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Sacramento County Land Use Regulation Library
Welcome to the open beta of the brand new Land Use Regulation Library, which aims to increase the accessibility of adopted land use regulations in unincorporated Sacramento County. The library is currently a work in progress. Daily maintenance is scheduled on weekdays from 7:30AM to 8:00AM and 4:30PM to 5:00PM. For any comments or concerns about the functionality of the library, please email Matthew Jumamoy, Associate Planner.

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The 2026 Interim Zoning Code Guidance has been released, addressing State legislation which came into effect January 1, 2026.

White Rock Road SPA

Sacramento County Zoning Code
White Rock Road Special Planning Area Ordinance

Section titled “Sacramento County Zoning Code White Rock Road Special Planning Area Ordinance”

Adopted April 10, 1980
Amended August 24, 1994
80-SPA-1
Adopted by 1979-RZ-CP-UP-1300
Amended by 1993-UPB-0770 (BFI Medical Waste)

503-10. INTENT.

Section titled “503-10. INTENT.”

It is the intent of the Board of Supervisors in adopting the Special Planning Area Ordinance to provide for development of the property described in Section 503-15 to maximize visual and operational amenities and ensure exclusive industrial use of the property. Section 503-15, attached to this Ordinance, is incorporated herein and made a part of this Ordinance for all purposes.

503-11. PERMITTED USES.

Section titled “503-11. PERMITTED USES.”

The uses listed on Section 503-16 are permitted in this Special Planning Area. Section 503-16, attached to this Ordinance, is incorporated herein and made a part of this Ordinance for all purposes.

503-12. REVIEW BY APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY OF FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.

Section titled “503-12. REVIEW BY APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY OF FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.”

All development within the area described in Section 503-15 shall conform to the development criteria established below. In addition, all final development plans shall be subject to review by the Planning Director or his designee.

503-13. DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

Section titled “503-13. DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.”

a. Access.

Section titled “a. Access.”

Limited access to White Rock Road shall be encouraged and promoted when feasible as part of the development plan review process described above.

b. Landscaping.

Section titled “b. Landscaping.”
  1. A minimum 25 foot wide landscaped planter, exclusive of approved driveways, shall be provided along White Rock Road. In addition, any unused area within the street right-of-way shall be developed as a planter, or landscaped area, in conjunction with the 25 foot area above.
  2. Additional planters or landscaped areas shall be provided in public parking areas as specified in Title III, Chapter 30, Article 3 of this Code.
  3. Within each planter or landscaped area an irrigation system and live landscaping shall be provided and maintained.
  4. In keeping with the surrounding natural features, landscaping should include native California oaks, wildflowers, and cobbles to minimize maintenance and water consumption.
  5. Required planter and landscaped areas shall be protected from vehicle encroachment as specified in Title III, Chapter 30, Article 3, of this Code.

c. Outside Storage.

Section titled “c. Outside Storage.”

Outside storage of merchandise, parts, equipment and company vehicles shall not be permitted within the 25 foot wide landscaped area and shall be screened from view of White Rock Road by buildings and/or a six foot to eight foot high solid masonry or wooden fence.

d. Signs.

Section titled “d. Signs.”

Signs shall conform to the requirements of the BP (Business and Professional) land use zone.

e. Water.

Section titled “e. Water.”

Water flow shall meet any and all requirements of the Rancho Cordova Fire Department.

f. Sewer and Drainage System.

Section titled “f. Sewer and Drainage System.”

The sewer and drainage system shall be designed to prohibit the discharge of any chemical, industrial, or human waste to the surface water or groundwater table.

g.

Section titled “g.”

All other development standards not expressly described herein shall comply with those required in the M-2 (Heavy Industrial) land use zone.

503-14. FINDINGS.

Section titled “503-14. FINDINGS.”

In creating this Special Planning Area, the Board of Supervisors finds:

  1. The property lies within an area suspected of having groundwater contamination; a limitation to heavy industrial uses would help restrict uses involving large numbers of people.
  2. One of the desired uses, a hazardous waste transfer station, makes inclusion of other nonindustrial uses undesirable.
  3. Probable future industrial development in this area indicates the need for a precedent-setting development which depicts a higher level of visual and operational amenities not normally found in standard industrially-zoned land. Such a precedent is strongly supported by community groups desiring a higher grade industrial park.
  4. The Special Planning Area, although relatively small, will provide for uses most compatible with surrounding uses without granting a special privilege or depriving property rights. This Special Planning Area provides for a reasonable use of the site and will not cause undue hardship on property owners within the zone.

503-15.

Section titled “503-15.”

503-16. PERMITTED USES.

Section titled “503-16. PERMITTED USES.”

Autos and Trucks:

Section titled “Autos and Trucks:”
  • Painting (2)
  • Reconditioning (2)
  • Repair and overhauling (2)
  • Upholstering (2)
  • Repair garage, machine repair and overhaul (2)
  • Inspection station (2)

Animal and Fiber Processing:

Section titled “Animal and Fiber Processing:”
  • Fish smoking, curing or canning
  • Olive processing plants (3)
  • Canneries (3)
  • Butcher, wholesale (excluding slaughterhouse)
  • Honey extraction
  • Winery or brandy distiller (3)
  • Manufacture of sauerkraut, vinegar, yeast (3)
  • Distillation of bones (3)
  • Fat rendering, except as an incidental use (3)
  • Dead animal reduction (3)
  • Animal slaughter (3)
  • Tannery or the curing or storing of raw hides (3)
  • Manufacturing, compounding or processing of such products as:
    • Bakery goods
    • Candy
    • Dairy products
    • Other food products (3)
    • Fruits and vegetables (packing only)
    • Perfume (2)
    • Toiletries (2)
    • Cosmetics (2)
    • Drugs (2)

