Residents press city on Colfax Hotel; staff say planner and code enforcement are following up

Multiple residents urged the Colfax City Council on June 20 to address the condition of the Colfax Hotel and other apparently abandoned buildings in downtown Colfax, calling them eyesores and potential safety hazards. City staff and a Cal Fire battalion chief said they had contacted the planning office and county code enforcement and would pursue inspections.

"It is a fire hazard, and it's a cool building, but it's kind of an eyesore. And I wish we could do something about that," said Tom Carnam, a Colfax resident who raised the hotel during public comment. Carnam said he has sought construction activity at prior meetings and again asked the council to make progress.

Clint Seabert, battalion chief with Placer County Fire (CAL FIRE), told the council that staff had reached out to the planner’s office about the Colfax Hotel and were attempting to contact the possible owner. "We went around to the county code enforcement, and they are reaching out now and seeing if they can move forward with some of that," Seabert said.

Another resident said he had spoken with a person who identified themselves as the hotel owner and that the caller had been in Amsterdam at the time; the resident characterized the situation as a standoff between the city and property owner. That account was presented as the resident’s recollection and was not confirmed by city staff at the meeting.

City staff said they would continue to coordinate with county code enforcement and follow up with inspections and any enforcement steps within their authority. The council did not take immediate formal action at the June 20 meeting beyond directing staff to pursue code-enforcement contact and report back.

Residents and councilmembers suggested broader marketing and downtown-promotional efforts to attract businesses and reduce vacancy. One resident recommended relocating a directional sign to help visitors find downtown businesses more easily.

The council also heard praise during other public comments for volunteers and groups that have done downtown cleanup and beautification ahead of July 3.

Clarifying details: City staff reported they had attempted to contact a possible owner and that county code enforcement had been asked to follow up. No inspection reports, legal notices or timelines were presented at the meeting; specific enforcement actions and outcomes were not specified.