By Sara Beth Williams–
The City of Citrus Heights is preparing to hold a follow-up workshop on its proposed Commercial Property Reoccupancy Support Ordinance, as part of an ongoing effort to address challenges posed by long-term vacant commercial buildings throughout the community.
The second workshop is scheduled for Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. at the Citrus Heights Event Center, where city staff will continue gathering input from property owners, tenants, and other community partners.
In response to a growing number of vacancies throughout Citrus Heights, city leaders have spent much of 2025 researching policies that could strengthen maintenance standards, encourage reinvestment in existing buildings, and support more expedited reoccupancy of unused storefronts and office spaces.
Earlier this year, the city presented a first draft of the ordinance. During an initial workshop, several business owners and representatives disagreed with many aspects of the proposed ordinance draft, including the high annual cost of registration with the city, and a lack of positive incentives. City staff in turn, emphasized the prolonged problem of long-term vacancies, highlighting several vacant buildings which have become unusable due to extensive deterioration and continued vandalism.
At the Sept. 24 City Council meeting, officials presented survey results showing strong resident support for the potential commercial vacancy reoccupancy ordinance, but several council members pressed for greater outreach to property owners.
“It would be grossly unfair for people who don’t own commercial properties to comment on commercial property fines and fees when they don’t truly understand what that means from an owner’s point of view,” Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff said during the council meeting.
The proposed ordinance aims to establish consistent minimum requirements to ensure vacant commercial properties meet basic safety and maintenance standards, prevent deterioration that can contribute to blight, and promote the long-term health and economic well-being of the city’s commercial corridors, the website states.
Under the draft framework, both property owners and the city would share responsibility for improving conditions and reducing vacancy. Property owners would be expected to actively market empty spaces, communicate future plans for their sites, and maintain a secure and well-kept property. The city, in turn, would offer incentives and resources to support reoccupancy efforts, provide outreach to brokers, help navigate zoning or code issues, and continue responding to public safety or code compliance concerns.
City officials describe the ordinance as a proactive partnership. Early communication between property owners and staff, they say, can prevent many issues before they arise, while improved maintenance helps increase safety and build community trust. Ultimately, the shared goal is to activate vacant spaces, boost property values, and maintain vibrant, attractive business corridors throughout Citrus Heights, the website emphasizes.
A new draft was not yet available by press time, and a follow up article will be published discussing the new draft. The previous draft released before the city’s intiial workshop can be found here. After the first workshop, city leaders said they planned to incorporate feedback into the draft and rework the proposed ordinance.
The Citrus Heights Event Center is located at 6300 Fountain Square Drive.
