By Mike Hazlip–
Citrus Heights Mayor Steve Miller gave a half-hour presentation to a neighborhood group Tuesday night which included answering a wide range of resident questions.
Miller outlined several key questions about current and future issues for Citrus Heights, listing the top priorities for the city as: public safety, fiscal stability, roads, economic development, and a well-connected community.
Q: Has the vision for the city changed?
With well-over a decade serving on the City Council, Miller said the overall vision for Citrus Heights hasn’t changed since the incorporation effort in the 1990s. He said the retail landscape has changed significantly as have police policies, but the goal of growing the community is the same.
He expressed reservations over the city’s new district election model, which the city reluctantly adopted following a lawsuit threat received at the end of 2018. He noted that council districts will need to be redrawn using new census data. Miller’s latest election was prior to the city’s first district elections held in 2020, and he says he considers himself a representative of the whole community rather than one district.
Miller said the role of neighborhood associations is as important now as it was in the early days of the city. He’d like to see more associations active again along with other community organizations, and has helped spearhead a new “Citrus Heights Connect” group to help facilitate this.
“I think as we emerge from the COVID restrictions and start opening up, this is very important to not only help our neighborhood associations, but our service clubs, our community organizations, schools, parks,” he told attendees.
Citrus Heights has 11 neighborhood groups, but some of them have merged and have struggled over the years to maintain active involvement.
Q: How does the city budget compare with surrounding cities?
Miller said it is difficult to compare Citrus Heights to surrounding cities such as Roseville because it is not a “full service city,” meaning it doesn’t provide water, power, fire and other services directly like some other cities. Citrus Heights parks are maintained by the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District while Metro Fire assists with emergency response and the city is served by three different water districts, he said.
With property tax dollars slated to flow back to the city’s coffers starting in 2023, Miller says the added source of revenue will help the city.
“That’s going to be a big help,” he said. “It’s not going to open up massive spending or anything like that, but it will definitely help our city continue to serve you.”
He said the decline of Sunrise Mall has had an impact on the budget, but the presence of big box retailers such as Sam’s Club, Costco, and Walmart has helped offset the shift away from regional malls in consumer habits.
Q: What issues are unique to Citrus Heights?
Miller said the some of the problems the city faces are similar to surrounding areas, namely homelessness. He said the city’s ability to handle these problems however is hampered by a smaller budget.
With only about two percent of the land in Citrus Heights undeveloped, Miller said the best way to grow the city is through redevelopment. He said surrounding areas have more land with industry, hotels, and class A commercial buildings, giving them a greater revenue base.
The redevelopment of the Auburn Boulevard corridor is an example of how the city is moving forward to improve aging retail centers, Miller said. The second phase of the project is nearing the start of construction, and will bring a face-lift to the boulevard, from Rusch Park to the Roseville border.
Property owners along the corridor have been a significant factor in the redevelopment, according to Miller.
“One of the big things that makes us unique is coming together,” he said. “We’ve had a very committed and good group of volunteers that believed in our city.”
Q: Has new federal funding been allocated?
Miller said the city’s $15 million in federal relief money will help restore some services that the city cut as a result of a lack of revenue during the pandemic. He said about half of the money has already been received and allocated to restore the Police Department staffing to pre-Covid levels.
Q: How do you see the growth of Citrus Heights?
With a landlocked city such as Citrus Heights, Miller said one option for growth is to go vertical, building taller buildings. The city’s current draft plan for redeveloping Sunrise Mall include zoning allowing for multiple stories and mixed commercial-residential uses.
Miller however hopes the city remains relatively flat in keeping with the original character of a largely rural farm community. “Maybe future generations will decide to go vertical,” he said.
He described the city’s growth as coming “In fits and spurts,” with several of the original land owners deciding to sell their acreage for development one at a time. Miller said the Mitchell Farms area near Sunrise Mall dates back to the 1850s with land that has remained in families for generations slowly being sold.
“It’s bitter-sweet seeing the old Ted Mitchell’s golf course become homes,” he said, regarding the Mitchell Village development. “I think that’s going to be a beautiful setting.”
Miller’s address was given during the monthly meeting of the Citrus Heights Area Seven Eight and Nine neighborhood association, held at Antelope Road Christian Fellowship, and the mayor thanked those in attendance for coming.
“I really appreciate you spending your valuable time here in the evening to come out and talk with your neighbors and get information from the city,” Miller said. “That’s what this whole thing is about.”
