SACRAMENTO RAILYARDS SPECIFIC PLAN Draft October 12, 2016
Prepared for: Railyards Ventures, LLC
Prepared by:
SACRAMENTO RAILYARDS SPECIFIC PLAN City of Sacramento / Draft October 12, 2016
Prepared for: Railyards Ventures, LLC
Prepared by:
INTRODUCTION 1
Redevelopment of the Railyards area, a balance; multi‐modal connectivity; urban 244‐acre site in downtown Sacramento, offers centers with jobs, housing, shopping, a unique opportunity to reinforce and services, and transit; and advanced green implement the City of Sacramento’s (City) building practices. This Sacramento Railyards 2035 General Plan vision to be “the most Specific Plan supersedes the existing livable city in America.” The Railyards area Railyards Specific Plan, last updated in 2007. has the potential to expand the role of the The project site has the same Plan Area, with Central City as Sacramento’s regional slight adjustments to the boundaries of the destination for employment; commerce; 2007 Plan. sports and entertainment; shopping; housing; The Railyards Specific Plan is the overarching government; and education, culture, and policy document that guides development tourism. Additionally, the City intends‐ within the Railyards Plan Area, but it works intends to create a transit‐oriented mixed‐use together with three other documents that district as an integral extension of the Central provide specific guidance on matters relating Business District. The General Plan to urban design, development regulations, emphasizes the following six themes, which and permitting: the Railyards Design create the basic framework for updating the Guidelines, the Railyards Special Planning Railyards Specific Plan to match the City’s District Ordinance (SPD), and the Central current goals and policies: Shops Historic District Ordinance. The Railyards Design Guidelines document, Making great places; which provides design guidance in written Growing smarter; and graphic form for private and public Maintaining a vibrant economy; projects undertaken in the Railyards, aims to promote the improved aesthetic and
Creating a healthy city; functional quality of the Railyards Living lightly‐reducing our “carbon community. footprint”; and The purpose of the SPD is to implement the Developing a sustainable future. planning principles, goals, and policies of the Specific Plan by establishing necessary By focusing on regional employment procedures and standards through zoning. opportunities, cultural destinations, and The Historic District Ordinance will identify high‐quality residential neighborhoods, the contributing resources and character‐defining Railyards Specific Plan advances the policies features and utilize development standards, of the General Plan, which calls for improved pursuant to Chapter 17.604 (Historic land use efficiency and reduced GHG Preservation) of the Sacramento Planned emissions through a healthy jobs‐housing Development Code. In the interest of making
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 1-1 City of Sacramento 1 INTRODUCTION
these documents as concise as possible, there A. Plan Area is very little overlap among them. As such, parties who are interested in developing The following sections describe the regional properties within the Railyards Plan Area and local settings of the Railyards Specific must consult each of these four documents Plan Area. prior to design and construction. 1. Regional Location The Railyards Specific Plan defines clear parameters for the future development of the As shown in Figure 1‐1, the City is located in Railyards area. Implementation of this Plan the north‐central part of California, will create a unique mixed‐use development approximately equidistant from the coastline consisting of regional destinations, and the Nevada state line. In addition to commercial uses, office development, hotels, being the state capital, it is also the largest city sports, entertainment and retail uses, with in Sacramento County as well as the county high‐density residential neighborhoods that seat. The city covers approximately provide opportunities to live and work in the 100 square miles and, as of 2015, is home to 1 Central City and are supported by urban over 480,000 people. parks and plazas. This chapter of the Railyards Specific Plan provides a description of the Plan Area, an overview of the development plan, and a description of the planning process that was followed to produce the document.
1 DOF. E‐1 Cities, Counties, and the State Population Estimates with Annual Percent Change—January 1, 2014 and 2015
1-2 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento INTRODUCTION 1 Source:
AECOM
Figure 1-1. Regional Location
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 1-3 City of Sacramento 1 INTRODUCTION
2. Plan Area government offices, the Richards Boulevard industrial district, and the historic Alkali Flat The 244‐acre Plan Area is located immediately neighborhood. A key element of this Plan is to north of the Central Business District, east of knit the surrounding areas to the new districts the Sacramento River, south of North B Street and neighborhoods in the Railyards and and west of the federal courthouse and the allow for the downtown circulation grid to Alkali Flat neighborhood. Figure 1‐2 shows extend northward connecting to Richards the various neighborhood districts Boulevard and the River District. surrounding the Plan Area. Figure 1‐3 shows the Plan Area and the distribution of ownership on the Railyards site. The site sits between the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers, where the initial settlement of the City of Sacramento was founded in 1849 along the banks of the Sacramento River. The Railyards is in close proximity to Old Sacramento, Downtown, Chinatown, the federal courthouse and local Source:
AECOM
Figure 1-2. City of Sacramento Neighborhood Districts Map
1-4 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento INTRODUCTION 1 Source:
AECOM
Figure 1-3. Plan Area and Ownership Plan, Design Guidelines, SPD, and Central B. Planning Process Shops Historic District documents, adopted in 2007. Previous studies for the Railyards Area and 1. Community Outreach and Land Use its immediate surroundings include the Plan Evolution Sacramento Central City Community Plan, which was adopted on May 15, 1980 and last Since 2002, the City has performed significant updated March 2015; the Central City Urban community outreach to determine how best to Design Guidelines, adopted in 2009; the plan the Railyards. In 2004, the City Facility Element of the Railyards Specific Plan conducted a Visioning Process for the and the Richards Boulevard Area Plan, which development of the Railyards Area, which were adopted by the City Council on consisted of a series of public workshops to December 1994; the River District Specific generate community input on the Plan, adopted in February 2011 and redevelopment of the Railyards area. The superseded the Richards Boulevard Area results of the visioning exercise helped to Plan; and the Railyards Special Planning inform the planning process for the Railyards District provisions in the Zoning Code, project. The majority of participants expressed adopted in 1999 and last updated in 2013. A a preference for higher‐density housing, much more extensive public process was ground‐floor retail, affordable units, and live/ conducted since the completion of the 1999 work space. They indicated a preference for a Specific Plan, which led to the revised Specific 24‐hour mixed‐ use district that would not “close down after 5 p.m.” In terms of
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 1-5 City of Sacramento 1 INTRODUCTION
transportation, the participants expressed a historically been isolated from the City. desire for a walkable and bikable community Now the opportunity exists to increase with close access to transit. the integration of the area from all points, not just downtown, into a more seamless During the course of the next three years, patch of the City fabric. several other community outreach efforts were made to further guide the development Create a dynamic 24‐hour mixed‐use, of the Railyards. A community workshop was urban environment that provides a range held by the City and the thenr develope in of complementary uses, including May of 2006 to get additional feedback. cultural, office, hospitality, sports and Participants expressed interest in providing entertainment, retail, health care, pedestrian and street connectivity; providing educational, and open space; and a community facilities, such as schools, day‐ mixture of housing products, including care facilities, better recreational spaces, and a affordable housing. mix of housing types and affordability; Connect the Railyards with Sacramento’s preserving the Central Shops; sustainability; downtown office, retail, tourism, establishing destination places, such as residential, and government centers, as museums and a performing arts theater; well as Old Sacramento, the River District celebrating railroad and cultural history; and area, and the adjacent Alkali Flat ensuring high quality design. These neighborhood, using pedestrian and community outreach efforts resulted in bicycle connections, roadways, and public significant refinements to the plan from 2002 transportation routes. to 2007. The community’s desirable attributes Connect the Railyards to the Sacramento are still retained as part of the 2016 updates River waterfront, and allow for hotel, made to the 2007 Plan. public open space, residential waterfront 2. Specific Plan Objectives and recreational uses, consistent with the vision of the 2003 Riverfront Master Plan The Railyards Specific Plan is the by‐product that will result in a vibrant waterfront, of extensive comments from participants of valuable to the region and the City. the visioning process, community meetings, interested community groups, local business Transform the Railyards from an interests, City staff, City Commissions, the underutilized and environmentally City Council, Sacramento County, and other contaminated industrial site into a transit‐ local elected officials. Based on this input, the oriented, attractive, and nationally Specific Plan has been developed based on a renowned mixed‐use urban environment. framework that includes the following key Capitalize on the historic Central Shops objectives: buildings as a heritage tourism draw and Integrate the Railyards area into the fabric as inspiration for a mix of uses that will of the existing Central City, subject to the help to create a culturally‐vibrant, urban physical constraints created by the community. operating rail and transportation lines Create a development that is a regional and topography. The Railyards has draw for the City of Sacramento due to its 1-6 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento INTRODUCTION 1
geographic location downtown near the The distribution, location, and extent of Sacramento River waterfront and its all land uses, including open space. unique mix of transportation, residential, The proposed distribution, location, health care campus, cultural, office, extent, and intensity of major components hospitality, sports and entertainment, of public infrastructure, such as retail, and open space uses and historic transportation and drainage systems and sites. other essential facilities needed to support Provide a mixture of uses that the land uses. complement and support the City’s Standards and criteria which specify how planned Sacramento Intermodal Transit development of the Railyards area will Facility (SITF), connecting the Central proceed. City to the region, the state, and beyond. A statement of consistency between the Create a sustainable community that Specific Plan and the goals and policies utilizes green building technology, water contained in the General Plan. conservation measures, and renewable energy sources. A program of implementation measures, such as regulations, programs, and public works projects, and financing measures C. Specific Plan Components necessary to complete the essential facilities to allow for development of the Under California Law (Government Code Plan Area. Section 65450 et seq.), cities and counties may adopt specific plans to develop policies, 2. Consistency with the General Plan programs, and regulations to implement the jurisdiction’s adopted General Plan. A specific The policies and objectives of the Plan are plan serves as a bridge between the General consistent with the broad goals of the City of Plan, community plans, the Zoning Code, and Sacramento 2035 General Plan. In general, the individual development master plans and policies of the General Plan call for high‐ planned unit developments, or other large density, mixed‐use development on the development projects. Railyards site. The Railyards is envisioned as an extension of the Central City, with a high 1. Required Contents intensity of both employment‐ and housing‐ related uses and a strong transit orientation. Although as a charter city the City is not The following General Plan goals and policies bound by State planning statutes, this Specific related to land use and urban design are Plan has been prepared in accordance with supported by this Specific Plan. the requirements of Government Code
Section 65451. As such, the Plan includes text and diagrams that generally describe the following:
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 1-7 City of Sacramento 1 INTRODUCTION
Land Use and Urban Design Element GOAL LU 2.3: City of Trees and Open Spaces. Maintain multi‐functional “green GOAL LU 1.1: Growth and Change. Support infrastructure” consisting of natural areas, sustainable growth and change through open space, urban forest, and parkland, which orderly and well‐planned development that serves as a defining physical feature of provides for the needs of existing and future Sacramento, provides visitors and residents residents and businesses, ensures the effective with access to open space and recreation, and and equitable provision of public services, is designed for environmental sustainability. and makes efficient use of land and infrastructure. Supporting Policy:
Supporting Policy: LU 2.3.1: Open Space System
LU 1.1.1: Regional Leadership GOAL LU 2.4: City of Distinctive and Memorable Places. Promote community GOAL LU 1.2: Sustainable Sacramento design that produces a distinctive, high‐ Strategy. Support statewide and regional quality built environment whose forms and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, character reflect Sacramento’s unique historic, fund transportation improvements, and meet environmental, and architectural context, and housing needs. create memorable places that enrich GOAL LU 2.1: City of Neighborhoods. community life. Maintain a city of diverse, distinct, and well‐ Supporting Policies: structured neighborhoods that meet the community’s needs for complete, sustainable, LU 2.4.1: Unique Sense of Place and high‐ quality living environments, from LU 2.4.2: Responsiveness to Context the historic downtown core to well‐integrated new growth areas. LU 2.4.3: Enhanced City Gateways
Supporting Policy: LU 2.4.4: Iconic Buildings
LU 2.1.3: Complete and Well‐Structured GOAL LU 2.5: City Connected and Neighborhoods Accessible. Promote the development of an urban pattern of well‐connected, integrated, GOAL LU 2.2: City of Rivers. Preserve and and accessible neighborhoods corridors, and enhance Sacramento’s riverfronts as signature centers. features and destinations within the city and maximize riverfront access from adjoining Supporting Policy: neighborhoods to facilitate public enjoyment LU 2.5.1: Connected Neighborhoods, of this unique open space resource. Corridors, and Centers
Supporting Policies: GOAL LU 2.6: City Sustained and Renewed. LU 2.2.1: World‐Class Rivers. Promote sustainable development and land use practices in both new development, reuse, LU 2.2.3: Improving River Development and reinvestment that provide for the and Access. transformation of Sacramento into a sustainable urban city while preserving
1-8 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento INTRODUCTION 1
choices (e.g., where to live, work, and GOAL LU 5.6: Central Business District. recreate) for future generations. Promote the Central Business District (CBD) as the regional center of the greater Supporting Policies: Sacramento area for living, commerce, LU 2.6.1: Sustainable Development culture, and government. Patterns Supporting Policies: LU 2.6.2: Transit‐Oriented Development LU 5.6.1: Downtown Center GOAL LU 2.7: City Form and Structure. Development Require excellence in the design of the city’s LU 5.6.6: Central City Development form and structure through development Projects standards and clear design direction. GOAL LU 8.1: Public/Quasi‐Public. Provide Supporting Policies: for governmental, utility, institutional, LU 2.7.2: Design Review educational, cultural, religious, and social LU 2.7.3: Transitions in Scale facilities and services that are located and designed to complement Sacramento’s LU 2.7.5: Development along Freeways neighborhoods, centers, and corridors and to LU 2.7.6: Walkable Blocks minimize incompatibility with neighborhoods and other sensitive uses. LU 2.7.7: Buildings that Engage the Street Supporting Policy:
LU 2.7.8: Screening of Off‐street Parking LU 8.1.1: Public Places
GOAL LU 5.1: Centers. Promote the LU 8.1.13: Medical Centers development throughout the city of distinct, Mobility Element well‐designed mixed‐use centers that are efficiently served by transit, provide higher‐ GOAL M 2.1: Integrated Pedestrian System. density, urban housing opportunities and Design, construct, and maintain a universally serve as centers of civic, cultural, and accessible, safe, convenient, integrated and economic life for Sacramento’s neighborhoods well‐connected pedestrian system that and the region. promotes walking.
Supporting Policies: Supporting Policies:
LU 5.1.1: Diverse Centers M 2.1.2: Sidewalk Design
LU 5.1.2: Centers Served by Transit M 2.1.3: Streetscape Design
LU 5.1.3: Cultural and Entertainment M 2.1.4: Cohesive and Continuous Centers Network
LU 5.1.4: Vertical and Horizontal Mixed‐ M 2.1.5: Housing and Destination Use Connections
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 1-9 City of Sacramento 1 INTRODUCTION
GOAL M 4.2: Complete Streets. The City D. Plan Contents shall plan, design, operate and maintain all streets and roadways to accommodate and The Specific Plan includes the following promote safe and convenient travel for all chapters: users – pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, Chapter One is this introduction, which and persons of all abilities, as well as freight includes an overview of the Plan Area, a and motor vehicle drivers. description of the process for Supporting Policy development of the Specific Plan, its consistency with the General Plan, and M 4.2.2: Pedestrian and Bicycle‐Friendly the components of the Plan. Streets Chapter Two provides an overview of the GOAL M 5.1: Integrated Bicycle System. history of the site and its relationship to Create and maintain a safe, comprehensive, existing development in the City of and integrated bicycle system and set of Sacramento. support facilities throughout the city that encourage bicycling that is accessible to all. Chapter Three provides an overview of Provide bicycle facilities, programs and the major concepts of the Specific Plan, services and implement other transportation including an overview of each of the and land use policies as necessary to achieve neighborhoods and districts that will the City’s bicycle mode share goal as comprise the Railyards as it is documented in the Bicycle Master Plan. redeveloped and describes the new zoning designations for the Plan Area. In addition to providing a plan that will Chapter Four contains a set of overriding further the preceding goals, policies, and principles for future development of the actions, this Specific Plan is consistent with Plan Area, followed by the goals and other provisions of the General Plan, policies that will guide that development. including the Mobility Element regarding pedestrian and bicycle circulation and Chapter Five describes the proposed parking, as well as goals and policies in the program of parks and open space that General Plan’s Housing Element, the Historic will be available to Railyards residents and Cultural Resources Element, Economic and the general public. Development Element, Utilities Element, Chapter Six contains a summary of the Education, Recreation, and Culture Element, proposed circulation pattern, including Environmental Resources Element, Public specifications for designs of new major Health and Safety Element, Open Space, and streets in the Plan Area; improvements to Environmental Constraints Element of the the existing Sacramento Valley Station, General Plan. which serves Amtrak, Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin Corridor, light rail passengers; and pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
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Chapter Seven describes the proposed infrastructure and public services needed to serve development of the Plan Area.
Chapter Eight describes the Railyards’ historic and cultural resources and the designation of a historic district to preserve those resources.
Chapter Nine contains an overview of the environmental remediation efforts, status of site readiness for planned redevelopment, and approach to monitor and implement environmental remediation in accordance with state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards.
Chapter Ten contains specific implementation strategies.
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SETTING AND CONTEXT 2
This chapter describes the historic and physical setting of the 244‐acre Railyards site, as well as the transportation, land use, demographic, and economic context of the site within the Central City. Figure 2‐1 shows the location of the Railyards in relation to other districts and neighborhoods of the Central City. Source:
AECOM
Figure 2-1. City Context – Project Vicinity within One Mile Radius
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 2-1 2-1 City of Sacramento 2 SETTING AND CONTEXT
A. Prehistory0B and History exceeding 3,000 people. Figure 2‐2 depicts the historic and existing conditions of the This section provides a brief overview of the Railyards facility. pre‐history and history of the Railyards In subsequent years, the Railyards began to property. decline as a major railroad production facility with the rise of personal vehicles for intra‐ The history of the Railyards is inexorably tied regional travel, trucking for transport, and the to the history of Sacramento, the State of airplane for long‐distance travel. After 1945, California, and the West. The discovery of few new buildings were constructed on the gold at Sutter’s Mill in the Sierra and the site, and the complex gradually eliminated its subsequent Gold Rush—together with the fabrication and manufacturing components, completion of the transcontinental railroad in leaving only maintenance and repair the 1860s, with its western terminus in functions. Port activities were relocated to Sacramento—signaled the opening of the West Sacramento, downriver from the West. The railroad helped to establish Railyards, where today a deep‐water pond is California’s key global position in agriculture maintained with access via the Sacramento and economic development, and its River Deep Water Channel. By the early 1970s, completion made Sacramento a major transfer the completion of the Interstate 5 freeway point between rail and waterborne along the western edge of the Railyards cut off transportation. The “Railyards” area, which direct access to the river and reflected the had been swampy and included a slough with national emphasis on interstate highway rail tracks built on trestles, began to be filled, construction over other transportation modes. levees developed and the railroad shops built. The railroad became the principal conveyance The Railyards stands ready to reclaim its place for settlers moving to California and for the at the center of Sacramento’s civic identity. bountiful goods of the Central Valley to reach The Railyards Specific Plan provides a critical new markets throughout the world. The opportunity to knit together the urban fabric completion of the transcontinental railroad, of the Central City, ‐ to create a lasting constructed largely by Chinese immigrants, addition to Sacramento’s urban environment. helped shape Sacramento’s cultural identity.
After completion of the project, a thriving Chinatown began to develop along I Street, between 2nd and 6th Streets, at what is now the southern edge of the Railyards plan area. As a result of mounting racism, the Chinese were forced out of this neighborhood in the early 1900s. In 1925‐6, the “new” Southern Pacific Railroad Sacramento Depot and the adjacent REA Building were built just north of I Street in this area. At its peak in the 1920s and 1930s, the Railyards facility was the region’s major employer, with a pay‐roll
2-2 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento SETTING AND CONTEXT 2
Figure 2-2. Railyards Plan Area – historic and existing context
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 2-3 City of Sacramento 2 SETTING AND CONTEXT
A. Site Characteristics B. Rail Operations
As noted in Chapter 1, the Plan Area occupies The railroad maintenance and repair activities approximately 244 acres, bounded by the and other administrative operational Sacramento River to the west, North B Street functions of the Railyards were relocated in to the north, the Alkali Flat neighborhood to the early 1990s to Roseville, California. the east, and the Sacramento Central Business Railroad tracks, which carry east‐west freight District to the south. The Railyards area is and passenger trains, remain on‐site. generally flat, reflecting the historic filling of The double‐track main line was relocated in the land over the past century. It is situated on 2011‐12 and enters the Railyards from the west alluvial deposits of the Sacramento and on the lower deck of the I Street Bridge across American rivers. Near the surface, and to a the Sacramento River. The tracks cross the depth of 30 to 50 feet, are deposits of silt and Railyards site near the southern edge of the sand. Geotechnical analysis indicates that Central Shops buildings. The tracks then conditions within the site are unlikely to pose proceed further eastward on a grade‐ significant constraints to development. It is separated alignment through the Central City, anticipated that the kinds of foundations where they split at Elvas Avenue, east of required for the different building types in the downtown. From there, one leg continues Railyards will be similar to those required north through Roseville to Truckee and points elsewhere in downtown Sacramento. further east to Chicago, while the other leg Since the majority of the site has long been proceeds southward to Stockton and the used for railroad and industrial uses, it is Central Valley. mostly devoid of vegetation with the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) operates a exception of riparian vegetation along the number of freight trains on its main line tracks Sacramento River. through the site each day. Speeds are limited A century of industrial activity within the to 10 miles per hour over the 90‐year old I Railyards site has resulted in extensive soil Street Bridge and 25 miles per hour near the and groundwater contamination. Significant existing historic buildings. In addition to efforts have been undertaken over the past through‐freight service, local switching decades to document the nature and extent of operations occur on spurs that connect to the contamination, and to remediate the main line, primarily serving the Richards contaminants to a level that will allow for Boulevard area. redevelopment of the site for a variety of land uses, subject to certain development standards. In 2010, the Central Shops buildings (with the exception of the Boiler and Erecting Shops) were largely abated of lead, asbestos, and PCBs. Further discussion of the contaminants on the site and relevant environmental regulations and remediation efforts is provided in Chapter 10.
