Chapter 17.224 — MISCELLANEOUS
Article IV — HC Zone-Highway Commercial Zone
Sacramento Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Sacramento
17.224.400 HC zone-Purpose. ¶
The HC zone is for establishments offering accommodations or services to motorists, and for certain other specialized non-merchandising activities. The HC zone is ordinarily located in areas along federal and state freeways or other highways or major streets. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)
17.224.410 HC zone-Permitted uses. ¶
A. Permitted uses. The following uses are permitted by right in the HC zone, subject to the limitations specified:
| Use | Limitations |
|---|---|
| 1. Residential Uses | |
| Residential care facility | |
| 2. Commercial and Institutional Uses | |
| Amusement center, indoor | |
| Assembly-cultural, religious, social | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.128 |
| Auto-service, repair | |
| Childcare center | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.113 |
| Commercial service | |
| Community clinic | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.118 . |
| Community market | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.124 |
| Drive-through restaurant | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.109 |
| Gas station | |
| Hotel; motel | Permitted if the project does not involve the demolition or conversion of multi-unit dwellings that exist or are under construction |
| Nonresidential care facility | |
| Retail store | Limited to 5,000 square feet |
| --- | --- |
| Restaurant | |
| Theater | |
| Tobacco retailing | Permitted in a store that has greater than 15,000 square feet of gross floor area if the total area of shelving allocated to tobacco products and tobacco paraphernalia does not exceed 250 square feet. |
| 3. Industrial and Agricultural Uses | |
| Aquaculture | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq. |
| Community garden, private (not exceeding 3.0 acres) |
Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq. |
| Solar energy system, commercial (city property) |
Allowed in this zone and exempt from the provisions of this title |
B. Conditional uses. The following uses in the HC zone require approval of a conditional use permit, subject to the limitations specified:
| limitations specified: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Use | Limitations | Approval Required by: Planning and Design Commission (PDC); Zoning Administrator (ZA); or City Council (CC) |
| 1. Residential Uses | ||
| Mobilehome park | PDC | |
| Temporary residential shelter | PDC | |
| 2. Commercial and Institutional Uses |
||
| Amusement center, outdoor | PDC | |
| Bar; nightclub | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.108 | PDC |
| Cardroom | Subject to licensing regulations in chapter 5.32; | |
| A cardroom may not be located within 1,000 feet, measured from the nearest property lines of the affected parcels, from another cardroom; |
||
| Notwithstanding section 17.232.050, a conditional use permit is not required to enlarge a cardroom on a greater portion of the building or lot on which it is located or to relocate the cardroom to another location on the same lot |
PDC | |
| Cemetery | PDC | |
| Cinema | PDC | |
| College campus | PDC | |
| Correctional facility | PDC | |
| Drive-in theater | PDC | |
| Golf course; driving range | PDC | |
| Hotel; motel | Allowed with a conditional use permit if the project involves the demolition or conversion of multi-unit dwellings that exist or are under construction |
PDC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kennel | ZA | |
| Non-profit organization, food preparation for office-site consumption |
PDC | |
| Non-profit organization, food storage and distribution |
PDC | |
| Non-profit organization, meal service facility |
PDC | |
| Outdoor market | In granting a conditional use permit, the zoning administrator may consider the traffic, safety of vehicular and non-vehicular access, adequacy of bicycle parking, noise, hours of operation, and any applicable development standards related to the proposed outdoor market |
ZA |
| School, K-12 | PDC | |
| Stand-alone parking facility | The zoning administrator may waive the development standards stated in sections 17.608.040 and 17.612.020 |
ZA |
| Tobacco retailing | Permitted with a conditional use permit in a store that has 15,000 square feet or less of gross floor area or allocates more than 250 square feet of shelving to tobacco products and tobacco paraphernalia. |
ZA |
| Transit vehicle-service, repair, storage |
PDC | |
| Veterinary clinic; veterinary hospital |
ZA | |
| 3. Industrial and Agricultural Uses |
||
| Airport | PDC | |
| Antenna; telecommunications facility |
Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.300 et seq. | PDC |
| Boat dock, marina | PDC | |
