Long Beach Height-Limit Overlay (HL) District Regulations
The Height-Limit Overlay (HL) district in the City of Long Beach establishes specialized maximum building heights and story limits to ensure lower-scale development that preserves specific neighborhood characters. While the City of Long Beach allows any use permitted by the underlying base zone within this overlay, the building height is strictly governed by the numerical designations found on the zoning map or determined during the site plan review process [Section 21.40.010, 21.40.110].
Purpose of the Height-Limit Overlay
The primary objective of the Height-Limit Overlay (HL) is to implement special building height restrictions in designated areas of the City of Long Beach. This overlay is specifically used where the municipality determines that maintaining a lower scale of development is necessary to protect and maintain the existing character of a neighborhood [Section 21.40.010].
Permitted Uses and General Provisions
The Height-Limit Overlay (HL) does not restrict the types of activities or land uses allowed on a property. Any use that is permitted in the underlying base zoning district is also permitted when that property is subject to the Height-Limit Overlay (HL) [Section 21.40.110]. All other development standards, such as setbacks, parking requirements, and lot coverage, remain governed by the regulations of the underlying base zone unless otherwise specified [Section 21.40.220].
Building Height Restrictions
Building height within the Height-Limit Overlay (HL) is regulated through specific notations on the official City of Long Beach zoning map.
Zoning Map Notations
The height and story limits for the Height-Limit Overlay (HL) are identified by the letters "HL" followed by two numbers separated by a slash.
- Height in Feet: The first number indicates the maximum allowable height in feet.
- Number of Stories: The second number indicates the maximum number of building stories allowed.
For example, a designation of (HL 20/2) signifies that a building in the City of Long Beach may not exceed 20 feet in height and is limited to a maximum of 2 stories [Section 21.40.020].
Determinations via Site Plan Review
In instances where the City of Long Beach zoning map does not provide specific numerical values for a property designated with the Height-Limit Overlay (HL), the appropriate height in both feet and stories must be determined and specified during the mandatory site plan review process [Section 21.40.020].
Technical Development Standards
| Standard Category | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Permitted Uses | Any use permitted in the underlying base zone [Section 21.40.110] |
| Maximum Building Height | As indicated on the zoning map or determined via site plan review [Section 21.40.020] |
| Maximum Number of Stories | As indicated on the zoning map or determined via site plan review [Section 21.40.020] |
| Other Standards | All other standards are governed by the underlying zone district [Section 21.40.220] |
Sections Cited
- 21.40.010 - Purpose
- 21.40.020 - Building height restrictions
- 21.40.110 - Permitted uses
- 21.40.210 - General provisions
- 21.40.220 - Lower height limits