Butterfield Light Rail Station SPA

Sacramento County Zoning Code
Butterfield Light Rail Station Special Planning Area Ordinance

Adopted May 9, 2007
Adopted by 2006-CZB-ZOB-0415 (4th Cycle Housing Element Rezone Program)

513-100. INTENT.

It is the intent of the Board of Supervisors in adopting this Special Planning Area Ordinance to permit development in a manner that allows mixed land use development including: commercial, office, residential and public/quasi public uses. The character of land uses and their relationship to transit are intended to promote walking and biking, thus reducing reliance on the automobile and meeting County, regional and State air quality goals.

513-101. APPLICABILITY.

The provisions of this Article shall apply to the property shown on Section 513-221.

513-102. DEFINITIONS.

Unless otherwise noted, definitions set forth in the Sacramento County Zoning Code Sections 130-01 through 130-208 apply. For the purposes of this Article, the following additional definitions apply:

Floor Area Ratio, The ratio of a building’s gross floor area to the area of the parcel on which the building is located.

Mixed Use, A building or parcel which includes at least two different primary uses, often with one use on the ground floor and the other(s) on above floors. The most common types of mixed use buildings have retail and/or commercial services on the ground floor with either office or residential uses on above floors.

513-103. PERMITTED USES.

This Special Planning Area shall include a combination of residential, commercial, office and quasi-public uses.

a. Commercial and Office Uses.

Permitted uses are those not listed in Section 513- 220 and are permitted in the Shopping Center (SC) Zone and the Business and Professional Office (BP) Zones Land Use Zones as listed in the Sacramento County Zoning Code Table II, Section 225-11 subject to the special conditions referenced in Section 225-14. The minimum gross floor area for commercial and office uses shall be a total of 3,000 square feet of gross floor area. Commercial uses shall not exceed 12,000 square feet of the gross floor area and office uses shall not exceed 3,000 square feet of gross floor area for the subject property described in Section 513-111.

b. Residential Uses.

Permitted uses are those uses permitted in the RD-40 Residential Land Use Zone as listed in the Sacramento County Zoning Code Table I, Section 201-02 subject to the special conditions referenced in Section 201-04.

c. Public/Quasi-Public Uses.

The public/quasi-public land uses that are permitted in the property described in Section 513-111 include light rail stations and associated facilities. The Butterfield Light Rail Station is located within the area covered by the Special Planning Area.

d.

All uses allowed in the area described in Section 513-111 must be conducted within a completely enclosed building. This requirement does not apply to the light rail station and associated facilities, off-street parking or loading areas, outdoor vendors, automated teller machines, or outdoor seating areas.

513-104. RESIDENTIAL UNITS ALLOWED.

The maximum allowable amount of residential units shall be 110 units. The minimum allowed is 96 units.

513-105. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.

a. Building Height.

1. No structure or building shall be erected to a height that exceeds fifty (50) feet.
2. Buildings over two stories should incorporate step-backs to address building mass and bulk. Buildings shall have a maximum streetwall height of forty (40) feet. Buildings above this height shall be stepped back by a minimum of five (5) feet for a minimum of fifty (50) percent of the frontage and be accompanied by architectural expression (e.g., loggia, balcony, cornice, sloping roof, etc.).

b. Building Coverage/Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

The floor area ratio shall be a minimum of 1.0 FAR and a maximum of 3.0 FAR.

c. Yards.

1. Front and Side Street – The entire building façade must abut the street sidewalk or be located within ten (10) feet of the street sidewalk. The Project Planning Commission may grant an exception to allow a greater building setback measured from the street sidewalk in cases where a development incorporates enhanced pedestrian spaces and amenities in the setback area. Enhanced pedestrian spaces and amenities consist of features such as plazas, courtyards, outdoor cafes, street furniture, public art or kiosks.
2. Rear and Interior – Not required.

d. Building Frontage.

The building frontage shall be a minimum of seventy-five (75) percent of the public street frontage of the parcel.

e. Doors and Entrances.

1. Buildings shall have a primary entrance door facing a transit platform, station, street or major pedestrian accessway. Entrances at building corners may be used to satisfy this requirement.
2. Building entrances may include doors to individual shops or businesses, lobby entrances, entrances to pedestrian-oriented plazas, or courtyard entrances to cluster of shops or businesses.

f. Transparency

1. A minimum of fifty (50) percent of the street-facing building façade between two (2) feet and eight (8) feet in height must be comprised of clear windows that allow views of indoor space or product display areas. This pertains to retail or office space only.
2. The bottom of any window or product display window used to satisfy the transparency standard of paragraph (1) above may not be more than three (3) to four and one half (4.5) feet above the adjacent sidewalk.
3. Product display windows used to satisfy these requirements must have a minimum height of four (4) feet and be internally lighted.

g. Sidewalks.

