# General plan documents — sacramento-california Assembled by OpenPublica from the documents it serves for this government. Each section below is a separate publication by the government; page anchors (``) refer to pages of that section's own source PDF, linked in its heading. **Contains 5 documents.** OpenPublica has pinned these slots for this government: circulation, ej, land_use, open_space, safety. That is what we have looked for, not a statement that the government publishes nothing else — a plan element absent here may simply not have been reviewed yet. Last reviewed 2026-08-09. --- ## Land Use — Land Use and Placemaking Element - Source: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/cdd/Planning/Long-Range/general-plan-2040/2040%20GP_2-03_Land%20Use%20and%20Placemaking_Amended_20251118.pdf - Pages: 44 - Covers: land_use <
> # 3 # LAND USE AND PLACEMAKING The physical development pattern of a city profoundly influences quality of life for its residents. An integrated mix of residential, employment, commercial, and service uses, together with open space within the community, provides a solid foundation that supports a good quality of life for people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, and income levels. It reduces time spent commuting or running errands and makes it easier to get around without a car, minimizing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing the mix of uses and the intensity of development in certain areas creates focal points with activities and amenities that bring people together throughout the day and contributes to a greater sense of place. Separating incompatible land uses minimizes potential conflicts and promotes public health and safety. Sacramento is projected to see significant growth in the coming years, and with careful land use planning, new development can help make Sacramento a model of sustainable, equitable growth and community development. This Element provides a comprehensive framework to guide development and conservation in Sacramento over time, establishing land use designations, development intensity standards, and a range of goals, policies, and implementing actions that will guide decision-making for the next 10 to 20 years. This Element satisfies the statutory requirements for the General Plan Land Use Element, as set forth in state law, and addresses placemaking, sustainable design, and the arts — topics of importance to residents of Sacramento. # Growth and Change Sacramento is the urban heart of a region with over 1.5 million acres of some of the most fertile farmland in the United States. Moreover, the city is located at the confluence of two major rivers that provide water, commerce, and recreation for millions. (See **Map LUP-1**). These natural resources also provide rich habitat to sustain a variety of fish and wildlife critical to our ecosystems. Preserving these important resources while accommodating growth has long been a priority for Sacramento, and as such, City planning efforts are guided by “smart growth” principles that aim to promote a compact development footprint, helping to minimize urban sprawl and pollution while supporting the efficient delivery of public services. The City also collaborates with other jurisdictions in the area on a regional strategy for conservation and development, outlined in the Sacramento Region Blueprint prepared by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). The 2040 General Plan, including policies in this section, provides for strategic growth and change that seeks to concentrate new growth within the existing City limits. The City has an interest in promoting responsible land and resource-efficient planning in areas within its current or future Sphere of Influence (SOI). Annexations or provision of municipal services to areas outside the City limit would only be considered when adequate planning measures are in place to ensure the orderly development of those areas. <
> # Map LUP-1 # Open Space, Farmland, and Urban Development <
> | | | | | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ![Sacramento City Limit Symbol] | Sacramento City Limit | **Parks and Open Space** | | **Farmland** | | ![Water Symbol] | Water | | ![Sphere of Influence Symbol] | Sphere of Influence | ![State Park or Forest Symbol] | State Park or Forest | ![Prime Farmland Symbol] | Prime Farmland | ![Highways Symbol] | Highways | | ![Special Study Areas Symbol] | Special Study Areas | ![Regional Park Symbol] | Regional Park | ![Other Farmland Symbol] | Other Farmland | ![Major Roads Symbol] | Major Roads | | ![Counties Symbol] | Counties | ![City of Sacramento Park Symbol] | City of Sacramento Park | ![Urban/Built-Up Land Symbol] | Urban/Built-Up Land | | | | ![Airports Symbol] | Airports | ![Other Park/Protected Open Space Symbol] | Other Park/Protected Open Space | ![Other Land Symbol] | Other Land* | | | *This category may include low density rural development, heavily forested land, mined land, or government land with restrictions on use. Source: SACOG Open Data Portal, 2021; City of Sacramento GIS Data, 2023; ESRI Parks Data, 2018; California Protected Areas Database, 2018; Farmland Mapping & Monitoring Program, 2020, 2018 & 2016; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 # GOAL AND POLICIES | | | | :--- | :--- | | **LUP-1** | **A compact urban footprint and sustainable development pattern with infrastructure that supports efficient delivery of public services while protecting surrounding open space lands.** | **LUP-1.1 Compact Urban Footprint.** The City shall promote a land- and resource-efficient development pattern and the placement of infrastructure to support efficient delivery of public services and conserve open space, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and improve air quality. **LUP-1.2 Logical Boundaries.** The City shall ensure logical City boundaries that facilitate the ability to efficiently provide City services, address economic development needs, social and economic interdependencies, and optimize municipal costs and revenues. **LUP-1.3 New Growth Annexation.** The City shall strategically plan for the annexation of any new growth areas by considering land use, circulation, housing, climate change, infrastructure capacity, and public facilities and services needs, and analyze the associated fiscal impacts. **LUP-1.4 City Services Prior to Annexation.** Prior to the provisions of City services to new development in unincorporated areas, the City shall require that the unincorporated properties be annexed into the City. Alternatively, the City may provide utility service to properties in advance of annexation only if the annexation process has been initiated and the landowner and City have executed a conditional agreement for services that stipulates minimum standards for the development of roads and urban infrastructure and criteria and conditions for annexation into the City. **LUP-1.5 Surplus Land Disposition.** The City shall periodically audit municipal land holdings and assess opportunities for more efficient use and management, using criteria including the provision of affordable housing and emergency shelter space, economic development and revitalization objectives, business operations, opportunities to create more park space or park connections, and applicable federal and state law to identify surplus properties and disposition strategies where appropriate. **LUP-1.6 Growth and Change Evaluation.** The City shall monitor regional and municipal growth trends and review remaining capacity under the General Plan every five years, adjusting as needed to accommodate projected land use, population, and employment, subject to the evaluation of environmental impacts. As part of this five-year review, ensure alignment of the General Plan with the regional growth strategy to optimize opportunities for CEQA streamlining and eligibility for regional funding. **LUP-1.7 Regional Growth Strategy.** The City shall continue to take a leadership role in defining and implementing a regional growth strategy, collaborating with the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) and other stakeholders in the region on initiatives for sustainable growth, transit-oriented infill development, enhanced air quality, economic prosperity, and social equity. <
> **LUP-1.8 Jobs-Housing Balance.** The City shall encourage a balance between job type, the workforce, and housing development to reduce the negative impacts of long commutes and provide a range of employment opportunities for all city residents. **LUP-1.9 Advocacy.** The City shall advocate for a fair share of regional funding, grants, and public investments commensurate with its role in the region and the growth targets for the city identified in the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Community Strategy prepared by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). **LUP-1.10 Adjacent Development.** The City shall review new development proposals in adjacent jurisdictions during the environmental review process to identify and avoid potential land use, circulation, or other conflicts with existing and planned development in the city of Sacramento. **LUP-1.11 Coordinate to Protect Farmland.** The City shall continue to work with Sacramento County and other adjacent jurisdictions to implement conservation plans, preserve farmland and protect critical habitat outside the city. **LUP-1.12 Development Adjacent to Agriculture.** The City shall require open space or other appropriate buffers for new development abutting productive agricultural areas to protect the viability of active agricultural operations outside of the city and ensure compatibility of uses with residents in adjacent areas. **LUP-1.13 Airport Land Use Compatibility.** The City shall work with the Sacramento County Airport System (SCAS) and the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) to ensure that new development near the area’s airports is compatible with airport operations, adopted ALUC policies, and applicable Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans. **LUP-1.14 Deed Notice.** The City shall continue to require that all new development within an airport-defined over-flight zone provides deed notices to future residents and property owners upon transfer of title concerning airport over flights and noise. **LUP-1.15 Homeowner Notification.** The City shall require that purchasers of newly constructed homes located in the vicinity of agricultural operations be provided notification of such activities by way of their deeds and/or escrow documentation. <
> # Land Use Framework ## EXISTING LAND USE AND CITY STRUCTURE The Sacramento and American Rivers have shaped the urban form and development pattern of the city since its inception. With the discovery of gold in the Sierras in 1849, Sacramento developed rapidly as a transportation hub for prospectors and supplies arriving from San Francisco on their way to the gold fields. To facilitate transport, the city's original street grid was oriented to the Sacramento River, rather than on the one-square mile gridiron plan aligned to cardinal points common throughout the American West. The lettered streets North B through Y (now Broadway) all extended in straight lines to the waterfront and the city’s earliest businesses were established along J Street, the main route from the river to the gold fields. This pattern remains largely intact in the Central City today. Early urban development proceeded along both banks of the American River, as evidenced today by the tighter, more walkable grid of streets found in these older areas of Sacramento. High water levels and flooding along the Sacramento and American Rivers in the winter and early spring also influenced the development of the city, and it is only with the construction of flood control projects, including an extensive network of levees, that Sacramento has been able to expand to its current form. <
> As shown in **Map LUP-2**, the central portion of the city is largely developed today, with vacant land at its northern, eastern, and southern edges. **Figure LUP-1** shows the percentage of existing land uses in the city, and **Figure LUP-2** compares Sacramento’s proportion of single-unit versus multi-unit housing types with that of two other major California cities. Residential land uses account for more than 45 percent of the total existing land use in the city, comprised predominantly of single-unit residential uses. Sixty-seven percent of the existing homes in the city are single-unit residences, while only 33 percent are multi-unit structures. Other comparable California cities tend to have a more even balance. Commercial uses make up about 4 percent of existing land uses and are concentrated primarily along arterial corridors such as Stockton Boulevard, Florin Road, Franklin Boulevard, Broadway, Arden Way, and Northgate Boulevard. Office uses occupy about 3 percent of the land within the City limits and are generally located ### Figure LUP-1 ### Existing Land Use <
> Source: City of Sacramento, 2023 *Map LUP-2* # City Structure <
> Source: City of Sacramento Community Development Department, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023. in areas with ready access to freeways. Industrial uses account for 9 percent of land use within the city, with a large concentration in the eastern portion of the city around Florin-Perkins Road and important clusters in the Railyards area, the Pell-Main Industrial Park, and around McClellan Airfield. Institutional uses, including the State Capitol and several college and university campuses, occupy about 8 percent of land within the city. Open space accounts for 11 percent of land, with parks integrated into neighborhoods throughout the city, and a large riverfront open space on the north bank of the American River. The rise of e-commerce and changing consumer preferences is presenting opportunities to re-imagine some of the city’s older commercial corridors, developed in the post-War period when the construction of freeways led to decades of suburban, auto-oriented growth. Since 2010, annual e-commerce sales have consistently outpaced conventional brick-and-mortar retail in Sacramento and in cities across the nation, resulting in decreased demand for physical retail space in conventional shopping centers. Underutilized strip mall developments with low-slung buildings and large parking lots along commercial corridors offer opportunities to add higher concentrations of <
> housing, jobs, shops, services, and entertainment uses which can help to broaden the range of housing types in the city, support local retail vitality, and lay the foundation for high-frequency, reliable transit. In residential neighborhoods adjacent to these corridors, the addition of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and smaller-scale housing can further bolster vitality and sustainability on the corridors. <
> ### DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL As a largely built out city, new growth in Sacramento will be accommodated primarily through infill development on vacant and underutilized properties. Underutilized properties are those where the value of the land is worth more than the buildings and structures on it, giving the owner an incentive to redevelop with new uses. For example, a shopping center with vacancies and large surface parking lots could be considered underutilized and therefore redeveloped with other uses to serve community needs, such as housing that in turn would provide more customers for the other stores and restaurants in the area. Within Sacramento, areas with the most potential to accommodate new development over the next 20 years are shown as opportunity areas in Map LUP-3. Overall, buildout of the General Plan is projected to result in approximately 69,000 new homes and 77,000 new jobs by 2040. This translates to a ratio of 1.12 jobs per home in Sacramento in 2040, which means that while Sacramento will still remain a major employment center in the region, attracting workers from surrounding communities each day, there will be more opportunities for people who work in the city to live here too. ### LAND USE VISION AND CONCEPT The General Plan outlines a vision and strategy to guide Sacramento into the next era of its growth and evolution. It seeks to leverage foreseeable change in the opportunity areas (as shown in Map LUP-3) to foster an interconnected network of mixed-use corridors and centers that support a range of housing, employment, educational, cultural, and recreational options for people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, and income levels. The intent is to promote greater integration of uses along the corridors and in centers to broaden the range of housing types in the city, support the vitality of local businesses, lay the foundation for high-frequency transit, and make it easier to get around without a car. At the same time, it also seeks to enhance the quality of life and sense of place in all neighborhoods. Residential neighborhoods, centers, and corridors are the land use components that, together, form a concept that represents the future urban structure of the city. The envisioned relationship between these components is shown in Map LUP-4. **Residential neighborhoods** form the basic fabric of the community. These are areas of the city characterized primarily by housing, parks, and community facilities. Neighborhoods are a result of historic development patterns, subdivision boundaries, and local landmarks. Each neighborhood has its own distinct sense of place, defined by the buildings, streets, public places, and history, as well as by the people who live there. <
> ### Map LUP-3 # Opportunity Areas <
> Source: City of Sacramento Community Development Department, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023. Map LUP-4 # Land Use Concept <
> Neighborhood Central City Employment Center - Office Employment Center - Production/Service Urban Center Corridor Light Rail Transit: Existing Light Rail Transit: Proposed City Limits Sphere of Influence This concept diagram is a simplified representation of the General Plan Land Use Map. This illustration provides an overall idea of how the city will look in 2040 including where major centers and corridors will develop. Source: City of Sacramento Community Development Department, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023. **Centers** are major activity hubs with a vital mix of employment, commercial, residential, entertainment, and institutional uses. They are dynamic destinations that draw people from around the city and the wider region. In Sacramento, the Central City is the primary center for commerce, culture, living, and government. There are three additional broad types of centers envisioned for the city: * **Urban Center:** These centers offer an array of choices for living, working, shopping, and enjoying free time in various locations throughout the city. With thoughtful transitions to surrounding neighborhoods, these are areas that can accommodate higher-density housing and anchor high-frequency transit routes. * **Employment Center - Office:** Located in areas with easy access to the regional transportation network, these centers have a focus on professional offices, health care, and education with a range of supportive commercial, retail, residential, and entertainment uses with public open spaces. * **Employment Center - Production/Service:** These centers feature the city’s premier industrial and manufacturing areas and can accommodate new job-generating businesses and supportive uses, including live/work developments and employee housing. <
> Downtown Sacramento is an urban center. **Corridors** are major thoroughfares that connect the city’s neighborhoods and centers, tying the community together. They have the potential to link residents to key destinations around town with safe, convenient connections for transit, bicycling, and walking, and provide opportunities for higher-density housing, shops and business that cater to daily needs. Examples of key corridors include Stockton Boulevard, Broadway, Florin Road, Franklin Boulevard, Arden Way, Del Paso Boulevard, Marysville Boulevard, Northgate Boulevard, Mack Road, and Truxel Road. Several of these corridors are among the city’s primary transit routes and all have significant capacity for infill development, which will help transform these areas into vibrant, walkable, and transit-supportive neighborhoods. <
> ## LAND USE DESIGNATIONS The General Plan Land Use Diagram (Map LUP-5) illustrates the long-term vision for development in Sacramento, designating the location and range of activities that may take place throughout the city to achieve the vision. The land use designations, shown as colors on the diagram and described below, allow for a range of activities within each designation. The designations are implemented through and subject to applicable laws, including regulations and guidelines more restrictive than the General Plan, such as specific plans, zoning districts, overlay zones, special planning districts, planned unit developments, and other provisions of the Sacramento City Code. (See, e.g., Sacramento Planning and Development Code § 17.104.020, Sacramento City Code Titles 8 and 15, as may be amended. The Land Use Diagram (**Map LUP-5**) is a graphic representation of policies in the General Plan and is to be used in conjunction with General Plan policies and the following maps and figure: **Map LUP-6** Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) – All Development; **Figure LUP-5** Sliding Floor Area Ratio Scale; **Map LUP-7** Minimum Floor Area Ratio – Mixed-Use and Non-Residential Development; and **Map LUP-8** Minimum Residential Density. Together, these maps provide direction for land use and development intensities citywide. ### Residential Designations The **Rural Residential (RR)** designation is intended to preserve low-intensity residential neighborhoods adjacent to rural and undeveloped land. Allowable uses include detached residential uses normally associated with urban/rural interface areas, limited neighborhood-serving commercial uses, and compatible public and quasi-public uses. The **Neighborhood (N)** designation applies throughout Sacramento’s established residential neighborhoods and in newly annexed areas in the north of the city where primarily residential development is planned. The N designation is intended to maintain and enhance livability and sense of place. The N designation is primarily comprised of residential uses, with some complementary neighborhood-serving commercial and public uses. Allowable uses include the following: * Detached and attached residential dwelling units * Neighborhood support uses (schools, parks, libraries, community centers, and care facilities) * Neighborhood-serving commercial and employment uses like corner markets, coffee shops, hair salons, shops, gyms, and fitness centers * Office uses * Assembly facilities * Compatible public and quasi-public uses ### Mixed-Use Designations The **Residential Mixed-Use (RMU)** designation is intended to foster vibrant, walkable areas with a high-intensity mix of residential, commercial, office, and public uses, where daily errands can be accomplished on foot, by bicycle, or by transit. The RMU designation applies principally in the Central City and the corridors. <
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> Allowable uses include the following: * A full range of residential, retail, employment, entertainment, cultural, and personal service uses serving a communitywide market, such as restaurants, apparel stores, specialty shops, theaters, bookstores, hotels and motels, and research and development facilities * General offices and community institutional uses, such as banks, financial institutions, care facilities, and medical and professional offices * Assembly facilities * Compatible public and quasi-public uses The **Commercial Mixed-Use (CMU)** designation is intended to foster vibrant retail and commercial centers of varying scales throughout the community. The designation applies to existing regional, community, and neighborhood shopping centers and provides for their redevelopment with a wide range of commercial and/or residential uses to complement existing development. Allowable uses include the following: * A full range commercial uses, including retail, dining, entertainment, offices, lodging, recreational, and cultural facilities * Attached residential dwelling units * Compatible public, quasi-public, and special uses The **Office Mixed-Use (OMU)** designation is intended to provide space for job centers, office buildings, and business parks, with complementary commercial and service uses that cater to employees throughout the day. This designation applies in areas with good access to the regional transportation system outside of the Central City. Allowable uses include the following: * Professional and service-oriented offices * Commercial support uses such as restaurants, coffee shops, dry cleaners, gyms and fitness centers, markets, hotels, and business support services * Residential development in either a mixed-use or standalone format * Care facilities * Assembly facilities * Compatible public and quasi-public uses The **Employment Mixed-Use (EMU)** designation is intended to buffer residential uses from more intense industrial and service commercial activities and to provide compatible employment uses near higher-density and mixed-use housing. This designation provides for a range of light industrial and high technology uses. The EMU designation generally applies to industrial areas that are next to residential neighborhoods, including McClellan Airfield, <
> Residential Mixed-Use <
> Commercial Mixed-Use <
> Office Mixed-Use Pell-Main Industrial Park, Cannon Industrial Park, and portions of the Sacramento Railyards, River District, and the Power Inn Business Improvement District. Allowable uses include the following: * Light industrial/advanced manufacturing, production, distribution, repair, testing, printing, research, and development * Service commercial uses and light industrial uses that do not generate substantial noise or noxious odors * Accessory office uses * Retail and service uses that provide support to employees * Compatible residential uses such as live-work spaces or employee housing * Hotels and motels * Care facilities * Assembly facilities * Compatible public and quasi-public uses The **Industrial Mixed-Use (IMU)** designation provides for manufacturing, warehousing, and other employment-generating uses that may produce loud noise or odors and tend to have a high volume of truck traffic. Building intensities in this designation tend to be lower, and uses may require staging and support spaces, often outdoors. The IMU designation applies in the Power Inn/Army Depot area. Allowable uses include the following: * Industrial or manufacturing that may occur within or outside a building * Office, retail, and service uses that provide support to the employees * Assembly facilities * Care facilities * Compatible public and quasi-public uses This designation should not be located next to a residential neighborhood without substantial buffers (i.e., office uses, regional parks, greenways, or open space). Supportive office, retail, and service uses that cater to employee needs are allowed. Compatible public, quasi-public, and special uses are also permitted. <
> Employment Mixed-Use <
> Industrial Mixed-Use ### Public/Quasi-Public Designations The **Public/Quasi-Public (P/QP)** designation provides for governmental, utility, institutional, educational, cultural, religious, and social facilities and services that complement Sacramento’s neighborhoods, centers, and corridors. The P/QP designation applies to various locations throughout the community, often within a well-landscaped setting. Allowable uses include the following: * Government buildings * Public and private schools * Schools/colleges * Hospitals * Cemeteries * Airports * Transportation and utility facilities * Other compatible public and quasi-public uses The **Open Space (OS)** designation includes areas that are intended to remain open with limited or no development, including largely unimproved open spaces used primarily for passive recreation, resource protection, and/or hazard avoidance. The OS designation is intended to preserve natural features, establish quality living environments, and maintain boundaries and buffers between communities and incompatible uses. Allowable uses include the following: * Natural underdeveloped parks * Woodland preserves * Habitat and wetlands * Agriculture * Floodplains * Areas with permanent open space easements * Buffers between urban areas * Compatible public and quasi-public uses <
> <
> The **Parks and Recreation (PR)** designation includes parkways, public parks, and other areas primarily used for recreation. Typically, these areas are characterized by a high degree of managed green space and a limited number of buildings. Recreational facilities in the PR designation frequently include sports fields, playground equipment, picnic areas, sitting areas, concession businesses, open turf and natural areas, trails, and golf courses. Allowable uses include the following: * Parks (nieghborhood, community, and regional parks) * Parkways and trails * Golf courses, and commercial recreation facilities * Compatible public and quasi-public uses Parks and recreation facilities are also allowable in other designations. The **Special Study Area (SSA)** designation is applied to five areas (shown on **Map I-2**) that may become part of the City in the future after additional studies have identified the fiscal and service delivery implications on City functions. These include Arden Arcade Study Area, East Study Area, Fruitridge-Florin Study Area, Natomas Basin Study Area, and Town of Freeport Study Area. The future land uses may include a combination of several land use designations applied in conjunction with a General Plan amendment. (See Part 3 of the 2040 General Plan for a discussion of these areas). <
> <
> ## BUILDING INTENSITY AND POPULATION DENSITY State law requires that the General Plan establish standards for building intensity and population density within the planning area. ### Building Intensity Building intensity standards are established by floor area ratio (FAR) for nonresidential and mixed-use development. For residential development, building intensity standards are established by minimum building density and maximum FAR. FAR is calculated by dividing the net building area (NBA) by the total net lot area (NLA) (both expressed in square feet). NBA is the gross building area of a site less the floor area of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs), and parking structures. Net lot area is the total lot size, excluding publicly dedicated land, private streets which meet City standards, and other public use areas. (See Figure LUP-3). The formula for FAR is: **FAR = NBA / NLA** **Example:** A NBA of 3,000 square feet and NLA of 5,000 square feet would yield an FAR of 0.6. (3,000 / 5,000 = FAR 0.6) Building density for residential land uses is expressed as the number of permanent residential dwelling units per acre of land. Building intensity standards are shown on **Maps LUP-6, LUP-7, LUP-8, and Figure LUP-5. Map LUP-6** shows the maximum FAR allowable on a site inclusive of both residential and non-residential uses. **Figure LUP-5** shows a sliding FAR scale, applicable to residential uses in the single-unit and duplex dwelling zones, which limits single-unit dwellings to a FAR of 0.4 and grants additional increments of building area that increase proportionally to the number of units proposed on a lot. **Map LUP-7** shows the minimum required FAR throughout the city for mixed-use and non-residential development. **Map LUP-8** shows the minimum required density for residential uses throughout the city. The building intensity standards are intended to provide more flexibility and innovation in building design. Minimum density standards apply in all areas where residential development is permitted, as shown on **Map LUP-8**. Especially for multi-unit residential developments, a primarily FAR-based system could incentivize the design and construction of smaller units, potentially resulting in units that are more affordable by design. <
> Map LUP-5 # General Plan Land Use Diagram <
> | Land Use Designations | | | :--- | :--- | | Rural Residential | $\bullet$ Light Rail Station: Existing | | Neighborhood | $\circ$ Light Rail Station: Proposed | | Residential Mixed-Use | $\begin{smallmatrix} \text{——} & \text{——} \\ \circ & \circ \end{smallmatrix}$ Light Rail Transit: Existing | | Office Mixed-Use | $\circ$---$\circ$ Light Rail Transit: Proposed | | Commercial Mixed-Use | [_ _ _] Sacramento City Limit | | Employment Mixed-Use | ///// Special Study Area | | Industrial Mixed-Use | ///// Sphere of Influence | | Public/Quasi-Public | $\Sigma$ Water | | Parks and Recreation | | | Open Space | | Source: City of Sacramento, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 # Map LUP-6 # Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) – All Development <
> | Maximum Allowed FAR | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1.0 | ● | Light Rail Station: Existing | | 2.0 | ○ | Light Rail Station: Proposed | | 4.0 | ▬▬▬ | Light Rail Transit: Existing | | 5.0 | ◌◌◌◌ | Light Rail Transit: Proposed | | 6.0 | ╍╍╍╍ | Sacramento City Limit | | 8.0 | ▨▨▨ | Sphere of Influence | | 10.0 | ≋ | Water | | 15.0 | | | | N/A FAR | | | Source: City of Sacramento, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 # Map LUP-7 ## Minimum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) – Mixed-Use and Non-Residential Development <
> | GP Minimum FAR | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 0.15 | ● | Light Rail Station: Existing | | 0.25 | ○ | Light Rail Station: Proposed | | 0.30 | <===> | Light Rail Transit: Existing | | 0.35 | o---o | Light Rail Transit: Proposed | | 0.40 | [---] | Sacramento City Limit | | 0.50 | /// | Sphere of Influence | | 1.50 | ~ | Water | | 2.00 | | | | 3.00 | | | | N/A FAR | | | Source: City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 # Map LUP-8 ## Minimum Residential Density <
> | Dwelling Units (per acre) | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 0.25 | • | Light Rail Station: Existing | | 3 | ◦ | Light Rail Station: Proposed | | 7 | ═ | Light Rail Transit: Existing | | 8 | ╍ | Light Rail Transit: Proposed | | 12 | ▭ | Sacramento City Limit | | 15 | ▨ | Sphere of Influence | | 18 | ⌇ | Water | | 20 | | | | 24 | | | | 32 | | | | 33 | | | | 61 | | | Source: City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 For all land uses, in addition to the standards set forth in this General Plan, the City’s Planning and Development Code also applies, including standards for density and FAR that are within the ranges authorized by this General Plan. ### Population Density Population density is measured in persons per acre. The number of persons per acre of a site is derived from the building intensity of a site, measured in FAR. The FAR multiplied by the lot area in acres multiplied by 43,560 square feet per acre yields the building area per acre. Building area per acre is divided by the assumed residential unit size of 1,000 square feet to yield the assumed units per acre. Units per acre is multiplied by the average population of 2.43 people per unit, which yields people per acre. The formula for population density is: **PD = ((FAR x A x 43,560)/1,000) x 2.43,** where PD is population density, FAR is floor area ratio, and A is acres. **Example:** An FAR of 1.0 on 1.0 acres would yield ((1.0 x 1.0 x 43,560)/1,000) x 2.43, or 105.85 people per acre. **Map LUP-8** specifies minimum residential density standards for all areas where housing is permitted. Minimum population density may be obtained by applying average household size to the minimum residential density specified. Maximum population density for all areas is established on **Map LUP-6** through the Maximum FAR map. The policies in this section support a balanced mix of land uses that will serve to foster a connected and thriving community. Additionally, policies in this section also support the revitalization of corridors and centers that are integrated with the surrounding neighborhoods and address the diverse needs of the community. > For additional policies that support revitalization, please see the Economic Development Element. <
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> ## GOAL AND POLICIES ### LUP-2 Balanced and connected community with thriving neighborhoods and centers and development intensities linked to transit. **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. **LUP-2.2 Interconnected City.** The City should establish a network of interconnected activity centers, corridors, parks, and neighborhoods that promotes walking, bicycling, and mass transit use as viable alternatives to private vehicles. **LUP-2.3 Diverse Centers and Corridors.** The City shall encourage the development of centers and corridors that address diverse community needs, support local market opportunities, are well-served by transit, and are well-integrated with the surrounding neighborhoods. **LUP-2.4 Development Intensity Linked to Transit.** The City shall plan for higher development intensities around current and planned transit to optimize public investments and support an accessible, convenient network. **LUP-2.5 Design for Connectivity.** The City shall require that all new development maximizes existing and new connections with surroundings and with centers, corridors, parks, and neighborhoods to enhance efficient and direct pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle movement. When feasible, grid patterns should be utilized to facilitate multiple routes. <
