Title
Norcal Bottle Shop and Alcohol Sales (P26-007) [Noticed 08/14/2026; Published 08/14/2026]
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01511
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Location
Location: 2820 E Street, APN 003-0154-008-0000, District 4
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion, pass a Motion to approve: 1) Environmental Exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301 (Existing Facilities); and; 2) Conditional Use Permit to authorize the sale of distilled spirits within an existing store that is authorized to sell beer and wine within the Limited Commercial (C-1-SPD) zone and the Central City Special Planning District (SPD).
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Contact
Contact: Sierra Peterson, Associate Planner, (916) 808-7181, speterson@cityofsacramento.org; Karlo Felix, Senior Planner, (916) 808-7183, kfelix@cityofsacramento.org; Community Development Department
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Presenter
Presenter: Sierra Peterson, Associate Planner, (916) 808-7181, speterson@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
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Applicant
Applicant: Chamkaur Sahota, Norcal Bottleshops, Inc., (916) 290-2353, norcalbottleshops@gmail.com
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Property Owner
Property Owner: Athena Boundaniotis Revocable Trust, 2643 American River Drive, Sacramento, CA, (916) 359-4250
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Background
3-Findings of Fact and Conditions of Approval
4-Exhibit A: Plans
5-Exhibit B: Sacramento Police Department Protest Conditions
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The applicant is requesting a conditional use permit (CUP) to authorize the sale of distilled spirits within an existing store that is authorized to sell beer and wine on the south side of E Street between 28th and 29th Streets. The business is authorized to sell beer and wine through a California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Type-20 license (off-sale beer & wine) which will be replaced with an ABC Type-21 license (off-sale general), if granted, for the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits. The business is not currently operating, but the new business operator will reopen a convenience store and is similar to the businesses by various operators that have been on site since 1983. The business will open once the alcohol license is granted.
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Public/Neighborhood Outreach and Comments
Public/Neighborhood Outreach and Comments: Staff routed the proposal to community groups within 500 feet of the site including: Civic Thread, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, Preservation Sacramento, East Sacramento Community Association, Marshall-New Era Neighborhood Association, East Sac Give Back, East Sacramento Chamber Of Commerce, and East Sacramento Preservation (ESP). These community groups as well as property owners and current residents/businesses within 500 feet of the project site were sent a notice of the August 27, 2026, Planning and Design Commission meeting. No comments have been received as of the publication of this report
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations:
2040 General Plan
The 2040 General Plan designation for this project site is Neighborhood (N). The General Plan recognizes that N designation areas are intended for primarily residential development and enhance livability and sense of place. The N designation is comprised of residential uses, with some complementary neighborhood-serving commercial and public uses such as schools, parks, neighborhood-serving commercial, corner markets, coffee shops, hair salons, shops, gyms, and fitness centers, office uses, assembly facilities. The existing store with existing alcohol sales (beer and wine) and the proposed additional sale of alcohol (distilled spirits) is consistent with the N designation as it provides for neighborhood servicing commercial.
In addition to the project’s consistency with the N designation, staff find that the project is consistent with the following 2040 General Plan Land Use and Placemaking Element goals and policies:
Goal LUP-2. Balanced and connected community with thriving neighborhoods and centers and development intensities linked to transit.
Policy LUP-2.1 Overall Balance of Uses. The City should encourage a balance and a mix of employment, residential, commercial, cultural, and tourism-related uses, as well as a full range of amenities and services necessary to support a thriving city.
Goal LUP-5. Attractive, thriving commercial centers that are well-located to serve the needs of Sacramento residents, workers, and visitors.
Policy LUP-5.5 Neighborhood Commerce. The City shall support geographically well-distributed neighborhood-oriented commercial centers or “main streets” to improve local access to stores, cafés and restaurants, and other neighborhood commercial uses and services.
Goal LUP-6. A city of healthy, livable, “complete neighborhoods” that provide for residents’ daily needs within easy walking or biking distance from home.
Policy LUP-6.1 Neighborhoods as a Basic Unit. Recognizing Sacramento’s neighborhoods as foundational elements of the city’s urban structure, the City shall work to enhance their livability through the development of plans and programs.
Staff Response. The use is consistent with the General Plan goals and policies above in that the project allows for the expansion of goods offered at an existing neighborhood-serving store. The immediate area context does not provide a grocery store and the neighborhood convenience store offers access to everyday necessities such as groceries and household essentials while also offering alcohol and other beverages are essential neighborhood serving assets that help create healthy, livable, and complete neighborhoods. Through the implementation of the conditions of approval and the conditions from the Police Department, the convenience store can contribute positively to the fabric of the neighborhood by fostering economic development and a full range of amenities necessary to support a neighborhood. Additionally, the sale of alcohol at this location has been ongoing since 1993 and the Police Department provided protest conditions at that time to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to be placed on the store’s alcohol license at the discretion of ABC. No active or previous violations or issues are identified by ABC or the City’s Code Enforcement Division related to the current alcohol sales.
Central City Specific Plan
The subject property is located within the Central City Neighborhoods area of the Central City
Specific Plan. Overall, the project is consistent with the Specific Plan and further supports the plan’s emphasis for continued activation of the Central City and the continued development of active and complete neighborhoods.
Policy LU.8.3 Complete Neighborhoods. Encourage new and revitalized development that supports more complete residential neighborhoods with complementary community-supportive retail, commercial, entertainment, and service uses.
Staff Response. Staff finds that the project is consistent with the specific plan policy for Central City Neighborhoods in that the business will contribute to a more complete residential neighborhood by offering everyday necessities such as groceries and household essentials in an existing commercial building with a new convenience store operator. Continuing a similar business in the existing building will provide community supported retail for the surrounding residential uses.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: The Community Development Department, Environmental Planning Services has reviewed this project and determined that it is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities (Categorical Exemption - Class 1).
Class 1 includes projects involving the operation, permitting, and licensing of existing facilities and involves negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The project qualifies for this exemption because no physical changes are proposed to the existing structure and alcohol has been sold at this location since 1993. The business is not currently operating, but the new business operator will reopen a convenience store and is similar to the businesses by various operators that have been on site since 1983. The business will open once the alcohol license is granted.
Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Planning and Design Commission make a motion to approve the requested entitlements based on the findings of fact and subject to the conditions listed within Attachment 3. Staff’s recommendation is based on findings that the project is: a) consistent with the goals and policies of the 2040 General Plan, the Neighborhood designation, the Central City Specific Plan, the C-1-SPD zone, and the Central City SPD, in that the project is appropriate for the site characteristics and is compatible with surrounding uses in the neighborhood; b) the project has been conditioned to address potential impacts to the neighboring uses by incorporating a video assessment and surveillance system (VASS) covering points of sale, alcohol display areas, store entrances, and parking areas to deter theft and unauthorized consumption, and establishing a condition that will encourage the community and operator to work together should any issues or concerns arise; c) is appropriate for the site characteristics and is compatible with surrounding uses in the neighborhood; d) will not negatively impact surrounding properties as conditions; and e) expands the commercial offerings in a mixed-use neighborhood and pedestrian-oriented area of the city.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
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