IG: General Industrial District in the City of Long Beach
The IG: General Industrial District serves as the City of Long Beach’s "industrial sanctuary," intended to preserve and protect heavy industrial and manufacturing operations from the intrusion of incompatible non-industrial uses. In this district, the City of Long Beach permits a maximum lot coverage of 80 percent and a maximum building height of 65 feet for industrial structures [Table 33-3]. While performance standards regarding noise and emissions are required, they are set at the minimum necessary to ensure safe and functional operations within an environment focused on industrial processes [Section 21.33.020.C].
Purpose and General Character
The City of Long Beach established the IG: General Industrial District to provide a dedicated space for industrial and manufacturing technologies that may not be appropriate in other parts of the municipality. The character of the IG District is defined by its focus on industrial processes rather than the specific end product created. Typical operations found within the Long Beach IG District include rail yards, chemical manufacturing plants, food processing facilities, and large-scale construction yards utilizing heavy equipment [Section 21.33.020.C].
To maintain its status as a sanctuary for industry, the district is protected from non-industrial users that might otherwise object to the standard operating characteristics of heavy industry. The City of Long Beach authorizes the Zoning Administrator to interpret these regulations to ensure that businesses operate within defined limits while allowing for the evolution of manufacturing technologies [Section 21.33.010.C].
Permitted Land Uses
Land uses in the Long Beach IG District are generally classified by their Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. The district prioritizes high-intensity industrial activities but also allows for certain specialized agricultural and service uses [Section 21.33.060].
Industrial and Manufacturing Uses
- Heavy Manufacturing: Most manufacturing activities are permitted by right (Y) or subject to an Administrative Use Permit (AP).
- Food Processing: Permitted subject to a Conditional Use Permit (C) or a Y/C designation depending on specific SIC codes [Table 33-2].
- Wholesale Trade: Generally permitted by right, including durable and nondurable goods [Table 33-2].
- Construction-Related: Uses with outdoor storage as a principal use are permitted by right (Y) [Table 33-2].
Specialized and Accessory Uses
- Urban Agriculture: Permitted in the IG District subject to an Administrative Use Permit and specific standards found in Section 21.52.260 [Table 33-2].
- Cannabis Cultivation: Permitted subject to an Administrative Use Permit (AP) [Table 33-2].
- Caretaker’s Residence: Allowed as an accessory use (AP) when provided in conjunction with a permitted nonresidential use [Table 33-2].
- Emergency Shelters: Permitted subject to an Administrative Use Permit (AP) and specific performance standards [Section 21.45.132].
Development Standards
The City of Long Beach enforces specific site and building standards for the IG: General Industrial District to ensure efficient land use and appropriate buffering from more sensitive zones.
| Standard | IG District Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Size | 20,000 sq. ft. |
| Maximum Lot Coverage | 80% |
| Maximum Building Height | 65 ft. |
| Maximum Non-Building Structure Height | No restriction |
| Maximum Accessory Office Space | 25% of gross floor area |
[Source: Table 33-3]
Setback and Yard Requirements
Setbacks in the IG District vary significantly depending on whether the property line is adjacent to a street, another industrial lot, or a residential neighborhood.
| Required Setback/Yard Area | IG District Requirement |
|---|---|
| Yard Fronting on Minor Arterial/Major Street | 10 ft. |
| Yard Fronting on Local or Collector Street | 0 ft. |
| Parking Lot Setback from a Street | 5 ft. |
| Yards Abutting Alleys | 10 ft. from centerline |
| Yards Abutting Residential District | 45 ft. |
| Yards Abutting Nonresidential District | 0 ft. |
[Source: Table 33-4]
Performance and Operational Standards
All businesses operating in the Long Beach IG District must comply with the City’s performance standards to protect public health and safety [Section 21.33.090].
- Noise: Uses must comply with the Long Beach Noise Ordinance (Chapter 8.80). Industrial businesses must discontinue operations that produce noise levels higher than those permitted at the nearest residential or hospital property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. [Section 21.33.090.C-D].
- Vibration and Emissions: No use may generate noise, vibration, smoke, or particulate matter that constitutes a substantial risk to public health or acts as a nuisance to adjacent properties [Section 21.10.020.N].
- Outdoor Storage: In the IG District, outdoor storage is permitted but must be fully screened from public rights-of-way and adjacent residential uses by a solid wall or fence [Section 21.33.150.C].
- Light and Glare: All lighting must be shielded at lot lines so as not to be directly visible from any adjoining residential district [Section 21.33.090.E].
Sections Cited
- Section 21.10.020 - Purpose
- Section 21.33.010 - Purpose
- Section 21.33.020 - Districts established
- Section 21.33.060 - Permitted uses
- Section 21.33.090 - Performance standards
- Section 21.33.150 - Outdoor storage and activities
- Section 21.45.132 - Emergency shelters
- Table 33-2 - Uses In Industrial Districts
- Table 33-3 - General Development Standards
- Table 33-4 - Minimum Required Setbacks/Yards Areas