17.216.420 EC zone-Use regulations.
A. Planned unit development (PUD) designation required. All properties given an EC zone classification shall, at the time of the zoning or rezoning, be given a planned unit development (PUD) designation; and all such properties shall be developed in accordance with the requirements of chapter 17.452.
B. Uses and range of development allowed.
1. Land uses allowed in the EC zone are divided into two categories: Primary and Non-Primary. Primary uses, described in more detail below, are employment-generating uses that provide a ridership base that will reinforce the use of transit services. Non-primary uses are conditional and are generally uses supportive of primary uses. Non-primary uses are divided into "support retail" and "residential." Primary and non-primary uses are set forth in Table 1.
Table 1
Category | Permitted uses
Primary | Office
High-tech manufacturing research and development (not limited to 25% office-may have 100% office uses)
Medical facilities:
Community clinic, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.118 .
Hospital
Laboratory
Residential care facility
Nonresidential care facility
Skilled nursing facility
Research and development
Physician's clinic
Convalescent hospital
Drug/alcohol treatment centers
Pharmacy
Optician lab or clinic
Veterinary clinic; veterinary hospital1
Kennel (subject to approval of a conditional use permit by the zoning administrator)
Educational/vocational/training (public or private)
Banks; savings and loans
Post office
Childcare center
Light Industrial Uses:
Warehouse; distribution center is permitted by right when use is located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform; for conditional uses, see subsection B.2.c.
Manufacturing, service, and repair
High-tech manufacturing research and development (limited to 25% office)
Assembly
Support Retail | Health club
School-dance, music, art, martial arts
Auto-sales, storage, rental is permitted when use is located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform; for conditional uses, see subsection B.2.c.
Auto-service, repair is permitted when use is located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform; for conditional uses, see subsection B.2.c.
Gas stations capable of simultaneously fueling not more than 10 vehicles are permitted by right when located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform; for conditional uses, see subsection B.2.c.
Restaurant; café; deli
Hotel; motel; bed and breakfast inn
Consumer retail (maximum 10,000 square feet per store, with an aggregate building size of 30,000 square feet)2 (e.g., books, food, videos, etc.)
Antenna; telecommunications facility (subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.300 et seq.)
Assembly-cultural, religious, social (subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.128)
Residential | Multi-unit dwelling
Dormitory, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.111
Residential hotel
Low barrier navigation center
Accessory dwelling unit, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.105
Junior accessory dwelling unit, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.105
1 Veterinary clinics and hospitals need a conditional use permit if there is outdoor boarding of animals.
2 Includes drug stores and office supply stores up to a maximum of 20,000 square feet per store, except EC-65 and EC-80 sites, which have a maximum of 10,000 square feet. Includes auto-related retail uses (excluding gas sales) up to a maximum of 15,000 square feet.
2. Range of development. Within each PUD, the percentage of net PUD acreage designated for and devoted to primary uses and to non-primary uses are as follows:
a. Primary Uses.
i. Allowable net acreage range in EC zone. A minimum of 65%, and a maximum of 100%, may be devoted to primary uses, except in the geographic area described in subsection B.2.b.ii below.
ii. Light Industrial. Light industrial uses are conditionally permitted subject to design and development standards, including landscaping, setbacks, and allowable uses. Light industrial uses as a component of the primary use are allowed in the following proportions for the designated area:
(A) EC-30: not to exceed 50% of primary use acreage
(B) EC-40: not to exceed 20% of primary use acreage
(C) EC-45: not to exceed 20% of primary use acreage
(D) EC-50: not to exceed 20% of primary use acreage
(E) EC-65: incidental to primary use only
(F) EC-80: incidental to primary use only
b. Non-primary uses.
i. Support retail. Within each PUD, a maximum of 10% percent of the PUD net acreage shall be designated for and devoted to support retail uses. EC PUDs that are two acres or greater in size will be required to provide support retail uses within a primary use structure or within a stand-alone building. EC PUDs that are less than two acres in size may, but are not required to, include support retail uses, either within the primary use structure or a stand-alone building.
ii. Residential. Except as provided below, a maximum of 25% percent of the PUD net acreage may be designated for and devoted to residential uses.
