
areas. The District serves an area of approximately 322 square miles and
operates 26 schools on 25 sites with a combined total enrollment of 14,077
students in the 2005-2006 school year. The District has 17 elementary schools
with grades K-6 (Chapman, Chico, Citrus, Cohasset, Emma Wilson, Forest
Ranch, Hooker Oak, Little Chico Creek, Marigold, McManus, Neal Dow,
Nord, Partridge, Parkview, Rosedale, Shasta, and Sierra View), four junior
high schools with grades 7-8 (Bidwell, Chico, Marsh, and the Academy for
Change), Chico Country Day School serves grades K-8, and four senior high
schools with grades 9-12 (Chico, Pleasant Valley, Oakdale and Fairview
Continuation.
The District has accommodated continued growth in enrollment by changing
school boundaries, reusing existing facilities, modifying existing facilities,
allowing intradistrict student transfers, constructing new facilities, and using
leased portable facilities,.
Renovation and new construction of District facilities are funded by voterapproved State bonds through the School Facility Program, by the Measure A
local school bond, by school impact fees of $2.63 per square foot levied on
residential development, and by pass-through of two percent of the tax
increment revenue generated by redevelopment areas within the City of
Chico. The State Deferred Maintenance Program matches District funds for
major repair or replacement of existing school building components.17
The District’s Student Housing Master Plan forms the basis for long-term
planning decisions affecting District facilities and includes both a TwentyYear General Plan and a Five-Year Specific Plan. The Master Plan, with
projections covering the next 20 years, is in the process of being reviewed and
Chico
Unified
School
District,
http://www.chicousd.org/
__dept/business/facilities_planning/index.html, accessed March 21, 2007.
17
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updated to reflect changing State and local demographics and District and
student facilities needs.18
4. Durham Unified School District
The Durham Unified School District provides elementary and secondary
education to 186 square miles that include Durham and the surrounding area.
The District operates four schools, Durham Elementary School (K-5),
Durham Intermediate School (6-8), Durham High School (9-12) and Mission
High School (9-12 and Continuation), with a combined ADA of 1,296
students in the 2005-2006 academic year.19
The Durham Unified School District experienced its peak enrollment in
2000-2001, with 1,362 students, and expected enrollment to decline through
2006-07 at an average rate of 37 per year.
The District has addressed growth in the past by moving the sixth grade to
the intermediate school and through the use of portable classrooms at all
schools. The District has installed 27 portable classrooms throughout its
campus. In addition, the District has identified the need for new, permanent
elementary and intermediate schools.
5. Feather Falls Union School District
The Feather Falls Union School District provides elementary education to
the community of Feather Falls and surrounding county areas. The District
is approximately 94 square miles in area and operates a single school, Feather
Falls Elementary School. The school had an ADA of 47 in the 2005-2006
school year, as well as 3.5 full-time teachers and a part-time Resource
Specialist.20 Administrative services for the District are provided by the
Chico
Unified
School
District,
http://www.chicousd.org/
__dept/business/facilities_planning/index.html, accessed March 21, 2007.
19
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/durham.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
20
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/durham.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
18
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Pioneer Union Elementary School District. Following eighth grade, Feather
Falls' students attend school in the Oroville Union High School District.
School enrollment has averaged an ADA of between 35 and 55 over the past
10 years, with growth projected in the next few years. The existing school
could accommodate up to 100 students.
6. Golden Feather Union School District
The Golden Feather Union School District provides elementary education to
approximately 208 square miles of unincorporated county lands to the north
and west of Lake Oroville. The District operates three elementary schools,
Spring Valley Elementary School (K-4), Concow Elementary School (5-8),
and Golden Feather Community Day School (K-8), with a combined 20052006 school year ADA of 200 students.21 Following eighth grade, Golden
Feather students attend school in the Oroville High School District.
