Sacramento County — Development Standards

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how the Sacramento County Zoning Code (SZC) sets dimensional “development standards” — setbacks, height, lot size/width, density, and FAR — for projects in the unincorporated areas. It organizes the rules by base zoning district, then flags cross‑cutting rules like how to measure setbacks and where special approvals can modify standards. For a project, always read these together with Sacramento County Zoning, Land Use, Design Review, Parking, Overlay Districts, and Landscaping and Screening.

The single most important geometry rule: front and side‑street setbacks are measured differently depending on whether the street includes a Public Utilities/Public Facilities (PUPF) easement. Without PUPF, measure from the back of sidewalk; with PUPF, measure from the back of curb (§ 5.2.1.A; see figures 5‑1 through 5‑8) .

How the SZC organizes development standards

• The SZC Chapter 5 groups standards by topic and zoning family: General standards (§ 5.2), Agricultural/AR/Recreation (§ 5.3), Residential (§ 5.4), Commercial (§ 5.5), Industrial (§ 5.6), Mixed‑Use (§ 5.7), Off‑Street Parking (§ 5.9), and Signs (§ 5.10) (§ 5.1.2) .
• Setback measurement, allowed encroachments, and PUPF conventions are in § 5.2.1; diagrams define how to measure each yard (§ 5.2.1.A–D) .

Countywide general rules that affect most districts

• Setback measurement and PUPF: see above (§ 5.2.1.A–D) .
• Parking: amounts and design live in § 5.9; most district tables tell you to “see § 5.9” for exact counts and design standards (§ 5.4.2.C Table 5.7.C; § 5.4.3.C Table 5.8.B) . Also see Parking.
• Signs: see § 5.10; commercial/industrial standards cross‑reference it (§ 5.5; sample cross‑references) and mixed‑use districts do as well (§ 5.7.3) . Also see Signage.
• Landscaping: see § 5.2.4 (most district tables reference it) and Landscaping and Screening.
• Special approvals that can adjust standards: Special Development Permit and “SPM” tools in Chapter 6 allow limited deviations (e.g., reduce certain setbacks up to 25%) when findings are met; for multifamily next to low‑density neighborhoods, see Table 6.3 (§ 6.4.6; Table 6.3) .
• Area‑specific ordinances control if different: project‑specific ordinances (Special Planning Areas, Neighborhood Preservation Areas, Planned Developments, Specific/Corridor Plans) supersede base standards unless otherwise stated (§ 1.7.3) .

Residential — Low Density (RD‑1, RD‑2, RD‑3, RD‑4, RD‑5, RD‑7, RD‑10)

Project standards for single‑family and duplex/halfplex apply across RD‑1 through RD‑10 (§ 5.4.2.C; Table 5.7.C) . Lot size/width standards vary by district (§ 5.4.2.B; Table 5.7.A) .

• Key project envelope (all RD‑1…RD‑10 unless an area plan overrides):
  • Minimum front yard: 20 ft (without PUPF) / 24 ft (with PUPF). Side street: 12.5 ft / 16.5 ft (§ 5.4.2.C; Table 5.7.C) .
  • Interior side: 5 ft for 1–2 stories; 10 ft for 3 stories. Rear: 25 ft if lot depth >125 ft or 20% of average depth if ≤125 ft; limited rear projections allowed but never below 10 ft (1‑story) or 15 ft (2–3 stories) (§ 5.4.2.C; Table 5.7.C) .
  • Maximum height: 30 ft (1–2 stories) / 40 ft (3 stories) (§ 5.4.2.C; Table 5.7.C) .
• Lot standards highlights:
  • Minimum lot area (interior): RD‑5 = 5,200 sf; RD‑7 = 4,000 sf; RD‑10 = 3,000 sf (corner lots higher) with district‑specific minimum widths (e.g., RD‑5 = 52 ft; RD‑10 = 30 ft) (§ 5.4.2.B; Table 5.7.A) .
• Attached/detached ADUs/JADUs have a separate countywide table (e.g., ADU max size, setbacks, and height) in § 5.4.5.B Table 5.11; minor deviations are limited and some standards are mandated by state law (§ 5.4.5.B; Table 5.11) . Also see California ADU law.