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Amtrak currently operates 38 passenger trains newest extension south to Consumnes River through the Sacramento station on weekdays College. Portion of the first phase of the and 30 trains on weekends, and holidays Downtown Natomas Airport (DNA) line also (including Capitol Corridor trains, California crosses downtown into the Railyards, along Zephyr trains, and Coast Starlight trains; as of 7th Street, and then into the River District, March 2015). The San Joaquin route runs four providing a direct connection between the trains between Sacramento and Bakersfield, downtown and the Township 9 neighborhood and Amtrak is contracted to operate the in the River District. The next phase of this line Capitol Corridor between Auburn and San will extend to Natomas across the American Jose via stops in Sacramento and Oakland. River before providing service to the Amtrak also operates the California Zephyr, Sacramento International Airport. The DNA which runs between Oakland and Chicago via line connects with the existing light rail Sacramento, and the Coast Starlight, a route system, which includes a light rail station at between Los Angeles and Seattle via the Sacramento Valley Station and will Sacramento, with stops twice daily for each connect with the proposed station north of the train. intersection at 7th Street and Railyards Boulevard. In addition to the commuter rail C. Transportation3B Context and light rail systems, the Railyards site is well served by local, regional and intercity bus The Central City is the hub of the regional including plans for a streetcar line connecting transportation system. It is framed by the downtown Sacramento and West Sacramento, Sacramento River to the west, the American and future plans for California High Speed River to the north and the Business 80 freeway Rail, both of which propose a Sacramento on the south and east. The regional roadway Valley Station connection. Figure 2‐3 shows network radiates outward from downtown planned transit infrastructure for the Sacramento in six directions, providing access Railyards and its relationship to the existing not only throughout Sacramento County, but transit network in the Central City. also to Solano, Yolo, Sutter, El Dorado and Placer Counties. The regional freeway The climate, generally flat terrain, and network is comprised of four major routes: extensive riverside parkways lend themselves Interstate 5, State Route 99, U.S. Highway 50, to bicycling and the City and County of and Interstate 80, as well as Business Route 80, Sacramento, in cooperation with State which interconnects these four freeways. agencies, actively promote bicycle commuting. In the downtown area, there are The light rail transit (LRT) system and its designated bike lanes, routes, and numerous proposed extensions reinforce the primacy of bicycle parking areas. The Railyards the downtown within the Sacramento region. redevelopment will create new opportunities Currently, the LRT system extends from the to improve the connections between the northeast suburbs along the Watt/Interstate 80 existing on‐street bicycle network and the line through the downtown to the eastern off‐street riverfront bicycle paths. suburbs along the Folsom line, and to the south along the Meadowview line with its
2-5 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento 2 Source:
AECOM
Figure 2-3. Relationship of Railyards to Area Transit
D. Central City Context evolution towards being one of the West Coast’s major urban centers. As shown in Figure 2‐4, the Railyards area is Currently, the 2,000‐acre historic core of the strategically located along the edge of the Central City includes approximately 530 blocks Central Business District, which is the historic of commercial and residential development, commercial and government center of the ranging from single‐family homes to high‐rise growing Sacramento region, as well as the commercial projects with floor‐area ratios location of the State Capitol. A number of (FARs) in excess of 15.0 and heights of more factors have attracted commerce and workers than 400 feet. Capitol Park surrounding the from outside of the region to relocate to State Capitol building provides a 10‐block open Sacramento. Sacramento’s combination of space area of 36 acres at the heart of the Central metropolitan amenities, low seismic risk and City. An additional 46.6 acres of neighborhood housing opportunities make the area attractive, parks are distributed throughout the Central both to potential residents and businesses alike. City and includes the 3‐acre Cesar Chavez Retirees migrating to the Sacramento area have Plaza Park which hosts a variety of events such also been an important factor in population as the popular “Concerts in the Park” summer growth. Increasingly, Sacramento has focused series and a farmers market. Figure 2‐5 shows on developing a metropolitan future and the Railyards site ewithin th context of the planned development and amenities in the Central City’s existing parks and open space Central City are expected to foster the city’s system.
2-6 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento SETTING AND CONTEXT 2 Source:
AECOM
Figure 2-4. Site Location ((Source: Google Earth, 2015)
Figure 2-5. Relationship of Railyards to Area Parks
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 2-7 City of Sacramento 2 SETTING AND CONTEXT
Furthermore, the construction of Golden 1 The Plan Area will also accommodate a Arena and Downtown Commons, proposed Courthouse for the California approximately one‐block south of the Judicial Council on a site bounded by H Street Railyards Plan Area, has brought more energy on the south, 5th Street on the west, G Street in terms of real estate value and cultural on the north, and 6th Street on the east (also amenity in the vicinity. designated as Lot 41). The proposed courthouse is anticipated to be 16‐stories, with 1. Government6B Activity 405,000 square feet of space that would Since 1853, when the City of Sacramento provide 44 courtrooms in a centralized offered California free land for its State downtown location.
Capitol, State government has been a key 2. Office7B Uses downtown activity. Until the 1920s, most government functions took place within the Downtown Sacramento includes over historic Capitol building in Capitol Park. With nineteen million square feet of commercial increasing growth in the early 20th century, office space, almost half of which is government operations expanded rapidly into high‐quality corporate professional (Class A) 2 adjacent office buildings surrounding the space.1F1F While the historic office core of the park, and a new State office district was later downtown was originally concentrated along created immediately south of the Capitol. J Street between 7th and 12th Streets, it has, According to a State Facility Long‐Range over the past 30 years, spread out to include Planning Study (2015), the California Capitol Mall and areas east of 12th Street Department of General Services controls 16 along the J Street corridor. As a key land use million square feet of state‐owned and policy, the City has actively encouraged privately owned, but leased, general‐purpose increased commercial office density within office space in the Sacramento region close proximity to LRT stations outside the (Sacramento County and West Sacramento). downtown core. This includes 34 state‐owned office buildings 3. Commercial and Retail Activities and 1 totaling over 8 million net square feet.0F0F In Hotels addition to State facilities, downtown Sacramento also accommodates federal, With the extensive suburban growth in the county, regional, and city governments/ Sacramento region, downtown Sacramento agencies. A federal courthouse is located has been forced to compete to be the core retail immediately east of the Sacramento Valley center for the region. Once a struggling retail Station, a federal office building and post mall, the majority of the Downtown Plaza site office complex is located immediately east of has been redeveloped for Golden 1 Center the County Government Center on I Street, (“Arena”)d an Downtown Commons, future and City Hall is located one additional block home of the Sacramento Kings and 1.5 million to the east across from Cesar Chavez Park. square feet of retail, hotel, office, and residential space. To the west of the Arena are one remaining major retailer, Macy’s, and a 1 http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/pio/building/ executivesummary.pdf 2 Costar.com, accessed July 10, 2015
2-8 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento SETTING AND CONTEXT 2
few smaller shops. To the east of the Arena, 4. Residential9B along J Street and the K Street Mall, there are additional street‐oriented shops and One of the unique attributes of downtown restaurants and several mixed‐use projects in Sacramento is its attractive residential development. The Arena and retail shops neighborhoods, which give character and provide support to the surrounding office livability to the Central City. The majority of district. By adding more retail and increasing these neighborhoods are populated with amenities, the Railyards will strengthen the historic single‐family homes and the existing retail offerings of downtown neighborhoods are generally defined by Sacramento. neighborhood parks that are found throughout the Central City. Old Sacramento, just southwest of the Railyards site, along the Sacramento River, In 2002, the City adopted a comprehensive was redeveloped in the late 1960s and early Infill Housing Strategy for the Central City 1970s as a specialty tourism and retail center, a that provides recommendations for zoning portion of which is a State Historic Park. modifications and other actions related to the Although the area now known as “Old production of new housing. The Strategy Sacramento” was originally the bustling core contains infill objectives and challenges, and of the downtown, the construction of the identifies possible strategies to encourage Interstate 5 freeway isolated it from the targeted infill development, especially on Central Business District, and it became more existing vacant or underutilized sites. of a destination‐oriented visitor attraction. In June 2015, Mayor Kevin Johnson unveiled Today, the 27‐acre area Old Sacramento his plan to build 10,000 new housing units district includes specialty shops and over the next ten years. As a part of the current restaurants, several adaptive reuse downtown/midtown revitalization effort, the rehabilitations to upper floors into housing goal is to provide an opportunity for a variety units, as well as the State Historic Railroad of income‐level households to live within the Museum, Sacramento History Museum, and downtown grid. other smaller museums. Within the Central City, a growing number of Sacramento’s Central Business District projects have been constructed or entitled that, includes three first‐class hotels, and three new when completed, will add thousands of new hotels are planned. These hotels have housing units and residents to the Central traditionally oriented themselves to all three City. segments eof th market: commercial/ As this vision is realized, the Central City will corporate/government customers, convention become a more vibrant residential area, with center/group business, and tourist and leisure successful and attractive high‐density visitors. neighborhoods generating diversity and activity in the downtown Sacramento area. For further discussion of this subject, please refer to Section C in Chapter 3 of this Specific Plan.
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 2-9 City of Sacramento 2 SETTING AND CONTEXT
5. Medical10B Facilities City. These efforts concern issues such as transportation, sustainability, regional A major medical facility expansion is has been planning, design and architecture, and will completed: the Midtown Sacramento Sutter significantly influence the Central City’s Medical Center Campus expansion. The future development. Some of these efforts are project included renovation to Sutter’s specific to a particular area, while others are existing six‐story hospital and new much more broad and applicable over a wider construction of the eight‐story Anderson area. These initiatives provide an Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center, the understanding of the role of the Railyards Sutter Foundation medical office building, project within the context of the City’s other and a parking structure. efforts for the Central City. The items listed Additionally, Kaiser Permanente also plans to below are all recent or ongoing planning turn the 195,000 square foot Sacramento efforts that will influence development of the Corporate Center in downtown into medical Railyards.
offices and an outpatient clinic. Sutter’s 7. Local12B Planning Efforts Medical Center expansion and Kaiser’s medical offices will provide families in SACOG Blueprint. This is a long‐range downtown, midtown, and surrounding areas regional planning effort being conducted with access to a wealth of medical technology, by the Sacramento Area Council of providers and services. Governments. The plan focuses on accommodating an increase of nearly 1 6. Open1B Space and Trail Network million residents in the Sacramento region The Railyards will include a comprehensive by 2030. Strategies in the plan include network of new open spaces, ranging from adopting a smart growth approach to civic plazas to passive neighborhood parks, development, curbing urban sprawl, similar to the urban open space components of increasing the role of transit and other great cities. These new parks, plazas, generating reinvestment in central cities. and trails within the plan area will link the 2035 General Plan Update. The City of Railyards’ districts internally, and also Sacramento recently completed its augment Sacramento‘s existing open space General Plan update to horizon year 2035 and trail system. Figure 2‐5 shows the (adopted March, 2015). This planning proposed open space and trail network for the effort focuses on accommodating 200,000 Plan Area in relation to existing parks and new residents and 140,000 new jobs in the plazas in the Central City and potential City of Sacramento by 2035. The cultural and educational centers, such as the principles written into the General Plan proposed California Indian Heritage Center call for Sacramento to become more along the Sacramento River. livable. Goals of the General Plan Update include making downtown more vibrant, E. Planning5B Context expanding transportation choice, creating Several additional planning efforts are safer neighborhoods and achieving currently taking place in Sacramento’s Central greater levels of sustainability.
2-10 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 City of Sacramento SETTING AND CONTEXT 2
River District Specific Plan. Adopted in envisions the riverfront as an active space February 2011, this plan establishes consisting of a combination of mixed‐use planning and design standards for development and public open space. redevelopment of 773 acres of land north Sacramento Central City Urban Design of downtown. Once an industrial Guidelines. This recently completed warehousing and distribution area planning effort in 2009 provides a located at the confluence of the American framework for the future physical and Sacramento Rivers, the River District development of the Central City. A Plan envisions a new vibrant, mixed‐use physical plan for the Central City will be community connected to neighboring included in this document and communities and the downtown area by a accompanied by a set of guidelines that network of local streets, light rail transit, will help ensure ttha future development and bicycle and pedestrian pathways. proposals and public improvements in the Sustainability Master Plan. This plan Central City are appropriate for the focuses on setting goals and objectives for Central City. achieving greater levels of sustainability Sacramento Planning and Development in the City of Sacramento. The plan Code. In April 2013, the City Council provides a policy framework to ensure approved the City’s new Planning and that sustainability issues will be Development Code which took effect on considered in the City’s future policy September 30, 2013. The reorganized decisions and development re‐view. The zoning code increases consistency in plan also provides realistic targets for air citywide site and design review, facilitates quality, climate protection, material better development of small urban infill resources, public health, and habitat lots, and updates development standards conservation, among others. to match urban and traditional Pedestrian Master Plan. This plan development standards identified in the concentrates solely on making City’s General Plan. Sacramento a more walkable city. To
achieve this goal, the plan provides strategies for improving the current pedestrian infrastructure and considers new criteria for reviewing the pedestrian connections provided by new development.
Sacramento River Master Plan. Prepared in 2003, this plan was a joint effort by the City of Sacramento and the City of West Sacramento. The plan focuses on connecting each City with its respective riverfront areas, as well as connecting the two cities to each other. The plan
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This chapter describes the general qualities accompanying transit‐supportive uses and and character envisioned for future adjacent mix of uses. development of the Railyards area. All Central Shops District. A mixture of descriptions and graphic materials represent shops, museums, music clubs, galleries, an illustrative build‐out of the site. Given theaters, restaurants and a farmers’ shifts in market conditions, it is anticipated market within and surrounding the that actual buildout conditions will vary. As historic Central Shops buildings. such, this Plan and the related Design West End. This district links the entire Railyards project to the Sacramento River Guidelines and SPD provide for a degree of with pedestrian‐oriented streetscapes and flexibility to allow for changes in market and a range of entertainment, cultural, development conditions over time. medical campus, office (including research and technology oriented Railyards Area business and institutions), residential, and retail activities that add to the regional The Railyards area is a combination of land draw of the Railyards area. use concept districts that, together, provide a East End. This will be a new residential range of amenities and uses and define the mixed use neighborhood that captures the predominant character of distinct areas within spirit of the city’s traditional open the Railyards. As California’s capital and one space‐oriented neighborhoods with a of the largest local economies in the state, the linear urban park and an open‐air sports growing City of Sacramento will require a stadium, seating up to 25,000, for soccer mixture of dynamic civic spaces similar to and other sports, entertainment, and civic those of other great cities. The development events. envisioned for the Railyards area provides the Riverfront District. This area is the City and its citizens the opportunity to create location where the Railyards site connects another great civic icon from its own historical to the waterfront, with restaurants, a hotel, roots and at an unprecedented scale and housing, parks and open space, all location. featuring spectacular views.
District Concepts
The Railyards is comprised of five districts, as shown in Figure 3‐1.
Depot District. The connection point of the Railyards site to the Downtown and home of the new Sacramento Intermodal Transportation Facility (SITF) and its Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 2-1 3-1 City of Sacramento 3 PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES
Figure 3-1. Districts Plan
and I Streets. It extends from the Sacramento These districts mix dense urban residential River on the west to 12th Street on the east. neighborhoods, a historic museum, a shopping and market district, a grand intermodal transit This district includes the planned SITF and a station, a medical campus, a soccer stadium, mix of retail and office uses between 5th Street pedestrian-oriented streets, shopping and and 7th Street. entertainment complexes, riverfront access, and vertical high-rise buildings that combine The City’s planned SITF will be the office and housing uses with retail. With all centerpiece of the Depot District and will these uses in close proximity, the Railyards include the existing historic depot building. area will offer an unprecedented urban The historic Southern Pacific Railroad network of living, working, and entertaining possibilities for the region. The character and Sacramento Depot building will be preserved general nature of the five districts that make up and designed as a focal point of the new the Railyards area are described below. Intermodal Facility. The newly renovated Depot building, now named the Sacramento Depot District Valley Station, and expanded terminal will provide the City with a single transfer point The Depot District encompasses the general between regional passenger rail, light rail, and area between the relocated railroad tracks and bus services. This location will provide a the Railyards project border with Old crucial intermodal connection point to the rest Sacramento and Downtown along F, G, H, of the City and region for Old Sacramento, Chinatown, Downtown, the Alkali Flat
3-2 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES 3 neighborhood, the Railyards, and the River Utilizing the Central Shops as the primary District. thematic element of the Railyards development, this district will provide the East of 5th Street the Depot District will include City with an opportunity to reclaim and residential, office, and retail mixed‐use celebrate its history as a rail epicenter. The developments. Uses at the street level, Central Shops consist of the existing eight including the 5th and 6th Streets rise over the historic railyard buildings from the original railroad tracks, will engage pedestrians and Central Pacific Railroad Yard, constructed provide a sense of interest up the moderate between 1868 and 1917, the turntable structure slope and over the tracks. Upper floor uses and a water tower. These structures are will be accessible from the SITF. intended to be preserved, rehabilitated, and adaptively‐reused as a vibrant destination Rising over the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) center. The structures may be home to a tracks, 5th and 6th Streets serve as the main vibrant mix of uses, including an expansion of vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian links the State Railroad museum. between the Depot District and Downtown and between the District and other planned The Central Shops Historic District is defined Railyards districts. The recently completed not only by the historic structures, but also by realignment of the tracks is discussed in the large and unique plazas and open Chapter 6 and is shown in Figure 6‐44. Much hardscape areas between the structures. These more than just connecting the Depot District plazas and open hardscape areas will provide to the north by bridging the approximately places for uses such as museums, 200‐foot‐wide rail corridor, 5th and 6th Streets entertainment venues, specialty retail, and draw Downtown energy to the north and cafés. Additionally, the opportunity exists to effectively remove the visual and physical preserve other features in this district such as barriers between Downtown Sacramento and the historic track alignment and the water its northern neighborhoods by integrating tower. Railyards with Downtown Sacramento. Along with its focus on the preservation and Central Shops District celebration of the Central Shops, this District also plays a key role in the integration of the The Central Shops District represents the Central City via the Railyards and to both Old historic core of the Railyards site. This District Sacramento and the Sacramento River. As a consists of the historic buildings and pedestrian center, the Central Shops District roundtable north of the Depot District, bound will provide pedestrian connectivity between by the western most existing facility and the the Railyards, Old Sacramento, and the Riverfront District, and on the east and north Sacramento River through pedestrian paths by the West End District. This location within traversing below the freeway overpass and the Railyards site provides close connectivity to pedestrian tunnels under the rail tracks. Old Sacramento, the Riverfront District, and the proposed medical campus in the West End The Central Shops also contains a Historic District. District Transition Zone, which will impose specific standards for development next to the
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 2-3 3-3 City of Sacramento 3 PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES
Central Shops. The intention of the Transition to North B Street. Camille Lane also cuts Zone is to ensure that new development across the district, providing access to the respects the existing historic structures. More length of the district and to other districts, information about the Transition Zone can be from 6th Street to the Central Shops and on to found in Chapter 9 of this document and in the Riverfront District. A variety of pedestrian the Sacramento Railyards Design Guidelines. paths connect the Central Shops with Camille Lane and the West End District. West End The central part of the West End is intended to The West End District is bounded by Jibboom provide employment/office areas of different Street and the Riverfront District to the west, scales, along with provisions for residential, the East End District to the east, South Park retail, and hospitality venues that will add to Street and the East End District to the north, the regional draw of the Railyards. It is and the Central Shops Historic District and integrated by a network of pedestrian paths, Depot District to the south. alleys and plazas, with restaurants, bars, and nightclubs opening onto Railyards Boulevard The eastern portion of the West End consists of and Camille Lane. The northern edge of the 5th, 6th, andh 7t Streets and associated office, district is anticipated to include the medical residential, retail, and open space uses. 5th campus, with a hospital and associated Street acts as the thread that stitches together medical office buildings, with access from the districts. To create a pedestrian‐oriented Railyards Boulevard and South Park Street. experience, there will be a series of interconnected plazas. The plazas and East End sidewalks will be dotted with plants and artwork and will provide non‐vehicular access The East End is bounded by Railyards between the Central Shops district to the south Boulevard and the railroad tracks along its and Vista Park to the north, via 5th Street and southern hedge, 12t Street to the east, North B Stanford Walk, an open space easement Street to the north and 5th Street and the Plan through the proposed medical campus. Area boundary to the west.
5th and 6th Streets bring the urban fabric of This district is intended to establish an urban the city into the West End by rising over the in‐town neighborhood that carries the spirit of railroad tracks. The streets are to be lined with the City’s traditional open‐space anchored building frontages that occupy the majority of neighborhoods by extending the the street edge and provide an engaging pedestrian‐scaled Downtown grid. The presence at the street level. district will substantially replicate the traditional street grid of Downtown. These The central portion of the West End is dimensions provide an urban context with accessible by Railyards Boulevard and diverse housing frontages and Camille Lane. Railyards Boulevard runs pedestrian‐scaled proportions. The westerly east‐west through West End, connecting the portion of the East End will be a primarily district with the East End and connecting out residential neighborhood providing new
3-4 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES 3 housing opportunities in a unique east, and the Sacramento River to the west. neighborhood context. Parks located There, the Railyards area connects to the throughout the residential neighborhoods will Sacramento River, providing the City with an provide an open space experience for opportunity to reclaim a part of its residents. The primary activity node of the geographical history with a reinvigorated East End will be a MLS soccer stadium, waterfront containing restaurants featuring located east of 7th Street. spectacular views, a hotel, housing, parks and .open space Other elements from the The physical massing and Riverfront Master Plan may be included, such neighborhood‐serving businesses and services as connections to the Sacramento River and that line the ground floors of buildings along American River bike trails. the park will create a dynamic linear connection through the neighborhood, In order to help achieve the objectives of providing an urban open space where activating the Riverfront District, residents can gather to walk, exercise, sit or implementing the City’s Riverfront Master dine outside, and relax. Plan and connecting the Railyards area to the riverfront, the elevated portion of Jibboom A transit stop with bus and light rail services Street is slated to be removed to allow for a will be located in the vicinity of the better interface with the Sacramento River, intersection north of Railyards Boulevard and although a portion may remain to serve as an 7th Street, enabling residents in the elevated pedestrian viewing platform. neighborhood and visitors and patrons of the sports stadium to be within a five‐minute Housing Concept walking radius of transit. This district will be a transit ‐oriented, walkable neighborhood, with The Specific Plan foresees the construction of corner shops and open spaces for all to enjoy. approximately 6,000‐10,000 new dwelling units of varying types within the Plan Area. A At the western edge of the district will be Vista variety of housing types are envisioned, Park. This approximately 10‐acre open space ranging from apartments and condominiums and recreational park will provide a venue for to loft‐style and live/work units. an array of programmed performances and an informal outdoor gathering space uniquely The location of the Plan Area is attractive for suited to Sacramento’s climate. Vista Park residential development for a number of provides a unique large open space that will reasons: serve as both a community gathering place for the local East End community, as well as for The plethora of retail and commercial the larger downtown and regional amenities that will be constructed within communities. the diverse urban villages of the Railyards area will offer residents numerous choices Riverfront District and conveniences within walking distance, including a diversity of The Riverfront District borders are created by restaurants, shopping, theater and the rail tracks to the south, Interstate 5 to the entertainment and other civic amenities.
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 2-5 3-5 City of Sacramento 3 PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES
The Railyards site offers easy access to The Railyards area will include both rental Downtown employment opportunities and for‐sale condominium and townhouse and cultural events, as well as the key units, at a variety of price points affordable to open space amenities of the Riverfront a range of households. Preliminary analysis and Downtown’s parks and civic open shows that condominium units and spaces. apartments at the Railyards site could attract The location enjoys close proximity and easy several potential types of buyers and renters. access to regional transit and roads, It is anticipated that housing units will be including the new SITF and light rail created in various sizes, from micro units to stations. three‐bedroom options. The site is located within two blocks of a National Historic Landmark, the Old Land Use and Development Program Sacramento Historic District and State Historic Park. This area is a well‐known Development in the Railyards is further and nationally‐recognized visitor defined and guided by zoning regulations destination, which serves as an ongoing associated with seven zoning districts that venue for events such as, the popular implement the Railyards land use concepts. .. Gold Rush Days and Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. Development standards for each zoning Golden 1 Center and Downtown Commons district can be found in the Railyards Special is a short walk from the Railyards. Planning District Ordinance (SPD). Design However, the following challenges exist in guidelines further prescribe the desired creating housing developments that are character and form of development. These partially dependent on Downtown guidelines can be found in the Railyards revitalization to attract new homebuyers: Design Guidelines document.
