YORBA LINDA, Calif. — At a special City Council economic development workshop, city staff, the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce, sales-tax consultants and commercial brokers outlined steps to strengthen local business retention and increase sales-tax revenue while keeping vacancy rates low.

City Manager Mark Malone told the council the city relies primarily on property taxes and sales tax, and that sales-tax receipts have underperformed recent projections. “Sales tax is our second largest revenue source,” Malone said, as presenters described recent declines and what cities can do to support growth.

An HDL consultant, Bobby Young, presented a quarterly analysis that traced statewide and local sales-tax trends and industry drivers. Young said general consumer goods account for the largest share of Yorba Linda’s sales-tax base and that the city’s recent declines reflect broader post‑pandemic and interest‑rate effects. “We are in this three- to six-month period where the economy could go either way,” Young said, adding the firm expects a modest rebound if inflation and interest rates ease.

Economic development manager Colleen Callahan summarized the city’s five strategic priorities: strengthen the city–Chamber partnership, implement a cross‑department business concierge, attract new retailers, retain the existing economic base through ShopDine-style campaigns, and improve communications and marketing. Callahan described a new concierge team that meets prospective tenants with planning, engineering and billing staff to speed answers about permits and technical requirements. “We will meet with potential tenants whether they have a lease or not,” Callahan said.

Susan Wong Ross, executive director of the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce, described Chamber programs that promote local merchants and workforce development, including a mobile app and a business directory the Chamber hosts. Ross said ribbon cuttings, job fairs and a “Best of Yorba Linda” awards program have helped connect residents with local businesses.

JLL brokers Eric Westhead and Blake Kaplan reviewed vacancy patterns across the city’s shopping centers and neighborhood plazas. They said many national retailers have changed formats or reduced footprints, and that filling large anchor boxes is increasingly a match‑making exercise between ownership and tenant requirements. Kaplan reported recent leasing momentum at several centers after ownership changes, and said some previously vacant spaces now have signed leases in negotiation.

Presenters and councilmembers cited specific program details discussed during the workshop: HDL’s breakdown showed general consumer goods at roughly 35% of Yorba Linda’s taxable base (about $3.0 million on a four‑quarter average); the city’s retail enhancement program can provide up to $2,500 per event per year to support local promotions; and the reported citywide retail vacancy stood in the low single digits (presentations referenced a 4.3% figure during discussion).

Council discussion focused on tools the city can use to accelerate openings and increase foot traffic. Ideas included a pilot package of targeted incentives for Main Street restaurants (fee waivers or reductions, small grants tied to build‑out costs, temporary parking adjustments), expanding marketing to draw nearby residents and visitors, leveraging the Nixon Presidential Library and regional events, testing a senior job fair to address local staffing shortages, and exploring business improvement or tourism improvement district models.

Several councilmembers emphasized that timing matters and that the “concierge” service and faster coordination with outside agencies (for example OCFA and utility providers) are frequently what prospective businesses value most. “Time is money,” Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Rodriguez said, describing examples where quicker review and coordination would shorten the path to opening.

No formal council action or votes were taken at the workshop. City Manager Mark Malone said staff would summarize the suggestions and return to council with a concrete outline and next steps; staff indicated they would bring back materials for further council consideration in September.

The workshop included public comment (no members of the public signed up), and councilmembers closed by asking staff to provide an action plan with measurable goals and suggested timelines so the council can weigh possible incentive pilots and marketing investments.

What’s next: staff will circulate a memo that memorializes the ideas from the workshop and will present a more detailed staff report and proposed timeline at a future council meeting for council consideration.