By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council is slated to make its final decision on the Commercial Property Reoccupancy Program ordinance this upcoming City Council meeting, according to an agenda packet released Friday, Feb. 6.
The Commercial Property Vacancy Program ordinance was already presented once to the City Council on Jan. 28, for a first reading, and was unanimously approved by the council. Typically, ordinances require approval during a second reading to become official, but many times the second reading is placed as a consent calendar item. Consent calendar items are voted on as a block unless a councilmember pulls a singular item for a separate vote.
However, this council meeting’s agenda packet lists the item as a regular calendar item, which will require the council to vote on the item separately for a second time.
A schedule of fees for the ordinance, which set the fees for annual registration and annual monitoring, was unanimously approved in the last council meeting. The agenda packet for Feb. 11 does not mention a request to approve an establishment of fees a second time. View the established fees in the agenda from Jan. 28’s meeting.
The proposed program is designed for “cost recovery,” the city said, adding that built-in flexibility, including fee waivers for property owners who meet minimum safety, aesthetic, and security standards means the program “is not expected to fully recover administrative costs.” The city emphasized on Jan. 28 that property owners who proactively register and comply with standards qualify for a fee waiver and will incur zero cost.
Fees are structured to offset staff time and resources, and to reduce reliance on the General Fund. Under-recovered costs are anticipated to be offset by reducing calls for service and preventing blight and neglect that has resulted in the use of more intensive enforcement and General Fund resources, the city said.
The city also notes fees may be updated annually based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index.
After first proposing a draft of the ordinance to the council in the fall of 2025, the city sent out over 450 letters to property owners to both inform them of the potential ordinance and gauge the level of support. City staff said on Jan. 28 that only three property owners responded to the letters, and at least 20 letters were unable to be delivered.
Of the three responses, one property owner said they would be in favor of the proposed ordinance.
Related: Citrus Heights approves new fees targeting vacant commercial buildings – Citrus Heights Sentinel
The proposed Commercial Property Reoccupancy Ordinance establishes specific guidelines for commercial property owners in Citrus Heights, requiring owners of vacant commercial buildings to register their properties with the city and maintain minimum safety, security, and aesthetic standards during periods of vacancy. City officials have said the program is intended to prevent blight, reduce public safety risks, and encourage reinvestment in existing commercial spaces.
The ordinance has undergone three revisions following received feedback from various stakeholders, including the Sunrise MarketPlace and Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce boards, other local property owners and business owners, and the Citrus Heights City Council in September 2025.
Community Development Director Casey Kempenarr said on Jan. 28, that, if approved, the program will undergo an initial implementation phase which could take months, during which the city will establish internal procedures, develop fee collection systems, and conduct outreach to commercial property owners and stakeholders before the ordinance takes effect.
The city will also return to the City Council six months after the program has been officially implemented to provide an update on the progress of the ordinance.
City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.
