Chapter 2: Zoning Districts

Sacramento County Zoning Code
Chapter 2: Zoning Districts

2.1. GENERAL

2.1.1. Purpose

To carry out the purpose and provisions of this Code, the County is divided into zoning districts. This chapter establishes the base zoning districts and contains general information pertaining to zoning districts such as statements of purpose and district-specific regulations. Chapter 3, “Use Regulations,” sets forth the uses and use standards allowed within the districts. Chapter 4, “Special and Combining Zoning Districts” establishes zoning districts in which additional standards may apply. Chapter 5, “Development Standards” contains standards that apply to development in the zoning districts.

2.1.2.

2.1.3. Prohibition

No building, structure, vehicle, sign, or area shall be used, erected, altered, moved, enlarged, or stored in any zoning district except as specifically allowed in the underlying zoning district and by the regulations of any applicable combining district. Nor shall property in any zoning district be used in any manner so as to create problems contrary to public health, safety, or general welfare or so as to constitute a public nuisance. No building, structure, vehicle, sign, or area shall be used, erected, altered, moved, enlarged, or stored in any zoning district unless all standards related to the building, structure, vehicle, sign, or area, found in this Code are provided and maintained.

2.1.4. Sequence of Zoning Districts

2.1.4.A. Intermediate Zoning District Classifications

Within each major Section of this Chapter, the zoning districts are listed in sequence for the purpose of determining the intermediate zoning district. The Planning Commission may recommend a zoning district classification to the Board of Supervisors intermediate to the existing zoning district and the zoning district classification sought by the applicant. The sequences in this Chapter are independent and are in the order of intensity, ranging from the least intense at the top of each sequence to the most intense at the bottom. The Planning Commission may recommend an intermediate zoning district classification between two zoning districts within a particular sequence, or may recommend a less intense zoning district in the sequence containing the zoning district advertised in the notice of public hearing. For example, RD-15 is intermediate to RD-20 and RD-30; BP is intermediate to GC; RD-30, however, is not intermediate to BP since the latter is in a different sequence from the advertised zoning district.

Agricultural Zoning District Sequence
1. AG-160
2. AG-80
3. AG-40
4. AG-20
Agricultural-Residential Zoning District Sequence
1. AR-10
2. AR-5
3. AR-2
4. AR-1
Single Family Residential Zoning District Sequence
1. RD-1
2. RD-2
3. RD-3
4. RD-4
5. RD-5
6. RD-7
7. RD-10
Multiple Family Residential Zoning District Sequence
1. RM-2
2. RD-15
3. RD-20
4. RD-25
5. RD-30
6. RD-40
Commercial Zoning District Sequence
1. BP
2. LC
3. GC
Industrial Zoning District Sequence
1. MP
2. M-1
3. M-2
Mixed-Use Zoning District Sequence
1. NMC
2. CMC
3. CMZ

2.1.4.B. Nonintermediate Zoning Districts

The zoning districts listed in this Section are not intermediate to any other zoning classification and the Planning Commission shall not recommend any of the following zoning districts to the Board of Supervisors unless the zoning district classification was included in the public notice: O, C-O, PC, SM, NPA, SPA, DW, UR, RR, IR, and NS. If property already carries a combining zoning district designation, the underlying zoning district may be changed without affecting the combining zoning district and such combining zoning district shall remain on the property unless a request to remove combining zoning district was included in the public hearing notice.

2.1.5. Abbreviations

Throughout this Code, zoning districts listed in this Chapter may be referred to and cited by use of the abbreviation thereof.

2.2. COMPREHENSIVE ZONING PLAN

2.2.1. General

The boundaries of zoning districts established in this Code are delineated upon the Comprehensive Zoning Plan (CZP), adopted by the Board of Supervisors. The CZP is incorporated by reference as part of this Code, and shall be maintained on file in the office of the Planning Director. The boundaries of the zoning districts as set forth on the CZP are confirmed, adopted, established and may be changed in accordance with this Code. The following documents containing zoning ordinances and other adopted documents supplement the CZP, and are also maintained on file in the office of the Planning Director:

Appendix A of this Code, hereby incorporated by reference, contains all of the adopted Planned Development Ordinances and Development Agreements.
Title IV of this Code, hereby incorporated by reference, contains all of those zoning districts considered to be temporary and it is the intent to rezone each parcel of property to one of the permanent zoning districts, as defined by this Code.
Title V of this Code, hereby incorporated by reference, contains all of the adopted Special Planning Areas and Neighborhood Preservation Areas.
Title VI of this Code, hereby incorporated by reference, contains all of the adopted Specific Plans and Corridor Plans.

