A rendering shown during a Jan. 26 Planning Commission meeting shows plans for an expansion at Sunrise Boulevard Animal Hospital.
By Mike Hazlip—
The Citrus Heights Planning Commission has approved plans for the Sunrise Boulevard Animal Hospital to add more than 600 square feet to its existing building to accommodate an increase in curbside and drop-off service popularized during the pandemic.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the single-story addition for the pet hospital at 7484 Sunrise Blvd. during a Jan. 26 meeting, with commissioner Andrew Van Duker recusing himself because the hospital is a client of his employer. The animal hospital is also amending their use permit as part of the expansion.
Plans show the addition will provide room for 13 additional kennels and a small yard for exercise. The expansion is needed to keep up with changing customer procedures in the wake of COVID-19 social distancing policies, the hospital told the city.
“What started out as a way to provide safety measures and adhere to social distancing, has become a normal dynamic of veterinary visits and does not appear to be changing anytime soon,” hospital CEO Dr. Bikram Basra wrote in a letter to the commission.
Basra said the increase in drop-off service has led to a need for more daytime kennel space, and said the additional space won’t be used for overnight care.
There were no objections from the public heard during the meeting, and city staff said there were no comments submitted electronically.
Crumbl Cookies is slated to open at 6920 Auburn Blvd., suite 120, in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip–
Crumbl Cookies at 6920 Auburn Blvd. is currently looking to hire about 30 more employees before the new Citrus Heights location can open, the franchise’s owner said Monday.
In an email to The Sentinel, Owner/Operator Chris Floyd said the hiring process began about a month ago and about 20 employees have been hired so far.
“We’ve had close to 200 people apply, however, only like 30 have actually shown up to the interview that was scheduled. So it’s been frustrating,” Floyd said. However, he noted that those who have been hired “are amazing, some of the most solid people I’ve seen, and I’m excited to get to work with them.”
Pay is listed at $15/hr. in a job posting for both part-time and full-time positions, with benefits including 50% off drinks and cookies, free samples, tips and flexible scheduling. Another benefit listed is having Sundays off.
Floyd said prospective employees can send a resume to the store email cacitrusheights@crumbl.com. Group interviews are Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Wednesdays 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., Thursdays at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., and Saturdays at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. More information is also posted online.
Crumbl Cookies began in 2017 as the innovation of two cousins, Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley. The company recently announced the opening of its 200th store nationwide, with the closest northern California locations being in Elk Grove and Roseville.
The eatery offers delivery, curbside, catering and shipping of its cookies, with the menu rotating each week to offer four different specialty flavors — along with standard milk chocolate chip and chilled sugar cookies, which are always available, according to the company’s website.
File photo, cars line up through an adjacent parking lot near Raising Cane’s in Citrus Heights during opening week. // M. Hazlip
Latest letters from Citrus Heights Sentinel readers comment on Vice Mayor Tim Schaefer’s recent proposal of a 5-year moratorium on new drive-thru restaurants in the city. The proposal will be brought up on a future agenda for more discussion.
I go to Roseville for nice restaurants
I agree that Citrus Heights has too many drive-thru restaurants and that we have a big lack of nice restaurants for lunch and dinner. I like to eat healthy food. I’ve lived here 23 years, and if I want to eat at a nice restaurant that provides healthy meals with lots of vegetables, I don’t eat in Citrus Heights. I go to Roseville. -Donna Sturla, Citrus Heights
Disagree with proposed moratorium
I cannot agree at all with Councilmember Schaefer’s proposal for a moratorium on new drive-thru establishments within our City. With a shortage of workforce to staff their businesses many have relied on drive-thru business to stay in business and provide our City with much needed revenue. I think each individual application needs to be addressed on its own merits. Also the new Burger King and Popeye’s replaced existing drive-thru restaurants. -Ian Garber, Citrus Heights
Drive-thru’s are great, especially during pandemic
Regarding the proposed moratorium on new drive-thru restaurants, I disagree with the vice mayor. As a 74-year-old woman who lives alone, drive-thru restaurants are more desirable to me than are restaurants where I have to find a safe place to park before I can go into the facility to obtain a meal to take back to my home. And, in this day and age of social distancing, the drive-thru’s offer a place where interactions are limited and the 6-foot rule easy to comply with. -Meryl James, Citrus Heights
Raising Cane’s was one of several drive-thru restaurants to open in Citrus Heights in 2021. // M. Hazlip
Sentinel staff report– Citrus Heights Vice Mayor Tim Schaefer on Thursday sought the support of his fellow council members in considering a five-year moratorium on new drive-thru restaurants, saying the city has gone “a little over the top” on such businesses.