Potential residents who opt to seek attached Zoning Districts housing, instead of a single‐family detached unit will be selective in their As shown in Figure 3‐2, the Specific Plan Area search. The product design must be is comprised of seven zoning districts: well‐suited to the Sacramento market. Based on the amount of new amenities that High‐Rise Residential (R‐5) will be introduced into the area per Limited Commercial (C‐1) development under this Specific Plan, General Commercial Zone (C‐2) there is the potential for many types of Central Business District (C‐3) neighborhood‐oriented urban residential Hospital (H) development that tdo no presently exist in Transportation Corridor (TC) the Downtown. Heavy Industrial (M‐2) As in many areas, Sacramento residents are These zoning districts reflect the concepts for price‐sensitive. Thus, attention must be the distinct districts: the Central Shops, West paid to keep the entire product package, End, East End, Depot, and Riverfront districts, including homeowner association (HOA) shown in Figure 3‐1. dues and upgrades, within buyers’ spending potential.
3-6 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES 3
General descriptions of the type and character of uses allowed in each of these zoning districts is summarized in Table 3‐1. Refer to the Railyards SPD for prevailing details on permitted and conditionally permitted uses, development standards, and other requirements for each of the zoning districts.
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 2-7 3-7 City of Sacramento 3 PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES Source:
AECO M
Figure 3-2. Zoning Districts Overlaid on Specific Plan Districts
3-8 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES 3
Table 3‐1 Zoning Districts Descriptions*
Use Intent and Purpose Allowed Use A mix of high density residential development types.
Permits dwellings, institutions, and Neighborhood‐serving office, commercial High‐rise limited commercial goods and retail or service, and institutional uses, Residential (R‐5) services, serving the surrounding limited to the ground floor. neighborhood. Parks and open space to serve neighborhood residential uses
Park and open space facilities for informal gathering and recreation and institutional, Allows small restaurant, retail, and educational, and cultural uses (e.g., Limited commercial service establishments museum, cultural center, or library). Commercial (C‐1) that are compatible with surrounding residential developments. Small scale retail uses, such as vendor carts, community markets, and kiosks.
Provides for the sale of goods; Retail, service, office, repair facilities, and performances of services; office uses; small wholesale stores or distributors General dwellings; small wholesale stores or Commercial (C‐2) Public services facilities, such as fire and distributors; and limited processing police. and packaging.
Mixed‐use residential and commercial, Within the Central Shops and West retail, restaurants, and entertainment uses, End Districts. Provide a wide range of including, but not limited to, theaters, residential and commercial uses, health clubs, and night‐clubs, together with including retail, employment, major office, hotel, and other uses. medical facility, entertainment, and Second floor mixed‐use flex space is other uses, to facilitate the allowed on parcels shown in Figure 3‐3 that development of a 24‐hour district could shift to employment‐generating focused around the historic Central space, in addition to other uses. Shops and public open spaces, plazas, and pedestrian ways that help create a Historic and Cultural uses. Central Business vibrant urban environment. District (C‐3) Public facilities, such as educational uses, museums, theaters, and other similar public and private cultural and civic uses.
Within the Depot District. Provide Office, residential, and commercial uses, office, residential, hospitality, and such as hotels, supporting retail, and other supporting retail uses in portions of uses. Emphasis is primarily office and the Railyards area immediately secondarily residential. adjacent to the Central Business District and that complement the Educational uses, museums, theaters, and proposed Sacramento Intermodal other similar public uses. Transit Facility.
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/2016 2-9 3-9 City of Sacramento 3 PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES
Table 3‐1 Zoning Districts Descriptions*
Use Intent and Purpose Allowed Use High density residential and commercial uses, such as neighborhood‐serving retail, Within the East End and Riverfront office, restaurants, cafes, hotels, and Central Business Districts. Provide an urban residential cultural and other uses. District (C‐3) neighborhood with accompanying (continued) neighborhood‐serving retail and Incidental cultural, civic, and educational restaurant uses. uses, such as museums, theater, outdoor or indoor sports stadiums, and other similar public uses.
Major medical facility.
Medical offices.
Supporting medical campus uses, Hospital (H) The H zoning district including laboratories, pharmacies, clinics, retail, service, and restaurant uses.
Residential care facilities, non‐residential care facilities, multi‐unit dwellings, hotels
Land uses that are supportive of the SITF The TC and M‐2 zoning districts facility operations and are intended to allows for transportation‐related and Transportation serve intercity passengers, including transit‐supportive uses associated with Corridor (TC) residential; commercial, such as retail, the Sacramento Intermodal Transit office, hotel; and other uses. Facility (SITF), as well as other forms Heavy Industrial of dense urban development that are Other forms of dense development that (M‐2) commonly found in central city will encourage transit ridership and are settings. appropriate for a dense urban environment.
Notes:
* See the Railyards Special Planning District for prevailing Allowed Use and Development Standards for Zoning Districts.
3-10 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES 3
Development Program
Table 3‐2 that follows summarizes the assumed amount of each type of development at project build out, within each zoning district, and for the Railyards overall, to plan for estimated carrying capacity related to infrastructure, traffic, and services and to address potential project‐related impacts. Actual development, including the distribution of uses, may vary from the assumptions in Table 3‐2. Modifications to the mix and intensity of uses, consistent with the intent of this Specific Plan, may be permitted in the Plan Area but may trigger the need for additional environmental analysis if impacts are determined to be greater for certain aspects of the project than were evaluated in the Railyards ‐Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR).
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3 PROJECT CONCEPT AND LAND USES
Table 3‐2 Assumed Development for Plan Area Zoning Districts*
Zoning Residential Retail (SF) Office Flexible Medical MLS Stadium Hotel Historic Open District (Units) (SF) Mixed‐Use Campus (Ticketed (Keys) and Space (SF) (SF) Capacity) Cultural (Acres) (SF)
C‐1‐SPD 9.3
C‐2‐SPD 0.5
C‐3‐SPD 4,160‐6,933 514,270 771,405 25,000 0‐1,100 485,390 16.7 2,757,027‐3,857,027
H‐SPD 1,228,000 ‐
R‐5‐SPD 1,840‐3,067 ‐ ‐ 3.5
Total 6,000‐10,000 514,270 771,405 1,228,003 25,000 1,100 485,390 30 2,757,027‐3,857,027
* Table excludes the TC and M-2 designation, which will be separately planned by the City. Key: DU = dwelling units; SF = square feet
3-12 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 PRINCIPLES, GOALS, AND POLICIES 4
This chapter provides the principles, goals, and policies that guide development within the Railyards area. Some of these goals and policies are related to the type, form, and location of new development, utilization, rehabilitation, and preservation of the historic Central Shops and others provide guidance for specific actions and approaches that will be taken at the time that development occurs on the site. They are based on input from community outreach, City staff, the developer, and their technical consultants, direction from the City Council and the Planning Commission, and requirements of State law and City regulations. The principles provide the broadest and most overarching set of guidance for the development of the Railyards area and are presented first. Goals and policies concerning each of the major topic areas addressed in the chapters of this Specific Plan are then presented. These topics include Community Character, Multi‐modal Circulation, Utilities and Community Services, Historic Resources, and Hazardous Substances.
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 4-1 City of Sacramento 4 PRINCIPALS, GOALS, AND POLICIES
A. Definitions Photo
b y R
Principles, goals, and policies, as articulated Street
in this chapter, are defined as follows: Partnershi Principle. A principle is a description of p
the desired result, broadly stated, that the City seeks to achieve through the implementation of the Specific Plan. Attractive and dynamic mixed‐use street scenes in Midtown Sacramento and R Street. Goal. A goal is a specific condition or end that serves as a concrete step toward fulfilling the guiding principles. Goals are B. Principles intended to be clearly achievable and, when possible, measurable. There are one The nine principles outlined below fulfill the or more goals for each Specific Plan primary vision for the Specific Plan: to fulfill chapter topic area. the “Opportunity of Redevelopment” that is Policy. A policy is a specific statement presented by the Railyards site, as one of the largest urban infill projects in the nation. The that guides decision‐making in working redevelopment of a major urban infill parcel, to achieve a goal. Policies, once adopted, like the Railyards, provides the City of represent statements to guide the Sacramento with an opportunity to move development of City regulations. This away from the patterns of decentralization Specific Plan establishes policies that will and suburban sprawl that have led to be used by City staff, the Planning deterioration of regional air quality, traffic Commission, other City commissions, congestion, and loss of agricultural land and and the City Council in their review of open space resources. The opening up of the land use proposals within the Specific Plan Area will remove the barriers between Plan Area and in decision‐ making about the downtown and the much larger River development of the Railyards. District area to the north and provide an Encourage, Promote, and Ensure. The important first step in the intensification of verbs “encourage”, “promote,” and Sacramento’s downtown and Central City as “ensure” are used in the body of many of a major focus of regional growth over the next the policies included in this chapter. The century. In addition, it will serve as a catalyst use of “promote” and “encourage” in to re‐establish downtown Sacramento as the policies is equivalent to the word regional center for the rapidly expanding “should” as used in the Design metropolitan area. Guidelines. The use of “ensure” in The redevelopment of the Railyards site also policies is the equivalent of the word presents a significant opportunity to “shall” as used in the Design Guidelines. capitalize on the historic transportation role of Attractive and dynamic mixed‐use street the Plan Area and to reinforce the scene in Midtown Sacramento. downtown’s unique identity and sense of
4-2 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento PRINCIPALS, GOALS, AND POLICIES 4 place: its stately landscaped streets, attractive City of Sacramento toward its goal of in‐town neighborhoods, and distinctive fabric becoming a national leader in sustainable of historic buildings. Just as John Sutter Jr.’s development. plan and the plan for the State Capitol Development in the Railyards will follow a established the identity of the downtown of key principle of sustainability by the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the redeveloping a contaminated site with new plan for redevelopment of the Railyards can uses that promote resource conservation, assist in defining and achieving the economic prosperity and social equity. The aspirations of this century for Sacramento and Railyards will serve as a major urban infill the region. project for Sacramento, easing encroachment of new development on greenfield sites and 1. Develop the Railyards to be a National minimizing Sacramento’s ecological footprint. Leader in Sustainable Development The compact pattern of development Sustainable development has been defined by proposed will also support area transit, the United Nation’s (UN) Brundtland minimizing the need for employees, residents Commission as “Development that meets the and visitors of the Railyards to use needs of the present without compromising automobiles. The Specific Plan includes the ability of future generations to meet their policies and regulations to ensure the own needs.” The State of California facilitation of pedestrian and bicycle established its own metrics for sustainability transportation. It also contains policies to through the Strategic Growth Council (SGC facilitate building sites that are oriented to Operating Guidelines, April 2014). The City of receive natural sunlight. The Specific Plan Sacramento General Plan embodies these promotes a reduction in solid waste, water principles. usage, and energy usage, and also promotes a reduction in negative effects on This topic is becoming more and more environmental resources through the prominent in development particularly as mitigation of stormwater runoff, air pollution, society has come to understand the links and wastewater generation. between sustainable development and reductions in greenhouse gasses and global warming. Interest in sustainable development 2. Re‐establish Downtown as the Cultural, Commercial and Community Hub for has created a new benchmark for cities. the Sacramento Region To be sustainable, development must contain Historically, downtown Sacramento was the several components, including sustainable cultural, commercial and community hub for building sites and land use patterns, urban the region. From the Gold Rush to the infill, resource conservation, multi‐modal development of the Transcontinental transportation choices, respect for Railroad, Sacramento served as the heartbeat environmental resources, reuse of existing of the region. This vitality and sense of buildings and other resources, access to open strength resulted in Sacramento being chosen space, and integration of trees and other as the capitol of California. With the growth vegetation. By including these components, of the surrounding region and the development in the Railyards will propel the
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proliferation of suburban sprawl, the strength intercity and commuter rail network and the and vitality of downtown Sacramento waned. success of the Capitol Corridor service, linking Sacramento with the Bay Area and However, downtown Sacramento is San Jose. It is also critical to the development experiencing a resurgence since adoption of of viable alternatives to automobile the 2007 Railyards Specific Plan, with new dependency and the resolution of key housing, the Golden 1 Arena and Downtown environmental problems. Commons, redevelopment of the 700 block of K Street, proposed new hotel and office The Specific Plan responds to this principle by development,n new urba mixed‐use housing calling for the creation of a “state‐of‐the‐art” projects along the 16th Street corridor, and intermodal transportation facility that will new businesses start‐ups and business provide a direct transfer between all transit moving back to the area. modes, enhancing the viability of commuter and light rail services and promoting transit The redevelopment of the Plan Area provides as a convenient alternative to the automobile. an opportunity for downtown Sacramento to Beyond its transit function, the facility can re‐establish itself as the cultural, commercial, also serve as a major catalyst for and community heartbeat of the region by redevelopment of the Railyards area and preserving currently underutilized historic become a principal activity center within the structures, providing urban housing, Central City. commercial, and entertainment uses, and connecting and integrating downtown The Railyards Specific Plan also envisions Sacramento with the Sacramento River, as extensions of 5th Street, 6th Street, and 10th well as the Richards area and River District to Street as complementary to the downtown the north. Additionally, the Railyards will street grid system. 7th Street will continue to make the downtown more competitive with be a transit‐priority boulevard that will serve retail and commercial centers in suburban as the alignment for the future Sacramento locations. Downtown/Natomas/Airport (DNA) light rail line and provide a transit connection from the 3. Reinforce the Downtown as a Regional northern neighborhoods to downtown. Transportation Hub Pedestrian and bicycle facilities are planned throughout the Railyards area, providing The Railyards area has played a historic comprehensive non‐motorized access to the transportation role within the City and region. Riverfront, the Sacramento Valley Station, Although its function as a railroad and open space amenities. marshalling yard and fabrication and maintenance facility has declined, there is an opportunity for the Railyards site to be developed as a regional transportation interchange point for the movement of people and goods. This opportunity is particularly timely given California’s commitment to the creation of a comprehensive statewide
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The Railyards Specific Plan will primarily adopt the City’s C‐3 (Central Business District) zone, which supports a mix of retail, entertainment, office, and civic uses, including larger floorplate low and mid‐rise mixed use building prototypes that will include housing and retail, as well as office uses and high‐density, high‐rise office buildings similar to those currently situated in the downtown. Mixing such uses within The historic Southern Pacific Rail Station in Downtown individual buildings is encouraged. These Sacramento. facilities will serve a full range of public and private sector users and, by so doing, increase 4. Reinforce the Downtown as a Major the downtown’s competitive position in the Employment Center regional market In contributing to the role of downtown as a The C‐3 zone allows a wide range of land uses transportation hub, the redevelopment of the and has the highest FAR and residential Railyards area must also reinforce the densities in the Railyards. This areas area‐, Downtown as the principal employment adjoining the residential neighborhoods of the center of the region. Currently, the downtown East End and encompassing the retail, area captures only one quarter of the regional cultural, and entertainment uses of the office market. The increased concentration of Central Shops and West End will help to employment uses in the downtown and reinforce the Central City as the region’s Central City, where transit service is most major employment center. readily available, is a critical component of an overall growth management and smart 5. Reinforce the Downtown as a Place to growth approach for the region. Live Photo by While the Central City of Sacramento is
City of Sacramento Sacramento of City known for its attractive historic neighborhoods, the Downtown still functions primarily as an employment center, with most people commuting from the outlying suburbs each day. The Railyards area provides a major opportunity to reinforce the role of the downtown as a place to live, and a place that preserves and builds upon the historic neighborhood fabric of the Central City. Apart from the River District area to the An active urban park, Cesar Chavez is a central north, no other site within the Central City gathering / activity spot in downtown Sacramento. offers such a significant land resource for the establishment of new residential uses, nor
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provides the opportunity to expand the through the tAlkali Fla neighborhood, amenities available to residents and visitors of experience significant congestion because the downtown. they are the only north‐south arterials connecting the downtown and the River The Specific Plan responds to this principle by District area with North Sacramento. The providing for the addition of approximately opening up of the Railyards area offers a 6,000 to 10,000 new residential units major opportunity to improve the distribution integrated with a diverse range of uses and of traffic within the downtown. amenities. Mixed‐use developments of medium to high ‐density housing, with retail To this end, the Specific Plan calls for the and commercial uses at street level, will create extension of key Central City streets through a neighborhood feel in each of the districts. In the Plan Area. North from the downtown, 5th, addition, the housing program provides for a and 6th Streets will be extended to North B wide range of multi‐family housing types, Street as major connectors between the income levels, and densities, creating an array Central City, the Railyards area, and of options for different population segments. providing access to Railyards Boulevard and Camille Lane that connects to the newly energized riverfront.
Open spaces, such as the central city park shown above, serve as valuable amenities for residents of densely developed urban neighborhoods. Transit‐oriented development puts residences and workplaces near transit, which makes public transit 6. Complete the Central City’s Circulation more convenient and attractive. System Railyards Boulevard will provide a major The Railyards site occupies an area equivalent entry to the Railyards area from 10th and 12th to 60 downtown blocks with only one public Streets (via an improved North B Street), street (7th Street) that extends north‐south diverting traffic that currently flows through through the site to the River District. This has the Alkali Flat neighborhood. Railyards forced the circulation system of the Central Boulevard will terminate just before the City to work its way around the Plan Area, Sacramento River and connect to Interstate 5, causing congestion points along major northbound through Bercut Drive and corridors leading into the downtown. For southbound along Jibboom Street pending instance, 12th and 16th Streets, which pass changes by the proposed I Street Bridge
4-6 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento PRINCIPALS, GOALS, AND POLICIES 4 project. This system of arterials will provide the basic framework for traffic movement within the Plan Area and serve to enhance overall distribution of traffic throughout the Central City.
7. Preserve the Historic and Cultural Resources of the Area
Maintaining a strong continuity with the past provides reference for the achievements of the The existing Central Shops in the Railyards Plan Area. future and enriches the experience of residents, workers and visitors. The While the Depot building is a well‐known preservation of historic resources within the historic landmark, the nineteenth century Railyards area is particularly important to complex of industrial warehouse structures Sacramento because of their contribution to known as the Central Shops has been largely the evolution and character of the City and inaccessible to the public. Few people outside the region. those who worked in the facility have walked the maze of passages and alleys that lace their The Specific Plan responds to this planning way through this small city of brick, concrete, principle by identifying two primary areas for and metal buildings, experienced the lofty preservation: the Depot portion of the SITF skylight interior spaces or seen the gantries and the nineteenth century Central Shops moving enormous engine parts with grace immediately to the north. The historic and ease. The water tower, located just Southern Pacific Railroad Sacramento Depot northeast of the Central Shops, is also a (now known as Sacramento Valley Station) significant landmark. The Specific Plan calls building will be renovated and preserved to for these structures to be rehabilitated and become a part of the SITF, providing an adaptively reused, resulting in the creation of imposing civic “front” to the Railyards area a nationally significant historic district of and probably the most familiar and public‐oriented cultural, commercial, recognizable feature of the site. The Depot is entertainment, educational, and recreational being rehabilitated as a prominent central uses. This amenity will be further enhanced component of the Depot District. by a strong relationship to the Sacramento Development surrounding the Depot will be River and the West End District. scaled to extend the Central City, and stepped back to respect the architectural integrity of 8. Reconnect Downtown and the Central the Depot building. The Depot building is a City with the Rivers major civic gathering space for the Railyards area and the downtown. The preferred option The most memorable cities of the world have for the Intermodal Transportation Facility established distinctive identities through a plan includes two new plazas (one between careful response to their natural settings. the Depot and REA building and another Sacramento enjoys a unique natural setting at behind the west wind of the Depot). the confluence of the Sacramento and
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American Rivers, where gold miners from freeway viaducts. This linkage will create around the world came up from San Francisco direct pedestrian connections between Old on their way to the gold fields, and where Sacramento and the historic Central Shops agricultural goods from the rich Central complex of the Railyards, and result in Valley were shipped to the Bay Area and the pedestrian and bicycle linkages to West world beyond. Today, the rivers are highly Sacramento by way of a new, multimodal I valued recreational and habitat resources and Street Bridge. With these improvements, the the American River Parkway link the riverfronts will provide a continuous system downtown with outlying communities of pedestrian trails, linking key activity through an extensive system of trails and centers and destinations. open spaces.
With the construction of the railroad levees, 9. Create an Attractive and Distinctive and more recently the Interstate 5 freeway, Urban Place downtown Sacramento has been cut off from As a staging yard in support of a major both the Sacramento and American Rivers. locomotive works, the Railyards area, by The Railyards area is lin a pivota position necessity, has been removed and isolated between the downtown and these rivers; and from the downtown and Central City. its redevelopment offers the opportunity to Redevelopment provides the opportunity to overcome the barrier of these major integrate the area within the Central City and, transportation facilities and to create new by so doing, remove a significant physical linkages that will make the rivers a more barrier. Rather than an insular project, the integral part of the downtown experience. Railyards area will be an integral part of its Photo by Central Valley Cycling surrounding context.
Much of downtown Sacramento’s character as a pedestrian‐friendly district is due to the pattern of streets and blocks laid out by John Sutter Jr. in the mid‐nineteenth century. This plan resulted in a north‐south grid of blocks measuring approximately 350 square feet, Public walkways and open spaces, such as the Sacramento Riverfront Promenade, shown above, can interrupted only by the 10‐block Capitol Park serve as important recreational spaces for the residents and a series of parks distributed at equal of dense urban environments. intervals throughout the grid and measuring the size of one block. Though there have been In conjunction with the River District Area several major exceptions, the basic pattern Plan to the north, the Railyards Specific Plan remains. In comparison, the Richards Area calls for new links to be created between north of the Railyards area utilizes a downtown and the American River Parkway traditional arterial system. The Railyards by way of 5th, 7th, and 10th Streets. Through Specific Plan effectively ‐links these two the realignment of the main line tracks, the traditional systems together. Specific Plan also calls for stronger linkages to the Sacramento River, beneath the Interstate 5
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The Specific Plan calls for the distinctive C. Goals and Policies pattern of blocks and streets within the Central City to be extended into the Railyards These goals and policies represent statements and to connect the Railyards to the River of intention that will guide the development District Area. Within this pattern, the Central of the Railyards area, and they establish a Shops complex will provide a strong and framework in which measures for meaningful focal point. In the spirit of implementation of the Plan can be created. downtown Sacramento, all streets within the The goals and policies supersede previous Railyards planning area will be designed to City policies and guidelines for the Railyards be hospitable to pedestrians, with generous Plan Area, but were developed to work in sidewalk widths, active ground floor uses, conjunction with the policies of several articulated and transparent facades, quality documents, including the: building materials, street amenities and 2035 General Plan furnishings, and street trees that provide shade and greenery. City’s adopted Vision & Guiding Principles & Smart Growth Principles Buildings within the Railyards area will be designed to extend and reinforce downtown Parking Master Plan Sacramento’s fabric and skyline. Bicycle Master Plan Development heights will transition Pedestrian Master Plan downward to the homes in Alkali Flat and the historic Central Shops. New buildings will be Pedestrian Friendly Street Standards carefully designed to give spatial definition to Traffic Calming Guidelines major corridors through the area, such as Railyards Boulevard, and to frame key open Light Rail Transit Land Use Policies and space features like linear parks and the Guidelines Central Shops District. Building types will Sustainability Master Plan reinforce the active, pedestrian quality of the area by including ground‐level commercial The goals and policies that follow are mixed with residential uses along streets. organized by topic area.
1. Sustainability The following are the goals and policies intended to address sustainability within the Plan Area as described earlier in this Chapter.
Goal S‐1: Maximize the use of sustainable development practices in the Plan Area.
