City seeks community input on expanding neighborhood business opportunities

The City of Sacramento is exploring ways to make it easier for small businesses to operate in residential neighborhoods and is asking residents to share their thoughts through an online survey available until Nov. 17.

Right now, residents can run certain types of small businesses from their homes through home occupation permits. These permits allow activities like tutoring, tailoring, small equipment repair, art studios, or home offices that don’t disturb neighbors.

The City is considering updates to the Zoning Code that would allow more kinds of neighborhood-friendly businesses to open close to where people live, creating communities where residents can shop, work, and connect without having to drive far.

This effort supports the goals of the City’s 2040 General Plan, which focuses on sustainable and equitable growth and on building “complete neighborhoods,” where people can meet daily needs within a short walk or bike ride from home.

“By allowing more small businesses into neighborhoods, we hope to foster interconnected, vibrant communities all around Sacramento – a key component of our 2040 General Plan,” said Senior Planner, Amy Yang. “This survey will help us understand what the community is comfortable with on their street, or even next door.”

The City’s approach to the idea of expanding business opportunities focuses on supporting small-scale, neighborhood-serving uses thoughtfully integrated into existing residential areas.

“When the City makes guidelines and policies around what is allowed – considering things like types of businesses, how big they can be, and hours of operation – we want to make sure we are making changes with local residents in mind,” Yang said.

Residents are encouraged to share their input through a five-minute online survey and is available in multiple languages.

For more information about the Zoning Code Update, please visit the City’s Community Development Department’s project website.