| Community garden, private (exceeding 3.0 acres) |
Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq. | ZA |
| Heliport; helistop | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.114 | PDC |
| High voltage transmission facility |
Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.500 et seq. | CC |
| Market garden (exceeding 3.0 acres) |
Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq. | ZA |
| Passenger terminal | PDC | |
| Solid waste landfill | PDC | |
| Solid waste transfer station | PDC | |
| Surface mining operation | Subject to provisions of chapter 17.720 | PDC |
| Well-gas, oil | PDC |
C. Accessory uses. The following uses in the HC zone are permitted when accessory to a permitted or conditional use, subject to the limitations specified:
| use, subject to the limitations specified: | |
|---|---|
| Use | Limitations |
| Accessory antenna | |
| Accessory drive-through facility | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.110 |
| Child care, in-home (family day care home) | |
| Common area | |
| Family care facility | |
| Family day care facility | |
| Use | Limitations |
| Private garden | Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq. |
| Urban beekeeping | Subject to section 9.44.330 |
| Watchperson's quarters | The structure shall be limited to 1,000 square feet |
D. Prohibited uses. All uses not listed as permitted, conditional, or accessory uses are prohibited in the HC zone. (Ord. 2026-0001 § 24; Ord. 2025-0007 § 22; Ord. 2024-0017 § 45; Ord. 2021-0024 § 17; Ord. 2020-0025 § 20; Ord. 2020-0021 § 43; Ord. 2019-0027 § 21; Ord. 2016-0016 § 14; Ord. 2016-0001 § 31; Ord. 2015-0005 § 40; Ord. 20130020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)
17.224.420 HC zone-Height, density, and floor area ratios. ¶
A. Height. The maximum height is 35 feet.
B. Density. Not applicable.
C. Floor area ratios. Minimum and maximum floor area ratios are established in the general plan. (Ord. 2013-0020
§ 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)
17.224.430 HC zone-Setbacks. ¶
A. Front-yard setback. The minimum front-yard setback is 15 feet.
B. Street side-yard setback. The minimum street side-yard setback is 15 feet.
C. Interior side-yard setback. The minimum interior side-yard setback is five feet.
D. Rear-yard setback. The minimum rear-yard setback is 15 feet.
E. Levee setback. A minimum 20-foot setback from the landside toe of any flood control levee is required for development less than five acres in size. A minimum 50-foot setback is required from the landside toe of any flood
control levee for development five acres or greater in size. No primary or accessory structures may encroach into the levee setback. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)
17.224.440 HC zone-Generally applicable development standards. ¶
A. For architectural design guidelines and exceptions to the height and area standards, see chapter 17.600.
B. For parking requirements, see chapter 17.608.
C. For landscaping and paving requirements, see chapter 17.612.
D. For recycling and solid waste disposal regulations, see chapter 17.616.
E. For wall, fence, and gate regulations, see chapter 17.620.
F. For residential accessory structure and use regulations, see chapter 17.624.
G. For sign standards and regulations, see chapter 15.148.
H. For historic preservation program generally, see chapter 17.604. For preservation design review of development projects, see section 17.808.100 et seq. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)
17.224.450 HC zone-Site plan and design review. ¶
A. General.
For development projects not located in a historic district and not involving a landmark, no tentative map, parcel map, or permit shall be approved or issued unless an application for site plan and design review of the proposed project is approved in accordance with chapter 17.808 or the project is exempt under section 17.808.160.
As used in this subsection A, "permit" means a building permit, a demolition permit, a sign permit, a grading permit, a paving permit, an encroachment permit, and a certificate of occupancy.
- B. Historic districts and landmarks.
For development projects located in a historic district or involving a landmark, no person shall commence construction or otherwise undertake a development project, and no tentative map, parcel map, or permit shall be approved or issued unless an application for site plan and design review of the proposed project is approved in accordance with chapter 17.808 or the project is exempt under section 17.808.160.
As used in this subsection B, "permit" means a building permit, a demolition permit, a sewer or water connection or disconnection, a sign permit, a grading permit, a paving permit, an encroachment permit, and a certificate of occupancy. (Ord. 2017-0061 § 65; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)