Rancho Cordova City Zoning Code

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a major arterial is a six-lane high-volume roadway with a center median, bike lanes, and sidewalks. On-street parking is not permitted.

Regional town centers will be generally located adjacent to at least one major arterial, since these centers serve the entire community and surrounding areas. Local town centers may be located along a major arterial, but preferably not more than one and preferably not bifurcating or running through the local town center. Village centers should not be located along major arterials. This typology is not ideally suited to supporting a pedestrian-oriented retail environment, so commercial frontages should be located along other street typologies whenever possible.

The median in the center of the roadway should be utilized to facilitate the safe passage of pedestrians along and across a major arterial. Suggested treatments include landscaping and pedestrian refuges at crossings.

The landscaping strip along the sides of the roadway should be designed to provide a comfortable separation between pedestrians and vehicles traveling along a major arterial. It is suggested that the strip include a continuous landscaped area between the edge of the curb and the sidewalk. Street trees and lighting should be provided and designed at a pedestrian scale.

Where right-turn lanes are required, the sidewalk and landscape strip widths should not be diminished.

Wherever buildings are situated near the public right-of-way, storefront frontage types are preferred due to the high traffic volumes. It is preferred that building frontages approach the sidewalk near intersections, especially those anchoring the intersection between an arterial and a nonresidential collector street or main street.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a minor arterial is a four-lane high-volume roadway with a center median, bike lanes, and sidewalks.

On-street parking may be permitted in commercial areas to help limit the speed of traffic, create a safer pedestrian environment, and provide parking immediately in front of commercial storefronts.

Regional town centers may be located along minor arterials since these centers serve the entire community and surrounding areas. Local town centers and village centers may also be located along at least one minor arterial. Where minor arterials run through a local town center or village center, the roadway design should be modified to include on-street parking and design elements to facilitate a safe pedestrian environment. This typology is not ideally suited to supporting a pedestrian-oriented retail environment, so commercial frontages should be located along other street typologies when possible. However, commercial buildings facing a minor arterial should front the street with front door entries toward the street.

The median in the center of the roadway should be utilized to facilitate the safe passage of pedestrians along and across a minor arterial. Suggested treatments include landscaping and pedestrian refuges at crossings.

The landscaping strip along the sides of the roadway should be designed to create a separation between pedestrians and fast-moving vehicles. The strip should include a landscaped area between the edge of the curb and the sidewalk. Street trees and lighting should be provided and designed at a pedestrian scale.

Where right-turn lanes are required, the quality of the pedestrian environment should not be diminished with the width of sidewalks and landscape strips maintained.

The facades of buildings located at the required "build-to line" in fulfillment of the minimum building frontage requirement should be storefront frontage types. It is preferred that building frontages approach the sidewalk near intersections.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a nonresidential collector street is a two-lane roadway with bike lanes, on-street parking, and detached sidewalks.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

The typology may include a median in the center of the roadway. Whenever a median is present, it should be utilized to facilitate the safe crossing of pedestrians along and across the street. Suggested treatments include landscaping and pedestrian refuges at crossings.

The landscape strip areas should be designed to enhance the pedestrian environment by providing a landscape separation between pedestrians and fast-moving vehicles. Motorists should have adequate views of the storefronts located along the street. It is recommended that street trees and lights designed to the pedestrian scale be placed within landscape strips. The strips may comprise a continuous landscaped area or intermittent tree wells surrounded by paving materials that are compatible with the sidewalk's materials. Canopy street trees should be used to maintain views of storefronts beneath the tree canopy. Intersections should be designed to provide a safe and pleasant pedestrian environment. To improve the safety and visibility of pedestrians crossing the street, features may include pedestrian bulbouts, differentiated accent paving within the intersection, pedestrian refuge areas within the medians of arterials, and in-street crossing lights.

Turning movements typically occur from within the main travel lanes; however, short (one- to two-car-length) turn pockets may be provided at some intersections in lieu of parking on one side of the street.

Door yard/terrace or light court, stoop, storefront, gallery, and arcade frontage types are preferred due to the urban character of the street.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a residential collector street is a two-lane roadway with bike lanes, and landscape strip between sidewalk and roadway.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

The landscape strip areas should be designed to provide pedestrians with secure passage along the roadway. It is recommended that street trees and lights designed to the pedestrian scale be placed within continuous landscape strips to provide a barrier between the roadway and sidewalk. Larger canopy trees should be used where possible to shade the sidewalk and the street.

Intersections should be designed to provide pedestrians with safe passage and adequate visibility from motorists. Features may include pedestrian bulbouts, differentiated accent paving within the intersection, pedestrian refuge areas within the medians of arterials, and in-street crossing lights.

Turning movements typically occur from within the main travel lanes; however, short (one- to two-car-length) turn pockets may be provided at some intersections in lieu of parking on one side of the street.