2.3. COMBINING ZONE DISTRICTS

2.3.1. Purpose

The Special and Combining Zoning Districts established in this Chapter are designed to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare and are adopted for the following purposes:

To provide for the orderly development and beneficial use of lands involving exceptional environmental characteristics.
To preserve and enhance certain resources of the County from incompatible land uses.
To preserve and protect areas of the County with special and unique social, architectural, or environmental characteristics that require special considerations not otherwise adequately provided by base zoning districts.
To provide greater flexibility in design than is otherwise provided under the base zoning districts, to permit and encourage a more efficient development and utilization of areas with unique characteristics, resources, environmental factors and conditions; while preserving and protecting the public interest, health, safety, welfare, and property values.

2.3.2. Table of Combining Zone Districts

The following are the combining zone districts for Sacramento County:

TABLE 2.1 TABLE OF COMBINING ZONING DISTRICTS

Zoning District Name	Abbreviation	Purpose and District Summary
Flood Combining	F	This zoning district is combined with the base zoning district and applies to those areas designated as subject to flooding in the event of a 100-year flood upon a recommendation by the Sacramento County Department of Water Resources. Any new or altered building designed for human habitation must have its first floor elevated as required by the Sacramento County Floodplain Management Ordinance.
Natural Streams Combining Zoning District	NS	This zoning district is combined with a base zoning district and is used to regulate property along the designated Natural Streams provided in Chapter 4.
Neighborhood Preservation Area Combining Zoning District	NPA	This zoning district is combined with the base zoning district and provides a means by which regulations may be provided to supplement or modify the provisions in the basic zoning districts as necessary to preserve existing unique characteristics. An NPA zoning district may be combined with any other zoning classification.
Parkway Corridor Combining	PC	This zoning district is combined with the base zoning district and applied to property in areas on which uses may affect the aesthetics of the American River Parkway. This combining zoning district has been established to limit uses that visually impact the parkway. Recently, the bluff areas have begun to erode significantly and the combining zoning district contains development standards to provide safety for developments occurring near the tops of the bluffs.

2.4. AGRICULTURAL ZONING DISTRICTS

2.4.1. General Purpose

The agricultural zoning districts are established to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare. Each of the agricultural zoning districts is adopted for the following purposes:

To eliminate the encroachment of land uses incompatible with the long-term agricultural use of land.
To preserve, in accordance with the Right-to-Farm Ordinance (SCC Chapter 14.05), the maximum amount of the limited supply of agricultural land in order to conserve economic resources that are vital for a healthy agricultural economy.
To discourage the premature and unnecessary conversion of agricultural land to urban uses and the resulting increase in the costs of providing community services.
To assure the preservation and sustainability of agricultural lands that have a definite value as open space and for the production of agricultural products, so as to preserve an important physical, social, aesthetic, and economic asset of the residents of the County.
To encourage the retention of sufficiently large agricultural lots to assure maintenance of viable agricultural units.
These purposes shall be liberally construed insofar as they apply to agricultural pursuits and services to the end that conflicting uses shall not be permitted.

2.4.2. Table of Agricultural Zoning Districts

TABLE 2.2 TABLE OF AGRICULTURAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of Zoning District	Abbreviation	Purpose
Agricultural 160	AG‑160	To provide for long-term agricultural use and discourage the premature and unnecessary conversion of agricultural land to urban uses. Minimum lot size is 160 acres.
Agricultural 80	AG‑80	Same as AG-160, except minimum lot size is 80 acres.
Agricultural 40	AG‑40	Same as AG-160, except minimum lot size is 40 acres.
Agricultural 20	AG‑20	Same as AG-160, except minimum lot size is 20 acres.
Urban Reserve	UR	Zone for parcels currently designated for agricultural uses that are reserved for urban development at some future date.
Interim Agricultural Reserve	IR	Zone for parcels designated for agricultural uses that are reserved for future industrial use at some future date.

