TO: Honorable Members of the Planning Commission
FROM: Beth Lindauer, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:
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Consideration of a Recommendation to the City Council for Adoption of a Vacant Commercial Property Registration and Maintenance Ordinance Establishing Local Regulations for the Registration, Maintenance, and Security of Vacant Commercial Properties Within the City of Red Bluff
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RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
recommendation
1. Conduct a public hearing and receive public testimony.
2. Adopt Resolution 2026-15 recommending that the City Council approve the proposed Vacant Commercial Property Registration and Maintenance Ordinance.
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SUMMARY:
The proposed Vacant Commercial Property Registration and Maintenance Ordinance would establish a local registration and enforcement program for qualifying vacant commercial properties located within the City of Red Bluff. The ordinance is intended to address the negative impacts associated with long-term vacant commercial properties, including deterioration, blight, trespassing, vandalism, illegal dumping, public safety concerns, and increased demands on City services.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed ordinance would apply to vacant commercial properties where more than fifty percent (50%) of the commercial units have remained unoccupied for more than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days. The ordinance establishes several exemptions for properties actively undergoing construction, rehabilitation, permitting, or lawful marketing for sale or lease, provided the property remains adequately maintained.
The proposed ordinance would require owners of vacant commercial properties to register the property with the City within thirty (30) calendar days after the property becomes vacant and renew the registration annually for the duration of the vacancy.
The registration process would require property owners to provide:
• Ownership and contact information;
• Local property management or responsible party contact information;
• Property details and occupancy information;
• A maintenance and rehabilitation or reuse plan;
• Security information;
• Proof of liability insurance; and
• Additional information necessary for administration of the program.
The ordinance further establishes maintenance and security standards for vacant commercial properties, including:
• Landscape maintenance;
• Graffiti removal;
• Trash and debris removal;
• Building and exterior maintenance;
• Securing structures against unauthorized entry; and
• Elimination of blighting conditions.
The ordinance would also require owners or designated property managers to inspect vacant commercial properties at least once every thirty (30) calendar days and to maintain inspection records upon the City's request. Additionally, vacant commercial properties would be required to maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $1,000,000 and to authorize City inspections for enforcement purposes.
Annual Registration Fee
Staff anticipates that implementing the program would require administrative staff time for registration processing, inspections, compliance monitoring, code enforcement activities, and related administrative costs. The proposed ordinance authorizes the City Council to establish annual registration fees by resolution. Registration fees are intended to recover the reasonable costs associated with administering the vacant commercial property registration program.
Staff has prepared a cost estimate for implementing the program and estimates the annual administrative cost at approximately $950 per commercial property. The estimate is based on anticipated staff time for registration processing, monthly compliance checks, program monitoring, data entry and tracking, code enforcement activities, and administrative supply costs using current fully burdened staff rates.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The proposed ordinance is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), commonly referred to as the “common sense exemption,” because it can be seen with certainty that adoption of the ordinance would not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Implementation of the Vacant Commercial Property Registration Program would entail administrative and enforcement costs for registration processing, inspections, compliance monitoring, nuisance enforcement, and related activities at an estimated rate of $950 per commercial property, per fiscal year.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. EXHIBIT A - Draft Vacant Commercial Property Registration and Maintenance Ordinance
2. EXHIBIT B - Draft Registration Form Sample Draft
3. EXHIBIT C - Inspection Form Sample Draft
PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2026-15
A RESOLUTION OF THE RED BLUFF PLANNING COMMISSION REGARDING
WHEREAS, the City of Red Bluff has prepared a proposed ordinance establishing a Vacant Commercial Property Registration and Maintenance Program to address the adverse impacts associated with long-term vacant commercial properties within the City; and
WHEREAS, vacant commercial properties may contribute to blight, vandalism, trespassing, illegal dumping, unsafe conditions, and increased demands on City services, including law enforcement, fire protection, code enforcement, and nuisance abatement; and
WHEREAS, the proposed ordinance would establish registration requirements, maintenance standards, inspection requirements, security requirements, and enforcement provisions applicable to qualifying vacant commercial properties within the City of Red Bluff; and
WHEREAS, the proposed ordinance is intended to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, encourage property maintenance and economic reinvestment, and assist the City in identifying responsible parties for vacant commercial properties; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on May 26, 2026, at which time all interested persons were given the opportunity to be heard and present evidence; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed and considered the Staff Report and all public testimony and evidence presented regarding the proposed ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission finds that adoption of the proposed ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the common sense exemption, because it can be seen with certainty that the ordinance will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable physical change in the environment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Planning Commission of the City of Red Bluff as follows:
SECTION 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 2. The Planning Commission finds that the proposed ordinance is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that adoption of the ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 3. Recommendation.
The Planning Commission hereby recommends that the City Council adopt an ordinance adding Article XXVIII (29) to Chapter 25 of the Red Bluff Municipal Code establishing Vacant Commercial Property Registration and Maintenance requirements, substantially in the form presented to the Planning Commission and attached as Exhibit “A.
The foregoing resolution was adopted at a regular meeting of the Planning Commission held on May 26, 2026, by the following vote:
ATTEST: _____________________________
Community Development Director
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Deputy City Clerk