Title
2026 Title 17 Omnibus Ordinance: An Ordinance Amending Various Provisions of the Sacramento City Code Relating to Planning and Development (M26-015) [Published 07/24/2026]
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01019
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion, pass a Motion: 1) determining the ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline Sections 15060(c)(3), 15061(b)(3), and 15378(b)(5); and 2) recommending City Council adopt an Ordinance amending various portions of the Sacramento City Code related to planning and development.
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Contact
Contact: Anna Tolle, Associate Planner, (916) 808-5261, atolle@cityofsacramento.org; Kevin Colin, Zoning Administrator, (916) 808-5260, kcolin@cityofsacramento.org; Community Development Department
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Presenter
Presenter: Anna Tolle, Associate Planner, (916) 808-5261, atolle@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
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Applicant
Applicant: Not applicable
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Property Owner
Property Owner: Not applicable
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Background
3-Ordinance (Redline)
4-Ordinance (Clean)
5-Staff Presentation
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: Staff has prepared an omnibus ordinance that includes various amendments to Title 17 (Planning & Development) of the City Code. An omnibus ordinance is an ordinance that covers a variety of topics in a single legislative document. Title 17 is the primary means by which the City’s land use policies are implemented. Pursuant to Section 17.916.010, all amendments to Title 17 require review by the Planning & Design Commission prior to City Council consideration. When reviewing proposed amendments, the Commission is to consider two findings:
1. As amended, this title complements, supports, and facilitates the implementation of the goals, policies, and other provisions of the general plan and the City’s specific plans and transit village plans; and
2. The amendment promotes the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare of the City.
The proposed amendments fall into three categories:
1. State Law Consistency: These amendments respond to planning and zoning laws passed during the 2025 State legislative session.
2. Streamlining: These amendments refine existing regulations without establishing a fundamental new policy.
3. Administrative Cleanup: These amendments correct typographical errors.
A detailed explanation of the proposed amendments is provided in the Background section of this report (Attachment 2).
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Public/NeighborhoodOutreachComments
Public/Neighborhood Outreach and Comments: In accordance with City Code section 17.812.030, a notice of public hearing for this item was published in the Sacramento Bulletin, a newspaper of general circulation used for public notices, on July 24, 2026.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The proposed ordinance seeks to make changes that result in a code that is accurate (e.g. no typographical errors), consistent with State law, and that refines the implementation of certain policies in a manner consistent with the General Plan.
Staff’s analysis of the amendments’ ability to advance the following 2040 General Plan goals and policies is as follows:
Land Use Element
Goal LU-1: A compact urban footprint and sustainable development pattern with infrastructure that supports efficient delivery of public services while protecting surrounding open space lands
Goal LU-2: Balanced and connected community with thriving neighborhoods and centers and development intensities linked to transit.
Goal LU-3: Flexible development standards to promote revitalization in corridors and centers.
Staff Analysis: Orderly and well-planned development cannot be easily achieved without accurate and clear regulations. The ordinance provides for clearer regulations, accurate code text, consistency with new state laws, and streamlining of existing rules to better implement existing policies. In doing so, the ordinance helps staff and code users maintain focus on achieving the policy goal rather than being distracted by questions about inaccuracies, inconsistencies with state law, or cumbersome processes that achieve the same goal with more effort or cost.
Housing Element
Policy H-2.3.2 Streamlined Application and Building Process: The city shall continue to facilitate interdepartmental review of development applications, encourage pre-application meetings with planning and building staff, and streamline the overall planning application and building process for all development types.
Policy H-2.3.5 Clear Development Standards and Approval Procedures: The city shall maintain and administer clear development standards, and approval procedures for a variety of housing types, including, but not limited to, multifamily housing and emergency shelters.
Staff Analysis: For the same reasons stated in the Land Use Element analysis above, the ordinance also advances Policy H-2.3.2. On the topic of housing, the ordinance includes important clarifications (e.g. accessory dwelling units, state density bonus law), incorporates new State laws (e.g. Assembly Bill 507), and makes streamlining changes to further Policy H-2.3.5.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: The proposed ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(3), 15061(b)(3), and 15378(b)(5). The ordinance consists of amendments to title 17 to conform to existing state laws, streamline the development process, and fix typographical errors. None of these amendments will result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. Further, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment. As such, the ordinance is exempt from CEQA review. Additionally, pursuant to Government Code section 65658.3(b), the portion of the ordinance specific to Assembly Bill 507 (Haney, 2025) is not considered a project under California Environmental Quality Act.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: The following actions were taken to initiate the proposed amendments to Title 17 of the City Code:
• On October 22, 2024, the City Council initiated, pursuant to City Code section 17.400.030, amendments to the Broadway-Stockton Special Planning District.
• On April 22, 2026, the Planning Director initiated, pursuant to City Code section 17.916.010.A, the amendments included within the proposed ordinance.
After the Planning & Design Commission’s review of the ordinance, it will next be considered by the Law & Legislation Committee before proceeding to City Council.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: Staff recommend the Planning & Design Commission pass a motion forwarding an approval recommendation to the City Council. The amendments contained in the ordinance help ensure Title 17 of the City Code remains consistent with state law and is implemented in a streamlined manner, free of errors. Lastly, as noted above, the amendments also support several General Plan policies.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
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