> **LUP-2.6 Employment Clusters.** The City should strengthen employment centers and clusters by facilitating the concentration of office, industrial, and commercial uses in these areas and by supporting enhanced transit access to them. **LUP-2.7 Evolving Office Needs.** The City shall support office developments that align with the evolving needs of target industry sectors, including but not limited to the following: * Headquarter and business services; * Health and life sciences; * The clean economy; * The creative economy; * Advanced technology; and * Future mobility. **LUP-2.8 Co-Location of Community Facilities.** The City shall promote the co-location of parks, schools, police and fire facilities, health services, and other community facilities to support community interaction, enhance neighborhood identity, and leverage limited resources. The integration of these uses into commercial, office, and mixed commercial-residential structures should be encouraged. **LUP-2.9 Expanded Emergency Care Facilities.** The City shall support the efforts of the health care sector to provide expanded emergency health services throughout Sacramento, especially north of the American River. # GOAL AND POLICIES ### LUP-3 Flexible development standards to promote revitalization in corridors and centers. **LUP-3.1 Maximum FAR.** The City shall regulate maximum building intensity using floor area ratio (FAR) standards consistent with **Map LUP-6** and **Figure LUP-5**, which applies to residential uses in the single-unit and duplex zones. Maximum FAR standards shown in **Map LUP-6** apply to both residential and non-residential uses. **LUP-3.2 Sliding Floor Area Ratio Scale.** Additional building area may increase proportionally to the number of units proposed on a lot, consistent with **Figure LUP-5**, up to the maximum FAR established by **Map LUP-6.** **LUP-3.3 Allowed Net Building Area.** The City shall permit up to 2,000 square feet of net building area per lot or the maximum allowed by the Sliding FAR Scale (**Figure LUP-5**), whichever is greater. **LUP-3.4 Exemption from Sliding Floor Area Ratio Scale for Remodels and Additions.** Remodels and additions to existing single-unit, duplex, and neighborhood-scale multi-unit dwellings are exempt from the limits established by the Sliding Floor Area Ratio Scale (**Figure LUP-5**). ### Figure LUP-5 Sliding FAR Scale | Units/Lot*: | 1 Unit | 2 Units | 3-4 Units | 5-7 Units | 8-10 Units | 11 Units | 12+ Units | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | <
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> | | **Max. FAR:** | **0.4 FAR** | **0.7 FAR** | **1.0 FAR** | **1.1 FAR** | **1.25 FAR** | **1.4 FAR** | **+0.1 FAR per Unit** | *Units per lot does not include ADUs. **LUP-3.5 Flexibility for Multi-Parcel Developments.** Where a developer proposes a development project on multiple parcels and some or all of the parcels have different General Plan residential densities or floor area ratios (FARs), the City may, at the discretion of the Community Development Director, calculate the net General Plan density or FAR range and apply that net density or FAR range to the net developable area of the entire project site. Some individual parcels may be zoned for densities/FARs that exceed the maximum allowed FAR under this policy, provided that the net density/FAR of the project as a whole is within the allowed range. **LUP-3.6 Minimum FAR.** The City shall regulate minimum building intensity using floor area ratio (FAR) standards consistent with **Map LUP-7.** Minimum FAR standards apply to new mixed-use and non-residential development. **LUP-3.7 Minimum Density.** City shall regulate minimum density standards using **Map LUP-8.** Minimum density standards apply to new standalone residential development. **LUP-3.8 Development Intensity at Less than the Minimum FAR.** A development with a floor area ratio (FAR) at less than the required minimum may be deemed consistent with the General Plan if the City finds any of the following: 1. The use involves no building or by its nature normally conducts a substantial amount of its operations outdoors; 2. The initial site development is being phased and an overall development plan demonstrates compliance with the FAR standard; 3. The use is temporary and would not interfere with long-term development of the site consistent with the FAR standard; 4. The building size or lot coverage is constrained beyond what is otherwise allowed by the zoning designation of the site, due to the existence of an overlay zone or because of environmental features, such as wetlands; or 5. The site is less than one acre and the project includes commercial uses. **LUP-3.9 Minimum Standards for Renovations and Expansions.** The City shall permit renovations and expansions of existing development that fall below the allowable minimum density or floor area ratio (FAR), provided that the density or FAR is not reduced and the proposed use does not substantially undermine the long-term vision of the General Plan. **LUP-3.10 Exemptions for Historic Structure Conversions.** Where a developer proposes to convert a non-residential historic structure/building to residential use, the City shall not require compliance with minimum density or minimum FAR regulations set forth in this General Plan. **LUP-3.11 Zoning Inconsistency.** Zoning is consistent with the General Plan if it is compatible with the objectives, policies, general land uses, and programs specified in the plan. (Cal. Gov’t Code, § 65860(a)(2).) Zoning is compatible with the objectives, policies, general land uses, and programs specified in the plan if, considering all its aspects, it will further the objectives and policies of the general plan and not obstruct their attainment. (See also Sacramento City Code, § 17.104.100.C, as may be amended.) If zoning becomes inconsistent with the general plan due to amendment to the general plan and the City receives a development application, the City will proceed in accordance with applicable law. # Integrating Infill Development ### EFFICIENT TRANSIT SERVICE Transit service is most efficient when it operates along straight routes with dense concentrations of people and destinations, so the network of corridors anchored by centers depicted on **Map LUP-4** and **Map M-1** is a critical component of the 2040 land use strategy. ### INCENTIVIZING INFILL While strategic infill development presents enormous opportunities, it also brings challenges. Infill development is inherently more expensive than greenfield development due to a variety of factors, including the higher cost of land acquisition, to the need to remediate contamination of formerly industrial sites, and the need to upgrade substandard infrastructure. In previously developed areas, it may also be necessary to acquire multiple adjacent parcels to enable development at a financially viable scale. To address these challenges, the General Plan incorporates strategies to reduce complexity for infill development and to support financial feasibility for infill development. These strategies complement the FAR-based system for regulating building intensity and form. ### PROMOTING WALKABILITY Site planning that encourages fine-grained development (i.e., small blocks and building footprints) helps to achieve a more pedestrian-friendly environment and provides opportunities for access and connectivity to surrounding streets and neighborhoods. Orienting buildings and active uses to public spaces and public streets further contributes to pedestrian friendliness by providing visual interest for those on foot. This pedestrian-friendly development is envisioned to occur in the corridors and centers. Policies in this section promote infill development in strategic locations which is integral to the land use framework of the 2040 General Plan. Concentrating new activity-generating uses such as shops, services, and places of employment in the corridors and centers along with high-density housing can help create a development pattern that supports frequent, reliable transit and reduces the need for vehicle use. It can also help to broaden the range of housing types available in the community, while also offering a reduced carbon footprint. Infill development can also help create vibrant, walkable environments in the corridors and centers, facilitating upgrades to aging infrastructure and presenting opportunities for urban greening as new development takes place. <
> New infill housing near Arden Fair Mall, located with easy access to transit # GOAL AND POLICIES ### LUP-4 Walkable, transit-oriented centers and corridors that concentrate new jobs, housing, and entertainment opportunities to support frequent, reliable transit service and foster connected, accessible neighborhoods. ### *Incentivizing Infill* #### 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. #### LUP-4.2 Incentivizing Infill. The City shall consider a range of incentives to attract development to centers, corridors, and sites, including the following: * Prioritization of capital investment strategies for infrastructure, services, and amenities to support development; * Economic incentives (e.g., fee reductions, regulatory exemptions, or tools such as enhanced infrastructure financing districts (EIFDs), Opportunity Zones, and Enterprise Zones); * Streamlined development review, environmental review, and permitting processes; * By-right entitlements for development projects consistent with applicable zoning; * Ministerial approval of infill housing and mixed-use projects consistent with objective development and design standards; * Public-private partnerships; and * Proactive solicitation of development. **LUP-4.3 Anchor Institutions.** With respect to anchor institutions (colleges, medical centers, and public agencies), the City shall encourage the integration of uses and amenities in and around these campuses that increase economic opportunity, neighborhood vitality, and quality of life. Such uses and amenities may include the following: * Housing, * Retail, * Neighborhood services, * Arts/culture venues, athletic facilities, * Parks, * Improved pedestrian/bikeway connections, * “Green” infrastructure, or * Other publicly accessible facilities. *** **LUP-4.4 Public Uses and Services.** The City shall promote incorporation of public- and neighborhood-serving uses and services near transit stations and bus stops, as appropriate. Such uses may include the following: * Post offices, * Pharmacies, * Childcare facilities, * Community meeting rooms, as well as * Retail and services that cater to the daily needs of local residents. *** **LUP-4.5 Efficient Parcel Utilization.** The City shall promote the aggregation of small and irregular shaped parcels along high-quality transit corridors into larger development sites to facilitate their reuse as transit-oriented, higher-intensity residential, mixed-use developments. *** ### *Promoting Walkability* **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, particularly residential 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. *** **LUP-4.7 Visual and Physical Character.** Using development standards and design standards/guidelines, the City shall promote development patterns and streetscape improvements that transform the visual and physical character of automobile-oriented corridors to create a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with them. *** <
> **LUP-4.8 Buildings that Engage the Street.** The City shall require that buildings be oriented to actively engage and enhance the public realm through techniques such as building orientation, build-to and setback lines, façade articulation, ground-floor transparency, and location of parking. --- **LUP-4.9 Enhanced Pedestrian Environment.** The City shall require the design of sidewalks in commercial and mixed-use areas to promote walkability and pedestrian activity, with widths wide enough to provide for free and clear pedestrian use, activation of building frontages with displays, landscaping, and seating areas for cafes and restaurants. --- **LUP-4.10 Multi-Modal Access.** The City shall require that new development provide bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access where appropriate to reduce the need for onsite parking and to improve the pedestrian experience within corridors and centers with street trees and landscaping. --- **LUP-4.11 Shared Parking, Driveways, and Alley Access.** The City shall encourage the creation of shared parking areas and shared vehicular driveways for access along arterial corridors to minimize the number of driveways and curb cuts. The City should also encourage the use of adjacent alleys for vehicular access. --- **LUP-4.12 Drive-Through Restaurants.** The City shall prohibit new drive-through restaurants within: * ½-mile walking distance from the center of an existing light rail station platform or high-frequency transit stop; and * ¼-mile walking distance from the center of a proposed light rail station. --- **LUP-4.13 Future-Ready Gas Stations.** The City shall prohibit the establishment of new gas stations or the expansion of new fossil fuel infrastructure at existing gas stations unless the project proponent provides 50kW or greater Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) electric vehicle charging stations on site at a ratio of at least 1 new charging station per 1 new gas fuel nozzle. --- **LUP-4.14 Elimination of Vehicle Parking Minimums.** The City shall not require new or existing development to provide off-street vehicle parking spaces. --- **LUP-4.15 Vacant Property.** The City shall develop regulations, mechanisms, programs, or incentives to facilitate the development or temporary active use of vacant buildings and property. --- **LUP-4.16 Compatibility Between Light Industrial and Residential Uses.** The City shall develop appropriate design guidelines and development standards to promote compatibility between light industrial and larger employment uses and surrounding residential uses. --- <
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> # Thriving Commercial Mixed-Use Centers Sacramento features a range of regional, community, and neighborhood shopping centers that cater to different needs throughout the community. Regional retail centers in the city, with their boutique brands, cineplex theaters, restaurants, and brewpubs, draw consumers from Sacramento and surrounding communities. The General Plan seeks to bolster the vitality of these centers as they adopt an experiential retail model or seek to incorporate sports venues, hotels, housing, and offices onsite. As redevelopment occurs in these centers, there are opportunities for site design to focus on establishing walkable districts with pedestrian-scaled architecture and family-friendly activities, amenities, and public spaces. Site design can also incorporate transit to facilitate easy access from other parts of the community and it should integrate with surrounding residential neighborhoods where applicable. Community and neighborhood centers can provide shops and services for local residents within easy walking or bicycling distance from home. The policies in this section support the development of these centers as focal points in the community, with a range of shops, services, amenities, events, and programming that draw people and encourage interaction. <
> # GOAL AND POLICIES ### LUP-5 Attractive, thriving commercial centers that are well-located to serve the needs of Sacramento residents, workers, and visitors. **LUP-5.1 Evolving Regional Commercial Centers.** The City shall promote housing and employment uses at existing regional commercial centers to enhance retail viability, establish pedestrian-oriented shopping districts, create more attractive buildings and public spaces, support transit viability, and reduce vehicle trips. The City shall facilitate the replacement of surface parking, drive aisles, and shared parking facilities to further this policy. --- **LUP-5.2 Shopping Centers as Focal Points.** The City shall encourage existing regional and neighborhood shopping centers to integrate amenities, events, and programming that strengthen their role as destinations for area residents to shop and gather. Features to integrate may include the following: * Pedestrian amenities; * Electric vehicle charging; * Bike parking; * Traffic-calming features; * Plazas and public areas; * Shade trees; * Lighting; * Public art; * Farmers markets; * Retail and other services that provide for everyday needs; and * Community events. --- **LUP-5.3 Mixed-Use Neighborhood Centers.** The City shall promote the development of strategically located mixed-use neighborhood centers that accommodate local-serving commercial, employment, entertainment, and cultural uses; provide diverse housing opportunities; are within walking distance of surrounding residents; and are efficiently served by transit. --- **LUP-5.4 Neighborhood Shopping Center Revitalization.** In areas where existing neighborhood shopping centers have reached the end of their economic life, the City shall support revitalization through the introduction of housing and/or the attraction of essential services to the site, such as medical clinics, a grocery store, banks, and cultural/educational uses to provide for the daily needs of area residents and ensure the vitality of the site over time. **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. --- **LUP-5.6 Local Business Preservation.** The City shall strive to prevent the conversion of existing neighborhood retail uses and local businesses through business retention and anti-displacement strategies. --- <
> # Complete and Inclusive Neighborhoods Historically, Sacramento’s residential areas were designed as complete neighborhoods. Prior to the widespread adoption of the automobile and the use of Euclidean zoning, duplexes, triplexes, and small apartments were built alongside detached single-family homes, with neighborhood-serving “main streets” a short walk away. However, starting in the 1920s, cities throughout the U.S. began to use zoning to regulate what kinds of housing could be built, often using minimum home sizes as a proxy to achieve racially and socioeconomically segregated neighborhoods. By the 1960s, single-family zoning dominated most of the land area of U.S. cities, severely restricting what could be built. Communities with only detached single-family homes took up more space and pushed out City limits, creating sprawl and increasing car dependence and pollution. Sacramento reflects these nationwide patterns, with the majority of the city’s residential areas zoned for single-unit homes only, even as older residential areas feature duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts. Policies in this section promote complete and inclusive neighborhoods throughout Sacramento that contain all the places and services residents need for everyday life within easy access from home. They include housing that is accessible to people of all ages, races, and abilities; affordable to all income levels; and within easy walking and bicycling distance of schools, childcare, dentists, hair salons, parks, and corner grocery stores. Policies support the gradual increase of smaller-scale multi-unit housing that can provide more attainable housing options for residents, as well as help reduce car dependence and climate impacts. This includes accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts that can be more affordable by virtue of their smaller size. These smaller-scale housing types are often referred to as “missing middle” housing because they sit in the middle of a spectrum between detached single-unit homes and mid-rise apartment buildings and because supply of these types is so limited. > For additional policies related to neighborhood walkability, see the Mobility Element. ### GOAL AND POLICIES | LUP-6 | A city of healthy, livable, “complete neighborhoods” that provide for residents’ daily needs within easy walking or biking distance from home. | | :--- | :--- | **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. **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. **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. **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. --- **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. --- **LUP-6.6 New Growth Neighborhoods.** The City shall ensure that new residential growth areas include neighborhoods with a mix of residential types, sizes, and densities, such as single-, duplex-, and multi-unit dwellings. --- **LUP-6.7 Architectural Variations.** The City should encourage building placement variations, roofline variations, architectural projections, and other embellishments to enhance the visual interest along residential streets. --- **LUP-6.8 Gated Communities.** The City shall discourage the creation of new gated private streets in residential communities to promote social cohesiveness and maintain street network efficiency, adequate emergency response times, and convenient travel routes for all street users. --- **LUP-6.9 Design around Open and Green Space.** The City should encourage large-scale, small-lot, single- and multi-unit residential projects to be designed in group dwellings around open space, greenery, and/or recreational features and facilitate access for residents. --- **LUP-6.10 Care Facilities.** The City shall encourage the development of older adult daycare facilities, assisted living facilities, hospice, childcare, and other care facilities in appropriate areas throughout Sacramento. --- **LUP-6.11 Home-Based Businesses.** The City shall encourage home businesses to support workforce participation and lower need for vehicular travel by eliminating commutes for more workers and supporting “complete neighborhoods” by allowing residents to provide services locally. --- **LUP-6.12 Reconnecting Communities.** The City shall support efforts and opportunities to reconnect communities that were disconnected by large infrastructure projects and developments, including but not limited to freeways, railways, and buildings. --- <
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> A multiplex in an existing neighborhood # Industrial Areas Industrial uses in Sacramento include heavy and light industrial activities, as well as airport-related uses, warehousing, distribution, and building materials and vehicle-oriented uses. With approximately 46 percent of all industrial land in the regional market concentrated in the city, Sacramento plays an important role in the sector. The Power Inn Road area has the single largest concentration of industrial uses in the city and the region, while other clusters are located north of Downtown Sacramento along the American River, along I-80 in North Natomas and North Sacramento, and near both Sacramento McClellan Airport and Sacramento Executive Airport. The city’s industrial sector is undergoing a period of significant transition as some older, centrally located industrial areas are evolving. A plan is in place to transform the Sacramento Railyards into a regional destination for employment, commerce, sports, entertainment, education, culture, and tourism. Developments like the Mill at Broadway are repurposing older industrial structures along West Broadway for workforce housing, while the River District is positioned to redevelop with a mix of residential, government and private office, and retail uses. Still, demand for industrial space remains strong in the city, driven by new and emerging industries and by spillover demand from the San Francisco Bay Area. This includes advanced manufacturing; research and development in sectors like life sciences and bioscience; legal cannabis cultivators, distributors, and manufacturers; as well as logistics and warehousing seeking to take advantage of freeway access, air freight facilities, and proximity to a robust consumer base. New industrial spaces will be needed to help both small, high-growth firms and established, medium-sized firms grow and create skilled jobs in emerging sectors. Flexible workspace models that provide for shared lab spaces and co-working environments can provide affordable options to firms as they scale their operations. Policies in this section recognize the importance of the industrial sector to the local and regional economy, and support both light and heavy industrial uses in appropriate locations. ## GOAL AND POLICIES | LUP-7 | Industrial opportunities in suitable locations to provide employment for Sacramento residents and promote inclusive economic growth in the city. | | :--- | :--- | **LUP-7.1 Heavy Industry.** The City shall support the continued operation and expansion of heavy industrial activities, focusing them in the Power Inn area in the eastern part of the city, subject to performance standards for industrial development and operation that prohibit creation of noise, odor, or other harmful emissions beyond the boundaries of the site. **LUP-7.2 Industrial Uses Along Rivers.** The City shall prohibit new heavy industrial uses along the American River Parkway and prevent incompatible industrial development adjacent to the American and Sacramento Rivers. **LUP-7.3 Production, Distribution, and Repair.** The City shall maintain sufficient land in areas designated for industrial uses to accommodate a wide range of production, distribution, and repair-oriented light industrial uses, including the following: * Research and development, * Manufacturing, and * Food processing. **LUP-7.4 Live/Work Options.** The City shall allow for the introduction of compatible residential and commercial uses, such as live-work units, artisan shops/studios, brew pubs, coffee shops, and tasting rooms, in Employment Mixed-Use areas. **LUP-7.5 Industrial Aesthetics.** The City shall encourage the development and maintenance of well-designed industrial and light industrial properties and structures that meet adopted standards for visual quality and design, especially where interfacing with other uses. **LUP-7.6 Industrial Conversion.** As market conditions permit, the City shall allow the conversion of existing industrial, warehousing, and distribution facilities to flex space (ie. artist live/work, small scale manufacturing, production), business incubators (i.e., light industrial and research and development uses) that provide new jobs and comparable employment opportunities without the environmental impacts of traditional industrial uses. *** # Placemaking, Green Building, and the Arts ### SENSE OF PLACE Both the natural and built environment contribute to Sacramento’s unique sense of place. The Sacramento and American Rivers have shaped urban form and development patterns, and still today the riverfront open spaces and lush tree canopy in older areas of the city weave natural elements into the urban landscape. Plentiful farmers markets and the burgeoning local farm-to-table culture made possible by the wealth of farmland in the surrounding area help maintain a sense of connection to the land. The iconic Downtown skyline visible on entering the city, historic landmarks and districts, and walkable neighborhoods are also essential elements of Sacramento’s distinct identity. The General Plan aims to preserve and enhance these qualities with targeted placemaking strategies. Policies in this section articulate a vision for building and site design that influence our experiences of places and establish a relationship with existing surrounding uses. In much of the city, blocks are relatively small in scale, which helps establish a fine-grained, walkable street grid punctuated by public spaces. Promoting this block scale in areas planned for new development will help unify new and old, and ensuring that neighborhoods and districts maintain <
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> visual transitions can help provide orientation. Corner buildings with distinctive architectural features can help create distinctive urban form. Buildings that provide visibility from the outside, such as through storefront windows and residential stoops, make places feel more alive and interesting to pedestrians and passersby. Similarly, identifying and promoting well-designed gateways into Sacramento, such as on highways into the city, at the Sacramento Valley Station, and other points of entry, can help to enhance the sense of place. Utilizing public art, signage, trees and landscaping, and buildings that define space can all help to define gateways and provide welcoming visual cues of arrival. > *Please also see the Environmental Resources and Constraints Element for policies related to maintaining and expanding Sacramento’s tree canopy.* # GOAL AND POLICIES ### LUP-8 A unique and varied sense of place, defined by distinctive natural and urban elements that contribute to local quality of life and hometown pride. #### LUP-8.1 Unique Sense of Place. The City shall promote quality site, architectural, and landscape design that include the following: * Connected walkable blocks; * Distinctive parks and accessible open spaces; * Tree-lined streets; and * Varied architectural styles. #### LUP-8.2 River as Signature Feature. The City shall require new development along the Sacramento and American Rivers to use the natural river environment as a key feature to guide the scale, design, and intensity of development, and to maximize visual and physical access to the rivers, subject to the public safety requirements of local, state, and federal agencies and plans, including the American River Parkway Plan, the Local Maintaining Agencies (LMA), and the Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB). #### LUP-8.3 River Access and Ecology. The City shall strive to balance the provision of river access and continued recreational and tourist-oriented activities with efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the ecological setting along the Sacramento and American Rivers. <
> #### LUP-8.4 Enhanced City Gateways. The City shall ensure that public improvements and private development work together to enhance the sense of entry at key gateways to the city and use gateway design to strengthen the sense of arrival into Sacramento and districts and neighborhoods within the city. Gateway design elements may include the following: * Streetscape design, * Signage, * Building massing, and * Similarly-themed design elements. #### LUP-8.5 Development Adjacent to Freeways and Railroad Corridors. The City shall promote high-quality design of buildings along freeway and railway corridors, including promoting techniques such as the following: * Requiring extensive landscaping and trees along the freeway fronting elevation in consultation with City staff, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, and Caltrans; * Establishing a consistent building line, articulating and modulating building elevations and heights, and varying the use of materials and color to create visual interest; and * Including design elements that reduce noise and provide for filtering, ventilation, and exhaust of vehicle air emissions. #### LUP-8.6 Prominent Corner Architecture. The City shall encourage new development at key intersections and/or gateways to incorporate distinctive architectural features, such as prominent entries or corner towers. #### LUP-8.7 Distinctive Urban Skyline. The City shall guide 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. **LUP-8.8 Iconic Sense of Place.** The City shall encourage the development of iconic buildings and sites in key locations with architecture, site planning, and landscaping to enhance gateways and create new landmarks and focal features that contribute to the city's structure and identity. **LUP-8.9 People-Friendly Design.** The City shall require people-friendly design to be incorporated into buildings and spaces, including elements and features such as the following: * Human scale, tree-shaded pedestrian passageways; * Resting areas; * Seating; * Gathering places; and * Other measures with demonstrated benefits for health and quality of life. **LUP-8.10 Responsiveness to Context.** The City shall require building and site design that respects and responds to the local context, including use of local materials and plant species where feasible, responsiveness to Sacramento’s climate, and consideration of cultural and historic context of Sacramento’s neighborhoods, corridors, and centers. <
> 20th Street is often closed off for outdoor events, creating a lively pedestrian environment **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. **LUP-8.12 Design of Privately-Developed Public Spaces.** The City should encourage public spaces in private development, where feasible, to include the following features: * Lined with active uses at-grade and located near building entrances, windows, outdoor seating, patios, or balconies that overlook park spaces, and other areas with strong pedestrian activity; * Completely visible from at least one street frontage and as feasible, be at least 50 percent visible from a secondary street frontage; * Primarily defined by adjacent buildings, which will contribute to the unity and environmental quality of the space; * Located at the same grade level as the public sidewalk when possible. Where changes in grade are an important element of the overall design and programming, clear and direct access from the public sidewalk should be accommodated, and universal accessibility provided; * Reflective of the design and placemaking elements of the surrounding area using architectural styles, signage, colors, textures, materials, and other elements; * Constructed with low impact and permeable paving materials to efficiently manage the stormwater and minimize the area’s heat island effect; * Connected to bike and pedestrian facilities and be a part of an interconnected shared pathway or parkway system where feasible; * Wayfinding signage; * Site furnishing that allows for resting; and * Tree canopy covering at least 50 percent of the public space. **LUP-8.13 Continuity of Streetscape Design.** The City shall encourage continuity in streetscape/ landscape design especially along major streets and avenues that traverse the city north to south and east to west. **LUP-8.14 Streetscape Beautification.** To strengthen community identity, the City shall undertake and encourage streetscape improvement and beautification projects that incorporate unified landscaping and pedestrian amenities in corridors, centers, and neighborhoods. Amenities should include the following: * Bus shelters, * Public art, and * Pedestrian safety treatments such as - Sidewalk bulb-outs and - Widening and improved crosswalks, and - Branded decorative elements such as street lighting, concrete pavers, and tree grates. **LUP-8.15 Setbacks from Rivers and Creeks.** The City shall ensure adequate building setbacks from rivers and creeks, increasing them where possible to protect natural resources. ### ARTS, CULTURE, AND ENTERTAINMENT Sacramento is the region’s premier destination for arts, culture, and entertainment. The city features a wide range of museums, galleries, and performing arts venues at various scales that engage people from all walks of life. This thriving local arts scene enriches the lives of residents, draws in visitors and tourists, and supports a robust network of musicians, actors, and visual artists throughout the Sacramento region. Supporting the development of cultural and entertainment centers positions Sacramento to attract top arts and entertainment talent. Sacramento’s vibrant arts ecosystem has been supported by arts education in its public schools, colleges, and non-profit community groups, as well as ### ENTERTAINMENT STATISTICS As of 2018, the city had <
> including Crocker Art Museum, the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi River <
> In 2018, 70 percent of Sacramentans indicated that they had personally participated in arts and cultural activities within the last six months. In 2016, cultural non-profits, performing arts tickets, and book, media, musical instrument, and art sales accounted for over $460 million in economic transactions. *Source: “Creative Edge,” City of Sacramento, June 2018.* through flexibility in the City’s zoning regulations that has allowed live-work studios and artist lofts. Sacramento has also been able to foster a robust arts scene because of its relative affordability compared with other cities in California. Art studios and live-work spaces, performing arts venues, and warehouse galleries have had relatively low rents over the past several decades; however, rising land and housing prices mean that many of these artists and spaces are at risk of displacement. Exploring options for anti-displacement strategies will be a vital strategy for protecting Sacramento’s art scene in future years. Not only do the arts make a difference to the lives and well-being of residents, but they are an important contributor to the local economy. Sacramento’s Creative Edge Plan lays out goals, strategies, and actions to strengthen and support Sacramento’s creative economy, including through expanded educational opportunities, prioritizing diversity and equity in arts funding, and ensuring that arts and cultural opportunities exist in all of Sacramento’s neighborhoods, not just Downtown. Prioritizing permanent and temporary installations of art in public places throughout the city can help create unique and well-loved places and make art a part of residents’ daily lives. The City’s Art in Public Places program, established in 1977, has a collection of more than 650 artworks, more than 60 percent of which are by local and regional artists. Two percent of eligible City and County capital improvement project budgets are set aside for the commission, purchase, and installation of these artworks throughout Sacramento. Continuation of this program can further enrich public life in Sacramento. The policies in this section strive to cultivate the arts, culture, and entertainment in Sacramento to foster a vibrant arts ecosystem and distinguish Sacramento as a destination city. <