RD‑1

• Purpose/uses: Very low‑density single‑family; see Table 3.1 for full use permissions (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Dimensional focus: See RD‑wide project standards above; lot minimums per Table 5.7.A (e.g., 1 acre interior lot) (§ 5.4.2.B; Table 5.7.A) .
• Where applied: Unincorporated areas with estate‑scale parcels. Verify with the jurisdiction.

RD‑2

• Purpose/uses: Low‑density single‑family; select agricultural roadside stands may need a CUP in lower RDs (§ 3.4.7.C.2–3) .
• Dimensional focus: RD‑wide setbacks; lot area often 20,000 sf interior/corner; see Table 5.7.A (§ 5.4.2.B) .

RD‑3

• Purpose/uses: Low‑density single‑family; duplex/halfplex allowed subject to lot minimums in higher RDs (see district notes below) (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Dimensional focus: RD‑wide setbacks; lot area 10,000 sf interior/corner (Table 5.7.A) (§ 5.4.2.B) .

RD‑4

• Purpose/uses: Low‑density single‑family. Convenience centers may need a permit per legacy summaries (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Dimensional focus: RD‑wide setbacks; lot area 8,500 sf interior/corner (Table 5.7.A) (§ 5.4.2.B) .

RD‑5

• Purpose/uses: Most common suburban single‑family; duplexes may be allowed on larger lots (see use table; Not found in retrieved materials).
• Dimensional focus: RD‑wide setbacks; 5,200 sf interior lot; 6,200 sf corner; 52 ft minimum width (Table 5.7.A) (§ 5.4.2.B) .

RD‑7

• Purpose/uses: Small‑lot single‑family; zero‑lot‑line options referenced in legacy summaries (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Dimensional focus: RD‑wide setbacks; 4,000 sf interior lot; 5,200 sf corner; 40 ft minimum width (Table 5.7.A) (§ 5.4.2.B) .

RD‑10

• Purpose/uses: Highest “low‑density” single‑family; small‑lot patterns.
• Dimensional focus: RD‑wide setbacks; 3,000 sf interior lot; 3,500 sf corner; 30 ft minimum width (Table 5.7.A) (§ 5.4.2.B) .

Residential — Multifamily (RD‑15, RD‑20, RD‑25, RD‑30, RD‑40; RM‑2 where applicable)

• Lot standards: minimum interior lot 5,200 sf; minimum width 52 ft (corner 62 ft) across multifamily districts (Table 5.8.A) (§ 5.4.3.B) .
• Density by district: RD‑15/20/25/30/40 correspond to max densities of 15/20/25/30/40 du/net acre (Table 5.8.A) (§ 5.4.3.B) .
• Setbacks next to Low Density Residential (AG, AR, RD‑1…RD‑10): interior side/rear increase to 25 ft (1‑story) / 50 ft (2‑story) / 75 ft (3‑story); elsewhere: 10 ft (1–2 stories), 15 ft (3+ stories); front 20/26 ft (with PUPF) and side‑street 15/21 ft (with PUPF) (Table 5.8.B) (§ 5.4.3.C) .
• Height: RD‑15 up to 40 ft/3 stories; RD‑20/RD‑25 up to 45 ft/4 stories; may increase by one story along major collectors/arterials (Table 5.8.B) (§ 5.4.3.C) .
• Open space and amenities: minimum on‑site open space and amenity requirements apply to most projects (Table 5.8.B) (§ 5.4.3.C) .

RD‑15 / RD‑20 / RD‑25 / RD‑30 / RD‑40

• Purpose/uses: Apartments and higher‑density townhomes; exact allowed use mix by district is in Table 3.1 (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Dimensional focus: Apply multifamily standards above; use district density from Table 5.8.A; observe adjacency buffers near low‑density neighborhoods (Table 5.8.B) (§ 5.4.3.B–C) .