The District has experienced uneven enrollment growth. The Spring Valley
Elementary School site can physically accommodate 2 or 3 additional
portable units, but is constrained by an inadequate water supply. The
Concow Elementary School site does not have room for any portable
classrooms.
7. Gridley Unified School District
The Gridley Unified School offers elementary education to residents of
Gridley and the surrounding areas. The District is approximately 87 square
miles in size and operates McKinley Primary School (K-1), Wilson
intermediate Elementary School (2-5), Sycamore Middle School (6-8), and
Gridley High School (9-12), as well as an alternative education center
containing Esperanza Continuation High School (10-12), Gridley
Community Day School (K-8 and 9-12), Gridley Home School (K-12), and
Adult Education. The District ADA for the 2005-2006 school year was 1,995.
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/durham.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
21
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Gridley High School leases a gymnasium from the Butte County Fairgrounds
across the street, and is operating at close to its enrollment capacity. The high
school has accommodated growth by moving in a number of portable
classroom buildings. There is adequate space on the school site for additional
portable classrooms to handle increasing enrollment in the near term. The
District owns a 17-acre parcel to the west of Sycamore Middle School that
would be an ideal site for a new middle school. There are no plans for a new
middle school at this time, due to a lack of funding. The District is eligible
for State rehabilitation funding that could be used for middle school and high
school facilities, but does not have a high priority rating compared with other
districts in the State that are experiencing faster growth.
8. Manzanita School District
The Manzanita School District provides elementary education to the Rancho
Boga community area to the south of Gridley. The District covers
approximately 11 square miles and operates a single school, Manzanita
Elementary School, with a 2005-2006 ADA of 250 students in grades K-8.22
Following eighth grade, Manzanita students attend school in the Gridley
Unified School District. School enrollment has steadily declined from 556
students in 1996-1997 to 431 students in 2005-2006.23
9. Oroville City Elementary School District
The Oroville City Elementary School District offers elementary education to
residents of Oroville and the unincorporated county areas east and south of
the city. The District is approximately 78 square miles in size and operates
six elementary schools, one middle school, and one special education school,
as follows:
♦ Bird Street Elementary, K-4
♦ Eastside Elementary, K-3, Home School
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/durham.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
23
California
Department
of
Education,
http://dq.cde.ca.gov/
dataquest/ASPGraph1.asp?cYear=2005-06&Level=School&cName=MANZANITA
^ELEMENTARY&cCode=6055883&dCode=5673759, accessed December 26, 2006.
22
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♦
♦
♦
♦
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Oakdale Heights, K-6 and Special Education
Ophir Elementary, K-6 and Special Education
Wyandotte Avenue, K-6 and Special Education
Central Middle, 7-8 and Special Education
Sierra del Oro, Pre-School and Special Education
The eight schools have a combined ADA of 2,843 students in the 2005-2006
school year.24 In 2000, the District had expected that enrollment would grow
due to an influx of Hmong students and young families into the community.
However, the District has instead declined in enrollment, which could be a
result of declining employment in the community. The District operates
three schools on a multi-track, year-round schedule: Bird Street School,
Ophir School, and Wyandotte Avenue School. Following eighth grade,
students attend the Oroville Union High School District.
10. Oroville Union High School District
The Oroville Union High School District offers secondary education to a
663-square-mile area that includes Oroville and surrounding unincorporated
county areas. The District accepts students from the Bangor Union, Feather
Falls Union, Golden Feather Union, Oroville Elementary, Palermo, Pioneer,
and Thermalito School Districts. The District operates the following schools:
♦ Challenge Charter High School
♦ Las Plumas High School
♦ Oroville Adult Education Career and Technical Center
♦ Oroville High School
♦ OUHSD Community Day School
These schools had a combined enrollment of 3,018 students in the 2005-2006
school year.25 The District has experienced continued growth in enrollment.
A number of facilities improvements and upgrades are underway including
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/oroelem.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
25
California Department of Education website, accessed December 26, 2006.