> <
> Gallery walk on Second Saturday # GOAL AND POLICIES | LUP-9 | Arts, culture, and entertainment that enriches neighborhood quality of life, strengthens community identity, and contributes to economic prosperity. | | :--- | :--- | ### LUP-9.1 Cultural and Entertainment Centers. The City shall support the equitable development of cultural, art, entertainment, and recreational facilities and events in the city to attract visitors, support a quality of life for residents, celebrate and strengthen Sacramento’s unique identity. ### LUP-9.2 Destination City. To leverage the economic potential of Sacramento’s cultural and entertainment assets, the City shall grow, support, promote, and attract marquee arts, culture, and entertainment events that distinguish Sacramento as a destination in the region and the state. ### LUP-9.3 Assembly Facilities and Event Centers. The City shall encourage and support the development of assembly facilities for social, cultural, entertainment, sports, educational, and religious activities. The design and programming of these facilities should reflect the diversity of the community. ### LUP-9.4 Vibrant Arts Ecosystem. The City shall foster a vibrant arts and creative ecosystem by striving to provide equitable access to creative opportunities and expression for all residents by promoting access to capital, infrastructure, professional development, mentoring, and other arts programming. ### LUP-9.5 Arts Education. The City shall work to ensure that an array of arts education programming is offered within reasonable walking, biking, and transit access to improve engagement of youth and older adults. Collaborations between other civic partners (healthcare institutions, community centers, parks, juvenile justice, etc.), local artists, and community-based arts organizations should be fostered to ensure equitable access to arts education programming for older adults and youth. **LUP-9.6 Artist Enclaves/Live-Work Studios.** The City shall support and encourage the development, reuse, and conversion of areas and buildings to create art districts that could include the following: * Live-work studios; * Spaces for performance, exhibition, rehearsal, production, and retail; and * Affordable residential enclaves for artists and their families. **LUP-9.7 Anti-Displacement Strategies.** The City shall strive to prevent displacement and pursue placekeeping strategies for artists and creative businesses along with special incentives that drive consumer engagement within arts districts. **LUP-9.8 Public Art.** The City shall infuse the public realm with temporary and permanent public art installations, activations, and signature design elements through continuation of the Art in Public Places Program, recognizing the value of public art to do the following: * Add visual variety and richness; * Delight, surprise, amuse, and inspire; * Educate and inform; * Engage and involve; * Promote neighborhood identity; and * Celebrate Sacramento’s heritage and environment. The Ice Blocks Complex on R Street was designed using the LEED scorecard for sustainability. <
> ## SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND DESIGN While Sacramento’s buildings house residents, enable commerce, and create life and interest through architecture, they also account for sizeable shares of communitywide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and solid waste. Energy used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings accounted for 37 percent of Sacramento’s total GHG emissions in 2016. Construction- and demolition-related waste is a major contributor to landfills, with 600 million tons of debris sent to landfills nationwide in 2018. California’s Energy Code (Code of Regulations, Title 24, Parts 6 and 11) and Sacramento’s City Code incorporate performance standards to target reductions in solid waste, pollution, and energy use. Despite on-going challenges with reducing GHG emissions from buildings, Sacramento has strived to lead by example in new construction. Achieving community goals for sustainability and GHG reduction will require a continued focus on improving the performance of both new and existing buildings in Sacramento. Actively promoting the retrofit and adaptive reuse of older buildings in need of rehabilitation over the construction of new ones will help reduce the amount of solid waste sent to landfills as well as the energy expended in manufacturing and transporting new building materials. In turn, this reduces GHG emissions from building construction. Aiming for net-zero energy (NZE) or net-positive design of buildings — meaning that buildings produce the same amount or more energy than they consume, such as by generating solar or geothermal energy — is an increasingly achievable standard in many new construction contexts. Electrification of new buildings — requiring that they use electricity instead of gas for heating, cooking, and appliances — has the potential to reduce Sacramento’s greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 135,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) by 2045, while transitioning existing buildings to carbon-free electricity is projected to eliminate another nearly 380,000 MTCO2e in the same timeframe. Building electrification is the lynchpin strategy of the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). In addition to considering GHG emissions and energy efficiency of buildings, policies in this section support sustainability objectives by promoting the development of buildings that weave aspects of social equity, ecological generation, responsible resource stewardship, and human health and well-being into their designs. Incorporating these considerations makes each development project an active player in not only reducing harmful social and ecological impacts, but in positively and actively contributing to resilient built environments that co-exist with their surrounding natural environments and support the community it serves. > *Please see the Environmental Resources and Constraints Element and the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for additional policies, strategies, and measures related to energy use in buildings.* <
> ## GOALS AND POLICIES ### LUP-10 Sustainable building and “green” design practices in public and private development that reduce per capita energy use, waste, and pollutants. **LUP-10.1 Existing Structure Reuse.** The City shall encourage the retention of existing structures and promote their adaptive reuse and renovation with green building technologies to retain the structures’ embodied energy, sequester carbon, increase energy efficiency, and limit the generation of waste. **LUP-10.2 Promote Green Buildings.** The City shall partner with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Grid Alternatives, American Institute of Architects, North State Building Industry Association, and other organizations and public agencies to raise awareness and promote adoptions of innovative green building technologies in both new and existing buildings. --- ### LUP-11 Create built and natural environments within the city that prioritize, support, promote, and embrace social equity, ecological regeneration, responsible resource stewardship, and human health and well-being. **LUP-11.1 Net-Positive Energy Future.** The City shall support and promote projects that demonstrate responsible energy use and an acceleration of renewable energy generation toward a net-positive energy future. --- **LUP-11.2 Balanced Local Water Cycle.** The City shall support and promote project goals and implementation that demonstrate sustainable water resource use, including water conservation and reuse, to build climate resilience and uphold a balanced local water cycle. **LUP-11.3 Local Human and Ecological Context.** The City shall support and promote project goals and implementation that are informed by and respond to the local human and ecological context (past, present, and projected future) and strive for ecological and cultural health and regeneration. **LUP-11.4 Community Education.** The City shall encourage, support, and partner with other organizations in the education of community members in regenerative design policies and practices, both human and ecological, and educate on how to implement regenerative, climate adaptive, as well as pro-health and pro-equity strategies in all sectors. **LUP-11.5 Human-Ecosystems Connection.** The City shall support and promote planning and development that provide equitable opportunities for human connection and interaction with natural ecosystems. **LUP-11.6 Community Connection.** The City shall support and promote planning and development that creates and encourages opportunities for community connection and interaction, relationship building and cross-cultural awareness, support, and respect. **LUP-11.7 Building Materials.** The City shall support and promote the use of benign; responsibly- and ethically-sourced; and low-carbon and/ or carbon-sequestering building materials and products. <
> **LUP-11.8 Construction Processes.** The City shall encourage onsite construction processes that reduce environmental harm and support sustainable methods. **LUP-11.9 Product Circularity.** The City shall support and promote locally manufactured materials and products that embody product circularity. **LUP-11.10 Demonstration of Leadership.** The City shall demonstrate leadership in the above policies under this goal in City-owned buildings, properties, and projects, and share successes and lessons learned broadly within and beyond the city of Sacramento to accelerate adoption across all sectors of the development community and building industry. ### IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS #### Plans and Programs **LUP-A.1: Area of Concern.** The City shall work with Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) to designate the Natomas Basin Study Area as an Area of Concern to provide the City with greater influence on land use decisions and other governmental actions that directly and indirectly affect the city of Sacramento in this important area beyond its Sphere of Influence. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) **LUP-A.2: Local Bonus Program.** The City shall amend the Planning and Development Code to establish a local bonus program for development projects providing regulated affordable housing, including those with less than 5 units that would not qualify under the state density bonus law (CA Govt Code Sections 65915-65918). **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) ### *Planning Studies and Reports* #### **LUP-A.3: Citywide Municipal Services Review.** The City shall work with Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) to prepare and adopt a citywide Municipal Services Review (MSR) to identify the existing capacity and means of financing the probable demand for services based on the build out of the General Plan. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- #### **LUP-A.4: Fruitridge-Florin Annexation.** The City shall study the feasibility of annexing the Fruitridge-Florin Study Area with a view of streamlining the delivery of public services, addressing infrastructure needs, promoting neighborhood revitalization, and improving the quality of life for local residents. The study should involve outreach to area residents and consider fiscal and environmental impacts as well as inclusive economic development opportunities. Based on the results of the study, the City shall consider an annexation application with the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) if appropriate. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Mid-term (2030-2035) --- #### **LUP-A.5: Special Studies.** The City shall map and track major planning actions, such as rezonings, in a database keyed to the year action was taken. Use this data to pinpoint areas which require special studies and possible amendment on the General Plan land use map. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Ongoing --- #### **LUP-A.6: Future High-Frequency Transit Routes.** Every 5 years to coincide with updates of the General Plan, the City shall review and update land use designations and development intensities where new high-frequency transit routes and bus rapid transit routes have been adopted by transit agencies. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Ongoing --- ### *Regulations, Standards, and Development Review* #### **LUP-A.7: Sustainability and Decarbonization Standards.** The City shall evaluate best practices to guide the development of more prescriptive sustainability and carbonization standards for City buildings, infrastructure, and facilities. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Utilities (lead), Office of Climate Action and Sustainability (support), Department of Public Works (support) **Timeframe:** Ongoing --- #### **LUP-A.8: Beyond Climate Resiliency Measures.** The City shall evaluate cost-effective opportunities to accelerate voluntary efforts of the private development industry to go above and beyond baseline state- <
> Lavender Courtyard is an affordable residential community for LGBTQ seniors. *Rendering by Mogavero Notestine Architects* mandated climate resiliency measures, such as incentive programs and other measures. **Responsible Entity:** Office of Climate Action and Sustainability (lead), Community Development Department (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** ### LUP-A.9: Net-Zero Energy or Net-Positive Design. The City shall assess the feasibility of requiring or incentivizing net-zero energy (NZE) or net-positive design for new buildings and significant retrofitting of existing privately-owned buildings and identify incentives for NZE and net-positive design. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** ### LUP-A.10: Planning and Development Code Update. The City shall update the Planning and Development Code to implement the 2040 General Plan, including amendments to: * Rezone parcels for consistency with the 2040 General Plan land use, intensity, and density diagrams; * Remove maximum residential density standards from single-unit, duplex dwelling, multi-unit, commercial, and industrial zones and replace them with floor area ratio-based intensity standards and minimum residential density standards; * Broaden the range of housing types allowed by-right within single-unit and duplex dwelling residential zones; * Update development standards for missing-middle housing types, such as accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts; * Require new residential development of a certain size to include a variety of housing types and sizes; * Establish requirements for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in new and expanded gas stations citywide; * Establish incentives to promote efficient parcel utilization and consolidation, particularly in transit-oriented development (TOD) areas; * Prohibit new drive-through restaurants in areas where a strong pedestrian and transit orientation is desired; * Allow for flexibility of new commercial uses in neighborhood-oriented commercial centers; and * Establish incentives to facilitate the retrofit of existing shopping centers with pedestrian amenities, EV charging, bike parking, traffic-calming features, plazas and public areas, shade trees, lighting, public art, farmers markets, retail and other services that provide for everyday needs, and community events. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** ### LUP-A.11: Home Occupation Regulations. The City shall evaluate changes to the home occupation regulations in the Planning and Development Code to allow home businesses by-right and expand eligible home business permits to allow greater variety of home businesses as part of a strategy to remove barriers to entrepreneurship, support workforce participation, promote walkability, lower vehicle miles travelled, and allow residents to provide services locally. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** ### LUP-A.12: Design Guidelines Update. The City shall review its development design guidelines and standards for consistency with the 2040 General Plan goals, policies, and standards. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- ## Circulation — Mobility Element - Source: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/cdd/Planning/adopted-2040-general-plan/2040%20GP_2-08_Mobility_Adopted.pdf - Pages: 30 - Covers: circulation <
> # 8 # MOBILITY The General Plan promotes mobility and transportation choices for all Sacramentans with an integrated approach to land use and transportation. This Mobility Element of the General Plan outlines a strategy for mobility and access improvements that enhance transportation safety, bolster connectivity, and shift trips to active modes, public transit, and high-occupancy vehicles to meet the needs of all users citywide. Equally, it recognizes the need to prioritize investments in disadvantaged areas with the highest need as part of the roadmap to a sustainable and equitable city. There is a strong connection between the way people move in and around the city and the type and location of land uses. Clustering most of the city’s housing and job growth in centers and along corridors and near transit creates synergies between land use and transportation, reduces car trips and land needed for parking, and can provide the concentration of people necessary to support more frequent transit services, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is especially important since 57 percent of the city’s GHG emissions are from gas-powered cars, trucks, and buses moving around the city. This Element satisfies the statutory requirements for the general plan circulation element in part, providing a circulation diagram that identifies the city’s major thoroughfares and transportation routes as well as a policy framework to balance walking, bicycling, transit service, and driving within a multimodal network. It also addresses the regional movement of people and goods by road, rail, and air. This Element discusses standards and proposals that meet demands resulting from changes in land use in this General Plan. The related topic of land use synergies with transit, including transit-oriented development, is addressed in the Land Use and Placemaking Element. Access to parks and recreational facilities and promotion of active, healthy lifestyles are addressed in the Youth, Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element. Airport compatibility is addressed in the Environmental Resources and Constraints Element. Transport of hazardous materials is addressed in the Environmental Justice Element, and emergency evacuation is addressed in the Public Facilities and Safety Element. # A Multimodal System ## EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY An equitable, sustainable multimodal circulation system ensures that people who live, work, and visit Sacramento can choose the transportation mode that works best for the trip they want to take; that the benefits and burdens of the system are distributed fairly throughout the community; that emergency vehicles can reach emergencies in a reasonable time; and that greenhouse gases are not being generated by unnecessary car trips. **Map M-1** shows proposed roadway changes that will prioritize walking, biking, and transit over automobiles. These segments were selected based on early community input, traffic modeling results, Vision Zero corridors, and high-frequency transit corridors. Additional consideration was given to minimize gridlock and ensure continued operation of the transportation network. The proposed future roadway reallocations shown in Map M-1 do not include the roadway segments identified for reductions as part of Grid 3.0, the Central City Specific Plan, the Broadway Complete Streets Project, the North 12th Street Complete Streets Project, the Vision Zero Top 5 Corridor Study, and the Stockton Boulevard Corridor Plan. As funding is available the City plans to study implementation of these proposed changes that can provide many benefits, including improving transit frequency and reliability, slowing drivers down, and creating more comfortable space for those walking and biking. Some general travel lanes on some roadways used primarily by cars can be reallocated to other users who need space too. A complete streets approach that balances the needs of all users of the street is integral to achieving this. System-wide, a complete streets approach means emphasizing a diversity of modes and users across the network and assessing whether the system can accommodate the needs of all travelers, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. In 2019, the Sacramento City Council adopted a Complete Streets Policy (Resolution 2019-0460), affirming the City’s commitment to provide a complete, connected multimodal transportation network that contributes directly to the safety, health, economic vitality, and quality of life of all residents especially the most vulnerable, those walking and rolling. **COMPLETE STREETS ACT** The California Complete Streets Act (Assembly Bill 1358) of 2008 requires cities to consider the needs of all users of the street in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of transportation networks. The City of Sacramento has previously adopted a comprehensive “complete streets” policy that applies to city projects as well as to private developments within the city and guides its approach to the transportation system: *Existing (2022) City of Sacramento policy: The City of Sacramento shall approach every transportation improvement and project phase as an opportunity to apply a Complete Streets framework to create safer, more accessible streets for all roadway users, while upholding the City’s Design Procedures Manual.* Working toward an equitable, sustainable multimodal transportation system requires a focus on enhancing the viability and variety of options for travel within the system. As the City seeks to focus on infill development in existing centers and corridors, having multimodal options will become increasingly important to accommodate and support intensifying uses and traffic on existing roadway infrastructure. Accommodating active transportation modes and transit within denser, activity-rich mixed-use areas — and especially around light rail stations — to make it easier to get around without driving and parking is especially important for achieving communitywide sustainability objectives. Sacramento is well-positioned to support frequent, reliable transit given its pattern of linear commercial arterials with significant capacity for redevelopment and the extensive light rail system that connects the city from north to south and east to west. ## CIRCULATION DIAGRAM AND STREET CLASSIFICATIONS **Map M-2a and 2b** shows the circulation system that supports development consistent with the Land Use Diagram (**Map LUP-5**) located in the Land Use and Placemaking Element. The circulation system is represented by a set of street classifications that have been # Map M-1 ## Roadway Reallocations <
> | | | | :--- | :--- | | ○ | Light Rail Station | | ▬ | Existing High-Frequency Bus Route | | ▬ | Existing Light Rail | | ▬ ▬ | Planned Light Rail | | ▬ | Future Roadway Reallocation Segment | | **Vision Zero Top Ten Corridors*** | | | ⬭ | Top 1-5 | | ⬭ | Top 6-10 | | ▬ ▬ | Sacramento City Limit | | ▬ | Community Plan Area Boundary | | █ | Park | | █ | Open Space | | █ | Golf Course | Source: Sacramento Regional Transit District, 2023; City of Sacramento, 2023; Fehr & Peers, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 Map M-2a # Circulation Diagram <
> | Existing Roadways | Planned Roadways | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | — Freeway | --------- Arterial | [---] Sacramento City Limit | | — Arterial | --------- Major Collector | [---] Sphere of Influence | | — Major Collector | --------- Minor Collector | ( ) Water | | — Minor Collector | --------- Local | | | — Local Road | X Number of Lanes | | Source: City of Sacramento, 2023; Fehrs & Peers, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 Map M-2b # Circulation Diagram - Downtown Inset <
> | Existing Roadways | Planned Roadways | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | — Freeway | ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪ Arterial | [---] Sacramento City Limit | | | — Arterial | ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪ Major Collector | [---] Sphere of Influence | | | — Major Collector | ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪ Minor Collector | { } Water | | | — Minor Collector | ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪ Local | | | | — Local Road | **X** Number of Lanes | | | Source: City of Sacramento, 2021; Fehrs & Peers, 2021; Dyett & Bhatia, 2021 developed to guide the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the network. Based on these generalized characteristics, streets often vary in terms of right-of-way, roadway width, number of lanes, intersection and traffic signal spacing, speed, and other factors. In addition, they may contain elements such as pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure to comply with a Complete Streets-based approach to mobility. The street classifications are as follows: * **Major and Minor Arterial:** Provides mobility and regional connectivity * **Major and Minor Collector:** Connects local streets to arterials * **Local Residential:** Serves residential land uses * **Local Commercial:** Serves commercial land uses * **Local Industrial:** Serves industrial land uses ### GEOMETRY OF SUCCESSFUL TRANSIT SERVICE The General Plan seeks to focus new development along several key corridors, and has identified strong candidates for investing in existing and/or new frequent, reliable transit service routes based on their geometry and other factors (selections are shown on Map M-3). The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) provides primary transit service on these corridors and the City will need to collaborate with SacRT to refine the candidate network and prioritize corridors for frequent service as development conditions warrant and SacRT’s funding allows. Implementation of frequent service would also be contingent on the City’s management of corridor operations to provide for adequate speed and reliability, including through signalization timing, intersection design, the creation of transit-only lanes, and the strategic placement of stops and stations. Transit is typically more efficient and convenient when it runs on relatively straight routes along a network of corridors, without meandering routes that add time to the journey. Improving accessibility to transit routes can also help make increased transit frequency more economically feasible for transit providers. Given the higher cost to provide more frequent transit service, it is helpful to plan strategically and select corridors with specific characteristics that can set up higher-frequency service for success. **These characteristics include, but are not limited to, the following:** * They are linear paths through areas that are relatively dense and walkable. * They serve developed areas, not passing through large undeveloped areas. * They connect with each other to form a network. Everywhere that frequent lines intersect, the number of potential trips served is multiplied by the connection. As a result, a network of intersecting routes is more useful than a set of parallel ones. * They have anchors. On average, transit tends to empty out toward the end of the line, because it is going to fewer places. Efficient transit planning, and thus efficient transit-oriented development, puts major destinations at the ends of lines so that more people will use the capacity all the way to the end of the line. * They do not compete with each other. <
> ### Map M-3 # Candidate High-Frequency Transit Corridors <
> Source: City of Sacramento Community Development Department, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023. ## ELECTRIC VEHICLES Achieving a better modal balance that involves a higher share of trips made by active and shared modes will take time and sustained efforts. Vehicle trips will continue to constitute a significant portion of the overall trips made in Sacramento so ensuring that as many of those trips as possible are zero-emission trips is essential for achieving long-term climate action and mobility objectives while also promoting healthier transportation options, particularly for residents of disadvantaged communities. This General Plan seeks to catalyze a shift to electric and zero-emission vehicles in both the near and long term by expanding access to vehicle charging infrastructure, shared electric vehicles, incentives, and information. Sacramento was an early adopter of electric vehicle (EV) technology, first implementing an EV Parking Program that provides discounts to EV drivers in City-owned parking garages in 1994. The City has achieved national recognition for its Fleet Sustainability Policy, which commits Sacramento to aggressively incorporating low-emission vehicles and zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) into its fleet of public safety and maintenance vehicles and exploring other fuel efficiency and emissions reduction strategies. The City is a member of the Sacramento Area plug-in EV (PEV) Collaborative, engaged in rolling out a regional EV Readiness and Infrastructure Plan, and the City ranks among the highest densities of public fast charging infrastructure in the nation. The City also supports innovative, public-private initiatives such as the Green Tech Mobility Hub in Del Paso Heights, which provides clean car share vehicles, charging stations, an electric shuttle, solar powered benches and a kiosk with community information and charging stations for smartphones and laptops to residents at a diverse community in North Sacramento. Ensuring equitable access to ZEVs and charging infrastructure is critical for widespread adoption. This will require a continued focus on expanding public fast vehicle charging infrastructure for renters or those who do not have access to a garage as well as incentives for employers and residential building managers to retrofit existing buildings with charging stations. It will also involve expanding EV car share for people who cannot afford or choose not to buy a car of their own and building out a network of E-Mobility Hubs throughout the city. ## MAINTENANCE AND FUNDING The city’s transportation network is vast and aging, and keeping the transportation network in good repair is necessary for all modes of travel; buses travel more efficiently and on schedule, and bicycling is safer and more comfortable. Every other year, the City examines all its arterials and one-third of its local streets and uses the results to prepare a report on pavement conditions to guide investments with finite maintenance funding. A key challenge for Sacramento is that existing revenue streams do not fully cover operations and maintenance costs, and this same funding is also used to support implementation of improvements for safety and mobility throughout the city. <
> Major transportation projects are often funded with a mix of federal, state, and regional sources. Competitive grant funding is used to pay for the bulk of capital improvements planned in Sacramento. New development may be required to pay impact fees, and/or be required to pay for or directly construct or improve transportation infrastructure to address project-specific impacts. With limited resources and limited funding, and seeking to balance the diverse range of mobility needs within the community, the City developed a Transportation Priorities Plan with extensive community input to lay out a comprehensive citywide approach to prioritize implementation of transportation projects. The policies in this section incorporate strategies that prioritize mobility and connectivity for active and shared transportation modes to foster a better balance within the entire system through system planning, design, and operations; supporting active transportation; collaborating to improve transit service; supporting the adoption of zero- and low-emission vehicles; and committing to find maintenance and funding for this work. <
> # GOAL AND POLICIES ### M-1 An equitable, sustainable multimodal system that provides a range of viable and healthy travel choices for users of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. #### System Planning, Design, and Operations **M-1.1 Street Classification System.** The City shall maintain a street classification system that considers the role of streets as corridors for movement but prioritizes a context-sensitive Complete Streets concept that enables connected, comfortable, and convenient travel for those walking, rolling, and taking transit. **M-1.2 User Prioritization.** The City shall prioritize mobility, comfort, health, safety, and convenience for those walking, followed by those bicycling and riding transit, ahead of design and operations for those driving. <
> ### M-1.3 Healthy Transportation System Options. The City shall plan and make investments to foster a transportation system that improves the health of Sacramento residents through actions that make active transportation, non-motorized modes, high-occupancy, and zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) viable, attractive alternatives to automobiles that use internal combustion engines. --- ### M-1.4 Designing to Move People. In planning, designing, and managing the transportation system, the City shall prioritize person throughput to shift trips to more efficient travel modes and upgrade the performance of limited street space. --- ### M-1.5 Street Design Standards. The City shall maintain street design and operations standards that prioritize comfort and travel time for walking, bicycling, and transit, while managing vehicle speeds and traffic volumes, updating them as best practices evolve. --- ### M-1.6 Transit Integration. Wherever feasible, the City shall design buildings, the public realm, streets, and pedestrian access to integrate transit into existing neighborhoods and proposed developments and destinations such as schools, employment centers, commercial centers, major attractions, and public walking spaces to improve access for users by transit. --- ### M-1.7 Fine-Grained Network. As new development and redevelopment occurs, the City shall seek opportunities to create a finer-grained network of streets and walking and bicycling connections, especially within a 1/2-mile walk of light rail stations and transit stops. --- ### M-1.8 Vacation of Public Right-of-Way. The City shall recognize that streets, alleys, bikeways, sidewalks, and other public rights-of-way play an important role in facilitating connectivity in a multimodal system and ensure that any approvals for vacating public right-of-ways include considerations of opportunities for enhanced connectivity. --- ### M-1.9 Equitable Processes and Outcomes. The City shall ensure that the transportation system is planned and implemented with an equitable process to achieve equitable outcomes and investments so that all neighborhoods one day will have similar levels of transportation infrastructure such as sidewalks, marked low stress crossings, and bikeways. --- ### M-1.10 Community Engagement. The City shall continue to engage the community in decisions that affect mobility, including planning, design outcomes and implementation, with a particular focus on planning with, and not for, historically marginalized, disadvantaged communities and environmental justice communities. --- #### *Active Transportation* ### M-1.11 Increase Bicycling and Walking. The City shall strive to increase bicycling and walking citywide so that it can meet its equity, reduced vehicle miles traveled, and sustainability goals. --- ### M-1.12 Light Rail Transit (LRT) Station Access Improvements. Through the development approval process and public and private investments, the City shall foster additional walking and bicycling connections to light rail stations and strengthen existing connections to enhance first/last-mile connectivity and make it easier to travel between the station and surrounding neighborhoods and destinations. As feasible, connections should include pedestrian-level streetlighting and tree shading. --- <
