GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – The City of Gridley stands to see a spike in its population soon. 

The State of California passed AB 2011 streamlining the growth process for affordable housing across the state. Cities like Gridley, Live Oak and Biggs are expected to grow due to the shortage of affordable housing in our surroundings areas. The issue has been exacerbated by the recent disasters in our area that have displaced many.

Gridley residents have no doubt noticed that construction has started on some of the multiple housing developments set to come into the city of Gridley. According to Donna Decker, City of Gridley Planning Commissioner, there are 11 housing developments either completed or in various planning stages.

The first to be completed is Ford Oaks Apartments to the north of Ford Avenue. The new apartments are considered 100% affordable units and are comprised of two, three story buildings, with 24, 2-bdrm units and 12, 3-bdrm units for a total of 36 units.

Currently under construction is that of Senior Sunrise Apartments, located near Dollar General. The development will bring 37 much needed senior apartments to the area. The single, 3 story building will feature 32, 1-bdrm apartments and 3, 2-bdrm apartments, a 1.813 sq. ft. community area and 44 parking spaces.

Across the highway and to the west of Senior Sunrise Apts., Orchard View 1 (OV1) and Orchard View 2 (OV2) apartment complexes are currently in the planning stages.

OV1 has been approved but groundbreaking has yet to begin on this 5-acre parcel that will be the site of 48, multi-family apartment units. The affordable housing development will serve families with incomes of 30%, 40%, 50%-, and 60%-income levels of the Butte County Average Median Income (AMI). It will feature 16, 2-bdrm units, 24, 3-bdrm units and 8, 4-bdrm units.

Phase 2 of the OV1, the OV2 development, is currently in progress under staff review. It will bring an additional 36 units to the immediate area, a mix of 16, 2-bdrm units, 12 3-bdrm units and 8, 4-bdrm units. This project will target families making 60% of the Butte County AMI.

Moving west, Parkland Subdivision off Haskell. Street, directly east of Manuel Vierra Park, a 19 unit, zero-lot line single family homes are in the planning stages. The project has been approved by the City Council but is currently on hold until the undergrounding infrastructure and a master plan map is completed.  Decker says that the homes are “fairly large and a lovely design.”

Multiple developments have been planned to the north, west, and south areas of Gridley.

Previously approved by Council is that of a small development north of Peach St. and east of W. Biggs-Gridley Hwy called Valley Oaks Estates. The development sits to the south of Heron Landing and has been approved by the council and divides the property into 21 lots and a retention basin. No activity or construction is planned at this point.

To the North of Heron Landing is the largest of the developments currently planned for the community, Chandler Park Subdivision sitting on 40 acres. The development has been approved by the City Council, and by the Butte Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) for annexation into the City Limits of Gridley. Chandler Park will bring 201 single family homes to Gridley, lots ranging in size from 4,00 sq. ft. to 7,500 + sq. ft. to create affordable homes for multiple income brackets.

It will be bordered to the north by Legacy Estates, currently in the planning stages. It is hoped that Legacy Estates will bring additional single-family homes to the area – how many are yet to be seen.

The Kiwi Vineyards Estates project is planned for the property at the west terminal end of Spruce St. Development of the Parcel has been approved by Council, also by LAFCo, and has returned to Council for final acceptance. This project is expected to bring 56 single family homes to Gridley.

Ground has been broken and work has commenced on the Village at Eagle Meadows, south of Eagle Meadows and Sycamore St. on the west side of town. The project was approved by Council and city staff worked with the developer to begin clearing and constructing walls on the property. It is planned to provide 46-single family lots to home buyers with 2 story homes on each.

Moving south, the Edler Estates development sits behind the Gridley Unified School District property, west of Randolph Ave. This project has been approved by Council and the developer is currently working on improving the current map/plans. This project will bring “46 single family lots designed to accommodate smaller homes to serve all market sectors,” says Decker.

The property owner of a parcel directly west of Edler Estates is currently in discussion with the Planning Commission and City of Gridley for development. It is currently in the design phase.

Now under active construction, Steffen Estates will bring 46 single-family units to the area. The property sits south of Little Ave. and east of Richins Ave. This has been approved by Council and is hoped to bring market rate homes to Gridley with some smaller homes for variety.

Taking those developments into account, Gridley is looking to add roughly 588 dwellings, and quite possibly more, to provide future housing options in a variety of forms and pricing. According to Google, the population of Gridley is currently listed as 7,356. With these incoming developments, City Administrator Cliff Wagner confirms that Gridley could potentially hit a population of 10,000 soon.