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Property owners ask Vallejo advisory commission to recommend zoning change to allow personal services in strip malls
Summary
Three local property owners and managers urged the Economic Development Commission to request a code text amendment allowing personal-service businesses (nail salons, estheticians, med-spas) in central commercial shopping centers, saying the restriction is keeping spaces vacant and hurting tax revenue.
Margaret Sharkey told the Economic Development Commission she is asking the commission to direct the planning commission and city council to begin a text amendment to the Vallejo land-use regulations to permit general personal services in central commercial shopping centers.
"I wanted to take the opportunity to bring to your attention the urgent need for a code text amendment to the Vallejo land use regulation to allow general personal services, businesses such as estheticians, nail salons, and beauty type businesses in central commercial shopping centers," Sharkey said.
Why it matters: multiple property owners and managers who spoke to the commission said the restriction prevents tenants from occupying vacant strip-mall spaces, reducing potential tax revenue and local business activity. Manuel Treto, a commercial property manager, said he receives “about 2 to 3” weekly inquiries from prospective personal-service tenants but must tell them the use is not allowed.
"I get multiple inquiries from prospective tenants every week that want to go into these locations, but I have to tell them that they cannot go in there because the city will not allow it," Treto said.
Omar Crespo, who owns and operates smaller shopping centers, framed the issue as both economic and equity-focused, asking why suburban or affluent corridors host small-service businesses while Vallejo property owners cannot lease comparable spaces.
Commission response and next steps: Commissioners asked for specifics about where the amendment would apply (downtown versus citywide corridors) and whether staff had an existing zoning reference. Vice Chair Garcia and others pressed for a clear scope and for the commission to return recommendations to the planning commission. During the meeting the city council liaison reported a related council referral asking the planning commission to review zoning and return a report within 75 days; commissioners said they would prepare input for that process.
The commission did not take a final vote on a code amendment at this meeting. Instead, commissioners discussed assigning the topic to a subcommittee or preparing a short set of formal recommendations for the council and planning commission to consider within the council’s requested timeline.