> **M-1.13 Walkability.** The City shall design streets to prioritize walking by including design elements such as the following: * Grid networks that provide high levels of connectivity; * Closely spaced intersections; * Frequent and low-stress crossings; * Wide, unobstructed walkable sidewalks; * Separation from vehicle traffic; * Street trees that provide shading; and * Minimal curb cuts. **M-1.14 Walking Facilities.** The City shall work to complete the network of tree-shaded sidewalks throughout the city, to the greatest extent feasible, by building new sidewalks and crossings, especially within the high-injury network, in disadvantaged communities, near high-ridership transit stops, and near important destinations, such as schools, parks, and commercial areas. Walking facilities should incorporate shade trees. <
> **M-1.15 Improve Walking Connectivity.** The City shall require new subdivisions, new multi-unit dwelling developments, and new developments along commercial corridors to include well-lit, tree-shaded walkways where feasible, that provide direct links to the public realm or adjacent public destinations such as transit stops and stations, schools, parks, and shopping centers. **M-1.16 Barrier Removal.** The City shall remove barriers to walking, where feasible, and work with utility companies to remove barriers to allow people of all abilities to move with comfort and convenience throughout the city, including through the following: * Provision of curb ramps, crosswalks, and overpasses; * Relocation of infrastructure or street furniture that impedes travel pathways; * Reducing or consolidating driveways and curb cuts; * Providing long and short-term bicycle and scooter parking to minimize sidewalk obstructions; and * Creation of additional walking entrances to important destinations like schools, parks, and commercial areas. **M-1.17 Improve Bicycling Connectivity.** The City shall plan and seek funding for a continuous, low-stress bikeway network consisting of bicycling-friendly facilities that connect neighborhoods with destinations and activity centers throughout the city. **M-1.18 Bicycling Safety.** When designing projects, the City shall prioritize designs that strengthen the protection of people bicycling such as improvements that increase visibility of bicyclists, increase bikeway widths, raise bikeways, design safer intersection crossings and turns, and separate bikeways from driving traffic wherever feasible. **M-1.19 Walking Safety.** When designing projects, the City shall prioritize designs that encourage walking and improve walking safety best practice designs and considerations for efficiencies in walking. ### Transit Service **M-1.20 High-Frequency Transit Service.** The City shall collaborate with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to facilitate implementation of high-frequency transit service on a network of interconnected corridors with characteristics that best support high-frequency transit service and those characteristics that meet City goals, managing corridor operations to provide for adequate transit vehicle speed and reliability. **M-1.21 Extension of Transit Service.** The City shall coordinate with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to plan for the extension of frequent transit service and other related transit improvements that are comfortable, convenient, and interconnected from the Greater Land Park, North Natomas, Pocket/Greenhaven, South Area, and South Natomas Community Plan Areas to areas with concentrated employment. This may include frequent bus service provided by SacRT as an interim solution along routes ultimately planned for light rail service. **M-1.22 Increase Transit Ridership.** The City shall support work to increase transit ridership citywide. <
> **M-1.23 Transit Priority.** Where appropriate, the City shall support transit by incorporating features such as bus bulbs, traffic signal priority, queue jumps, and other solutions into priority corridors to improve transit speed, reliability, and operating efficiency while reducing passenger delay. **M-1.24 Transit-Only Lanes.** Where appropriate, the City shall support implementation of transit-only lanes to facilitate high-frequency reliable bus and/or light rail service to and between major destinations, job centers, residential areas, and intermodal facilities in Sacramento. **M-1.25 First/Last-Mile Solutions.** The City shall support “first-mile, last-mile solutions” such as e-bikes/e-scooters as well as multimodal transportation services, public realm improvements (e.g., bicycle parking infrastructure), and other innovations in the areas around transit stations and major bus stops (transit stops) to maximize multimodal connectivity and access for transit riders. **M-1.26 Bus Stop Design.** The City shall encourage the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to implement bus shelter design that encourages transit use, informed by ADA-compliance, bus stop placement, and passenger safety best practices. Where feasible, the City should collaborate with SacRT on bus stop designs for major corridor improvement projects. <
> ### Zero- and Low-Emissions Vehicles **M-1.27 Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategy.** In the near-term, the City shall use the EV Strategy to accelerate EV adoption, guide investment in EV infrastructure, and raise awareness of public charging options. **M-1.28 Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Capital.** The City shall strive to be the ZEV Capital of California, to achieve equitable access to ZEV technologies and benefits across the community, including job training and employment opportunities, and strengthen the local ecosystem of ZEV innovation and industry. **M-1.29 Shared Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs).** The City shall promote shared ZEV options, especially for local trips, that can reduce vehicle trips and the need for personal vehicle ownership, prioritizing low-income and high-need neighborhoods lacking transit and other transportation options. **M-1.30 Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Deployment.** The City shall strategically deploy public City-owned EV charging infrastructure to catalyze a transition to zero-emission vehicle use, prioritizing areas where barriers to adoption exist, including supporting charging infrastructure at regional intermodal facilities. **M-1.31 Private Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Deployment.** The City shall encourage private property owners to first install EV charging infrastructure on their property before requesting the City to install EV charging infrastructure in the public right-of-way to serve their property. The City shall prioritize the public right-of-way for public use first. **M-1.32 Supportive Infrastructure in the Public Right-of-Way.** The City shall provide the use of public rights-of-way near transit stations, major activity centers, and high demand curb locations where appropriate for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other facilities that support emerging mobility technologies. Curbside charging in the public right-of-way shall only be allowed where pedestrian safety and accessibility needs can be met while also minimizing conflicts with other users, street trees, and transit infrastructure. **M-1.33 Electric Vehicle (EV) Car Share and Electric Bike Share.** The City shall facilitate the establishment or expansion of EV car share and electric bike share programs, with priority given to disadvantaged neighborhoods with lower-than-average levels of electric vehicle ownership in conjunction with efforts to increase access to EVs and electric bicycles in these locations. **M-1.34 Electric Mobility (E-Mobility) Hubs.** The City shall support transit agencies, e-mobility operators, transportation network companies (TNCs), and other interested parties to create and operate intermodal e-mobility hubs that serve as connectivity centers offering a suite of integrated electrified mobility solutions and supportive active transportation elements such as bike parking. E-mobility hubs should be located in areas with a concentration of employment, housing, shopping, education, and/or recreational uses based on siting criteria that include transit access, intermodal transfer options, <
> active transportation infrastructure, parcel size, socioeconomic equity, and potential to catalyze new development. *** **M-1.35 Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) First.** The City shall maintain a ZEV First commitment and continue to use the Fleet Sustainability Policy to guide the management of the municipal vehicle fleet, including refuse collection trucks, street sweepers, police cruisers and other vehicles to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and achieve cost savings. *** **M-1.36 Electric Vehicles (EVs) in New Development.** The City shall support minimum levels of EV infrastructure readiness and installation in new development and incentivize additional levels of EV charging, and EV car share, beyond City Code minimums. *** **M-1.37 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging in Existing Development.** The City will collaborate with local and regional partners to encourage the installation of EV charging in private development, prioritizing the expansion of charging in existing multi-unit and affordable housing, as well as promote available rebates, incentives, and programs. *** **M-1.38 Electric Vehicles (EVs), and Energy Resiliency.** The City will support innovative vehicle-to-grid technologies and encourage the deployment of integrated energy generation, storage, and vehicle technologies for energy reliability, flexibility, and cost benefits. *** ### Maintenance and Funding **M-1.39 Maintain the Street System.** The City shall maintain streets and shared-use paths using a pavement management system and maintenance program for public streets and shared-use paths throughout the city based on available funding. *** **M-1.40 Contributions from New Development.** The City shall require new development to construct or pay a proportionate share of the cost of improvements based on mobility-related impacts of the new development. *** **M-1.41 Funding.** The City shall assess the level of funding shortfalls to meet identified transportation policy objectives and explore options to reduce the shortfalls, including actions to ensure adequate shares of regional funding, identification of new funding sources, and prioritization of funding opportunities. *** <
> # Reduced Reliance on Single-Occupant Vehicles Reducing our reliance on single-occupant vehicles will take more than infrastructure and building bikeways, sidewalks, and transit stations. Our driving habits are firmly entrenched, and a robust framework of programs and regulations are needed to incentivize a behavioral shift. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) refers to a set of strategies that result in increased efficiency in a transportation system by changing travel behavior. The implementation of TDM programs can encourage transit, bicycling, carpooling, and walking. The City has adopted a TDM ordinance, called the transportation systems management (TSM) program, which establishes requirements for employers to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and traffic congestion and improve air quality. Sacramento also boasts several well-established Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), which are independent non-profit associations of employers and building managers that work collaboratively with the City and the business community to coordinate TDM programs. Sacramento TMA’s provide a wide range of programs and incentives from employee commuter tax benefit programs, bicycle repair subsidies, fix it stations, and ride together programs to teleworking resources and transportation improvement grants that support employers in installing amenities or creating innovative solutions that reduce employment-related VMT. The curbside is the public space in a transportation network “where movement meets access.” Curb space has traditionally been used to accommodate <
> private vehicle storage or on-street parking; however, cities are increasingly recognizing the changing demand for curbside use generated by transit boarding, emergency vehicle access, pedestrians, bicycles, bicycle infrastructure, taxis, transportation network companies (TNCs), private vehicle parking, and delivery vehicles as well as the need to satisfy the requirements of federal and State disability access laws. The General Plan envisions development and deployment of a Curbside Management Plan that balances the needs of different curbside users and incorporates best practices such as the following: * Collecting data to analyze the use of the curb by time of day; * Ensuring that pick-up/drop-off areas and commercial delivery areas are located appropriately; * Configuring roadways to ensure that they do not interfere with bikeways; * Accounting for general parking uses; and * Incorporating “flex spaces” that can allow a curb space to play many roles (such as loading, parking, or public space) over time depending on demand. For most people in Sacramento, the automobile remains the primary mode of transportation. As such, adequate private vehicle parking is important to retain to support the economic vitality of many commercial districts. Continuing to prioritize space for car parking, however, limits space for housing, businesses, parks, and other land uses that benefit residents and contribute to the local tax base. With growing numbers of people working from home and shopping online, and car ownership rates among younger generations decreasing, and especially if driverless cars become a reality, it is likely that the need for parking spaces will decrease further in the future, particularly in transit-rich areas as service becomes more frequent and reliable. The convergence of these factors makes it important to adopt a strategic approach to parking management that builds on actions the City has already implemented. The policies in this section supports the development of a progressive parking strategy that identifies ad- ditional measures to use existing off- and on-street parking more effectively that will be implemented on an incremental basis in response to evolving conditions. The policies in this section also seek to reduce reliance of single-occupant vehicles. Strategies covered by this section include transportation demand management, curbside management, and parking management. ## GOAL AND POLICES ### M-2 Reduced reliance on single-occupant vehicles. #### Transportation Demand Management **M-2.1 Transportation Demand Management (TDM).** The City should promote the greater use of Transportation Demand Management strategies by employers and residents to reduce dependence on single-occupancy vehicles with the target that 17 percent of all trips are made by transit and active transportation modes by 2030 and 23 percent of all trips are made by transit and active transportation modes by 2045. **M-2.2 Wider Participation.** The City should encourage Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), public agencies, major employers, and school districts to expand and increase participation in programs that reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and increase regional average vehicle occupancy. When designing rewards and incentives, prioritize opportunities to support local businesses. <
> **M-2.3 Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as Metric.** Consistent with state law, the City shall evaluate transportation California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) impacts using vehicle miles traveled or other metrics as determined by the City, and shall not rely on automobile delay, as described by level of service or similar measures of vehicular delay as a measure of environmental significance. Local Transportation Analyses (LTA) shall continue to be required when necessary to aid in conditioning project entitlements for needed operational improvements. **M-2.4 Shared Shuttles.** The City shall encourage employers to partner with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) and local Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) to connect employment areas with the multimodal transit stations, light rail stations, and other major destinations, and to offer employees training and incentives for use of shuttles. **M-2.5 Onsite Childcare.** As a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategy, the City shall encourage large scale employers to provide onsite childcare services within employment districts to reduce or avoid vehicle trips associated with child pick-up and drop-off. **M-2.6 Transit/Event Coordination.** The City shall encourage collaboration between transit partners and event producers to promote awareness of additional and timely transit service before and after large events. **M-2.7 Free or Discounted Transit Passes.** The City shall partner with transit agencies to provide free or more affordable transit passes for low-income residents, youth, and/or senior citizens. **M-2.8 Micro-Transit Service.** The City shall encourage the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) in efforts to expand and enhance on-demand micro-transit service for areas with limited fixed-route transit service in Sacramento, focusing on disadvantaged communities as a priority and to connect to major transit stations. <
> <
> **M-2.9 Advocacy and Events.** The City shall encourage Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), transit agencies, and other community partners to lead promotional campaigns and events that encourage use of transit and active modes of transportation for work, shopping, entertainment, and tourism-related trips within and into and out of Sacramento. Events may include May is Bike Month, Sunday Streets, Car-Free Saturdays, Spare the Air, and others. *** ### Curbside Management **M-2.10 Curbside Management.** The City shall manage the use of curb spaces to meet multimodal demands safely and efficiently. *** **M-2.11 Passenger Pick-Up/Drop-Off.** The City shall plan and price accordingly passenger pick-up/drop-off locations within the public right-of-way for transit, autonomous vehicles, transportation network companies, and micro-transit to limit traffic disruptions, congestion and increase safety by identifying and designating specific locations for safer pick-ups and drop-offs. *** **M-2.12 Innovative Mobility Solutions and Curb of the Future.** The City shall establish and maintain standards for prioritizing the use of the curb and shall pilot new projects and adopt new technology to facilitate mobile solutions of the future. *** **M-2.13 Curb and Mobility Use Data.** The City may implement technologies for inventory and curb usage data to monitor the effectiveness of curbside management guidelines and provide evidence to support or make changes to curb space designations and/or management strategies. *** ### Parking Management **M-2.14 Parking Supply.** The City shall balance on-street and off-street parking supply with objectives for reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), improving air quality, supporting economic vitality, and fostering a high quality of life throughout the city. *** **M-2.15 Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs).** The City shall continue to lead by example by continuing to incentivize the use of ZEVs, such as providing incentives for ZEV parking or charging in City parking lots and structures. *** **M-2.16 Shared Parking.** Through the development review process, the City shall encourage project applicants proposing duplex, multi-unit, mixed-use, and non-residential projects to first explore shared-use of existing parking spaces that can be available for dual uses before proposing to construct new parking facilities. **M-2.17 Parking Management Strategy.** The City shall continue to deploy a parking management strategy that optimizes the use of existing supply, minimizes the need for the construction of new parking facilities, and promotes the use of active modes of transportation, public transit, and high-occupancy vehicles. Program components could include the following: * Adjusting parking management strategies based on goals and needs; * Adjusting parking meter hours and pricing for effective management; * Implementing parking maximums along established transit corridors; * Allowing unbundled parking in conjunction with strategies to reduce the need for private automobiles; * Incorporating or facilitating technology such as smart-phone apps and wayfinding signage that direct drivers to open parking spaces in real-time, automated and/ or stacked parking systems, or parking technologies that improve parking efficiency in mixed-use centers and corridors; * Supporting the use of alternative modes by providing alternative programs in lieu of monthly parking passes and discounts; and * Improving branding, communications, and wayfinding signage. **M-2.18 Technology to Optimize Parking Utilization.** The City shall invest in new technologies that facilitate the efficient management and turnover of parking supply, including solutions that facilitate payments and provide real-time information on the location of available spaces in City on-street and off-street parking inventory. **M-2.19 Optimizing Residential Utilization.** The City shall update the Residential Permit Parking Program to ensure that any request for the issuance of residential permits shall be considered only after a determination that priority was first given to the use or availability of existing onsite parking for single-unit and duplex-dwellings residences such as garages, carports, and driveway space for personal vehicles to increase the availability of on-street parking. <
> ### *Neighborhood Streets as Places* Local or neighborhood streets are an important component of the public realm - a place where neighbors converse and children learn to ride bikes. Specific choices in street design, maintenance, and policy can provide opportunities to increase the use of Sacramento’s streets for more than just mobility - to foster neighborhood connections and a sense of community. Trees, landscaping, and green stormwater infrastructure on streets not only add interest and beauty, but can also help to reduce the impact of hot summertime temperatures, and reduce carbon emissions, and noise. Using a combination of regulations and design strategies, such as crosswalks, speed lumps, on-street parking, and sidewalk plantings can help limit traffic speed and volumes on local streets and optimize their value for neighborhood life. These strategies can enhance walkability and include promoting a grid pattern of streets that maximizes direct connections to destinations and completing the city-wide sidewalk network. Streets can be further used to their full potential as public spaces by closing streets to cars for events, festivals, and block parties. The City of Sacramento issues special event permits for block parties, which allows residents to temporarily utilize the public right-of-way to create a safe, vehicle-free environment for neighborhood gatherings. The policies in this section promote safety, multimodal accessibility, and creative use of neighborhood streets, fostering them as places where residents and visitors choose to spend time. ### **TRAFFIC CALMING** Traffic calming on residential streets slow down drivers and can reduce vehicle traffic, making it more pleasant for people walking and bicycling. Traffic calming measures can include speed lumps, narrow lanes, trees and pocket parks, and sidewalk bulbouts. The City of Sacramento uses a combination of these techniques to make streets friendlier for all users, making sure that traffic calming does not inhibit access for emergency vehicles or people using walkers, wheelchairs, or strollers. <
> SEPARATED BIKEWAYS <
> SPEED LUMPS <
> TREE-LINED STREETS <
> SIGNAGE ## GOAL AND POLICIES ### M-3 Streets designed and maintained as places that contribute to quality of life. **M-3.1 Local Streets.** The City shall provide a slow speed network of local-serving neighborhood streets. Existing street trees should be maintained and replaced, new trees installed where feasible, and street trees should be incorporated into new neighborhood streets. **M-3.2 Street Design.** The City shall ensure street design and potential redesign opportunities for existing streets minimize driver speed as appropriate within residential neighborhoods and incorporate street trees wherever possible without compromising connectivity for emergency access or people bicycling, walking, and using mobility devices. **M-3.3 Traffic.** The City shall support planning and managing traffic from the perspective of the adjacent uses, using traffic management and traffic calming techniques. **M-3.4 Cul-de-Sacs.** The City shall discourage the use of cul-de-sacs in new development, favoring the application of grid networks to disperse traffic and promote connectivity. If cul-de-sacs are permitted, then the development shall have cut-throughs for people walking and bicycling. **M-3.5 Open Street Events.** The City shall encourage regular citywide and neighborhood-specific "open street" events and repurposing of the public right-of-way for promoting recreation, active transportation, and a sense of community. Event planning shall consider transit access and seek to minimize disruption of transit service. **M-3.6 Outdoor Dining Program.** The City shall continue the development of an outdoor dining program that may incorporate portions of sidewalks, parking spaces, parkways, and streets to provide a path for merchants, community organizations, and business owners to expand indoor spaces to useful space outdoors that may otherwise be underutilized. <
> # Safety Safety is critical for mobility. To ensure a truly varied and viable range of transportation options, people must feel comfortable and secure on the street, no matter their mode of travel. For decades, however, streets were designed to move cars quickly and efficiently, prioritizing driving speed and convenience without regard to the impact on the safety and convenience of other modes of transportation. Increased driving speeds pose a higher safety risk to others on the road, especially to pedestrians and bicyclists. Data from the U.S. Department of Trans-portation shows that the risk of fatalities significantly increases with increased driver speeds. Driving at unsafe speeds is the most common crash factor in Sacramento. Although cars are involved in the vast majority of traffic crashes in the city, half of the people killed or seriously injured in crashes between 2009 and 2015 were people walking or bicycling, and over half of these crashes occurred near a transit stop. In addition, the proportion of serious injury or death to residents of disadvantaged communities is notably higher than in other parts of the city. ### VISION ZERO Originating in Sweden in the 1990s and increasingly adopted by major cities in the U.S., Vision Zero is based on the conviction that **everyone has the right to move safely** in their communities, and that policy makers, transportation planners, and engineers all share the responsibility to ensure safe systems for travel. It is inevitable that people will sometimes make mistakes, so the Vision Zero approach incorporates policies and design strategies to ensure those mistakes do not result in severe injuries or fatalities. **Vision Zero emphasizes managing speed, centering equity, and engaging the community.** The City of Sacramento’s Vision Zero Action Plan recognizes that crashes are preventable incidents that can and must be addressed systematically. It lays out a collaborative and data-driven strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2027, focusing on the City’s Top 5 and Top 10 highest injury corridors, as well as a high injury network (HIN), comprised of the corridors with the highest numbers of crashes involving a fatality or serious injury. ### VISION ZERO TRAFFIC STATISTICS Although cars are involved in the majority of traffic collisions in Sacramento, **half** of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in crashes are bicyclists or pedestrians. <
> Although only **25%** of the City's roadway network are in a disadvantaged communities, **44%** of KSI fatal crashes occur on these streets. <
> **54%** of pedestrian KSI crashes occurred within 200 feet of a transit stop. <
> Designing safer streets requires a multi-faceted approach, involving engineering, education, and enforcement. Reducing driver speeds, unbiased enforcement of speed limits, and implementing street enhancements that improve safety for people walking, bicycling and otherwise rolling — such as separated bikeways, enhanced crosswalks, and street lighting — are integral to building a safer transportation system. **Map M-1** Roadway Reallocations shows street segments throughout the city that have been identified as places where excessive roadway capacity — in other words, too many vehicle travel lanes — could be repurposed as spaces to prioritize walking, bicycling, and transit use. These could take the form of improvements such as wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes, bulb-out transit stops, and bus-only lanes, and will require further community outreach, study, and roadway design. Construction and event detour signage and facilities that provide a clear route of passage for all modes can also heighten safety for those walking and bicycling. The City has adopted a number of programs designed to reduce collisions, including the Vision Zero Action Plan, Pedestrian Crossing Guidelines, the Speed Lump Program, and the Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Program. The policies in this section aim to create safer streets city-wide and incorporate strategies that build on those programs to foster a safer transportation system. <
> # GOAL AND POLICIES ### M-4 A safer transportation system. **M-4.1 Application of Safety.** The City shall design, plan, and operate streets using complete streets principles to ensure the safety and mobility of all users. --- **M-4.2 Safer Driving Speeds.** The City shall work to maximize the safety of the transportation network by designing streets for lower driving speeds and enforcing speed limits in an unbiased manner as well as promoting safer driving behavior. --- **M-4.3 Vision Zero.** The City shall utilize a data-driven, “vision zero” approach to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2027, while increasing safety, health, and equitable mobility for all. --- **M-4.4 Collaborative Safety Solutions.** The City shall collaborate with educational institutions, senior living facilities, community organizations, and other interested parties when developing and implementing programs and improvements that increase safety and encourage the use of active transportation and transit modes. --- **M-4.5 Safety-Related Training.** The City shall encourage ongoing transportation safety-related training and support for City staff responsible for street design and transportation enforcement activities. --- **M-4.6 Rail Crossings.** When designing improvements near rail crossings, the City shall collaborate with rail agencies to improve safety at street-grade intersections with rail crossings and in the vicinity of light rail stations through design, planning, and operation. --- **M-4.7 Integrated Goods Movement.** The City shall work to ensure that the goods movement sector is integrated with the rest of the transportation system in such a way that does not endanger the health and safety of residents and other roadway users. **M-4.8 Detour Facilities.** The City shall design, implement, and maintain construction, work zone, or special event diversions and/or detour facilities to provide comfortable and convenient passage, prioritizing mobility for active transportation and transit for the duration of construction, work zones, or special events. **M-4.9 Safe Routes to School.** The City shall assess opportunities to develop and support Safe Routes to School programming. ### REGIONAL TRANSIT Every day over 136,000 people commute to jobs in Sacramento from within the city and the wider region, while more than 100,000 residents commute to jobs outside the city, some as far away as the Bay Area. The overwhelming majority of these trips are made by car. With the Capital Corridor passenger rail service connecting Sacramento to the Bay Area and Placer County, and the planned Valley Rail Sacramento Extension Project (expanding passenger rail services between Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley with four new stops in the city), there are opportunities to shift more of these trips to transit, reducing vehicle miles traveled, congestion, air pollution, and GHG emissions. Regional transit trips terminate at the Sacramento Valley Station (SVS), which is also envisioned as the northern terminus of the California High Speed Rail project linking Northern and Southern California. An overhead concourse bridging the tracks is planned at the SVS to complement the existing passenger tunnel, providing vertical access to the platforms from both the station and the public plaza in the planned Railyards Historic Shops District. As part of the project, EV charging stations for regional buses will be provided to help catalyze the electrification of intra-regional transit. # Regional Connectivity Sacramento is a major regional transportation hub within the Central Valley and a critical link in a Northern California economic mega-region that extends from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento and the northern San Joaquin Valley. With a collective annual economic output of $10 billion, people and goods move regionally by rail, road, and air, making connections, transfers, and deliveries that directly impact local quality of life and the environment. As such, the City has a vested interest in the planning and operation of the regional transportation system. Sacramento’s regional transportation facilities, shown on **Map M-4**, include Interstate 5 (I-5), I-80, Business Loop 80, U.S. 50, State Route 99 (SR-99), SR-16, SR-84, SR-160, and SR-275/Tower Bridge; Union Pacific Railway tracks that carry both freight and passengers; a regional intermodal station; and four airports, including Sacramento International Airport and three general aviation fields. All of these facilities are managed by entities other than the City. The policies in this section support regional connectivity and close coordination with other agencies and jurisdictions in the region and beyond to ensure a high level of regional connectivity critical for economic and social development. <
> Map M-4 # Regional Connectivity <
> Source: City of Sacramento Community Development Department, 2023; SACOG, 2023; Sacramento County, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023. # GOAL AND POLICIES | M-5 | Connections to the regional transportation network that facilitates the movement of people and goods. | | :--- | :--- | ### Regional Mobility **M-5.1 Regional Mobility System.** The City shall partner with regional mobility partners to plan and operate a cohesive regional mobility system, including the following: * Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), * Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT), * Yolo County Transportation District, * California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), * Freight rail operators, * Regional passenger rail and bus operators, * Adjacent cities and unincorporated areas, and * Local transit operators. <
> **M-5.2 Sacramento Valley Station.** The City shall work to establish Sacramento Valley Station as the premier regional transit hub of Northern California, linking regional rail, light rail, bus, and high-speed rail service, and plan for the expansion of rail service to strengthen connections between Sacramento, the Central Valley, the Bay Area, Northern California, and beyond. **M-5.3 Bridges.** The City shall maintain existing bridges and plan and seek funding for new bridges, when appropriate, to improve multimodal connectivity and provide for emergency evacuation routes. **M-5.4 Rail Operations Impacts.** The City shall proactively coordinate with rail operators to minimize negative impacts and maximize benefits to Sacramento from any existing and future rail service that runs through the city. **M-5.5 Regional Advocacy.** The City shall advocate for dedicated goods movement funding and collaborate with regional partners to designate freight corridor investment priorities, including dedication of separate freight and rail corridors where appropriate. ### Goods Movement **M-5.6 Goods Movement Facilities.** The City shall support improvements to regional goods movement facilities that facilitate local economic development and limit environmental impacts, including investments in technology, such as blockchain, that improve tracking and coordination at intermodal freight facilities. **M-5.7 Zero-Emission Fleets.** The City shall coordinate with public agencies in the Sacramento region to catalyze the development and deployment of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets, buses, and lighter duty electric bicycles, and shall support development of shared charging hubs and resources, and prioritization of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technologies for goods movement in the city. **M-5.8 Zero-Emission Delivery.** The City shall encourage delivery services to use zero-emission travel such as electric trucks, cars, and cargo bikes. **M-5.9 Truck Route Design.** The City shall design streets designated as truck routes so that the pavement, roadway width, and curb return radii support anticipated heavy vehicle use. ### Aviation **M-5.10 Aviation Facilities.** Through its own regulations and collaboration with other responsible agencies, the City shall work to foster the compatibility of general and commercial aviation facilities with surrounding uses. **M-5.11 Aviation Services.** The City shall work with the Sacramento County Airport System (SCAS) to plan for a full range of aviation services and promote airline service that meets the present and future needs of residents and the business community. **M-5.12 Zero-Emission Aircraft.** The City shall collaborate with the Sacramento County Airport System (SCAS) to facilitate the expansion of zero-emission aircraft trainers and vehicles in the region. **M-5.13 Efficient Ground Connections.** The City shall encourage fast and climate-friendly ground connections to air transport facilities, including the Green Line light rail transit (LRT) extension to the Sacramento International Airport, and zero-emission equipment and vehicles for airport operations. **M-5.14 Helicopter Use.** The City shall maintain designated areas for helicopter use. **M-5.15 Drones.** The City shall support regulation of the use of model aircraft and civil unmanned aircraft systems at the State and County level to address operation for commercial, recreational and public safety purposes. <
