CNA: Neighborhood Commercial Automobile-Oriented District in Long Beach
The CNA: Neighborhood Commercial Automobile-Oriented District in Long Beach is designed for small-scale, neighborhood-serving retail and services where buildings are typically set back from the street to accommodate parking in front. Development in this district is limited to a maximum building height of 28 feet (2 stories) and requires a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet [Table 32-2]. While the district supports a variety of local commercial uses, it is explicitly structured to maintain a scale compatible with surrounding residential neighborhoods [Section 21.32.020].
Purpose and General Character
The primary purpose of the CNA District is to provide neighborhood-serving centers and corridors that offer small-scale, low-intensity uses to meet the daily retail and service needs of nearby residents [Section 21.32.020.B].
The general character of the CNA District is defined by its "auto-oriented" nature. Unlike pedestrian-oriented districts where buildings are placed at the property line, the CNA District features buildings set back from the front property line. This allows for off-street parking to be located between the building and the street, prioritizing vehicular access while serving the local community [Section 21.32.020.B.2].
Permitted Land Uses
The City of Long Beach permits a range of commercial, professional, and limited residential uses within the CNA District. Uses are categorized as permitted by right (Y), requiring an administrative use permit (AP), requiring a conditional use permit (C), or permitted as an accessory use (A).
Commercial and Service Uses
- Retail Sales: Basic retail sales, book and video stores, and flower shops are permitted by right [Table 32-1].
- Personal Services: Barber shops, dry cleaners, locksmiths, and nail salons are permitted by right [Table 32-1].
- Financial Services: Banks and credit unions are permitted by right, though drive-through facilities for any use require a conditional use permit [Table 32-1].
- Professional Services: Offices for accounting, law, medicine, and real estate are generally permitted by right [Table 32-1].
- Automobile Services: Gasoline sales and car washes require a conditional use permit, while accessory auto detailing is allowed with an administrative permit [Table 32-1].
- Restaurants: Eating places without drive-throughs are permitted by right. Drive-through facilities require a conditional use permit [Table 32-1].
Institutional and Residential Uses
- Community Facilities: Daycare centers, libraries, and public schools (elementary/secondary) are permitted by right [Table 32-1].
- Residential Use: While primarily commercial, the CNA District allows for single-family and multi-family residential uses, as well as live-work units [Table 32-1].
- Special Residential: Caretaker residences and artist studios with residences are permitted via an administrative use permit [Table 32-1].
Development Standards
The Long Beach Municipal Code establishes specific dimensional requirements for construction and site layout in the CNA District to ensure compatibility with the surrounding environment.
Building and Lot Requirements
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Size | 5,000 square feet |
| Maximum Building Height | 28 feet / 2 stories |
| Minimum Building Setback: Front Street | 10 feet |
| Minimum Building Setback: Side Street | 5 feet |
| Minimum Building Setback: Adjacent to Residential Side Yard | 10 feet |
| Minimum Building Setback: Adjacent to Residential Rear Yard | 20 feet |
| Minimum Building Setback: Adjacent to Nonresidential District | 5 feet |
Parking Setbacks
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Parking Setback: Front Street | 10 feet |
| Parking Setback: Side Street | 6 feet |
| Parking Setback: Alley | 14 feet |
| Parking Setback: Adjacent to Residential District | 5 feet |
| Parking Setback: Adjacent to Nonresidential District | 5 feet |
Special Design Standards
All new and remodeled buildings in the CNA District must adhere to specific design criteria intended to enhance the visual quality of neighborhood commercial corridors [Section 21.32.230.D].
- Articulation: Exterior elevations must use three-dimensional elements like cornices, pilasters, and structural bays to break up facade planes.
- Modular Expression: Facades wider than 50 feet must be designed with a modular expression that breaks the scale down to widths of 50 feet or less.
- Window Clarity: Ground floor windows must be clear with an exterior daylight reflectance of no more than 8 percent.
- Entrance Frequency: Entrances must be located no more than 50 feet apart.
- Materials: Each side of a building must contain both a primary and an accent material, with the accent material covering at least 10 percent of the facade.
Sections Cited
- Section 21.15.2530 - Sign area
- Section 21.30.010 - Districts designated
- Section 21.32.020 - Districts established
- Section 21.32.110 - Permitted uses
- Section 21.32.230 - Design of buildings
- Table 30-1 - Zoning Districts Established
- Table 32-1 - Uses In All Other Commercial Zoning Districts
- Table 32-2 - Commercial Development Standards