The vote also denied the motion to amend Title 19 of the Chico Municipal Code and amendment to the Chapman and Mulberry neighborhood plan in regards to the amortization of Chico Scrap Metal.
After the issue was opened to public discussion, a total of 32 people stepped up to give their opinions.
According to several of the public speakers, Chico Scrap Metal should be moved due to the contamination that the property causes to the nearby houses.
“Chico Scrap is doing a great service but they do not belong in a residential area,” said Adrienne Edwards, a citizen who favors the relocation.
Most of the speakers pleaded the council to approve the relocation, one even suggested that Chico Scrap Metal qualified for federal grants to help it move.
Mayor Mark Sorensen said Chico Scrap Metal was not in a residential area when it was first built but instead it was on the edge of the industrial zone.
The council did not approve the motion with a 4-3 vote, citing that Chico Scrap Metal would go out of business if the council approved the motion.