2.5. AGRICULTURAL – RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

2.5.1. General Purpose

The agricultural-residential zoning districts established in this Section are designed to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare. Each is distinguished by minimum lot size and is adopted for the following purposes:

To establish areas for the keeping of animals and raising of crops for personal, educational, recreational, or income-generating purposes on small farms, pursuant to the Right to Farm Ordinance (SCC Chapter 14.05), in conjunction with low-density rural residential development.
To limit the number of permitted nonresidential uses so as to promote and encourage a suitable environment for family life and small scale agriculture on parcels of land generally larger than single-family residential zoning districts, but smaller than those used for more intense agricultural operations with extensive on-site processing.
To protect small farms and rural residential areas against fire, explosions, and other hazards and against offensive noises, odors, glare, and other objectionable influences.
To provide adequate open space and access of light and air for privacy by controls over the spacing and height of buildings.
To permit those religious, educational, recreational, and public cultural facilities that serve the needs of the nearby residents and that generally perform their own activities more effectively in a semi-rural environment and that do not create objectionable influences.
To promote the most desirable use of land and direction of building development in accord with the General Plan, to promote stability and sustainability of land development, to conserve the value of land and improvements and to protect the County’s tax revenues.
To regulate the development of land when not served with both public water supply and public sewerage facilities.
To avoid undue concentration of population and overcrowding of land to lessen congestion in the streets.

Given the above goals and purpose, the agricultural-residential zones are not considered single-family residential zones. The Agricultural-Residential zone provides a buffer and natural transition between more intensive Agricultural Zones, Single-Family Residential Zones, and other non-residential zones.

2.5.2. Table of Agricultural-Residential Zoning Districts

TABLE 2.3 TABLE OF AGRICULTURAL-RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of Zoning District	Abbreviation	Purpose
Agricultural-Residential 10	AR‑10	To provide for the keeping of animals and raising of crops for personal, educational, recreational, or income-generating purposes on small farms. This zone district also allows for low-density rural residential development. Minimum lot size is 10 acres.
Agricultural-Residential 5	AR‑5	Same as AR-10, except minimum lot size is 5 acres.
Agricultural-Residential 2	AR‑2	Same as AR-10, except minimum lot size is 2 acres.
Agricultural-Residential 1	AR‑1	Same as AR-10, except minimum lot size is 1 acre.

2.6. RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

2.6.1. General Purpose

The Residential Zoning Districts are established to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare. Each is distinguished by density and is adopted for the following purposes:

To provide sufficient space, in appropriate locations, for residential development to meet the housing needs of the County’s present and expected future population, with due allowance for the need for a choice of sites.
To protect residential areas against fire, explosions, toxic matter, noxious matter, and other hazards; and against offensive noise, odorous matter, glare, and other objectionable influences.
To protect residential areas, to the extent feasible, against heavy and through traffic.
To protect residential areas against congestion by regulating the density of population, and the bulk of buildings in relation to the land around them and to one another; designing roadways that incorporate active transportation and encourage walking and bicycling through a network of interconnected streets, sidewalks and bike lanes; providing for off-street parking spaces to require the provisions of open space in residential areas wherever practicable, and thereby provide a more desirable, active environment for urban living in a metropolitan area.
To provide for privacy, access to light, and access to air through controls over the spacing and height of structures.
To provide appropriate space for those educational, religious, recreational, health, and similar facilities that serve the needs of the nearby residents, to generally perform their own activities more effectively in a residential environment, and do not create objectionable influences.
To encourage the development of desirable, active, attractive, and economic building forms.
To promote the most desirable use of land and direction of building development in accord with the General Plan; consider human health and design activity and sustainability in new developments and neighborhoods; to promote stability of residential development so as to protect the character of a district and its peculiar suitability for particular uses; to conserve the values of land and buildings; and to protect the County’s tax revenues.
To comply with State law, provide for state authorized, certified, or licensed family care homes, foster homes, or group homes as a residential use of property.

