Title
2040 General Plan and Zoning Consistency Project: Update and Initiation of Special Planning District and Planned Unit Development Amendments (LR25-003)
End
FileID
File ID: 2026-01386
End
Location
Location: Citywide
End
Recommendation
Recommendation: 1) Review and comment; and 2) Pass a Motion: a) initiating amendments to the special planning districts identified in Attachment 6, to ensure consistency with the 2040 General Plan; and b) initiating recission of the planned unit developments identified in Attachment 7, to streamline the Planning and Development Code (Title 17 of the Sacramento City Code).
End
Contact
Contact: Jamie Mosler, Associate Planner, (916) 808-7875, jmosler@cityofsacramento.org; Amy Yang, Senior Planner, (916) 808-5023, asyang@cityofsacramento.org; Community Development Department
End
Presenter
Presenter: Jamie Mosler, Associate Planner, (916) 808-7875, jmosler@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
End
Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Background
3-Outreach Strategy
4-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
5-Neighborhood Commercial Survey Summary
6-Proposed SPD Amendment Summary
7-Proposed PUD Removal Summary
8-Presentation
End
Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The 2040 General Plan, adopted by the City Council on February 27, 2024, establishes the City's long-term vision for growth and development. State law requires that zoning regulations and zoning maps remain consistent with an adopted general plan. To comply with this requirement, staff is updating the City’s Planning and Development Code (Title 17 of Sacramento City Code, also known as the zoning code) through the 2040 General Plan and Zoning Consistency Update, or “zoning code update.”
Staff is currently in the community engagement phase of the zoning code update and is seeking Planning and Design Commission input on the proposed amendments before preparing the final ordinance for future consideration by the Planning and Design Commission and City Council.
The amendments proposed as part of the zoning code update represent a comprehensive update to the City's zoning regulations and aim to do the following:
• simplify the residential zoning framework,
• establish permanent development standards for Missing Middle Housing,
• expand opportunities for neighborhood-serving commercial uses,
• update standards for transit-oriented and auto-oriented development,
• streamline and modernize zoning regulations, and
• rezone properties where necessary to implement the 2040 General Plan land use designations.
A detailed summary of the proposed amendments is provided in Attachment 2.
The 2040 General Plan and Zoning Consistency project is being implemented in four phases:
• Analysis (Fall 2024-Spring 2026)
o Staff reviewed the existing zoning code for inconsistencies with the 2040 General Plan, identified required updates, onboarded consultants, compared regulatory approaches, and evaluated legal requirements.
• Community Engagement (Summer 2026)
o Staff is conducting outreach with the community on the proposed amendments and rezones. Efforts have included webinars, neighborhood meetings, tabling at community events, and this meeting with the Planning and Design Commission. Staff are also providing multiple methods for community members to provide feedback, including an interactive online platform, a missing middle housing survey, and an interactive rezone map.
• Prepare Ordinance (Fall 2026)
o Staff will incorporate community input and finalize zoning code changes, including revised zoning districts, development standards, use regulations, and rezones.
• Final Public Hearings and Adoption (Fall-Winter 2026)
o Staff will present the draft ordinance to the Planning and Design Commission and City Council for review and adoption.
Staff is currently in the community engagement phase and is conducting outreach to residents, property owners, neighborhood organizations, businesses, and other interested stakeholders. Public engagement includes community meetings, tabling at community events, hosting topical webinars, an online workshop platform, an interactive rezoning map, and multiple opportunities to provide comments. Outreach will continue through August 31st, 2026.
After the outreach period has concluded, staff will consider public input received prior to preparing the final ordinance and rezoning map for future public hearings before the Planning and Design Commission and City Council. A detailed summary of outreach activities can be found in Attachment 3, frequently asked questions are included in Attachment 4, and a summary of the neighborhood commercial survey is provided in Attachment 5.
Additionally, during the Analysis Phase, staff identified potential amendments to several SPDs and PUDs to improve consistency with the 2040 General Plan and streamline the Zoning Code. These proposed amendments are summarized in Attachment 6 and Attachment 7, respectively. Sacramento City Code section 17.400.030.B provides that either the Planning and Design Commission or City Council may initiate text amendments to a special planning district (SPD), and Sacramento City Code section 17.452.040.C provides that either the Planning and Design Commission, City Council, or property owner may initiate amendments to a planned unit development (PUD). Therefore, staff recommends that the Planning and Design Commission initiate these amendments so they may be considered alongside the complete ordinance during the Planning and Design Commission’s review in Fall 2026. Initiation authorizes staff to continue refining the proposed amendments through the ongoing public outreach process before returning to the Planning and Design Commission and City Council for consideration of the final ordinance.
