Central Shops Historic District Plan

Historic District Plans have been prepared for nearly all of the City’s listed historic districts. Historic District Plans are specified within the 2035 General Plan, the Central City Specific Plan implementation measures, and City Code Section 17.604.300. The Historic District Plans include historic context, period of significance, character defining features, and design standards and criteria that help guide future development within these historic parts of the city. 

Public Drafts and Documents

• Draft Historic District Plan
• National Register Nomination
• One-page project summary 
• Ordinance 2007-103 Listing the Central Shops 
• Ordinance 2016-0047 Amending the District 
• Railyards Specific Plan
• Railyards Design Guidelines 

Project Background 
As part of the Environmental Impact Report for the Railyards Specific Plan, the developer of the Railyards, Downtown Railyard Ventures (DRV), is required to prepare the Historic District Plan (HDP) for the Central Shops Historic District. Architectural Resources Group (ARG) have been retained by DRV to prepare the HDP for the Central Shops. The Central Shops Historic District was listed on the Sacramento Register of Historic & Cultural Resources in 2007 in Ordinance 2007‐103 which was repealed in 2016 in order to revise the boundary to exclude the water tower, which is a local landmark. The Central Shops Historic District is now listed in Ordinance No. 2016‐0047 and the water tower is individually listed landmark on the Sacramento Register. 

National Register Nomination 
ARG has prepared the National Register District Nomination (also part of the EIR Mitigation Measures) and therefore has surveyed the site in order to prepare the Nomination. Based on the research and findings, there may be discrepancies between the City District and the National Register District, such as period of significance, contributing resources, and district boundary. While a survey update of the Central Shops Historic District is not required by the city code, and the district boundary and period of significance may differ between local and national districts, survey updates are an important tool to maintaining an up-to-date and relevant Sacramento Register and have often been coupled with preparation of HDPs. Should the survey results recommend boundary changes or revisions to contributing resource status, these changes may also be enacted by a local ordinance.  
 
Public Outreach 
Be sure to sign up for news and alerts from the City’s Historic Preservation team to learn about meetings, hearings, and how to participate in development of the Central Shops Historic District Plan.