> # Supporting Goals through Data, Technology, and Innovation Evolving technology continues to change the way we travel, inform our travel choices, and expand our options. Technology also helps the City manage the transportation system more effectively. Sacramento is a regional leader in developing and deploying advanced technologies that enhance mobility, improve safety, and reduce traffic congestion for residents, commuters, and tourists alike. The City adopted an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Master Plan in 2019 to guide municipal investments in mobility technology and innovation to improve system performance, safety, and sustainability. Sacramento has installed more than 100 miles of fiber optic cable that together with detection technology and connected infrastructure at traffic signals will allow access to data in real-time to proactively manage traffic flow, reduce congestion along major corridors, and improve safety by alleviating stop-and-go conditions and helping to avoid vehicle-bicycle and vehicle-pedestrian conflicts. Data such as vehicle speed, travel time, congestion, delay, and origin-destination will be collected, compiled, and processed to inform system management and investment decisions. The City also facilitates the broader use of beneficial technologies through collaboration with other public agencies, institutions, and private sector partners. In 2017, the City launched the Autonomous Transportation Open Standards Lab (ATOS), a public-private consortium dedicated to speeding the development of autonomous vehicle technology. ATOS has resulted in an array of public-private partnerships and pilot projects to date and is helping to create a regulatory environment to make it easy for companies to test their products in Sacramento. The policies in this section envision a continued focus on data, technology, and innovation to improve mobility and support decision-making. ### GOAL AND POLICIES | M-6 | Mobility planning and choices informed by data, technology, and innovation. | | :--- | :--- | **M-6.1 Pioneer New Mobility Technologies.** The City shall support the adoption of new mobility technologies that meet City goals around safety, climate, and equity, including intelligent transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, low- and zero-emission vehicles, and supporting infrastructure. --- **M-6.2 Mobility Partnerships.** The City shall seek out opportunities to collaborate and partner with public agencies, non-profit operators, and private sector entities to accelerate adoption of new technology or access funding streams where shared goals, cost savings, and the potential for economies of scale exist. --- **M-6.3 Mobility Data Access.** The City shall request data from mobility providers and outside transportation agencies to track and influence the adoption of innovative mobility solutions including but not limited to shared micro-mobility, on-demand micro-transit, and autonomous vehicles (AVs). The City may use the data to review and adjust City requirements, policy, and facilities, such as roadway design or parking standards, to ensure safety and access for all users and modes. --- <
> **M-6.4 System Management.** The City shall expand the use of data and analytics to monitor metrics such as speed, travel times, counts, and related key metrics to improve the mobility experience, enhance street safety, better manage the transportation system, and understand existing travel patterns. *** **M-6.5 Data-Driven Prioritization.** The City shall use data as a key metric to evaluate mobility strategies, prioritizing projects and programs. *** **M-6.6 Innovation for System Performance.** The City shall evaluate opportunities to incorporate new materials, technologies, or design features that improve the transportation system, including materials that will have a longer life cycle, require less maintenance, and are climate friendly. *** **M-6.7 Data to Spur Innovation.** The City shall explore opportunities to make anonymized transportation data collected by the City publicly available to spur data driven innovation and entrepreneurship. *** **M-6.8 Data from Private Operators.** The City shall require private transportation companies and autonomous vehicle operators to share data that supports the City's ongoing transportation planning work and permit monitoring, with a focus on equity and access for all. *** # IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS ### Plans and Programs **M-A.1: Transportation Investment Priorities.** The City shall use the Transportation Priorities Plan in conjunction with the General Plan update ensuring the outcomes align with the General Plan goals. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** **M-A.2: Online Truck Route Maps.** The City shall create easily understood truck route maps, potentially through online applications, to be distributed to interested parties. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** ### Planning Studies and Reports **M-A.3: High Injury Network.** The City shall continue to annually assess progress toward the adopted actions of the Vision Zero Action Plan and, as warranted, update the High Injury Network and associated intervention priorities. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Ongoing *** **M-A.4: Curb Space Management Plan.** The City shall develop a plan for managing curb space throughout the city’s commercial, mixed-use, and higher-density areas to facilitate the following: * Balanced supply and promotion of efficient package and food deliveries; * Delivery of goods to restaurants/retail; * Safe pick-up/drop-off of passengers by transit, taxis, and on-demand shared ride services; * The safe movement of pedestrians and bicyclists; and * Support and prioritization of zero-emission vehicle activities and goods deliveries over internal combustion engine vehicles. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** **M-A.5: Regional Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Mitigation.** The City shall complete a study, with input from regional and state partners, to assess the feasibility of regional VMT mitigation measures, including banks, exchanges, and impact fees. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Mid-term (2030-2035) *** **M-A.6: Sacramento Valley Station Regional Governance Structure.** The City shall investigate the creation of a regional governance structure and operational model for the Sacramento Valley Station to provide for a sustainable operating framework. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** **M-A.7: Roadway Reallocations.** As funding is available, the City shall study implementation of roadway reallocations to prioritize walking, bicycling, and transit use in the locations shown on **Map M-1** as well as other locations that align with the Transportation Priorities Plan and are determined to be appropriate for reallocation. Preparation of the studies will provide opportunities for community input and feedback on streetscape design. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Ongoing *** **M-A.8: Bus Rapid Transit.** As funding is available, the City shall study implementation of Bus Rapid Transit along corridors, such as Stockton Boulevard. Preparation of studies will provide opportunities for community input and feedback. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** ### Regulations, Standards, and Development Review **M-A.9: Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Ordinance.** The City shall update the existing Transportation Systems Management Program requirements in the City Code to promote wider adoption of transportation demand management strategies. The update should include a fee structure to support staffing for regular monitoring/reporting and provide for enforcement with meaningful penalties for non-compliance. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** **M-A.10: Street Design Standards Update.** The City shall review and update City Street Design Standards as needed to ensure they adequately support objectives for prioritizing people throughput, safety, and efficient transportation management. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Public Works **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** <
> *This page is intentionally left blank.* --- ## Open Space — Youth, Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element - Source: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/cdd/Planning/adopted-2040-general-plan/2040%20GP_2-10_Youth%20Parks%20Recreation%20and%20Open%20Space_Adopted.pdf - Pages: 14 - Covers: open_space <
> # 10 # YOUTH, PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE The residents of the city of Sacramento enjoy access to an extensive parks and recreation system that includes regional, communitywide, and neighborhood facilities. Throughout the community, Sacramento’s parks serve as neighborhood anchors and valuable gathering places. Together with community centers, neighborhood gardens, schools, and libraries, they provide important opportunities for enhancing public health, community bonds, and quality of life. As Sacramento continues to grow, it will be increasingly important to ensure access for residents of all neighborhoods to a full range of recreational facilities and services that strengthen neighborhoods, empower youth to fulfill their potential, and support the needs of our diverse community. The Youth, Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element outlines a collaborative framework to guide decision-making and investment in parks, recreation programs, youth services, and natural open space areas that contribute to a sustainable and equitable city. Related strategies for promoting art, culture, and entertainment are included in the Land Use and Placemaking Element, together with strategies to guide the design of public spaces. Related strategies for supporting urban agriculture efforts in the city can be found in the Environmental Justice Element. Related strategies for expansion of the urban forest and preservation of riparian open space are included in the Environmental Resources and Constraints Element, while off-street shared-use paths are addressed in the Mobility Element. # Parks and Open Space ## PARKS AND OPEN SPACE SYSTEM The General Plan provides an overarching framework for the provision of parks, recreation, and open space facilities in the community. The Parks Plan acts as Sacramento’s primary implementing tool for parks planning, bridging the City’s General Plan and Capital Improvement Plan. The City of Sacramento strives to maintain a goal of 8.50 acres per thousand residents of neighborhood and community parks, regional parks, parkways and open space. With plans to add over 648 acres to the existing 4,330 acres of public parkland, the service level would be 7.64 acres of park land per thousand residents in 2040. The City Code requires that new residential developments either dedicate land for new park facilities or pay an in-lieu fee that can be used for acquisition of new parkland. Additionally, new development is subject to a Park Development Impact Fee (PIF), which can be used to finance the development of new or existing neighborhood and community parks within the service area of the development’s project site and regional parks and citywide facilities. The PIF funds 5.0 acres of park land per thousand residents within the majority of the city, comprised of 3.5 acres of neighborhood and community parks and 1.5 acres of citywide parks and open spaces. Within the Central City, the PIF funds 3.25 acres of park and open space per thousand residents, comprised of 1.75 acres of neighborhood and community parks and 1.5 acres of citywide parks and open spaces. However, in order to maintain the 8.50 acres per thousand residents level of service for all parkland, the City will need to seek additional sources of funding for acquisition and development of parkland. <
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> ## ACCESS TO PARKS While the amount of parkland is an essential consideration in planning for parks and recreational facilities, the quality and accessibility of these spaces is equally important. A city should have parks with a distribution and form that allow the facilities to serve as a point of focus for residential neighborhoods, and be easily accessible for children, teenagers, families, people of various abilities, and older adults from their homes whether they choose to walk, ride, roll or take transit. As shown on **Map YPRO-1**, most residential areas of the city have a park or open space facility within a half-mile or 10-minute walk from home; however, there are some neighborhoods where residents cannot walk to a park easily, either because there are no parks close by or because there is a barrier in the way, such as a fence, road, waterway, or railway tracks. <
> The Sojourner Truth Community Garden, colocated at Sojourner Truth Park, provides healthy fresh produce to park users. Map YPRO-1 # Walking Access to Parks and Open Space Facilities <
> This map includes parks outside of the City boundary, but were included because they are within the planning area for the 2040 General Plan and are accessible to City residents. | | | | :--- | :--- | | ![Existing Park] Existing Park | ![Sacramento City Limit] Sacramento City Limit | | ![Proposed Park] Proposed Park | ![Community Plan Area Boundary] Community Plan Area Boundary | | ![10-minute walking distance] 10-minute walking distance | ![Sphere of Influence] Sphere of Influence | | ![Residential Area] Residential Area | | | ![Disadvantaged Community with residences more than 10 minutes from a park.] Disadvantaged Community with residences more than 10 minutes from a park. | | Source: City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 ## MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Parks maintenance and operations are funded through a combination of mechanisms, including an annual parcel tax on properties located within the Neighborhood Parks Maintenance Community Facilities District (CFD), a Park Impact Fee (PIF) applied to new residential and non-residential development, and voter-approved Measure U funds. In the provision of parks and recreational facilities, having a range of strategies can help deliver maintenance and cost savings to optimize the use of municipal resources, such as co-locating park and recreational facilities with other public and institutional uses; encouraging volunteer initiatives and sponsorship opportunities; pursuing public-private partnerships; maintenance agreements; and incentivizing new developments to provide publicly-accessible facilities. The policies in this section seek to increase access to parks and open space throughout the community, with a priority on disadvantaged communities and areas with less access. Recognizing that park accessibility is not just a question of physical connections, policies in this section also focus on design, programming, maintenance, funding, and community involvement to activate and encourage use of parks. <
> ## GOAL AND POLICIES ### YPRO-1 An integrated system of parks, open space areas, shared-use paths, and recreational facilities that are welcoming, well-maintained, safe, and accessible to all the diverse communities of Sacramento. #### Parks and Open Space System **YPRO-1.1 Range of Experiences.** The City shall provide a range of parks and recreational facilities and strive to ensure an equitable distribution of high-quality facilities throughout Sacramento. **YPRO-1.2 Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment (YPCE) Parks Plan.** The City shall refer to the YPCE Department’s Parks Plan as the primary guide for locating and planning park improvements. YPCE will update the Parks Plan periodically to ensure it reflects projected community needs for all Sacramento residents. **YPRO-1.3 Parkland Service Standard.** The City shall evaluate, as needed, the equitable increase of public park acreage to serve the needs of the current and future residents with high-quality facilities. The City shall continue to strive to achieve a parkland service standard of 8.5 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, which includes neighborhood parks, community parks, regional parks, open space, and parkways. **YPRO-1.4 Parkland Dedication Requirements.** The City shall continue to require that new residential development projects contribute toward the provision of adequate parks and recreational facilities to serve the new residents, either through the dedication of parkland, the construction of public and/or private recreation facilities, or the payment of parkland in-lieu fees, consistent with the Quimby Ordinance. To achieve the level of service for all parkland in all areas of the city, the City shall seek other funding resources to prioritize park needs in park deficit areas. **YPRO-1.5 Incentivizing Onsite Public Facilities.** The City shall continue to provide Park Impact Fee (PIF) credit for development projects that provide publicly accessible parks, plazas, and parkways onsite that promote active or passive recreational opportunities and serve as neighborhood gathering points. **YPRO-1.6 Underutilized Land.** As feasible, the City shall acquire, lease, or otherwise obtain rights to the use of underutilized vacant parcels for park or open space, focusing efforts first in park deficient communities. **YPRO-1.7 Co-Located Joint-Use Facilities.** The City shall continue to facilitate the development of new parks or expansion of existing parks and recreational facilities by co-locating with and joint use of new or existing public and institutional facilities (e.g., schools, libraries, cultural facilities, and stormwater detention basins) in order to efficiently provide for community needs and offset operations and maintenance costs, prioritizing disadvantaged communities with an existing deficit of park or recreation facilities. **YPRO-1.8 Non-Conventional Park Solutions.** In densely built out urban areas of the city where the provision of large park spaces is not feasible, the City shall explore creative solutions to provide neighborhood park and recreation facilities that serve the needs of local residents and employees. Such solutions may include the following: * Publicly accessible, privately-owned open spaces and plazas; * Rooftop play courts and gardens; * Freeway underpass, utility corridor, and wide landscape medians; * Conversion of rails to rails with trails; * Pocket parks and pedestrian areas in the public right-of-way; and * The provision of neighborhood and community-serving recreational facilities in regional parks. **YPRO-1.9 Timing of Services.** The City shall monitor the pace and location of new development through the development review process and long-range planning efforts to strive to ensure that development of parks, recreation programming, and community-serving facilities and services keeps pace with growth. ### Facility Access, Programming, and Safety **YPRO-1.10 Parkland Access Standard.** In residential areas that do not have an accessible park or recreational open space within a 10-minute walk, the City shall evaluate the equitable increase of public park acreage, prioritizing communities with an existing deficit of high-quality facilities. **YPRO-1.11 Enhancing Access to Parks.** The City shall pursue strategies that increase community access to parks and recreational facilities, including the following: * Expanding joint-use agreements with schools and educational institutions; * Removing of physical barriers to access (e.g., fences); and * Providing a choice of legible and navigable routes to and from park areas through the installation of new or improved multi-use shared paths, wayfinding signage, and coordination with public transit. <
> **YPRO-1.12 Parks Programming.** The City shall continue to create high-quality, equitable programming that encourages the use of the park facilities by a variety of users, including older adults, youth, and people with disabilities throughout the day and evenings. Programming should include the following: * Organized sports, * Fitness, * Youth leadership and workforce development, * Volunteer activities, and * Arts and cultural activities catering to the interests of the community that the park facilities serve. Opportunities should be taken to incorporate local Native American heritage and culture. **YPRO-1.13 Park Safety.** The City shall continue to use Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) landscaping and lighting, and efforts that support the Park Ranger program, to ensure that parks and open spaces are designed and maintained with safety as a priority without compromising accessible and inclusionary design. **YPRO-1.14 Collaborative Efforts.** The City shall implement community-based crime prevention strategies in coordination with the City's Park Ranger program, neighborhood groups, local residents, and Property and Business Improvement Districts (PBIDs), concurrent with the City's Public Safety Services resolution to help improve safety and encourage positive activation of parks and facilities. **YPRO-1.15 Path Connections.** The City shall maintain existing and pursue new connections to local and regional shared-use paths, especially when connecting to public parkland. **YPRO-1.16 River Parkways.** The City shall collaborate with the Park Ranger program, the Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks and other agencies and organizations to secure funding to increase ranger patrols and maintain and enhance the American River and Sacramento River parkways and multi-use shared path corridors. **YPRO-1.17 Waterway Recreation and Access.** The City shall work with regional partners, State agencies, non-profit and community groups, private landowners, and land developers to manage, preserve, improve, and enhance use and access to the Sacramento and American River Parkways, urban waterways and riparian corridors to increase public access for active and passive recreation and habitat values. ### Design, Amenities, and Programming **YPRO-1.18 Integrated Parks and Recreation System.** The City shall continue to provide an integrated system of parks, open space areas, and recreational facilities that are safe, connect diverse communities, acknowledge neighborhood context, protect and provide access to nature, integrate with adjacent developments, and make efficient use of land and open space. **YPRO-1.19 Sustainable Design.** The City shall design and construct parks, public spaces, and recreational facilities for flexible use, energy/water efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, adaptability for long-term use, and ease and cost of maintenance. **YPRO-1.20 Climate-Resilient Design.** The City shall ensure that the design of parks and open spaces balance climate-adaptive design, such as resilient landscaping in place of impervious surfaces, climate-adaptive tree canopy, shade structures, drinking fountains, and cooling amenities, such as water spray areas, that provide respite from higher temperatures to reduce urban heat islands and overexposure to heat. **YPRO-1.21 Community Input.** The City shall provide ongoing opportunities for public engagement and input into the parks and recreation planning process, including priorities for amenities, facilities, programming, and improvements. --- **YPRO-1.22 Organized Sports and Recreational Facilities.** The City shall develop and maintain quality facilities (e.g., multi-field and multi-court sports complexes, skateparks, pump tracks, and challenge courses) for a variety of organized and recreational sports, prioritizing the needs of youth between the ages of 10 and 24, and particularly for youth in disadvantaged communities, in order to ensure opportunities for youth development, recreation, social development, and life and wellness skill building. --- **YPRO-1.23 Welcoming Amenities.** In its parks and recreational facilities, the City shall incorporate amenities that invite the use of park facilities by all community members, including benches, accessible park paths and facilities, shaded seating, pathway lighting and restrooms that make it easier for older adults and families to enjoy the facilities. --- **YPRO-1.24 Municipal Golf Courses.** The City shall support the maintenance and improvement of its municipal golf courses to ensure the City's courses remain competitive in the marketplace and encourage play. --- ### Maintenance and Funding **YPRO-1.25 Maintenance of Existing Facilities.** The City shall maintain and improve existing parks and recreational facilities to ensure safer, more attractive facilities that are responsive to community needs, prioritizing equitable capital improvements and new parks maintenance projects in disadvantaged communities. --- **YPRO-1.26 Volunteer Programs.** The City shall continue to engage local residents, businesses, and community-based organizations in the stewardship and maintenance of parks and facilities through the Park Volunteer Program, Earth Day, Adopt-a-Park, Creek Week programs, and other collaborative partnerships and initiatives. --- **YPRO-1.27 Fee Benchmarking.** The City shall periodically review Quimby in-lieu parkland dedication fees, park development impact fees, application review fees, and user fees and charges to ensure they are adequately providing for community needs and are competitive within the region. --- **YPRO-1.28 Leveraging Grant Funds.** The City shall leverage municipal funds to access grants for the acquisition of parkland in park deficient areas, planning, construction and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities in underserved, disadvantaged communities from federal and state government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and private partners. --- **YPRO-1.29 Park Financing Strategies.** The City shall leverage municipal funds to access grants for the acquisition of parkland in park deficient areas, planning, construction and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities in underserved, disadvantaged communities from federal and state government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and private partners. --- # Community Facilities Community facilities such as schools, libraries, and community centers are foundational elements of thriving neighborhoods. In order to have meaningful, lasting, positive impacts for their users, public facilities and community services should be well-integrated and inclusive of the communities they serve. The location of various community facilities throughout Sacramento is shown on **Map YPRO-2**. Policies in this section seek to strengthen the role of community facilities in daily life and increase access to a range of services that contribute to quality of life for residents through partnerships with other public agencies and community organizations. ### GOAL AND POLICIES | YPRO-2 | Public facilities located, designed, and programmed to make a vital contribution to neighborhood quality of life. | | :--- | :--- | **YPRO-2.1 Access to Quality Public Facilities and Programs.** The City shall strive to ensure that community centers, arts/cultural facilities, older adult care facilities, and other public facilities and programs are distributed equitably and conveniently throughout Sacramento and that the programs are accessible to all residents. **YPRO-2.2 Co-Location of Community-Serving Facilities.** Whenever feasible, the City shall co-locate City facilities with other public facilities (schools, libraries, drainage facilities, utility providers) so that multiple services may be delivered from a single location. <
> **YPRO-2.3 School Facilities.** The City shall continue to coordinate with school districts in facility planning efforts to ensure the optimal use of existing sites and adequate advanced planning for embedding new school sites and facilities in the neighborhoods they serve. In addition to each school district’s criteria and the school siting guidelines of the California Department of Education, the following City criteria should be applied by school districts in identifying new school sites: * Locate elementary schools on sites that are safely and conveniently accessible, transit-supportive, and away from heavy traffic, excessive noise, and incompatible land uses; * Locate school sites centrally with respect to their planned attendance areas; * Locate schools in areas where established and/or planned walkways, bicycle paths, or greenways link schools with surrounding uses; and * Locate, plan, and design new schools to be compatible with adjacent uses. **YPRO-2.4 Library Services.** The City shall work with the Sacramento Public Library Authority to ensure adequate library services and facilities are maintained for all residents and promote the siting of facilities in accessible locations with the greatest potential for positive neighborhood impact. <
> Map YPRO-2 # Community Centers, Aquatic Facilities, and Libraries in Sacramento <
> Community Center Aquatic Center Library Sacramento City Limit Community Plan Area Boundary Sphere of Influence Source: County of Sacramento 2021; City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 **YPRO-2.5 Digital Literacy and Access.** The City shall support the Sacramento Public Library Authority in expanding access to digital resources and information tools and in delivering language, literacy, and workforce skills development programs and services. **YPRO-2.6 Community Partnerships.** The City shall seek opportunities to partner with public and private entities to provide community services that support families and meet the diverse needs of community members of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. **YPRO-2.7 Child/Older Adult Care.** The City shall encourage the development of reasonably priced high-quality childcare and older adult care facilities and services in a variety of settings, including in residential neighborhoods and near work sites. <
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> Above and below: a holiday party at the Samuel Pannell Meadowview Community Center # Community Enrichment Parks and recreation have an important role to play in advancing community enrichment. Cities are increasingly recognizing that facilities, programming, and services also have a profound effect on physical health, psychological health, personal development, and the quality of our social interactions. Regular physical activity and access to leisure and cultural options are linked to improved mood, reduced stress, and an enhanced sense of wellness in adults and children. In turn, this can help older adults live independently, younger people reach their full potential, and people of all ages build valuable life skills. The City strives to provide accessible facilities and programs that support the health and well-being of its residents, including sponsoring health-focused events and collaborating with public and non-profit partners in public health and social services. Nearly a quarter of the city’s population was born overseas, and programs that celebrate cultural diversity and cater to the varied needs of Sacramentans can help welcome newcomers into the community and build bonds between neighbors. As community needs continue to grow and evolve, City programs and services can support by evolving its programming to closely reflect the diversity of the community, including programs that offer language and job skill enhancement. The City also recognizes the diversity of age within Sacramento and strives to provide programming and opportunities for both youth and older adults. <
> A pumpkin patch at the Clunie Pool in McKinley Park Policies in this section seek to promote active, healthy lifestyles throughout Sacramento with a wide range of facilities, programs, and services to exercise the body, the mind, and the spirit. The policies in this section also seek to support and celebrate Sacramento residents by striving to provide programming that reflects the diversity of the community. ### SACRAMENTO YOUTH COMMISSION Established in 1993, the Sacramento Youth Commission (SYC) is a 22-member youth-led legislative body which provides recommendations and advice to the City Council, the youth development policy manager, and the YPCE Department on all matters pertaining to youth. SYC conducts an annual review of the City’s operating budget and capital improvement plan for youth programs and projects, and members encourage youth to actively participate in community affairs and City programs. Any individual between 14 and 22 years of age who attends a high school in Sacramento City limits or lives in Sacramento City limits can apply. SYC participants gain an understanding of the workings of city government and have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills while making a positive impact on their communities. <
> ## GOALS AND POLICIES | YPRO-3 | Active, healthy lifestyles and health equity for all Sacramentans, including access to health facilities, goods, and services that help to ensure well-being for residents of all ages, abilities, and incomes. | | :--- | :--- | **YPRO-3.1 Health Data and Programming.** The City shall collaborate with the Sacramento County Department of Health Services to monitor and maintain data related to health outcomes and risk factors, and to use this data to inform new programs to serve the local community. **YPRO-3.2 Health Information.** The City should provide and promote courses, seminars, and informational resources about health and healthy lifestyles at City facilities, including libraries, community centers, centers for older adults, parks, and recreational facilities. Prioritize resources for efforts in disadvantaged communities. **YPRO-3.3 Health Programming and Events.** The City should seek opportunities to partner with public agencies, advocacy groups, and local businesses to organize programming and events that promote healthy lifestyles, food choices, and work environments. Events may include health challenges, bike-to-work days, and sponsored lunchtime events. **YPRO-3.4 Activity Programming.** The City should coordinate with local businesses, community-based organizations, and school districts to support a year-round calendar of community events in City parks and neighborhood venues. Events should be geared toward families and youth, and contain components of physical activity, healthy food, arts, and music. **YPRO-3.5 Youth Participation.** The City shall work to increase participation of youth from lower-income communities of color in existing recreational programs through outreach, promotional activities, and increasing subsidized or free program spots. Where feasible, add new recreation and youth development programming to diversify the list of programs that are offered. *** **YPRO-3.6 Private Commercial Recreational Facilities.** The City shall encourage the development of private commercial recreational facilities, such as fitness centers, yoga, dance and martial arts studios, and rock-climbing gyms, to help meet recreational interests of Sacramento’s residents, workforce, and visitors. *** **YPRO-3.7 Inclusive and Accessible Recreational Needs.** In plans for new residential developments, the City shall require that project proponents address the recreational needs of future residents, including children, youth, older adults, and people with disabilities, and reflect the cultural diversity of the local population. *** **YPRO-3.8 Cooling Centers.** The City shall continue to activate cooling centers at the community centers, aquatic centers, and water spray parks to help residents cope with higher temperatures. City parks shall be designed with materials and other strategies that offer cooling benefits to the residents. *** <
