Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Planning Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves Sacramento's 2026 planning and zoning work program, delays missing-middle timeline
Summary
The Law and Legislation Committee unanimously approved the city's 2026 planning and zoning work program, while staff said the missing middle ordinance will be delayed to reframe bulk-control standards into a building-typology approach and ensure infrastructure coordination.
The Sacramento City Council's Law and Legislation Committee voted unanimously to approve the city's 2026 Planning and Zoning Work Program after a staff presentation on the draft priorities and 2025 accomplishments.
Director-level staff for the Community Development Department presented the program, citing 2025 milestones including a citywide ordinance removing minimum parking requirements, a small developer incubator program, updates to a universal design ordinance and an updated River District vision and guiding principles. The staff presentation listed 2026 priorities such as rezoning to implement the 2040 general plan, consolidation of residential zones, formal missing-middle housing standards and updates to parking and bike policies.
"We're pivoting away from a rigid bulk-control approach to a building-typology approach," the director said when explaining why the missing middle ordinance has been pushed later in the year. The director told the committee the shift is intended to produce more context-sensitive design standards and will require coordination across public works, utilities and fire departments.
Committee members pressed staff on timing and interim safeguards. Council member Dickinson said she supported the overall direction but urged that delays not repeat previous problematic outcomes in Robla. The director responded that staff can use existing code findings and inter-departmental coordination to address acute infrastructure or public-safety concerns before the ordinance is finalized.
Staff also said an ordinance enabling the sale of accessory dwelling units is expected to be drafted this year, with possible action in the fall. Climate and equity items in the work program include consideration of a reach code requiring heat-pump equipment on replacement and updates to vehicle- and bike-parking standards along transit corridors.
A motion to approve the work program passed on a unanimous voice vote. The program will now go to the full City Council for final approval.
The committee meeting packet includes the staff draft and an attachment summarizing responses to planning commission comments and proposed next steps for public review and hearings.