RM‑2

• Purpose/uses: Medium‑density attached forms; used in some small‑lot/state streamlining contexts.
• Dimensional focus: Where allowed, RM‑2 density references appear in small‑lot/SB 1123 provisions; verify local base standards (SB 1123 references; § 5.4.8.B) .

Commercial (BP, C‑O, LC, GC; plus SC and TC references)

Commercial yard/height standards vary by district; frontage setbacks are PUPF‑sensitive (§ 5.5; Commercial yard table) .

BP — Business Professional

• Typical uses: Low‑intensity office and services (full use list: Not found in retrieved materials).
• Key standards: Front yard 25/31 ft; interior side/rear next to multifamily 25 ft; next to nonresidential 0 ft. When adjacent to single‑family: 25 ft (1‑story); 100 ft (2–3 stories). Max height 50 ft (§ 5.5; Commercial yard table) .

C‑O — Commercial Office

• Typical uses: Office; some service/ancillary retail (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Key standards: Front yard 50/56 ft; side‑street 50/56 ft; 0 ft interiors next to nonresidential; 25/100 ft adjacency to single‑family; Max height 50 ft (§ 5.5; Commercial yard table) .

LC — Limited Commercial

• Typical uses: Neighborhood‑serving retail/services (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Key standards: Front yard 50/56 ft; 0 ft interiors next to nonresidential; 25/100 ft adjacency to single‑family; Max height 50 ft (§ 5.5; Commercial yard table) .

GC — General Commercial

• Typical uses: Community/regional retail and services (Not found in retrieved materials).
• Key standards: Same yard/height pattern as LC and C‑O above (§ 5.5; Commercial yard table) .

SC — Shopping Center

• Note: SC “borrows” LC yard/height/landscaping/signs provisions; see Title IV cross‑references (§§ 409‑60 to 409‑67) .

TC — Highway Travel Commercial

• Note: TC also defers to LC for yards and height; lot area requirements depend on utility availability (§§ 409‑84 to 409‑88) .

Industrial (M‑1, M‑2, MP)

• Adjacent to single‑family: interior side/rear setbacks jump to 25 ft (1‑story) and 100 ft (2–3 stories); maximum heights M‑1/M‑2 = 100 ft; MP = 40 ft. Front yard reductions may be allowed with added landscaping (§ 5.6; Industrial standards table) .
• Landscaping: all street‑visible setback areas must be landscaped per § 5.2.4 (§ 5.6; table cross‑reference) .

M‑1 — Light Industrial

• Purpose/uses: Manufacturing/warehousing (use list: Not found in retrieved materials).
• Key standards: See Industrial overview above (§ 5.6) .

M‑2 — Heavy Industrial

• Purpose/uses: Heavier industrial (use list: Not found in retrieved materials).
• Key standards: Same adjacency/setback/height patterns as M‑1 (§ 5.6) .

MP — Industrial Office Park

• Purpose/uses: Campus‑style office/tech/light industrial.
• Key standards: Max height 40 ft; other adjacency/landscaping similar (see table) (§ 5.6) .

Mixed‑Use (NMC, CMC, CMZ)

Table 5.17 sets mixed‑use densities, FAR, setbacks, and heights (§ 5.7.3.A) .

• Density/FAR: Typical ranges — NMC: 8–50 du/ac; FAR 0.25–1.25 (horizontal) / 0.3–2.0 (vertical); CMC: 12–100 du/ac; FAR 0.3–no max (horizontal) / 0.4–no max (vertical); CMZ: 8–50 du/ac; FAR 0.25–0.75 (horizontal) / 0.3–1.5 (vertical). Minimum density/FAR may step up near frequent transit (§ 5.7.3.A; Table 5.17) .
• Setbacks: Front/side‑street NMC 15/21 ft; CMC 10/16 ft; CMZ 15/21 ft. Adjacency to single‑family: 25/50/75 ft stepbacks by building height (§ 5.7.3.A; Table 5.17) .
• Height: NMC/CMZ = 55 ft (≈4–5 stories); CMC = 75 ft (≈6–7 stories) (§ 5.7.3.A; Table 5.17) .