24
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the Oroville High Library Project, which broke ground in October, 2004,
and a new building at Las Plumas High, which broke ground in June, 2005.26
11. Palermo Union School District
The Palermo Union School District provides elementary education to
approximately 67 square miles of unincorporated county territory to the
south of Oroville. The District operates five schools: Helen Wilcox (K-4,
Day Care Center), Honcut Elementary (K-4), Palermo School (5-8), Palermo
Community Day School (K-6), and Palermo Community Day School (7-8).
The District had a combined ADA of approximately 1,308 for the 2005-2006
school year.27 Following eighth grade, Palermo students attend school in the
Oroville High School District.
The 2002-2003 projection reflects a three percent decline in enrollment since
1999-2000. In spite of this decline, Palermo and Helen Wilcox Schools
continue to experience overcrowding. The District uses 16 emergency
portables to provide adequate instructional space. The District is in the
process of planning and designing a twelve-room school.
12. Paradise Unified School District
The Paradise Unified School District provides elementary and secondary
education to a 220-square-mile area that includes Paradise and unincorporated
areas north to Tehama and Plumas Counties. The District operates 15
schools and programs as follows:
♦ One Preschool (Paradise Pre-School)
♦ One K-8 school (Children’s Community Charter School)
♦ Two K-5 schools (Cedarwood and Pines Elementary Schools)
♦ Two K-6 schools (Paradise and Ponderosa Elementary Schools)
Oroville Union High School District: http://www.ouhsd.org/
construction/, accessed July 28, 2006.
27
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/palermo.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
26
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♦ Two 6 to 8 middle schools (Mountain Ridge Middle and Paradise Charter
Middle Schools)
♦ One 7-8 intermediate school (Paradise Intermediate School)
♦ Two K-12 schools (HomeTech Charter School and Independent Learning
Center)
♦ One 9-12 comprehensive high school (Paradise High School)
♦ One 9-12 continuation high school (Ridgeview High School)
♦ Two Special programs [College Connection (12) and Community Day
School (7-12)]
District enrollment in 2005-2006 was approximately 5,209.28 Enrollment in
the District has declined since 1998, particularly at the elementary grades.
The District is trying to obtain a comprehensive high school site in the
Magalia area to ease overcrowding at Paradise High School.29
13. Pioneer Union School District
The Pioneer Union School District provides elementary education to the
residents of the communities of Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Mountain House,
Lake Madrone and surrounding areas to the north and east of Lake Oroville.
The District is approximately 129 square miles in area and operates Berry
Creek Elementary School and Bald Rock Community School.
Berry Creek Elementary School had an ADA of 158 students in grades K-8
during the 2005-2006 school year.30 Following eighth grade, Pioneer students
attend school in the Oroville Union High School District. In 2002, a countyoperated State preschool was established on the site of Berry Creek
Elementary School. The District provides administrative services for the
adjoining Feather Falls Union Elementary School District.
California Department of Education, accessed December 26, 2006.
Steve Jennings, Superintendent, Paradise Unified School District, personal
communication with Ricardo Bressanutti, Design, Community & Environment,
March 20, 2007.
30
Butte County Office of Education, http://www.bcoe.org/home/
districts/palermo.htm, accessed December 26, 2006.
28
29
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The Berry Creek Elementary School reached its peak enrollment of 203
students in the 1992-1993 school year. Since then, enrollment at this school
has declined.
14. Thermalito Union Elementary School District
The Thermalito Union Elementary School District provides elementary
education to the community of Thermalito and surrounding county areas to
the west of Oroville. Combined enrollment in District schools was 1,455
students in 2005-2006.31 The District has a large population of students who
do not speak English as a first language and operates a number of special
programs to serve the needs of these students. Following eighth grade,
Thermalito students attend school in the Oroville Union High School
District.
