Commercial Real Estate in Orangevale: Greenback Lane SPA, Downtown Orangevale and County Zoning

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Orangevale’s main commercial spine is Greenback Lane, with smaller retail and office sites on cross streets. Orangevale is not a city, so the zoning is Sacramento County’s, and much of Greenback Lane is also governed by a dedicated Special Planning Area that bans certain uses and sets its own setbacks and heights. Confirm the zone, the SPA segment and any parcel-specific conditions with County Planning before relying on this page.

Who controls the parcel

Orangevale is unincorporated, so the Sacramento County Zoning Code and the County’s General Plan apply, and permits run through County Planning and Environmental Review. The City of Folsom begins at the east end of Greenback Lane, and a parcel on the Folsom side follows Folsom’s code instead; see our Folsom commercial guide. Look up the parcel on the County’s zoning map viewer rather than trusting the mailing address.

On top of base zoning, the Greenback Lane Special Planning Area (Zoning Code Section 506-20 and following) covers the corridor from Kenneth Avenue east to the Folsom city limits. The SPA was adopted July 18, 1984 and has been amended many times, most recently on September 19, 2024. Under the County’s SPA overview, an SPA can set uses and standards that countywide zoning would not allow, so it controls wherever it conflicts with the base zone.

Orangevale zoning for commercial, industrial and mixed use

The base districts come from Chapter 2 of the County Zoning Code. The SPA then splits Greenback Lane into two segments at Chestnut Avenue.

District or area	Intended uses	Notes
BP Business Professional Office	Offices and professional services, with integrated light commercial or housing	Section 2.9
LC Light Commercial	Broad range of retail and services	Base zone for many SPA parcels
GC General Commercial	Heavier commercial uses along major streets	Section 2.9
Mixed-use NMC / CMC / CMZ	Village centers and corridor infill	CMZ requires housing; check whether a parcel was rezoned
Greenback Lane SPA, west of Chestnut	Base-zone uses, held to rural-character design	50 ft front setback, heavy landscaping, small low building clusters
Greenback Lane SPA, east of Chestnut (Downtown Orangevale)	Base-zone uses, minus a list of banned uses	Pedestrian business district; Commercial Design Guidelines and Design Review

Industrial districts (MP, M-1, M-2) exist in the County code, but confirm on the map whether any are mapped in Orangevale before planning a warehouse or fabrication use.

Greenback Lane and Downtown Orangevale

Two personalities. West of Chestnut Avenue, the SPA’s stated purpose is to keep Orangevale’s rural feel. It does this with varied deep setbacks, extensive landscaping, buffering from homes, underground utilities, limited signs and small clusters of low buildings. East of Chestnut to the Folsom line, the same SPA defines Downtown Orangevale as a distinct business district. That end aims for a walkable street, slower traffic, gateways, murals, themed architecture and neon signs.

Banned uses downtown. East of Chestnut, the underlying zone’s uses apply except for these:

card rooms
drug paraphernalia sales
massage parlors
pawn shops
storage facilities
liquor stores
tattoo parlors

An existing legal business of those types may continue, expand or relocate if the Planning Director finds no added nuisance impact. That matters when valuing a building leased to one.

Downtown boundaries. Downtown Orangevale reaches north to Orangevale Avenue and south to Madison Avenue. However, only the part inside the SPA boundary must follow the Commercial Design Guidelines. Parcels downtown but outside the SPA sit in "mutual cooperation zones," where following the guidelines is encouraged but optional.

Parcel-specific rules. Two parcels on the west segment carry their own performance standards. One, at 8685 Greenback Lane, bars roughly three dozen LC uses including auto services, bars and hotels. Pull the SPA text for any parcel with an assessor number listed in Sections 506-29 or 506-30.

Recent filings show how the SPA works. A 2024 state CEQA notice for 8695 Greenback Lane at Hickory Avenue describes a proposed split of a 2.84-acre parcel into a convenience store and gas station and a three-level indoor self-storage building. It lists a use permit for 24-hour operation, a Special Development Permit for landscape deviations, and Design Review as the entitlements. We have not confirmed the outcome.