2.6.2. Table of Residential Zoning Districts

TABLE 2.4 TABLE OF RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of Zoning District	Abbreviation	Purpose
Residential 1	RD-1	Low Density Single-Family Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of one dwelling unit per acre, which is characteristic of semi-rural residential development within the Urban Services Boundary. RD-1 is typically applied in areas separating denser residential development from agricultural or agricultural-residential zoned property.
Residential 2	RD-2	Low Density Single-Family Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of two dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of semi-rural or estate-style residential development typically developed with custom homes. RD-2 is typically applied in areas separating denser residential development from agricultural-residential zoned property.
Residential 3	RD-3	Low Density Single-Family Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of three dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of estate-style residential development typically developed with custom homes and large lot tract home subdivisions.
Residential 4	RD-4	Low Density Single-Family Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of four dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of tract home subdivisions with slightly larger lots than more intensive single-family zones.
Residential 5	RD-5	Low Density Single-Family Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of five dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of typical tract home subdivisions. This is the most widely used zone for residential subdivisions.
Residential 7	RD-7	Low Density Single-Family Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of seven dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of tract home subdivisions with smaller than average, but still sizable private yards.
Residential 10	RD-10	Low Density Single-Family Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of ten dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of halfplexes, duplexes, townhomes, and tract home subdivisions with limited private yards.
Multiple Family Residential 15	RD-15	Medium Density Multifamily Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of 15 dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of townhomes, triplexes, fourplexes, small apartment complexes, and very compact tract home subdivisions.
Multiple Family Residential 20	RD-20	Medium Density Multifamily Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of 20 dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of townhomes and low to medium rise apartment complexes or condominiums.
Multiple Family Residential 25	RD-25	Medium Density Multifamily Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of 25 dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of low to medium rise apartment complexes or condominiums.
Multiple Family Residential 30	RD-30	High Density Multifamily Residential Zoning District to provide for residential development at a density of 30 dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of medium rise apartment complexes or condominiums.
Multiple Family Residential 40	RD-40	High Density Multifamily Residential Zoning District to provide for high density residential development at a density of 40 dwelling units per acre, which is characteristic of medium to high rise apartment complexes or condominiums.
Mobile Home	RM-2	To provide for the development of mobile home parks and mobile home subdivisions, which are residential subdivisions composed of individually-owned lots each with a manufactured home.

2.7. RECREATIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS

2.7.1. General Purpose

The Recreational Zoning Districts are established to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare and are adopted for the following purposes:

To preserve open space, areas of unusual scenic beauty, and areas of recreational potential that are unique to Sacramento County and California.
To protect the physical, social, recreational, aesthetic, and economic resources that are of great value to the people of Sacramento County and to the public generally.
To protect the scenic and recreational areas within Sacramento County, whenever feasible, from urban development and other types of development that jeopardize the values of these areas.
To promote and protect the general welfare by contributing to the physical, mental, social, and economic well-being of the people of Sacramento County.
To encourage and protect the County’s tourist and recreation resources.

2.7.2. Table of Recreational Zoning Districts

TABLE 2.5 TABLE OF RECREATIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of Zoning District	Abbreviation	Purpose
Recreation Reserve	RR	To designate areas intended to be dedicated to open spaces, public park facilities, or wildlife preserves in the future.
Recreation	O	To provide for open spaces, public park facilities, nature-based passive recreation facilities, and wildlife preserves.
Commercial Recreation	C-O	To provide for a wide range of active recreation-oriented uses, most of which require a use permit. The C-O zone is typically applied in remote areas developed with resorts, hotels, and water-oriented uses.

2.8. MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS

2.8.1. General Purpose

The mixed-use zoning districts are intended to provide for and allow a mixture of residential and non-residential uses on one or more parcels as an integrated development. Mixed use development patterns allow people to drive less if they choose and make it easier for people to walk, bike and use transit to reach destinations. Mixed use development also adds to the creation of vibrant places. In addition to the general purpose for mixed use zoning districts, the specific purpose of each mixed-use zoning district is established in Section 2.8.2.

2.8.2. Table of Mixed-Use Zoning Districts

TABLE 2.6 TABLE OF MIXED USE ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of Zoning District	Abbreviation	Purpose and Zoning District Summary
Neighborhood Mixed-Use Center	NMC	To provide for small, neighborhood-scale, village center type mixed-use areas, providing neighborhood-serving commercial uses within neighborhoods that contain a mix of predominantly medium- to high-density housing. Residential is optional as part of the mix of uses.
Community-Regional Mixed-Use Center	CMC	To provide for transit-oriented, commercial or mixed-use development in horizontal and vertical formats along the County’s major commercial corridors and within a one-quarter mile radius of existing or future transit stops. Residential is optional as part of the mix of uses.
Corridor Mixed-Use	CMZ	To promote the orderly and gradual infill of residential and neighborhood-serving commercial mixed-use development along linear corridor areas that are located within a one-quarter to one-half mile distance to a commercial or mixed-use center or transit stop. Residential is required as part of the mix of uses.

2.9. COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

2.9.1. General Purpose

The Commercial zoning districts are established to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare.