Policy S‐1.1: Encourage high density development that uses land efficiently and supports the Active ground floor uses, such as the cafe shown above, use of transit. help enliven city streets. Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 4-9 City of Sacramento 4 PRINCIPALS, GOALS, AND POLICIES
Policy S‐1.2: Promote urban infill in the Policy S‐1.8: Promote resource Plan Area to ensure that land conservation through water is used efficiently. conservation technologies such as the installation of Policy S‐1.3: Provide sufficient parking for water conserving appliances carpools and vanpools. These and low‐flow fixtures. transportation strategies will help to reduce single‐ Policy S‐1.9: Encourage green site design occupancy vehicle use. by utilizing native and/or drought tolerant trees and Policy S‐1.4: Create centralized parking plants where possible, and facilities to support a “park designing climate‐ once” strategyt so tha visitors appropriate landscapes and arriving to the area by car gardens. will park once and walk within the area. Policy S‐1.10: Encourage the installation of sprinkler systems for public Policy S‐1.5: Promote the installation of and private green spaces that safe pedestrian and bicycle contain rain detection sensors facilities to encourage to prevent unnecessary walking and bicycling, watering. thereby decreasing dependence on motorized Policy S‐1.11: Encourage the installation of vehicles. LID techniques, where appropriate, to prevent Policy S‐1.6: Encourage site and building stormwater runoff and design that incorporates further pollution of local‐climate design Sacramento’s natural responses that improves resources. energy efficiency by incorporating natural cooling Policy S‐1.12: Provide permeable surfaces if and passive solar heating possible to reduce systems. This may include stormwater runoff. extended eaves, window Policy S‐1.13: Encourage the use of green or overhangs, awnings and tree sustainable building placement for natural cooling, materials, including recycled and building and window content materials that are orientation to take advantage consistent with the of passive solar heating. underlying architectural style Policy S‐1.7: Encourage the installation of and character of the building. green roofs to insulate Policy S‐1.14: Reduce stormwater runoff buildings and reduce through the capture and re‐ stormwater runoff. use of rainwater.
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Policy S‐1.15: Encourage the installation of Policy S‐1.22: Promote the use of locally “greywater” systems that produced and manufactured reuse water consumed in items for use in the buildings for watering lawns construction of buildings and and other landscaping ancillary public buildings in features on building sites. common open spaces.
Policy S‐1.16: Promote recycling and other strategies to reduce the 2. Community Character generation of solid waste. The following are the goals and policies for Policy S‐1.17: Encourage the reuse of community character, neighborhood identity, existing buildings and land in and urban design. These goals and policies the Plan Area to avoid address the district concepts discussed in unnecessary solid waste Chapter 3. production and preserve the Goal CC‐1: Create an intensive mixed‐use historic resources already transit oriented urban environment that will present in the Plan Area. become an integral part of the Central City.
Policy S‐1.18: Encourage building Policy CC‐1.1: Require a mixture of public‐ construction, both interior oriented, cultural, and exterior, that utilizes commercial, educational, recycled materials and reuses entertainment, and existing components of site, recreational uses that where possible. contribute to the creation of a Policy S‐1.19: Promote the development of lively urban environment. numerous public gathering Policy CC‐1.2: Provide a land use places to encourage social framework that allows interaction, public events and multiple developers to refuge areas for pedestrians. undertake individual projects Policy S‐1.20: Ensure that a rich urban tree and that builds diversity and canopy and significant interest in the urban vegetation are provided in environment. the Plan Area to provide a Policy CC‐1.3: Require active and public‐ well‐shaded and comfortable oriented ground level uses microclimate and curb that contribute to the stormwater runoff. pedestrian environment Policy S‐1.21: Provide attractive and comfortable pedestrian spaces that incorporate shade trees for natural cooling and UV protection.
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Policy CC‐1.4: Create a pattern of open Goal CC‐2: Reinforce urban form, character spaces and pedestrian ways and materials through the appropriate that creates strong linkages height of buildings and scale transitions to with surrounding areas, surrounding areas. contributes to a distinct sense Policy CC‐2.1: Ensure that the form and of place, and results in a rich massing of buildings con‐ sequence of spatial tribute to the creation of a experiences. cohesive urban fabric that: Policy CC‐1.5: Create a high density, Extends the pattern of predominantly residential downtown Sacramento neighborhood with a strong mix of neighborhood Provides through‐block amenities (e.g. local retail pedestrian access via services), as planned in the alleys, lanes or streets at no more than 320’ intervals East End District. (Hospital buildings Policy CC‐1.6: Encourage a mixture of high excepted). density government and Complements the historic commercial office uses in Central Shops and Depot close proximity to the existing complex Central Business District and the planned SITF. Transitions in scale to the surrounding residential Policy CC‐1.7: Encourage development of areas centralized parking facilities, Policy CC‐2.2: Ensure that the form, height, to promote shared parking and treatment of buildings and to optimize the use and reinforce the prominence and efficiency of parking facilities, role of the major urban spaces which should be wrapped by and streets. other uses wherever feasible and otherwise screened from Policy CC‐2.3: Ensure an appropriate scale the view of pedestrians. transition to the Alkali Flat neighborhood. Policy CC‐1.8: Encourage structured parking in lieu of surface parking and Policy CC‐2.4: Ensure that any new service facilities that do not buildings in the Central detract from the Shops district or extensions to neighborhood character of existing buildings in the the area. district respect the scale, design, and character of existing historic structures and features.
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Policy CC‐2.5: Ensure an appropriate scale Street and Bercut Drive rather transition between the than Railyards Boulevard. Central Shops and new Policy CC4‐5: Ensure parking structures are districts adjacent to the designed to minimize Central Shops district. visibility from Railyards Goal CC‐3: The five districts should con Boulevard and from I‐5. tribute to the variety of experiences avail‐ able in the Railyards while maintaining 3. Housing pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular connections. The following are the goals and policies for residential development, as described in Policy CC‐3.1: Encourage the development Chapters 3 and 5. of projects that establish and Goal HO‐1: Provide for a range of residential enhance the individual types that address the housing needs of a identity of each district. diverse population. Policy CC‐3.2: Individual district identities should arise naturally from Policy HO‐1.1: Encourage a wide diversity of multi‐family housing types environmental conditions or and a mixture of rental and built context and should not ownership housing. feel arbitrary. Goal HO‐2: Provide housing affordable to a Goal CC‐4: Ensure Railyards Boulevard is a range of income groups. distinctive entry to the Railyards and vibrant, urban Boulevard. Policy HO‐2.1: Provide a housing unit mix Policy CC‐4.1: Railyards Boulevard at the based on the Railyards Bercut Street intersection Inclusionary Housing Plan shall be treated with an approved by the City. appropriate urban corner design and shall not be the Policy HO‐2.2: Ensure compliance with site of a parking garage. Chapter 17.712 of the City Code (Mixed‐Income Policy CC4‐2: Break the contiguous mass of Housing), with respect to any buildings on Railyards obligation to pay an Boulevard and articulate the difference between buildings affordable housing impact fee within a complex or and the quality and diversity campus. Ensure the use of of any affordable housing quality materials, design and units constructed. articulated building massing.
Policy CC4‐3: Ensure that parking and service vehicle access is provided off South Park
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Goal HO‐3: Create a cohesive neighborhood identity of the Central City and the that is well integrated in terms of housing Railyards. type, tenure and cost. Policy OS‐1.1: Locate parks so they are Policy HO‐3.1: Encourage the development accessible to the greatest of a range of housing sizes concentration of employees and configurations suitable and residents and are suitable for the elderly and persons for a wide range of age with disabilities and groups and recreational integration of market‐rate purposes. housing with affordable Policy OS‐1.2: Design plazas, parks, and housing. urban open spaces in Policy HO‐3.2: Phase new housing in association with important consideration of market civic buildings or community forces and funding gathering places. availability. Policy OS‐1.3: Utilize opportunities Policy HO‐3.3: Make maximum use of provided by planned open available city, county, state, spaces to provide functional and federal programs, which and attractive pedestrian and support housing. bicycle connections through the Plan Area and to adjacent Policy HO‐3.4 Encourage, where possible, open space areas such as the vertical mixed integration of Riverfront. housing and other uses. Policy OS‐1.4: Promote smaller, amenity‐ Policy HO‐3.5 Promote housing types that oriented open space areas have potentially less that complement the urban significant impacts on the nature of the Railyards area environment, such as senior and downtown Sacramento. housing, assisted living housing, and special needs Policy OS‐1.5: Encourage innovative use of housing. non‐traditional open space, such as rooftops, green roofs, 4. Open Space community gardens, and areas under freeways. The following are the goals and policies for open space, as described in Chapter 6. Policy OS‐1.6: Take advantage of remediated areas by Goal OS‐1: Provide a system of parks, open, reclaiming them for public space, and recreational facilities that serve open space. the needs of future residents and employees of the Plan Area and that enhance the overall Policy OS‐1.7: Ensure safety in public spaces through lighting, design for
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visibility, and other accommodate current and preventive measures. projected ridership.
Goal C‐2: Organize roadway and pedestrian 5. Circulation circulation systems that extend the The following are the goals and policies for downtown grid system to serve the Plan traffic and circulation, as described in Area. Chapter 7. Policy C‐2.1: Extend 5th, 8th and 10th Streets into the River District Goal C‐1: Reinforce downtown Sacramento area. as the regional transportation hub with Policy C‐2.2: Extend F, G, and H Streets improved light rail, street car, inter‐city rail, within the Plan Area to commuter rail, and intercity and local bus provide for localized traffic service. distribution.
Policy C‐1.1: Establish a regional inter‐ Policy C‐2.3: Develop east‐west roadway modal facility at the SITF that to connect 10th Street and is easily accessible by walking 12th Street with Bercut Drive, and bicycling and which via Railyards Boulevard. brings together inter‐city rail, Goal C ‐3: Create a walkable street system commuter rail, light rail, and that extends the unique qualities of bus services in a manner that downtown neighborhoods gives structure facilitates convenient and orientation to the downtown experience transfers between various and enhances the pedestrian environment. modes of transit. Policy C‐3.1: Extend the walkable block Policy C‐1.2: Promote the acceleration of pattern of the downtown into the extension of the light rail the Plan Area while system from the downtown transitioning and blending it to the airport in a manner with the arterial system set that maximizes service to forth in the River District existing and future uses. area. Policy C‐1.3: Extend local bus service from Policy C‐3.2: Provide a network of the downtown into the Plan attractive and clearly visible Area and locate intercity bus wayfinding features for service at the SITF. pedestrians, bicyclists, and Policy C‐1.4: Provide safe and efficient rail motorists across the Plan facilities at the SITF to meet Area. the operational needs of the Policy C‐3.3: Create and maintain freight and passenger rail attractive, functional service providers and streetscapes that integrates vehicular traffic, pedestrian,
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bicycle, and on‐street parking Goal C‐5: Create and reinforce safe and facilities and incorporates efficient pedestrian connections within the traffic calming features. Plan Area and in relation to surrounding districts. Policy C‐3.4: Enhance the non‐vehicular environment by developing Policy C‐5.1: Extend pedestrian connections streets at a scale that are from the downtown area into suitable and attractive for the Plan Area, as well as Old pedestrians and bicyclists. Sacramento, the Riverfront, and the River District area. Policy C‐3.5: Fully integrate the Central Shops district with the West Policy C‐5.2: Enhance pedestrian pathways End district and Vista Park, using landscaping, trees, and and 5th Street with the art in public places. Sacramento riverfront by Policy C‐5.3: Provide safe pedestrian providing a robust network linkages to buildings and of varying scaled pedestrian public spaces, such as pathways. schools, transit facilities, Goal C‐4: Extend and improve the existing riverfront, parks, and plazas system of bicycle circulation in downtown by minimizing parking and Sacramento that is safe and efficient. service access crossings of sidewalks. Policy C‐4.1: Provide bicycle connections to improve circulation. Policy C‐5.4: Encourage landscape and building elements, such as Policy C‐4.2: Provide both on‐street and enhanced paving materials, off‐street bikeways that accent lighting, streetscape provide connectivity within furniture, and generous the development and connect sidewalk space that will to existing and planned contribute to pedestrian bikeways in the Plan Area environments that are both boundary. physically attractive and safe. Policy C‐4.3: Include secure bike parking Policy C‐5.5: In commercial and residential and bicycle commuter areas, develop pedestrian facilities in all new non‐ amenities that contribute to residential developments and active and economically transit facilities. vibrant environments. Policy C‐4.4 Provide bicycle parking and Policy C‐5.6: Establish and maintain electric vehicle charging attractive and functional stations in all residential sidewalks that maximize projects. pedestrian access to all development projects and
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provide generous and with the Regional Water Quality Control pleasant walking Board. environments that foster Policy CS‐2.1: Ensure sanitary sewers meet social interaction. the criteria of the City’s design standards. 6. Utilities and Community Services Policy CS‐2.2: Offset the increased sanitary The following are the goals and policies for sewer flows into the utilities and community services, as described combined sewer system in Chapter 8. through on‐site detention of Goal CS‐1: Provide adequate water facilities storm water flows, and to serve the needs of new development, and discharge of retained storm apply water conservation techniques that water to the Sacramento will reduce overall demand. River.
Policy CS‐1.1: Ensure a safe, reliable on‐site Goal CS‐3: Provide a storm drainage sys‐ water distribution system tem to serve the Plan Area that achieves the that meets the criteria of the water quality provisions of the City’s City’s design standards and municipal NPDES Stormwater Permit. meets the needs of the Policy CS‐3.1: Provide for the separation of community under both combined storm and sanitary normal and stressed sewer flows in the Plan Area. conditions. Policy CS‐3.2: Design the storm drainage Policy CS‐1.2: Construct water distribution system to meet the design mains of adequate size in the criteria of the City’s form of a grid to meet Department of Utilities, varying rates of demand from Sacramento City design different locations within the standards, and the terms of Plan Area. the City’s NPDES permit.
Policy CS‐1.3: In accordance with City of Goal CS‐4: Provide adequate electrical and Sacramento standards, gas service to serve the project development, require landscaping within and provide a program of energy the Plan Area to utilize conservation. drought resistant plantings Policy CS‐4.1: Implement strategies to and water conservative promote additional energy irrigation methods, such as conservation, beyond the timed drip irrigation. level required under Goal CS‐2: Provide for the sanitary sewage California Title 24 building needs of the project while facilitating the standards, to the extent that City in complying with standards such approaches are found to established by the City’s NPDES permit be feasible and cost effective.
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 4-17 City of Sacramento 4 PRINCIPALS, GOALS, AND POLICIES
Policy CS‐4.3: Encourage early consultation Policy CS‐6.2: Provide enclosed facilities between project developers that screen trash and and the Sacramento recycling containers from Municipal Utilities District to pedestrian views and determine the appropriate discourage “picking” of electrical and gas infra‐ recyclable containers. structure to serve the Plan area, including appropriate 7. Historic and Cultural Resources energy conservation The following are the goals and policies for measures. historic resources in the Railyards area. Goal CS‐5: Provide for adequate school resources in the form of facilities on‐site, Goal HR‐1: Provide for the public use and off‐ site or through in‐lieu fees to meet the enjoyment of historic resources within the needs of future residents. Plan Area.
Policy CS‐5.1: Ensure that school facilities or Policy HR‐1.1: Allow a mixture of public‐ in‐lieu fees are provided at a oriented, cultural, and commercial‐recreational uses level that accurately reflects that reinforcel the Centra actual student generation Shops District as a regional within the Plan Area. destination and that pro‐ Policy CS‐5.2: Recognize the need for mote viable reuse of the alternative types of school historic district. facilities within the Plan Area and/or accommodate school Policy HR‐1.2: Preserve historic resources demands off‐site so that within the Central Shops demand for school facilities is District. met, while building on the Policy HR‐1.3: Ensure that rehabilitation of unique resources and mixed‐ the historic Central Shops use nature of the complex and features development. conform to standards for Goal CS‐6: Provide for solid waste and preservation of historic recycling disposal and collection systems to properties set forth in Section ensure safe, efficient, movement of waste 17.604 and other related from the Railyards to disposal sites. sections of Title 17 of the Sacramento Municipal Code. Policy CS‐6.1: Design street and alley systems to minimize crossing Policy HR‐1.4: Preserve and rehabilitate the of sidewalks by service and Southern Pacific Depot recovery vehicles for solid complex in a manner that will enhance its civic significance waste, recycling, grease and in the downtown and other waste streams. Railyards area and in
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conformance with the City of Goal HAZ‐2: Ensure that over the entire life Sacramento’s SITF site plan. of the project, site inhabitants and users enjoy current and up‐to‐date levels of Goal HR‐2: Identify and protect environmental protection. archaeological resources that contribute to the understanding of the history and Policy HAZ‐2.1: If either reuse of land or a prehistory of the Railyards area. change of use in the Plan Area is proposed that would Policy HR‐2.1: Develop and implement an conflict with the remedial archaeological observation action plan restrictions, DTSC and evaluation plan to approval and remediation identify and recover reflecting current applicable archaeological resources, if exposure standards shall be any, within areas of the site implemented. during excavation, grading, and piling. Policy HAZ‐2.2: In the event that State cleanup standards are revised Policy HR‐2.2: Incorporate and interpret to be more protective of artifacts that highlight the human health, DTSC and site‘s prehistory, history, and property owners shall work especially the historic role to determine if additional and significance of the remediation requirements are Railyards. required and what party is 8. Hazardous Substances required to comply.
The goals and policies for hazardous Goal HAZ‐3: Coordinate project phasing substances are listed below. Detailed with remediation to protect site users from guidance for implementation of these goals exposure to unacceptable health risks. and policies is provided in Chapter 10. Policy HAZ‐3.1: Ensure that development is Goal HAZ‐1: Institute programs that implemented in accordance facilitate development and ensure that with DTSC approved land public health and safety and the use covenants. environment are protected at all times. Goal HAZ‐4: Remediation shall be carried Policy HAZ‐1.1: Ensure that city land use out to allow for redevelopment of the approvals are compatible Railyards while protecting human health with DTSC approved land and the environment. use covenants and that Policy HAZ‐4.1: Fully protect human health development‐related and the environment through excavation and dewatering the implementation of the are also carried out in a DTSC approved land use manner which meets DTSC covenants. requirements.
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This chapter describes the general qualities spaces for a wide range of passive and active and character of the open space in the recreational activities, such as playing fields, Railyards. All drawings and photographic gathering areas, and casual seating spaces, images represent an illustrative concept of and serve as places of respite from the busy open space on the site. Over time, these urban environment. Parks can also serve as concepts may need to be adjusted and refined generators of economic vitality by providing to respond to actual buildout. space for farmers’ markets, concerts and festivities. Parks, plazas, and their trees also A. Open Space Overview serve as lungs for the city: they release oxygen into the environment, consume carbon Open space, as it relates to the Railyards, is dioxide, filter pollutants, slow down runoff, broadly defined to capture a wide range of muffle urban noise, provide shade, reduce outdoor public spaces for residents, visitors, temperatures, counter urban heat island and employees. This includes the Riverfront effects, and provide wildlife habitat. For all of and associated trails, promenades, water these reasons, parks and plazas contribute to features, and river access; urban plazas within a higher quality of life in cities. the historic Central Shops, a gathering place among retail uses and cultural and For the purposes of this Plan, “open space” is entertainment venues; a 10‐acre community a broad term that refers to all spaces within park with a variety of attractions; traditional the Railyards that are not occupied by neighborhood parks within a residential area; buildings and are intended to serve a variety and pedestrian and bike paths. of recreational and public uses. The two primary types of open spaces within the Open space forms a key framework system to Railyards include parks and plazas. link the Railyards’ districts internally, as shown in Figure 5‐1, as well as the The term “park” refers to landscaped areas Sacramento and American Rivers and the that allow for passive and active recreational Central City. The framework of plazas, parks, activities. Parks may include a variety of paseos, and connecting paths will provide the elements, including designated areas for Railyards with a mixture of dynamic open specific sports; such as baseball diamonds; spaces, ranging from urban civic plazas to playing areas for children with facilities such passive neighborhood parks, similar to the as swing sets, tot‐lots; shaded and landscaped urban open space components of other great seating or recreational areas; community cities. gardens; walking and biking trails; and educational areas with interpretive signage. Parks and plazas provide a number of All of the parks described in this Plan are environmental, psychological, and economic publicly accessible. benefits in dense urban settings. Parks include
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 09/02/16 5-1 City of Sacramento 5 OPEN SPACE Source:
AECOM
Figure 5-1. Open Space Plan
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A “plaza” is another type of open space that West End. Develop a district that links the is typically smaller than a park. Plazas are entire Railyards project together with usually located in areas that are more pedestrian walkways, urban plazas, parks, intensely developed than parks. Though they the promenade, and other public spaces. may include plants, trees, and shrubs, most The largest park in the Railyards, Vista surfaces within plazas are characterized by‐ Park, will be located in this district. Vista pavement of hard, non‐living materials such Park will demarcate the northern edge of as stone, brick, or concrete. Plazas are usually the district and provide a large public located in close proximity to active ground space and recreational amenity directly floor uses, such as shops or restaurants as adjacent to the medical campus. part of the same or adjoining parcels. These features are most successful when they are furnished with movable seating, plantings of various scales, and trash receptacles which are monitored and regularly emptied.
