Railyards sign district.
Sacramento City Code § 15.148.193
in effect15.148.193 Railyards sign district.
A. Definitions. In addition to the definitions in sections 1.04.020 and 15.148.1170 and chapter 17.108, the following definitions apply in this section.
1. "City-leased property" means real property in which the city has a leasehold interest.
2. "City-owned property" means real property the city owns in fee.
3. "Freeway-oriented digital billboard" means a digital billboard that is oriented toward Interstate 5 and is within 660 feet of the Interstate 5 right-of-way, determined by measuring 660 feet from the edge of the right-of-way along a line perpendicular to the center line of the main traveled way.
4. "Grade" means the lowest point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground, paving, or sidewalk within the area between a building and the property line or, when the property line is more than 5 feet from the building, between the building and a line 5 feet from the building. Light wells, stair wells, and driveways will not be considered in determining the lowest point of elevation.
5. "Large entertainment venue" means a permanent building or structure that is used primarily for entertainment (such as music, cultural, performing arts, and similar events); is the primary use of the site; and has a maximum occupant load determined by the chief building official to be at least 2,000 persons, but which has fewer than 10,000 fixed permanent seats.
6. "Marquee" means a permanent, three-sided roof-like structure that projects from and is supported by a building, extending over a public right-of-way to provide shelter from the elements which incorporates signage, such as the name of the establishment or current show playing.
7. "Primary user" means the person who has the right to use the largest portion of a large entertainment venue, measured in square feet of floor area.
8. "Railyards" means the Railyards special planning district established by chapter 17.440.
9. "Railyards sign district" means the special sign district with the boundary shown on this map:
[image omitted; see the official code]
10. "Static digital display " means a sign face that display s images throug h the use of grid lights, cathode-ray projections, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), plasma screens, liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), fiber optics, or other electronic media or functionally equivalent technology that does not change more than once per day.
11. "Subdistrict 1" means the area of the Railyards sign district shown in subsection D.1 below.
12. "Subdistrict 2" means the area of the Railyards sign district shown in subsection D.2 below. The boundary of subdistrict 2 corresponds to the boundary of the Central Shops Historic District in exhibit A of Ordinance No. 2023-0016.
13. "Subdistrict 3" means the area of the Railyards sign district shown in subsection D.3 below.
14. "Subdistrict 4" means the area of the Railyards sign district shown in subsection D.4 below.
15. "Subdistrict 5" means the area of the Railyards sign district shown in subsection D.5 below.
B. Purp ose. The Rail yard s sign distr ict is inten ded to estab lish an iconic civic environment that integrates the Railyards into the downtown area by linking the Golden 1 Center and Downtown Commons to the historic Central Shops and soccer stadium through enhanced pathways and digital wayfinding. Signage is a key element in achieving this goal; therefore, this section establishes a dynamic and creative sign program for the Railyards special planning district, preserves the district's character, implements the adopted Railyards development guidelines, and authorizes types and locations of signs that would otherwise be prohibited under chapter 15.148 (Signs) or title 17 (Planning and Development Code) — in sum, to authorize types and location of signage that will enhance the public's overall experience at the Railyards and complement the buildings, structures, and public spaces within the Railyards. This section is also intended to protect public health and safety by regulating the type, number, and location of signs within the Railyards that might distract motorists and pedestrians or be a nuisance for the occupants of buildings near the Railyards.
C. Except as provided in this section, signs within the Railyards sign district must comply with all provisions of this chapter.
D. Subdistrict maps.
1. Map of subdistrict 1.
[image omitted; see the official code]
2. Map of subdistrict 2.
[image omitted; see the official code]
3. Map of subdistrict 3.
[image omitted; see the official code]
4. Map of subdistrict 4.
[image omitted; see the official code]
5. Map of subdistrict 5.
[image omitted; see the official code]
E. Subdistrict 1. [Reserved]
F. Subdistrict 2. Within subdistrict 2, a large entertainment venue that falls within the parameters of subsection A.5 above is allowed static digital displays subject to the following:
1. A static digital display must be a permanently attached sign.
2. One static digital display per street frontage is allowed per primary use and must be attached to a marquee.
3. A static digital display may extend from the front of the marquee and return to the building.
4. The maximum display area of a static digital display is 150 square feet per marquee side.
5. Static digital displays are for primary users only and must be located adjacent to the primary public entrance. No static digital displays are allowed for other building users.
6. Each static digital display must be integral in design to the architectural style of the large entertainment venue to which it is attached.
7. General advertising for hire is not allowed.
8. Static digital displays must meet the following criteria:
a. A static digital display may show only still images. The still images may not be animated (i.e., move or present the appearance of motion) and may not use flashing, scintillating, blinking, or traveling lights or any other means not providing constant illumination.
b. The term "operational period" means the period that begins three hours before the start time of, and ends two hours after the conclusion of, an event at the large entertainment venue. During the operational period, a static digital display may change still images at intervals of not less than 5 minutes. The interval may be temporarily decreased if additional operational messaging is required to safely manage crowds queuing outside the venue. At all times other than the operational period, a static digital display may change still images no more than once every 15 minutes.
c. A static digital display must use either an instant transition between still images or a fading transition with a transition time between still images of not less than one second and not more than two seconds. A digital display must not go blank during a transition.
d. The maximum pixel pitch of a static digital display is 8 millimeters.
e. Static digital displays must be equipped with a sensor or other device that automatically adjusts the brightness of the display according to changes in ambient lighting to comply with a brightness limitation of 0.3 foot-candles above ambient lighting. Static digital displays must transition smoothly at a consistent rate from the allowed daytime brightness to the allowed nighttime brightness levels, beginning 45 minutes before sunset and ending 45 minutes after sunset. An automatic photometric sensor must be provided for automatic dimming.
f. Upon the request of the chief building official or designee, the display owner, at the owner's expense, shall have a city-approved testing agency measure the brightness of a digital display as follows:
Step One. Measure the display's brightness at night and during the day by focusing on the direct center of the display from a point that is 6 feet above grade and 20 feet away from the plane of the display (determined by a line that is within 6 degrees of a line perpendicular to the plane of the display).
