Auburn City Council Meeting – December 8, 2025
Auburn City Council Meeting – December 8, 2025
The Auburn City Council held its regular meeting on December 8, 2025, at 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA. The meeting included proclamations, approval of a 10-item consent calendar, a detailed update on the vacant commercial building workshop, and committee reports. The council voted 5-0 in closed session to initiate litigation.
Proclamations & Recognitions
- Certificate for Council Member Mike Holmes: Recognized as a California military hero for his lifelong public service, including Navy career and prior council service.
- Homeless Persons Memorial Day Proclamation: December 21, 2025 was proclaimed National Homeless Persons Memorial Day in Auburn. It was noted that 63 people died while experiencing homelessness in Placer County from January 2024 to September 2025.
- Public Comment: Stephen Leslie, a homeless individual from Roseville, shared his personal story of overcoming drug addiction and thanked the council for the proclamation.
Consent Calendar
The council approved the consent calendar by a unanimous roll-call vote (5-0). Items included:
- Approval of minutes from 10/13/2025, 10/27/2025, 11/10/2025, and 12/1/2025.
- Reappointment of Sandy Bendorf to the Placer County Mosquito and Vector Control District.
- Receive and file the City Investment Report for Q3 2025.
- Adoption of Charge-Out Rate Policy and Cost Allocation Policy by resolution.
- Authorization to apply for FAA/Caltrans grant for Taxiway A Rehabilitation Design and approval of $274,639 budget adjustment.
- Authorization to apply for FAA/Caltrans grant for Wildlife Hazard Site Visit and approval of $28,877 budget adjustment.
- Approval of ground lease assignment for Hangar 118 at Auburn Airport.
- Reclassification of one Battalion Chief to Assistant Fire Chief with new job description and salary range.
- Police Department reclassification plan: one Sergeant to Lieutenant, Administrative Assistant to Records and Dispatch Supervisor, Police Trainee to Police Officer.
- Emergency action (four-fifths vote) for sewer repair project at 320 Oak View Court / 305 Live Oak Street, and CEQA exemption.
- Amendment to NEXGEN Utility Management agreement for sewer system design and construction management.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Stephen Leslie (homeless, Roseville) expressed support for the Homeless Persons Memorial Day Proclamation, noting that many deaths among the homeless are due to drug overdoses and addiction.
Discussion Items
Vacant Commercial Building Workshop Update – Jonathan Wright, Economic Development Director, presented results from the October 30, 2025 workshop with commercial property owners. Key points:
- Property owners cited high overhead costs (insurance, sewer, taxes), difficulty with historic design review for facade changes, parking challenges, and poor city infrastructure as barriers to renting spaces.
- Owners preferred focusing on long-term vacant, highly visible storefronts, especially those not actively listed.
- Suggested solutions: a city-run web page for listing vacancies, possible window display requirements using historic themes (partnering with Placer County Historical Society), scaling down for-rent/sale signs, and enforcement via existing nuisance ordinance.
- Council members expressed support and suggested partnering with the historical society for window displays, ensuring inclusive history (including Native American heritage).
- The council directed staff to continue developing a window display program and a vacant building registry, and to begin enforcement on long-term off-market properties.
City Manager Report – City Manager Sean R. provided updates:
- Parade of Lights: Issues with chairs and small fire pits on sidewalks; future enforcement considered.
- A city sign with a misspelling will be replaced.
- The newly renamed “Trestle Lot” will revert to “Charlie U Lot” after community feedback.
- City Hall closed between Christmas and New Year’s.
- Roundabout construction is on schedule.
- Employee service anniversaries recognized.
Committee Reports
- Councilmember Amara reported on League of Cities advocacy priorities for 2025-2026: protect local revenues, improve public safety (including Prop 36 funding), reduce homelessness/increase affordable housing, and strengthen climate/disaster resilience.
- Councilmember Rodell Harris reported on SACOG strategic planning and meeting with Senator Steinberg about extending SB 375 targets to an 8-year cycle.
- Councilmember Calvio provided updates from the Youth Commission, including general plan education and outreach.
- Councilmember Holmes noted economic development postcards for holiday shopping and plans for town halls in 2026.
Key Outcomes
- Consent calendar approved unanimously (5-0).
- The council supported staff’s direction to pursue window display requirements, a vacant building registry, and nuisance ordinance enforcement for long-term vacant storefronts.
- Staff will develop a timeline and report back on vacant building ordinance options.
- The City Manager will address the sign misspelling and lot naming reversal.
- No future agenda items were requested.
- The next regular meeting is scheduled for January 12, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
All right, we'll go ahead and call this session to order of city council for December 8th, 2025. Report out first from close session. Yes, happy to mayor and council members. Um the council voted five zero to initiate litigation once commenced. The particulars of that case, including the names and the other parties will be available to anyone upon request. Thank you very much. Um I'll call this meeting to order if we can stand for the pledge. Well, roll call of council, council member Amara. Down Calvio Present Holmes. Ridell Harris here, and Mayor Davis here. All right, moving on. Um, Councilmember Holmes, will you please join me at the podium? Okay. We have one commendation tonight for council member Holmes. I'm closer. Let me say some nice words. John M. Mike Holmes is a retired U.S. Navy captain, a former Auburn mayor and a longtime city council member whose life has been defined by public service. His commitment began in high school through Navy junior ROTC and continued with his enlistment in the early 1960s, leading to deployments in Vietnam and Taiwan and earning numerous commendations, including the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star. After his military career, Mr. Holmes served in a range of civilian roles from airline crew manager to college professor and consultant. He later served as Auburn's mayor and on the city council from 2002 to 2014. He holds degrees in history, international relations, and public administration, and completed Mandarin studies through the Defense Language Institute. Beyond elected office, he remains deeply involved in preserving Auburn's history, supporting community organizations, and working with state and federal representatives. Mr. Holmes' lifelong dedication continues to positively shape the Auburn community. And tonight, Mr. Holmes is receiving recognition from the as a California military hero for outstanding achievement and continuous contributions. Thank you. Oh let the city manager take this. That's a better angle, Sean. And we have a second proclamation. Do we have Claudia Snyder here? Hi, come on. Well, I'll read it. Oh yeah, you guys stand right here. That's nice. This proclamation today is for homeless persons memorial day proclamation. Whereas December 21st, 2025 marks the first day of winter and is the longest night of the year. Whereas the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council have designated December 21st, 2025 as National Homeless Persons Memorial Day. Whereas thousands die each year in our community without stable housing. In Placer County, 63 people have died while experiencing homelessness from January 2024 to September 2025. Whereas housing is a fundamental right and a basic human need, whereas homelessness raises one's risk of illness, injury, and death. Whereas Roseville Advocates for the Homeless and Placer people of faith together will host the homeless persons memorial service that will take place on Sunday, December 21st from 3 to 5 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church in Roseville to commemorate our neighbors who have passed away in 2025 as a result of hopelessness homelessness. Whereas by joining together and remembering our neighbors, we can honor their lives by working to provide solutions to end homelessness in our community. Now, therefore, be it resolved I, Mayor Kelly Davis, on behalf of the city council, proclaimed December 21st, 2025 as National Homeless Persons Memorial Day in Auburn to remember those who've died while experiencing homelessness and to encourage citizens to come together to celebrate their memories and address the factors that lead to homelessness. Thank you so much. Yeah.
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