City of Redding Podcast

In today’s episode, we are talking about all things parks with Assistant Community Services Director Joey Forseth-Deshais.  His team of parks professionals oversees the operation and maintenance of all of Redding’s 52 city parks, various other City Facilities, including City Hall, and nearly 24,000 street trees AND street median landscaping. Much of this work happens early in the morning and out o...

In this latest City Council recap from Tuesday, July 18, 2023, Steve and Katie give a quick overview of the items that were discussed, including: New online billing system for Redding Electric Utility July declared as Parks and Rec Month in Redding New baseball field lighting Sanitary Sewer Maintenance District annual fee assessment Landscape Maintenance District annual fee assessment Sharlene Tip...

Today we talk with Travis Menne, community services project manager, about the robust trail system in Redding and some recent additions that are well worth a visit. Some of these trails are geared toward outdoor enthusiasts who like a little dirt under their shoes or bike tires, while others are paved for smooth transportation connections in Redding. Either way, the City of Redding and key communi...

In this episode, we talk with Deputy Fire Chief Jay Sumerlin about two new programs the Fire Department has launched to help our community in an emergency.   CERT, the community emergency response team, is a FEMA-backed volunteer-based program for community members to learn key skills and techniques for use in an emergency.  First aid, light rescue, wound care, and fire suppression are all part of...

In this latest City Council recap from Tuesday June 20, 2023, Steve and Katie give a quick overview of the items that were discussed, including: Recognition for retiring City Clerk Pam Mize Firefighter Memorial at Fire Station 8 Access Home Park Host homes Airport Improvement Plan Approval of the 2023-2025 City budget A new ad-hoc committee with partnering agencies focused on homlessness Update on...

According to CDC data, drowning is the leading cause of death in children, and almost 4,000 drownings happen yearly in the US.  In today's episode, we talk with Jenny Moore, Recreation Supervisor and Manager of the Redding Aquatic Center, about swim safety, swim lessons, and what every family should know while they enjoy the water this Summer. She also touches on the lifeguard program at the...

Today we sit down with special guest Don Bader, Area Manager for Shasta Dam - US Bureau of Reclamation, to learn the ins and outs of the Shasta Dam, including its history, water rights, water levels, and why so much water is sent to other parts of California.   Shasta Dam is the second largest Dam in California, and it might be the most underrated too.  Built right after the Hoover Dam, Shasta doe...

In this latest City Council recap, Development Services Director Jeremy Pagan is back to give us the final decision on Short Term Rentals! Here are some other items that were discussed: Proposed parcel line adjustment in the Riverfront area by Turtle Bay. Spoiler alert,  neither Advance Redding or the Redding Rodeo Association leases are affected in this 2017 Redding Riffle grant project. Redding...

In this episode of the City of Redding podcast we connect again with Water Utilities Manager Josh Watkins to discuss how our water supply looks for this summer.  With the wet winter we’ve had, we have moved from mandatory to voluntary water conservation, but it is still important to save water wherever possible. He also gives some fun details on Redding’s water sources, just how many miles of pipe...

 In today’s episode, we talk with Assistant City Manager Steve Bade about housing in the City of Redding.  We’ll cover what our current vacancy rate is and what that means in terms of housing availability. We also talk about income-eligible housing, housing for the unsheltered in our community, and Short Term Rentals' effect on our housing stock. So are we in a housing crisis in Redding? Stev...

If you visited any larger city, you know public transportation is a big part of life for millions of Americans. Here in Redding, life without a car is a challenge.- but that could change in the next few years. Enter John Andoh, the new General Transit manager for the Redding Area Bus Authority. He comes to us with over 20 years of experience in the transit industry in several municipalities. He ha...

In this latest City Council recap, Development Services Director Jeremy Pagan updates us on what was discussed, including: Council's decisions on Short-Term Rental Ordinance updates Redding Electric Utility quarterly budget update Public Works Stormwater trash control measures For more information on these topics and more, please find additional resources below. Council Meeting Agenda>>...