The District operates four conventional schools, two day schools and a home
study program.32 Each conventional school is discussed below:33
♦ Poplar Avenue School, located at Poplar Avenue and 20th Street, serves
roughly 250 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
♦ Sierra Avenue School, located at Sierra Avenue and 12th Street, serves
approximately 300 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
♦ Plumas Avenue School, located at Plumas Avenue and 5th Street, serves
roughly 350 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
♦ Nelson Avenue Middle School, located at 6th Street and Nelson Avenue
serves approximately 520 students in sixth through eighth grade.
California Department of Education website, accessed December 26, 2006.
Thermalito Union School District: http://www.thermalito.org/
default.htm, accessed June 13, 2006.
33
Thermalito
Union
School
District:
http://thermalito.
schoolwisepress.com/cde/2006/pdf/facts_en_Poplar-6003362e.pdf, accessed June 13,
2006.
31
32
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The District is projecting that growth will continue, with an enrollment
projection of approximately 1,746 students by the year 2007-2008. The
District has accommodated increasing enrollment by the addition of portable
classroom facilities. The District has also acquired land to be used for a new
school in the future. The District has not considered implementing year
round schedules.
VI.
SPECIAL DISTRICTS
Special districts are a form of local government created by a local community
to meet a specific need. Inadequate tax bases and competing demands for
existing taxes make it hard for cities and counties to provide all the services
their citizens desire. When residents or landowners want new services or
higher levels of existing services, they can form a district to pay for and
administer them. According to the California Special Districts Association,
“Most Californians don't understand special districts. Most of us don't know:
♦
♦
♦
♦
How many exist (about 3,400).
What they do (services from A to Z: airports to zoos).
Who runs them (it could be your next-door neighbor).
Or even what they cost (about $26 billion a year).
Celebrated as the best example of democracy, cursed as the worst form of
fragmented government, and generally misunderstood even by the experts,
special districts are California's unique contribution to local government. But
what is so special about special districts anyway? The answer: focused
service.
Focused because special districts only serve in specifically defined areas, unlike
counties and cities that provide services throughout their boundaries. Special
districts are also focused because most of them provide only a single service,
allowing them to concentrate on one activity. Service because special
districts deliver public programs and public facilities that their constituents
want. Cities and counties must provide a wide variety of services, some of
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them mandated by the federal and state governments.
provide the public services that the public wants.”
Special districts
For more information about Special Districts, visit http://www.csda.net.
For more information about Special Districts in Butte County, visit the
LAFCO
website
at
http://www.buttelafco.org/common/_mod_
resource.asp?p=21&f=142.
Specific to Butte County, the following is a list of Special Districts, city
providers and other entities that provide of a variety of services:
1.
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Water
South Feather Water and Power Agency
Paradise Irrigation District
Durham Irrigation District
Lake Madrone Water District
Buzztail Community Services District
Berry Creek Community Services District
California Water Service Company – Chico District
California Water Service Company – Oroville District
Thermalito Irrigation District*
City of Gridley*
City of Biggs*
2. Sewer
♦ Lake Oroville Area Public Utility District
♦ Richardson Springs Community Services District
♦ City of Chico
♦ City of Oroville
♦ Richvale Sanitary District
♦ Sewerage Commission – Oroville Region
♦ Thermalito Irrigation District*
♦ City of Gridley*
♦ City of Biggs*
* Sewer and water provider.
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3.
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Drainage
Drainage District No. 1
Drainage District No. 2
Drainage District No. 100
Drainage District No. 200
Butte Creek Drainage District
4.
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Irrigation
South Feather Water and Power Agency
Durham Mutual Water Company
Biggs-West Gridley Water District
Butte Water District
Western Canal Water District
Richvale Irrigation District
5.
♦
♦
♦
Reclamation
Rock Creek Reclamation District
Sacramento River Reclamation District
Reclamation District No. 833
6. Fire Protection
♦ El Medio Fire District
7.