> ### Goal EJ-4: Arts, culture, and learning opportunities that celebrate Sacramento’s diverse, multicultural communities, enhance quality of life, and enrich community culture. **YPRO-4.1 Interpretation and Celebration.** The City shall provide recreation, programming, special events and venues, and educational opportunities that honor, interpret, and celebrate the diversity, history, cultural heritage, and traditions of Sacramento and that respond to the diverse interests, needs, ages, and cultural backgrounds of local residents. *** **YPRO-4.2 Recreational Programs.** The City shall endeavor to provide youth development, leadership, recreation, and community enrichment programs that promote wellness, social interaction, lifelong learning, skill development, personal enrichment, and positive relationships. *** **YPRO-4.3 Varied Locations and Settings, and Affordability.** The City shall provide arts, culture, and recreation programs in a variety of locations and settings to make participation convenient and accessible. This may include the following: * Expanding the range of activities and programs provided in City parks and public facilities, * Exploring opportunities to provide programs and services in neighborhood settings, and * Ensuring that events and venues are accessible by multiple transportation modes, are affordable to residents of all income demographics, and conducted in multiple languages. *** **YPRO-4.4 Youth-Centered Events.** The City shall seek out opportunities for meaningfully and authentically involving young people – particularly from disadvantaged communities – in the planning and implementation of youth-centered events that develop confidence and leadership skills while also building community connections. **YPRO-4.5 Volunteering.** The City shall expand opportunities for residents to volunteer their time and talents to contribute to community health and quality of life, including volunteer opportunities that encourage residents to socially connect across generations and cultures at the neighborhood level and citywide. *** **YPRO-4.6 Empowering Linguistically-Isolated Communities.** The City shall continue to provide English language learning programs for non-native speakers, interpretation, and translation services, and assistance in accessing community services and programs as part of an effort to endeavor to empower linguistically-isolated communities in Sacramento. *** **YPRO-4.7 City-Owned Resources.** The City shall enhance the quality of existing City-owned arts and cultural resources and facilities through reinvestment, communications, and marketing. *** <
> Drawing by Samantha Ward # IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS ### Plans and Programs **YPRO-A.1: Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment (YPCE) Parks Plan Update.** The Parks Plan 2040 shall provide policy recommendations toward meeting the City’s parkland and facility level of service goals; incorporate design guideline standards for park and recreation facilities; and strengthen access to parks and recreational facilities. The update should incorporate key priorities, implementation actions, and funding mechanisms and be undertaken with robust community engagement. **Responsible Entity:** Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** **YPRO-A.2: Park Audits.** The City shall collaborate and support community-based organizations and neighborhood groups to conduct safety, maintenance, and access audits in City park and recreational facilities. The park audits should be conducted in neighborhoods throughout the city with the participation of Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment (YPCE), Police Department, and other relevant City staff to identify and prioritize park safety and access improvements. **Responsible Entity:** Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department **Timeframe:** Ongoing *** **YPRO-A.3: Mobile Wellness Clinics.** Explore the feasibility of a neighborhood program that provides mobile health services, healthy food, or workshops in disadvantaged communities, run by medical service providers or Sacramento County Department of Health Services, but hosted in local neighborhood facilities such as schools, parks, community centers, and library parking lots. **Responsible Entity:** Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department **Timeframe:** Long-term (2036-2040) ### Planning Studies and Reports **YPRO-A.4: Youth Internships.** The City shall assess the feasibility of expanding its youth workforce programs to hire and train youth for seasonal work at City parks and recreational facilities throughout the year. The assessment should evaluate options to involve youth in program planning and work within recreation programs as a way to provide employment and life skills training and to strengthen connections between youth and their community. **Responsible Entity:** Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- **YPRO-A.5: Violence Prevention and Youth Development.** As part of a comprehensive strategy to improve the overall health and well-being of youth, young adults, families, and communities and promote prosocial decisions, the City shall study evidence based programming and best practices to coordinate funding and programs, along with community engagement programming and other initiatives for optimal impact in targeted areas of Sacramento. **Responsible Entity:** Office of Violence Prevention (lead); Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department (support); Office of Diversity and Equity (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) ### Regulations, Standards, and. Development Review **YPRO-A.6: Joint Use Standards.** The City shall develop and periodically update standards for the development of joint-use school and community facilities. **Responsible Entity:** Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- **YPRO-A.7: Performance-Based Prioritization.** The Department of Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment (YPCE) shall update the park project programming guide to incorporate a performance-based system for equitably prioritizing parks and recreation investments that links facility improvement priorities to safety standards, funding availability, disadvantaged communities, public health, and recreational goals through a ranking scale that includes measured public health outcomes. **Responsible Entity:** Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- <
> Drawing by Muhammad Riaz <
> Drawing by Alexandra Cooke --- ## Safety — Public Facilities and Safety Element - Source: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/cdd/Planning/adopted-2040-general-plan/2040%20GP_2-09_Public%20Facilities%20and%20Safety_Adopted.pdf - Pages: 18 - Covers: safety <
> # 9 # PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SAFETY Responsive public safety services and reliable utility infrastructure are integral to maintaining and strengthening quality of life in Sacramento. Public safety services rooted in community-based approaches help to ensure that neighborhoods remain safe, engaged, and ready to respond in the event of an emergency. Reliable utility infrastructure underpins the community’s daily activities and ensures that life and work can run smoothly. These essential services provide the backbone of a resilient community, helping people, businesses, and government not only maintain essential functions and bounce back from adversity but also move towards enhanced well-being. It is critical that we make wise investments in public facilities and safety to provide for our community’s existing and future needs. The Public Facilities and Safety Element establishes a framework to guide planning and decision-making for public facilities and safety that support a sustainable and equitable city. It satisfies a requirement for the Circulation Element of the General Plan by identifying the location of public utilities and facilities. This Element discusses the maintenance and proactive planning of the utility infrastructure and services that will serve current daily demands as well as meet the demands resulting from changes in land use in this General Plan. Additionally, it satisfies requirements for the Safety Element by addressing risks associated with urban fires, incorporating strategies to help ensure resilience in the face of climate change, and incorporating the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan by reference, as it may be amended from time to time. The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) for the City of Sacramento planning area was developed in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) and followed FEMA’s 2011 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan guidance. The LHMP incorporates a process where hazards are identified and profiled, the people and facilities at risk are analyzed, and mitigation actions are developed to reduce or eliminate hazard risk. The implementation of these mitigation actions, which include both short- and longterm strategies, involve planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities. The most recent plan can be found at the following hyperlink here: Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex for the City of Sacramento. Government Code 65302(g) requires that the Safety Element address climate adaptation and resilience strategies applicable to the City. The LHMP also incorporated strategies to help adapt to the impacts of climate change identified in the plan. In addition to this, as part of the 2040 General Plan Update process, a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment was prepared to inform and support additional policies and actions in the General Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Policies and actions that address climate change resilience and adaptation in the City of Sacramento are found in this Public Facilities and Safety Element, the Environmental Resources and Environmental Constraints Element, and the Historic and Cultural Resources Element. These policies and actions, in addition to actions from the LHMP and other new actions, are compiled and organized in the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Related topics of protection from natural and human-made hazards are addressed in the Environmental Resources and Constraints Element. # Police and Fire Services The City of Sacramento provides law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency medical services to Sacramento residents and businesses. Making sure that all community members have adequate protection in an emergency is a top priority of the City. ### LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIME PREVENTION Sacramento is served by the Sacramento Police Department (SPD), which provides a full range of law enforcement services including traffic enforcement, investigations, and support functions such as communications, evidence collection, crime scene analysis, training, administration, and records keeping. The SPD has expanded community policing programs in recent years to enhance community safety and civic engagement to strengthen trust within the community it serves. Community policing encourages interactive, collaborative partnerships between law enforcement agencies, their officers, and community members. The SPD is also a nationwide leader in the utilization and implementation of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies, which focus on designing environments to prevent crime and improve quality of life by engineering the built environment to provide natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement, and maintenance. A well-developed CPTED plan can both increase community safety and deter future criminal activity. Additionally, the SPD is increasingly making use of technology to improve analytical and responsive capabilities, and to continually foster transparency. The General Plan incorporates strategies for the continuation of community policing and CPTED, and it anticipates the ongoing evaluation and implementation of additional new “smart city” technologies to assist with crime prevention and enforcement as opportunities emerge. <
> Police traffic safety team. ### COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICING INITIATIVES **Department of Community Response.** In July 2020, City Council created the Department of Community Response (DCR) to establish a new response model for 911 calls. The DCR has established partnerships with neighborhood resource coordinators and other community members. **The Sacramento Community Police Review Commission.** In 2015, City Council established the Community Police Review Commission to further facilitate community members’ sharing their opinions regarding the police department with the City Council. ### FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION Fire and emergency medical services for Sacramento are provided by the Sacramento Fire Department (SFD). SFD has responsibility for responding to and mitigating incidents involving fires, medical emergencies, hazardous materials, and technical and water rescue within the city. The department also provides a full range of support services including fire prevention, public education, fire investigation, and domestic preparedness planning and response. SFD strives to achieve National Fire Protection Association standards for the organization and deployment of fire suppression operations and adjusts staffing and equipment levels as needed, based on an ongoing assessment of activity in the city and calls for service. SFD also operates community outreach and education programs, and provides training for City employees and residents, such as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, terrorism awareness training, and emergency preparedness training. The General Plan envisions continu- <
> ation of these programs, which help connect the Fire Department to the community and play an important role for citywide prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery for natural or humanmade disasters. ### EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES Delivering police and fire services efficiently requires proactive planning, cooperation, and wise use of resources across departments. To effectively protect every Sacramentan, police and fire services must be located strategically to maximize coverage of the city and provide sufficient response times. Considering growth projection and community needs, the SFD and SPD have both identified a need for new stations, equipment, and personnel, which will be funded in part by the contribution of impact fees from new development projects as they are approved. Co-locating police facilities with other facilities such as fire stations, to the greatest extent feasible helps to maximize use of City land and dollars and focuses staff and equipment where they are most needed to effectively address most anticipated types of emergencies. The continued application of new technologies can also bolster efficient delivery of services into the future. Policies in this section provide for a range of strategies to optimize resources and deliver responsive police and fire services as the city continues to grow and evolve. > More information about wildfire hazards can be found in the Environmental Resources and Constraints Element and in the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. <
> # GOAL AND POLICIES ### PFS-1 Responsive police and fire services that ensure a high level of public safety. #### Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention **PFS-1.1 Crime and Law Enforcement.** The City shall continue to work cooperatively with the community, regional law enforcement agencies, local government agencies, and other entities to provide quality police service that protects the long-term health, safety, and well-being of the community. **PFS-1.2 Community-Based Policing.** The City shall continue to employ community-based policing strategies and encourage the establishment of neighborhood watch programs in partnerships with community groups to address neighborhood crime. **PFS-1.3 Communication with Residents and Businesses.** The City shall maintain communication with the community to improve relationships and community member satisfaction, while continually exploring innovative means of communication. **PFS-1.4 Community Programs.** The City shall continue to provide community programs, volunteer opportunities, and public safety education to residents of appropriate age. **PFS-1.5 CPTED Strategies.** The City shall continue to promote Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies in the design of new developments, including the following: * Provision of adequate public lighting; * Windows overlooking streets and parking lots; and * The creation of paths to increase pedestrian activity within both private development projects and public facilities to enhance public safety. #### Fire Prevention and Protection **PFS-1.6 Fire Prevention Programs and Suppression.** The City shall deliver fire prevention programs that protect the public through education, adequate inspection of existing development, and incorporation of fire safety features in new development. **PFS-1.7 Water Supply for Fire Suppression.** The City shall ensure that adequate water supplies are available for fire suppression throughout the city and shall require development to construct all necessary fire suppression infrastructure and equipment. **PFS-1.8 Fire Hazards.** The City shall continue to require private property owners to remove excessive/overgrown vegetation (e.g., trees, shrubs, weeds) and rubbish to the satisfaction of the Fire Department to prevent and minimize fire risks to surrounding properties. The City shall continue to remove excessive/overgrown vegetation from City-owned property. **PFS-1.9 Equipment, Facilities, and Staffing.** The City shall locate and maintain police and fire equipment, facilities, and staffing at locations and levels that allow for effective service delivery. *Efficient Delivery of Services* **PFS-1.10 Co-Location of Facilities.** The City shall seek to co-locate municipal public-safety facilities to promote efficient use of space and provision of police and fire services within dense, urban areas of the city. --- **PFS-1.11 Critical Facilities.** The City shall locate new critical municipal facilities, such as fire stations, police stations, emergency operations centers, emergency shelters, communications networks, and other emergency service facilities and utilities so as to minimize exposure to flooding, seismic, geologic, wildfire, and other hazards. Critical community facilities, such as hospitals and health care facilities, should also be similarly located. --- **PFS-1.12 Cooperative Delivery of Services.** The City shall maintain mutual aid relationships with the County of Sacramento and other local, State, and federal agencies that promote regional cooperation in the delivery of services and allow for supplemental aid from other police and fire personnel in the event of emergencies. --- **PFS-1.13 Technology to Improve Public Safety.** The City shall evaluate, and seek to invest in, and incorporate new technologies and innovations that enhance the efficient, cost-effective delivery of public safety services. --- **PFS-1.14 Timing of Services.** The City shall monitor the pace of residential and commercial growth in Sacramento and make best efforts to match that growth with commensurate increases in public safety personnel, equipment, and facilities. --- **PFS-1.15 Development Fees for Facilities and Services.** The City shall require development projects to contribute fees to ensure the provision of adequate police and fire services. --- **PFS-1.16 Development Review.** The City shall continue to require new development projects to incorporate safety features and include the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) and the Sacramento Fire Department (SFD) in the development review process to ensure that projects are designed and operated in a manner that minimizes the potential for criminal activity and fire hazards and maximizes the potential for responsive police and fire services. --- # Emergency Management Protecting residents, property, and the environment in times of disaster involves ensuring that all parts of Sacramento are accessible for both evacuation and emergency access as well as undertaking emergency preparedness activities that help protect the health, safety, and welfare of the general public both during and after natural, technological, or attack-related emergencies. Proactive planning and coordination with a range of public and private sector partners as well as various City departments is essential for effective management and response. The City recognizes the importance of emergency preparedness through the design and implementation of its Emergency Operations, Pre-Disaster Recovery, Comprehensive Floodplain Management Plan, and Operational Area plans. These plans are based on the functions and principles of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The City of Sacramento is also a signatory to the Sacramento Countywide Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), which outlines a plan for reducing and/or eliminating natural risks in the community based on an assessment of risks associated with earthquakes, wildfire, flooding, drought, landslide, insect infestation, extreme weather, severe wind, levee failure, disease outbreak, and other hazards. Policies in this section are intended to mitigate the effects of hazards, prepare for measures to be taken which will preserve life and minimize damage, enhance response during emergencies and provide necessary assistance, and establish a recovery system in order to return the community to a normal state of affairs. They will guide the Sacramento City Manager’s Office of Emergency Management (SacOEM), which conducts all-hazard preparation, mitigation, response, and recovery for the whole community, implementing a multi-pronged approach to disaster planning, preparation, and response. ### GOAL AND POLICIES | PFS-2 | Effective emergency preparedness for and response to natural and human-made hazards. | | :--- | :--- | **PFS-2.1 Hazard Mitigation Planning.** The City shall continue to use the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Comprehensive Floodplain Management Plan, Emergency Operations Plan, and Operational Area Plan to guide actions and investments addressing disasters such as flooding, dam or levee failure, hazardous material spills, epidemics, fires, extreme weather, major transportation accidents, earthquakes, and terrorism. **PFS-2.2 Critical Infrastructure.** The City shall protect and maintain critical infrastructure such as emergency shelters, fire stations, police stations, emergency operations centers, communications networks, and other emergency service facilities and utilities to ensure continuity of essential operations, including, but not limited to, uninterrupted public safety services during flooding, seismic, geologic, wildfire, and other hazards. **PFS-2.3 Evacuation Routes.** The City shall partner with Caltrans and neighboring jurisdictions on measures to protect critical evacuation routes such as I-5, I-80, Highway 50, and State Route 99 and work with local agencies to develop contingency plans for operations when these and other roads are inoperable due to flooding or wildfire. **PFS-2.4 Post-Disaster Response.** The City shall plan for the continuity of operations for critical facilities following a disaster to help prevent interruption of emergency response related to life, property, and environment preservation. **PFS-2.5 Communitywide Resilience.** The City shall plan to accommodate the whole community during disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, including members of at-risk populations with access and functional needs concerns. **PFS-2.6 Emergency Operations Center.** The City shall ensure operational readiness of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and coordinate applicable training to EOC assigned staff. **PFS-2.7 Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Exercises.** The City shall coordinate with local and regional jurisdictions on an ongoing basis to conduct emergency and disaster preparedness exercises to test operational and emergency plans. <
> **PFS-2.8 Emergency Preparedness Programs.** The City shall sponsor and support educational programs regarding emergency response, disaster preparedness protocols and procedures, and disaster risk reduction. --- **PFS-2.9 Neighborhood Preparedness.** Encourage community-based approaches to emergency preparedness and response, especially in higher-risk communities with more significant barriers to personal mobility, transportation, and other resources necessary for disaster response. --- **PFS-2.10 Sacramento Alert.** The City shall promote and encourage participation in Sacramento Alert, the regional early warning notification system used to notify residents by phone, text, or email of the need to evacuate or shelter-in-place in the event of an emergency and the location of evacuation centers. --- <
> <
> # Utility Infrastructure Public utilities provide the largely invisible yet critically important infrastructure that supports quality of life and economic opportunity in the community. The City of Sacramento provides domestic water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection, and stormwater systems. These systems are complemented by other regional agencies and organizations that provide additional sewage and stormwater collection and treatment, as well as by stormwater detention and water quality systems that are increasingly required to be installed in new development. Ensuring that this infrastructure operates in ways that minimize adverse impacts on the environment, protect public health, and optimize benefit to the community is essential for a sustainable and equitable city. Policies in this section provide for proactive planning and maintenance of utility systems, with investments made strategically to ensure that built capacity matches need and that improvements to accommodate new development are balanced with the need to maintain quality services for existing residents and businesses. Policies are also intended to improve the sustainability, resilience, and energy efficiency of its facilities, infrastructure, and operations consistent with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. ### GOAL AND POLICIES | Goal | | | :--- | :--- | | **PFS-3** | **Efficient, high-quality utility infrastructure and services to meet the needs of residents and business throughout the city.** | #### Utility Infrastructure / Service **PFS-3.1 Provision of Adequate Utilities.** The City shall continue to provide reliable water, wastewater, and stormwater drainage utility services. --- **PFS-3.2 Utility Sustainability.** The City shall continue to improve the sustainability, resilience, and energy efficiency of its facilities, infrastructure, and operations consistent with the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. ### PFS-3.3 Development Impacts. Through the development review process, including through development impact fees and offsite improvements constructed by new development, the City shall ensure that adequate public utilities and services are available to serve new development. ### PFS-3.4 Water Distribution System Management. The City shall maintain and periodically update the Water Distribution System Master Plan to guide rehabilitation, replacement, and management of the potable water distribution system. ### PFS-3.5 Water Treatment Capacity and Infrastructure. The City shall plan, secure funding for, and procure sufficient water treatment capacity and infrastructure to meet projected maximum daily water demands. Options to explore may include the following: * Expansion or rehabilitation of existing treatment plant infrastructure; * Development and management of groundwater wells; and * Collaboration on regional water supply solutions. ### PFS-3.6 Combined Sewer System Rehabilitation and Improvements. In keeping with its Combined Sewer System (CSS) Long Term Control Plan (LTCP), the City shall continue to rehabilitate and improve the CSS to decrease flooding, CSS outflows, and Combined System Overflows (CSOs). Through these improvements and requirements for new development, the City shall also ensure that development in the CSS area does not result in increased flooding, CSS outflows or CSOs or reduce the overall percentage of flow routed to the Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant (SRWTP). ### PFS-3.7 Rate and Fee Studies. The City shall periodically conduct rate and fee studies to ensure adequate funds are collected to maintain and expand utility systems as needed to support projected growth, implementing rate and fee increases as needed. ### PFS-3.8 Capital Improvement Programming. The City shall give high priority in capital improvement programming to funding the rehabilitation or replacement of critical infrastructure that has reached the end of its useful life, considering probability and risk of infrastructure failure. In prioritizing rehabilitation and replacement projects for inclusion in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the City shall consider the potential for projects and locations to support inclusive economic development and climate adaptation objectives and serve to build healthy, climate-resilient, sustainable, and inclusive communities. ### PFS-3.9 Methane Recovery. The City shall support the efforts of the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San) to develop and maintain methane recovery facilities and coordinate efforts to evaluate and minimize methane emissions. <
> ### Location and Design of Facilities **PFS-3.10 Meet Projected Needs.** The City shall foster the orderly and efficient expansion of facilities and infrastructure to adequately meet projected needs, comply with current and future regulations, and maintain public health, safety, and welfare. Infrastructure and facility planning should discourage over-sizing of infrastructure that could induce growth at the edges of the city beyond what is anticipated in the General Plan. **PFS-3.11 Joint-Use Facilities.** Wherever feasible, the City shall pursue the development of joint-use water, stormwater quality, flood control and other utility facilities as appropriate in conjunction with schools, parks, bike paths, golf courses, and other suitable uses to achieve economy and efficiency in the provision of services and facilities. **PFS-3.12 Safe and Compatible Utility Design.** The City shall ensure that public utility facilities are designed to be safe and compatible with adjacent uses. **PFS-3.13 Impacts to Environmentally Sensitive Lands.** The City shall consider the impacts on environmentally sensitive areas and habitats when locating and designing municipal utilities. **PFS-3.14 Underground Utilities.** The City shall require new development to underground utility lines wherever feasible and coordinate with electricity and telecommunications providers to underground existing overhead lines where feasible. **PFS-3.15 Adequate Drainage Facilities.** The City shall ensure that all new municipal drainage facilities are adequately sized and constructed to accommodate stormwater runoff, including incorporating “green infrastructure” design and Low Impact Development (LID) techniques, where appropriate, stormwater treatment features, and, if applicable, trash capture devices for its stormwater facilities. **PFS-3.16 Stormwater Design in Private Development.** The City shall require proponents of new development and redevelopment projects to submit drainage studies that adhere to City stormwater design requirements and incorporate measures, including “green infrastructure”, Low Impact Development (LID) techniques, stormwater treatment, and, if applicable, trash capture devices, to prevent on- or off-site flooding and improve runoff water quality. **PFS-3.17 Regional Stormwater Facilities.** The City shall coordinate efforts with Sacramento County and other agencies in the development of regional stormwater facilities. <
> Gutters convey stormwater away from buildings. # Water Supply Sitting at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers and in a climate famous for its hot, dry summers, Sacramento is a place that knows the value of water. Water sources are becoming ever more precious each year; ensuring that Sacramento’s water supply is stable, clean, and reliable is critical for the safety of all Sacramentans. Particularly as the climate becomes hotter and drier and rainfall becomes less predictable, policies in this section seek to provide for careful management of water supply, as well as the conservation and efficient use of water. <
> ### GOAL AND POLICIES | PFS-4 | A reliable supply of high-quality water that meets projected needs within the city's place of use. | | :--- | :--- | **PFS-4.1 Exercise and Protect Water Rights.** The City shall exercise and protect its water rights and entitlements in perpetuity. **PFS-4.2 Water Supply Sustainability.** The City shall maintain a surface water/groundwater conjunctive use program, which uses more surface water when it is available and more groundwater when surface water is limited. **PFS-4.3 Surface Water Supply.** The City shall continue to explore and advance options for diverting, treating, and conveying surface water to be able to continue fully meeting potable supply demand. ### RECENT CALIFORNIA DROUGHTS Over the past 20 years, California has experienced four multi-year droughts. From 2001 to 2002 and from 2007 to 2009, parts of Sacramento County were classified as being in "severe drought." From 2012 to 2016 and again beginning in 2020, Sacramento County experienced periods of "severe drought," "extreme drought," and "exceptional drought," the most severe category of drought. The drought from 2012 through 2016 was the longest drought in California's recorded history. Sacramento's Urban Water Management Plan lays out strategies to ensure the conservation and efficient use of water supplies and sufficient future water availability. <
> #### Drought Classification | | | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ☐ | None | | | | 🟨 | D0 (Abnormally Dry) | 🟥 | D3 (Extreme Drought) | | 🟧 | D1 (Moderate Drought) | ⬛ | D4 (Exceptional Drought) | | 🟫 | D2 (Severe Drought) | 🩶 | No Data | **PFS-4.4 Groundwater Infrastructure.** The City shall maintain investment in groundwater infrastructure to provide for water supply reliability. Groundwater sustainability, cost effectiveness, and the quality of the resource shall be factored into groundwater investments. --- **PFS-4.5 Comprehensive Water Supply Planning.** The City shall prepare and implement an Urban Water Management Plan, updating it on a 5-year cycle, to ensure a reliable, long-term water supply and service under projected future conditions. --- **PFS-4.6 Recycled Water.** The City shall continue to monitor the feasibility of utilizing recycled water where appropriate, cost effective, safe, and environmentally sustainable. --- **PFS-4.7 Water Supply During Emergencies.** The City shall, to the extent feasible, maintain adequate water supply during emergencies in accordance with the Water Master Plan and the Urban Water Management Plan. --- **PFS-4.8 New Development.** The City shall ensure that water supply capacity is in place prior to granting building permits for new development. --- # Waste Management Diverting waste from landfills by promoting reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting of materials can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling and waste prevention programs reduce energy and transportation needed to manufacture and ship resource-intensive products and packing. Composting food and yard waste reduces the amount of methane produced in landfills. Moreover, the combination of waste management and diversion strategies can extend the life of existing landfills. Commitment to responsible waste management and diversion is part of Sacramento’s move toward a “circular economy,” a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products, and has additional benefits of promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. The City’s Recycling and Solid Waste Division (RSW) provides garbage, recycling, and organic waste collection, as well as street sweeping services to residential customers in the city of Sacramento. RSW also manages several programs such as bulky item pickups, appliance and household hazardous waste disposal, and provides educational resources about backyard composting. Commercial waste and recycling services are provided by franchised waste haulers. The policies in this section seek to build on the innovative approaches already employed by the City to expand reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting activities; ensure compliance with state law; and promote cost-effective strategies for greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability. ### WASTE REDUCTION LAWS IN CALIFORNIA Landfills are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and beginning in the late 1980’s, the State passed several laws aimed at reducing the quantity of waste sent to landfills. The landmark Assembly Bill (AB) 341, passed in 2011, mandated commercial recycling and established the statewide diversion goal of 75 percent. AB 1826, passed in 2014, mandated commercial organics recycling. Organics like food scraps, yard trimmings, paper, and cardboard make up half of what is deposited in landfills. Reducing short-lived climate super pollutants like methane will have the most immediate impact on the climate crisis we are starting to see in cities and counties throughout California. To reduce statewide methane emissions in various sectors of California’s economy, in 2016, the State signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 1383, the most comprehensive waste reduction mandate to be adopted in California in the last 30 years. SB 1383 requires the State to reduce organic waste disposal, including disposal of food waste, green waste, and paper products, by 75 percent by 2025, an amount equivalent to more than 20 million tons annually. The law also requires the State to increase edible food recovery by 20 percent over the same timeframe. This will have significant policy and legal implications for local governments on a statewide level. # GOAL AND POLICIES ### PFS-5 Sensible waste management that reduces disposal in landfills and supports cost-effective sustainability efforts. #### Solid Waste **PFS-5.1 Solid Waste Reduction.** The City shall reduce the amount of solid waste that is disposed in landfills by promoting source reduction and recycling throughout Sacramento and by expanding the range of programs and information available to local residents and businesses, consistent with State requirements. **PFS-5.2 Collection and Recycling Services.** The City shall provide for continued solid waste collection and recycling services in Sacramento, including contracting with franchise waste haulers, and ensuring adequate transfer station facilities capacity and the availability of adequate landfill capacity to meet future needs. **PFS-5.3 Mixed and Organic Recycling.** The City shall increase waste diversion by requiring participation in mixed recycling and organic recycling programs, including through implementation of Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) Measure W-1 for organic waste reduction. **PFS-5.4 Regional Recycling Market Development Zone.** The City shall continue to participate in the Sacramento Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) Program, which provides attractive loans, technical assistance, and free product marketing to businesses that use materials from the waste stream to manufacture their products. **PFS-5.5 Recycled Materials in New Construction.** The City shall encourage the use of recycled materials in new construction. Methods shall include promoting the availability of materials at Certified Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris Sorting Facilities and the reuse store at the Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station. **PFS-5.6 Bulky Item and Appliance Disposal.** The City shall continue to provide programs that allow residential households to schedule two appointments per year for the collection of large refuse items. **PFS-5.7 Organic Waste Collection Services.** The City shall provide, in conjunction with the mandatory organics container program, education and outreach to residents on the topic of backyard composting of yard waste and scraps. **PFS-5.8 Household Hazardous Waste Disposal.** The City shall continue to promote the safe disposal of household hazardous waste, e-waste, and batteries through public education. **PFS-5.9 Targeted Technical Assistance.** The City may coordinate with franchise waste haulers to provide education, in appropriate languages, to property managers and building owners of commercial and multi-unit properties to implement best practices for waste diversion and reduce contamination. <