B. Open Space Objectives
One overarching open space objective, which Delores Park, a “vista park” in San Francisco applies to the Railyards site as a whole, is to
provide a rich tree canopy, similar to that which already exists on many streets in East End. Create a new neighborhood that downtown Sacramento, along all new streets builds on the spirit of the city’s traditional and open spaces. Additionally, several open space‐oriented neighborhoods, with additional broad objectives for open space parks and greens central to East End have been developed for each of the districts district residential and non‐residential in the Railyards. These district objectives are parcels, along a landscaped pedestrian outlined below. axis anchored between Vista Park and the large event plaza of the MLS stadium. Depot District. Provide a clear open space connection between the Railyards and Riverfront District. Develop a district downtown Sacramento. where the Railyards connects to the Sacramento River through innovative Central Shops District. In order to convey design under the freeway that attracts the historic interconnected functions people to the vibrant waterfront and its between the Central Shops buildings, it is restaurants featuring spectacular important to maintain a strong visual riverfront views; high‐rise buildings relationship between the buildings potentially for a hotel or housing; and the through a mixture of urban public spaces, promenade, parks and open space. A key with careful placement of retail, feature of this district will be buildings set museums, night clubs, performance space, in a park‐like setting along the riverfront. galleries, and restaurants which operate at hours supportive of the residential and tourism activities envisioned herein. Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 09/02/16 5-3 City of Sacramento 5 OPEN SPACE
In addition to these overarching objectives, Celebrate Sacramento’s history as a rail each district has a series of more specific center through the use of outdoor spaces intentions for the design and function of its and public art that provide educational open spaces. The character and general and interpretive opportunities. nature of the five districts that make up the Design public spaces in the Central Shops Railyards, including key open space concept District with unique plazas that define drawings, are described and shown below. public and private space and other open space forms that accommodate large 1. Depot District gatherings. This district will serve as a transit center and Create inviting, safe and comfortable a connection between the Railyards and public spaces integrated with a mixture of downtown Sacramento. There are three uses such as shops, museums, music objectives for open space in the Depot District venues, jazz clubs, galleries, a performing which will be master planned as part of the arts theater, and restaurants surrounding Sacramento Valley Station: the historic Central Shops. Develop a plaza at the entrance of the Respect and maintain historic signage Depot that frames the entryway into the remaining frome th former railroad Railyards. operations. Provide an urban public space for public The following open space features will be events which respects the character of the located in the Central Shops district: historic structures, essentially creating outdoor rooms. Roundhouse Plaza. A plaza freshly interprets the original structure and use of Provide easy access through multiple the roundhouse while honoring the transportation modes, to public spaces historic nature of the site and allowing for and bike and pedestrian pathways in the the potential for the roundhouse to be Downtown and Railyards area. reconstructed. The plaza is an active space with frequent movement among adjacent uses. The design intent for Roundhouse 2. Central Shops District & Transition Zone Plaza is to create an attractive, active, and The Central Shops represent the historic core urban park centered in the Railyards for of the Railyards. This location within the residents, visitors, and workers to enjoy. Railyards provides close connectivity to Old Powerhouse Court. This plaza is Sacramento and the Riverfront District. There surrounded on all four sides by historic are four objectives for open space in the shops. The plaza should reflect this Central Shops District: historic context and largely remain open Utilize the historic Central Shops complex to facilitate circulation through these and features as a primary design element spaces. for public spaces. Market Plaza. Market Plaza is inspired by its historic context, shaped to encourage
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movement, informal gathering, and patronage of shops, hotels, and other visibility between structures. The plaza is businesses. active, with pedestrian traffic from retail Provide space for programmed users, museum attendees, and other performances and informal outdoor visitors. meetings. Museum Park. This park knits the Riverfront and the Central Shops districts The following open space features will be together. The portion of the park east of located in the West End district: the curving rail line will be similar in Stanford Walk. Stanford Walk is a character to the central shops open space. pedestrian connection, extending from The area west of the curving rail will be Stanford Street, within the Central Shops the passage zone between the shops and district, and terminating at Vista Park. the river. This will be a playful and The corridor will create a strong visual, inviting area that will encourage pedestrian and bicycle link between the circulation through these spaces, diverse uses in these districts, connecting accommodate large crowds and events at the historic district with the medical the Railroad Technology Museum, and campus, and Vista Park through various will maintain visibility to the river. programmed open space uses. As the terrain rises, the views of the Central City 3. West End District change. Thus, designers should consider The West End consists of an array of retail, opportunities for pedestrians to enjoy the office, medical campus, and some residential views. uses. Open space in this district will provide 5th Street Steps. The 5th Street Steps are links to the entire Plan Area and the existing the first major entry point to the Central peripheral urban fabric. There are five Shops once visitors cross the railroad. A objectives for the open space in the West End grand staircase will mark this entry point District: into the Shops. 5th Street will widen at Connect downtown, the Railyards, and this location to create a plaza. the river via off street trails, pedestrian corridors, and parks. 4. East End District
Create open space that supports a 24‐hour This district occupies the northeast quadrant urban live/work environment that of the Railyards. Open space will support the celebrates the contemporary culture of district’s primarily residential character and Sacramento. provide a clear connection to the areas north of the Railyards. The open spaces in the East Support transit use with pedestrian‐ End will also draw visitors from elsewhere in oriented development and cross‐district the Plan Area and the Sacramento region. bikeways. There are five objectives for the open space in Provide strong landscape design of public the East End District: parks and plazas that encourage the
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 09/02/16 5-5 City of Sacramento 5 OPEN SPACE
Create open space that supports a new East End Neighborhood Parks. The East residential neighborhood, designed in the End Neighborhood Parks will essentially spirit of the city’s traditional urban be a gathering place for residents and neighborhoods, with parks and open visitors of the East End District. It features spaces as central features of the five distinct open space area designed to neighborhood. support a variety of active and passive community activities, including play Reinforce the concept of a transit‐oriented areas, gardening, lounging, formal or neighborhood. informal community gathering, and Create a dynamic linear space for shaded pedestrian paths. These distinct residents to gather, walk, tsi or dine open spaces will provide an urban retreat outside, exercise, and relax. for outdoor dining, informal Mass buildings along a build‐to‐line along performances, play, and other lively the street, with step backs from the street activity. The Neighborhood Parks will be to permit café dining spaces or to step connected by wide landscaped corridors back from public parks in order to allow for pedestrians and bikers traveling access to sunlight throughout most of the between the MLS stadium plaza to the day and create a more expansive feel to east and Vista Park to the west. the public space. 5. Riverfront District Create a strong connection to the MLS The Riverfront District will connect the Stadium from other districts in the Railyards to the Sacramento River, providing Railyards, Downtown, and the River the city with an opportunity to reclaim a part District Area. of its geographical history with a The following open space features will be reinvigorated waterfront, replete with located in the East End district: restaurants featuring spectacular views, high‐ rise hotel and/or housing development, and Vista Park. Vista Park responds to the parks and open space. To utilize this open existing grades with sculptural landforms space and the trails along the American River that shape functional spaces. A playing Parkway, this District emphasizes pedestrian field and amphitheater nestle into the and bicycle access. There are six objectives for edges of the landform, creating space for the open space in the Riverfront District: performances and play. The park is informal in character, using spare Connect the Railyards to the waterfront materials and a planting palette that with restaurants, hotels, housing, parks, highlights the landform as the main and open space. element in the park. Consider using Celebrate reclaiming part of Sacramento’s signage to encourage enjoyment of the geographical history. views, such as identifying suggested Activate the waterfront with open space locations for photographing the Central and pedestrian and bike access. City.
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Implement the Sacramento Riverfront These include linear open spaces along South Master Plan, including reaching across the Park Street and Bercut Drive. river to West Sacramento. The following additional features will be Create a regional scale open space located in the Railyards: amenity. Chinese Landscape Design Theme. Celebrate the historical significance by A Chinese landscape design theme is including a national monument at the proposed to be included as part of the terminus of the transcontinental railroad. SITF development to help commemorate the importance of the Chinese to the Consider opportunities for interpreting development of the transcontinental the natural environment through signage railroad in Sacramento. This landscape and providing locations for interpretative theme will provide an interesting open messaging. space that builds on the concepts of The following open space feature will be education and history in the Railyards. A located in the Riverfront district: monument or art piece may be a central component of this landscape, celebrating Riverfront Park. Riverfront Park is a the culture and contributions of Chinese linear park that combines riparian railroad workers. planting with active uses, water access, and smaller gathering spaces. The park The following open space feature will weave allows for a mix of active and passive uses throughout the entire Railyards area: that will draw users from all districts and Interpretive Walk. A final open space from around the city. component proposed is an interpretive 6. Additional Open Space Elements walk connecting historic points of interest between Alkali Flat, the Railyards, and In addition to these programmed open space Old Sacramento. The pedestrian walk will elements, the Railyards will also include a celebrate the history of Sacramento and number of additional linear open space areas enrich the pedestrian experience by that improve community connections or providing an educational component. The connect to the specific open space features specific location and route of the already discussed in this chapter. There are interpretive walk has not yet been two objectives for these open spaces: determined. Connect programmed open space features Please see Chapter 3 of the Railyards Design to one another. Guidelines for more detailed information Provide pedestrian and bicycle access regarding the design of open spaces within between open space elements, minimizing the Railyards. the number of at‐grade street crossings that might pose a conflict between bicycles and pedestrians and vehicles.
Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 09/02/16 5-7 City of Sacramento 5 OPEN SPACE
C. Open Space Stories 2. Culture and Entertainment Celebrating the indomitable spirit that The Railyards’ open spaces are organized overcame flood and fire to build a city and around three primary stories. moved mountains to build a railroad, the cultural and entertainment core bursts with 1. History and Education opportunities for the exploration of In addition to being a place to live, work, and Sacramento’s unique history through play, the Railyards will include both recreational and interpretive activities. historical and educational components that can be integrated into open spaces. Visitors to the site will be able to experience the Central Shops and develop an understanding of what life was like during the early years of Sacramento.
Market The heart of the Central Shops, Market Plaza is a gathering spot for restaurant goers, retail shoppers, museum visitors, and anyone looking to relax, have fun and take in the historic surroundings in an energizing environment. History The Central Shops provide a vibrant core for the project, meshing retail, a market, restaurants, and plazas. It is one of several areas that create a unique space for children to play and gather.
Performance Vista Park will be a gathering spot for performances and events. It may include an amphitheater that could double as a sports field to maximize the potential of the space.
Learn Museum Park will have space for kids to play and learn near the Central Shops. A large plaza will provide space for gathering and celebration.
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Celebration A concourse of urban plazas link the site, emphasizing the public act of coming, moving, or flowing together as they move between the different cultural and entertainment destinations.
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3. Parks, Rivers and Parkways Residents and visitors alike will be able to choose from a wide variety of open spaces where they can spend their time: whether they want to go for a stroll through the East End neighborhood parks, throw a frisbee in Vista Park, go for a jog alongr the rive in
Riverfront Park, or catch a movie in Museum Source: EDAW, Inc. Park, the open spaces in the Railyards will offer something for everyone. A strong Stroll Stanford Walk is a series of urban linear plazas and pedestrian network will provide easy access, open spaces that connect Vista Park to the Central as will a series of strategic connections that Shops district, and will provide a pedestrian‐ and facilitate movement within the site, the city, bicycle‐oriented environment for enjoying mixed commercial and entertainment establishments in the and the region. district.
Source: AECOM Gather Neighborhood Parks in the East End District are a meeting place for residents, office workers, and site visitors. Toss a ball at the green, meet friends for lunch, walk the dog, or have a picnic... the space is versatile, inviting, and vibrant.
Source: AECOM
Relax The public gathering spaces & trails in Vista Park will offer residents and visitors a variety of relaxing, restorative spaces. Visitors to the park will enjoy its versatility, whether they choose to catch a music performance, play ball, or take in the views while bicycling through the park.
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Source: AECOM
Connection River Park will connect the project to the city and the region. Using the guidelines established in the Sacramento Riverfront Master Plan, the park will celebrate the river.
The Neighborhood Parks area connects Vista Park in the West End District to the East End District neighborhoods and MLS Stadium.
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This chapter describes circulation and streetscape features within the Plan Area, as The unique location of the Railyards site well as regional transportation connections allows for development of the Plan Area to that will be provided at the SITF. serve as both a major transportation hub and Development of all streets within the Plan as a connector, reestablishing continuity in the Area will conform to the City of Sacramento’s urban fabric between Downtown, Alkali Flat, Grid 3.0, Traffic Calming Guidelines and and the River District area. The street network Pedestrian Friendly Street Standards. shown in this Plan is designed to accommodate the significant volume of new A. Roadway Network traffic that new development within the Plan Area will generate. It also offers a major The Plan provides a comprehensive, opportunity to improve traffic distribution context‐sensitive local street network within within the Downtown. the Railyards site that will connect to the Central City street network. Streets are In addition to completing the Central City’s organized in a hierarchy consisting of circulation system, development of the boulevards, major streets, main street, and Railyards site will reinforce the Downtown as minor streets, each with specific objectives for a regional transportation hub. The Railyards use and physical design characteristics and area has played an historic transportation role standards to satisfy those objectives. within the City and region. Development of Important new roadways in the Plan Area the Railyards site will play this role once again include the recently built Railyards Boulevard, by establishing a regional transportation which runs east-west through the center of the interchange point at the proposed Sacramento site, as well as 5th and 7th Streets that will Intermodal Transportation Facility (SITF). extend north-south across the Plan Area to This opportunity will build upon the success connect with existing streets in the River of Amtrak and Capitol Corridor services and District area. Other important new streets encourage the development of a include 6th Street, South Park Street, and comprehensive intercity and commuter rail Camille Lane. Roadways that will be network. The Downtown‐ extended, expanded, or modified to provide Natomas‐Airport (DNA) light rail extension direct access into the Railyards site include traverses the site along 7th Street, providing a Bercut Drive, Jibboom Street, F Street, G connection to the existing light rail service. Street, as well as North B Street, 8th Street, and The DNA line will include a light rail stop North 10th Street. north of the intersection of 7th Street and Railyards Boulevard within easy walking In addition to providing improved circulation distance from proposed residential within the site and to adjacent neighborhoods, neighborhoods and MLS stadium. the local roadway network will also serve to
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connect the Railyards site to one of the within the Railyards can be found with the region’s most important pieces of Tentative Map which prevails over street transportation infrastructure: Interstate 5, sections shown in this chapter. Table 6‐1 which runs north‐south through the western identifies the Specific Plan street types and end of the Plan Area and plays an important General Plan functional classifications. role in organizing the site. It separates the 1. Boulevard more urban and mixed‐use districts east of the interstate, including the West End and the a. Railyards Boulevard Central Shops, from the more open space Railyards Boulevard is proposed as the oriented Riverfront District. Fifth Street and primary east-west street in the Plan Area, 7th Street will provide main access to the site traversing both the West End and East End from the Richards Boulevard and I Street districts and bisecting the Plan Area roughly interchanges to the interstate. Jibboom Street down the middle. Railyards Boulevard is and Bercut Drive will also provide alternate proposed to extend from 12th Street on the riverfront access from the Richards Boulevard east to Jibboom Streete on th west and connect interchange, connecting directly to the west with the north-south roadways (i.e. 5th, 7th, end of Railyards Boulevard. 8th, and 10th Streets) that lead to downtown Various Agencies are collaborating on and the River District area. planning and design a new bridge across the Railyards Boulevard will exhibit a Sacramento River at I Street. The new span “boulevard” character, with wide travel paths will include provisions for bike lanes and flanked by wide sidewalks and large shade sidewalks to provide more connections trees. In addition to accommodating large between planned new investments on both volumes of vehicle traffic, it also has Class 2 sides of the River. bicycle lanes or a Class 1 trail along its entire In addition, a one‐way in vehicle extension of length and serves as a primary access route for Richards Boulevard and two‐way cycle track bicyclists. will connect Richards Boulevard directly with In terms of land use, Railyards Boulevard will 12th Street provide access to two anchors in the Plan Area Though not identified in the circulation plan, – the medical campus in the West End district local access provided through alleys shall be and the MLS Stadium in the East End district. developed on larger ‐blocks, similar to or The boulevard will also provide access to greater than the traditional Central City block mixed‐use residential and office buildings in of approximately 2.5 acres. A discussion of the the two districts. types, function, and design of alleys are further b. North 10th Street addressed in the Railyards Design Guidelines. North 10th Street, which begins at Railyards This section will describe the specific features Boulevard and exits the Plan Area towards of streets in the Plan Area, including their North B Street, provides access to the River intended function and character. Figure 6‐1 District to the north from the eastern‐most provides a circulation diagram for the entire corner of the East End District. Plan Area. Specific details of street sections
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Figure 6-1. Circulation
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Table 6‐1 Street Section Characteristics General Plan Functional Specific Plan Street Type Classification Railyards Boulevard – Bercut Drive to Jibboom Street Boulevard Arterial Railyards Boulevard ‐ between Bercut Drive and 7th Street Boulevard Arterial (Existing) Railyards Boulevard – between 7th and 10th Streets Boulevard Arterial North 10th Street Boulevard Arterial
5th Street – between North B Street and Railyards Boulevard Major Street Arterial 5th Street ‐ between Railyards Boulevard and Camille Lane Major Street Arterial (Existing) 5th Street ‐ between Camille Lane and tracks (Existing) Major Street Arterial 5th Street Overpass (Existing) Major Street Arterial 5th Street ‐ between H Street and tracks (Existing) Major Street Arterial 7th Street ‐ between South Park Street and North B Street Major Street Arterial
7th Street ‐ at Light Rail transit station, Major Street Arterial 7th Street ‐ between tracks and Railyards Blvd. Major Street Arterial 7th Street under tracks Major Street Arterial 7th Street ‐ between F Street and railroad tracks Major Street Arterial 6th Street ‐ between Railyards Blvd. and North B Street Major Street Major Collector 6th Street ‐ between Railyards Blvd. and UPRR Tracks Major Street Major Collector (Railyards Boulevard to Camille Lane, Existing) 6th Street Overpass Major Street Major Collector 6th Street – between G Street and tracks Major Street Major Collector South Park Street ‐ between Bercut Drive and Vista Park Major Street Major Collector South Park Street ‐ at Vista Park Major Street Major Collector South Park Street ‐ between 5th Street and 7th Street Major Street Major Collector North B Street –5th Street to 7th Street Major Street Major Collector North B Street – 7th Street to 8th Streets Major Street Major Collector
North B Street – 8th Street to 10th Street Major Street Major Collector North B Street – 10th Street to 12th Street (Existing) Major Street Major Collector Bercut Drive – Railyards Blvd. to South Park Street Major Street Minor Collector Bercut Drive – south of Railyards Blvd. Major Street Minor Collector Camille Lane – Bercut Drive to 5th Street Major Street Major Collector Camille Lane – 5th Street to 6th Street Major Street Major Collector
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intersects with Railyards Boulevard and South 2. Major Streets Park Street. 5th Street rises to meet the higher Together with Railyards Boulevard, major elevation of Vista Park before dropping again streets in the Railyards Plan Area are the to exit the Plan Area at North B Street. primary travel routes for vehicles, bicycles In addition to being a primary route for and pedestrians traversing the site. Most vehicle travel, 5th Street will have wide major streets connect directly to major sidewalks with landscaped planting strips for destinations outside of the Plan Area. its entire length (with the exception of the a. 5th Street bridge span) and will therefore serve as an 5th Street is a two‐way transportation artery attractive route for pedestrians walking and the primary circulation route for vehicles between Downtown and the Railyards. A traveling north‐south across the Plan Area. 5th common design language will run the Street runs through the center of the Railyards length of the street, serving as a unifying site, bridging between the River District to the element for the Depot, Central Shops, and north and the existing Downtown to the south West End districts. The streetscape should by connecting H Street to North B Street. 5th be grand in scale, commensurate with the Street draws Downtown north and effectively size and function of this street. removes the physical barrier between b. 7th Street Downtown and its northern neighborhoods. In addition to being envisioned as the primary As it moves through the Railyards site, 5th thoroughfare for vehicles moving north‐south Street is bordered by the Central Shops across the Plan Area, 7th Street is the residential, commercial, office, and retail uses. proposed alignment for the The street which has already been extended Downtown‐Natomas‐Airport light rail line, between H Street and Railyards Boulevard which will eventually carry passengers from will provide improved access to the SITF. To Downtown to the Sacramento International provide a continuous pedestrian linkage Airport. 7th Street will carry cars between the between the Downtown and the northern River District area and Downtown, serving as portions of the Railyards site, 5th Street and its the primary transportation link to the East fronting structures rises gently beginning at I End District for individuals arriving from street. Sidewalks crossing over the railroad are points north of the site. sloped gently enough and engineered Traveling southbound from the River District specifically to ensure compliance with the area, vehicles will enter the Plan Area at North Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The B Street, immediately encountering residential roadway reaches a maximum street‐level mixed‐use blocks. elevation as it extends over the relocated Union Pacific rail corridor. It then returns to The right‐of‐way on 7th Street varies along its grade level just north of the intersection with length. It becomes widest between South Park Camille Lane, a pedestrian‐oriented street Street and Railyards Boulevard, the proposed which provides access to the Riverfront, location for the Railyards LRT stop. Central Shops, and much of the West End While 5th and 6th Streets pass over the Union districts. North of Camille Lane, 5th Street Pacific rail corridor, traffic on 7th Street is
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carried underneath the tracks through an providing primary access to the medical existing underpass that will accommodate campus between Bercut Drive and 5th Street vehicular and light rail traffic. Pedestrian/bike for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The traffic along 7th Street is planned at–grade section of South Park Street at Vista Park immediately south of Railyards Boulevard, features expanded sidewalks adjacent to the but will then be re‐routed to utilize the 6th park. The section of South Park Street, east of Street overpass pedestrian/bike lanes to 5th Street travels through the proposed connect to the south side of the railroad tracks. residential neighborhoods, featuring wide sidewalks and planters with large street trees Most pedestrian activity across the heavy rail spaced evenly apart. corridor is likely to migrate to 5th and 6th Streets, which are better integrated into the e. North B Street street network and fronted by more North B Street will be an important pedestrian‐oriented uses. However, the thoroughfare that runs along the northern portions of 7th Street between Railyards border of the East End District. North B Street Boulevard and the neighborhood park in the will carry traffic east‐west north of the Plan East End residential area will be an important Area, connecting with the streets that run nexus of pedestrian activity, with a steady through the Downtown to the south and flow of passengers embarking and Richards Boulevard and the streets running disembarking from the trains. These blocks through the River District to the north. should receive special attention in terms of streetscape design. f. Bercut Drive
c. 6th Street Bercut Drive, an existing roadway, is primary a western outlet for Railyards Boulevard. The While 5th and 7th Streets will serve as the street, which currently begins near its future primary conduits for traffic moving north‐ intersection with Railyards Boulevard and south across the Plan Area, 6th Street will be a extends north of Richards Boulevard, runs slower moving, more pedestrian and along the eastern edge of Interstate 5, which is bicycle‐friendly alternative. 6th Street enters elevated as it travels through the Plan Area. the Depot District at I Street, proceeds over the Bercut Drive will be extended southward to railroad tracks via a bridge and connects to provide access to the Riverfront and Central Camille Lane before intersecting with Shops districts. Bercut Drive varies in Railyards Boulevard. right‐of‐way along its length. Wide sidewalks 6th Street north of Railyards Boulevard will be and street trees line the east side of the street; more residential in character. South of while a Class 1 bicycle and pedestrian path is Railyards Boulevard, 6th Street serves a mix of planned along the west side of the street. uses with a more commercial focus. Between g. Jibboom Street H Street and Richards Boulevard, 6th Street will have separated bicycle lanes. Currently, Jibboom Street begins at the I‐5/Richards Boulevard interchange north of d. South Park Street the Plan Area, runs south along the riverfront In the northwestern part of the Railyards site, and is elevated to connect with the existing I South Park Street is an important travel route, Street Bridge. The City of Sacramento is
6-6 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION 6 currently designing a replacement bridge greater internal connectivity within the site. which will connect Railyards Boulevard to They will also make some parcels more West Sacramento. As part of the I Street accessible, allowing for more service and Bridge project, the elevated portion of parking entrances and fewer curb cuts on the Jibboom Street will be removed and the west major pedestrian‐oriented streets. Traffic end of Railyards Boulevard will be modified originating off‐site will remain on the major to accommodate the proposed grade streets and boulevards that are intended to differential with the east abutments. The direct traffic through the Railyards site and off intersection of Jibboom Street and Railyards minor streets, most of which are primarily Boulevard will become a three leg intersection residential or commercial‐serving. Minor in its final condition. streets are described by district below. h. Camille Lane a. West End Camille lane is oriented east‐west through the The small block pattern of Downtown will be West End district, providing access to the continued in the West End and East End adjacent mixed‐use parcels and a primary districts, providing a multiplicity of local vehicular connection to the Riverfront district. routes and access points. In the West End, The street curves gently as it moves across the minor streets include Huntington Street and site, to accommodate vehicular, bicycle, and Stevens Street, to provide access to mixed‐use pedestrian traffic and parking serving adjacent development. land uses. b. East End 3. Main Street Minor streets in the East End will offer a quiet Stanford Street is the primary pedestrian‐friendly environment, lined with pedestrian‐oriented commercial main street in trees and wide sidewalks and will primarily the Plan Area and will be lined with uses such provide access to residential buildings. Minor as, but not limited to, one and two stories of streets in the East End District include Judah retail entertainment facilities and loft housing, Street, providing residential area access; 8th a hotel, and office spaces above. These Street, between Railyards Boulevard and characteristics distinguish it as a “main North B Street, providing local access to the street.” Stanford Street will run north‐south MLS stadium and adjacent mixed‐use providing an important pedestrian connection development; and Railyards Boulevard, between the Central Shops district and Vista between 10th and 12th Street. East of 10th Park, in combination with a pedestrian Street, Railyards Boulevard changes from a easement north of Railyards Boulevard. boulevard and narrows in profile, to accommodate west‐bound traffic from 12th Stanford Street will include generous Street into the Railyards Boulevard. sidewalks to allow for large pedestrian volumes and outdoor seating. c. Depot District
4. Minor Streets The minor streets in the Depot District serve as local connectors to the primary north-south Several minor streets will stretch between the thoroughfares that traverse the Railyards site, major roadways in the Plan Area, providing including 5th, 6th, and 7th Streets. They also
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provide access to the numerous office/ where to find parking in the area; thereby, residential mixed‐use blocks that are south of minimizing the need for motorists to circle the the relocated railroad corridor. Minor streets area looking for a parking space. in the Depot District include F Street and G Conceptual locations and capacities for Street. F Street and G Street extend the potential publicly accessible parking facilities Downtown grid into the Depot District, are shown in Figure 6‐2. These locations and thereby integrating the Plan Area into capacities may be moved or changed slightly Sacramento’s existing urban fabric. as the Specific Plan is developed, provided B. Parking that the overall resulting traffic patterns and impacts considered in the Specific Plan EIR do Most parking serving development in the Plan not change. Area will be accommodated in structures in C. Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation the central portions of blocks that are integrated with the buildings they serve. Streets, blocks, and land uses in the Specific There will also be stand‐alone public parking Plan Area will be laid out in ways that areas and structures built in the Plan Area, encourage walking and bicycling. Streets will which will be specifically intended to support generally be lined with comfortable the retail, commercial, and entertainment pedestrian amenities such as attractive shade venue spaces in and around the Central trees, street furniture, and pedestrian-scaled Shops, Riverfront, and West End districts and lighting to create a cozy urban atmosphere. near the proposed MLS Stadium and Buildings will be built to the lot line; thereby public/quasi‐public areas in the East End providing a sense of enclosure to passersby on district. These structures will support a “park the street. Where appropriate, pedestrian once” strategy for the Specific Plan’s core pathways will be separated from auto retail and entertainment area. Under this circulation routes. When the two meet at strategy, patrons arriving in the area by car intersections, a change in grade and materials will be encouraged to park once in a will occur to emphasize the conflict point and centrally‐located garage and will then be able to improve visibility and safety. Lighting will to walk to multiple destinations within the be provided for safety and to heighten area, thereby minimizing inter‐area auto trips. nighttime visibility. The development of centralized parking structures will also ensure that visitors know
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Figure 6-2. Conceptual Publicly Accessible Parking Locations and Capacities
A comprehensive network of plazas and open The Central Shops District will have no city space will contribute to the variety and streets or alleys, therefore street standards will interest experienced by pedestrians in the Plan not be required. The pedestrian network of the Area. Figure 6-3 shows pedestrian zones, Central Shops district will also be directly which include public plazas, sidewalks, connected to the Depot District via a tunnel promenades and special open space features. system. Walkability along the riverfront will The East End District will include pedestrian also be enhanced with the removal of parts of paths along South Park Street within a Jibboom Street and the development of new widened pedestrian‐open space park‐like uses. A well‐designed wayfinding program setting along both sides of the street and will ensure that visitors moving around the particularly along the northern edge, visually Plan Area on foot can easily find their way connecting Vista Park to the MLS Stadium. around. From 5th Street, a series of plazas and pedestrian alleys unfold on Railyards Boulevard and pedestrians can access the Central Shops district at multiple points on Camille Lane. An intricate network of pedestrian paths and alleyways will provide circulation among the historic Central Shops.