“You know we have an awful lot of drive-thru establishments, restaurants, and coffee shops and I’d really like to see us slow down on adding more,” said Schaefer in comments made at the close of a Jan. 27 City Council meeting. “We’re going a little over the top on, in my opinion, on drive-thru restaurants.”
Last year, a total of four drive-thru establishments opened in Citrus Heights: Raising Cane’s on Greenback Lane, Rally’s on Auburn Boulevard, Starbucks on Sunrise Boulevard, and a new Burger King on Greenback Lane.
Other council members seemed unsure whether to support Schaefer’s proposal, which would need three council members to agree to putting the item on a future agenda for further discussion or a vote, according to council rules.
Councilman Bret Daniels said he would support Schaefer’s request, “simply because I think as a council member you have a right to have that brought back and discussed,” but said he didn’t know if he was ready “to support it in concept.”
Mayor Porsche Middleton proposed instead bringing the item up as a study session, rather than a moratorium, saying she “would like to look at it and see how it fits with any General Plan amendments or anything like that.”
Councilwoman Jeannie Bruins said she concurred with the mayor, noting she had a problem with the word “moratorium.” She recalled addressing plans for Sunrise Mall several years ago and considering a moratorium on development, but knew it “would do harm other businesses” to do so.
Bruins suggested bringing the topic back instead as a “discussion item” for a future agenda, which garnered the support of the vice mayor and mayor, giving it the required minimum of three council members in agreement to add an item to an upcoming agenda.
In a controversial move two years ago, the council narrowly adopted a requirement to have a majority of the council be in agreement before adding items to the agenda for discussion or a vote. Previously, the council’s policy was to only require the support of two members.
Want to share your thoughts on this topic? The Sentinel welcomes letter to the editors or opinion columns for publication. To submit one online, click here.
Citrus Heights resident Cory Darnell poses for a photo with a glass of wine. // Image courtesy, Cory Darnell
By Mike Hazlip—
Cory Darnell spent a decade making wine in Europe, now he calls Citrus Heights home where he produces an award winning vintage.
Darnell operates CoZi Wines from his Citrus Heights home using oversell grapes from a supplier in Napa, and works with consultants while renting equipment to produce the wine. His 2019 Cabernet Franc recently won gold in the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine Competition.
“I was really surprised, it was our first release,” Darnell said, describing the work he did in Europe. “Especially beating some fantastic wineries, like Imagery, that are my personal favorites, so that was really nice.”
While the business is still new, Darnell says the credit for winning gold goes to the consultants he partnered with in his endeavor.
“I’m the owner, so I guess I call the shots of sorts, but everything worked together and I took their advice,” he said. “They really put a line in the sand sometimes and they were right as shown by our gold medal.”
The timing of the wine-making process is crucial to balancing all of the right elements that go into a good wine, Darnell says. He calls the process “a human interaction to stop nature mid-way.”
For his gold-winning Cabernet Franc, Darnell says he made the decision to let the vintage age in oak barrels longer than he typically would. The oak barrels are what give California wines a distinctive dark caramel flavor.
“I was a bit concerned about it because you don’t want to overpower the flavor of the wine,” he said. “But it seemed to do well because we have a really bold wine which Californians really tend to enjoy.”
The lack of vineyard space in Citrus Heights has not deterred Darnell from creating his own private label.
“You can still produce amazing quality wine and just buy it elsewhere,” he said. “Even top wineries do that; they’re always working together to try to blend something to get the best result possible.”
Citrus Heights was an ideal location for Darnell to start a family with his wife, Zinmar, and the couple bought their home in 2019. The city is close to Napa and Gold Country wineries as well as Zinmar’s family, Darnell said.
“We love it,” Darnell says of Citrus Heights. “It doesn’t get too cold, stays warm, a lot of great restaurants. A lot of great wineries around us as well.”
Their business name, CoZi, comes from a combination of Cory and Zinmar, he says, adding it was “Love at first name,” when he met his wife.
Frustration with European regulations led Darnell to start a new venture with an aim to make good wine accessible to everyone.
“We’re trying to think of something that would appeal, that you could just relax, let go of the cares of your world for a night,” he said of the idea behind CoZi. “Just sit back with the one you love and try a deeply intense wine that lingers on the palette for a few hours. I want everybody to enjoy it.”
He hopes to grow the business with more offerings in the future as sales and income increase. In the meantime Darnell works as an attorney, something he says he does “so I can make wine.”
Orders have increased since winning gold, according to Darnell. He says customers can place orders through coziwines.com, but he is still working with a web developer to improve the ordering process.
Although Darnell’s own backyard is too small for a vineyard, he says he does keep a few vines and hopes to one day offer tastings and sales in Citrus Heights.