Exception: Within the geographic area bounded by the East Drain, I-5, Del Paso Road, and Arena Boulevard (this area comprises about 340 acres, and includes several PUDs), acreage devoted to residential uses may exceed 25% of the individual EC PUD subject to a conditional use permit. In addition to the conditional use permit and the findings required by section 17.808.200, the following findings must also be made:
(A) The proposed increase in residential use is compatible with adjacent uses in the PUD as well as with adjacent uses within contiguous PUDs;
(B) The residential use has a component of mixed use or conjunctive use within the residential project to serve the residents and nearby workers or provides a component of affordable housing;
(C) The proposed increase in residential use will improve the balance of jobs and housing as provided in the Community Plan;
(D) The proposed increase in residential use will not result in an over-concentration of multi-unit dwelling projects in the area;
(E) The project meets the Community Plan factors used to gauge the appropriateness of residential uses in an EC PUD;
(F) The total amount of acreage devoted to residential uses within this geographic area does not exceed 25%.
iii. Calculating net acreage devoted to non-primary uses. For purposes of subsection B.2.b of this section, the following rules apply when calculating the percentage of net PUD acreage devoted to non-primary uses:
(A) Support retail in a primary use structure. Support retail uses located within a building or structure devoted primarily to primary uses are not counted in the maximum percentage of support retail.
(B) Residential uses in a primary use structure. Residential uses located within a building or structure devoted primarily to primary uses (e.g., live/work space or second-floor residential over an office/retail building) are not counted in the maximum percentage of residential uses.
c. Conditionally permitted uses.
i. Auto-sales, storage, rental. Use is permitted with a conditional use permit approved by the planning and design commission if-
(A) Use is located greater than ¼ mile but less than or equal to ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.127; or
(B) Use is located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform.
ii. Auto-service, repair. Use is permitted with a conditional use permit approved by the planning and design commission if-
(A) Use is located greater than ¼ mile but less than or equal to ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.127; or
(B) Use is located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform.
iii. Drive-through facilities. In the EC-30, EC-40, or EC-45 zones, a drive-through service facility is permitted when incidental to a permitted use in the underlying zone, subject to a planning and design commission conditional use permit. A drive-through service facility is not permitted in the EC-50 zone. A drive-through service facility is not permitted in the EC-65 and EC-80 zones, except that if the EC-65 or EC-80 zone is within an employment center project in the North Natomas Community Plan area, which project is the subject of a development agreement executed on or before July 1, 2001, then a drive-through service facility is permitted when incidental to a permitted use in the underlying zone, subject to a planning and design commission conditional use permit.
iv. Gas stations.
(A) Gas stations capable of simultaneously fueling not more than 10 vehicles are permitted with a conditional use permit approved by the planning and design commission if use is located greater than ¼ mile but less than or equal to ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.127.
(B) Gas stations capable of simultaneously fueling more than 10 vehicles are permitted with a conditional use permit approved by the planning and design commission if-
(1) Use is located greater than ¼ mile but less than or equal to ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform and within 500 feet of a freeway right-of-way or roadway with six or more lanes, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.127; or
(2) Use is located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform and within 500 feet of a freeway right-of-way or roadway with six or more lanes.
v. Mini storage; locker building.
(A) Mini storage; locker building is permitted in the EC-30 zone with a conditional use permit approved by the planning and design commission if-
(1) Use is located greater than ¼ mile but less than or equal to ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.127; or
(2) Use is located greater than ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform.
(B) Criteria for mini storage; locker building include the following:
(1) The proposed mini storage is compatible with adjacent land uses in the PUD and with adjacent uses within contiguous PUDs.
(2) The proposed mini storage use will not result in an over-concentration of mini storage projects in the community plan area.
(3) The proposed mini storage will not be located in an area where another use is more appropriate due to pedestrian and transit access opportunities.
(4) The proposed mini storage project shall provide quality building and landscape design, including the following:
(a) The buildings facing the street shall have an articulated design.
(b) Buildings facing the street shall have uses other than storage units (e.g., the business office, the manager's residence or appropriate retail uses such as coffee shop, mailbox business, packaging business, etc.). The roll-up doors of the storage units shall not be visible from the street.
(c) Roof shall be pitched at least 4:1 slope, and roof materials shall be of high-quality dimensional composition or tile.
(d) Abundant landscaping of high quality shall be present at the street entrance to the mini storage project.
vi. Warehouse uses. Use is permitted with a conditional use permit approved by the planning and design commission if use is located greater than ¼ mile but less than or equal to ½ mile from the center of an existing or proposed light rail station platform, subject to special use regulations in section 17.228.127.
d. Prohibited uses. All uses not listed in this section are prohibited in the EC zone. (Ord. 2026-0001 § 11; Ord. 2024-0054 § 24; Ord. 2024-0017 § 30; Ord. 20210024 § 9; Ord. 2021-0023 § 26; Ord. 2020-0021 § 27; Ord. 2018-0055 § 3; Ord. 2017-0061 § 35; Ord. 2016-0003 § 4; Ord. 2013-0020 § 1; Ord. 2013-0007 § 1)