NMC — Neighborhood Mixed‑Use Centers

• Purpose/uses: Neighborhood‑scale retail/office with housing.
• Dimensional focus: Ranges above; optional residential depending on approved mix; see transit‑adjacent minimums (§ 5.7.3.A; Table 5.17) .

CMC — Community‑Regional Mixed‑Use Centers

• Purpose/uses: Larger centers with higher intensity and height.
• Dimensional focus: Ranges above; highest mixed‑use heights and potential FAR (§ 5.7.3.A; Table 5.17) .

CMZ — Corridor Mixed‑Use Zones

• Purpose/uses: Linear corridors emphasizing street‑oriented housing over ground‑floor retail in places; residential is required in CMZ (§ 5.7.3.A; Table 5.17) .
• Dimensional focus: Ranges above; neighborhood compatibility standards also apply (§ 5.7.3.B excerpts) .

SB 9 two‑unit and small‑lot (SB 1123) streamlining (applies inside qualifying single‑family zones)

• SB 9 two‑unit developments: front 20/24 ft (PUPF), side‑street 12.5/16.5 ft (PUPF), interior side/rear 4–5–10 ft by size/story; rear setbacks scale with lot depth. Max height 30/40 ft (§ 5.4.7.C; Table 5.12.C) .
• SB 1123 small‑lot subdivisions (≤10 lots/units): minimum lot size 1,200 sf (single‑family zones) or 600 sf (multifamily zones). Project standards echo low‑density housing with front 20/24 ft, side‑street 12.5/16.5 ft, interior side/rear 4 ft from original lot lines, max height 30/40 ft (§ 5.4.8.B–C; Tables 5.13.A–B) .

Residential accessory structures and ADUs (all residential zones)

• Accessory structures (sheds/garages, not ADUs): typical limits include 16 ft max height (peak), one story, 20 ft front, 12.5 ft side street, 3 ft interior side/rear; coverage caps and encroachment allowances apply (§ 5.4.5.A; Table 5.10.A excerpts) .
• ADUs/JADUs: countywide objective standards in § 5.4.5.B, with state‑mandated caps (e.g., detached ADU up to 1,200 sf; 4 ft side/rear setbacks; height variants by context). Some minor deviations are allowed; others are set by state law (§ 5.4.5.B; Table 5.11) . For building‑code clearances/fire‑resistive separations, consult the California Building Standards Code.

Quick reference table (selected standards)

Checklist

• Confirm parcel is in unincorporated Sacramento County and identify the base zone on the map; then pull the matching development standards table (§ 5.1.2) .
• Check whether a PUPF easement applies to the frontage to measure the correct front/side‑street setback (§ 5.2.1.A) .
• For single‑family/duplex: verify Table 5.7.C setbacks/height and Table 5.7.A lot minimums (§ 5.4.2.B–C) .
• For multifamily: verify Table 5.8.A lot/density and Table 5.8.B setbacks/height, especially if adjacent to low‑density zones (§ 5.4.3.B–C) .
• For commercial/industrial: apply the district yard/height table and larger adjacency buffers near single‑family (§ 5.5; § 5.6) .
• If in NMC/CMC/CMZ: confirm density/FAR, setbacks, and heights from Table 5.17; check if transit proximity increases minimums (§ 5.7.3.A) .
• Cross‑check Design Review, Parking, Landscaping and Screening, and Overlay Districts. Some overlays supersede base standards (§ 1.7.3) .
• If standards block needed relief, evaluate an SPM or Special Development Permit per § 6.4.6; see Table 6.3 for multifamily next to LDR (§ 6.4.6; Table 6.3) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

