Sacramento County Municipal Code Art. I Purpose and Applicability

To ensure that proposed subdivisions are developed in the best interests of the people of the County of Sacramento, land subdivided under the provisions of this Title shall conform to design standards and improvement standards in this chapter. Plans, maps or other drawings for any project which includes the installation of public streets or creation of lots or division of land shall comply with the standards set forth herein.

(SCC 574 § 2, 1983; ; SCC 1757, 7/22/2025)

It is the purpose of these design standards to provide basic planning standards applicable to the design, review and development of local street patterns and lot patterns in subdivisions, land divisions and other development projects.

(SCC 574 § 2, 1983; SCC 1757, 7/22/2025)

These standards shall be applied to projects requiring one or more public hearings before a discretionary permit is issued, projects requiring no public hearing, and projects on appeal. The standards provide the advisory agency or the Board flexibility to make reasonable decisions that take into account alternative designs, physical features on and off the site, and public input and testimony, as applicable.

When applying these standards, the advisory agency or the Board shall consider the identifiable effects that any proposed project may have upon other properties in the vicinity, now and in the foreseeable future.

In order to deal with physical features on and off the site, the advisory agency or the Board may take into consideration unusual topography, environmental preservation, existing and approved streets, historically established traffic patterns, neighboring lot patterns, existing and evolving land use patterns, zoning, and past policy or permit decisions.

(SCC 574 § 2, 1983; SCC 1757, 7/22/2025)

The advisory agency or the Board may authorize conditional exceptions to any of the design and improvement standards in this chapter, unless the standard specifically states that an exception cannot be granted. Such exception may be granted if the advisory agency or the Board finds, in writing, that the proposed design or improvement is in substantial compliance with the purpose and intent of the standard to be excepted.

(SCC 574 § 2, 1983; SCC 1757, 7/22/2025)

The applicant may separately request that an exception from the standard be granted. If noncompliance with these standards is identified at any stage of review of the proposed map, the application may be considered to include a request for an exception, unless the applicant objects. The advisory agency or Board shall not grant an exception request unless a reasonable justification is made by the applicant to support the action. Noncompliance with these standards without grant of an exception pursuant to this section shall be grounds for denial of a request.

(SCC 574 § 2, 1983; SCC 1757, 7/22/2025)

All project applications shall include drawings showing the manner in which the requirements and standards in this ordinance are complied with. When the applicant decides to apply for an exception, the applicant shall provide documentation and data to support and justify the request for a waiver or modification.

(SCC 574 § 2, 1983; SCC 1757, 7/22/2025)