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Figure 6-3. Bicycle and Pedestrian Network
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1. The Sacramento Intermodal Bicyclists will find the Plan Area similarly Transportation Facility accessible. The Specific Plan calls for a network of on- and off‐street bicycle paths. The success of transit is strongly dependent Class 2 bikeways will travel both ways on upon the level of convenience that is offered to Railyards Boulevard, 5th Street, 6th Street, the patron. The most direct service with the South Park Street, North B Street, Camille fewest mode changes will enjoy the highest Lane, and G Street; off‐street Class 1 pathways levels of ridership. Where mode changes are for bicycles and pedestrians will extend across required, transfers need to be direct and convenient, both in terms of scheduling and the site in several places, including Railyards proximity. The ability to provide multiple Boulevard, east of 7th Street; Bercut Drive; F transit options at transfer points increases the Street, within the intermodal parcel through level of synergy between modes and the Big Four Bend; and along the river, just convenience for riders. west of Jibboom Street. Protected Class 4 bicycle lanes are designated on F Street west of This Specific Plan includes the City’s plan for 7th Street and along both sides of 6th Street the creation of a regional transportation itself from H Street to Railyards Boulevard. terminal, referred to as the SITF that can Finally, the publicly accessible main street provide this synergy. The SITF will also build upon the State’s commitment to increase route, Stanford Street, is also designated as a commuter and intercity rail service, as well as bicycle route, where bicycles and cars share a the region’s objective for expanding its light wide travel lane. Bicycle parking will be rail system, all of which will accommodate located close to all development. Figure 6‐3 increased ridership and allow for future provides an overview of the bicycle network implementation of a high‐speed rail system. in the Plan Area The Intermodal Facility will provide a direct D. Transit Systems connection between the transit systems operated by Amtrak, Capitol Corridor, and Given its location and potential for becoming the San Joaquin Corridor intercity rail a major live/work site in the Sacramento services; intercity bus services including region, the Plan Area is also well positioned to Greyhound; the Sacramento Regional Transit serve as a regional transportation hub. District’s local light rail; and fixed route bus Multiple modes of transportation converge in services and other local public transit systems, the Plan Area, including passenger rail, freight as well as regional bus and local shuttle rail, light rail, local and regional bus service, services serving the downtown area. The and freeway vehicular traffic. The Plan ties design of the SITF will offer the transit patron many of these modes together at the proposed direct and convenient access to virtually all SITF. This section describes the various transit regional transit modes. The location of the options available to the site and the potential SITF within the Plan Area will also serve as a for the SITF to transform the nature of major catalyst for adjacent development, transportation into downtown Sacramento including employment centers and residential and the Railyards area. uses, all within close walking distance to the SITF and Downtown Sacramento. The SITF will ultimately include two to three dedicated through‐mainline freight tracks that
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will provide access to four dedicated 2. Passenger Rail passenger tracks within the SITF. Two The Capitol Corridor intercity train service passenger platforms will provide access to the currently operates approximately 32 trains a passenger trains that will range in length from day to the station and may expand service due approximately 600 to 1,400 feet. Since the to increasing passenger traffic. Amtrak is passenger tracks will be situated on the under contract with Capitol Corridor to interior of the rail corridor with freight tracks operate that service and also operates eight on the outside, the passenger rail platforms trains on the San Joaquin route to Bakersfield, will be grade‐separated from all roadways in addition to two roundtrip long‐haul and bicycle and pedestrian corridors. interstate passenger trains, the Coast Starlight Connections to the Depot building and light and the California Zephyr that traverse the rail platforms will be provided by walkways, Plan Area in each direction every day. stairs and ramps, and possibly escalators and elevators. Passenger services will be Sacramento continues to experience an distributed throughout the buildings and increasing demand for transportation services. concourse comprising the SITF, including the Amtrak’s long distance inter‐city service is historic Southern Pacific Railroad Depot also expected to grow, which would justify an building, the concourse and possibly a new increase in the number of trains serving the passenger terminal, adjacent to the passenger region. While these continued increases in platforms and bus bays. Passenger services ridership and number of trains will benefit will include ticketing and information services regional mobility, they will exacerbate for all transit modes, and travelers’ assistance, operational limitations in the current facility. baggage handling, and passenger waiting 3. Light Rail areas. In addition, passenger amenities, such as restaurants, news, magazine and book Light rail service is currently provided at the stores, fast food services, retail services, and a Sacramento Valley Station and extends with a hotel may also be provided as part of or single track through the Area Plan with the surrounding the SITF. Green Line which terminates at the Town Ship 9 Station along Richards Boulevard. Long Convenient patron parking will be provided term, the Amtrak Folsom light rail line would in close proximity to the SITF. Additional continue to terminate at the Depot while the parking options can be made available, Downtown Natomas Airport (DNA) line including satellite parking lots with shuttle would extend with a second track along 7th service to the SITF in the event that additional Street into the Plan Area. In 2003, the parking is needed. Sacramento Regional Transit District adopted In addition, the SITF will provide convenient the Locally Preferred Alternative for the DNA and secure bicycle parking within close line, which will traverse the Plan Area along proximity of the light rail platform. The 7th Street, connecting to Richards Boulevard, number of locked bicycle racks will be traveling west along Richards Boulevard monitored to ensure that there is adequate towards the Interstate 5 freeway, crossing the storage to meet the demands of transit American River, extending north through patrons. A bicycle station may be provided Natomas and terminating at the Sacramento that offers additional amenities for bicyclists International Airport. and attendant parking.
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This expanded light rail line will be called the designated as a transit‐priority street, Sacramento Downtown/Natomas/Airport connecting downtown with Richards light rail transit line. This Plan identifies a new Boulevard. Figure 6‐4 provides a diagram of light rail station at 7th and South Park Streets. existing bus routes near the Plan Area. Also, the existing station, currently situated behind the Depot building, will be relocated 5. Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Study as part of the SITF project. It will be reoriented A partnership, including the cities of in a north south direction on the east side of Sacramento and West Sacramento, the the site, north of H Street. Northbound out of Sacramento Regional Transit District, and the the SITF, the light rail tracks will follow an F , Street alignment to 7th Street. An alternative Yolo County Transit District has studied the “bypass” would be provided on 7th Street, potential of introducing a streetcar route that between G and I Streets, that would be used would connect Downtown West Sacramento initially and when operations adjacent to the to Downtown Sacramento. The partnership Federal Building are restricted. Figure 6‐4 has concluded that a streetcar line is feasible illustrates the existing and planned light rail and recommends moving forward with routes through the Plan Area. preliminary environmental engineering and environmental analysis. The streetcar is The DNA light rail extension will play a envisioned as an “urban circulator” and a central transportation role within the Plan “pedestrian accelerator,” and is intended to Area and will ultimately provide a direct support the pedestrian‐oriented downtowns connection between City of Folsom, and waterfronts in the two cities that it would downtown, the SITF, the Natomas connect. The preferred alignment for the communities, and the Sacramento streetcar is shown in Figure 2‐3 International Airport. Higher density (Transportation Context) and in Figure 6‐4. residential and commercial land uses are designated along the light rail line to generate E. Freight Rail transit ridership. Presently, Union Pacific, Amtrak, and Capitol 4. Local and Regional Bus Service Corridor intercity trains operate at the The Railyards area is well served by the Sacramento Valley Station. Union Pacific Sacramento Regional Transit District, as well currently operates more than a dozen freight as other regional bus service providers. 17 bus trains on the main line through the Railyards routes stop at either F Street or G Street on 7th site each day. Union Pacific has agreed to Street and an additional 10 bus routes stop on move its freight tracks to a location J Street between 3rd and 6th Streets. The immediately south of the Central Shops to ultimate bus system serving the Plan Area will straighten the alignment to increase the consist of Regional Transit bus operations, efficiency, capacity, and safety of the freight connecting at the SITF and extensions within operations. The freight tracks will be on the the Plan Area between Richards Boulevard outside of the new rail corridor with the passenger tracks and platforms in the middle. and the downtown, with transit services Local switching operations occur on spurs to provided by Regional Transit and other connect to the main line. municipal operators in the region that serve Downtown Sacramento. 7th Street will be
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Figure 6-4. Transit Routes
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This chapter provides a summary of the major A. Infrastructure utilities and infrastructure needed to support the development envisioned for the Railyards The infrastructure plan for the Railyards site area, and describes the approach to providing provides for the orderly and cost-effective the various key public services that will be construction of utilities, taking into account the demanded by future residents, employees, and long-term development objectives for the Plan visitors. This chapter is intended to be Area and the need for the upgrading of existing integrated with the Railyards Infrastructure utility systems in the Central City. The Plan also Financing Plan and the development agreement addresses key environmental considerations, between the City and the Railyards property related to water conservation, water quality, owner that will address in more detail the and energy conservation. The infrastructure phasing and financing of utilities and systems described in this section are conceptual infrastructure. This Specific Plan also presents a in nature and could change over the timeframe development framework that is consistent with of the Specific Plan, based on changes in the uses and development anticipated in the technology and the precise locations and Facilities Element of the River District Specific intensities of future development. Plan. The redevelopment of the Plan Area and its transformation from a predominantly industrial pattern of uses into a mixed-use residential and retail development with urban densities will require significant improvements to the existing utility systems, which are largely nonexistent. These improvements will require coordinated staging between private and public development to ensure that adequate capacity is provided and to allow for the financing of the major public infrastructure facilities.
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1. Water Supply The new 42-inch diameter pipe was constructed from the water treatment plant to a a. Existing Water Supply 42-inch diameter main at the intersection of I Water service in the Central City area, Street and 5th Street. The pipeline was including the Railyards site, is provided by the designed and constructed as part of the City of Sacramento. Recent expansions of the Railyards development by the City. two City Water Treatment Plants have increased the maximum capacity of these Installation of the water distribution will occur facilities and well field, and planned future in phases, corresponding to the phasing for water supply is estimated to be adequate to construction of the Railyards development. serve the planned level of development in the Planned facilities for the water distribution Railyards area. system for the Railyards site are illustrated in Figure 7-1. As shown in this figure, the water In accordance with California Senate Bill 610 system for the Plan Area will consist of a grid (Chapter 643, Statutes of 2001), the City network of water distribution lines beneath prepared a water supply assessment, included street rights-of-way with connections to the in the Specific Plan Environmental Impact City’s transmission mains at the Plan Area Report, to provide a detailed assessment of the boundaries. projected water demands from the planned land uses in the Railyards site and the c. Water Conservation availability of current and projected future Water conservation is important both in water supply to meet those demands. reducing overall demands on the water supply and reducing outflows of wastewater to the b. Proposed Water Distribution System sanitary sewer system. Although existing water supply infrastructure is in place along 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, In order to ensure that the Railyard’s planned Railyards Boulevard, and into the Sacramento residential and non-residential uses minimize Valley Station and the Central Shops, most of excessive water use, the Specific Plan calls for the Railyards site lacks a water distribution the use of low-flow shower heads, water- system. Existing water mains on railroad conserving appliances, and low water use property will be abandoned. All new toilets that can reduce indoor water use. The distribution mains will serve the new CalGreen code also contains minimum development. Both existing and proposed requirements for water conservation in new transmission mains will support the development. California Assembly Bill 2572 distribution system. (Chapter 884, Statutes of 2004) mandates installation of water meters for all new The City recently constructed a new 42-inch residential and commercial buildings; this transmission main that traverse through the requirement will apply to all development in west side of the Railyard property. This the Railyards area. Further, in accordance with pipeline is a critical conduit for water delivery Chapter 15.92 of the City’s Code, Building and from the water treatment plant, located to the Construction, the Specific Plan includes a north of the Railyards, to the downtown area.
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Figure 7-1. Conceptual Water Distribution System
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series of water conserving landscape as part of an on-going process to improve the requirements that involve the use of drought- CSS system and update the CSSIP. These resistant landscaping and water-conserving projects are a mix of large regional storage irrigation methods to reduce water waste. vaults and large diameter pipes which serve as both conveyance and inline storage. 2. Wastewater and Stormwater Separate on-site systems for conveying sewage This section describes the existing and planned flows and stormwater would be constructed as new facilities for the Plan Area that will be part of the Railyards development, until the needed to adequately convey sewage and point where the sewer system joins the City’s stormwater flows within and from the CSS, near 3rd Street and I Street and the Railyards site. drainage is pumped directly to the river by the The Central City, including the Plan Area, is new Railyards pump station. The proposed served by a combined sewer system (CSS), wastewater and storm drainage systems are which conveys both types of flows to the described separately below. Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment a. Railyards Wastewater Facilities Plan (SRWTP) in the same pipe network. The capacity of the CSS is constrained by the terms Sanitary sewage from most of the site will be of a directive under a National Pollutant conveyed to the vicinity of 3rd and I Streets, Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) where it will enter a proposed new sewer on permit. During dry weather and small storm 3rd Street. A small area along 7th Street, south events, the CSS is able to handle the combined of the relocated main line railroad tracks will sewer and storm flows. During larger storm continue discharging into the existing events, flows may be routed the Combined combined sewer flowing east to 7th Street. Wastewater Treatment Plant (CWTP) and This existing sewer serves the existing Pioneer Reservoir for temporary storage. Flows Sacramento Valley Station, but will not be used that exceed the capacity of these facilities may for the new SITF. The proposed Railyards be released directly into the Sacramento River. sewer system is shown in Figure 7-2.
The City produced a Long Term Control Plan All sewage will flow to 3rd Street, except for a (LTCP) that includes system improvements to small portion of the site in the low area along reduce combined sewer overflows (CSO) to the 7th Street and H Street, which will flow to the Sacramento River and CSS outflows to city existing combined sewer in 7th Street. The streets. Chapter 13.05 of the City Code Railyards sanitary sewer system will serve the provides for a Combined System Development new Intermodal Transportation Facility, so the Fee to fund improvements that mitigate flow from the existing Amtrak depot, which downstream impacts. All development within now flows to the existing combined sewer in the Railyards will be subject to the CSS 7th Street, will no longer do so. These figures Development Fee. may vary depending on the manner in which flows from these parcels are allocated in design Many of these improvements have been of the structures. completed, others are in design or under study
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Figure 7-2. Conceptual Sewer Distribution System
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As part of the Railyards sewer system, the City Basin 52 is planned as part of the Railyards plans to divert sanitary sewage flows Specific Plan. originating from the Richards Boulevard area north of the Railyards to a proposed pumping Development of the new Railyards drainage station in the easterly portion of the Railyards. system will remove most of the Railyards This flow will be combined with that storm drainage from discharging directly to originating in the Railyards, resulting in a the existing portions of the CSS. combined peak flow of approximately 16 mgd to 3rd Street. i. Drainage Subareas There are four drainage subareas within the b. Storm Drainage System Railyards site, including a primary drainage Historically, the Railyards site has been area covering most of the site and three smaller drained by a combination of drainage-only and areas around the periphery of the Railyards combined drainage and sewage pipelines area: which discharged to both the 3rd Street and ♦ 7th Street combined sewers. In the past, this The majority of the Railyards site, system served the entire Railyards drainage approximately 227 acres, will drain by shed (except for about 12 acres on the fringes), gravity to a pumping station located near including the Sacramento Valley Station, its the northwest corner of the Railyards site. platform and main line track area. These ♦ The area of about 3.6 acres fronting on 7th pipelines were designed to a lower runoff Street, along the east side of the existing standard than that in use today, so heavy main line railroad embankment, is about 6 storms can result in ponding in parts of the feet lower than the track and Central Railyards site until the pipelines are able to Shops area and will continue to drain east drain the area. Approximately 27 acres of the to 7th Street. Railyard site drains to the CSS. Remediation ♦ Approximately 2.5 acres fronting on 12th excavations have removed many of the Street will continue to drain east to 12th existing pipelines that lie north of the Central Street. Shops area, but these pipelines continue to serve the hardscape areas of the Central Shops, ♦ Approximately 2.0 acres fronting on freight rail tracks and the area around the North B Street will continue to drain into Depot building. North B Street.
South of the Railyards site, the Basin 52 separated drainage system serves a small area north of I Street between 3rd Street and 7th Street, including the Federal Courthouse block. Since the Basin 52 system does not have capacity to serve additional drainage areas in the Railyards site, no additional diversion to
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Figure 7-3. Conceptual Storm Drainage Facilities Note: These locations are only conceptual and may change upon actual buildout.
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ii. Proposed Drainage System 4. Gas Service The Railyards drainage system, shown in Gas service is supplied to the Railyards area by Figure 7-3, will serve the primary drainage the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). shed with a gravity system of pipelines. The Gas distribution pipelines in the Central City gravity system will drain to a pumping station Core adjoining the Railyards area are a located near the northwesterly corner of the combination of low-pressure and medium- Railyards site. pressure pipelines. PG&E is in the process of phasing out low-pressure lines and replacing A Stormwater Quality Management Plan them with medium-pressure pipelines. (SQMP) has been prepared in accordance with the City of Sacramento’s Stormwater NPDES PG&E will install new distribution facilities as MS4 permit, the Sacramento Stormwater needed to serve development, according to Quality Partnership’s Stormwater Quality California Public Utilities Commission rules. In Design Manual, and the Stormwater Quality general, lines will be located within street Improvement Plan. rights-of-way.
The purpose of the SQMP is to describe a. Electrical Service stormwater best management practices (BMPs) i. Existing Facilities and LID measures that will be implemented with the proposed project to provide treatment Electrical service within the Central City area is for the first flush stormwater runoff from the provided by the Sacramento Municipal Utility project site to the maximum extent practicable, District (SMUD). The Plan Area is presently and to meet the requirements set forth in the served by one 21 kV primary feeder located above references. along the easterly edge of the Interstate 5 freeway and connected to a substation and The water quality standards will be met by distributed system currently owned and using source control measures. Within the operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. public right of way, tree planters, CONTECT inlet filters, and bio-retention units will be used SMUD has duct banks in place along 7th Street to meet the water quality standards. Private from approximately the E-F Alley north to parcels will be required to treat on-site North B Street. A four-way 6-inch and 1to 2- stormwater to meet water quality standards inch duct bank on the west side of 7th Street is before discharging to the public storm drain planned for 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission system. lines. A six-way, 6-inch and 1to 2-inch duct bank on the east side of 7th Street is planned 3. Energy for 21 kV distribution lines. The 21 kV duct bank is connected to manhole MH 0750 near This section describes the natural gas and 7th and F Streets. electrical energy systems needed to serve development in the Railyards area.
