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Division IIChapter 17.216

Article I — OB Zone-Office Business Low-Rise Mixed-Use Zone

Sacramento Zoning Code · 2026-07 edition · updated 2026-09-09 · Sacramento

17.216.100 OB zone-Purpose.

The purpose of the OB zone is to provide for a low-rise mixed-use employment zone that is intended to permit business, office, institutional, or professional buildings; the sale of goods and services; and lodging and dwellings. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

17.216.110 OB zone-Permitted uses.

A. Permitted uses. The following uses are permitted by right in the OB zone, subject to the limitations specified:

Use Limitations
1. Residential Uses
Dormitory Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.111
Dwelling, multi-unit Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.117
Low barrier navigation center
Residential care facility
Residential hotel Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.112
2. Commercial and Institutional Uses
Amusement center, indoor Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Assembly-cultural, religious, social Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling use; Subject to
special use regulations in section 17.228.128
Athletic club; fitness studio Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Bed and breakfast inn
Childcare center Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.113
College extension Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Commercial service Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling use
Communityclinic Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.118 .
Communitymarket Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.124
Hotel; motel Permitted if the project does not involve the demolition or conversion of multi-unit dwellings that exist or are under
construction
Laundromat, self-service Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Library; archive
Mortuary; crematory Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Museum
Non-profit organization, food preparation for off-site consumption Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling use; Entire business,
includingstorage and display, shall be conducted within a building
Non-profit organization, food storage and distribution Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling use; Entire business,
includingstorage and display, shall be conducted within a building
Nonresidential care facility Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Office
Restaurant Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Retail store Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling use; This use is
limited to 40,000gross square feet; if use exceeds this limitation, a conditional usepermit is required
School-dance, music, art, martial arts Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
School, vocational Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% of thegross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
Theater Permitted in a buildingin which at least 50% ofgross floor area is devoted to office or dwellinguse
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
tobaccoproducts and tobaccoparaphernalia does not exceed 250 square feet.
Wholesale store Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling use; this use is
limited to 6,400gross square feet
3. Industrial and Agricultural Uses
Aquaculture Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq.
Community garden,private(not exceeding3.0 acres) Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq.
Laboratory, research
Manufacturing, service, and repair Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling use; This use is
limited to 6,400 gross square feet. Use may include incidental, non-nuisance producing processing, packaging, and
fabricatingentirelywithin a building
Marketgarden(not exceeding3.0 acres) Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq.
Solar energysystem, commercial(city property) Allowed in this zone and exempt from theprovisions of this title

B. Conditional uses. The following uses in the OB zone require approval of a conditional use permit, subject to the limitations specified:

Use Limitations Approval Required by: Planning
and Design Commission (PDC);
Zoning Administrator (ZA); or City
Council (CC)
1. Residential Uses
Temporaryresidential shelter Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.600 et seq. ZA
2. Commercial and Institutional Uses
Alcoholic beverage sales, off-premises
consumption
Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling
use;
Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.108 PDC
Amusement center, outdoor PDC
Bar; nightclub Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling
use;
Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.108 PDC
Cinema (inside arts and entertainment district) Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling
use
PDC
College campus 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 Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling
use
ZA
Major medical facility PDC
Non-profit organization, meal service facility Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling
use
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
anyapplicable development standards related to theproposed outdoor market
ZA
Retail store Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling
use;
Permitted with a conditional use permit if use exceeds 40,000 gross square feet; permitted by right
if use does not exceed 40,000gross square feet
PDC
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 Permitted in a building in which at least 50% of the gross floor area is devoted to office or dwelling
use
ZA
3. Industrial and Agricultural Uses
Antenna; telecommunications facility Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.300 et seq. 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
Marketgarden(exceeding3.0 acres) Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq. ZA
Passenger terminal PDC
Surface miningoperation Subject to chapter 17.720 PDC
Well-gas, oil PDC

C. Accessory uses. The following uses are permitted in the OB zone when accessory to a permitted or conditional use, subject to the limitations specified:

Use Limitations
Accessoryantenna
Accessorydrive-through facility Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.110
Child care, in-home(familydaycare home)
Common area
Dwellingunit, accessory Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.105
Dwellingunit,junior accessory Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.105
Familycare facility
Familydaycare facility
Home occupation Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.200 et seq.
Privategarden Subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.810 et seq.
Urban beekeeping Subject to section 9.44.330

D. Prohibited uses. All uses not listed as permitted, conditional, or accessory uses are prohibited in the OB zone. (Ord. 2026-0001 § 8; Ord. 2025-0007 § 5; Ord. 2024-0017 § 27; Ord. 20210023 § 23; Ord. 2020-0025 § 7; Ord. 2020-0021 § 24; Ord. 2019-0027 § 7; Ord. 2016-0001 § 16; Ord. 2015-0005 § 24; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

17.216.120 OB zone-Height, density, and floor area ratios.

  • A. Height. The maximum height is 35 feet.

  • B. Density. The maximum density is 36 dwelling units per net acre.

  • C. Floor area ratios. The minimum and maximum floor area ratios are established in the general plan. (Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

17.216.130 OB zone-Setbacks.

  • A. Front-yard setback. There is no minimum or maximum front-yard setback.

  • B. Street side-yard setback. There is no minimum or maximum street side-yard setback.

  • C. Interior side-yard setback.

  1. Unless paragraph 2 of this subsection applies, the minimum interior side-yard setback is five feet.

  2. If the interior side-yard lot line abuts a public alley, no minimum interior side-yard setback is required.

  • D. Rear-yard setback.
  1. Unless paragraph 2 of this subsection applies, the minimum rear-yard setback is 15 feet.

  2. If the rear-yard lot line abuts a public alley, the minimum rear-yard setback is five 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. 2017-0061 § 29; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

17.216.140 OB 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. 20130007 § 1)

17.216.150 OB zone-Site plan and design review.

A. General.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.
  1. 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.

  2. 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 § 30; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)

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