Institutional Zoning District (I) in the City of Long Beach
The Institutional (I) District in the City of Long Beach is designed to accommodate public and semi-public uses such as schools, hospitals, and government offices while requiring a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet. This district maintains a unique height restriction of 30 feet unless the structure is significantly set back from residential zones, and it requires a comprehensive 20-year long-range development plan for any site exceeding 40,000 square feet.
Purpose and General Character
The City of Long Beach established the Institutional (I) District to create, preserve, and enhance areas specifically for public and institutional land uses [Section 21.34.010]. The general character of the Institutional (I) District is defined by its focus on large-scale community services and its relationship with surrounding residential neighborhoods.
A defining characteristic of the Institutional (I) District is the requirement for long-range planning. Any site within the City of Long Beach Institutional (I) District with a lot area exceeding 40,000 square feet must submit a long-range development plan [Section 21.34.020]. This plan must anticipate all development and site expansions for the next 20 years to ensure that institutional growth does not negatively impact the surrounding community or conflict with the City’s General Plan. Furthermore, site plan review is mandatory for all projects within this district to ensure consistent design and appropriate site layout [Section 21.34.025].
Permitted Land Uses
Land uses in the Institutional (I) District are categorized into those permitted by right (Y), those requiring an administrative use permit (AP), those requiring a conditional use permit (C), and those permitted as accessory uses (A).
Primary Permitted Uses (Y)
The following uses are permitted by right in the Institutional (I) District:
- Education and Culture: Public and private schools (excluding vocational), colleges, universities, libraries, museums, and cultural centers.
- Public Safety and Government: Fire stations, police stations, and government offices.
- Health: Hospitals, medical centers, and medical office complexes.
- Assembly and Recreation: Churches, convention centers, exhibition centers, and country clubs (with golf courses).
- Natural Resources: Arboretums, botanical gardens, and water tanks.
Conditional and Administrative Uses (C/AP)
Certain uses require higher levels of discretionary review in the City of Long Beach:
- Assembly/Entertainment: Stadiums (C), hall rentals (C), and outdoor sales events (C).
- Special Residential: Special group residences (C), and disabled or senior citizen housing (C).
- Operational: Cemeteries (C), interim storage of vehicles (C), and the sale of alcoholic beverages (C).
- Housing: Caretaker’s residences (AP) and parsonages (AP).
Prohibited Uses (N)
The City of Long Beach strictly prohibits the following in the Institutional (I) District:
- All subcategories of adult-use cannabis businesses.
- General commercial uses as a principal use.
- General manufacturing and industrial activities.
- Multiple-family residential developments (except those specifically classified as special group or senior housing).
- Off-premises signs.
Development and Dimensional Standards
The City of Long Beach applies specific dimensional requirements to the Institutional (I) District to ensure the scale of institutional buildings is compatible with the urban environment.
| Development Criteria | Institutional (I) District Standard |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Size | 10,000 square feet |
| Maximum Lot Coverage | 50% |
| Maximum Building Height (Principal) | 30 feet, or 1 foot for each 2 feet of distance from an abutting residential district (whichever is greater) |
| Maximum Building Height (Accessory) | 15 feet |
| Maximum Flagpole Height | Same as principal structure |
[Table 34-2]
Setback and Yard Requirements
Yard areas in the Institutional (I) District must be clear of all structures from the ground to the sky and must be maintained with landscaping [Section 21.34.220].
| Yard Type | Required Setback Distance |
|---|---|
| Front Yard | 20 feet |
| Side/Rear (Adjoining nonresidential) | 4 feet |
| Side/Rear (Adjoining residential) | 15 feet |
| Corner Lot | 10 feet |
[Table 34-3]
Design and Operational Requirements
The City of Long Beach mandates specific design and screening standards for the Institutional (I) District:
- Building Design: All sides of a building visible from a public street or residential district must be finished in a manner compatible with the surrounding residential area [Section 21.34.235].
- Screening: All permitted uses, including storage, must be screened by a solid wall at least six feet in height to prevent materials from being visible above the wall [Section 21.34.240].
- Parking and Landscaping: Parking lots must be screened according to City standards [Section 21.41.266], and landscaping must be provided as required for all residential districts [Section 21.34.260].
- Residential Development: Any residential units developed within the Institutional (I) District must conform to the development standards of the R-1-N (Single-family Residential) Zone [Section 21.34.245].
Sections Cited
- Section 21.15.110 (Adult Entertainment Business)
- Section 21.34.010 (Purpose)
- Section 21.34.020 (Long range development plan required)
- Section 21.34.025 (Site plan review)
- Section 21.34.110 (Permitted uses)
- Table 34-1 (Uses in the Institutional District)
- Table 34-2 (Development Standards)
- Table 34-3 (Yard Requirements)
- Section 21.34.220 (Yards required)
- Section 21.34.235 (Building design, treatment and finish)
- Section 21.34.240 (Screening required)
- Section 21.34.245 (Residential development)
- Section 21.34.260 (Landscaping requirements)
- Section 21.41.266 (Parking areas—Screening)