Title
Ordinance Amending Section 12.74.030 of the Sacramento City Code Relating to the City Hall Facilities [Passed for Publication 07/01/2025; Published 07/03/2025] [In Lieu of Passing for Publication the Ordinance will be Published in its Entirety]
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FileID
File ID: 2025-01331
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Adopt an Ordinance amending Section 12.74.030 of the Sacramento City Code relating to the City Hall Facilities.
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Contact
Contact: Office of the City Manager, (916) 808-5704
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Presenter
Presenter: Office of the City Manager, (916) 808-5704
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Adoption of Critical Infrastructure Ordinance
3-Critical Infrastructure List Resolution 2023
4-Citywide Homeless Response Protocols
5-Ordinance (Redline)
6-Ordinance (Clean)
7-Summary of Responses to Council Questions
8-City Hall Employee Survey Summary and Data
9-Unlawful Camping Enforcement Guidelines
10-Information Reports (I-Reports) made to Sacramento Police Department Regarding Homeless Activity
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The City Hall Facility (Facility) is comprised of Historic City Hall, New City Hall, and the property encompassing the buildings as bounded by H and I streets and 9th and 10th streets, including, but not limited to, Sa’Cumn’e Plaza (Plaza). The Facility is open to members of the community while conducting city business, attending public meetings, or engaging in expressive conduct. As the seat of city government, the City Council has designated the Facility as “critical infrastructure” within the meaning of chapter 8.140 of the Sacramento City Code since July 20, 2021 (Attachments 2-4).
Use of the Facility includes the ability for groups to obtain a permit to hold events in the Plaza. The Plaza also serves as a fire access road for firefighting apparatus (e.g., fire engines, ladder trucks) as needed for fire or medical aid response. The Facility has permanent benches for dedicated seating in several locations behind New City Hall, in the Plaza, and around New City Hall, the locations of which do not impede emergency vehicle access. Currently, Sacramento City Code section 12.74.030, subsection A, paragraph 9, allows the public to sit or lie down at the Facility, including the Plaza, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day.
The proposed amendment to section 12.74.030 seeks to regulate the use of the Facility in a manner that maintains a suitable working environment for City employees, access by the general public consistent with its purpose and hours of operation as well as access for public safety apparatus in the event of an emergency by prohibiting sitting or lying down at the Facility at any time on anything other than designated seating (Attachments 5-6). The proposed amendment is consistent with the Facility’s existing designation as “critical infrastructure.”
On June 24, 2025, the Law and Legislation Committee voted to advance the proposed amendment to the City Council. On July 1, 2025, the City Council passed the ordinance title for publication, pursuant to section 32(c) of the City Charter. During the discussion of this item there were several questions asked by City Council. The attached summary and supportive documents provide responses to those questions (Attachments 7-10).
Policy Considerations: The City’s homeless response continues to evolve to reflect changing legal frameworks. This amendment aligns with recent court decisions.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: None.
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: On June 24, 2025, the Law and Legislation Committee voted to advance the proposed amendment to the City Council.
Rationale for Recommendation: This ordinance change was requested pursuant to Sacramento City Charter section 40, subsection (b), paragraph 6. The proposed amendment to the ordinance is designed to regulate use of the Facility in a way that maintains a suitable working environment for city employees and ensures that the City Hall Facility is safe and secure for the public and city employees as well as accessible to first responders and their equipment in case of an emergency while still allowing members of the public to use the exterior of the City Hall Facilities in a reasonable manner. The proposed amendment would further the following purposes:
• Ensuring access to, and unobstructed use of, the City Hall Facility for city employees, the public, and first responders
• Ensuring a safe working environment for employees free from impediment
• Suspending incompatible uses of the City Hall Facility
• Enhances coordination of multiple uses of the Plaza
Financial Considerations: There is no additional financial impact associated with implementing the proposed Ordinance. Staff has estimated unbudgeted annual expenses of approximately $343,000 associated with security, response and clean-up resulting from the existing exemption.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.