End
PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The 2040 General Plan includes the following implementation action and policies:
Action LUP-A.10 Planning and Development Code Update. The City shall update the Planning and Development Code to implement the 2040 General Plan, including amendments to:
• Rezone parcels for consistency with the 2040 General Plan land use, intensity, and density diagrams;
• Remove maximum residential density standards from single-unit, duplex dwelling, multi-unit, commercial, and industrial zones and replace them with floor area ratio-based intensity standards and minimum residential density standards;
• Broaden the range of housing types allowed by-right within single-unit and duplex dwelling residential zones;
• Update development standards for missing-middle housing types, such as accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts;
• Require new residential development of a certain size to include a variety of housing types and sizes;
• Establish requirements for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in new and expanded gas stations citywide;
• Establish incentives to promote efficient parcel utilization and consolidation, particularly in transit-oriented development (TOD) areas;
• Prohibit new drive-through restaurants in areas where a strong pedestrian and transit orientation is desired;
• Allow for flexibility of new commercial uses in neighborhood-oriented commercial centers; and
• Establish incentives to facilitate the retrofit of existing shopping centers with pedestrian amenities, EV charging, bike parking, traffic-calming features, plazas and public areas, shade trees, lighting, public art, farmers markets, retail and other services that provide for everyday needs, and community events.
Staff Note: The underlined items above will be addressed through this Title 17 Update. The Community Development Department will continue to assess the remaining items throughout the 2024-2029 implementation period.
Policy LUP-1.13 Airport Land Use Compatibility. The City shall work with the Sacramento County Airport System (SCAS) and the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) to ensure that new development near the area’s airports is compatible with airport operations, adopted ALUC policies, and applicable Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans.
Policy LUP-2.2 Development Intensity Linked to Transit. The City shall plan for higher development intensities around current and planned transit to optimize public investments and support and accessible, convenient network.
Policy LUP-3.1 Maximum FAR. The City shall regulate maximum building intensity using floor area ratio (FAR) standards consistent with Map LUP-6 and Figure LUP-5, which applies to residential uses in the single-unit and duplex zones. Maximum FAR standards shown in Map LUP-6 apply to both residential and non-residential use.
Policy LUP-4.12 Drive-Through Restaurants. The City shall prohibit new drive-through restaurants within:
• ½-mile walking distance from the center of an existing light rail station platform or high-frequency transit stop; and
• ¼-mile walking distance from the center of a proposed light rail station.
Policy LUP-4.13 Future-Ready Gas Stations. The City shall prohibit the establishment of new gas stations or the expansion of new fossil fuel infrastructure at existing gas stations unless the project proponent provides 50kW or greater Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) electric vehicle charging stations on site at a ratio of at least 1 new charging station per 1 new gas fuel nozzle.
Policy LUP-6.2 Range of Residential Development Intensities. The City shall allow for a range of residential development intensities throughout the community to cultivate a mix of housing types at varying sales price points and rental rates, provide options for residents of all income levels, and protect existing residents from displacement.
Policy LUP-6.3 Variety of Housing Types. The City shall promote the development of a greater variety of housing types and sizes in all existing and new growth communities to meet the needs of future demographics and changing household sizes, including the following:
• Single-unit homes on small lots,
• Accessory dwelling units,
• Tiny homes,
• Alley-facing units,
• Townhomes,
• Lofts,
• Live-work spaces,
• Duplexes,
• Triplexes,
• Fourplexes,
• Cottage/bungalow courts,
• Neighborhood-scale multi-unit buildings, and
• Senior and student housing.
End
EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
End
EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: This report concerns the Planning and Design Commission’s review of the 2040 General Plan and Title 17 Consistency Project, including the initiation of amendments to Special Planning Districts and Planned Unit Developments. The action is an administrative activity that would not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment and is not a project as defined pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) and is not subject to environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(3).
The effort associated with updating Title 17 to ensure consistency with the adopted 2040 General Plan is identified as a subsequent project in 2040 General Plan Master EIR. After a Master EIR has been prepared and certified, subsequent projects which the lead agency determines as being within the scope of the Master EIR will be subject to only limited environmental review. The final proposed updates to Title 17 and the amendments to Special Planning Districts and Planned Unit Developments will be reviewed in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Sections 15063 and 15177 and made available for review prior to any future public hearings consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15087.
End
Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
End
Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: On August 14, 2025, the Planning and Design Commission passed a motion to initiate rezoning and text amendments to the Planning and Development Code (Zoning Code) to ensure consistency with the 2040 General Plan.
On March 26, 2026, the Planning and Design Commission provided comments on proposed modifications to the Missing Middle Housing (MMH) standards and the City’s approach to implementation of Senate Bill (SB) 79.
End
RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Planning and Design Commission initiate amendments to specified Special Planning Districts and recission of specified Planned Unit Developments as part of the 2040 General Plan and Zoning Consistency Update. These actions help ensure consistency with the 2040 General Plan and streamline the Planning and Development Code.
End
FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
End