7-8 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 09/02/16 City of Sacramento UTILITIES AND SERVICES 7 ii. Planned Facilities advanced energy-saving architectural features in the buildings themselves. Proposed development in the Railyards will result in a large use of electricity in a The Railyards development provides an concentrated area. This high electricity use, opportunity to demonstrate and feature along with the diverse uses and types of advanced energy concepts. While there is a buildings allowed under the Specific Plan, strong commitment of the Railyards property provides an unusual opportunity to take owner to the types of innovative energy advantage of many advanced energy supply conserving technologies described above, it is and usage concepts. important to recognize that the feasibility of actually implementing such approaches Existing electrical infrastructure in the depends on financial and other considerations. Railyards area is antiquated and unable to Nonetheless, it is an important goal of the meet Plan needs. SMUD has already Railyards Specific Plan that opportunities to determined that it will be necessary to implement energy conserving measures be construct an entirely new substation (21 kV, considered by project applicants wherever it is 40 MW) on-site to serve development in the feasible to do so. Plan Area. The preferred location of this substation would likely be on the north side of B. Community Services the tracks east of 7th Street. Although SMUD transmission facilities would be used to bring This section of the Utilities and Services power to the Plan Area, the property owner Element discusses the needs of major public may elect to obtain a portion of its power facilities and related public services, including supply through self-generation. parks, schools and public safety facilities that will be needed to support development in the b. Energy Conservation Railyards Plan Area. This section establishes All of the buildings and facilities that will be the context for the policies in Chapter 4 that constructed in the Railyards Plan Area must specify the provision of major community comply with the State Building Standards in facilities. These facilities will not only provide Title 24 (California Energy Efficiency basic community services to future residents Standards) and the CalGreen Code. In and employees, but will also serve to addition, there is a significant opportunity to strengthen and organize the Railyards area and further reduce overall electrical energy use, to create a sense of community. power demand and energy costs by incorporating additional energy efficiency 1. Schools measures as part of the building design, thus This section discusses the provision of schools improving habitability for businesses and in the Specific Plan Area. residents in the Plan Area. The Railyards Plan Area is within the Other energy conserving features should be Sacramento City Unified School District considered by project applicants. These might (SCUSD). SCUSD operates more than 70 include building integrated solar electric features, thermal energy storage systems, and
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schools in the City of Sacramento, serving generation for the Railyards Plan Area is as kindergarten through high school students. follows1:
The closest schools to the Railyards site are: the ♦ Grades K-6. 1,140-1,900 additional Washington Elementary School at 18th and F students Streets; Theodore Judah Elementary at 3919 ♦ Grades 7-8. 180-300 additional students McKinley Boulevard; Sutter Middle School at 3150 I Street; Sacramento High School at 2315 ♦ Grades 9-12. 240-400 additional 34th Street and McClatchy High School at 3066 students Freeport Boulevard. All of these facilities are New development in the Railyards area will operated by the SCUSD. take place through a redevelopment process that will proceed in a phased manner. As new The redevelopment of the Railyards site will development is built within the Plan Area, the add between approximately 6,000 and 10,000 actual student generation rate per household new dwelling units within the Central City. A will be monitored in order to evaluate and proportion of these new households are adjust, if necessary, the student projections expected to have school age children that included in this Specific Plan. would attend local public schools, potentially increasing demands on the existing school New development within the Railyards area facilities and/or necessitating the provision of will be required to contribute to the provision new school facilities. New residential of school facilities to serve new residents. This development within the Plan Area will be contribution could occur in the form of in-lieu required to contribute to the provision of fees to fund school facility expansion, needed school facilities through the payment construction outside of the Plan Area, and/or of school impact fees. the construction of a school facility within the Plan Area. Future demand for public school services associated with redevelopment of the Due to the urban nature of the Railyards site, Railyards site will in large part be dictated by development of a typical “suburban” model the composition and demographic profile of school, with expansive open fields and resident households. As is evidenced in recreation areas, would not be feasible due to similar, higher density urban infill limitations on available land of sufficient size, as development, residents in the Railyards site are well as the contaminated soil conditions that likely to include a high proportion of require atypical school building construction households without children. Thus, in and types of playgrounds. Any school facility assessing the need for new school facilities, and proposed within the Railyards site itself would the demand on existing facilities, some need to be an “urban” school, with compact adjustment for the particular household profile hardscape recreation areas, multi-story within the Plan Area is to be considered. classroom facilities, and innovative space saving According to the Sacramento City Unified School District, the projected student 1 SACOG recognizes a lower student generation rate for urban setting.
7-10 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 09/02/16 City of Sacramento UTILITIES AND SERVICES 7 solutions, such as rooftop recreation areas or would likely be part of a multi-story mixed-use joint use facilities with City Parks and structure. Recreation. b. Fire Service Public Safety 2. Fire protection and emergency medical This section addresses the provision of police services would be provided to the Railyards and fire services in the Railyards. area by the Sacramento Fire Department (SFD). The Fire Department operates two stations a. Police within the Downtown area: Station Number 1 The Central City, including the Railyards at 7th and Q Streets, and Station Number 2 at area, is served by the Sacramento Police 13th and I Streets. The Fire Department’s goal Department (SPD) from the Department’s is to maintain response times of 3 to 4 minutes William J. Kinney Police Facility, located at throughout this area. 3550 Marysville Boulevard. This facility The level of development planned within the services three main districts, each of which Railyards site would likely necessitate the has three beats. The Railyards site will be construction of a new fire station to provide served by District 3, Beat A (District 3A). The adequate public safety for the area’s residents, Police Department has a target ratio 2.0 sworn employees and visitors. A potential site has officers per 1,000 residents; 2016 funding is been identified for the location of a new station, for 1.5 officers per 1,000 population. SPD which is indicated in Figure 7-4. Given land indicates that, in keeping with similar sized values in Downtown Sacramento and the need cities, a higher ratio of up to 2.6 officers per and desire of the City to provide a dense, 1,000 residents may be desirable as the City’s vibrant, residential urban environment, any population expands to be over half a million potential fire station would likely be part of a people (current population is approximately multi-story mixed-use structure 485,000).
The SPD has provided an estimate of projected demand for police service in the Railyards based on the planned development of residential and non-residential uses. Currently, the SPD has stated that existing police stations in the City are already staffed beyond capacity, and that the Railyards development would necessitate the construction of a new police station either on-site or elsewhere in the City.
Potential sites are indicated in Figure 7-4. Given land values in Downtown Sacramento, and the need and desire of the City to provide a dense, vibrant, residential urban environment, any potential police substation
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Figure 7-4. Potential Locations for Schools, Police, and Fire Department Facilities
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This chapter provides a summary of the historic and cultural resources within the Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan Area and provides guidance on the preservation and development of the Plan Area’s historic and cultural resources. The chapter begins by describing the prehistoric and historic context of the site, followed by more specific background information about cultural and historic resources on the site. Since the majority of the Railyards’ historic resources are concentrated in the Central Shops and Depot District, this chapter focuses on those portions of the Plan Area.
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A. Prehistoric and Historic Context now the southern part of the Railyards site. As industrial waste related to railroad activity For approximately 8,000 years prior to intensified, this lake became known as China European exploration and settlement, this part Slough. The 6th Street and I Street levees were of the Sacramento River valley was inhabited built at Sutter Lake in the 1850s in an early by indigenous nomadic tribes. In particular, effort at flood control in this burgeoning the confluence of the two major rivers, the business district. now‐named Sacramento and American Rivers, provided an unusually rich and varied The origins of the Sacramento Railyards lie environment for human habitation. Over time, with the coming of rail to the City in the early members of the Nisenan tribe settled in the 1860s. The Central Pacific Railroad was valley, subsisting on hunting, gathering, and founded1 in 186 by a group of Sacramento fishing. Evidence exists of habitation businessmen, often referred to as the “Big especially in the areas of what is now Four:” Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Downtown and the southern portions of what Mark Hopkins, and C.P. Huntington. They is now the Railyards. were recruited to invest in the railroad company by engineer, Theodore Judah, who With the arrival of Europeans in the early was leading an effort to build the California 1800s, the native population was either component of the planned transcontinental displaced or decimated by disease. The first railroad. In 1861, Central Pacific was chosen to European to settle in the area was John Sutter. build the western portion of the Sutter, a German‐Swiss pioneer, established a Transcontinental Railroad, from Sacramento farm and small trading colony called New through the central Sierra Nevada range to Helvetia at the current location of midtown Promontory Summit, Utah. The company Sacramento in 1839. He also established a built a foundry and a passenger depot in the sawmill in the Sierra Nevada foothills, where, area of Old Sacramento, bounded by Front in 1848, an employee discovered gold on the Street, I Street, 2nd Street, and K Street. Tracks American River, leading to the Gold Rush of were laid north along Front Street, east along I 1849. The City of Sacramento was Street, north up 6th Street, and east again incorporated in 1849. With the influx of new along the B Street levee. Central Pacific population following the Gold Rush, Railroad began to fill in Sutter Lake in 1863 in Sacramento began to grow quickly under the anticipation of its facilities expansion. guidance of Sutter’s son, John Sutter, Jr. It soon became necessary to construct a The area at the southeast section of the number of fabrication and maintenance shops confluence of the Sacramento and American in the area to service railroad operations. A Rivers was a strategic location for regional site was chosen for the development of these trade and commerce as early as the 1850s. facilities, which form the core of the area Much of this area was subject to periodic known as the Central Shops, just north of flooding from both the rivers and a seasonal Sutter Lake. A trestle was built across the water body known as Sutter Lake, or China Sutter Lake inlet, effectively cutting off the Lake, which lay between present day G and I Lake from the Sacramento River and Streets and 2nd and 6th Streets, on what is connecting the northern and southern districts
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of the rail operations. Construction of the Despite a slowdown in activity during the Central Shops began in 1867 and continued at Great Depression years, the Railyards a rapid pace until 1888, marking the first remained the largest industrial site west of the building “boom” at the Railyards. Mississippi until early in World War II. There were a series of factors leading to the decline The Transcontinental Railroad, linking of activity at the Railyards. With the rise of Omaha, Nebraska and Sacramento, California, airline travel after World War II and was completed in 1869, one of the most competition with the growing highway significant events in the history of the growth network, railroad activity declined. The work of the nation and California. By 1894, the in the shops was cut back with change‐over to Shops had become the one of the two largest diesel electric locomotives and passenger railroad manufacturing and repair facilities in traffic fell. Sacramento water‐borne the country. Buildings constructed in the transportation activities were relocated to Central Shops district during this time include West Sacramento with the completion of the the Roundhouse, the Machine/Erecting Shop, Sacramento River Deep Water Channel. By the the Boiler Shop, the Woodworking and Car early 1970s, the completion of Interstate 5 Manufactory, the Blacksmith Shop, the Car between the old riverfront embarcadero and Machine Shop, the Paint Shop, the the Railyards site cut off river‐to‐rail direct Powerhouse, the Pattern Shop, the Privy, Car access. Shop #3, the Pit Transfer Table, and the Flat Transfer Table. Most of the Railyards site lies vacant and underutilized, except for the two historic The second surge of construction activity took shops structures being used by the State of place in the period from 1910 to 1925. The California Railroad Museum for maintenance Sacramento Bee reported that lthe Centra and restoration of rolling stock. The Pacific Railroad doubled the size of its improvements and development as facilities in less than a decade, adding nine envisioned in this Specific Plan is designed to large new buildings in the Central Shops in publicly reclaim the Railyards area as an just a few years. Some of this development important piece of the heritage and fabric of was enabled by the ongoing fill of Sutter Lake. Sacramento. In 1906, Southern Pacific Railroad (Central Pacific’s successor) took control of the entire B. Historic and Cultural Resources Sutter Lake site, and by 1910 the lake was completely filled. The Railyards facilities were This section documents the specific historic expanded south, from the Central Shops into and cultural resources found in or adjacent to the former lake area. Tracks were relocated the Plan Area. To the extent that information from I Street north to their current alignment is available, significant features and with H Street. The Southern Pacific Depot and characteristics are identified, as well as the Railway Express Building were historical background information. The goals constructed between H Street and I Street in and policies found in Chapter 4 of this Plan 1925. specifically address the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic and cultural
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resources described in this section. Historic Property Survey Report for the 7th Information about these historic resources is Street Extension Project, City of Sacramento/ derived from several documents, including: CALTRANS, March 2001.
Archaeological Survey Report/Historic Study National Register Nomination Form, Report for the 7th Street Extension Project, Southern Pacific Depot, obtained June 1994. City of Sacramento/CALTRANS, December 2000. Preliminary Visual Survey and Qualitative Engineering Study on the Southern Pacific Central Pacific/Southern Pacific Railroad Railyard Buildings, Nolte and Associates, Railyards Historic Property Inventory and March 1990. Evaluation Report, Union Pacific Railroad Company, March 1998. Railyards Specific Plan, City of Sacramento, adopted December 1994, revised April 1997, Southern Pacific Sacramento Shops, Historic and second revision in 2007. American Engineering Record (HAER), CA‐303, 2001‐2002. Railyards Specific Plan EIRs, City of Sacramento, June 1992 and December 2007. Historic Architectural Survey Report for the 7th Street Extension Project, City of Sacramento/CALTRANS, January 2001.
Table 8‐1 Designation of Historic Resources
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For the purposes of description, the Plan Area Buildings in the Central Shops, as delineated is divided into two major subareas of historic below, were included in a special survey area and cultural resources. The Central Shops and a city‐designated historic district was District contains the oldest and the largest created to protect and guide the rehabilitation quantity of historic structures on the Railyards and development of the district pursuant to site. The Depot District to the south was the Historic Preservation Chapter, 17.604 and developed later, at the former site of Sutter other relevant sections of Title 17, the Lake. Planning & Development section of the City Code. 1. Central Shops a. The following text describes the The Central Shops District forms the historic architectural and structural elements of core of the Railyards site, and is noted for its buildings within the Central Shops area, collection of late‐19th century industrial as described in the study completed by buildings. This district was one of the largest Nolte Associates in 1990, as well as the industrial sites in the country in the early 20th historic functions of the buildings and century, and had a fundamental role in the their relationships to each other. The history of California’s settlement and the locations of the buildings described below development of its economy. are shown in Figure 8‐1.Erecting Shop (Building 1)
Figure 8-1. Historic Structures
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Construction of the Erecting Shop began in d. Car Shop 3 (Building 4) 1867, and took place in four distinct phases. This building accommodated several The original Engine Rebuild Shop and the functions, beginning with the Governor and Component Rebuild Shop were constructed Injector Shop and later extending to adjacent circa 1869. Both were added onto in 1875, and shops on the southern end of the building. The again in 1888. Finally, in 1905 or 1906, the Governor and Injector Shop were first Erecting Bays were expanded to the west of extended from the southeast corner of the the Erecting Shop. The building is Locomotive Wheel Shop in 1869. It is a single‐story, and is constructed with two‐story building with 18‐inch brick unreinforced brick masonry with no interior masonry walls. The Rotating Equipment Shop walls or lateral load resisting frames. The and the Air Room were the next extensions to Engine Rebuild Shop and Component Rebuild the building, added in 1872. They are virtually Shop each has a gable roof of metal decking, identical one‐story buildings with 35‐foot‐ and the Erecting Bays have a separate metal high ceilings and windows lining the full deck roof, both of which are supported by an length of the buildings. Finally, the Passenger elaborate truss system. Car Truck Shop was added to the south end of the building in 1888, consisting of two stories b. Masonry Water Closet (Building 2) plus a loft above the second floor. The Water Closet found at the joined corner of the Locomotive Wheel Shop and the Governor e. Planing Mill (Building 5) and Injector Shop served workers in the The Planing Mill was the first project Central Shops area. Built in 1878, the structure developed in the Central Shops area. is a three‐story, unreinforced masonry Construction of the building began in 1867 building with timber roofing members and a and was completed in 1869. It is a three‐story metal roof deck. unreinforced masonry structure with metal roof decking. Originally the building was used c. Blacksmith Shop (Building 3) as a Car Shop and Locomotive Wheel Shop, Various iron parts, including brake beams, where freight and passenger cars were spikes, and coupling links, were constructed on the first floor. The second floor manufactured in the Blacksmith Shop, which contained the Pattern Shop, Cabinet Shop and was constructed in 1869. It is a single‐story the Mechanical Offices, and later included an structure of about 22,000 square feet, divided Upholstery Shop. into north and south sections. The exterior walls consist of cast‐in‐ place concrete f. Paint Shop (Building 6) pilasters, which replaced masonry walls This building, constructed in 1873, was sometime after 1915. The original corrugated originally used for painting rail passenger steel roof decking is supported by 8x8 wood cars. Now approximately 300 feet long by 180 roof trusses. The Machine Shop is the south feet wide, the Paint Shop was originally 225 section of the building and the north section is gfeet lon and 70 feet wide, with five wings the Repair Gang Shop. extending from the sides for final painting, lettering, and varnishing. In 1892, the wings
8-6 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES 8 were removed and the building widened. In rug cleaning area were later added to the 1894, the building was lengthened to its second floor. present dimensions. Today the building is divided into two sections, with a masonry j. Water Tower (Building 11) wall dividing the building. The north section, A water tower is located northeast of the now known as the Electric Shop, is a two‐story Central Shops. While the exact date of its unreinforced masonry structure with a construction is unclear, the water tower could corrugated metal deck roof; the second story be historically significant due to its association was added after 1873 to accommodate paint with the Railyard’s site history. In addition, shop offices. The south portion of the building the tower‘s height also makes it a visual is now known as the Traction Motor Shop, landmark for the Railyards. The structure and is a one‐story masonry building with no consists of a cylindrical tank of riveted metal interior walls or lateral load‐resisting panels supported 70 feet above the ground by structures. five trussed legs. g. Boiler Shop (Building 7) k. Site of China Lake The Boiler Shop was constructed sometime China Lake, also known as Sutter Lake and after 1888 as a new locomotive truck/ later, China Slough, once existed as a fabrication shop when the Railyard had seasonally flooded lake at the future site of the outgrown its first Boiler Shop. The building is Railyards. The lake stretched between G a single‐story wood framed structure with Street, I Street, 2nd Street, and 6th Street. By three bays. The central bay is the highest, at 28 the early 1850s, residences occupied much of feet, and has clerestory windows on both sides the southern and eastern shorelines of the above the side bays. Two overhead cranes are lake, and the Central Pacific Railroad facilities mounted on rails that run the length of the would gradually begin to dominate its center bay. The building has corrugated steel northern edge. The lake was commonly siding and corrugated transit roofing panels. regarded as a nuisance due to its stench and tendency to flood areas of central Sacramento. h. Turntable (Building 8) Beginning in 1863, Central Pacific Railroad A transfer table is located to the northwest of filled in China Lake from the north and west, the Erecting Shops. It is representative of largely with sand from the American River, several transfer tables that served to move and by 1910 the lake was completely filled and locomotives and cars through different stages claimed for Railyard activities. The site of the of construction. former lake is designated a State Historic Landmark (No. 594). i. Car Machine Shop (Building 9) The Car Machine Shop was constructed in 1888. Car wheel sets were manufactured on the first floor, and the Plating Room, the Brass Room and Upholstery Shop were located on the second floor. A small machine shop and
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2. Southern Pacific Railroad Sacramento Since 2006, the Depot has been acquired by the Depot City and many improvements have been The Southern Pacific Railroad Sacramento planned and renovations initiated to fully Depot, recently renamed as Sacramento Valley integrate this facility with the planned Station, shown as building 10 in Figure 9‐1, Sacramento Intermodal Transportation was constructed in 1925, during the second Facility (SITF). Three phases of construction building boom at the Railyards site. It is listed, and renovation activities have been planned. with its adjacent REA Building, on the Phase1, completed in 2013, constituted the National Register of Historic Places, the relocation of the Union Pacific tracks to its California Register of Historical Resources, current configuration and building of the new and the Sacramento Register of Historic and pedestrian/bicycle tunnel west of the new Cultural Resources. Designed by the San platforms. Also completed during this phase Francisco firm of Bliss and Favrille in a was a structural retrofit of the entire building. simplified Mediterranean style, the building is Phase 2, which is ongoing, focuses on the faced in an Italian pink brick and framed with architectural restoration and rehabilitation of structural steel and concrete. A sloping roof is the grand historic Depot building in guidance covered in russet‐colored Mediterranean with the Secretary of the Interiors’ Standards tiling. In 1926, an average of 64 passenger for Historic Buildings. Phase 3, which was trains passed through the Sacramento station adopted in June 2009, anticipates the building daily. The Depot replaced three previous of the SITF with multiple regional depots located on Front Street and another transportation services within convenient nearby site, and has served as a central locations for passengers. gathering point and landmark for decades. Today, the Depot is used as the primary 3. Archaeological Resources station for Amtrak and Capitol Corridor Many archaeological resource surveys have service in the Sacramento region. been performed in the Railyards area over the past 30 years. Historic‐period surveys have The Depot is three stories tall and the first generally yielded artifacts associated with the level originally included a waiting room, settlement and development of downtown ticket counter, baggage room, restaurants, and Sacramento, but pre‐historic surveys have offices for district agents. The second floor been less productive. Virtually the entire site housed offices for the Southern Pacific’s lines has been extensively disturbed andr eithe between San Francisco and Portland, as well paved or filled, making an exhaustive as the company’s private telephone exchange. pre‐historic‐period archaeological survey The third floor included an assembly hall and exceedingly difficult. Artifacts and other storage rooms. A mural on the east wall of the cultural resources could be discovered during waiting room, created by San Francisco artist construction, and mitigation measures in the John MacQuarrie, depicts development of the Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report first Transcontinental Railroad, with images of addresses the proper procedure and treatment the “Big Four” investors, engineer Theodore for identification of any subsurface resources Judah, a Chinese steamer, and the first prior to construction and that might be building of the Central Pacific Railroad. encountered during construction activity.
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The Plan Area may contain artifacts from the information on allowable building heights historic period, particularly extending back to within the Central Shops Historic District. the early 1850s when the eastern and southern edges of Sutter Lake were first occupied. Early houses east of Sutter Lake were located behind the 6th Street levee, so the easternmost part of the site adjacent hto 7t Street may contain historic artifacts from that period. The site of Sutter Lake may also contain historic pieces associated with refuse deposits that were common on the shores. The rest of the site has been occupied by railroad facilities since the settlement of Sacramento, and some subsurface industrial artifacts may exist.
C. Central Shops Historic District
A City of Sacramento historic district has been designated pursuant Title 17 of the City Code to ensure preservation of the historic resources in the Central Shops area. Due to revisions to surrounding roadway and parcels, new historic district boundaries are being proposed. The proposed new Historic District’s boundary is shown in Figure 8‐2. Also, shown in Figure 8‐2 is the boundary of the Transition Zone, which has been established to ensure that new development adjacent and immediately proximate to the historic Central Shops complements these historic resources in the Specific Plan Area. The City of Sacramento has adopted the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties as its standards for review of preservation development projects involving historic Landmark properties and properties located within Historic Districts. Also, additional design guidance specific to both the Historic District and the Transition Zone is provided in the Sacramento Railyards Design Guidelines. Please refer to Chapter 5 of this document for
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Figure 8-2. Central Shops Historic District
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This Hazards chapter of the Railyards Specific A LUC between DTSC and the Downtown Plan addresses the status of site readiness to Railyard Venture, LLC, the current majority the planned redevelopment, and reflects soil property owner, was recorded against the and groundwater management practices most of the Railyards Plan Area on September during and post construction, to protect the 30, 2015 (2015 LUC). Remaining areas owned health of future inhabitants, workers, and by the City are subject to a separate LUC with visitors, as well as the surrounding public and the DTSC. The 2015 LUC requires compliance the environment. The implementation during construction activities with a strategiese at th end of this chapter respond to Railyards‐specific soil and groundwater the goals and policies concerning hazardous management plan approved by DTSC. substances that are set out in Chapter 4. This chapter briefly summarizes the history of Significant soil, soil vapor (soil gas) and the industrial uses of the site, the extent of groundwater cleanup activities have been remaining known and potential implemented throughout the Railyards Plan contamination within the Railyards Plan Area by the Union Pacific Rail Road (UPRR). Area, completed cleanup activities and UPRR is the responsible party for cleanup certification, and the approach to manage activities under a 1988 Enforceable Railyards soils and groundwater in Agreement with the Department of Toxic accordance with the approved soil and Substances Control (DTSC). groundwater management plan. This chapter sets forth general guidelines for Soil remediation activities in the majority of implementation of the goals and policies the Railyards Plan Area have been completed. listed in Chapter 4. Groundwater remediation by UPRR is continuing under a DTSC‐approved plan and DTSC‐approved remedial action plans (RAPs) expected to be completed in 20‐30 years. The establish the methods for remediation of the areas where soil and soil vapor (soil gas) known hazardous materials and include remediation have been completed have been institutional controls implemented through certified by DTSC. Certification means the the LUCs, which are based on human health remediation has been properly implemented risk assessments, to ensure that development and meets DTSC‐approved remedial goals of the Railyards site occurs in ya wa that is (RGs) for the Railyards Plan Area. As part of protective of public health and safety, both for the certification process, a DTSC‐approved construction workers and site occupants, and land use covenant (LUC) is required to be facilitates a coordinated and efficient cleanup recorded against the certified area. A LUC and redevelopment process. provides the terms, conditions, and criteria for development and use of the certified area.
