Bike Parking Regulations for Chico, CA

In Chico, CA, bicycle parking regulations are clearly outlined in the municipal code, and the design standards specify the requirements bike parking spaces, along with associated support facilities such as showers and lockers.

Bicycle Parking Requirements

Short-Term Parking

Bicycle parking intended for visitors and customers should be located near building entrances and designed to provide convenient access. Bicycle racks must securely support the bicycle frame and allow both the frame and both wheels to be locked. Bicycle parking areas must also comply with the City’s bicycle parking design standards regarding location, access, surfacing, and circulation.

Long-Term Parking

Chico’s Municipal Code regulates bicycle parking as a single category rather than establishing separate long-term and short-term bicycle parking classifications. The ordinance requires covered bicycle parking in specified circumstances and also establishes separate bicycle parking design standards. When more than five bicycle parking spaces are required, at least 25% of the required bicycle parking spaces must be covered. Additional covered bicycle parking requirements for support facilities continue to apply to certain multifamily, commercial, and industrial developments.

For most non-single-family development, Chico’s Municipal Code generally requires bicycle parking equal to 20% of the required motor vehicle parking, unless a more specific bicycle parking requirement applies to the particular land use. The representative table below highlights selected land-use categories but does not replace the City’s complete bicycle parking schedule.

Table of Required Bicycle Parking Spaces by Facility Type

Facility Type	Bicycle Spaces Required
Residential (multi-family units)	1 space per unit
Office	10% of required vehicle spaces
Retail	5% of required vehicle spaces
Shopping Center	10% of required vehicle spaces
Restaurants	10% of required vehicle spaces
Schools (K-12)	1 space for every 4 students
Industrial	10% of required vehicle spaces

The information above is a partial listing of property uses. Chico, CA, has highly detailed requirements for bicycle parking by land use. Bicycle parking must also comply with the City’s bicycle parking design standards, including minimum access aisles, approved parking surfaces, location at or near ground level unless accessible by elevator, direct access to the public right-of-way, and placement no farther than the closest non-accessible automobile parking space. Please refer to the regulations via the links below for detailed information.

Showers and Personal Lockers

According to Chico municipal code, shower and locker facilities are required for certain large office, retail, and manufacturing developments to support bicycle commuting. Specifically, the code requires:

One shower for each gender for office buildings between 50,000 and 150,000 sq. ft., and an additional shower for each additional 100,000 sq. ft.
For retail and service uses between 100,000 and 300,000 sq. ft., 1 shower is required for each gender, with an additional shower for every additional 200,000 sq. ft.
Manufacturing uses follow similar rules as office spaces, with 1 shower required for each gender for spaces between 50,000 and 150,000 sq. ft.
The minimum number of required vehicle parking spaces may be reduced by 5 percent if shower and locker facilities are provided.

Regional or Neighborhood-Specific Requirements

In the Downtown Parking Area, specified exemptions from bicycle parking requirements continue to apply in accordance with the Municipal Code. Outside those exemptions, developments must comply with the City’s bicycle parking quantity, design, and support-facility standards.