Board approves Ingle Road office-to-housing conversion over neighborhood objections

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the conversion of a vacant office building at 4748 Ingle Road into 16 one‑bedroom market‑rate apartment units on Nov. 4, 2025.

Planning staff told the board the proposal requests a use permit and a special development permit that would deviate from several multifamily design standards, and a variance to reduce the 25‑foot landscape buffer required adjacent to single‑family zones under the Mission Oaks Neighborhood Preservation Area. Staff said the project is a conversion of an existing footprint and was found statutorily exempt from CEQA as infill (Public Resources Code section 21159.25). The recommendation included conditions to address pedestrian and emergency access.

Neighborhood reaction: Two residents and members of the Mission Oaks community planning advisory council told the board they opposed the project as designed, citing concerns about neighborhood compatibility, parking adequacy, balcony sightlines toward adjacent yards and structural/traffic safety. Planning Commission members also expressed concerns and the commission did not reach a majority recommendation at its hearing.

Sacramento Metro Fire Board: County fire officials required a pathway and revised access behind the building and said covered parking (carports) would not be permitted because firefighters could not reach vehicle areas for rescue or hose access. Staff included conditions to remove or redesign rear carports unless a cross‑access easement with adjacent property could be acquired to enable fire access.

Board discussion and outcome: Supervisors acknowledged neighborhood concerns but also noted the site has been vacant and that office reuse is fiscally preferable to demolition when feasible. Applicant Onyx Investment Group described other local office‑to‑housing conversions in progress and said they have an option to purchase or acquire an easement on the neighboring property to create cross‑access. Following discussion, the board approved the permits and findings and adopted staff conditions; the motion passed on a unanimous vote.

Why it matters: The project is part of a trend to reuse underutilized office buildings and bring rental housing online more quickly than ground‑up construction. Neighbors and advisory bodies asked the board to weigh neighborhood character and fire‑life‑safety access against housing needs and reuse of vacant commercial stock.

Speakers and sources: Kimber Gutierrez, Principal Planner (Planning & Environmental Review); Joseph Kumar, applicant representative (Onyx Investment Group); several neighboring residents and CPAC attendees. Planning staff cited Public Resources Code §21159.25. The approvals are subject to conditions spelled out in the planning findings and required building and fire plan approvals.