To provide sufficient space, in appropriate locations in proximity to residential areas, for retail development catering to the regular shopping needs of nearby residents, with due allowance for the need for a choice of sites.
To provide appropriate space for retail developments which incorporate safe internal vehicular circulation, attractive walkable internal networks, community connectivity/access, streetscape compatibility, and sufficient off-street parking.
To protect both local retail development and nearby residences against congestion, particularly in areas where the established pattern is predominantly residential but includes local retail uses by regulating the intensity of local retail development.
To protect commercial development against fire, explosions, toxic and noxious matter, radiation, and other hazards, and against offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, and other particulate matter, odorous matter, heat, humidity, glare, and other objectionable influences.
To promote the most desirable use of land and direction of building development in accord with the General Plan, to promote stability and sustainability of commercial development, to strengthen the economic base of the County, to protect the character of the zoning district and its peculiar suitability for particular uses, to conserve the value of land and buildings, and to protect the County’s tax revenues.
To protect residential areas from incompatible commercial uses by controlling the locations and design of commercial areas.
To promote attractive landscaping that contributes to the community’s health, image, pedestrian safety, access and comfort.
To advance a built environment that promotes and supports access to locally-grown fresh food, parks, schools, shopping, jobs, health care, and community services.
To provide safe, convenient opportunities to purchase local fresh fruits and vegetables by ensuring that sources of healthy foods are accessible to neighborhoods, particularly those urbanized neighborhoods located within one-half mile of a transit priority area.

2.9.2. Table of Commercial Zoning Districts

TABLE 2.7 TABLE OF COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of Zoning District	Abbreviation	Purpose
Business Professional Office	BP	To provide an area for harmonious development of business and professional offices with integrated or adjacent light commercial or residential development.
Light Commercial	LC	To provide an area that will offer a wide choice of retail goods and services where unlimited commercial uses are not appropriate or would not be compatible with the surrounding development. This zoning district is intended to be applied along major streets, on regional shopping centers, and on commercial uses embedded within neighborhoods.
General Commercial	GC	To provide an area for heavier commercial uses that would not be appropriate in the more restrictive commercial districts. It is intended that this district be applied in appropriate locations along major streets or in commercial subdivisions where the uses permitted have minimal or mitigated undesirable impacts upon nearby lower intensity zones, such as, but not limited to, the residential, BP, and O zones.

2.10. INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

2.10.1. General Purpose

The Industrial zoning districts established in this Chapter are designed to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare.

To provide sufficient space in appropriate locations to meet the County’s present and future needs for all types of industrial and related activities, with due allowance for the need of a choice of sites.
To provide space available for use for industrial and related activities, which, to the extent feasible, protects residential, agricultural, and other nonindustrial uses by separating them from industrial activities and by prohibiting the use of such space for residential or other nonindustrial activities.
To encourage industrial development that is free from danger of fire, explosions, toxic matter, noxious matter, offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, heat, glare, and other objectionable influences by permitting such development in areas where this Code restricts the emission of such objectionable influences.
To protect adjacent residential, commercial, and agricultural areas, and to protect the labor force in other establishments engaged in less offensive industrial activities by restricting industrial activities that produce objectionable influences to those limited areas of the County that are appropriate therefor.
To protect industrial and related development against congestion by limiting the bulk of buildings and other structures in relation to the land around them, and to one another, and by providing off-street parking and loading facilities associated with such activities.
To promote the most desirable use of land and sustainable development in accord with the General Plan, to promote the stability of industrial and related activity, and to strengthen the economic base of the County, by conserving the value of land suited for industrial activities, and to protect the County’s tax revenues.
To further encourage industrial activity, and thereby enhance the economic base of the County by limiting the intrusion of nonindustrial or unrelated activities into areas set aside by this Code for industrial purposes.
To incorporate active transportation and safety into on-site circulation and parking lots, reflecting the need for mixing and separating of modes (i.e. trucks, autos, transit, pedestrians and bicyclists); and enhance pedestrian linkages to other buildings, transit and parking areas.
To provide attractive landscaping that contributes to human health, image, pedestrian safety, access, and comfort.

2.10.2. Table of Industrial Zoning Districts

TABLE 2.8 TABLE OF INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of Zoning District	Abbreviation	Purpose
Industrial-Office Park	MP	To provide for well-designed and controlled groupings of research, service, and light industrial uses within an area containing visual and operational amenities intended to provide a park-like, nuisance free environment.
Light Industrial	M-1	To provide for development of industrial uses that include fabrication, manufacturing, assembly, or processing of materials that, for the most part, are already in processed form and that do not, in their operation, create smoke, gas, odor, dust, sound, or other objectionable influences that might be obnoxious to persons conducting business or residing in this or any other zoning district; and land uses related to or compatible with the permitted uses.
Heavy Industrial	M-2	To provide for the development of uses that include fabrication, manufacturing, assembly, or processing of raw materials and that may, in their maintenance, assembly, manufacture, or plant operation, create smoke, gas, odor, dust, sound, or other objectionable influences that might be obnoxious to persons conducting business or residing in this or any other zoning district.