Title
2040 General Plan and Zoning Consistency: Missing Middle Housing (MMH) Standards and Senate Bill (SB) 79 Workshop (LR25-003)
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FileID
File ID: 2026-00672
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Review and comment on proposed modifications to the Missing Middle Housing (MMH) standards and the City’s approach to implementation of Senate Bill (SB) 79.
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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
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Presenter
Presenter: Jamie Mosler, Associate Planner, (916) 808-7875, jmosler@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Background
3-MMH Analysis Overview
4-SB 79 Overview
5-Presentation
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail:
This workshop provides an opportunity for the Planning and Design Commission to review and comment on staff’s preliminary approach to updating development standards related to Missing Middle Housing (MMH) and implementation of Senate Bill (SB) 79 as part of the ongoing zoning code (Title 17) update for consistency with the 2040 General Plan (see Attachment 2: Background, for an overview of the 2040 General Plan and Zoning Code Consistency project).
Since adoption of the MMH Interim Ordinance in September 2024, which was intended to facilitate house-scale missing middle housing, staff have evaluated its effectiveness in broadening the range of housing types in single-unit and duplex zones. While the 2040 General Plan also directs the City to increase development intensity near transit, many areas located near transit are currently developed with lower-intensity, house-scale development. Through analysis conducted with support from Opticos Design, staff found that house-scale missing middle housing and higher-intensity housing near transit require different development standards. (see Attachment 3: MMH Analysis Overview).
Additionally, the Governor signed SB 79 on October 12, 2025, which becomes effective July 1, 2026. The legislation establishes new statewide zoning standards for housing near transit that may exceed the development intensity envisioned in the General Plan for these areas (see Attachment 4: SB 79 Overview). The legislation provides local jurisdictions with options for implementation.
To balance General Plan policy direction, findings from the MMH analysis, and new State legislation, staff are seeking Commission input on the preferred degree of change the City should permit in neighborhoods that now allow higher development intensities. The Planning and Design Commission will be presented with a range of options, from a focus on new housing that is as compatible as possible with existing single-family neighborhoods to a focus on maximizing housing production, even if it results in significantly larger buildings in existing neighborhoods. With Planning and Design Commission and City Council direction, staff will update development standards in the Zoning Code to accommodate the preferred approach. This item is for discussion only, and no formal action is requested.
Staff will conclude the analysis phase of the General Plan and Zoning Code Consistency Project this spring and return to the Commission in the summer with an overview of proposed zoning code amendments and rezoning actions as part of community engagement prior to final adoption. Final adoption of the ordinance by the City Council is anticipated this winter.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The 2040 General Plan includes the following relevant policies:
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-4.1 Transit-Supportive Development. The City shall encourage increased residential and commercial development intensity within ½-mile of existing high-frequency bus stops and existing and planned light rail stations, bus rapid transit stations, and commuter rail stations to support more frequent, reliable transit service and vibrant, walkable, neighborhoods.
Policy LUP-4.6 Compatibility with Adjoining Uses. The City shall ensure that the introduction of higher-intensity mixed-use development along major arterial corridors is compatible with adjacent land uses, by requiring features such as the following:
• Buildings set back from rear or side yard property lines adjoining single-unit dwelling residential uses;
• Building heights stepped back from sensitive adjoining uses to maintain appropriate transitions in scale and to minimize impacts to privacy and solar access;
• Landscaped off-street parking areas, loading areas, and service areas screened from adjacent residential areas to the degree feasible; or
• Lighting shielded from view and directed downward to minimize impacts on adjacent residential uses.
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.
Policy LUP-6.4 Neighborhood Form. The City shall recognize the patterns in existing neighborhoods by developing defined transitions between these neighborhoods and adjoining areas, and by requiring that new development, both private and public, consider the existing physical characteristics of buildings, streetscapes, open spaces, and urban form of the neighborhood in its design. Designs may be traditional or contemporary but should contribute to the livability of the neighborhood.
Policy LUP-6.5 Established Neighborhoods. The City should encourage new development to respect the pedestrian-scale, pre-automobile form, and lush urban forest that typifies established neighborhoods and contributes to their sense of place.
Policy LUP-8.7 Distinctive Urban Skyline. The City shall guide the development of a distinctive urban skyline that reflects the vision of Sacramento with a prominent central core containing the city’s tallest buildings, complemented by smaller-scale urban centers and corridors with mid- and high-rise development.
Policy LUP-8.11 Neighborhood and Transitions. The City shall ensure that development standards facilitate transitions between areas that border one another so that neighborhoods and districts maintain their own unique qualities.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: This report concerns actions supporting the review and comment of the 2040 General Plan and Zoning Code Consistency Project. 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 in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) and is not subject to CEQA (CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(3).) Future efforts associated with updating Title 17 to ensure consistency with the adopted 2040 General Plan will be reviewed in accordance with CEQA Guidelines sections 15060 and 15061(a).
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Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
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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.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: Commission input will help inform the framework for proposed Zoning Code amendments relating to Missing Middle Housing Standards and local implementation of SB 79.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
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