CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - At the Aug. 27 meeting, the Citrus Heights City Council considered leasing a city-owned property to Field Haven Feline Center, a nonprofit animal welfare agency, for the operation of a veterinary service center.

Last year, the city purchased two adjacent properties on Old Auburn Road, with a total of 1.74 acres and two existing buildings. The city plans to use the building on 7569 Old Auburn Road as the potential future site of a city-run animal services center. But City Manager Ash Feeney said the building at 7555 Old Auburn Road is available for a “unique opportunity” to partner with this nonprofit organization to provide low-cost animal services that are currently lacking within the city, particularly spay and neuter services to address the high number of feral cat colonies.

Field Haven will focus on low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, in addition to vaccinations, microchipping and lifesaving procedures.

There were concerns from some local veterinarians about increased competition, Feeney said, but the agreement stipulates that Field Haven will not provide general wellness care services, except to animals in the city’s custody. Field Haven will collaborate with local veterinarians and act as a complementary resource to the existing private practices, according to Feeney.

The proposed lease agreement is negotiated at $1 for an 18-month pilot program. If the program continues, the lease will move to three-year terms at $2,500 per month, resulting in an annual revenue of $30,000 to the city.

Under the lease agreement, the city is responsible for landscape maintenance and two building improvements: installing a polished concrete floor and an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-accessible restroom.

As the tenant, Field Haven will be responsible for all other building improvements, utilities and operational costs.

Field Haven was founded in 2003 and operates in Lincoln with a mission to help every cat in need.

If the lease is approved, Field Haven plans to begin operating the Citrus Heights location in spring 2026. In addition to the main focus of spay and neuter surgeries, Field Haven has also committed to providing monthly education clinics, certified cat trapper training and the operation of a cat caregiver support phone line. Field Haven will also give the city 250 vouchers for free spay/neuter surgeries per year.

During public comments, some private practice veterinarians expressed concerns that this agreement would cut into their business, as they already provide similar services. Some argued that if the city specifically wants low-cost spay and neuter services, it should have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) so the lowest bidder could be selected. They asked the city to pause and look at options for the existing veterinary businesses to collaborate with the city on a solution.

Many residents, volunteer trappers and representatives from animal shelters spoke in support of the Field Haven lease. They said the feral cat crisis is growing exponentially and most of the local private practice veterinarians won’t even take feral cats and those who do charge such a high rate that it’s not affordable for these volunteers.

While the city has a contract with Sacramento County for services through Bradshaw Animal Shelter, trappers say the lottery system to get low-cost spay/neuter surgeries is difficult to navigate, with extremely long wait-times up to several months. They said a local option that provides affordable and accessible services would make a real and immediate difference.

Some local veterinarians supported the lease, stating that Field Haven would complement the existing services by filling an unmet need and providing referrals to private practices for general care.

Even if the city did issue an request for proposals for these services, Councilmember Tim Schaefer said, the private practices would not fit the criteria. He said the city wants to partner with a nonprofit: “There’s a motivation that goes well beyond the profit dollar here.”

Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa asked if a request for proposal is legally required and City Attorney Ryan Jones said that a public project for new construction would require a request for proposal but it is not necessary in this case.

Karpinski-Costa questioned how the $1 lease for the building would help the city’s financial stability, and she suggested clarifying the agreement with a more direct scope of service to address the concerns of the local veterinarians.

City Manager Feeney said that Field Haven would be making significant tenant investments into the facility and providing a public benefit.

“These partnerships are hard; that’s why you don’t see them happen very often. They take an investment on both sides to get done,” Feeney said. “The idea of a pilot program is you learn along the way to inform the future.”

While he said he is happy to collaborate with the private practices to refine the agreement, Feeney cautioned that it would be difficult to ensure everyone would be completely satisfied.

Councilmember Porsche Middleton said the council started this process based on “an outcry from our community for well over a year.”

With a huge feral cat population and a lack of accessible services, Middleton said, “We cannot push the brakes at this point.”

Vice-Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff said this was a creative solution to address the existing “ineffective system” that “does not prioritize Citrus Heights, does not prioritize our feral community issues.”

Councilmember Kelsey Nelson supported a collaboration between Field Haven and the private practices: “We need everybody.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the lease, with some adjustments to address concerns about the scope of service. Many in the audience cheered enthusiastically at the approval.

A contract with RMW Architecture & Interiors was also approved for on-call architectural engineering services for both the Old Auburn Road properties, with a focus on getting construction drawings completed before the end of the year for the floors and bathroom in the Field Haven building.

The council then considered a construction contract with Valley Slurry Seal International, Inc. for the 2025 Road Resurfacing Project.

The city adopted a new Pavement Preservation Plan in December 2023, which shifted the city’s approach to road maintenance. Historically, the issue was addressed through full repaving, which was very costly and resulted in fewer streets being repaired per year.

The new plan focuses on resurfacing, a more cost-effective option that aligns with industry norms throughout the region, resulting in many more streets treated per year.

Recently some of the first roadways were resurfaced under this plan: Sunrise Boulevard from Madison to Greenback; Dewey Drive and Van Maren Lane from the southern city limits to Auburn Boulevard.; and Macy Plaza Drive from Sunrise Boulevard to Birdcage.

For 2025, the city plans to resurface 125 roadways, in a phased approach with seven project zones. Zone 1 (which includes portions of Antelope Road, Tupelo Drive and Lichen Drive) is expected to be completed by the end of October this year. Work on the other zones will begin in early 2026 after the winter season has passed.

In addition to the actual resurfacing, the project involves localized pavement repairs as needed, upgraded striping, and updates to curbs, gutters and storm drains. The total project cost is estimated at just more than $8 million.

Mayor Karpinski-Costa said that her district only has one road included in this round of resurfacing work.

City Manager Feeney acknowledged the dedicated work of city engineer Leslie Blomquist and General Services Director Regina Cave: “We wouldn’t have this pavement preservation strategy without their efforts and they took that task so seriously.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the road resurfacing contract.

Finally, the council heard a presentation by Intrepid Fiber Networks, an open-access broadband fiber company that intends to install underground and above-ground infrastructure throughout the Citrus Heights community. Company officials said their fiber network would provide another internet delivery option for residents and businesses, with improved speeds and lower costs.

As a public utility, Intrepid Fiber Networks has authorization to construct within public utility easements but it must follow the city’s encroachment requirements, which include public notification, hours of operations and restoration of property.

The project will begin with a pilot program of approximately 1,300 residential addresses near Sunrise Mall, with construction expected to start before the end of the year.

The city is currently working with Intrepid Fiber Networks to finalize a license agreement and get the permit submitted for review.

During City Manager Items, City Manager Feeney said that the vacant Marie Calendar building will soon be demolished, due to extensive damage caused by homeless encampments inside. The property owner has a conditional use permit for a drive-through business at that location and it is currently being marketed for a new tenant.

The next Citrus Heights City Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10.