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The Board of Supervisors adopted an updated Sacramento County Development Code on July 22, 2015 that became effective on September 25, 2015. The Development Code is comprised of the:
- Zoning Code and its related Ordinances
- Zoning Code User Guide
- Countywide Design Guidelines
Read the Development Code on the Land Use Regulation Library
Zoning Code (September 25, 2015)
The Zoning Code establishes land use zones and standards and regulations for development in those zones, within unincorporated Sacramento County. A User Guide has also been prepared to help customers navigate the draft Zoning Code, and common planning and entitlement application procedures most likely to be encountered when developing property in the County.
Countywide Design Guidelines
The Countywide Design Guidelines are an implementing tool of the County's General Plan, applying to the whole unincorporated county. There are separate sections for Single Family Dwellings, Multi-family Dwellings, Commercial, Employment Districts, Village Centers/Mixed-Use, and New Communities. The Design Guidelines incorporate "Active Design" strategies to aid the County in creating a built environment that is healthy, sustainable, livable and promotes active transportation choices like biking, walking, and access to transit. The Design Guidelines include an active design icon to call out policies and standards that incorporate active design. The County's Active Design strategies are described in Appendix D of the Countywide Design Guidelines.
Zoning Ordinances that are a part of the Zoning Code
- Special Planning Areas & Neighborhood Preservation Areas (Titles V and VI) Certain defined areas in Sacramento County are also subject to “mini-Zoning Codes” in the form of Special Planning Areas (SPA) and Neighborhood Preservation Areas (NPA). These documents provide community-specific regulations that supplement the Zoning Code. This page provides a list of SPAs and NPAs in Sacramento County as well as other related information.
- Interim Zones (Title IV) This document lists interim zones and their development standards. These zones are temporary, established decades ago in areas where community plans were anticipated. Through the community planning process the interim zones will be rezoned to permanent zones consistent with that community plan. At the time all interim zones have been rezoned, Title IV will be eliminated from the Zoning Code. Includes standards for zones including, but not limited to, Auto Commercial (AC), Travel Commercial (TC), Shopping Center (SC), Mobilehome Park (RM-1), Residential Estate (RE-1, RE-2), Interim Agricultural Zones (A-1-A, A-2, A-5), and Interim Agricultural Holding Zones (A-10, A-20)
- Sacramento County Floodplain Management Ordinance (February 9, 2024) This document includes the general provisions and construction standards for building in floodplains. For more information on this ordinance visit the Sacramento County Department of Water Resources "Storm Ready" webpage.
