The Old Town SPA is in the process of being updated. 

Old Town Elk Grove and the Old Town Special Planning Area

Old Town Elk Grove is a historic area within the City, and one of the oldest western settlements in the greater Sacramento region. Nestled along the Elk Grove Boulevard corridor between Elk Grove-Florin Road and Waterman Road, visitors can find the area populated by a broad array of shops, services, businesses, and restaurants in many buildings that date back to the mid-1800s. In fact, over 40 buildings in Old Town Elk Grove form a Historic District that is listed on the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.

A Special Planning Area (SPA) was created to protect the historical character and ambiance of Old Town. The SPA serves as a master plan, guiding the long-term vision for Old Town and establishing the zoning regulations that define the type of allowed uses, architectural design standards and guidelines, and the public review process for new development.

The Old Town SPA was originally created by Sacramento County in 1985. A significant update was completed by the City in August 2005. Updates occurred in 2010 and 2014. Three minor amendments were completed in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.

View the current Old Town SPA

Update to the Old Town SPA

The City is updating the SPA for Old Town to support the economic vitality of the City's original main street and to reflect the current character and opportunities in Old Town today. At a broad level, the intent is for Old Town to be a community destination with active retail, dining, and entertainment venues that contributes to the overall vitality and culture of the city, while respecting, complementing, and positively interacting with the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The SPA Update is intended to help guide future public and private investments in the area.

The SPA Update process was begun in 2019 and went on hold after Workshop #1 in 2020 due to COVID-19.

With reopening of the Old Town Plaza and new development on Railroad Street, and the reopening of the economy from COVID, this is a great opportunity to reaffirm Old Town as a gathering place for all Elk Grove. The City is reinitiating the SPA Update process during the Summer of 2021 with upcoming activities and events, aimed at gathering community feedback:

• Virtual Community Workshop - Vision and Principles (June 24, 2021 | see theevent summary)
• Post Workshop Pop-Up Event - Continued Input on Vision and Principles (August 4, 2021)
• Community Survey - complete theCommunity Surveyand share your ideas for Old Town
• Community Open House - SPA Concepts and Solutions (Fall 2021)
• Release of Public Draft SPA Update and CEQA Document (Summer 2022)

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Resources

• Existing Special Planning Area document
• Existing Conditions Report (2019)
• Workshop Summaries
  • 2019 Dicken's Faire
  • Workshop 1(February 2020)
  • Workshop 2(June 2021)