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When the prior Railyards Specific Plans were including foundry and machine work, wheel adopted in 1994 and 2007, soil and truing, forging, blacksmithing, painting, groundwater investigations across much of sandblasting, cleaning and degreasing, the Railyards were in their preliminary stages. lubricating, metal part fabrication, battery Soil cleanup had not been completed, and site reconditioning, and fabric and upholstery certification had not been issued to the extent work. Many of these activities involved the it has been in 2016. Unlike under current use of substances and materials that are now conditions, chemical types and occurrence known to be toxic or otherwise hazardous. patterns in soil and groundwater were not fully known to the extent they are known The first subsurface environmental today, and relatively little cleanup had been investigations at the Railyards began in 1982 performed under the 1988 Enforceable as a result of a Division of Occupational Agreement. Since that time, DTSC has Safety and Health inspection. The matter was approved several RAPs that have been referred to DTSC’s predecessor agency, the successfully implemented by UPRR and Department of Health Services (for ease of included removing and transporting reference, where DTSC is used in this chapter, contaminated soils to off‐site hazardous it refers to the Department of Health Services disposal sites. In addition, capping or or DTSC). Under DTSC’s oversight, entombing of the residual contaminated soil groundwater monitoring wells were installed. on‐ site, along with treatment of groundwater, In 1983, DTSC and the United States engineering controls in regards to building Environmental Protection Agency conducted design and construction methods, and land a joint investigation of the Railyards site and use restrictions have been approved as viable identified several violations of the state approaches for remediation that is protective hazardous waste control laws and the of human health and the environment while Resource Conservation and Recovery Act allowing for development of the land uses (“RCRA”). As a result, in 1984 DTSC and the envisioned in the Railyards Specific Plan. Southern Pacific Transportation Company (“SPTCo”) entered into a Settlement A. Regulatory History Agreement and Schedule of Compliance pursuant to California Health & Safety Code This section provides a history of past section 25187, which focused on remedial regulatory procedures addressing actions in the northern part of the Railyards. contamination and environmental hazards on In February 1986, DTSC conducted a the site. hazardous waste generator inspection of the remediation process SPTCo was using in the 1. Overview Railyardsd an found several violations. As a result of this investigation, SPTCo prepared a The Railyards site has experienced continuous site investigation and remedial alternatives industrial use since the 1860s as a locomotive analysis report for the Former Battery Shop, and railroad car assembly, building, repair, Former Drum Storage Area, and the and refurbishing facility. In carrying out these Locomotive Grit Blast Piles. In 1987, SPTCo functions, the site has supported a multitude and the District Attorney of Sacramento of industrial activities related to the railway,
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County, on referral from DTSC, entered into a Lagoon Soil (soil remediation completed Stipulation for Entry of Final Judgment, with the exception of the Northwest which established a compliance time schedule Corner to be completed in 2016) for the investigation and remediation of these areas. Lagoon Ground Water RAP (under development); In January, 1988, DTSC listed the Railyards as a State Superfund site. Investigation and Car Shop Nine (soil remediation cleanup activities are currently being carried certified in 2015) out pursuant to, a June 1988 Enforceable
Agreement (“Enforceable Agreement”) Northern Shops (soil remediation between the California Environmental certified in 2015); Protection Agency, DTSC, and SPTCo (whose Central Corridor (soil remediation responsibilities were assumed by UPRR as its certified in 2015); successor). The purpose of the Enforceable Agreement is “to ensure that the nature and Manufactured Gas Plant (soil extent of any releases or threatened releases of remediation RAP being developed); a hazardous substance or hazardous wastes and, (also referred to as ‘contaminants’ or ‘contamination’) to the air, soil, surface water, Central Shops & South Plume and groundwater at or from the entire site are Groundwater (shallow soil remediation determined and the site adequately completed in 2015, installation of the characterized (building upon previous expanded soil vapor extraction to be investigations at localized spots around the completed in 2016‐2017, and site) and that appropriate remedial actions are groundwater remediation on‐going). taken” (Enforceable Agreement, Section 1.4.). Under the Enforceable Agreement, DTSC is Because groundwater investigation and responsible for reviewing and approving all cleanup typically takes much longer than soil cleanup plans, establishing cleanup cleanup, DTSC agreed to separate the standards, evaluation and mitigation of investigation and cleanup process for soil and human health risks, and for final approval of groundwater. the remediation of the site. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board In addition, there were five other areas reviews cleanup plans in a consultative role identified at the Railyards which have been with DTSC with regard to water quality certified as remediated (closed sites) and issues and ground‐water cleanup systems and subject to LUCs: the Sand Blast Grit Piles, the approaches. Battery Shop, the Pond & Ditch, the Drum Storage area, and the Sacramento Station. Soil For purposes of ongoing investigation and in the City’s track relocation project area, remediation of contaminated soil and which runs through parts of the Central groundwater, DTSC has approved dividing Shops, Central Corridor, Car shop Nine, and the Railyards into study areas as follows: Sacramento Station study areas, has been
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remediated to DTSC‐approved levels. Once a This process is designed to collect adequate LUC is recorded against the track relocation information concerning the type, area, DTSC is anticipated to certify concentrations and distribution of completion of the final soil remedy for that contaminants; evaluate the risks to human area. health and the environment and develop and implement a cleanup strategy consistent with The regulatory process embodied in the anticipated future land use. The process also Enforceable Agreement consists of the identifies measures that will mitigate the following steps: health risk of exposure to contaminants that may remain in place either through Remedial Investigation (RI): data establishing safe levels for the constituents of gathering, overseen by DTSC, to concern or by managing the potential for characterize the nature and extent of exposure with deed restrictions that regulate contamination. excavation and engineering controls in regards to placement of caps and building Risk Assessment (RA): evaluation of designs. This process as applied to the human health and environmental risks. Railyards site is described below. Feasibility Study (FS): evaluation of 2. Risk‐Based Cleanup Approach and Site cleanup options and development of Remediation Process remedial goals to meet the future intended use of the property The state Superfund process at the Railyards site is a “risk‐based” approach, based on a Remedial Action Plan (RAP): detailed evaluation of contamination levels identification and public review of final and exposure potential. This risk‐based cleanup strategy. approach results in remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater at levels In addition, after approval of the RAP, the that are protective of the population with the state Superfund process includes the greatest potential for exposure to site soils or following steps: soil vapors (i.e. RGs). Remedial Design and Implementation Health risk assessments conducted to date Plan: provides design plans and show that the construction worker is the implementation steps for the RAP. population with the greatest exposure Closure Report: documentation of potential to contaminated soil at the successful remediation efforts and Railyards. Therefore, RGs were established to implementation of the RAP. be protective of this most vulnerable population. The health risk assessments take Certification: written approval from into account such factors as the toxicity of the DTSC that the remedies identified in contaminants, potential exposure pathways the RAP have been implemented. (i.e. inhalation, skin, ingestion) and the length of time a construction worker may be exposed. The ultimate goal of cleanup is to:
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(1) reduce concentrations of contaminants in In sum, the Railyards risk‐based site soil so that they do not exceed RGs; (2) reduce remediation process: soil vapor concentrations to DTSC‐approved levels; 3) protect groundwater from Ensures that DTSC‐approved contamination; (4) implement ground water remediation accounts for the mixed‐use remediation if applicable; and (5) implement nature of the land uses in the Specific engineering controls where applicable (e.g., Plan and ensures that the health and ventilation systems or clean soil caps) in safety of those most likely to come in accordance with the requirements in LUCs. contact with remediated soil will be protected; Soil remediation for most of the Railyards Plan Area has been completed and, following Ensures that development within the the recordation of DTSC‐approved LUCs, Railyards will only occur in areas that DTSC issued certification of remedial have been remediated pursuant to a completion for these areas. The LUCs impose DTSC‐certified RAP and consistent with requirements and certain restrictions for the LUCs. development of the certified area. B. Extent and Types of Contamination The DTSC‐approved 2015 LUC generally Recorded includes the following: Since the prior Specific Plans were prepared All proposed land uses, including in 1994 and 2007, SPTCo and UPRR have construction and maintenance of utility completed significant soil and groundwater corridors and street rights‐of‐way, are remediation activities at the Railyards, allowed subject to compliance with the leading to soil certification of the majority of stated terms and conditions. the Plan Area. As such, risk assessments and RAPs (leading to certification) have been A requirement for a DTSC‐approved approved for all soil study areas except the soil and groundwater management plan Central Shops (which have only a health risk prior to any development activities. assessment and a RAP and not a Certification) and former Manufactured Gas Plant sites Notification of DTSC when there is a (which require a health risk assessment, a change in ownership of the property. RAP and a Certification). The pre‐ and post‐ remediation soil conditions within the A property owner, at its initiation, may Railyards site are therefore well known and remediate specific areas of the site to extensively documented through the DTSC standards that provide for less oversight process. This information, as well restrictive uses. The 2015 LUC specifies as the selected remedies, have been reviewed the process by which a property owner by the public and approved by DTSC through can, with DTSC approval, undertake the investigation and RAP preparation and . such voluntary acts approval process.
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The contaminants of concern at the Railyards Implementation of a DTSC approved fall into five categories: soil and groundwater management plan. Heavy Metals; General contractor shall prepare a site‐ Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs); specific construction worker health and safety plan in accordance with the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH); guidelines of the soil and groundwater management plan. Semivolatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs); and During construction, except in imported clean fill areas, all excavation, soil Poly Aromatics Hydrocarbons (PAHs). handling, and dewatering activities shall be observed for signs of apparent Asbestos is also present in some areas and is contamination (i.e. odor or color) by addressed at the time the other soil developer with findings, if any, contaminants are remediated. reported to DTSC. In addition to these In addition to DTSC‐approved off‐site steps, DTSC will provide for disposal of contaminated soils at licensed environmental oversight, including facilities, UPRR has secured DTSC approval requiring compliance with procedures to encapsulate inert soils below the Vista Park for detecting previously undiscovered site located on the northern perimeter of the contamination, if any, during site Railyards property. This approach includes a excavation, as well as contingency plans DTSC requirement for layers of clean soil to for investigation, remediation and prevent public exposure to the buried disposal of such undiscovered contaminated soil. contamination.
C. General Requirements for Protection of D. Strategies for Implementation of Goals Construction Workers and Policies
The construction workers face the greatest This section explains how implementation of exposure risk at the Railyards based on the the goals and policies set forth in Chapter 4 extent and nature of the contaminated soil will be approached. In addition to compliance and the potential for excavation activities that with the terms of the LUCs, soil and could result in contact with soil or soil vapor. groundwater management plan, applicable environmental mitigation measures and the 1. Construction‐Related Measures adopted mitigation monitoring program, implementation of these goals and policies The following requirements apply to all will be achieved through two primary means: construction activity on the Railyards site: Receipt of written confirmation from DTSC that a proposed use is consistent
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with the applicable requirements set The Railyards will be developed over several forth in the LUCs. years and development plans for portions of the site may change over that period. Compliance with applicable Nonetheless, all development within the requirements set forth in the LUCs and Railyards will be subject to DTSC approval in the soil and groundwater management accordance with applicable requirements set plan. forth in the LUCs and subject to compliance with and the dsoil an groundwater DTSC and the property owner will play key management plan. roles in development of the Railyards in adherence with applicable requirements set The health and safety of persons who use and forth in the LUCs andd the soil an occupy the Railyards in areas that may be in groundwater management plan. During the proximity to areas under remediation will be time remaining remediation is still underway protected in several ways, such as: by UPRR, it is imperative that development be undertaken in coordination with Fencing to prevent access to native remediation. surface soil.
State law provides for recordation of LUCs on Dust control during active soil cleanup remediated property to restrict land uses to and excavation activities. those compatible with cleanup levels achieved. LUCs are recorded when property Construction site air monitoring, if is cleaned up to levels other than unrestricted required by site‐specific conditions. use. Building design requirements to The California Environmental Protection prevent exposure to soil vapors in Agency’s Site Designation Committee accordance with requirements set forth designated DTSC as the Administering in the LUCs. Agency for the Railyards pursuant to
California Health & Safety Code Section 25260 Treatment of potentially contaminated et seq. As such, the Department is responsible groundwater generated during for administering all State land loca laws, construction dewatering. ordinances, regulations and standards that DTSC determinations in the future as to are applicable to, and govern, the acceptable cleanup standards and investigation and remediation of the remediation requirements could change Railyards. development opportunities on the site in The City will incorporate a confirmation into ways that affect land uses. Thus, DTSC its land use permitting process to confirm that decisions concerning remediation and land DTSC concurs that the proposed use is use are linked, and ongoing communication consistent with applicable requirements set between DTSC, UPRR, the City, and the forth in the LUCs. property owner is essential.
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This chapter outlines the steps needed to principle regulatory framework for the Plan implement the development of the Area. For entitlements needed to develop Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan Area as within the Plan Area, a property owner will described in this Specific Plan. This Specific need to demonstrate consistency of the Plan is a long range planning document that proposed project with these documents is intended to guide the development at the through the permitting process set out in the Railyards site over the next 15 to 20 years. Special Planning District, and when applicable, may seek changes in these A. Related Approvals regulations.
In addition to amending the City’s General 3. Development Agreement Plan, the Central City Community Plan and the River District Specific Plan to incorporate In order to specify the manner in which the the provisions of this Specific Plan, the necessary infrastructure and public facilities following is a summary of the actions that are as provided in this Specific Plan will be to be approved at the time of adoption of this constructed and financed, among other Specific Plan which set out the matters, the City and the property owner implementation parameters for the intend to enter into a development development of the Plan Area. agreement. The terms and conditions contained in the development agreement will 1. Special Planning District and Zoning be consistent with the goals and policies of this Specific Plan. A special zoning district is to be established for the Railyards Plan Area, to specify the 4. Design Guidelines zoning designations, development standards, and permitted uses within the various In order to further implement the Specific districts that comprise the Railyards site, as Plan, the City will establish a design review described in this Specific Plan. The Railyards district that encompasses the Railyards Plan Special Planning District also establishes the Area and will adopt Design Guidelines to procedures for processing future address building placement, design, setbacks, development applications. heights, massing, façade articulation, ground floor transparency, and overhangs, as well as 2. Development Regulations landscape treatments, streetscapes, lighting, signage, and the design of public and civic This Specific Plan, in conjunction with the open spaces. Design Guidelines, the Railyards Special Planning District and the Central Shops Historic District ordinance, constitute the
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5. Landmark and Historic District 7. Owner Participant Agreement Designation The Railyards site is located within a Pursuant to the Historic Preservation redevelopment project area in which tax Chapter, 17.604, of the City Code, a historic increment revenue would accrue to the district, including contributing resources and Redevelopment Agency of the City of identifying significant features and Sacramento (Agency). Although the Agency characteristics, will be designated by the City was dissolved in 2012, the City is serving as for the Central Shops area. The designation the successor agency to implement the will provide for review of development Agency’s agreements. projects pursuant to Chapter 17.604, which specifies use of the Secretary of the Interior’s In May 2008, the Redevelopment Agency Standards for the Treatment of Historic entered into a Master Owner Participation Properties (Standards). The Southern Pacific Agreement (MOPA) with the former owner of Railroad Sacramento Depot and REA the land within Railyards. The MOPA Buildings are already designated by the City established the framework for the allocation as a Landmark and review of development of tax increment revenues from the Railyards projects involving the historic resources and Redevelopment Project Area, and at the same site are currently and will continue to be time the Initial Phase OPA was also approved reviewed pursuant to Chapter 17.604. that committed $50 million (adjusted for inflation) for specific infrastructure and other 6. Financing Plan improvement projects. The MOPA and the Initial Phase OPA have been assigned to the The development of the Railyards site will current Railyards landowner. require extraordinary investments in infrastructure not typically found in suburban As part of the 2011 Budget Act, the California “greenfield” settings. A key component of the Legislature approved the dissolution of Specific Plan is the Financing Plan that sets redevelopment agencies. The Act established forth the estimated costs and anticipated Successor Agencies to manage redevelopment sources of revenue for the development of the projects and agreements in existence as of infrastructure and public facilities required June 28, 2011. Successor Agencies are required for development within the Railyards Plan to make payments for “enforceable Area, including the street net‐ work and obligations,” and dispose of redevelopment freeway interchange improvements; water, agency assets, including properties. The sewer, and storm water systems; community Railyards was a redevelopment project area at centers, parks, trails and open spaces; and the time of dissolution of the redevelopment police and fire stations. The Financing Plan agency. will be adopted along with the Specific Plan and will be implemented over time. The City of Sacramento is serving as the Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency (RASA) to the former Agency. As such, RASA will administer the MOPA and the Initial Phase OPA.
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B. Conceptual Financing Strategy Zone,” which means it will have priority for federal grants. Also, there may be The construction of backbone infrastructure additional state infrastructure bond and other public improvements described in funding in the future. this Specific Plan will be funded by a variety of private and public financing mechanisms. City Funds. The City previously This section includes a description of these committed local funding for certain mechanisms and a description of more public facilities in the Railyards, some of detailed financing studies that may be which has already been spent. As noted required to implement the Financing Plan as a below, the City may pledge some of the next step in implementation of the Specific additional property taxes received given Plan. the dissolution of redevelopment.
1. Financing Methods Transportation Funding. A large portion of the infrastructure investment needed To redevelop the Railyards site, substantial for development of the Plan Area is private sector investment is necessary for land related to transportation. The City will acquisition, remediation, infrastructure and apply for federal, state and local funding land development and construction. Because of the street dan interchange the Railyards site has limited access, lacks an improvements through the Sacramento infrastructure system and will abide by Area Council of Governments (SACOG) special development requirements, and the Sacramento Transportation development will require extraordinary Authority (STA). SACOG manages a infrastructure investments. Significant public multi‐year planning process that allocates funds will be utilized for the necessary funding to projects from State and federal backbone infrastructure and to provide other funding sources. The STA manages the public services, as well as to connect the allocation and disbursement of local Railyards site with adjacent districts and the transportation sales tax and Measure A City’s infrastructure network, as described in funds for transportation projects. the Financing Plan and the Development Agreement. These contributions may include Development Impact Fees. The City has the following sources: previously adopted a set of Development Impact Fees to finance capital Federal and State Funds. Certain federal improvements within the Railyards and and State funds have been made available River District Specific Plan and these fees to assist with certain public infrastructure will be updated as part of the components of the Railyards, specifically implementation of the Financing Plan. the SITF, interim improvements to the Certain Railyards Plan Area backbone Richards Blvd/I‐5 freeway interchange, improvements and public facilities will be roadway improvements within the funded by development outside of the Railyards, and preliminary re habilitation Railyards site that will benefit from such of the Central Shops. The Railyards has improvements. The City will impose been designated as a federal “Promise certain impact fees in those areas to fund Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 10-3 City of Sacramento 10 IMPLEMENTATION
their pro‐ rata share of the necessary Districts) by the legislative body of a city public improvements that will serve those or county[1] to finance projects of areas as well as the Railyards site. ʺcommunitywide significanceʺ pursuant to an infrastructure financing plan Tax Increment Financing. As noted adopted by the district. The issuance of previously in this chapter, the Specific bonds by a Revitalization District requires Plan site is within a redevelopment 2/3 voter approval. The legislative body project area that was formerly of a city or county may also dedicate all or administered by the Redevelopment a portion of its property tax increment Agency. The City of Sacramento, serving revenues that are received after payment as the Redevelopment Agency Successor of the Redevelopment Agency‘s Agency, inherits the limited authority, obligations to the Revitalization District. and has the duty to pay the Agency’s debts and other obligations previously Enhanced Infrastructure Financing vested with the Redevelopment Agency. District. SB 628 of 2014 (Beall) authorizes This includes the payment of tax the creation of Enhanced Infrastructure increment revenues received from the Financing Districts (EIFDs), which give County Auditor‐Controller, based on the local government agencies (primarily Recognized Obligations Payment cities, counties, and special districts) Schedule (ROPS) as approved by RASA’s another avenue to finance the Oversight Board and the State construction or rehabilitation of public Department of Finance. The tax increment infrastructure, as well as some private revenue generated from the Railyards projects. The EIFD carries out a plan will be used to pay the MOPA and Initial within a defined area including, Phase OPA obligations to provide construct, improve, and rehabilitate reimbursement to the landowner for the public infrastructure; construct libraries, costs of infrastructure and other and parks; remediate brownfields; and for improvement projects in the Railyards. military base reuse projects. Non‐ contiguous areas within the s district are Community Facilities District. Mello‐ also permitted. Roos Community Facilities District (CFD) funding may be also be used to help fund Like the stateʹs terminated redevelopment the construction or acquisition of program, EIFDs are financed through tax backbone infrastructure and facilities in increment generated from the growth in the Plan Area. These funds would be property taxes collected from the defined repaid by property tax assessments or area that are received by the City after other revenue sources. payment of the Redevelopment Agency’s debts. Private facilities financed by an EIFD Infrastructure and Revitalization may include, but are not limited to: Financing Districts. AB 229 of 2014 (Perez) authorizes the creation of Acquisition, construction, and repair of Infrastructure and Revitalization industrial structures for private use; Financing Districts (Revitalization 10-4 Sacramento Railyards Specific Plan 10/11/16 City of Sacramento IMPLEMENTATION 10
Transit priority projects under PRC 2. Financing of On‐going Service Delivery Section 21155; and Infrastructure Maintenance
Project that implement the regional Public facilities maintenance and delivery of Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS); public services will be funded primarily with property and sales tax revenues generated Mixed‐income housing developments from development within the Specific Plan (low‐income units and services); and Area. The City and other agencies will deliver the public services and maintain the public Developer reimbursement for permitting infrastructure in the Plan Area. Under special and other expenses incurred for agreements, property owners may also affordable housing construction pursuant assume responsibility for some services and to Government Code 65470 (Transit maintenance obligations. Priority Project Program). 3. Financing Plan No voter approval is required to form an EIFD, but a 55 percent affirmative vote is A separate Financing Plan is being prepared required for the EIFDʹs issuance of bonds. to identify the costs of all major backbone infrastructure improvements needed to serve Other. Other financing mechanisms may the Plan Area and to identify the specific also be used, including other public and financing mechanisms that could be used to private debt financing sources. Specific construct these improvements in a timely financing requirements, improvement manner. The Financing Plan and the obligations, reimbursements, fees, land Development Agreement will also provide and easement dedications and the framework within which developers will conveyances, maintenance, and other receive credits and reimbursements for financing and improvement‐related advance‐funding of project costs and over‐ obligations will be included as part of the sizing of infrastructure. The Financing Plan development project approval and will be will focus on the major back‐bone detailed in the Financing Plan as well as infrastructure improvements, their costs, the Development Agreement. The use of timing and potential funding mechanisms. the federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program, which provides a federal tax credit in the amount of 20 percent of the rehabilitation costs, and the use of the State of California Seismic Retrofit Property Valuation Reduction provisions for seismic retrofit may also assist with the costs of rehabilitation of the historic Central Shops.
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