Citrus Heights Council upholds vision for Sunrise Tomorrow, rejects amendment request

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council chambers were filled to standing room only on Wednesday night at City Hall as the City Council deliberated the future of Sunrise Mall.

In a meeting lasting over four and a half hours, the City Council, dozens of community members, and Ethan Conrad, CEO of Ethan Conrad Properties, discussed the mall’s future, beginning with a presentation from the city, and followed by the presentation of an informal amendment request from Conrad.

Many public comment speakers at the council meeting echoed the community preferences that shaped the original Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. While most residents and council members expressed no objections to the specific businesses proposed in Conrad’s plan, including The Home Depot, In-N-Out Burger, and Judi’s Cleaners, several noted that the locations outlined in Conrad’s updated site plan submitted in March did not align with the vision or intended land uses of the Specific Plan. 

Some residents and community members, including former Citrus Heights City Councilmember Albert Fox and commercial real estate agent Tony Wood, supported working with Conrad to revise the plan or find a compromise. At least one business owner in Sunrise Mall submitted a written comment, stating, “Pushing this project back will mean the death of my small business.”

The original site plan released by Ethan Conrad Properties in late 2024, proposed constructing a The Home Depot at the far southeast corner of the Sunrise Mall property. The plan also included eight drive-thru restaurants along Sunrise Boulevard, including an In-N-Out Burger. The original plan did not include green space, open space, or housing.

An updated site plan submitted in March included six drive-thru restaurants instead of eight, a three-acre section designated for multi-family housing, an EV charging station, and a one-acre open event space on the northern side of the mall.

Community Development Director Casey Kempenaar stated during the city’s presentation that, during the creation of the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan, the community strongly supported the inclusion of a central gathering space, a mix of retail, dining, and entertainment options, diverse employment opportunities, housing and green space. The plan also included flexible office space options.

Many community members, including residents who lived near the mall, multiple former City Council members, the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, and representatives from the Sacramento County Board of Education and Sacramento Area Council of Governments, encouraged the council to “keep the faith” and adhere to the original Specific Plan’s vision.

Conrad emphasized that market demand determines what can be developed on the site, adding that the current Specific Plan, though well-intentioned and beautiful, is not economically viable.

Conrad described The Home Depot as a potential “catalyst” to drive redevelopment of the entire site and also emphasized that without allowing for these types of uses, the mall property would remain undeveloped and “fail.”

“I can almost guarantee we’re going to have a vacant property there that belongs to Namdar that doesn’t care like I do, I do care, I live here, I want to make things successful,” Conrad said. 

Wood, who currently represents the sale of Sunrise Rollerland, agreed with Conrad, stating that securing a national tenant like The Home Depot is an opportunity “most cities dream about.”  

Several council members emphasized the city’s past collaboration with Conrad, including approval of the Sunrise Montessori preschool and an electric vehicle charging station. However, they stated that the current informal proposal does not provide enough information and doesn’t align with either the General Plan or the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. Giving the green light on the proposal as is would require amending both plans.

Councilmember Kelsey Nelson acknowledged Conrad’s professionalism during the meeting, complimented his business experience and intelligence, and encouraged him to consider purchasing the remainder of the mall property and develop a plan aligned with the city’s vision. Middleton expressed similar sentiments and said she was “hopeful” Conrad could return with a new proposal.

Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa praised the Specific Plan and encouraged Conrad to review it thoroughly. She, along with other councilmembers, noted her support for the proposed businesses but suggested they be located elsewhere.

Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff questioned whether it was wise to “grandfather in” approvals for Phase 2, given the limited scope of specific redevelopment details and that Conrad does not yet officially own the 50 acres indicated in Phase 2 of the proposed site plan, which includes a portion of the property intended for The Home Depot.

Discussion continued past 10:30 p.m. as Conrad rebutted feedback from council and offering to request only The Home Depot and In N Out Burger as a compromise. At one point, Nelson expressed disappointment that Conrad hadn’t shown “humility” after receiving initial feedback. Schaefer, more direct, said Conrad hadn’t “heard a word that we’ve said.” Middleton stated that the proposal did not reflect a collaborative approach and criticized some of the language used by Conrad as “threats.”

Though the proposal was informal, the City Council voted unanimously to reject the proposal.

“We are not interested in amending the Specific Plan at this time,” Mayor Karpinski-Costa said before adjourning the meeting.