Did you know that nearly 40% of food in America is wasted? Food is best if used - period! With careful planning and better food recycling resources, our community can help address hunger and protect the environment simultaneously. Enter Senate Bill 1383, a law recently passed in California requiring businesses and residents to compost or recycle food waste, including wasted food from the refrigera...

Another short council meeting and short recap this week! Katie and Steve recap the Council Meeting from Tuesday, May 2nd in this episode including:  California Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week in the City of Redding. Increase of the contract with No Boundaries to add an additional 20 hotel rooms for transitional housing options for the unsheltered. Free Public Parking for the a...

A short council meeting and an extra short recap this week! An update on the Panorama Park project was the big item of the night along with a few items regarding property for a future Firehouse and a fee-to-trust application from the Redding Rancheria. Listen as Kim Niemer, Community Services Director, provides a recap of the April 18th Redding City Council Meeting. Council Meeting Agenda>>...

Today we are hoping you stick with us through an update on the General Plan.  Now before we lose anyone, the General Plan is 20-year planning document that has a massive impact on the future of our City. And community involvement plays a key role in how the plan is put together. Steve and I joke all the time that our podcast topics aren’t always super interesting to most people, but believe me, yo...

In the latest City Council recap, Steve and Katie give a brief rundown on what was discussed, including: A new Landscape Maintenance District at Rancho and Airport Roads Discussion on Senate Bill 423 for affordable housing Turtle Bay Boat Ramp update Enterprise Park and the Grand Jury and more! Please find additional resources below for more information on these topics. Council Meeting Agenda>&...

In the latest City Council recap, Steve and Katie give a brief rundown on what was discussed, including: A public hearing to consider Rezoning Application RZ-2023-00236 and ordinance amending Redding Municipal Code pertaining to Zoning text cleanups.  A public hearing to consider an appeal application, initiated by several appellants, regarding the Planning Commission's approval of the applic...

Is Redding ready for Electric Vehicles? And what about the move toward all electric appliances?  The answers are complicated, but essentially, yes, REU is ready now and is planning for the future.  Today we talk with Lisa Casner, Electric Manager of Resources about why moving to electric is a good option for some in our community, especially with gas prices remaining high. She also talks to us abo...

Short-Term Rentals and Big League Dreams - These were the big-ticket items among the many others covered during this week's Redding City Council Meeting! Listen here as Steve Bade, Deputy City Manager, provides a recap of the February 21st Redding City Council Meeting.  Council Meeting Agenda>> Check out the video here>> Episode transcript >>> Contact the City of Redding...

In today’s episode, we get some key updates on the construction progress happening downtown from Mark Christ, Associate Community Project Coordinator with the City of Redding.  We also learn more about the unique architectural design of some of the California Street developments.  Mark fills us in on the status of the Block 7 project, including the California Place Apartments and the Shasta Colleg...

Welcome to a City of Redding Podcast.  Today we are talking about Short Term Rentals! We recorded an episode about ADUs and Short Term Rentals with Planning Manager Lily Toy in May of Last year but a lot has happened since then.   A new proposed set of ordinances went before the City Council late last year to address community concerns about how short term rentals were affecting our neighborhoods....

Let’s talk police body cameras!  Today we connect with Redding Police Lieutenant Jeff Schmidt to hear where the police department is in the process of body camera implementation and why it has taken so long to get here. Lt. Schmidt discusses community outreach, coordination with other law enforcement agencies, how the cameras work, and data storage challenges. Also, he discusses how this technolog...

In today's episode, we will recap the City Council meeting from February 7, 2023.  As always, these recaps are intended to serve as brief overviews, and we encourage you to watch the full meeting video at the link below. This week's meeting included the following topics: The appointment of Greg Robinett as Director of Finance as a result of the current City Treasurer's, Allyn Clark,...

Today we connect with the Redding Housing Authority and local non-profit Access Home to talk about the housing shortage and how Redding is using unique solutions to address some of these issues in our local community.   Nicole Smith, Community Development manager with the Redding Housing Authority fills us in on how the City works with community partners to make projects happen.  Dawn Smith, Tim S...