By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to enter into a purchasing agreement for the properties that make up a former preschool on Old Auburn Road that closed abruptly earlier this year.
In a special City Council meeting that convened directly following the July 10 regular City Council meeting, Citrus Heights City Manager Ash Feeney requested that the City Council approve the city to execute a purchasing agreement with Stoney Investments LLC for two parcels of land on Old Auburn Road. The acquisition price was listed as $1.2 million with a $25,000 deposit that would be refundable for up to 60 days.
The two parcels, located at 7555 Old Auburn Rd. and 7569 Old Auburn Rd., make up the former site of the Citrus Heights Preschool, which closed for undisclosed reasons in May. The parcels were listed for discussion in closed session at the beginning of the regular July 10 City Council meeting. Limited details were provided in the agenda packet. Following the closed session, Mayor Bret Daniels said there was no information to report regarding closed session items.
The two parcels total 1.74 acres, and the land has existing fencing, landscaping, and utilities, plus one 3,100-square-foot building and another 4,000-square-foot building.
“It’s a unique opportunity for a strategic investment,” Feeney said, adding that structures that could support future services and are also in close proximity to City Hall don’t often come up on the market.
In a presentation to the City Council, Feeney alluded to exploring the possibility of utilizing the property for local sheltering of lost pets “for some point in the future.”
Feeney said the city is exploring sheltering contract options with Sacramento County, but also said the cost of sheltering has increased “over 100 percent.”
If sheltering options need to wait, the existing property can provide for a variety of opportunities as is, Feeney said.
The properties on Old Auburn Road were previously listed for sale by Century 21 Select Real Estate. Century 21 real estate agents did not return previous requests for comment.
The preschool’s abrupt closure left parents scrambling to find new childcare. The Sentinel reached out to previous employees of Citrus Heights Preschool regarding the closure and staffing challenges. One former employee declined to comment, and others did not return a request for comment.