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Recreation/Parks
Chico Area Recreation and Park District
City of Chico Park Department
Paradise Recreation and Park District
Feather River Recreation and Park District
Durham Recreation and Park District
City of Oroville Parks and Trees Department
Richvale Recreation and Park District
Biggs Swimming Pool District
Gridley Swimming Pool District
City of Biggs Recreation and Park Services
City of Gridley Recreation Department
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8.
♦
♦
♦
Mosquito Abatement
Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District
Durham Mosquito Abatement District
Oroville Mosquito Abatement District
9.
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Cemetery
Bangor Cemetery District
Gridley-Biggs Cemetery District
Kimshew Cemetery District
Oroville Cemetery District
Paradise Cemetery District
Pine Creek Cemetery District
Thompson Flat Cemetery District
Upham Cemetery District
10. Butte County Resource Conservation District
Butte County Special Districts are part of the statewide association. For more
information, you can visit http://www.csda.net/loclchap.htm and search for
Butte County.
VIII.
QUASI GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES & JOINT POWERS
AUTHORITIES (JPA) IN WHICH THE COUNTY
PARTICIPATES
This is a brief listing of other entities in which Butte County participates:
♦ BCAG34 – The Butte County Association of Governments (BCAG) is an
association of all the local governments within Butte County. Its
members include the cities of Biggs, Chico, Gridley, Oroville, the Town
of Paradise and the County of Butte.
Butte County Association of Governments, http://www.bcag.org, accessed
July 23, 2007.
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BCAG is responsible for development of federal and State transportation
plans and programs that secure transportation funding for the region's
highways, transit, streets and roads, pedestrian and other transportation
system improvements. BCAG is also coordinating the development of
the County’s Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community
Conservation Plan (http://www.buttehcp.com).
♦ LAFCO35 – The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) is a
state-mandated local agency that oversees boundary changes to cities and
special districts, the formation of new agencies including incorporation of
new cities, and the consolidation of existing agencies. The broad goals of
the agency are to ensure the orderly formation of local government
agencies, to preserve agricultural and open space lands, and to discourage
urban sprawl.
♦ Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program (AVA ) – Butte County as a
jurisdictional member of the Butte County Abandoned Vehicle
Abatement (AVA) Program Service Authority encompassing the
unincorporated areas of Butte County began towing abandoned vehicles
in December 2003. Funds for the AVA program are generated from a
one dollar registration fee collected by the State of California. Each
quarter, after the State takes out their administrative fee, the registration
funds are sent to the County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Joint
Powers Authority for distribution to the participating jurisdictions
(Biggs, Chico, Gridley, Oroville, Paradise and Butte County). Butte
County has towed over 2,000 abandoned vehicles since this program
began.
♦ City of Chico/Butte County Nitrate JPA – In 1979 high levels of nitrates
were discovered by the State Department of Water Resources in parts of
the Chico Urban Area. In order to deal with the nitrate issue, the
Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a Prohibition Order in
Local Agency Formation Commission, http://www.buttelafco.org, accessed
July 23, 2007.
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1990 which prohibited the use of septic systems in parts of the Chico
Urban Area. Since that time, the County and the City of Chico have
taken several steps toward implementing the Nitrate Compliance Plan.
In order to fund necessary sewer improvements within the Greater Chico
Urban Area, the County and the City of Chico are currently applying
for a loan from the State Revolving Loan Fund. The applicant for the
loan is a Joint Powers Financing Authority formed by the County of
Butte and the Chico Redevelopment Agency. If the loan is approved, the
City of Chico will construct, own operate and maintain the sewer
improvements.
This sewer project is separated into six project phase areas. One project phase
area will begin construction every twelve to twenty four months once
construction begins. It is anticipated that the entire project will take
approximately ten years to complete. The project will construct sewer lines
and individual laterals to 5,634 individual property lines. In order to connect,
individual property owners will be responsible for the abandonment of their
septic tank and on-site sewer connection. For more information on the
Chico
Urban
Area
Nitrate
Compliance
Plan,
please
visit
http://www.buttecounty.net/cob/nitrate_plan.htm.
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