CCN: Community R-4-N Commercial Zoning Guide - Long Beach
The CCN: Community R-4-N Commercial district in the City of Long Beach is a multi-use designation designed to serve the community with a blend of retail, professional services, and medium-density residential housing. It allows for residential development at R-4-N densities and is subject to specific development standards, including a maximum building height of 38 feet and a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet for new subdivisions [Sections 21.32.020 and 21.32.205].
Allowed Uses in the CCN District
The City of Long Beach categorizes uses in the CCN district into those permitted by right, those requiring administrative approval, and those requiring conditional oversight.
Permitted by Right (Y)
The following uses are generally allowed without a discretionary permit, provided they meet the base development standards of the City of Long Beach:
- Residential: Single-family detached and attached dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and multi-family residential units [Table 31-1].
- Commercial & Retail: Basic retail sales, building supply stores (without lumber/masonry), major household appliance sales, secondhand stores, and adult-use cannabis dispensaries [Table 32-1].
- Services: Basic personal services (barber, dry cleaning, etc.), accounting, legal, and medical offices, and tutoring centers up to 2,500 square feet [Table 32-1].
- Food & Beverage: Eating places without drive-through facilities, restaurants with entertainment, and alcoholic beverage manufacturing (subject to Section 21.45.114) [Table 32-1].
- Community & Institutional: Public libraries, publicly run post-secondary schools, vocational schools, and religious assembly facilities up to 25,000 square feet [Table 32-1].
Allowed with Administrative Use Permit (AP)
These uses require an Administrative Use Permit from the Zoning Administrator for the City of Long Beach:
- Automotive: Minor auto repair (lube, smog test), limousine services, vehicle rental agencies, and vehicle parts sales [Table 32-1].
- Health & Wellness: Primary-use massage establishments and fitness facilities between 2,501 and 25,000 square feet [Table 32-1].
- Specialized Retail: Gun shops and thrift stores [Table 32-1].
- Institutional: Convalescent hospitals, funeral homes/mortuaries (without crematoriums), and trade or industrial arts schools [Table 32-1].
- Residential Services: Caretaker residences and artist studios with associated residences [Table 32-1].
Allowed with Conditional Use Permit (C)
These uses require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) due to potential impacts on the surrounding City of Long Beach neighborhood:
- High-Impact Commercial: Car washes, drive-through facilities (restaurants and banks), and nightclubs or private clubs located within 500 feet of a residential district [Table 32-1].
- Financial: Check cashing, payday loans, car title loans, and signature loan businesses [Table 32-1].
- Institutional: Hospitals and private elementary or secondary schools [Table 32-1].
- Residential Care: Residential care facilities for seven or more persons and senior or disabled housing [Table 32-1].
- Communication: Monopole cellular facilities and wireless telecommunications facilities [Table 32-1].
Prohibited Uses (N)
The City of Long Beach explicitly prohibits the following uses within the CCN: Community R-4-N Commercial district to preserve the character of the community:
- Industrial: General auto repair (bodywork/painting), auto sales, and commercial storage/RV storage [Table 32-1].
- Commercial: Motels and drive-in theaters [Table 32-1].
- Services: Commercial laundry for industrial customers and primary-use recycling centers [Table 32-1].
- Transportation: Bus terminals and heliports [Table 32-1].
Development Standards for CCN
Development in the CCN district must adhere to specific spatial and structural requirements to ensure compatibility with adjacent residential zones in the City of Long Beach.
| Development Standard | CCN Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Size (Subdivision) | 10,000 sq. ft. |
| Maximum Building Height | 38 ft. (3 stories) |
| Minimum Front Street Setback | 15 ft. |
| Minimum Side Street Setback | 10 ft. |
| Setback: Adjacent to Residential Side Yard | 10 ft. |
| Setback: Adjacent to Residential Rear Yard | 20 ft. |
| Setback: Adjacent to Nonresidential District | 5 ft. |
| Parking Setback (Front Street) | 15 ft. |
| Parking Setback (Alley) | 14 ft. from centerline |
Note on Mixed-Use: In the City of Long Beach, no setback is required for commercial or residential units located above ground-floor commercial uses. However, ground-floor residential units require an 8-foot front street setback and a 5-foot side street setback [Table 32-2, Footnote e].
Sections Cited
- Section 21.30.010 - Districts designated
- Section 21.32.020 - Districts established
- Section 21.32.110 - Permitted uses
- Section 21.32.205 - Lot size
- Section 21.32.210 - Building height
- Section 21.32.220 - Yards
- Section 21.32.235 - Residential uses in commercial districts
- Section 21.45.114 - Alcohol beverage manufacturing
- Table 30-1 - Zoning Districts Established
- Table 31-1 - Uses in Residential Zones
- Table 32-1 - Uses In All Other Commercial Zoning Districts
- Table 32-2 - Commercial Development Standards
- Table 32-3 - Residential Uses In Commercial Districts