Setbacks, height, signs and other Orangevale rules

The SPA’s development standards in Section 506-25 shape what a buyer can build:

Front setbacks. Buildings, carports and parking sit 50 feet back from the ultimate right-of-way. That can average down to 30 feet across a project, and lower for some single-story buildings with rear parking and landscaped berms.
Height. The limit is two habitable stories or 40 feet. Within 100 feet of RD-1 through RD-7, AR-1 or AR-2 zoning, buildings are held to one story and 24 feet.
Landscaping. Front yards must screen parked cars within five years. Shade trees must cover half the front yard within 15 years.
Street frontage. Projects install swales and meandering sidewalks in place of curb and gutter where practical. Shared access is expected to limit new Greenback driveways.
Parking. The SPA sets no special ratios but wants parking at the rear, set back or screened.
Signs. Base sign rules apply, and neon is allowed downtown. Off-site signs other than directories are prohibited, and the special sign corridor standards apply when a parcel is enlarged by 50% or more or rebuilt.
Utilities. Must be undergrounded unless the Planning Director finds it impractical.

A project that meets the intent but not the letter can seek a Special Development Permit. Downtown projects also go through County Design Review.

Short-term rentals and lodging. Countywide short-term rental rules require a permit, a business license and an on-site resident, and lodging pays the County’s 12% transient occupancy tax plus tourism district assessments.

Transfer tax, business tax and property tax

Orangevale is outside the City of Sacramento, so only the County’s documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 applies, per the Clerk-Recorder. The City of Sacramento’s added transfer tax does not reach here. Businesses located in the unincorporated area need a County General Business License; the Department of Finance FAQ lists the fee as $262.60 for three years effective July 1, 2026. A change of ownership generally triggers Proposition 13 reassessment.

Due diligence that matters in Orangevale

Start with our commercial due diligence checklist, then add:

Confirm County jurisdiction and the base zone on the County map. Parcels near the east end may be in Folsom.
Determine whether the parcel is inside the Greenback Lane SPA, and on which side of Chestnut Avenue.
If the tenant is a liquor store, pawn shop, storage facility or other banned use downtown, confirm its legal nonconforming status.
Measure the setback and height envelope before planning an addition, especially within 100 feet of residential zoning.
Check whether any of the Section 506-29 or 506-30 parcel restrictions apply.
Confirm a current County business license and any open Design Review or Special Development Permit conditions.

Questions people ask

Is Orangevale part of the City of Sacramento or Folsom?

Neither. Orangevale is unincorporated, so Sacramento County zones it. Folsom begins at the east end of Greenback Lane.

What is the Greenback Lane SPA?

A County Special Planning Area adopted in 1984. It sets uses and design standards for Greenback Lane from Kenneth Avenue to the Folsom line, split at Chestnut Avenue.

Can a liquor store or storage facility open in Downtown Orangevale?

Not a new one inside the SPA east of Chestnut. Existing legal ones may continue, expand or relocate with a Planning Director finding.

How tall can I build on Greenback Lane?

Two stories or 40 feet in most of the SPA, but one story and 24 feet within 100 feet of single-family or small-lot rural zoning.

Are neon signs allowed?

Yes, in Downtown Orangevale. Off-site signs other than directory signs are prohibited throughout the SPA.

Is there a city transfer tax in Orangevale?

No. Only the County rate of $0.55 per $500 applies.

Does Diamond handle commercial property in Orangevale?

Contact Matthew Martinez to discuss buying, selling or leasing commercial property in Orangevale.

Sources & notes

Note: We did not review the SPA’s Appendix A design guidelines or Appendix B streetscape plan in full, or the Madison-Kenneth and Greenback-Garfield SPAs, which may affect nearby parcels.

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.

Inquire about a listing or to schedule a meeting

Matthew Martinez

Your inquiry is processed through our iHomefinder service. Review the form’s contact choices before submitting. Privacy Policy · Terms of Use.