“The hope, the dream, the miracle would be that I could open up an establishment in Citrus Heights so that I could actually do tastings and provide for the general public,” he said. “Who’s going to invest in a bottle of wine if they can’t even taste it?”
An abandoned Valero Gas Station has sat vacant for years at 8244 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
Plans to renovate a long-shuttered gas station at 8244 Auburn Blvd. are currently pending approval from several county departments, a representative for the property said this week.
The Sentinel previously reported that the property was taken off the market in July to conduct repair work. Property representative Moe Alnaggar said he was still early in the permit process at the time.
In a phone call with The Sentinel Thursday, Alnaggar said he is now waiting on Sacramento County Environmental Management Department and the Health Department for approval. He said the county asked for adjustments to the plans that were initially submitted last October.
Working with the fire department and the City of Citrus Heights has gone smoothly, according to Alnaggar who is eager to make progress on the project citing problems with homelessness, drug use, and vandalism at the site. City spokeswoman Nichole Baxter confirmed on Monday that the site is pending approval from the county.
The property has long-been a source of complaints from residents for bringing a blighted appearance to the high-traffic boulevard. Alnaggar said he understands residents concern about the property and hopes to open a new gas station once the required plans and permits are approved.
Commercial real estate listing site LoopNet had previously listed the 1,664-square-foot single-story building for sale last year. The property type was listed as retail, service station.
A two-acre parcel near Madera Park is being considered as a site for 10 new homes.
By Mike Hazlip—
A developer looking to build ten homes on an undeveloped two-acre parcel near Madera Park spoke with residents at a community meeting Tuesday.
Michael Sabbaghian told residents at a Jan. 18 meeting of the Citrus Heights Areas Seven Eight and Nine neighborhood association (CHASEN) that he purchased the parcel from the siblings of the previous owner, who had died. Sabbaghian intends to develop the land by completing a cul-de-sac at the end of Forgetmenot Court and completing Garryanna Drive.
Four homes could be built on the cul-de-sac, with another six on the southern end of the parcel, he said.
Sabbaghian said the project is still in its infancy and information is limited. He said introducing himself to the community was a first step in gathering input.
“I thought it was a great idea to connect with you guys, let you guys know who we are,” he said. “And as we move forward and have more information we can share with you, I want to hear what are your concerns so we can address them as part of the project.”
There is a ditch located at the southern end of the parcel, and Sabbaghian said he is working with the city’s environmental consultant to determine if it may require special permits.
He added the fire department may have additional requirements for connecting Garryanna Drive. Completing the street would give residents a second exit and entrance for the neighborhood. Currently, Glenn Tree Drive is the only way in or out of the area.
Sabbaghian said residents can expect to see some activity as the site is surveyed and personnel conduct an environmental study. He added residents may see construction vehicles at the site to remove dirt for another project this summer.
Home prices in Citrus Heights rose by about 20% over the past year. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
The hot housing market is continuing into 2022 and the average home price in Citrus Heights now edging north of $450,000.
So what can $450k buy you? The answer is not much, according to Cara Richey, a broker at Next Home Millennium in Citrus Heights.
“When a buyer tells me they want to purchase in Citrus Heights under $450,000, I immediately think of two words: limited and compromise,“ Richey said in an email to The Sentinel on Saturday. “Meaning, the buyer will be very limited as to how many homes are even available in that price range and should be prepared to ‘compromise’ on their ‘must have’ checklist in a home.”
She said options for a single-family detached residential home in Citrus Heights in the mid $400,000 range shrunk when prices soared last year, although condos are still available for under that price.
Richey is seeing fewer homes on the market overall, but said she still sees multiple offers on homes. The decreased inventory may be partially due to the typical slump in the housing market during winter months, but Richey says fewer people are willing to sell.
“Our lack of inventory is certainly concerning,” she said. “I have found that many of (my) clients who purchased years ago are turning to refinances to tap into their equity in lieu of listing because they don’t feel confident in being able to obtain a replacement property due to demand and pricing.”
According to Realtor.com, the median listing price for a home in Citrus Heights is $456,000, but the site includes condos and mobile homes in their data. Almost 200 homes are currently shown on the market in Citrus Heights, with prices ranging between $47,900 for a mobile home on Sunrise Boulevard to $1 million for a 2,000-square-foot home on 3 acres of land.
A search of popular real estate website Zillow turned up just 11 single-family detached home listings with a price of $450,000 or lower in Citrus Heights. A search for the same type of home over the $450,000 price point shows 41 listings.
Ryan Lundquist of Sacramento-based Lundquist Appraisal Company told The Sentinel in an email Friday that the average single-family detached home price in Citrus Heights is closer to $475,000, when excluding mobile homes.
