​​​​TEMP-08

Increase Parking Lot Shading, Landscaping, and Urban Greening, Prioritizing EJ Communities

Measure Sum​​mary

The County seeks to increase urban greening through parking lot shading, tree planting, landscaping, and other heat-reducing activities to reduce the urban heat island effect. Actions included in this measure focus on enforcing County standards regarding shading requirements for parking lots, incorporating solar photovoltaic (PV) carports, and developing urban greening and tree planting programs that provide shade.

Additionally, under Measure GHG-02 (Expand the Urban Forest), the County aims to plant 15,000 net new trees by 2030 and 62,000 net new trees by 2045. This GHG measure will also provide adaptive co-benefits for extreme heat that include increasing shade and reducing the urban heat island effect.

Acti​​ons

Action TEMP-08-a: Enforce the existing parking lot shading coverage requirements (i.e., 30 percent coverage for 5-24 parking spaces, 40 percent coverage for 25-29 parking spaces, and 50 percent coverage for 50+ parking spaces) for new development projects that include parking, and revise parking lot shading standards to provide larger minimum sizes for tree planters to improve tree health. Status: Not Started. 


Action TEMP-08-b: Enforce existing standards for tree shading and landscaping in existing parking lots not in compliance and establish a compliance program to ensure that trees are maintained properly. Status: Not Started. 


Action TEMP-08-c: Establish rebate programs, permit fee reductions, or tax deductions to incentivize the installation of solar PV carports in existing and future parking lots. Solar PV carports provide shade in parking lots while simultaneously converting solar energy into electricity that can be used to charge electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Status: Not Started. 


Action TEMP-08-d: Establish rebate programs, permit fee reductions, or tax deductions to incentivize the installation of solar PV carports in existing and future parking lots. Solar PV carports provide shade in parking lots while simultaneously converting solar energy into electricity that can be used to charge EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Status: Not Started. 


Action TEMP-08-e: Develop standards for the inclusion of solar PV carports in County-owned parking lots. Status: Not Started. 


Action TEMP-08-f: Collaborate with the Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative, the Sacramento Tree Foundation, SMUD, PG&E, or other regional partners to identify incentives, grants, or other resources for the purposes of commercial and residential greening actions including, but not limited to, planting of parking lot or street trees, maintaining tree health, and establishing community gardens. Status: Ongoing.


Action TEMP-08-g: Require County-led active transportation and public transit infrastructure modifications and upgrades to incorporate shading, preferably in the form of trees, when upgrades to facilities are performed. Encourage modifications led by SacRT to also incorporate shading in the form of trees.Status: In Progress.

​​Status of Im​​​ple​​mentation

The majority of this measure will be implemented through the comprehensive update to the Zoning Code and/or Design Guidelines beginning in FY 24/25. 

Updated 4/22/25.


​​​​​​​​​​​​Not Started​​

The efforts for this measure have not started. ​​