In unincorporated Sacramento County, the zoning district sets your building envelope. Single‑family lots in the RD series follow countywide setbacks (typically 20–24 ft front, 5 ft sides, and a rear based on lot depth), while multifamily and commercial/industrial projects must step back much farther where they touch single‑family neighborhoods. Mixed‑use zones pair density/FAR ranges with corridor‑ or center‑specific setbacks and heights. Always check whether a PUPF easement changes how you measure the front and side‑street yard, and then layer in Parking, Design Review, and any Overlay Districts.

Source References

• § 5.1.2 Chapter format and where standards live (SZC)
• § 5.2.1 Setback measurement, PUPF, figures 5‑1 to 5‑8
• § 5.4.2.B–C Low‑density residential lot and project standards (Tables 5.7.A & 5.7.C)
• § 5.4.3.B–C Multifamily lot and project standards (Tables 5.8.A & 5.8.B)
• § 5.4.5 Accessory structures and ADUs (Tables 5.10.A & 5.11 excerpts)
• § 5.4.7 SB 9 two‑unit development standards (Table 5.12.C)
• § 5.4.8 SB 1123 small‑lot standards (Tables 5.13.A–B)
• § 5.5 Commercial yard/height standards (BP, C‑O, LC, GC table)
• § 5.6 Industrial setbacks/heights (M‑1, M‑2, MP)
• § 5.7.3.A Mixed‑use standards (Table 5.17)
• § 5.9 Off‑street parking cross‑references in district tables
• § 5.10 Sign regulations cross‑references in district tables
• § 6.4.6 and Table 6.3 (SPM and Special Development Permit relief)
• § 1.7.3 Project‑specific ordinances supersede base standards
• Sacramento County zoning & planning overview

Retrieved passages

• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section 5.4.5.B) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section 7.1.13.) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section 5.9) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section 5.2) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section 5.2.3.) High relevance show source text
• CFC § 21155 (§21155) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Chapter 3) High relevance show source text
• CMC § 150 (Chapter 7) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Title 22) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (section 5.2.2.) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (§21155) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Chapter Seven) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section 5.9) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section 6.4.6.G.) High relevance show source text
• Sacramento County Zoning Code (Section are) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• § 5.1.2 Chapter format and where standards live (SZC) (§ 5.1.2)
• § 5.2.1 Setback measurement, PUPF, figures 5‑1 to 5‑8 (§ 5.2.1)
• § 5.4.2.B–C Low‑density residential lot and project standards (Tables 5.7.A & 5.7.C) (§ 5.4.2.B)
• § 5.4.3.B–C Multifamily lot and project standards (Tables 5.8.A & 5.8.B) (§ 5.4.3.B)
• § 5.4.5 Accessory structures and ADUs (Tables 5.10.A & 5.11 excerpts) (§ 5.4.5)
• § 5.4.7 SB 9 two‑unit development standards (Table 5.12.C) (§ 5.4.7)
• § 5.4.8 SB 1123 small‑lot standards (Tables 5.13.A–B) (§ 5.4.8)
• § 5.5 Commercial yard/height standards (BP, C‑O, LC, GC table) (§ 5.5)
• § 5.6 Industrial setbacks/heights (M‑1, M‑2, MP) (§ 5.6)
• § 5.7.3.A Mixed‑use standards (Table 5.17) (§ 5.7.3.A)
• § 5.9 Off‑street parking cross‑references in district tables (§ 5.9)
• § 5.10 Sign regulations cross‑references in district tables (§ 5.10)
• § 6.4.6 and Table 6.3 (SPM and Special Development Permit relief) (§ 6.4.6)
• § 1.7.3 Project‑specific ordinances supersede base standards (§ 1.7.3)
• Sacramento County zoning & planning overview
• SacramentoCounty_ZoningCode.md

• Official Sacramento County code library