Local Government Feature:  Sacramento County

This is the tenth in a series of articles featuring local governments using Blueprint Project principles in built projects, plans or general plans.

From mixed-used projects underway to its 2030 general plan, Sacramento County has embraced Blueprint principles in projects large and small. In addition to the General Plan, corridor and transit master plans are in the works, as well as a major revision to the development code.

General Plan

The County is building upon its ground-breaking 1993 General Plan to emphasize revitalizing many of the County's aging commercial corridors. According to SACOG Board Member and Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, "Where empty big-box stores and large parking areas now exist, the county envisions new possibilities such as town centers, treelined walkable boulevards, and vital new businesses and homes."

The Board of Supervisors is reviewing a preliminary draft 2030 General Plan that accommodates projected Blueprint Vision growth -- nearly 100,000 new homes and 100,000 new jobs in unincorporated Sacramento County by 2030. The Plan also calls for the study of several new growth areas where future development would be planned consistent with smart growth principles.

The county engaged hundreds of residents through extensive public outreach while preparing the draft plan including interactive public workshops for residents to help shape the future of the County. Participants generally support the commercial corridor strategy and want to see open space protected, sprawl reduced and active agricultural lands preserved.

Major Corridor Plans

The county is working to implement Blueprint principles in three major corridor plans:

1. North Watt Avenue in North Highlands,
2. Fair Oaks Boulevard in Carmichael, and
3. Florin Road in South Sacramento.

"We look forward to working with residents and business owners to implement a shared vision and create a sense of place for Carmichael," said SACOG Board Member and Sacramento County Supervisor Susan Peters.

Development Code

Part of Sacramento County's move towards smarter growth will come through an overhaul of a thirty-year old zoning code. "Our new development code will make the process more customer-oriented and also update our design guidelines to encourage a variety of housing options, mixed land uses and quality design," said SACOG Board Member and Sacramento County Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan.

Innovative site specific development codes are planned for several county locations such as:

• four Transit Master Plans at light rail stations along Folsom Boulevard in the unincorporated county partnering with Regional Transit;
• a new development code for the North Highlands Town Center to complement the corridor planning effort with SACOG grant funding supporting both innovative 3-D modeling to help residents visualize future development options as well as site improvements;
• the Old Florin Town Historical Development Code; and
• the Antelope Town Center Ordinance to create walkable shopping streets with mixed use development integrated into a more traditional suburban setting.

For more information contact Leighann Moffitt at Sacramento County at 916-874-5584 or moffittl@saccounty.net.

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Regional Report for April - May 2007 (text-only version)
Sacramento Area Council of Governments