2.9. COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS — Sacramento County Zoning Code

2.9.1. General Purpose ¶

The Commercial zoning districts are established to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare. In addition to the following general purposes for commercial zoning districts, the specific purpose of each commercial zoning district is established in Section 2.9.2.

To provide sufficient space, in appropriate locations in proximity to residential areas, for local retail development catering to the regular shopping needs of the occupants of nearby residences with due allowance for the need for a choice of sites.

To provide appropriate space to satisfy the needs of modern local retail development, including the need for off-street parking spaces in areas to which a large proportion of shoppers come by

automobile.

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

2.9.2. Table of Commercial Zoning Districts ¶

TABLE 2.7 TABLE OF COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

Name of	Abbreviation	Zoning Summary	Purpose
Zoning
District
Business	BP	The BP zone generally	To provide an area for business and
Professional		permits office building	professional office and compatible related
Office		and related uses such as	uses. This zoning district is intended to
		banks, doctor’s offices,	promote a harmonious development of
		general business office,	business and professional office areas
		and general uses.	with adjacent commercial or residential
			development.
Light	LC	The LC zone permits a	To provide an area that will offer a wide
Commercial		wide spectrum of	choice of retail goods and services in
		commercial uses,	locations where individual small lots are
		ranging from apartments	desired. It is intended that this zoning
		(with Use Permit) to	district be used in those locations along
		grocery stores, to minor	major streets and in commercial
		auto repair shops.	subdivisions where unlimited commercial
			uses are not appropriate or would not be
			compatible with the surrounding
			development.
General	GC	The GC zone permits a	To provide an area for the general
Commercial		broad range of	commercial and heavier types of
		commercial uses,	commercial uses that would not be
		including more intense	appropriate in the more restrictive
		use such as small	commercial districts. It is intended that this
		warehousing operations,	district be used in appropriate locations
		auto repair shops, and	along major streets or in commercial
		truck service stations.	subdivisions where the uses permitted
			would not adversely affect the surrounding
			properties.