Sidewalks along public street frontages shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet unobstructed width.

h. Landscaping.

1. There shall be a minimum of six (6) feet wide planter strip between the street curb and sidewalks. No curbing is required.
2. Within this planter, street trees from an approved list shall be planted no farther than thirty (30) feet on center.

i. Signs.

1. On-site freestanding signs are permitted as regulated by Title II, Chapter 35 Article 5, “Special Sign District”, Sections 335-60 through 66 of the Sacramento County Zoning Code with the following modifications
   
   The maximum area of the monument sign shall be fifty-six (56) square feet. The maximum height shall be six (6) feet. No minimum setbacks are required as long as the minimum landscaping requirements are met pursuant to 513- 105(i)(1) and (2) and the sign is in proportion to the scale of the building and the setback.
   
2. Signs attached to buildings are permitted as regulated by Title II, Chapter 35, Article 2.1 “Signs – Business and Professional Office Zone”, Section 335- 15(a) of the Sacramento County Zoning Code.
3. Off-site signs are specifically prohibited, except directory signs.

j. Pedestrian Connection.

There shall be a direct pedestrian connection between the park and ride lot on APN 068-0011-104 and the light rail station.

513-106. PARKING.

Commercial, office and residential uses within proximity of a light rail station require less off-street parking than the standards delineated in the Sacramento County Zoning Code. For this reason, lesser standards are applied for the property described in Section 513-111. Off-street parking shall be provided, using the following standards.

1. For commercial and office uses, parking shall not exceed two and a half (2.5) parking spaces for every one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross floor area. The Board of Supervisors may grant an exception to exceed or reduce this parking standard.
2. For residential uses, parking shall be a minimum of one (1) parking space and a maximum of one and a half (1.5) parking space for each dwelling unit. The Board of Supervisors may grant an exception to exceed or reduce the maximum parking standard.
3. Off-street parking spaces shall be located to the rear of buildings or otherwise screened by landscaped berms, shrubbery or other means to form a visual screen of at least three (3) feet in height so as to not be visible from the public street.
4. Off-street parking spaces shall not occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the public street frontage.

513-107. DESIGN REVIEW.

Prior to the issuance of a building permit for any building located on the property described in 513-111, an application for design review shall be submitted for review and approval by the Board of Supervisors. The application shall include maps and associated documents which show the details of the proposed use, including: location of buildings, relationship and connectivity to surrounding development, parking areas, common grounds, signs, elevation of proposed structures, a discussion of materials to be used , and any other information or materials required by the Planning Director. Plans that are submitted shall be in substantial compliance with the County’s Commercial and Mixed Use Design Guidelines as adopted by the Board of Supervisors on September 26, 2006, and specific design standards contained in this ordinance.

513-108. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

a. Community Facilities District

1. Prior to approval of final maps or building permits, whichever may come first, the property shall annex into the County of Sacramento Community Facilities District No. 2005-1 (Police Services). The annexation process takes approximately 6 months and the applicants must contact the County of Sacramento Infrastructure Finance Section at (916) 874-6525 at the earliest possible time to initiate the process.

b. Mitigation Monitoring Program

1. Comply with the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for this project, including the payment of 100% of the Sacramento County Department of Environmental Review and Assessment staff costs, and the costs of any technical consultant services incurred during implementation of that Program.
   
   An initial deposit will be required, which must be paid to the Department of Environmental Review and Assessment prior to recordation of the MMRP or review of any plans by the DERA. If actual County monitoring costs are less than the initial deposit, the difference will be refunded to the applicant; and if the actual County monitoring costs exceed the initial deposit, a supplemental bill will be submitted to the applicant.

c. Noise Mitigation

1. To ensure compliance with General Plan Noise Element standards of 65 dB Ldn or less for common residential outdoor activity areas, these areas shall not be located closer to Folsom Boulevard than the 65 dB Folsom Boulevard traffic noise contour which is 202 feet from the centerline of Folsom Boulevard as referenced on Plate IS-2 of the Initial Study.
   
