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Council discusses stronger measures for vacant buildings as downtown shows dozens of vacancies
Summary
Councilmembers reviewed the city’s Vacant Building Monitoring Program, said staff identified roughly 35 downtown vacancies, and requested staff explore stronger incentives and equitable enforcement across the city; no ordinance changes were adopted at the meeting.
City planning staff and councilmembers discussed Oroville’s existing Vacant Building Monitoring Program at the Jan. 21 City Council meeting and urged staff to return with options to encourage owners to repair, lease, or sell long-vacant properties.
Planning staff described the current program (Oroville Municipal Code §9.12.012): owners of buildings the city deems vacant can register for an annual monitoring program that includes monthly inspections; the current registration fee the staff cited is $479 per year. Staff and councilmembers noted difficulty locating remote owners and the strain of long-term vacancies on downtown appearance and economic vitality; planning staff said they identified about 35 vacant properties in the downtown business district during a walk-through.
Councilmembers expressed a range of views. Some urged faster enforcement and higher penalties for owners who allow blight to persist; others — including Vice Mayor Smith — cautioned that enforcement must be applied equitably across the city and balanced against property-rights protections. Council directed staff to investigate options including raising the monitoring fee, additional enforcement penalties, and incentive programs to attract tenants or buyers; staff was asked to return with recommendations and legal considerations on equitable enforcement citywide.
No formal ordinance change or fee adoption occurred at the meeting; council gave direction to staff to prepare options and bring them back for council review.
