Sacramento Parking Lot Greening: Owner Survey Ends Nov. 25

The City of Sacramento is writing a parking lot greening guidebook for property owners and businesses and wants their input in a survey that closes Nov. 25, 2026.

Sacramento parking lot greening is moving from idea to guidebook. On Nov. 4, 2026, the City of Sacramento said it is preparing a Parking Lot Greening Guidebook to help property owners, businesses, designers and community groups add trees and shade to parking lots that already exist, and it is asking for input through an online survey that closes Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026. For owners of shopping centers, offices, restaurants and other sites with surface parking, the guide could shape what shading a lot costs, what permits it takes and which incentives may be offered.

According to the City, the guidebook will cover design options, costs and benefits, ongoing maintenance, permitting and potential incentives. The City has not named any incentive or dollar amount yet, so the survey is the main chance for owners to say what would make a retrofit practical for them.

The City is testing the approach on its own property first. A pilot at the Hagginwood Community Center parking lot will remove sections of asphalt, add irrigation and plant up to eight trees without removing any parking spaces. The Department of Public Works is designing the project, construction is expected to start in summer 2027 and finish in fall 2027, and part of the lot will close temporarily while crews work. Lessons from the pilot will feed into the guidebook. Both efforts are part of the City’s Equitable and Resilient Urban Forest Project.

The City is also forming an Urban Forest Plan Implementation Working Group that brings residents and City staff together to carry out the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan. An information session is set for Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Hart Senior Center, 915 27th St., and applications to join the group are open from Nov. 9 through Dec. 31, 2026.

Volunteers can start sooner: the Love 916 campaign, coordinated by the Department of Youth, Parks and Community Enrichment, kicks off Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon at the downtown park at 910 I St., with planting, mulching and litter cleanup. Businesses looking for a team service day can find upcoming dates on the City’s volunteer portal.

Key takeaways

The parking lot greening survey for owners, businesses and designers closes Nov. 25, 2026.
The guidebook will cover design, costs, maintenance, permits and potential incentives; no incentive amounts are set yet.
A City pilot at Hagginwood Community Center adds up to eight trees with no lost parking spaces, built summer to fall 2027.

Take the parking lot greening survey Equitable and Resilient Urban Forest Project