Industrial Yard Use:

Section titled “Industrial Yard Use:”
  • Draying and freight yard
  • Feed and fuel yard
  • Truck terminal yard
  • Freight classification yard
  • Lumber yard
  • Brick yard
  • Contractor’s storage yard and incidental office (2)
  • Machinery rental yard (2)
  • Heavy equipment storage, service and repair yard (2)
  • Public utility service yard (2)
  • Automobile wrecking yard (3)
  • Machinery wrecking yard (3)
  • Used building materials scrap or junk yard (3)
  • Military surplus equipment and goods (2)
  • Parking yard for damaged vehicles (2)

Manufacturing and Fabrications Uses:

Section titled “Manufacturing and Fabrications Uses:”
  • Alcohol, industrial or grain manufacture
  • Ammonia, bleaching power or chlorine manufacture
  • Asphalt manufacture or refining
  • Blast furnace or coke oven
  • Boiler works
  • Brick, adobe, title, terra cotta or concrete products concrete or cement products manufacture
  • Ice manufacture and cold storage
  • Iron or steel foundry or fabrication plant and heavyweight casting
  • Lampblack manufacture
  • Ore reduction
  • Paint, oil (including linseed), shellac, turpentine, lacquer or varnish manufacture
  • Paper and pulp manufacture
  • Planing and sawmills
  • Plastic manufacture
  • Potash works
  • Quarry or stone mills
  • Railroad repair shops
  • Rolling mills
  • Soap manufacture
  • Sodium compound manufacture
  • Tar distrillation or tar products manufacture
  • Garment manufacture
  • Machinery shop uses (2)
    • Blacksmith shops (2)
    • Cabinet or carpenter shops (2)
    • Electric motor rebuilding (2)
    • Machine shops (2)
    • Sheet metal shops (2)
    • Welding shops (2)
    • Plumbing shops (2)
    • Manufacturing, compounding, assembly, or treatment of articles or merchandise from previously-prepared metals (2)
  • Billboards (outdoor poster advertising)
  • Linoleum and oilcloth manufacture
  • Chemical manufacture:
    • Acid (3)
    • Cement, lime, gypsum or plaster of paris (3)
    • Acetylene gas (3)
    • Explosives manufacture or storage (3)
    • Fertilizer (3)
    • Gas (3)
    • Glue (3)
    • Petroleum refining (3)
    • Other chemical manufacture (3)
  • Drop-forge industry manufacturing, including forges with power hammers (3)
  • Smelting of tin, copper, zinc, or iron ore (3)
  • Aircraft engine testing (3)
  • Rocket testing facilities (3)
  • Electric or neon sign manufacture
  • Boat building
  • Manufacturing, compounding, assembly or treatment of articles or merchandise from the following previously-prepared materials:
    • Bone (2)
    • Canvas (2)
    • Cellophane (2)
    • Cloth (2)
    • Cork (2)
    • Feathers (2)
    • Felt (2)
    • Fibre (2)
    • Fur (2)
    • Hair (2)
    • Horn (2)
    • Glass (2)
    • Leather (2)
    • Paper, no milling (2)
    • Precious or semiprecious stones or metals (2)
    • Plaster (2)
    • Plastic (2)
    • Shells (2)
    • Textiles (2)
    • Tobacco (2)
    • Wood (2)
    • Yarns (2)
  • Rubber and metal stamps, musical instruments, toys and novelties (2)
  • Lightweight non-ferrous metal casting foundry (1)
  • Ceramic products using only previously-pulverized clay and fired in kilns using electricity or gas only (2)

Processing and Assembly Uses:

Section titled “Processing and Assembly Uses:”
  • Wool pulling or scouring
  • Petroleum products manufacture
  • Book binding
  • Bottling plants
  • Printing shops, lithography, publishing
  • Creameries
  • Carpet and rug cleaning plants
  • Laundries, cleaning and dyeing plants
  • Tire retreading, recapping and rebuilding
  • Assembly of small electrical and electronic equipment
  • Assembly of plastic items from finished plastic
  • Rubber fabrication or products made from finished rubber (2)
  • Egg processing facilities (2)

Storage and Warehouse Uses:

Section titled “Storage and Warehouse Uses:”
  • Petroleum Storage
  • Storage and distribution of bottled gas
  • Wholesaling and warehousing
  • Commercial grain elevators
  • Frozen food lockers – cold storage
  • Hazardous waste transfer station (3)
  • Medical waste treatment facility (3)

Services:

Section titled “Services:”
  • Janitorial (2)
  • Pest control (2)
  • Disinfecting or fumigating (2)
  • Gardening and landscaping; service yard and work shop (2)
  • Trailer sales, rental service (2)
  • Tree service (2)
  • Delivery service (2)
  • Taxicab service and storage (2)
  • Laboratory, research, experimental (2)
  • Laboratory, materials testing (2)

Miscellaneous:

Section titled “Miscellaneous:”
  • Kennel, boarding
  • Residence for night watchman or caretaker

Footnotes:

  1. Permitted, subject to issuance of a conditional use permit by the Project Planning Commission.
  2. Permitted provided the entire operation, including the parking and storage of vehicles used in connection with the operation, is conducted within a completely enclosed building or within a fenced area.
  3. Permitted, subject to issuance of a conditional use permit by the Board of Supervisors after a recommendation by the Project Planning Commission.