By Sara Beth Williams–
A proposal for a new car dealership that would have occupied a portion of the former Big Lots building on Auburn Boulevard has been withdrawn, according to the city.
According to a Nov. 17 update, plans for a new electric vehicle dealership in Citrus Heights have been withdrawn. The city said in a statement that the applicant requested to withdraw the application.
“The applicant stated the clients (AV Investments LLC) were unable to secure an extension of the purchase agreement with the current property owner,” the Planning Department said via email on Wednesday, referencing why the applicant chose to withdraw the application.
The proposed dealership would have been located in the former Big Lots building, adjacent to the abandoned Studio Movie Grill project. The former site of Kmart, which was once planned to become a Studio Movie Grill, is also currently under review to become a church.
Plans submitted to the city show that the applicant was requesting to amend the land use table in the Gateway District portion of the Auburn Boulevard Specific Plan to permit new auto sales and rentals. The proposed project sought to convert the large vacant building into a new electric vehicle sales and service dealership, documents state.
The Auburn Boulevard Specific Plan was adopted in 2005 and was intended to “guide the revitalization and enhancement of Auburn Boulevard between Sylvan Corners and Interstate 80,” according to the city. The almost 2-mile stretch of roadway was once part of the Historic Lincoln Highway, otherwise known as State Highway 40.
The Specific Plan includes four areas: the Gateway District, the Lincoln 40 District, Rusch Park District, and Sylvan Corners Village Square District. The proposal had sought to amend the Gateway District portion of the Specific Plan, according to the city.
Nearby approved projects include a Starbucks to be built across the street from California Burgers, and a food truck plaza at the corner of Twin Oaks Avenue and Auburn Boulevard.