Step Two. Use the following formula to determine the "measurement distance" (the "display area" in the radicand is in square feet):
[image omitted; see the official code]
Step Three. Use the following formulas to calculate the display's equivalent maximum brightness during the day and at night:
Equivalent Maximum Nighttime Brightness
Bn = 180,000 ÷ D2
Bn = the equivalent maximum nighttime brightness
D = the measurement distance calculated in Step Two
Equivalent Maximum Daytime Brightness
Bd = 3,000,000 ÷ D2
Bd = the equivalent maximum daytime brightness
D = the measurement distance calculated in Step Two
Step Four. Measure the display's brightness at night and during the day by focusing on the direct center of the display from a point that is 6 feet above grade and D feet away (i.e., the measurement distance calculated in Step Two) from the plane of the display as determined by a line that is within 6 degrees of a line perpendicular to the plane of the display. If a brightness so measured exceeds the relevant equivalent maximum brightness calculated in Step Three, then the display's illumination must be adjusted so that it does not exceed that equivalent maximum brightness.
9. The hours of operation for static digital displays are from dawn to midnight Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and from dawn until 2:00 a.m. the following day on Friday and Saturday.
10. Based on new or updated information or studies, the city council may amend the standards and other provisions in this section to mitigate effects on the visual environment or on residential properties or other sensitive receptors; to reduce driver distractions or other hazards to traffic; or to otherwise protect and promote the public health, safety, and welfare. The City Council may apply the amended standards to existing signs and digital displays.
11. Site plan and design review under chapter 17.808 for static digital displays is subject to staff-level review as provided in section 17.812.010.D. Deviations may be approved under section 17.808.120.
G. Subdistrict 3.
1. Agreements for digital billboards. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter (including section 15.148.640) or in any ordinance not codified in this chapter (including Ordinance No. 2007-079), the city council may approve agreements that authorize the construction of digital billboards on city-owned or city-leased property within subdistrict 3 of the Railyards sign district, subject to the following provisions:
a. No more than five digital billboards may be authorized.
b. Digital billboards are allowed only on city-leased property or city-owned property in the C-3-SPD and R-5-SPD zones.
c. The following provisions apply to all digital billboards other than freeway-oriented digital billboards—
i. Except as provided in subsection G.1.c.ii below, the maximum height of a digital billboard structure, measured from grade to the top of the digital billboard structure, is 70 feet.
ii. If a digital billboard is adjacent to subdistrict 2, the maximum height of the digital billboard structure, measured from grade to the top of the billboard structure, is 45 feet.
iii. Except as provided in subsection G.1.c.i v below, the max mum area of each digital-display face of a digital billboard is 700 square feet, and each digital billboard may have either one or two digital-display faces, except that digital billboards in the R-5-SPD zone are limited to one digital-display face, which must be oriented away from the Railyards sign district.
iv. If a digital billboard is adjacent to subdistrict 2, the maximum area of each digital-display face of the digital billboard is 500 square feet, and each digital billboard may have up to three digital-display faces.
v. The hours of operation for a digital billboard are from 6 a.m. to midnight.
d. The following provisions apply to freeway-oriented digital billboards—
i. The maximum height of a freeway-oriented digital billboard structure, measured from grade to the top of the billboard structure, is 100 feet; and
ii. The maximum area of each digital-display face of a freeway-oriented digital billboard is 1,200 square feet, and each freeway-oriented digital billboard may have either one or two digital-display faces.
e. A digital billboard may display only a series of still images, each of which is displayed for at least eight seconds. The still images may not move or present the appearance of motion and may not use flashing, scintillating, blinking, or traveling lights or any other means not providing constant illumination. Transition or blank screen time between still images may not exceed one second.
f. The owner of the digital billboard or billboards authorized by the agreement (or an affiliate of the owner) must agree to, among other things, at no cost to the city, remove the digital billboard or billboards from the city-owned or city-leased property at the expiration of the agreement's term, which may not exceed 35 years, and restore the property to its pre-agreement condition.
g. The owner of the digital billboard must comply with all applicable federal, state, or local laws when constructing, operating, improving, maintaining, repairing, and removing the digital billboard, including the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 (23 U.S.C. § 131), the Outdoor Advertising Act (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code, § 5200 et seq.), the regulations promulgated to implement the Outdoor Advertising Act (4 Cal. Code Regs. § 2242(c) et seq.), and this chapter.
h. The city council must find that each digital billboard identified in the agreement satisfies the following:
i. It complies with the requirements of this section and this chapter.
ii. It is compatible with the uses and structures on the city-owned or city-leased property and in the surrounding area, including parks, trails, and other public facilities and amenities.
iii. It will not interfere with on-site access, circulation, or visibility.
iv. It will not create a traffic or safety hazard.
v. It will not result in any undue or significant increase in visual clutter in the area surrounding the city-owned or city-leased property.
2. The city must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (Cal. Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) before approving an agreement that authorizes a digital billboard.
3. Site plan and design review under chapter 17.808 for digital billboards is subject to state-level review as provided in section 17.812.010.D. Deviations may be approved under section 17.808.120.
H. Subdistrict 4. [Reserved]
I. Subdistrict 5. [Reserved] (Ord. 2026-0020 § 1; Ord. 2025-0032 § 2)
Source: City of Sacramento, Sacramento City Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sacramentoca/latest/sacramento_ca/0-0-0-31991Fetched: 10/24/2026