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Staff reports: downtown openings, lease opportunities and upcoming ordinances
Summary
Staff updated commissioners on downtown activity — new businesses and pop‑ups, potential redevelopment sites, and upcoming ordinances on historic paint rules, entertainment‑zone days, and food‑truck allowances — and outlined timelines for the active transportation plan and the general‑plan update.
City staff provided an extended update on downtown activity and near‑term planning actions during the meeting.
Jonathan (staff) described recent and imminent business activity: an escape‑room operation has opened portions of its site on weekends; a new “marketplace on Elm” is finishing build‑out; a vintage/antique pop‑up is operating at East Placer; and the Vault business is scheduled for a grand opening next weekend. He also identified larger opportunity sites — a 3.5‑acre railroad‑owned parcel near Upper Lincoln and the former Sears building (noting past tenant investments and remaining deferred maintenance) — and said the city is seeking interested investors or tenants.
Nut graf: Staff flagged several regulatory work items that could affect downtown activity: an ordinance to amend historic‑design‑review provisions for paint (adding a ministerial paint exemption for colors in the approved Sherwin‑Williams/Benjamin Moore palettes), a potential revision to the entertainment‑zone ordinance to add holidays, reconsideration of food‑truck restrictions on private property, and a cannabis ordinance that is paused while environmental review continues. The Active Transportation Plan is expected to be finalized by May to meet grant timelines; the general‑plan update is tracking toward a July release.
Staff signaled an intent to pursue incentives to encourage façade work in downtown — including a potential temporary moratorium on certain paint requirements to accelerate private investment — and said proposed ordinances will return in ordinance form for further review and council action. The commission was reminded the next meeting is April 21, when the Active Transportation Plan consultant may present.
What’s next: Staff will return with draft ordinance language for paint and entertainment‑zone changes, continue outreach on opportunity sites, and advance the Active Transportation Plan and general‑plan update on the timelines noted.