Common yard, porch, door yard/terrace or light court, and stoop frontage types are preferred.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a main street is a two-lane roadway with diagonal or parallel on-street parking, and sidewalks.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

Landscaping and larger trees should frequently interrupt the parking lanes to soften the visual impact of the parked vehicles and to help cool the air heated by the pavement.

Intersections should be designed to provide pedestrians with safe passage. Features may include pedestrian bulbouts, differentiated accent paving within the intersection, pedestrian refuge areas within the medians of arterials, and in-street crossing lights.

Turning movements typically occur from within the main travel lanes; however, short (one- to two-car-length) turn pockets may be provided at some intersections in lieu of parking on one side of the street.

Storefront, gallery, arcade, and discontinuous arcade frontage types are preferred due to the urban and retail character of the street.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a nonresidential local street is a two-lane, low-speed roadway with on-street parking and detached sidewalks, but no bike lanes.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

The landscape strip areas should be designed to provide pedestrians with secure passage along the roadway and motorists with adequate views of the storefronts located along the street. It is recommended that street trees and lights designed to the pedestrian scale be placed within strips to provide a barrier between the roadway and sidewalk. The strips may comprise a continuous landscaped area or intermittent tree wells surrounded by paving materials that are compatible with the sidewalk's materials. Smaller canopy street trees should be used to maintain views of storefronts.

Wherever a nonresidential local street intersects with an arterial, a collector street, or a main street, the intersection should be designed to provide pedestrians with safe passage and adequate visibility from motorists. Features may include pedestrian bulbouts, differentiated accent paving within the intersection, pedestrian refuge areas within the medians of arterials, and in-street crossing lights.

Turning movements typically occur from within the main travel lanes; however, short (one to two car-length) turn pockets may be provided at some intersections in lieu of parking on one side of the street.

Porch, door yard/terrace or light court, stoop, courtyard, and storefront frontage types are preferred due to the urban, but more intimate, scale of the street.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a standard residential street is a two-lane roadway with on-street parking and detached sidewalks, but no bicycle lanes.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

It is recommended that street trees and lights designed to the pedestrian scale be placed within the landscape strips. The strips should comprise a continuous landscaped area. Larger canopy trees should be used where possible to shade the sidewalk and the street.

Wherever a standard residential street intersects with a collector street, a main street, or a nonresidential local street, the intersection should be designed to provide pedestrians with safe passage and adequate visibility from motorists. Features may include pedestrian bulbouts and differentiated accent paving within the intersection.

Turning movements typically occur from within the main travel lanes; however, short (one to two car-length) turn pockets may be provided at some intersections in lieu of parking on one side of the street.

Porch, door yard/terrace or light court, stoop, courtyard, and storefront frontage types are preferred due to the urban character of the street.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, a minor residential street is a two-lane roadway with on-street parking and detached sidewalks, but no bicycle lanes.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

It is recommended that street trees and lights designed to the pedestrian scale be placed within the landscape strips or in bulbouts or tree wells between parking spaces. The strips should comprise a continuous landscaped area. Larger canopy trees should be used where possible to shade the sidewalk and the street.

Wherever a minor residential street intersects with a collector street, a main street, or a nonresidential local street, the intersection should be designed to provide pedestrians with safe passage and adequate visibility from motorists. Features may include pedestrian bulbouts and differentiated accent paving within the intersection.

Turning movements typically occur from within the main travel lanes; however, short (one to two car-length) turn pockets may be provided at some intersections in lieu of parking on one side of the street.

Porch, door yard/terrace or light court, stoop, courtyard, and storefront frontage types are preferred due to the urban character of the street.

Consistent with the city's adopted street standards, an alley is a narrow roadway that provides access from the rear of a lot onto a public street.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

Porch and stoop frontages are preferred for use in accessory dwelling units facing the alley.

Paseos are typically private (but may be public) pathways serving pedestrians and bicyclists only. This new street typology may also provide some limited service access during specified periods of the day. A paseo includes a wide paved area between two building frontages.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

Street lighting and landscaping should be designed at a pedestrian scale. Larger canopy trees should be used where possible to shade the paseo.

Porch, door yard/terrace or light court, stoop, courtyard, storefront, gallery, and arcade frontage types are preferred due to the urban and intimate scale of the street.

Multi-use paths are pathways that connect neighborhoods, districts, and regions and serve pedestrians and bicyclists only. A multi-use path includes two bicycle lanes, one in each direction.

This street typology may be used in any of the center zones.

Street lighting and landscaping should be designed at a pedestrian scale. Larger canopy trees should be used where possible to shade the pathway.

Porch, door yard/terrace or light court, and courtyard frontage types are preferred due to the intimate scale of the pathway.