   Or
   
   Any deviation from the above measure shall be supported by an acoustical analysis, completed by a qualified acoustical consultant. The acoustical analysis shall contain an evaluation of the potential noise environment and measures, if needed, necessary to reduce transportation related noise to less than 65 dB in common residential outdoor activity areas.
2. In order to minimize nuisance noise from loading dock operations to residential receptors, if any residential units are to be located within 100 feet of a loading dock area, then an acoustical analysis shall be completed by a qualified acoustical consultant. The analysis shall evaluate potential noise impacts on the proposed residential units and recommend control measures to attenuate loading dock noise impacts. Control measures may include some or all of the following, and/or other industry accepted methods:
   1. Provide noise resistant construction for residential units near loading docks.
   2. Place residential units at least 100 feet from loading docks and truck accesses.
   3. Restrict loading dock operations and truck arrivals and departures to the daytime hours.
   4. Prohibit engine idling at loading docks.
   5. Place noise attenuating barriers and landscaping around loading docks.

d. Sewer Service

1. Connection to the County Sanitation District -1 (CSD-1) sewer system shall be required to the satisfaction of CSD-1. Sacramento County Improvement Standards shall apply to sewer construction.
2. Each building with sewage sources shall have a separate connection to the CSD-1 sewer system.
3. Sewer service laterals will not be permitted to connect to the 102” diameter interceptor sewer line on Butterfield Way.
4. CSD-1 may require an approved sewer study prior to issuance of building permits or submittal of improvement plans for plan check to CSD-1, whichever comes first. The sewer study shall demonstrate the quantity of discharge and any “flow through sewage” along with appropriate pipe sizes and related appurtenances from this subject and other upstream areas, and shall be done in accordance with the District’s “Minimum Sewer Study Requirements” of April 3, 2006. The study shall be done on a no “Shed- Shift” basis unless approved by the District in advance and in compliance with Sacramento County Improvement Standards.
5. In order to obtain sewer service, construct of CSD-1 sewer infrastructure is expected to be required. This may include on-site and off-site work. Some off-site work may be reimbursable.
6. Sewer easements may be required. All sewer easements shall be dedicated to CSD-1 in a form approved by the District Engineer. All CSD-1 sewer easements shall be at least 20 feet in width and ensure continuous access for installation and maintenance.
7. The payment of sewer fees may be required when development occurs on the subject property.

513-109. FINDINGS.

During the public hearings on this Ordinance, the Board of Supervisors found that:

1. The ordinance is consistent and compatible with the objectives, policies, general land use, and programs specified in the Sacramento County General Plan.
2. The locating of commercial/office and high density residential uses in a mixed use setting adjacent to an existing light rail station will reduce reliance on the automobile and will meet County, regional and State air quality goals.
3. The application of a standard land use zone cannot adequately address the development and performance standards deemed appropriate for the site.
4. The Special Planning Area will provide for a reasonable use of the land and not cause undue hardship on the property owners.

513-110. USES NOT ALLOWED.

1. Auto, Minor Service - Repair - Replacement
2. Auto Service Station, Primary and Secondary
3. Auto Wash, Self-Service or Automatic
4. Motorcycle, Sports Cycles, Trail Bikes Jet Skis, Snowmobile, Ultra Light, Moped – Sales, Rent, Service, Repair and Dismantling
5. Auto Rental or Lease Agency, Including Limousine Service
6. Ambulance Service
7. Massage Parlor
8. Cold Storage – Frozen Food Locker
9. Parking Lot or Garage as Primary Use
10. Towing Service
11. Lawn Mower Engine and Garden Power Tool – Sales, Service, Repair
12. Arcade – Electronic, Mechanical, or Video Games
13. Card Room
14. Building Material and Lumber Sales
15. Firewood – Fuel Sales
16. Garage Equipment and Tool Sales
17. Travel Trailer – Mobilehome, Motorhome, Camper – Sales, Rent, Storage
18. Recreational Vehicle and Boat Storage
19. Recycling Center
20. Baggage Transfer Service
21. Restaurant Drive-Up Window and/or Order Station
22. Drive-in Café
23. Drive-in Dairy
24. Drive-in Food Market or Stand
25. Public Auction of New Clothing and Apparel, within an Enclosed Building
26. Boat Sale, Rent, Service
27. Freight depot
28. Recreation Facilities, Outdoor
29. Liquor Store

513-111.