Holy Cross New Church and Hall Use Permit Amendment

The project involves a Use Permit Amendment and Design Review for Holy Cross Church in unincorporated Sacramento County, California, to expand seating capacity from 150 to 253 persons and revise the approved phasing plan within the Interim Agricultural Reserve/Surface Mining (IR/SM) zoning district. The core development includes constructing a new 18,000-square-foot, two-story church building comprising a 9,100-square-foot social hall on the first floor and an 8,900-square-foot worship space on the second floor, to be completed in two separate phases. Additional structures include a 575-square-foot property maintenance storage building and a 900-square-foot play structure, while three existing structures — a 1,340-square-foot caretaker residence, a 485-square-foot food closet/garage, and a 950-square-foot single-family residence used for refreshments and education — are slated for demolition. The existing 2,200-square-foot chapel and 3,900-square-foot shade structure will remain intact. The project is subject to strict environmental compliance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), requiring mitigation for potential impacts on air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, hydrology, biological resources, cultural resources, noise, transportation, and wildfire risk, with all mitigation measures enforced through a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. Stormwater management must adhere to Sacramento County Drainage Standards and the Stormwater Quality Design Manual, including a hydrologic model, hydraulic analysis, and a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan with erosion control BMPs. Construction operations are bound by specific regulatory mandates including CARB’s requirements for off-road diesel equipment maintenance, limits on equipment idling to five minutes, daily site watering to suppress dust, and mandatory covering of haul trucks. The facility must be designed with electrical systems pre-wired for future electric vehicle charging and must not include any natural gas infrastructure. Geotechnical reports must address expansive soils in the area, and compliance with California AB 52 requires coordination with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers regarding cultural resources. The project site is located in a designated Disadvantaged Community under CalEnviroScreen 4.0, triggering additional equity considerations. Oversight is managed by Sacramento County as Lead Agency, with Julie Newton serving as the Environmental Coordinator and primary point of contact. Submittals must be delivered to the State Clearinghouse or delivered in person to Sacramento County Planning and Environmental Review, and public review occurs through