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Auburn details web registry and nuisance enforcement to tackle long-term vacant storefronts
Summary
Economic Development Director Jonathan Wright told the council Dec. 8 that the city will create a vacant-commercial registry, pursue storefront window displays and begin nuisance‑ordinance enforcement targeted at long-term off‑market storefronts to reduce blight and attract tenants.
At its Dec. 8 meeting, the Auburn City Council heard a detailed plan from Economic Development Director Jonathan Wright aimed at reducing long-term commercial vacancies in Old Town and downtown. Wright outlined a mix of marketing, regulation and targeted enforcement intended to make vacant storefronts more attractive to tenants.
Wright, who led workshops with property owners and business groups, said the city will create an online registry of available commercial space and work with local arts, historic and business organizations on themed window displays for long-term vacant storefronts. "My job is to, find businesses, bring businesses, support businesses, and get them into our vacant storefront so that we have a viable mix of diversified, businesses that then support 1 another," Wright said during the presentation.
The presentation summarized findings from property‑owner workshops: rental costs and lease terms strongly affect turnover; smaller, more flexible spaces lease faster; parking and historic‑district design‑review requirements can deter some tenants; and prolonged vacancies can prompt poor property maintenance. "Long term vacancies become a source of blight," Wright said, adding that façade grants that once existed are no longer funded and that some proposed measures will require additional resources.
Wright described several near‑term steps: launching a city web page where property owners can list availability, developing a registry of long‑term vacant commercial buildings, exploring options for window displays or other storefront treatments in the historic district, and beginning targeted nuisance‑ordinance enforcement the following day focused on long‑term, off‑market commercial storefronts that are not being maintained. He said staff will work with the arts commission and the city historian to develop themes and language for treatments and will bring regulatory language back to council for review.
Councilmembers praised outreach and suggested partnerships with the Placer County Historical Society for building research and display content. Members also asked staff to prioritize visible, street‑front storefronts rather than second‑floor or off‑street vacancies. When asked whether card rooms are allowed under local zoning, Wright said he would research the matter; a staff member noted the city uses permissive zoning and that card rooms do not appear to be a permitted use in commercial zones.
The council did not adopt new code amendments at the meeting; Wright said staff will draft proposed ordinance language and pursue the registry and enforcement steps, then return to council with specific regulatory language and implementation details.
Next steps: staff will publish the registry web page, coordinate window‑display concepts with arts and historic groups, and present draft ordinance language to council for consideration.