“Citrus Heights saw about 20% price growth last year, which is of course massive, but that’s about the same as the rest of the region and the county as a whole,” Lundquist said. “Thus price growth is an all ships rise with the tide situation where Citrus Heights basically fits in well with the trend everywhere else.”
More cash buyers are also a factor in the market, according to data Lundquist shared with The Sentinel. VA financing and FHA financing are down 25% and 31%, respectively, while conventional financing is up 10% for the same time period. Cash sales are up more than 37% from 2020 to 2021, according to the data.
“On the positive side Citrus Heights had more FHA and VA financing compared to Sacramento County and the region as a whole,” he said. “This is due to Citrus Heights being a more affordable price range. The especially positive aspect here is first-time buyers are buying homes and calling Citrus Heights home.”
Nina Cherry helps customer Renee Blanchard with getting items into her vehicle during the last week of business for the struggling thrift shop. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
After three years in business and toughing it out through pandemic shutdowns, construction projects, and flooding, Kelsee’s Purse is closing its doors for good. The thrift shop’s final day is Saturday, January 15.
The Sentinel spoke with owner Ildiko Carpenter during the last week of business for her store, and Carpenter said the main reason for closing is a lack of revenue to pay rent and other expenses.
“Our lease is up at the end of the month, and we already owe back rent,” said Carpenter. “I just can’t keep going further into debt. If we were making more, we might stay, but it just hasn’t happened.”
She said the property management company might have been willing to re negotiate better terms, but after a broken pipe that flooded their store over the summer and another incident where water from a construction accident next door seeped under the wall, Carpenter wasn’t willing to sign on for another term.
“They said they might be offering more reasonable terms if we had a renewal coming up. But because of the problems we’ve had, we’re not really interested in staying.”
Carpenter told The Sentinel in previous interviews she saw a drop in traffic during the construction of the Starbucks, and another decrease when Planet Fitness began construction on an expansion next door.
Last December, a “secret Santa” had two large banners printed and hung on the construction fencing next door, with one banner pointing a large arrow to the thrift shop to raise visibility. The effort did bring in a few shoppers, but it was too little too late for Carpenter.
Nina Cherry, a friend of Carpenter’s, was working the counter during the final week, and told The Sentinel Wednesday there was initial optimism after the business got off to a slow start before the pandemic.
“I felt like we had a really good groove going up to COVID,” Cherry said. “We were really excited because Starbucks was coming, and we knew that would bring traffic. And then the world just kind of fell apart.”
Cherry said customers have reacted with disappointment at the news of the closure, some even becoming emotional.
“Some of the regulars have cried,” Cherry said. “A lot of them depend on us for a low-income store. It’s their life, and now suddenly there’s not going to be anything around for them. The Dollar Tree doesn’t serve their needs.”
One of those regulars is Renee Blanchard, who told The Sentinel she had been coming to Kelsee’s Purse ever since they first opened.
“Terrible, terrible,” she said of the news the store is closing. “It’s convenient, they’re very nice people, they’ve always treated me with respect. My back is broken in four places, so they load everything up for me.”
Blanchard said she has had other health problems, and the staff at Kelsee’s Purse kept her purchases for several months until she was able to come back to the store and pick them up.
For Carpenter, she is grateful for the support she has received from the community over the past few years.
“We’ve had so many great experiences with customers,” said Carpenter. “A lot of people have told us that’s their happy place, or that’s their therapy or their sanctuary. I don’t know how many people started crying when we told them we were closing.”
Kelsee’s Purse is located at 7044 Sunrise Blvd., suite 1. Hours posted for the store’s final week are Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.
The Wendy’s restaurant at 6435 Antelope Rd. is undergoing significant modernization work, and is expected to reopen by May. // CH Sentinel
Sentinel staff report–
The Wendy’s restaurant at 6435 Antelope Rd. was hardly recognizable last week, with just a shell of the structure standing at the site as crews continue a major modernization of the building.
Executive Vice President of Operations and Marketing for Fresno-based JEM Restaurant Management Corporation Kris Stuebner, who oversees the local Wendy’s franchise, said in a Jan. 8 update that the project was delayed by about 14 days due to recent rains. He said the restaurant is now looking at a “mid to late April” date for reopening.
Stuebner previously told The Sentinel that plans include expanded outdoor seating, and an all digital menu system.
“It’s going to be the New Image Wendy’s. It will be completely digital, digital outdoor menu boards, digital indoor menu boards, it will have kiosks,” Stuebner said in a prior email. He also noted that outdoor dining has been a trend accelerated during the pandemic, with more customers preferring to eat outdoors.
The Wendy’s first closed for the remodel on Nov. 5, with construction fencing appearing outside the location.