> # Telecommunications Reliable access to the internet and telecommunications systems plays an increasingly important part in daily and civic life, helping people to work, learn, access services, and stay connected to friends and family. It is also critical for municipal operations and the health of the local economy. Expanding access to reliable, high-speed internet service is a priority for Sacramento. The City was among the first in the U.S. to see deployment of 5G home broadband internet service, but even as access to reliable, high-speed internet is expanding rapidly in Sacramento, there are still households without access to the internet or to computers at home (see Map PFS-1). The policies in this section articulate a strategy for leveraging emerging technologies, streamlining regulations, and forging public-private partnerships to help provide services more efficiently, meet diverse community needs, foster digital equity, and reduce resource consumption. ## GOAL AND POLICIES ### PFS-6 State-of-the-art telecommunication infrastructure and services throughout the city that connect Sacramento households, businesses, and public agencies to each other, the nation, and the world. **PFS-6.1 Access and Availability.** The City shall work with service providers to expand access to and availability of a wide range of state-of-the-art telecommunication systems and services for households, businesses, institutions, and public agencies throughout the city. **PFS-6.2 Public/Private Collaboration.** The City shall explore public/private technology infrastructure projects that support business and municipal efficiency. <
> Map PFS-1 # Households Lacking Internet Access <
> **Households without Internet Access by Census Tract (%)** | | | | :--- | :--- | | | Less than or equal to 10% | | | 11% - 20% | | | 21% - 30% | | | 31% - 40% | | | 41% - 50% | | | Over 50% | | [---] | Sacramento City Limit | | [---] | Sphere of Influence | Source: US Census Bureau, 2017; County of Sacramento 2021; City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 **PFS-6.3 Adequate Facilities and Service.** The City should work with utility companies to leverage City infrastructure to close gaps to allow areas that are not served by current telecommunication technologies to obtain service and explore providing strategic long-range planning of telecommunication facilities for newly developing areas, as feasible. *** **PFS-6.4 Co-Location.** The City shall encourage compatible co-location of telecommunication facilities such as existing macro sites and shall work with communication service providers to provide opportunities for siting telecommunications facilities on City-owned property, such as existing light poles, and in public rights-of-way. *** **PFS-6.5 Broadband Access.** The City shall work to expand broadband internet access throughout Sacramento, prioritizing efforts to improve access for students, residents, and businesses in disadvantaged communities. Strategies may include the following: * Expanding the City's middle-mile conduit and fiber optic network to provide opportunities for broadband service providers to leverage City infrastructure in underserved areas; * Expanding the availability of free Wi-Fi in City parks, libraries, community centers, transit stops, and other publicly accessible facilities; * Establishing a microwave network consisting of radios mounted on top of City structures to provide backhaul for public Wi-Fi and city infrastructure connectivity; * Pursuing funding opportunities, including but not limited to federal grants; * Leveraging the Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band of the wireless spectrum to establish high-speed wireless networks when necessary; and * Partnering with telecommunications and cable providers to offer discounted wireless and broadband plans to low-income customers. *** **PFS-6.6 Net Neutrality.** In negotiating agreements for the use of public rights-of-way, the City shall work with providers to expand service to underserved communities and require adherence to the principal of net neutrality or unfiltered access to internet information for all new agreements. *** **PFS-6.7 City Operations/Public Services.** The City shall continue to use telecommunications and collaboration tools to enhance the performance of internal City operations and the delivery of public services. *** **PFS-6.8 Telecommunication Infrastructure Improvements.** The City shall endeavor to incorporate state-of-the-art telecommunication systems and services (e.g., internet) for public use in City-owned public buildings and improve gaps in infrastructure to support telecommunication systems. *** <
> # IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS ### Plans and Programs **PFS-A.1: Fire Department Strategic Plan.** The City shall prepare a Standards of Coverage Plan to assess options for locating facilities to most efficiently provide service within the Sacramento Fire Department’s (SFD’s) jurisdiction. **Responsible Entity:** Sacramento Fire Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- **PFS-A.2: Police Master Strategic Plan.** The City shall update the Police Master Strategic Plan to identify and address staffing and facility needs, service goals, and deployment strategies. **Responsible Entity:** Sacramento Police Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- **PFS-A.3: Sewer Master Plan Updates.** The City shall review and update Sewer Long Range Plans as needed to accommodate the land use and development pattern of the 2040 General Plan, prioritizing long range plans for the sewer basins where significant new growth is projected. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Utilities **Timeframe:** Ongoing --- <
> **PFS-A.4: Stormwater Master Planning.** The City shall implement a stormwater master plan program to do the following: * Identify facilities needed to prevent 10-year event street flooding and 100-year event structure flooding; * Ensure that public facilities and infrastructure are designed pursuant to approved basin master plans; * Ensure that adequate land area and any other elements are provided for facilities subject to incremental sizing (e.g., detention basins and pump stations); and * Incorporate the use of “green infrastructure,” Low Impact Development (LID) techniques, stormwater treatment controls, and, if applicable, trash capture devices. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Utilities **Timeframe:** Ongoing --- ### Planning Studies and Reports **PFS-A.5: Onsite Non-Potable Water Reuse.** The City shall assess the feasibility of onsite water reuse for new commercial development. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Utilities **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- **PFS-A.6: Water Treatment Facilities.** The City shall explore options for expanding and enhancing water treatment capacity and processes as needed to serve projected maximum daily water demands with high-quality supply. Potential projects include long-term, reliable and safe water supply and supporting infrastructure projects. **Responsible Entity:** Department of Utilities **Timeframe:** Ongoing **PFS-A.7: Telecommunications Infrastructure in New Development.** The City shall explore the feasibility of establishing engineering guidelines for the installation of state-of-the-art internal telecommunications technologies in new development. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department (lead); Department of Utilities (support); Department of Public Works (support); Department of Information Technology (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** ### Regulations, Standards, and Development Review **PFS-A.8: Municipal Telecommunications Team.** The City shall establish a telecommunications team to collaborate on priorities, design, implementation, and cost-sharing for City investments in communication conduit and infrastructure. **Responsible Entity:** Information Technology Department (lead); Department of Utilities (support); Public Works Department (support) **Timeframe:** Mid-term (2030-2035) *** **PFS-A.9: Periodic Review.** The City shall review and consider modifying building codes and development standards to facilitate the inclusion of evolving state-of-the-art telecommunication technologies and facilities, including during the three-year California Building Code update cycle. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department (lead); Department of Utilities (support) **Timeframe:** Ongoing *** <
> (blank page) --- ## Environmental Justice — Environmental Justice Element - Source: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/cdd/Planning/adopted-2040-general-plan/2040%20GP_2-07_Environmental%20Justice_Adopted.pdf - Pages: 28 - Covers: ej <
> # 7 # ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Community health, quality of life, and access to opportunity are all shaped by the natural, built, and social environments that define the neighborhoods in which we live. Sacramento is known for its tree-lined streets, livable neighborhoods, and farmers markets selling fresh produce direct from the Central Valley, but these assets are not enjoyed equally throughout the community. As in many cities throughout the U.S., past practices have led to a disproportionate distribution of assets, leading to disparities in health and opportunity for low-income residents and communities of color. This Element outlines actions the City will take to promote public health, engage community members in decision-making, and enrich the quality of life for all residents. It focuses on addressing inequities and empowering all residents to reach their full potential. This Element satisfies the statutory requirements for the Environmental Justice Element of the General Plan. It is organized around five key goals: clean air, water, and soil; access to healthy food; safe and sanitary housing; active engagement in civic life; and public and private investments that address long-standing inequities, empower disadvantaged residents, and build neighborhood resilience. Related strategies for access to natural open space and opportunities for physical activity are addressed in the Youth, Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element. Safe and sanitary housing issues are also addressed in the Housing Element, while land use compatibility is addressed in the Land Use and Placemaking Element. Active transportation and roadway safety are addressed in the Mobility Element. Education, training, and employment are addressed in the Economic Development Element. # Background ## WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE? At its core, environmental justice is an affirmation that all people are entitled to live, work, and play in a clean and healthy environment regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, nationality, culture, or income. Throughout California and beyond, low-income communities and communities of color have historically experienced discrimination, negligence, and political and economic disempowerment. As a result, these groups struggle today with a disproportionate burden of pollution and health impacts, as well as disproportionate social and economic disadvantages such as poverty or housing instability. This situation is considered environmental injustice, and it contributes to health disparities (e.g., disproportionate rates of asthma, lead poisoning, and obesity) among populations of different races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic status. Environmental justice aims to deter, reduce, and eliminate the pollution burdens for populations and communities experiencing the adverse effects of that pollution, so that the unique or compounded health risks of the pollution are not disproportionately borne by disadvantaged communities. <
> ## LEGACY OF PAST PRACTICES An understanding of the detrimental impacts that past practices have had on Sacramento residents and communities is essential for advancing environmental justice and planning for an equitable future. These impacts stem largely from a complex history of institutional policies rooted in racism and discrimination. No one actor was responsible for creating and perpetuating injustice; rather, these systems were upheld by many public agencies, private organizations, and individual property owners over decades. As in many cities throughout the U.S., spatial concentrations of race and poverty in Sacramento were largely shaped by patterns of appropriation, including: * The dispossession and forced displacement of the indigenous Nisenan, Maidu, Miwok, and Me-Wuk peoples from their ancestral land; * The use of racially restrictive covenants in property deeds, which kept people who were not white from buying or even occupying land in certain neighborhoods; * Redlining, which was the federally sanctioned practice of refusing to insure mortgages in and near Black neighborhoods; * Suburban development, an auto-centric form of development that was largely off-limits to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), and which led to patterns of public and private investment in suburban roads and amenities coupled with disinvestment in the city center, where many ethnic enclaves were concentrated due to the segregated housing market; * Urban renewal where local redevelopment agencies condemned areas as “blighted” and expropriated properties from homeowners and tenants in these areas in order to facilitate demolition, effectively removing entire non-white communities from the Downtown area, particularly the West End (an area west of the State Capitol redeveloped in the 1950s/60s); and <
> * The construction of freeways such as Interstate 5 and State Route 99 which divided and displaced communities of color while making those who remained more vulnerable to increased exposure to air pollution, urban heat island effects, and noise pollution. The effects of these practices have been pervasive, with distinct geographic and racial patterns of disparities in income, education, health, wealth, and housing between residents in different neighborhoods. ### DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN SACRAMENTO Under California law (SB 1000, The Planning for Healthy Communities Act), the General Plan must address environmental justice with policies for issues that affect disadvantaged communities (DACs) – areas within the city that experience disproportionate levels of pollution, socioeconomic stress, historic disinvestment, and adverse health outcomes. The responsibility for identifying DACs lies with the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). CalEPA has developed CalEnviroScreen, a methodology that helps identify areas that are most affected by many sources of pollution and where people are often especially vulnerable to pollution’s effects. CalEnviroScreen uses data on 21 indicators of pollution, environmental quality, and socioeconomic and public health conditions, which are categorized into two main groups of indicators: pollution burden and population characteristics. An overall CalEnviroScreen score is calculated for each of the state’s 8,000 census tracts based on their pollution burden and population characteristics scores. Census tracts are then scored and ranked based on publicly available data from a variety of federal, State, regional, and local sources. The scores are mapped so that different communities can be compared; an area with a high score is one that experiences a much higher burden than areas with low scores. Under SB 535, a DAC is defined as an area scoring in the top 25 percent (75th – 100th percentile) of all California census tracts for pollution burden and socioeconomic factors as measured in CalEnviroScreen. Out of a total of 174 census tracts in the planning area, 51 are designated as DACs by the State and 41 of these are located within the City limit. Designated DACs, shown in **Map EJ-1**, are generally concentrated in the northern, central, and eastern parts of the planning area close to freeways and industrial areas, but are also found in the Fruitridge Florin area and the South Area; around 30 percent of Sacramento’s residents live in a DAC. Those who live in a DAC tend to be slightly younger (median age of 32.9) as compared to the city as a whole (median age of 34.9) with lower levels of educational attainment (11.6 percent of the population ages 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher in DACs vs. 36.9 percent citywide). DACs also have a higher percentage of residents of color (75.5 percent overall, ranging from 47.8 to 91.9) than the city of Sacramento as a whole (59.1 percent communities of color citywide). **Table EJ-1** displays the scoring results used by the State to identify DACs; this includes census tracts within the highest 25th percentile of overall scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0, as well as census tracts identified in the 2017 DAC designation as disadvantaged, regardless of their scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0. While these CalEnviroScreen 4.0 indicators are a useful first step in identifying DACs, the data does not address other factors that characterize environmental justice topic areas defined in state law, including risk of displacement, healthy food access, or racial inequity. Though some of these issues are not directly linked to pollution burden and exposure, they do shape the environment and circumstances that affect people’s health outcomes and life expectancy, well-being, and access to opportunity. > For more information about how the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 percentile rankings were developed, please visit https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40. ### Table EJ-1: CalEnviroScreen Scores of DACs in the Planning Area | CENSUS TRACT | WITHIN CITY LIMIT | CALENVIROSCREEN PERCENTILE | POLLUTION BURDEN PERCENTILE | POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS PERCENTILE | DENSITY (RESIDENTS PER ACRE) | | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | | 6067000500 | Y | 80.36 | 75.72 | 74.79 | 16.17 | | 6067000600 | Y | 82.83 | 74.13 | 80.23 | 11.28 | | 6067000700 | Y | 95.55 | 77.77 | 98.90 | 20.17 | | 6067000800 | Y | 67.85 | 66.55 | 61.25 | 12.02 | | 6067001101 | Y | 78.30 | 75.69 | 71.47 | 6.66 | | 6067002000 | Y | 88.63 | 82.24 | 83.98 | 10.25 | | 6067002100 | Y | 69.38 | 90.69 | 46.68 | 5.48 | | 6067002200 | Y | 78.90 | 91.23 | 59.32 | 7.59 | | 6067003202 | Y | 75.97 | 33.84 | 97.77 | 12.49 | | 6067003204 | Y | 78.24 | 37.00 | 98.34 | 12.56 | | 6067003600 | Y | 80.50 | 53.91 | 91.05 | 8.82 | | 6067003700 | Y | 80.57 | 47.49 | 95.35 | 12.79 | | 6067004401 | Y | 70.94 | 26.29 | 97.84 | 11.08 | | 6067004501 | Y | 83.50 | 46.00 | 98.74 | 7.78 | | 6067004502 | Y | 93.34 | 65.00 | 99.58 | 8.08 | | 6067004601 | Y | 77.67 | 40.86 | 95.93 | 14.54 | | 6067004602 | Y | 86.85 | 54.30 | 98.41 | 17.58 | | 6067004701 | Y | 85.68 | 60.73 | 94.43 | 9.55 | | 6067004702 | Y | 88.35 | 57.27 | 98.52 | 13.08 | | 6067004801 | Y | 70.61 | 32.45 | 93.26 | 12.84 | | 6067004802 | Y | 80.24 | 44.08 | 96.66 | 14.76 | | 6067004904 | Y | 80.60 | 57.78 | 88.30 | 9.48 | | 6067005001 | N | 81.58 | 45.97 | 97.19 | 14.07 | | 6067005002 | Y | 92.52 | 70.23 | 97.78 | 9.40 | | 6067005101 | N | 81.59 | 53.37 | 93.18 | 7.47 | | 6067005102 | N | 66.54 | 34.42 | 84.32 | 6.10 | | 6067005201 | Y | 77.52 | 74.96 | 70.71 | 7.33 | | 6067005205 | Y | 91.33 | 94.37 | 75.67 | 1.09 | | 6067005301 | Y | 98.80 | 98.11 | 90.76 | 1.03 | | 6067005502 | Y | 93.04 | 83.61 | 91.52 | 8.17 | | 6067005505 | N | 79.19 | 46.72 | 94.35 | 12.34 | | 6067006101 | N | 81.11 | 68.15 | 81.45 | 7.07 | | 6067006102 | N | 76.89 | 52.03 | 87.12 | 10.45 | | 6067006201 | N | 85.73 | 64.07 | 92.39 | 13.37 | | 6067006202 | Y | 90.57 | 76.49 | 91.77 | 9.05 | | 6067006300 | Y | 88.91 | 64.67 | 96.13 | 7.42 | | 6067006400 | Y | 94.13 | 76.91 | 97.44 | 6.54 | | 6067006500 | Y | 84.09 | 57.66 | 93.81 | 7.28 | | 6067006600 | Y | 80.98 | 44.93 | 96.96 | 13.53 | ### Table EJ-1: CalEnviroScreen Scores of DACs in the Planning Area | CENSUS TRACT | WITHIN CITY LIMIT | CALENVIROSCREEN PERCENTILE | POLLUTION BURDEN PERCENTILE | POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS PERCENTILE | DENSITY (RESIDENTS PER ACRE) | | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | | 6067006701 | Y | 80.30 | 47.36 | 95.15 | 11.51 | | 6067006702 | Y | 85.16 | 57.14 | 95.55 | 8.16 | | 6067006800 | Y | 79.80 | 43.00 | 96.68 | 11.73 | | 6067006900 | Y | 93.51 | 71.19 | 98.65 | 3.71 | | 6067007001 | Y | 82.88 | 65.28 | 86.74 | 5.08 | | 6067007007 | Y | 79.74 | 77.49 | 72.35 | 5.93 | | 6067007413 | Y | 92.28 | 90.12 | 83.56 | 5.30 | | 6067009110 | N | 77.60 | 43.40 | 94.40 | 13.63 | | 6067009201 | Y | 70.47 | 86.81 | 51.68 | 0.37 | | 6067009316 | N | 70.59 | 41.47 | 85.29 | 14.64 | | 6067009318 | N | 81.20 | 49.98 | 94.81 | 7.53 | | 6067009601 | Y | 61.26 | 25.43 | 85.26 | 3.59 | # Map EJ-1: State Designated Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) in Sacramento <
> | | | | :--- | :--- | | ![legend-red-box] | SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities | | ![legend-dashed-line-thick] | Sacramento City Limit | | ![legend-dashed-line-thin] | Community Plan Area Boundary | | ![legend-dashed-line-purple] | Sphere of Influence | Source: CalEPA, 2022; County of Sacramento 2018; City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 # Promoting Public Health The link between community design and public health has long been established. Modern city planning practices emerged from the need to foster safer, healthier urban environments in an age of industrialization. Today, clean air and water, access to fresh food, and suitable housing options remain the foundational elements of a sustainable and equitable city, and they represent the building blocks for economic and social opportunity. The General Plan recognizes the rich resources that Sacramento offers and incorporates strategies to enhance access for all. ## AIR QUALITY AND POLLUTION EXPOSURE Pollution exposure occurs when people come into contact with air, food, water, and/or soil pollutants in the course of daily life. In an urban environment, pollution can come from a variety of different sources, including solid waste facilities that emit toxic gases, storage tanks that leak hazardous chemicals into groundwater and soil, agricultural operations using pesticides, cars and trucks emitting exhaust, or stationary sources such as diesel generators emitting exhaust. Ongoing exposure to pollution can worsen existing health conditions and lead to absences from work or school. Long-term pollution exposure can even result in reduced life expectancy. Based on an analysis of CalEnviroScreen data, Sacramento is most affected by issues related to air quality and hazardous materials, particularly in areas of the city adjacent to former and current industrial activities. <
> ### AB 617 In 2017, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 617 (C. Garcia, Chapter 136, Statutes of 2017) to develop a new community-focused program to more effectively reduce localized exposure to air pollution and preserve public health. This bill directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to work with local air districts and community organizations to identify and select underserved communities with the highest cumulative air pollution burden. CARB selected the South Sacramento–to–Florin community in 2018 to be one of the first 10 communities in California to develop and implement a community air monitoring plan. Other community areas within the City of Sacramento have also been identified and nominated by Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) for consideration into the state program. **Map EJ-2** shows areas of Sacramento with the highest cumulative air pollution burden. Data is also available on the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District’s (SMUD) Sustainable Communities Resource Priorities Map. Sacramento is located within the Sacramento Valley Air Basin (Basin), which is under the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD). The Basin is designated as in “non-attainment” for select State air quality standards, which means that air pollutant emissions exceed acceptable levels for the region, primarily due to fine particles of pollution from diesel-powered trucks, buses, cars, ships, and locomotive engines, typically concentrated near ports, railyards, and freeways. SMAQMD maintains air quality monitoring sites located throughout the Basin, including eight active sites in Sacramento County. Air pollutant concentrations and meteorological information are continuously recorded at these stations and data is then used by scientists to help forecast daily air pollution levels. # Map EJ-2: Census Tracts with Highest Cumulative Air Pollution Burden <
> ### AB 617 Score (0 = lowest air quality burden, 1.0 = highest air quality burden) | | | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 🟡 | 0.677 | ▨ | South Sacramento--Florin AB 617 Community | | 🟧 | 0.678 - 0.710 | ╍╍ | Sacramento City Limit | | 🟨 | 0.711 - 0.730 | ╌╌ | Community Plan Area Boundary | | 🟥 | 0.731 - 0.755 | ⚊⚊ | Sphere of Influence | | 🟫 | 0.756 - 0.789 | | | Priority communities are identified on the basis of scoring that considers exposure to air pollution; location of sensitive receptors such as schools, parks and day care centers; socioeconomic factors, such as poverty, unemployment, housing burden; and health indicators. The greater the score, the greater the impact. Source: 2020 Suitability Analysis Update, October, 2020; County of Sacramento 2018; City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 # Map EJ-3: Census Tracts with Highest Pollution Burden Score <
> | Pollution Burden Score | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ![Top 25% Statewide] Top 25% Statewide | ![Community Plan Area Boundary] Community Plan Area Boundary | | | ![50% - 75%] 50% - 75% | ![Sacramento City Limit] Sacramento City Limit | | | ![Disadvantaged Community] Disadvantaged Community | ![Sphere of Influence] Sphere of Influence | | | | ![Water] Water | | Source: CA OEHHA, 2021; CalEPA, 2022; City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023. Environmental hazards may also be present in landfills, factories or facilities that release toxic chemicals, sites that have been contaminated in the past, pesticides, or other sources of pollution. Federal, State, and local regulatory requirements and site-specific contingency and evacuation plans help to reduce potential threats. In Sacramento, clusters of hazardous materials sites can be found in areas of past and present industrial activity, including Downtown near the Railyards, Upper Land Park, Old North Sacramento/Noralto, and Granite Park. Map EJ-3 shows tracts in Sacramento that are most affected by four indicators: toxic releases, cleanup sites, hazardous waste, and solid waste. With the exception of East Sacramento, populations that live in census tracts with an oversaturation of environmental hazards are also more likely to be lower-income and have lower average life expectancies. The policies in this section prioritize City action on hazardous materials and waste, air pollution, and coordination with SMAQMD, focusing efforts on air filtration systems, meeting local air quality standards, using new technologies and techniques, and raising public awareness of air quality and improvement actions. ### GOAL AND POLICIES | EJ-1 | Clean air, water, and soil with no segment of the community disproportionately burdened by environment conditions. | | :--- | :--- | #### Air Quality **EJ-1.1 Air Quality Monitoring.** The City shall collaborate with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) to support the expansion of air quality monitoring efforts in Sacramento, prioritizing locations in the north and south of the city that have been identified with community input as a high priority for air pollution control initiatives. **EJ-1.2 Community Air Protection.** On an ongoing basis, the City shall support the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), community members, businesses, and other stakeholders in implementation of AB 617 and other Community Emissions Reduction Programs (CERPs), which may include developing and implementing community air monitoring plans, community emissions reduction plans, and other air pollution control initiatives. Supportive City actions may include the following: * Participation on steering committees and technical advisory committees; * Support or guidance for pilot programs; or * Leveraging related City activities and grant programs to maximize the impact of actions in disadvantaged communities. **EJ-1.3 Data-Informed Efforts.** The City shall collaborate with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), community organizations, and other stakeholders, and use air quality monitoring data to inform area-specific improvement actions outside of AB 617-related efforts and other Community Emissions Reduction Programs (CERPs). Such actions may include the following: * Prioritizing areas for the installation of indoor air filtration rated MERV 13 or greater in existing buildings containing sensitive populations; * Prioritizing areas for capital investments with co-benefits for air quality, such as planting trees, planting vegetation barriers along high-volume roadways, and installing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure; * Integrating air quality improvement actions into planning efforts, such as new specific plans, master plans, or area plans that will guide development in impacted areas; or * Limiting the establishment of new sources of air pollutants in areas with elevated levels of pollutant concentrations unless appropriate mitigation is implemented. --- **EJ-1.4 Impact Assessment.** The City shall continue to use the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) modeling tools and guidance documents, as appropriate, to identify and mitigate air quality impacts from proposed development projects. --- ### Hazardous Materials **EJ-1.5 Compatibility with Hazardous Materials Facilities.** The City shall ensure that future development of treatment, storage, or disposal facilities is consistent with the County’s Hazardous Waste Management Plan, and that land uses near these facilities, or proposed sites for the storage or use of hazardous materials, are compatible with their operation. --- **EJ-1.6 Risks from Hazardous Materials Facilities.** The City shall review proposed facilities that would produce or store hazardous materials (gas, natural gas, or other fuels) to identify and require feasible mitigation for any significant risks. The review shall consider, at a minimum, the following: * Presence of seismic or geologic hazards; * Presence of hazardous materials; * Proximity to residential development and areas in which substantial concentrations of people exist, particularly disadvantaged communities (DACs) already overburdened by pollution; and * Nature and level of risk and hazard associated with the proposed project. --- **EJ-1.7 Transportation Routes.** The City shall restrict transport of hazardous materials within Sacramento to designated routes. --- **EJ-1.8 Site Contamination.** The City shall ensure buildings and sites are or have been investigated for the presence of hazardous materials and/or waste contamination before development, where applicable. The City shall continue to require remediation and construction techniques for adequate protection of construction workers, future occupants, adjacent residents, and the environment, and ensure they are adequately protected from hazards associated with contamination. --- **EJ-1.9 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Programs.** The City shall continue to provide household hazardous waste collection programs to encourage proper disposal of products containing hazardous materials or hazardous waste. --- **EJ-1.10 Education.** The City shall continue to educate and inform residents and businesses on how to reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous materials and products, and shall encourage the use of safer, nontoxic, environmentally friendly equivalents. Use accessible and culturally/linguistically relevant methods to increase awareness and participation. --- <
> ## HEALTHY FOOD RESOURCES Increasingly, Sacramento is considered America’s “farm-to-fork” capital. There are over 1.5 million acres of farmland in the surrounding region that provide produce to a network of year-round and seasonal farmers markets throughout the city, including the largest Certified Farmers Market in the state. Yet, amid these unmatched agricultural riches, healthy food remains out of reach for some Sacramento residents. Lack of access to healthy food resources can lead to a higher risk of obesity and diabetes. Hunger also makes it difficult to focus at school or work. As food is one of the most basic needs, food insecurity can force people to make choices that place food above other necessities, like medicine or other basics. Policies in the Environmental Justice Element aim to increase access to healthy food throughout the city, particularly in underserved areas, so that people can meaningfully participate in and benefit from local food production and distribution. **Map EJ-4** shows access to grocery stores, farmers markets, and other sources of healthy food from residential areas of Sacramento. While most neighborhoods have access to a source of healthy food within proximity of home, the map highlights underserved areas of the city, including some areas identified as “food deserts” by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Notably, residents of the tier 1 underserved areas shown are disproportionately low-income people of color. The grocery store is the primary source of healthy food for most Sacramentans, providing access to a wide variety of nutritious and relatively affordable produce and other foods. Large chain grocery retailers locate new stores based on a set of criteria that include parcel size, proximity to major arterial corridors, and size and spending power of the local customer base. As a result, it is a challenge for low-income neighborhoods to attract and retain new stores. Mission-driven grocery store operators that specialize in providing healthy food to low-income communities, and food co-ops, which are owned and operated by local residents or employees, have also emerged as an alternative that can provide healthy, culturally relevant food while also empowering area residents economically. Supporting a fine-grained network of food distribution points, as well as creative food distribution ideas, can also help to improve access. For example, <
