Citrus Heights approves mandatory registry for vacant businesses

Citrus Heights is now one of the first cities in the Greater Sacramento region to create a mandatory vacant business registry.

The city says there are more than 50 vacant businesses in the area. City leaders say vacant properties can often lead to neighborhood nuisances.

"It's so hard to say, 'Hey customers, come visit my business,' when I have a burned-out or boarded-up business right next to me," said Sheri Merrick, executive director of the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce.

Meghan Huber, the city's economic development director, said, "it can escalate to things like graffiti, criminal activity, break-ins, and more."

Now the city council has unanimously approved new measures to track these properties and prevent them from becoming a blight. The regulations require the owner of a vacant business to register the property with the city and pay an annual monitoring fee.

"One of the benefits of this ordinance is making sure we have the right person to get ahold of," said Casey Kempenaar, the city's community development director. "It benefits us in a lot of ways, if there's an emergency."

The cost ranges from $2,200 to $6,600, depending on property size. Those fees would be waived if owners register in the first 60 days and the property is kept in good condition.

"It's really about compliance and beautifying Citrus Heights together," Huber said.

The city has received some concerns from property owners about the new regulations, but it's supported by the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce.

"We do have some bad players here in Citrus Heights that aren't a part of the community, and they're ignoring when they reach out and say, 'Hey, your property's been vandalized,' or 'A window's been broken.' They can't get in contact with the property owner," Merrick said.

Citrus Heights hopes these new regulations will encourage property owners to fill vacancies and fix up blighted buildings. The city plans on doing outreach efforts to let property owners know about the new rules.

Owners who do not comply could face fines and criminal prosecution.