> # Map EJ-4: Areas Underserved by Healthy Food Resources <
> | | | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ● | Healthy Food Retailer* | **Areas Underserved by Healthy Food Resources** | | | ○ | City-operated Community Garden | ■ Tier 1 *Poverty Rate > Citywide Average* | | | ● | Farmers Market | ■ Tier 2 *Household Income < Citywide Median* | | | □ | USDA Low Income/Access (2019)[^**] | ■ Tier 3 *Underserved Residential Area* | | | | Healthy Food Retailer 1-mile Radius | ╍╍ Sacramento City Limit | | | | SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities | ╌╌ Community Plan Area Boundary | | | | | ┈┈ Sphere of Influence | | \* Locations of existing healthy food retail sales points were identified using 2019 Co-Star data and verified using Google. [^**]: "Low-income" is defined by the poverty rate and median family income of a tract. "Low-access" means a significant number or share of the population in the tract had limited access to a food store (supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store)—i.e., they lived more than 1 mile from a food store in urban areas or more than 10 miles in rural areas. Note on Tiers: According to Census ACS 2016-2020 5-Year Estimates, citywide median household income is $65,847 and citywide poverty rate is 15.7%. Source: BAE, 2019 (verified via Google Search, 12/14/2022); USDA, 2019; Census ACS 2016-2020; County of Sacramento 2019; City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 ### RANCHO SAN MIGUEL MARKET In 2022, the City partnered with Rancho San Miguel Markets, a 100 percent employee-owned food co-op, to open a new location in the Oak Park neighborhood. This collaboration brought a culturally-relevant grocery store to a historically disinvested area of the city. <
> Source: The Sacramento Bee <
> libraries, schools, parks, and even large parking lots can become sites where sales or distribution of fresh food can occur. Urban agriculture and community gardens can also help to improve food sovereignty and fresh food accessibility by making it easier for people to grow their own food. Additionally, home-based food enterprises, in which private residences can prepare, cook, and serve food to consumers, represent another strategy that can serve as a source of healthy food and opportunity for entrepreneurship. Finally, regional efforts to develop a regional food hub, which encompasses aspects of food aggregation, packing, processing, storage, marketing and distribution capacity and facilities, offer great opportunities to strengthen the food system and improve access to healthy foods. Food hubs can help connect locally produced and source-identified foods to local markets by creating new market channels between growers and consumers. As the food hub and local food system scale expands, it can serve larger markets, such as institutional and wholesale buyers, and even markets outside of the Sacramento region. The policies in this section focus on improving access to and awareness of healthy foods. Access is addressed through policies that aim to support retailers and food grocers, while also expanding opportunities for food distribution and regional collaboration. Policies on healthy food promotion, youth food literacy, and promoting the city as the Farm-to-Fork capital aim to facilitate and improve awareness of healthy foods and how to use them. <
> ## GOAL AND POLICIES ### EJ-2 Equitable access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food and wider access to healthy food resources in disadvantaged communities. #### Healthy Food Access **EJ-2.1 New Healthy Food Grocers.** The City should leverage tax and fee deferral/reduction, California Food Financing Initiative funding, and other economic development grant monies to attract new healthy food grocers and co-ops and help them establish and/or make necessary improvements. As a priority, efforts should be focused in areas underserved by healthy food retail with good access to the transportation network, such as along Meadowview Road, Franklin Boulevard, and Marysville Boulevard where grocery stores and food co-ops are most economically viable. **EJ-2.2 Grocery Access.** The City should partner with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) and other community partners to promote and improve access to groceries. Strategies may include increasing transit access, connecting residents with on-going food assistance programs, and promoting the use of app-based microtransit and home delivery services among seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, and residents of areas underserved by healthy food retail. **EJ-2.3 Open Air Food Sales.** In underserved areas shown on **Map EJ-4**, the City should collaborate with community-based organizations (CBOs), including but not limited to faith-based organizations, to establish community markets on publicly-owned sites such as libraries, schools, or community center parking lots and promote the sale and distribution of fresh food via farmers markets, farm stands, grocery trucks, or other regular healthy food sales events. **EJ-2.4 Expanded Reach of Food Distribution.** The City should support the efforts of local organizations to expand the reach of food distribution. Strategies may include the following: * Exploring cost-effective options such as promoting the use of volunteers at food banks; * Permitting extended hours at distribution points; * Facilitating the siting of new distribution points; and * Helping to facilitate informal food distribution efforts in the community. **EJ-2.5 Food Assistance Programs.** The City shall increase community awareness of and participation in existing federal food assistance programs, such as the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Approaches can include the following: * Providing information in City newsletters, on the City’s website, and at community centers and other City facilities; * Explaining to merchants the incentive to registering to accept WIC and SNAP payments (e.g., immediate expansion of market of potential customers); and * Exploring the feasibility of requiring the acceptance of food assistance programs at farmers markets. <
> Food literacy and awareness can support healthy eating. **EJ-2.6 Food Recovery Program.** The City shall participate in the regional edible food recovery program pursuant to SB 1383, intended to reduce organic waste in the community and divert consumable food to those in need by collecting and redistributing unused food from commercial edible food generators such as grocery stores, supermarkets, big box stores, restaurants, corporate kitchens, and food wholesalers and distributors. --- **EJ-2.7 Partner with Farmers.** The City should engage with local growers and community-based (CBOs) organizations on ways to expand regional Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as an alternative source of fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables for Sacramento residents, particularly those with limited mobility, limited income, or those furthest from existing grocery stores. --- **EJ-2.8 Community and Home Gardening.** The City shall support community and home gardening efforts, particularly in disadvantaged communities (DACs) and communities historically underserved by healthy food retail. Support may include the following: * Connecting residents to existing resources such as local community gardens and organizations that offer workshops on gardening basics, or * Cooking easy, healthy meals with fresh produce. --- **EJ-2.9 Urban Agriculture in New Development.** The City shall promote rooftop gardens, edible gardens, and other sustainable agricultural landscaping alternatives within multi-unit, commercial, and industrial developments. --- **EJ-2.10 Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone.** The City shall continue to implement the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone to facilitate activation of vacant and undeveloped spaces and improve access to fresh, healthy, and affordable foods. --- **EJ-2.11 Home-Based Food Enterprises.** The City should work with the County to promote the availability of permits for home-based food enterprises (e.g., Cottage Food Operations). The City should focus outreach and promotional efforts in disadvantaged communities (DACs) and historically underserved areas where home-based operations can serve as both a source of healthy food and an opportunity for entrepreneurship. --- **EJ-2.12 Regional Food Hub.** The City should participate in efforts to establish a regional food hub that could support a variety of efforts, including but not limited to aggregating crops from small local producers; packaging, processing, storage, and distribution services; and food business incubator programs. Participation may include the following: * Assistance with site selection, * Long-term lease of surplus City properties, and/or * Procurement/purchasing contracts. --- <
> **EJ-2.13 Public-Private Partnerships.** The City should support efforts to form creative public-private partnerships for expanding urban agriculture access, including but not limited to the following: * Providing land for growing food, * Facilitating water access, * Expanding private community gardens, and * Leveraging other creative assets. **EJ-2.14 Financial Incentives.** The City shall pursue financial incentives to support the provision of healthy and culturally relevant food options in existing retailers in disadvantaged communities (DACs) and historically underserved areas. **EJ-2.15 Limit Unhealthy Food Establishments.** The City shall explore mechanisms to limit unhealthy food establishments, especially in disadvantaged communities (DACs) and historically underserved areas. **EJ-2.16 Discourage Unhealthy Uses.** The City should discourage the establishment of new drive-through restaurants, alcohol permits for off-site sales, and tobacco sales points near food deserts, schools, and pedestrian priority areas. ### Healthy Food Awareness **EJ-2.17 Healthy Food Promotion.** With community partners, the City shall expand efforts to promote healthy eating throughout the community by preserving and promoting community gardens, demonstration gardens, and free and culturally relevant nutrition and cooking classes at Sacramento community centers. Efforts should be prioritized in disadvantaged communities (DACs) and historically underserved areas, with an emphasis on supporting low-cost, practical, and culturally relevant strategies for healthy eating. **EJ-2.18 Youth Food Literacy.** The City shall support efforts to increase food literacy among children and youth, through collaboration with schools, hospitals, community groups and other partners to develop and deliver programs, activities, and events. **EJ-2.19 Farm-to-Fork.** The City shall promote Sacramento as America’s Farm-to-Fork capital with support for festivals, events, and programs that highlight the city’s access to fresh, healthy food, and encourage healthy eating and nutrition. Efforts should consider focusing events in disadvantaged communities (DACs) and historically underrepresented areas. **EJ-2.20 Evaluating Health Impacts.** The City may use best available data tools, including but not limited to Healthy Places Index, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index, and CalEnviroScreen, when evaluating health impacts from proposed projects in disadvantaged and historically underserved communities. <
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> # SAFE AND SANITARY HOUSING Access to safe, sanitary housing is important for everyone. Beyond being a source of shelter, a home gives families a sense of safety, security, and peace of mind. Many housing factors have a profound influence on a person’s health and well-being, such as whether or not housing is located in a resource-rich, complete neighborhood; is of high quality and free from health hazards; is affordable and not a financial burden; or is a place where people can remain if they so choose. The Housing Element of the General Plan outlines the City’s strategy and commitment for how it will meet the housing needs of everyone in the community. It contains goals, policies, and programs that focus on expanding the housing stock and offering a wider range of housing choices for everyone in Sacramento. Many of these goals, policies, and programs address key environmental justice and housing topics, including the following: * Increasing overall housing production; * Increasing affordable housing and workforce housing production; * Advancing equity and inclusion; * Protecting residents from displacement, preserving existing housing stock; * Providing housing for people experiencing homelessness; and * Increasing accessible housing. To support the strategies in the Housing Element, the policies in this section focus on how the City can help coordinate interagency and interdepartmental efforts to address safe and sanitary housing needs for residents impacted by a cumulative burden of socioeconomic and environmental factors. ## GOAL AND POLICIES ### EJ-3 Coordination of resources to ensure stable, safe, and sanitary housing for all Sacramentans. **EJ-3.1 Resource Optimization.** The City shall coordinate across municipal departments and with relevant partner agencies including the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), Capitol Area Development Authority (CADA), Sacramento County, and others, to optimize the use of grant monies, incentives, financial resources, staffing, investments, and programs in addressing displacement and tenant protections; sanitary housing and maintenance issues; environmental hazards in homes and neighborhoods; and other concerns related to stable, safe, and sanitary housing. **EJ-3.2 Supplemental Funding Sources for Building Rehabilitation.** The City shall prioritize identification of supplemental funding sources/resources and partner programs for retrofit, rehabilitation, electrification, and lead abatement projects that address health and safety in housing occupied by low-income renters and homeowners, including air quality improvements. Partner programs could include those with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), and other community-based organizations (CBOs). Supplemental funding sources could include loans and grants available from the Strategic Growth Council (SGC), California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), California Air Resources Board (CARB), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other entities. **EJ-3.3 Healthy Homes.** The City shall continue to work with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) and community organizations to promote safe and sanitary housing by providing owners and occupants with information and resources. Efforts may include the development and dissemination of healthy home checklists or conducting trainings, workshops, or audits. **EJ-3.4 Healthy Environment.** In private and non-profit housing projects, the City should promote and seek ways to incentivize the inclusion of features and amenities that support and enhance the health of occupants and the environment, including, but not limited to: * Energy-efficient and all-electric appliances; * Green infrastructure, such as green roofs or appropriate tree planting; * Community gardens; and * Active transportation infrastructure. <
> Affordable housing concept at Mirasol Village. # Engaging and Empowering the Community Meaningful participation of all people in decisions that affect their lives and communities is a critical component of environmental justice and a prerequisite for a sustainable and equitable city. Across the U.S., the communities most impacted by environmental issues have historically been left out of decision-making process, and the result has been a pattern of underinvestment and disinvestment in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Undoing the harm caused by inequitable practices will require a sustained effort to engage and empower historically underrepresented communities and a targeted focus of investments and actions in areas that are cumulatively most affected by environmental, social, and economic burdens. ## CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY The City is committed to ensuring the just and equitable treatment of all neighborhoods and people, addressing historical inequities, and ensuring broad community participation and ownership in public processes, as well as accountability in implementing plans. Achieving inclusive, authentic community engagement and closing equity gaps requires direct participation by impacted communities in the development and implementation of solutions and policy decisions that directly affect them. As shown in **Figure EJ-1**, community engagement can be conducted on a spectrum that ranges from informing to power sharing. This spectrum can also be thought of as a series of steps essential for building capacity for community collaboration and governance. Inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance that facilitates participation in planning efforts is a key component of civic engagement. To sustain engagement and promote a culture of civic participation, feedback loops can be built in to show how the community’s input directly influenced the process. Accountability also means reducing the burden of participation — this can mean coordinating internally across City departments to share relevant community outreach findings and to provide a coordinated response to community concerns. Accountability can also be built through increased representation of disadvantaged communities on decision-making bodies or on oversight committees that ensure follow-up on commitments to the community. The policies in this section seek to improve civic engagement through capacity building and developing community partners, especially in historically underserved and underrepresented areas of the city. ### Figure EJ-1 ### Community Engagement Spectrum <
> | INFORM | CONSULT | INVOLVE | COLLABORATE | EMPOWER | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Provide residents with info and assist in understanding problems, alternatives, and solutions. | Obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives, and decisions | Work directly with residents and consistently consider their Concerns and aspirations. | Partner with residents in decision-making, including in identification of solutions. | Residents are making decisions and leading solution-based efforts. | Credit: graphic designed by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), based on the framework developed by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) # GOAL AND POLICIES | EJ-4 | Active participation of all segments of the community - particularly historically underrepresented groups - in civic life and in the development and implementation of solutions for neighborhood priorities. | | :--- | :--- | ### Civic Engagement **EJ-4.1 Meaningful, Relevant Engagement.** The City shall design and implement public engagement processes and events that encompass the following: * Emphasize participation from low-income communities and communities of color; * Are centered on and driven by neighborhood and resident priorities; * Are relevant and rooted in existing conditions; * Emphasize the collaborative exchange of ideas; and * Provide meaningful opportunities for participants to influence outcomes. **EJ-4.2 Innovative Methods.** The City shall explore innovative strategies for increasing community involvement in civic processes and ownership of outcomes, tailoring strategies to best reach target audiences. Strategies to explore may include the following: * Participatory budgeting, * Participatory action research, or * Other approaches that emphasize the active participation of community members most affected by the questions at issue. **EJ-4.3 Community Partners.** The City shall partner with community-based organizations (CBOs) and culture brokers on an ongoing basis to develop and implement effective outreach programs, increase opportunities for community involvement in civic processes, and build a deeper understanding of city governance within the community. The City shall seek opportunities to support community partners in these efforts, such as by providing technical assistance, data, meeting spaces, and other support services as feasible. **EJ-4.4 Capacity Building.** The City should enlist and strengthen the capacity of community members and groups so that historically marginalized community members participate in local decision-making and engage meaningfully in planning efforts. **EJ-4.5 Increasing Participation of Underserved Communities.** The City shall increase the participation of socioeconomically disadvantaged residents and other traditionally underrepresented groups in city planning and decision-making processes. Strategies may include the following: * Holding public meetings and outreach activities at culturally appropriate neighborhood gathering places, at accessible times and venues, and/or at community events; * Employing a wide range of outreach methods and activities, including pop-up events, focus groups, community workshops, and online surveys; or * Providing transportation vouchers, interpretation and translation services, childcare, food, or monetary compensation, or other methods that remove barriers to participation. ### Accountability **EJ-4.6 Community Oversight.** The City shall explore opportunities to increase community oversight of and input into City policies and practices, such as the creation and ongoing support of community-led advisory committees such as the Environmental Justice Collaborative Governance Committee (EJCGC). *** **EJ-4.7 Sustained Engagement.** The City shall maintain communication channels that allow for ongoing dialogue with neighborhood groups and individual residents; use this information to inform development of City programs, projects, and services; and share this information across departments to optimize the effectiveness of efforts. *** **EJ-4.8 Community Ownership and Accountability.** Recognizing that community ownership of decisions is fundamental for successful planning and implementation, the City shall emphasize collaborative decision-making throughout the community engagement process and empower disadvantaged and under-represented community members to participate at all phases of the decision-making process. The City shall also build accountability into engagement processes by systematically reporting out to the community on the results and informing participants of how their input has influenced outcomes. *** <
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> ## INVESTMENT PRIORITIZATION As in cities throughout the U.S., spatial concentrations of racial and socioeconomic disparity in Sacramento have been shaped largely by patterns of appropriation and disinvestment. These inequities can only be redressed with a deliberate and sustained effort over time. By embedding equity in City operations, departmental priorities, deployment of resources and planning efforts, and public and private investments, Sacramento can forge a path to a more sustainable and equitable city. ### Prioritizing Disadvantaged Communities and Communities Cumulatively Impacted by Environmental Justice Issues As described above, distinct patterns of disproportionate burden by geography, income, and race exist across the city for a multitude of environmental and community health issues. The locations and populations affected by each individual issue vary, but when viewed in aggregate it is clear that certain communities within Sacramento are cumulatively impacted by multiple factors. An earlier section of this element discusses DACs in Sacramento as defined by CalEPA, which identifies which communities may be most affected by environmental pollutants through its tool, CalEnviroScreen. While CalEnviroScreen accounts for 21 indicators that include pollution, demographic, and health variables, it is limited in capturing the full scope of cumulative environmental justice impacts <
> to communities. As such, to compliment **Map EJ-1**, which shows the DACs identified through CalEnviroScreen, **Map EJ-5** represents additional analysis and shows the most cumulatively impacted communities based on a composite analysis of 68 factors including the indicators used in CalEnviroScreen, in addition to variables such as housing conditions, access to healthy food and recreational facilities, neighborhood conditions, transportation safety, and race. **Map EJ-5** builds off of **Map EJ-1**, which identifies areas in addition to DACs. These maps can be used to help guide future investments and actions by the public, private, and non-profit sectors in DACs and other areas cumulatively impacted by environmental justice issues. In decision-making processes, City officials and staff can also use these maps to help prioritize interventions that redress burden, build capacity, and empower the most vulnerable and historically underserved communities in Sacramento. ### Operationalizing Equity Without deliberate and intentional action, the inequities that exist in our community can easily be perpetuated in municipal operations and decision-making. The City aims to operationalize equity by supporting educational efforts about the root causes of inequity and by integrating equity analysis tools across departments, boards, and other appointed organizations. Operationalizing equity can also mean considering how well City staff and services reflect the diversity of Sacramento’s people and cultures, as well as considering how work plans and budgeting processes could aggravate or compound existing environmental and socioeconomic burdens. The City’s Office of Diversity and Equity already works to operationalize equity by using the theory of change and racial equity analysis from the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) to guide the development of staff training and resources. The GARE theory of change emphasizes normalizing conversations about race, developing a shared understanding of commonly held definitions of implicit bias and institutional and structural racism. ### Map EJ-5: Communities Cumulatively Impacted by Environmental Justice Issues <
> **EJ Composite Score (Top 50%)** | | | | :--- | :--- | | ![#000066] | 91% - 100% (Most Disadvantaged) | | ![#003399] | 81% - 90% | | ![#006666] | 71% - 80% | | ![#669966] | 61% - 70% | | ![#CCCC99] | 50% - 60% | | | | | :--- | :--- | | ![Red Hatched] | SB 535 Disadvantaged Community | | ![Black Dashed] | Sacramento City Limit | | ![Grey Dashed] | Community Plan Area Boundary | | ![Purple Dashed] | Sphere of Influence | Source: Eviction Lab, 2016; CalEPA, 2021; US Census Bureau ACS, 2016-2020; Datadiversitykids.org (Brandeis University), 2020; US EPA EJSCREEN, 2020; FEMA, 2020; CoStar, 2020; Urban Displacement Project (UC Berkeley), 2020; TIMS SafeTrec (UC Berkeley), 2020; Statewide Database (UC Berkeley), 2020; Trust for Public Land, 2021; NASA DEVELOP - Langley, 2021; HUD, 2022; US DHHS, 2021; City of Sacramento, 2023; Dyett & Bhatia, 2023 <
> The policies in this section support efforts to invest in and continue to operationalize equity, especially in internal City practices. The policies emphasize investment in education, training, cross-departmental collaboration, and thoughtful investments that address long-standing inequities. ## GOAL AND POLICIES | EJ-5 | Investments that address long-standing inequities, empower disadvantaged residents, and build neighborhood resilience. | | :--- | :--- | ### EJ-5.1 Equity Education. The City shall invest in ongoing capacity-building equity training for City staff, boards, and elected officials to do the following: * Learn national best practices for normalizing, organizing, and operationalizing racial equity; * Increase collective understanding of the role of government in addressing racial inequity with an intersectional approach that centers on race, but includes all marginalized identities; * Develop consistent onboarding processes that include equity-centered community engagement and racial equity approach; and * Organize collective and citywide coordinated action to address root causes of systemic racial inequity, identify opportunities to address it, and identify equity outcomes that measure performance and provide transparent community indicators. ### EJ-5.2 Internal Practices. The City shall annually audit municipal hiring practices, policies, and protocols with the goal of identifying areas of improvement for workforce diversity beyond federally required Equal Employment Opportunity reports and moving toward the workforce equity goals of the Race & Gender Equity Action Plan’s (RGEAP) department assessment and annual reporting strategies. ### EJ-5.3 Cross-Functional Action Team. With participation of staff from City departments and partner agencies, the City shall maintain a cross-functional neighborhood development action team responsible for coordinating resources, actions, and investments aimed at increasing the quality of life and economic growth of people, businesses, and places in Sacramento’s historically disenfranchised and disinvested neighborhoods. ### EJ-5.4 Racial, Gender, and LGBTQ+ Equity. The City shall place racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ equity at the core of its values, policies, and practices and promote a culture of acceptance within the City organization. ### EJ-5.5 Investment Prioritization. The City shall prioritize investments in infrastructure and interventions that address long-standing inequities, empower disadvantaged residents, and build neighborhood resilience. ### EJ-5.6 Embedding Racial Equity. The City shall leverage and apply the racial equity analysis from the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) to embed racial equity in City practices, both internally and externally. # IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS ### Plans and Programs **EJ-A.1: Retailer Incentive Program.** The City should evaluate developing a program to incentivize and assist business owners to stock fresh and healthy food at affordable prices in areas underserved by healthy food resources (shown on **Map EJ-4**) where convenience stores and other retail outlets exist (such as Meadowview and North Sacramento). Program elements could include the following: * Funding for refrigeration equipment; * Business counseling and technical assistance; * Nutritional education; and * Store design support. **Responsible Entity:** Office of Innovation and Economic Development (lead) Community Development Department (support) **Timeframe:** Mid-term (2030-2035) *** **EJ-A.2: Air Filtration Systems.** The City shall explore opportunities to accelerate the installation of air filtration systems in existing buildings in partnerships with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) and other partners in the Sacramento region. Schools, nursing homes, and other sensitive uses within disadvantaged communities (DACs) and areas most affected by air quality issues should be prioritized. **Responsible Entity:** Office of Climate Action and Sustainability (lead); Community Development Department (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** **EJ-A.3: Diverse Representation.** The City shall develop and implement a coordinated plan to increase diversity on City boards and commissions and in City-sponsored activities and events. Steps should include the following: * Developing a proactive recruitment program reaching out to numerous communities. * Recruiting individuals from underrepresented populations, including, but not limited to, communities of color, youth, and low-income populations, to represent their communities. * Reporting annually to the City Council on the diversity of City boards, commissions, and committees. **Responsible Entity:** City Clerk’s Office (lead); City Manager’s Office (support); Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Department (support); Community Development Department (support); Public Works (support) **Timeframe:** Ongoing *** **EJ-A.4: Community-Led Planning.** Pilot a community-led planning grant program focused on addressing the needs of people within disadvantaged and/or historically underserved communities. The planning process would include documenting community vision for a <
> specific neighborhood, concerns keeping the people in that neighborhood from thriving, and potential actions to increase community resiliency, equity, and/or inclusive economic development. These actions could include regulatory fixes to City ordinances, education and training on City programs and opportunities, infrastructure improvements, or others. Pending funding and staff availability, the planning effort should be accompanied by funding and staff time to address some near-term implementation as well as include a final document (or action plan) with a list of short and longer-term actions that can be used to support grant applications, advocacy to government officials, and guide ongoing community collaborations. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department (lead); Office of Innovation and Economic Development (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) ### Regulations, Standards, and Development Review **EJ-A.5: Amortization Ordinance.** The City shall study the feasibility of an amortization ordinance that would phase out polluting industries currently located near sensitive receptors. The study should identify a process and criteria for determining which industries to amortize. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Mid-term (2030-2035) *** <
> **EJ-A.6: Performance Zoning.** The City shall develop zoning standards applicable to new and existing industrial and manufacturing developments to minimize or avoid adverse effects related to air quality, noise, or safety on sensitive populations in disadvantaged communities and other areas of the city where industrial and manufacturing uses are near residential uses, such as the Robla neighborhood. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) *** **EJ-A.7: Healthy Food Zoning.** The City shall update the Zoning Code to promote and protect healthy food options. Possible amendments to the code include the following: * Incorporate zoning controls that prohibit tobacco sales points near schools and other areas; * Clearly defining “healthy food grocery stores” to ensure that businesses meeting that description have access to incentives developed with them in mind; * Include standards and incentives flexible enough to accommodate “alternative” grocery stores, which use less space, require less parking, and focus on the day-to-day needs of nearby residents; or * Preserve grocery store uses in underserved areas through zoning designations. **Responsible Entity:** Community Development Department **Timeframe:** Mid-term (2030-2035) *** <
> **EJ-A.8: Racial Equity Analysis.** The City shall pilot and develop capacity in applying a racial equity analysis from Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) and other equity centered strategies for preventing racism and for identifying new options to remedy long-standing inequities. **Responsible Entity:** City Manager’s Office (lead); Community Development Department (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- ### *City Data and Services* **EJ-A.9: Community Input Database.** The City shall expand the use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software to efficiently track and respond to resident inquiries and to streamline collection and management of community input. This should involve the following: * Determining which departments need software licenses; * Establishing protocols for the collection and use of community input; * Providing training to staff on use of database; and * Designating responsibility of database management. **Responsible Entity:** Information Technology Department (lead), Office of Innovation and Economic Development (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- ### *Financing and Budgeting* **EJ-A.10: Outreach Funding.** The City shall study the feasibility of establishing funding that City departments draw on for community outreach. The intent would be to provide a source of funding to supplement departmental budgets and grant funding in order to ensure that City objectives for community outreach can be achieved. **Responsible Entity:** Office of Innovation and Economic Development (lead); City Manager’s Office (support); Department of Finance (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) --- **EJ-A.11: Healthy Food Initiatives Partnership.** The City shall identify partners and coordinate closely with other agencies who together would be responsible in assessing, designing, and implementing City healthy food initiatives. City staff will engage in cross-departmental and inter-agency coordination, program administration, and community relations. **Responsible Entity:** City Manager’s Office (lead); Community Development Department (support); Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Department (support); Department of Finance (support) **Timeframe:** Near-term (2024-2029) ---